Risk Taking And Philosophy

Even when we’re older and a little more confident, lots of learning experiences can like a leap, including creative writing, performing, and public speaking. There are some practices that, even though they’re good for us, seem to lead directly to sweating and a dry mouth.

For a lot of people, philosophy also falls into this category. There aren’t very many things that seem more daunting than trying to answer life’s biggest and most important questions. In embracing our inner philosophers and jumping into discussions, we risk:

·      Being wrong (ouch).

·      Admitting we don’t know (more ouch).

·      Having to let in all kinds of new (and sometimes strange) perspectives.

·      Committing to going over and over ideas, possibly for the rest of our lives.

·      Challenging assumptions we’ve had for long, long time, some of which we’ve become really comfortable.

Nope, philosophy isn’t exactly comfortable. It’s challenging and requires commitment and open-mindedness. It requires us to venture into new territory.

However, there’s a great deal to be gained from taking this risk, including:

o   Developing far better thinking skills.

o   Nurturing our creativity.

o   Building our social and emotional intelligence.

o   Becoming more aware and understanding of the people and the world around us.

o   Feeling empowered, like our ideas and perspectives matter.

o   Connecting with other thinkers, including those from past eras and from around the world.

o   Having fun and finding delight in playing with ideas!

Seems worth the risk, doesn’t it? We think so too.

Here’s the thing we, as adults, overlook: doing philosophy feels far riskier to us than it does to younger thinkers. Kids, especially little ones, don’t balk at taking these kinds of risks. Big questions aren’t daunting, jumping into conversations isn’t a big deal, and potentially looking a little silly doesn’t really phase them. The mere act of being small and growing up involves taking most of these risks on a daily basis. We’re not exactly sure at what age we start to avoid taking these risks, but it’s us big people who get jittery about diving into the unknown and waxing philosophical. Let’s not deprive our kids of the opportunities presented by philosophy, just because we’re afraid to take a leap. Instead, lets admire their courage and maybe even take a cue from them.

It's never too early and it’s never too late!