journal #1

2/12/2013

“For this feeling of wonder shows that you are a philosopher, since wonder is the only beginning of philosophy.” ― Plato, Theaetetus

Hi everyone! Please send your comments/entries on the quote above. You have until Sat., Feb 16. Late contributions will not be receive a grade. Please remember to post the same text on MANAGEbac (go to your ToK profile and click on JOURNAL, which should be on the right-hand side of the screen) and to SIGN the entry. Enjoy!

13 Comments

Ms. Jackson

2/13/2013 02:11:47 am

This is awesome!!!

Arina Kremova

2/14/2013 06:20:22 am

I think this quote is truly valid, because only wander makes you search, while searching you are looking at things, thinking, judging, realizing. This phrase should be referred to the parable about Socrates (not sure) who was looking for a right way to act wisely and at the end turned to be the most wise because he admitted that he doesn't know and started to search. But on the other hand being a philosopher and being a sage are two different things. Wisdom is something what comes not just with time you spend observing things and explore them but with experience mostly, compares of different conclusions you make about different and same things. But one of things they both have in common is having your own opinion, but with the room for acceptance another, if it is reasonable, and admission that you might be wrong.

plovmaker

2/14/2013 09:50:26 am

I partially agree with you, exept wisdom don't come with experience. Some people experienced the same thing, but went on two different ways. For example I know two guys in my home city and they were best friends and did everrything together. But one time it happened so that they've been beaten up by skinheads. They both spend two weeks in hospital because of that. After they recovered one wondered if he can fight back in future and started to train. Another one become very scared and still very afraid of any fight. I think wonder is something that comes to you from your parents as they describe the world in the beggining of your life. I mean when little kid is asking something, you get tired and tell him not to ask stupid questions. As you repeat that constantly child (without understanding that himself) realize that wonder is something wrong and bad. On the other hand than parents keep answering that silly question kid will ask more and more. He will wonder more and more. I agree with this quote because phylosophy is science of finding answer to thing you wonder about. Thank you. I win)

2/15/2013 11:04:03 am

I agree that wonder is a significant starting point part of philosophy. Without wonder, we would not even be dwelling in this modern electronic age. Take a look at cell phones and computers, how did the concept of those hand-held communicating devices arise? We wondered. We wanted too made our lives much more uncomplicated and effortless. What if human didn't wonder? What if they were too lazy to think out of the box? If that is the case, this blog and what I just posted would not exist. Words would not exist. People would not know how to communicate. They would just be plain homo sapiens strolling around the ground of mother earth not knowing anything. However I would like to stand a point that wonder comes with curiosity. People would wonder, they would come up with ideas but if they weren't curious about for example how the things were made?, why is it like that?, what is its pros and cons? and etc, they would not even care about making it more desirable to the world. They had the idea but they would not even want to know whats behind everything that they feel and see. It would not even matter as curiosity does not exist. But wondering is a strong aspect of philosophy. I would not doubt that.

Alexandra Khlyustova

2/15/2013 12:43:00 pm

I acquiesce with this quote because it catalyzes me. I suppose, Plato delineates that wonder is the beginning of every science, such as philosophy. Every investigation of the world commences with the wonder. In fact, wonder could be a thing which attracts the person and makes him/her curious about what it means. Therefore, perceiving and finding your own wonder distinguishes an individual to be unique from other people, because there is an insatiable desire for greater knowledge as well as ascertaining what the essence of the world is; exploring the emotion of excitement while searching for the answer and not only doing cerebral work. Eventually, an individual can start attempting to solve the problem if there is a necessity to comprehend the meaning of this wonder. Indeed, wonder is a beginning of numerous sciences, because scientists perform their experiments in order to attain more knowledge. In this quote, the author mentioned philosophy as the example of the science. It is highly regarded that philosophy is the beginning of every science of this world. Everything started with the appearance of it since people started to think and investigate the “wonders” they saw around them, which led to them amalgamating the various wonders to identify if they possess the same ideas, interests or even understandings. Hence, this quote has a significant meaning to most of people.

YAO XU ( Sherley)

2/16/2013 01:27:02 am

I think this statement is extremely valid. Philosophy derives from lives and exists for better lives. People analyze the appearance to discover the essence. This process is wonder.
Wonder leads to curiosity so people start to suspect. Why are famous philosophers willing to research about thought, substance or awareness? Because they eager to gain knowledge. If they didn’t doubt these questions, there’s no philosophy.
For instance, Albert Einstein found the Theory of Relativity because he kept wondering for many years and trying to prove it by oceans of experiences. Knowledge never appears autonomously unless people find it.
In our daily lives, when we see various customs from different countries in EFIA, we will think about the root reasons. That’s kind of talent of human being. As people wonder more and more, things’ properties will emerge. Then the deeper knowledge such as ‘the center of universe’ ‘the beginning of creatures’ forms philosophy.
Obviously, wonder is the only beginning of philosophy.

