#505 Solvitur Ambulando

Today we’re going to talk about walking.

Walking is awesome. In fact, it’s so old-school epically awesome in helping thinkers think that our ancient friends even had a Latin phrase to capture its power: Solvitur ambulando. <- “It is solved by walking.”

Nietzsche would agree. He said: “All truly great thoughts are conceived by walking.”

Kierkegaard would agree. He put it this way: “I have walked myself into my best thoughts.”

Then we have Immanuel Kant. He was so consistent with his daily walks that his neighbors could set their clocks to the time he passed their houses. (They even named a street after him called “Philosopher’s Walk.”)

Then we have Charles Darwin. For nearly FORTY years he followed his schedule with “clockwork” precision. And, you know what made it on the schedule every day? His walk. He was so committed to it that he actually leased his neighbor’s land just so he could do a complete loop on what became known as Sandwalk (although he preferred to call it his “thinking path”).

Then there’s Aristotle. He and his followers walked so much as they thought and taught and philosophized that they were known as the “peripatetics”—which literally means “walking up and down.”

Of course, modern scientists have proven just how powerful walking is for creativity. (Especially in nature!)

So, yah. Ancient and modern philosophers agree: Walking is pretty powerful.

But, pop quiz!

You know what NONE of those philosophers had on their deep-thinking walks?

SMARTPHONES.

Of course, none of them lived in a world with such a nonstop tsunami of digital distractions but I can assure you that no self-respecting, deep-thinking lover of wisdom would bring a device that would subject them to OTHER people’s thoughts on a walk intended to tap into THEIR own thoughts.

… How about you?

Today’s +1.

Go for a walk. (Ideally somewhere easy to get to yet beautiful.)

And leave your smartphone at home. (Or in the car/whatever.)

Say hello to your deep thoughts for me. 🤓