Big questions from small beginnings
Thinking in a philosophical way might begin for someone in a encounter with a work of art — a painting, a song, a movie, a dance or theatrical performance — that surprisingly elevates one’s experience into something sublime and wonderful and requires asking “what is art?” and “how is an experience with art different from ordinary experiences?” Or philosophical reflection might begin with beholding an astounding natural sight — a brilliant sunset, a placid body of water, a yawning canyon, a magnificent landscape — that transports one beyond the routine of work and play to discover a deeper reverence for nature and life and to become united with the divine. For someone else it might begin in wonder about the infinite, the endlessness of time and space, the smallness of the here-and-now, and move someone to reflect on meaning, purpose, and existence. Some of us enter profound philosophical reflection in these ways.
Yet, perhaps for most of us philosophy arises out of what is mundane or commonplace in our day-to-day experience. Thinking philosophically might begin for someone quite unexpectedly in a casual encounter as when talking with a friend or family member about how to prepare a meal for persons having diverse religious or cultural dietary restrictions. We puzzle about cultural differences and wonder “are there any absolute human values or is everything relative?” For someone else philosophical reflection might arise in a painful encounter with the loss of a loved one, where questions about “why?” and “what to do?” come rushing in and he is forced to examine “what is meaningful about life?” Someone else might ask for a second opinion when told that she needs a new transmission and then consider “what criteria are required for knowing what makes a statement true or false?” Yet another person, having traveled the same sidewalk countless times, might suddenly one day marvel at its craft and exclaim “what a wonder a human being is”. And parents often find themselves faced with having to mediate differences of opinion among their children and their children’s friends in a public playground … and wishing for Solomon’s wisdom. Such ordinary and routine encounters can become moments of revelation and discovery, and they can provide wonderful occasions for deepening our understanding of life and enriching our worldly wisdom.