jorunal #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!

11 Comments

Ms. Jackson

2/13/2013 03:38:59 am

This is awesome!!

William Wijaya

2/13/2013 09:10:48 am

Such a truthful and factual quote from Plato, I believe what he says is absolutely correct. If we think about it, from the beginning, how did a person become a philosopher? How did people find out about knowledge? Why do we find out about something? Even all the knowledge that we have here today.,They all came for "wonder", isn't it?

If i want reflect it upon our relevant areas knowledge, it's actually connected to every single one of them.
Art, Natural Science, History, Social Science, Math and Ethics;
Scientists, mathematicians, historians; they were the one that found out about those weird formulas and stories. But, where did they get those knowledge from? "Wonder!", People wonder why things are made in the first place; therefore, they are philosophers. "Since wonder is the only beginning of philosophy."

Ms. Jackson

2/13/2013 09:00:13 pm

Congratulations, William! You are the first EFIA TOK blogger! Nice job.

Stephanie Arnold

2/15/2013 10:42:31 pm

Throughout the life we all gain plenty of knowledge, grandparents and old people are often considered as wise and we admire them, try to follow their example. But when do we start to follow their example and gain wisdom? I think it’s already in the early childhood. Babies try to distinguish sounds, try to speak, and learn how to walk. They are interested in everything, ask thousands of questions and make their parents go crazy. Almost every child looks forward to going to school, learn how to read and write and finally be able to increase their knowledge unlimited. They learn many things, probably develop areas of interest and one day they’ll be experts at something.

Recently I have been to the lecture of the historian Eric Foner. He is professor at the Columbian University and expert of the American Civil War and Reconstruction. For his knowledge he is admired by so many people, he really seems to be a contemporary witness from 19th century who came to teach us. However, he gained his knowledge, throughout his whole life. And when did it start? Probably he has always been a very curios boy, strong-willed to know something - a lover of knowledge.

But don’t we all love knowledge of any kind? Of course, some of us are interested in science and math; they chose physics or chemistry on higher level. Some of us like the humanities, history and economics, some languages and some wonder about arts, music and theater. And the keyword is wonder. We all know the feeling of wonder. We wonder when we just learn something for the first time. But if we still wonder about something when we know it, if we are fascinated by something, then this knowledge will most likely become an area of interest and we will make it grow. We did the first step towards philosophy. And that’s why I claim that all of us are philosophers. Don’t we all love knowledge and wisdom?

Joon Kim

2/16/2013 04:02:33 am

Animals can't think considerate as humans. Cows simply work for humans then give their meat. Pet dogs give pleasure to humans, roosters inform time and hens only provide nutrients to humans by laying eggs. Like this, animals can be useful for humans but they don't have ability to think like humans. Humans can introspect their lives. Therefore, humans are called the thinking reed. We should be thankful for this ability and we should be able to manage that ability. The person who has right thinkings will success but the person with errant conception will fail. We think to discover truth and to find the secrets of beings. Humans can think rationally and can control theirselves. This way, humans as a responsible being can deal with great ideas.

Matheus Paredes Gimenez

2/16/2013 07:18:07 am

Although the urge to wonder is extremely important in order to discover and advance when it comes to understanding the world, it is not the most important characteristic that defines a philosopher, since in my humble opinion I believe that perseverance is what truly makes a stellar philosopher, because no philosphical idea would persist without hard work and dedication.

Creativity should be deemed as the begging of philosophy because only a creative mind wonders to the extent that would result in philosophy, and although some may say that creativity is the same as wonder, i oppose to that statement because creativity is more of a concrete ideia and wonder is somewhat more abstract and primitive.

And also, since wonder is innate to the human being i would argue that it is not completely accurate to say that it is the only beginning of philosophy either, since by that statement, it would be true that philosophy is something that only existist in the world of ideas but there is a practical use of philosophy too, wich is applicable to all fields of knowledge wich doesn't necessarily have to do with wonder.

Nannapat Vorayotsri

2/16/2013 09:32:20 am

This quote is really true! Wonder is really important factor to be the philosopher or sucess in everything. If you do not have "wonder", how you can start to fine the truth and try to solve it? No way! You have to wonder in something, thinking about that, start to fine information, learn and realize, present in your own way, and try to make people accept that.

Philosophy is like long process that we have to think by ourself, is about the truth and life because of our wonder. It's make us want to fine the answer of that wonder.
So, philosophy is not include just knowledge from the book or data source , is include everything that you learn from everyday life. The way to fine the answer not that hard, but you just have to know what is your goal that you want to answer your wonder. And you just straight to that an solve it!

Zicong Gao

2/16/2013 10:12:40 am

First,I am agree this senctence what he is meaning about.In the world,everything has their intelligence.How can we find out the application of the think.So everythink in the world must be came with the wonder.Obvious,Philosopher was full of the wonder in theirs mind,as well as creativity.
LIke in the class,you need to find out the sense of the topic,you need the wonder,then you would get a lot of different opinions.All basic on the wonder.For example,math and physices,there are many formulas of them,how this coming from,also the knowledge, absolutely wonder,Philosophy bring us a lot of benefit,everything create from the wonder,because of wonder,youc can find and slove the problem of your life.So the Philosophy not just give us knowledge and wealth,but also our life.

Yat On Lau

2/16/2013 10:20:01 am

I agree with this quote, because this quote is right, whatever you think, whatever the thing you do, you not sure that much I think that wonder is what makes a person seek for the truth and make up his or her mind about the truth by using the knowledge. Believe that wonder is the beginning of knowing. When you wonder you start to question the truth.

Le Minh Hoang (Bob)

2/16/2013 10:27:13 am

Arcording to Wikipedia, "Philosophy is the study of general and fundamental problems"
And arcording to Bob, "All problem starts with a question"
Bob believes that without raising any questions, the world will always be the same without any differences as we don’t have any new problems to solve. That kind of world is unchanged. That kind of world is a perfect one. And that kind of world will never happened.
We are living in a world that people have questions every day, every time, and everywhere. The world, therefore, has many problems, from the very small to the very big issue. Everyone wants to solve that problems, to answer their own questions. And for those who wonder and ask question about the very general problems, we call them philosophers.
As a nature of life, when people have a question, they answer it; and so when philosophors have a problem, they study it. Therefore, having a problem, a question is just the start of philosophy. Philosophors need to search for evidences, opinions, or arguments to solve and to explain the problems. That is the mission of the philosophors and also, the purpose of philosophy.
Because of the above reasons, Bob agrees with Plato when he says ““For this feeling of wonder shows that you are a philosopher, since wonder is the only beginning of philosophy.”

Xianjie Li

2/16/2013 12:48:45 pm

Einstein once said, curiosity is the driving force of science; Aristotle said, curiosity is the source of the philosophy. Be surprised about the world, and be puzzled about life, and began to think about the problems in their lives,the problems of the world, this time philosophy began.
The rationality is the essential characteristics which is different from the animals. Curiosity is the beginning of the intellectual life and the most basic elements. I think wonder, the curiosity is one of the characteristics of the person different from the animal. The animal only pay attention to the survival-related things, human beyond the survival and are interested in everything in the world. Human seem to want it even people close to God, by curiosity to know the secrets of creation, in their own minds in the world to re-create it again.
In terms of human, or signs of awakening in the ability of personal curiosity are rational.

jorunal #1

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