Justin Anjelo Clemente

Filipino children are often met with dismissive remarks such as “Namimilosopo ka na!” or “Hindi mo maiintindihan, isip bata ka pa,” when they engage in reasoning or ask questions. These statements are often delivered in a derogatory manner as children are not seen as knowers, or at least, as potential knowers. Despite its prevalence, limited scholarly works have examined how Filipino children suffer from this treatment and perception of adults. As such, I aim to illustrate in this paper how Filipino children experience a specific practice of silencing, that is, testimonial quieting, when they do philosophy. To establish what it means for children to “do philosophy,” I first draw on Peter Paul Elicor’s article “Are Filipino Children Too Young to Do Philosophy?” Elicor highlights how adults easily dismiss children’s philosophical questions, seeing them as naïve, embarrassing, or unworthy of serious attention. Then, I discuss Karrin Murris’ “Can Children Do Philosophy?” to address common skepticism about children’s ability to do philosophy. Building on these discussions, this paper primarily aims to conceptualize the practice of silencing experienced by Filipino children using Kristie Dotson’s account of testimonial quieting. Testimonial quieting occurs when an audience fails to recognize a speaker as a knower. Dotson highlights how speakers hugely depend on their audience’s willingness to be acknowledged and understood properly. I conclude by offering a preliminary account of how Filipino children suffer from testimonial quieting in two ways: first, by being ignored, and second, by receiving inaccurate or dismissive answers. This paper ultimately aims to challenge the misconceptions toward Filipino children’s status as knowers and capacity for philosophical thinking.