A Guide to Western Philosophy for Children: Non-fiction for Children, #1

By Amna Waseem

A Guide to Western Philosophy for Children by Amna Waseem is a vibrant, accessible journey through the minds that shaped the world. With playful illustrations and clear, engaging chapters, this book introduces young readers to 24 legendary thinkers—from ancient wisdom to modern complexity. Meet Plato, Aristotle, Machiavelli, Montesquieu, Hobbes, Locke, Rousseau, Kant, Mill, Bentham, Hegel, and Marx, who laid the foundations of politics, ethics, and society. Then explore revolutionary ideas with Lenin, Mao, Gramsci, Karl Popper, Pierre Bourdieu, John Rawls, and Francis Fukuyama. Finally, dive into the mysteries of truth and identity with Foucault, Derrida, Kierkegaard, Jean-Paul Sartre, and René Descartes.

Perfect for curious minds and budding thinkers, this guide turns philosophy into an adventure—where every chapter is a doorway to wonder, courage, and critical thinking.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Amna Waseem
• Release date: Sep 17, 2025
• ISBN: 9798232291730

Amna Waseem

Amna Waseem is a multi‑genre author, creative entrepreneur, and MPhil scholar in Political Science at Kinnaird College for Women. Her work spans children's and adult fiction as well as educational non‑fiction, blending imaginative storytelling with accessible insights.   Her debut e‑book, Whispers from the Lavender Valley, follows young Babil through landscapes of grief and wonder, offering readers a thoughtful reflection on resilience and hope. Drawing on both academic study and personal experience, Amna's writing is marked by clarity, empathy, and vivid imagery.   Away from her desk, she embraces simple living—finding inspiration in quiet mornings with coffee and the calm of sunlit garden corners. Alongside her fiction, she develops educational resources and companion materials designed to make complex ideas approachable for classrooms and wider audiences.  

Book preview

Chapter 1: Plato – The Dreamer of Ideas

👦 Who Was Plato?

Long, long ago—more than 2,400 years back—in ancient Greece, a baby named Plato was born in a city called Athens. His real name was Aristocles, but everyone called him Plato, which might have meant broad (maybe because of his shoulders!). He came from a rich and powerful family, but instead of becoming a politician like many of his relatives, Plato chose a different path: he became a thinker, a teacher, and a writer.

Plato loved asking big questions like: 

- What is truth? 

- What makes something good or bad? 

- How do we know what’s real?

He was curious about everything—and he believed that thinking deeply could help people live better lives.

🧠 Major Ideas: The World of Ideas

Plato believed that the world we see around us—trees, animals, people—is not the real world. He thought there was a deeper, invisible world made of perfect ideas or Forms. For example:

- A circle drawn on paper is never perfect. But the idea of a perfect circle exists in our minds.

- A chair might be made of wood or metal, but the idea of chair-ness is something we understand no matter what it looks like.

Plato said that these perfect Forms are more real than the things we touch and see. He believed that our souls remember these Forms from before we were born, and learning is just remembering what we already know deep inside.

🏛️ The Cave Story

One of Plato’s most famous stories is called The Allegory of the Cave. Imagine people living in a dark cave, chained so they can only see shadows on the wall. They think the shadows are real because that’s all they’ve ever seen. But one person escapes the cave and sees the real world outside—sunlight, trees, animals. When he returns to tell the others, they don’t believe him.

Plato said we’re like those cave people—we only see shadows of the truth unless we use reason and philosophy to discover the real world of ideas.

📚 Famous Works

Plato wrote many books, but they weren’t like regular books. He wrote dialogues, which are like plays where characters talk and ask questions. The main character in most of his dialogues is Socrates, Plato’s teacher.

Some of his most famous works include:

- The Republic – A book about justice and the perfect society.

- The Symposium – A dialogue about love.

- Phaedo – A story about the soul and what happens after death.

- Meno – A discussion about whether virtue can be taught.

Plato believed that philosophers should be kings, because they care more about truth than power or money.

🏫 The Academy

Plato didn’t just write books—he started the first university in the Western world! It was called The Academy, and it lasted for hundreds of years. Students came from all over to learn about math, science, ethics, and philosophy.

One of his most famous students was Aristotle, who became a great philosopher too (we’ll meet him in the next chapter!).

🌍 Impact on the World

Plato’s ideas shaped the way people think even today. He helped create the foundation for:

- Philosophy – The love of wisdom.

- Political theory – Ideas about how governments should work.

- Ethics – Thinking about right and wrong.

- Education – Teaching people to think for themselves.

Many famous thinkers, from Christian theologians to modern scientists, were inspired by Plato’s belief in reason and truth.

🕵️‍♂️ Fun Facts and Extra Info

- Plato was a wrestler in his youth. Some say his nickname came from his broad shoulders!

- He traveled to Egypt and Italy to learn from other cultures.

- He believed the soul had three parts: reason, spirit, and desire. A good life balances all three.

- His writing style is so clear and clever that people still read his dialogues today.

💬 A Quote to Remember

> The greatest wealth is to live content with little. – Plato

This means that happiness doesn’t come from having lots of stuff—it comes from understanding yourself and living wisely.

Chapter 2: Aristotle – The Master of Many Things

👦 Who Was Aristotle?

Imagine a boy growing up in ancient Greece, curious about everything—from stars in the sky to ants on the ground. That boy was Aristotle, born in 384 BCE in a town called Stagira. His father was a doctor for the king, so Aristotle learned early about science and medicine. But when he was a teenager, he moved to Athens and joined Plato’s Academy, where he studied for 20