“…it is also a very good plan every now and then to go away and have a little relaxation; for when you come back to the work your judgment will be surer, since to remain constantly at work will cause you to lose the power of judgment. It is also advisable to go some distance away because then the work appears smaller, and more of it taken in at a glance, and a lack of harmony or proportion in various parts and the colors of the objects is more readily seen.” - Leonardo da Vinci
Documents about Leonardo da Vinci are particluarly insightful because not only is he the champion of curiousity, but records that we have of his work also show that he adamantly used his inquisitive nature strategically. While some of us fortunately have retained or rediscoverd our curious tendencies in the college setting, taking this curiousity a step further can be enhanced by viewing our curiosities from many vantage points. Da Vinci often drew pictures of flowers from multiple angles, readily accepting that there are infinite ways of beginning to ask questions about the flower’s life. Sometimes one can take it for granted that like-minded people are like-asking people. That is to say, just because someone thinks like you doesn’t necessarily mean that she will ask questions concerning your shared thoughts in the same way that you do. In this case, despite like-mindedness, your questions will elicit different answers. By playing that game with his own curiousities, Da Vinci was able to be one of our greatest thinkers. In brief, it seems that our capacity to maximize our curiosity potential lies in an ability to re-ask our questions strategically depending on our surroundings, audience, or purpose.
Posted by: Tiffany
