What would a perfect world look like?

This is a question I have asked hundreds of brilliant young people from all over the world. Their answers have taken us down a million creative paths. We have discussed order, beauty, robots, nature… we have discussed whether freedom matters more than justice. Whether justice means equality. We have played with thought experiments, laughed and debated. We have explored political and moral philosophy, learned about language and knowledge, and had fun.

There is nothing more exciting than exploring ideas with young people. They question everything. They bring humour. They bring creativity. They push me to teach better, to think faster. Their hope and determination moves me.

It was these fun and inspiring conversations that led to my new book: Seeking the Perfect World - A Critical Discussion of Global Challenges for the Bright and Curious. In this book I invite readers to enter into philosophical conversations with Socrates, his intellectual descendants, and me.

Philosophical conversations should be a central part of our relations with young people. But sometimes entering these conversations can be hard. As adult we are tempted to ‘lead’ students, rather than to listen and engage. We are tempted to take a side rather than explore all options. We are worried about threading controversial ground or using humour in difficult topics. It can also feel a bit intimidating to enter into discussion of heavy topics – life and death, the role of the government, genetic engineering, AI, animal rights and more… and this is where I hope this book will help. I wanted to create a conversation young people could enter into if they lack mentors. And to model conversations that could give us adults ideas for ways to approach tricky topics.

Having a space for critical conversations was one thing I wished I had growing up. There were many topics that were simply not discussed. I strongly believe that no topic should be off limits in a critical education. But we need to have the wisdom and kindness to lead these conversations with care. Here are a few suggestions:

1. Meet young people where they are. Our job is to engage and expand. If a topic is particularly interesting, go with it! If a topic feels uncomfortable, don’t push it.

2. Listen with your whole self. Hold back judgement and your own views. In the conversation young people should take the limelight. You have much to learn if you listen and young people will only speak if they feel their views are valued.

3. Humour is a powerful tool. Difficult topics are hard to chat about. Tensions can rise, we can get stressed. Bring in the jokes. There is no reason why we cannot approach any topic with kindness and humour.

4. Along with humour, remember the power of play. Discussions are really games. We are playing with ideas. We are exploring them from different perspectives. We are trying to see them upside down. We are trying to try them on for size. Play!

And, of course, if you are uncertain on how to start the discussion – well, I hope the book will inspire you and start some fun conversations.

:) Karem