Questions, Questions, and well, more Questions
>> Thursday, May 22, 2008 –
Literature,
Philosophy,
Questions
Questions I have many, answers but a few
But we're here to learn... to know the greater truth
On Monday, my younger brother and I spent all day at the Cal State Fullerton library. My canvas bag was full of books, and a notebook. My two main goals were to revel in my philosophy book, which has been neglected of late, and also to submerge myself in literature. I forgot how much the two go hand in hand.
My stack of books included (among many) Shakespeare's Comedies, Plutarch's Lives, Annie Dillard's The Living, and an adorable hardcover edition of AA Milne's Winnie the Pooh. I started from the beginning of my philosophy book. Delved in with joy - how do we know what we know? how much objectivity can we place in music?
I finished up the first 3 chapters with lots of questions then moved on to Shakespeare's Measure By Measure. Pencilled questions filled up my notebook. Following the plot, analyzing the individual characters, etc. Then suddenly I realized how wonderful it is to simply ask questions. Every new book, every chapter I opened up to, brought along new questions. Some more important than others.
This is one of my favorite parts about studying philosophy. Finding a question, struggling and wrestling with it, then finding (or not finding!) different potential answers. Tracing the question through the characters in books, every day statements. And it just leads to more questions!
CS Lewis said, “As one’s eyes are more and more opened, one sees more and more in the [world], and it excites wonder” (Reflections on the Psalms). And that's what good questions do, they open our eyes to the world, and they give us wonder. :)
