3.16 The Philosophy Badge
I think most people would agree that philosophy is a brave subject for a children’s TV show to tackle. Most adults don’t have a grasp on the subject, let along kids. For the makers of Hey Duggee, The Philosophy Badge is just another big idea that they can make simple to the of benefit us all.
Badge Design
A Rainbow with a brain.
Episode Summary
Opening Squirrel
Tag eating jelly.
Start
The Squirrels are running around outside.
Set-Up
They come across Tino the artistic mouse who is having an existential crisis. He is trying to paint a picture of Duggee but it’s not good enough. Tino describes himself as a perfectionist, that’s his philosophy. The Squirrels don’t understand the word philosophy so Duggee explains. Your philosophy is a set of rules in your head that you live by. Philosophy is about thinking.
Tag tells everyone what’s going on in his head. A ball. A roller skate. A clock. A key. A door with a giant block of cheese behind it. A mouse. Ethel the elephant running through an enormous cake pursued by the mouse, Enid, the ball, the roller skate and the clock. They all collapse in a messy heap.
It’s more about how you think. Duggee can help, he has his Philosophy Badge.
Story
Duggee pulls out his projector and they settle in for a lesson. Start by asking questions. Famous philosophers asked many things.
- Confucius asked what does it mean to be good?
- Pythagoras asked where are we in the universe?
- Descartes asked why do we dream?
The Squirrels agree that those are hard questions. As a bug tiptoes in, they try to think of their own questions:
- Happy asks what does it feel like to be someone else?
- Norrie asks what is right and wrong?
- Betty asks where is the past kept?
- Roly asks why am I here?
Tag has trouble thinking of a question so Duggee tells him about his philosophy. Duggee wants to get the most out of life, find joy and bring happiness. The other animals all have their own philosphies:
- Hennie’s is healthy of body, healthy of mind.
- King Tiger’s is to appreciate the simple things in life.
- The rabbits want to be at one with everything.
- Mr and Mr Crabs’ philosophy is to treat others as you would like to be treated yourselves.
- Chew Chew’s is to keep calm and carry on.
- Naughty Monkey’s is to have a good time all the time.
- Tino’s is to seek perfection in all things.
Tag wishes he could find his philosophy. The Squirrels all try to find their philosophy by thinking about what they wanto from life.
- Betty’s is to find stuff out. We are treated to a montage of Betty in her lab coat with all sorts of scientific instruments.
- Norrie’s is to seek out new horizons. Norrie is sailing around the world.
- Happy’s is just yo be Happy. Happy and Betty float up in a bubble.
- Roly’s philosophy is jazz. I can’t begin to explain what is happening in Roly’s head.
Tag still can’t think of anything. Betty pulls out Kant’s categorical imperative: We should live in a way that’s fair to everybody. A way that doen’t make anyone unhappy.
Tino is unhappy which helps Tag realise that his philosophy is to help people. He hugs Tino which helps him change his philosophy. It’s about doing your best and excepting who you are. Tino reveals his abstract painting of Duggee to everyone’s surprise.
Bridges
- Duggee with the cogs turning in his head.
Close and Credits
The Squirrels have earned their Philosophy Badges.
Naughty Monkey sets off a banana party popper.
Style Change
There are some cool style changes when the Squirrels look at philosophers from the past.
The less said about what’s going on in Roly’s head the better.
Supporting Cast
- Tino the artistic mouse.
Outfits
Duggee wears his professor’s tweeds for this one.