[The Philosophical Parent] is a diverse, rich, funny, tragic, as well as analytical adventure in one of life's most challenging journeys. Kazez tackles ancient as well as contemporary questions by resting much on her use of the child as second self.
Metapsychology Reviews Online
In The Philosophical Parent, Jean Kazez tackles many of the philosophical puzzles surrounding parenthood, ... Read moreincluding the question of whether we should bring further children into this world, what our rights and duties are as parents and why we might want to become parents in the first place. Engagingly and accessibly written, parents especially but also non-parents pondering whether or not to have children and people with a general interest in philosophical questions will find new insights in every chapter of this terrific and important contribution to the philosophy of parenting.
Berit Brogaard, Professor of Philosophy, University of Miami
Philosophy professor [Jean] Kazez uses a mix of philosophical proofs and science to explore a mix of theoretical and practical parenting questions ... Soon-to-be-parents will find thinking through her arguments a good way to engage their minds beyond the immediate practicalities of child-rearing
Publishers Weekly
This wonderfully thoughtful book amply demonstrates that philosophy has a great deal to teach about what it means to parent and how to do that well and that parents often need to be philosophers themselves. ... Kazez gently and with exceptional erudition takes readers by the hand and examines a series of often extraordinary questions associated with one of the most routine human activities - having and raising children. ... Essential.
R. R. Cornelius, CHOICE
It is written with beautiful clarity and precision and an enviable command of quite complex material. I know of no other summary of the non-identity problem that is so perspicuous and - importantly - sufficient to persuade those sceptical of the other-worldly character of some modern philosophy that this problem matters. This is a text free of intrusive footnotes and elaborate reconstructions of theories and arguments. The annotated bibliography at the back provides evidence enough of the considerable background reading that informs Kazez's writing. And the writing is charmingly engaging - who can resist a phrase such as 'cosmic orphanage' as an allusive description of that set of possible persons yet to be brought into existence and reared? Kazez is evidently a thoughtful, conscientious parent who has worried - but not obsessively - about what parenthood requires of her, and her broadly liberal sympathies are on display throughout.
Journal of Applied Philosophy
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