Ahmed the Philosopher: Thirty-Four Short Plays for Children and Everyone Else

This is philosophy to be staged theatrically. This is to say, this is philosophy to be performed. Full of humor and fun. Many traditional philosophical concepts are shed new light. Inherent significance of these concepts is uprooted. As the sub-title suggests, this is philosophy (actually, philosophies) for children. But this is in the sense that everyone of us should become children again by taking a fresh look on these things. Each play lasts for a few pages only and thus reading them is like watching cartoon episodes. I wish that I can watch these plays live. I further wish that parents will tell these stories to their children, just to let them know that (as the author suggests) philosophy should be full of joy, and to do philosophy is to separate oneself from oneself, in other words, to transcend oneself.

Surprisingly hilarious!

Playwrights, actors, philosophers, teachers, and most importantly children should all read this text as soon as they can. It is so immense, so ceaselessly intense, and constantly hilarious. Badiou approaches philosophy as a necessary activity and one of the most tiring of activities available to human beings, but he never makes it less than joyful. Just as shouting dreams and glories to the heavens all day long will tire out your voice, this work of the laughing philosopher who pulls you along and makes you laugh until you think (and vice versa) makes the reader tired in the most important ways. Read these plays. Hear these plays. But always, always enjoy them.