Philosophical inquiry and the childness of communities: Connective capabilities for flourishing education

The aim of this chapter is twofold. First, to introduce the construct of “connective capability”, in terms of collective capability distributed within the community, considered as a cue for the policy goals of educational systems as a dynamic component of well-becoming. Second, to explore Philosophy for Children as a suitable pedagogical approach to promote capable communities in which agents enhance their “complex thinking” to connect people’s free imagination in pursuing their own flourishing future. After a background is sketched by looking at connective capabilities in an educational perspective, a focus on collective units of analysis of human generativity, and joint activities towards “good becoming” is distengled. Then, the Philosophy for Children is presented as a pedagogical base and concrete means to educate the distributed “faculties” (creativity, critical thinking and care) needed to build flourishing and participative communities, engaged in future imagination as a fundamental dimension of free collective agency. Philosophizing within “communities of inquiry” is a practice in which children could explore collectively the multiple opportunities of being and becoming together, participating in a shared experience of thinking which is usually missed in subjective achievement-based educational systems. Alternative possible futures would emerge from the richness of doubts and uncertainty, cultivating the habit to question in childhood and youth.