To View the World Like a Child

The Philosophy of Wonder

Photo by Jack B on Unsplash

This reflection by Jostein Gaarder challenges us to embrace the wonder of a child to become good philosophers.

---

“So now you must choose...

Are you a child who has not yet become world-weary? Or are you a philosopher who will vow never to become so?

To children, the world and everything in it is new, something that gives rise to astonishment. It is not like that for adults.

Most adults accept the world as a matter of course. This is precisely where philosophers are a notable exception.

A philosopher never gets quite used to the world. To him or her, the world continues to seem a bit unreasonable - bewildering, even enigmatic.

Philosophers and small children thus have an important faculty in common. The only thing we require to be good philosophers is the faculty of wonder…”

Jostein Gaarder, Sophie's World

---

🌀 Saturday Reflection:

🌿 What would it be like to view everything as new, like a child?

🌱 Have we as adults hidden that ability in order to be ‘adult?’

🌿 What is the connection between this childlike approach to being a philosopher and living out our Ikigai?

---