Franklin had a blue stuffed dog, and he fed it and played with it, it was his pet. Jay looked at the pictures, enjoying the story, and we talked about it on the drive home.
Me: What's Franklin playing with in the story
J: A blue stuffed dog
Me: And is it a real dog?
J: Yes
Me: No, it isn't
J: (thinking for a few seconds) you're right, but it's a picture of a real dog. Blue stuffed dogs are real.
How's that for a lesson in ontology, taught by a four year old?
I had my Platonic defense ready, of forms and essences, instances of universal definitions. And maybe even a study of language, reflecting on the connoted meaning of the word 'real.'
But it was time to get a popsicle and hang out with his Mommy who had just come home from work. If there had been enough time before bed, we could have played with his dinosaurs. Real dinosaurs.
0 comments:
Post a Comment