Stupid questions

Descartes on wonder and wisdom

A text I wrote just got published in the online journal ‘Reactionair.nl’

Link:

https://reactionair.nl/artikelen/domme-vragen/

It is often said that philosophy starts in wonder. It is when what at first seemed evident, becomes questioned in the experience of wonder, that philosophy begins. This honest observation has led many thinkers to claim that philosophy essentially consists in questioning. That is, in the originary moment of wonder in which doxa becomes questioned, the essence of philosophy is to be found. ‘Philosophy = critique’, it is said. And the more radical, the better. The more we can wonder at things, and the more things we can question into oblivion, the more we are engaging in philosophy.

With Descartes, I offer a critique of this perspective on philosophy. Descartes claims, that as much as wonder and questioning are at the origin of philosophy, one can also become addicted to wonder. One can come to love the thrill of the ‘search for truth’, more than the ‘truth’ itself. And thus, as much as wonder is at the beginning of philosophy, an excessive focus on it can also mean the end of philosophy (understood as search for truth and love of wisdom). The means (wonder) to the end (truth), become desired more than the end itself.

The text is in Dutch. I know you might not read the language, but I am sure your favourite digital translator-machine will do just fine in conveying the content to you. Please consider.

I recommend browsing around the site after you are done with my article. Reactionair.nl is an interesting project, worthy of your attention. Perhaps a provocative project to some of you, but I do encourage you to open your mind. I translate from the ‘who are we?’ page on their site:

“the reactionary doesn’t just look to the future or to the past. He looks upwards, to absolute principles, and to God.”

A ‘look’, the practice of which, we can all learn from.