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Description

Megan Jane Laverty interprets Dr. Seuss’s The Lorax (the 1971 book, the 1972 television cartoon, and the 2012 feature film) as a multi-layered philosophical fable. First, she examines how the story reveals the dangers of our enthusiastic but short-sighted pursuit of innovation, success, and wealth—ambitions that can lead to far-reaching and often tragic consequences. Secondly, she explores how the narrative vividly illustrates the environmental devastation that results when commercial enterprises treat nature as an inexhaustible resource for production and progress. Laverty proposes several ways for students to engage with the story’s philosophical themes, including the aesthetic exploration of their local environment, intergenerational dialogue, and critical discussion of the book’s two central moral lessons.

Publication Date

2023

Publisher

Institute for the Advancement of Philosophy for Children

City

Montclair

Keywords

Philosophical Fable, Dr. Seuss, Environment, Aesthetics, Conservation, Entrepreneurship, Consumerism, Justice, philosophy for children

Disciplines

Early Childhood Education | Education | Philosophy

<em>Lorax</em> (1971) by Dr. Seuss

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