Curiosity......
Mahendra Gonsalkorale
There are many definitions of curiosity.
The urge you feel to know more about something or someone.
The desire to learn or know about anything.
Curiosity is associated with a strong desire to know about things, from how a machine works to why people fall ill, from why there are storms to how we make decisions on probability.
And there are many aphorisms associated with curiosity. To cite a few.
"Curiosity is the wick in the candle of learning": William Arthur Ward, an American author, said this in the 1800s.
"I have no special talents. I am only passionately curious”: Albert Einstein.
“Be curious. Read widely. Try new things. What people call intelligence boils down to curiosity.” Aaron Swartz. American computer programmer associated with the website Reddit.
“If you can let go of passion and follow your curiosity, your curiosity just might lead you to your passion.” Elizabeth Gilbert. American Journalist and Author.
“The important thing is not to stop questioning. Curiosity has its own reason for existing.”: Albert Einstein
Curiosity leads to asking questions and seeking answers through reading and other information-seeking methods, leading to understanding and wisdom (rather than mere knowledge accumulation).
I remember very fondly one of my teachers at Royal College, Mr Arulanandan, who repeatedly told us, “Always ask the question - why?” At home, I drove my mother insane by repeatedly asking her why. In desperation, she used to say, “Because I say so!”
Looking back on my days as a medical student in Colombo, I had this persistent desire to ask the question, "Why?" When you study a subject, you need more than simply reading the text to give you a critical appraisal of the subject, and that is why I love books that pose questions at the end of each chapter that you need to answer before you move on to the next one.
When dealing with a patient with a problem, I was intensely curious to discover why he had those particular symptoms and try to explain them. Without curiosity, I doubt whether I would have acquired helpful knowledge. Neurology was especially appealing in commencing a path of discovery with a question followed by a step-by-step dissection of the problem, leading to what more data is needed and, finally, an answer. This, of course, applies to any branch of medicine.
Doctors accumulate vast amounts of data. This data has to be connected and relevant if they want to turn knowledge into wisdom. Curiosity helps in this process, and we develop internal classifications and connections that organise data and help us retrieve it productively.
Some of our teachers who encouraged us to be curious were Dr Wickrema Wijenaike, Dr Carlo Fonseka, Dr Oliver Pieris, Dr Lester Jayawardena, Dr George Ratnavale and many more.
Curiosity makes learning fun! Food tastes so much better if you are hungry!
If our forefathers had not been curious, I doubt we would have achieved so much in human history.
I hope I have said enough to provoke responses from the Blog's readers. Let us have a healthy discussion. I don’t believe that “curiosity killed the cat”!
I am just curious!
Footnote:
Curiosity is viewed differently in diverse cultures. This is due to many factors, such as traditionally held beliefs that might be threatened by scientific curiosity (e.g., in Sri Lanka, most important events are timed according to astrological beliefs). Curiosity here may be seen as a threat and a subversive influence. Scientific query and openness are more evident in modern cultures and societies. Curiosity also has issues of privacy. Excessive curiosity can be viewed as unwarranted attempts to delve into private and confidential information.
We will serve the needs of our patients by being better equipped to help them. Curiosity also has a chastening effect, as quoted so often: "The more I try to know, the less I know." It was Socrates who said, "I know that I know nothing!" Curiosity, like most things in life, has positive and negative features. To me, curiosity is "the engine of knowledge, the foundation of wonder, and the spark that propels us toward discovery and meaning."
Another cultural aspect I should have mentioned is traditional Hierarchical structures. Curiosity can lead to questioning your elders or teachers and could be seen as disrespectful. Some teachers discourage curiosity to protect their ignorance. Children learn very quickly when, how, and with whom they can dare to be curious.
