What is curiosity? Modern Scientist’s have been looking at people’s brains to find out, but for the real meaning behind the word, we have to go back to the sixteenth century.
“Who does not want to think is a fanatic; who cannot think is an idiot; who does not dare to think is a coward”
Francis Bacon 1561 – 1626
“Let the mind be enlarged to the grandeur of the mysteries, and not the mysteries contracted to the narrowness of the mind”.
During an icy April in 1626, Francis Bacon, philosopher a pioneer of the scientific method, (he is often referred to as the father of modern science) was walking through the snowy streets of London when a curious question popped into his mind: would the cold help preserve a dead chicken? After acquiring one from a nearby household, he set about stuffing the bird with snow. In the process, he caught a chill, quickly followed by pneumonia and death.
This possibly apocryphal story, spread by philosopher Thomas Hobbes, illlustrates two faces of curiosity: one a virtue, the other a vice. It’s not surprising that Curiosity, and being curious, is the driving force behind science, exploration and discovery, and arguably as important to success as intelligence. Curiosity can be a positive personal attribute, leading us into passionate, purpose-filled lives – think of relentlessly curious people throughout history, Leonardo da Vinci. Or modern day curiosity driven great minds, such as the physicist Stephen Hawkins.
On the flip side of this however, is the well known idiom “curiosity killed the cat” which originated in the 16th century, and tells us that curiosity can also lead to trouble or undesirable outcomes. The expression is often used to warn someone to be careful about asking too many questions or getting involved in situations that are none of their business, and has also become a common way of expressing the idea that being too curious can have negative consequences.
In modern life, this “lust of the mind”, as Hobbes dubbed curiosity, can lead us to waste time on clickbait and fake news, doomscroll through social media feeds or chase dangerously extreme experiences, like jumping from tall objects with a parachute, simply because we want to know what they feel like. It can end badly. Just think about the infamous, now-deceased cat.
It would be good to know how to make the most of our curiosity while avoiding its pitfalls, and scientists are doing just that. Recent research has not only shed light on when a curious nature can lead us astray but also on its many benefits for learning and creativity.
It might seem obvious that if you are curious about something, you pay more attention to it, making it easier to remember later – but the effects of curiosity on memory are more complex than this. Being in a highly curious state also improves our memory for information unrelated to what made us curious in the first place.
Useful Vocabulary
| Apocryphal | A story that probably isn’t true, although some people think it it. “there is an apocryphal story about a disgraced rock star who ended up in bankruptcy court” |
Watch the benefits of curiosity for learning and education.
Let’s Talk About It
Can you think of any examples of an Apocryphal story?
How would you define ‘Curiosity’….Is there a similar word in your own language?
Have you ever had a bad experience because you were too curious?
Have you ever experienced positive benefits from being curious?
“Curiosity is more important than knowledge.” Albert Einstein. Do you agree / disagree? Why?
What is philosophy and what does it mean to you?
Have you read any philosophy? Can you talk about it?
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