The Art of Thinking (Htet Zaw Htoo)

The Art of Thinking

One of my teachers said, “If reading a book is like growing a plant, thinking after reading is like weeding that plant to survive”. It means that a plant will never survive if it is not weeded though it is planted. Likewise, reading is no more effective without any thinking followed up. Therefore, thinking is of considerable importance in everything we do. In fact, every subject, successful inventions and also books come from a start of thinking. It is undeniable that scientists, mathematicians and writers, their inventions, laws and all principles start from thinking first. The study of thinking is terminologically termed as ‘philosophy’.

The word ‘philosophy’ has a Greek origin. ‘Philosophia’ a Greek word consists of two words, i.e., ‘phileo’ meaning love and ‘sophia’ meaning wisdom. Therefore, the literal meaning of philosophy is ‘love of wisdom’. As Marcus Tullius Ciero (106-43 BC) said, Philosophy is the mother of all arts and the true medicine of mind. On the one hand, Samuel Taylor Coleridge said, “Philosophy is science of sciences”. Therefore, it can be said that philosophy is the root of all arts and sciences. In the past of the world history, people were fond of thinking. As a result, all of the inventions, principles, laws, poems, stories and books are all the results of thinking. Sir Isaac Newton also thought why the apple fell on the ground instead of picking up and eating it. Otherwise, he could create no law and principle. Similarly, authors both in our country and all over the world thought much and changed their thought into words. As a result, their contributions can be available to be read and studied around the world. Besides, our everyday activities need to be done through thinking first. Otherwise, it is impossible to know exactly whether it should be done or not. In addition, it should be followed up with thinking to know which one is strength and also which are weaknesses. It can also be termed as reflection. In order to get used to thinking, philosophy should be introduced both to the students and to all members of the society formally and informally. By and large, the philosophy of education employs the basic terms metaphysics, epistemology, anxiology and logic. Metaphysics deals with the nature of reality. Epistemology deals with the nature of knowledge. Anxiology deals with the nature of values and logic deals with the nature of reasoning.

In conclusion, thinking is a necessity for all human beings like such basic needs as food, clothes and shelter. It is important to think before and after doing something so as to be on the right track. Thinking guides us what we should do most and shouldn’t too. Besides, thinking is the food for the soul. Without any thinking, the real essence cannot be grasped from reading books, stories, poems and listening songs too. Therefore, thinking is a kind of art every man must do in order to live wisely and meaningfully in life.