As Plato puts is in the Republic, Book IV; we, naturally, seek to know because it’s already a part of us. And in fact, having answers never completely satisfy us as we will always strive to know more. So, we can say it’s more like a curse, as we get answers we keep being hungry for more. It’s itchy to know there is always an information out there, waiting for us, while it’s also ready to lead us to more questions. This becomes a pushing force for us at the same time, because more we know, more we want to obtain a better life, “a good life” as Aristotle states (in Nicomechean Ethics, Book VI).
I want to talk further about this being a “curse” as I mentioned. As we light a match, we should expect to reduce darkness around us. But in fact, what we get is realizing how much darkness more there are. As we change our light source; match to torch, torch to flashlight etc., we will only have a better idea about how dark it is as we upgrade our equipment. But we will always think that one day we will obtain such an equipment that will finally light up the whole darkness. Our equipment is our knowledge. Day by day we are expanding it only to realize there is still so much more out there. So much to question. But we still insist, thinking one day we can fulfill our goal. As long as this utopic dream does not come true, only think we will do is keep damaging our mind. Knowing answers of questions also give way to becoming source of answers, people will seek to us and we will realize even just by changing the way of question asked can be enough to coming up with brand-new questions.
Also, the problem of intelligible vs knowable realm (Plato, Republic, Book IV) will come up as we may get ourselves in a such situation that made us got stuck struggling between these two realms. As we know more, we will question more. As we ask more, we will know more. This will pull us from our starting point, which is knowable realm, and pushes us to limitless opportunities of intelligible realm which’ll only make us more unbearable and annoyingly different when we decide come back to our starting realm.
But still, we cannot just adjust ourselves for these unwanted side of questioning. In fact, it is the one of the biggest tools we use while making a connection between idea and form, being and becoming. Without start questioning we can’t even start the process of idea to form and being to becoming. So, we would get stuck. Stuck between what’s out there and what can be out there, not being able to do a single thing. This could’ve left us as mere decorations of earth, nothing more. So, at the same time being a curse, it is also a blessing. Making us special in this universe. There is always a chance for what’s on the mind become a reality one day, and most of the time it is just one question away.
Questioning – both blessing and curse of mankind. Igniting everything, pushing us, getting us into troubles, makes us happy. Most helpful and most dangerous thing at the same time. And this very unstable thing naturally inside us. A part of us, filling the gaps between what we were, what we are and what we will be. It is likely that we will never run out of questions to ask. We will explore the space more to only see how big rest of it is. Depressing, yes. But it is the best thing we have. And also will be our doom in the end, but there is no point considering this right now. There’s still much to ask.
My name is Hakan, and I am a Political Science and Public Administration student from Turkey. I am a 20 year old man with an ambition of having a Ph.D. in Political Sciences. I am already very interested about writing about these subjects and sharing them, because I know that they are always something we can experience in our everyday life. Please follow me and upvote this post, so I will try to provide more posts with better quality. Have a nice day!
Congratulations @hhakan! You have completed some achievement on Steemit and have been rewarded with new badge(s) :
Click on any badge to view your own Board of Honor on SteemitBoard.
For more information about SteemitBoard, click here
If you no longer want to receive notifications, reply to this comment with the word
STOP