Anjani

2/16/2013 03:21:04 am

I wonder If when you wonder you accept that you don't know or you just simply ask why ?

I certainly agree that wonder is the beginning of Philosophy but also that acceptance is one of the most efficient ways to evolution. Because being aware of your limitations and all the other things that slow you down, you become free. Free to look for opinions and answers of other people that one day, you will take as If of little pieces of Lego we were talking, to build your own thoughts that will lead you to the right answer for your condition.

Once I heard it and since, I fell in love with the next quote: "Just people who ask have the right to know" The thing is what's the right question to ask; and would you have the courage to ask, to be a philosopher and find your own answers or will you sink in a fake silence and live with another person's lie ? I guess it depends on each person.

Mingxuan Xu

2/16/2013 05:05:40 am

I agree with Plato '' Wonder is the only beginning of philosophy.''
Why sights philosophy? Because of the lack of faith, uncertainty about the future. Why do we have to study philosophy?Because we want to reshape the ideal life is no longer anxious.
The hustle and bustle of the work, the relative satisfaction of material life, so we may temporarily forget the pursuit of the spirit, but whenever the dead of night when we independent thinking of the world, the society, questioning and doubts of life, always waving indelible.So I think the felling of wonder is beginning of spirit philosophy.
And i also think for philosophy the first is speculative spirit. Philosophy can temporarily not to answer, but can't stop the suspect, reasoning - the universe, life, society, suspicion and speculation. If you suspect that the speculative spirit, philosophy is dead.
Look at the growing marginalization of philosophy in our social life today, which one of is the important reasons: is we loss the wonder, loss of the speculative spirit.

Wenhao Zhang

2/16/2013 05:32:21 am

I think that the philosophy of human curiosity for things, a process of questions and will be carried out to explore the. Precisely because of questions about things, philosophy generation, promote human progress. With the depth of understanding of things, the human imitation of the nature of things and use the increased technology also increases.
Curiosity is human progress must be some factors, all will be thinking of curiosity. For example, Einstein discovered the theory of relativity, because he has been pondering this issue for many years, and he has the knowledge and life experience to find the answer. Obviously, the philosophy found in life comes from life. The philosophy is simple, it is human thinking and exploration of the nature of things. Life is full of all philosophy, which need our own thinking and discovery.
Obviously, the philosophy has only just begun for us.

Tom Nguyen

2/16/2013 07:15:57 am

I agree with this quote that wonder is the beginning of philosophy (knowledge). Wonder is a boost for an individual to search hard for the answer to their questions. For instance, I wonder in art, how can the artist create an artwork? Is it base on their emotion? Memory? Experience? Inspiration? or all of them? Which of them give artist the ideas to start creating the artwork? I'm in the process of finding out the answer by creating artwork myself. I take note of where my idea comes from. That makes me a wise, because I have the guts to wonder and finding out the answer for me, myself. In my opinion many people nowadays are to caught up with their life, that they forget to question the things surrounding them everyday: nature, behavior, beauty, art,etc. They are missing out knowledge that they could be benefiting from.

Daniela

2/16/2013 09:32:06 am

What do I wonder about… Sometimes I wonder about life, how come we are here why I am myself, what makes me a person. What gives me the right to move this body, to control my future. Why am I given this power over this piece of flesh I call “my” body, to control this part of nature, does it actually belong to me? As I believe we are all part of the same thing. What are these thoughts that I have, why am I the only one to know about them. Why are societies so important, what is the meaning of money, why do we actually need it, why are humans group animals? Why is power so important? Why do humans want to own land. I have so many questions about human nature that if I start thinking about them I can find myself nowhere, and everywhere at the same time. In a way I feel like I detach myself from humanity and at the same time I’m exactly the same as everyone else.

Pattarin Jaroensinsunthorn

2/16/2013 09:35:32 am

I really agee with this quotation because philosophy bases on the thruth.Everyone has the feeling of wonder. Wonder is a huge Part of believe. When we are wondering it makes the beginning of philosophy because philosophy is a long process that make we think and it's related to the reality and life. Because of our curious that make us want to find the truth and the answer to our wonders. Thinking, realizing, considering and finding the answer are the solution of philosophy. These it was I think.

Pattarin

2/16/2013 09:45:08 am

This is what I think*

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