All About Reading

Sunday, June 27, 2010

Is Curiosity a Good Thing?

Every great discovery in history has one common element, curiosity. Curiosity is the seed from which every great adventure grows. Each new discovery, each new idea was born from curiosity. Wikipedia defines curiosity as an emotion related to natural inquisitive behavior such as exploration, investigation, and learning. The word is derived from the Latin curious meaning careful, diligent, and curious. Curiosity is the beginning of every new discovery, every new idea, and of higher learning itself.

In 1492 Christopher Columbus was curious about the trade routes to the Indies. This curiosity led him to seek a route from Iberia to the Indies that would be shorter than the overland trade route through Arabia. Columbus questioned the conventional trade routes and had a need to explore an alternate route. The seed of curiosity was planted and this great adventure led to the discovery of the New World.

Galileo Galilei is known as the father of modern physics and played a major role in the Scientific Revolution. His curiosity led him to challenge the conventional wisdom of his time and the notion that the Earth was at the center of the universe. Galilei had a need to question conventional thinking. The seed of curiosity planted in Galilei’s mind revolutionized modern science and led to an entire new scientific philosophy.

Exceptional people seem to have a common trait. They seem to possess the need to explore, question, and learn. One might say that exceptional people are curios. Is curiosity a good thing? Well, curiosity fosters learning. Curiosity springs from a need to explore and challenge convention. Curiosity promotes independent thinking and advances learning.

Curiosity is the corner stone of every political movement. Karl Marx believed that Capitalism was based on socioeconomic struggles, thus doomed to fail. Marx was curious about the notion of a classless society. This curiosity led to Marxism. It can be argued that every political movement throughout history was born from curiosity. Looking back over history, it is when a political movement forbids free thinking, exploration, investigation, and learning that most great atrocities occur.
Curiosity needs free thinking, social awareness, and cooperation to thrive.

Curiosity must be allowed to grow freely and must not be inhibited by closed minds or bigotry. When curiosity is allowed to flow freely and celebrated good things are born and society advances. When curiosity is stifled and snuffed out society is kept in the dark and time stands still. Curiosity is the life breath of modern invention, modern thinking, and is essential to a modern society. Is curiosity a good thing? You tell me, I am curious.

by Leigh Davis