Why do we want to know why?
Why do we want to know why?
With any question, why is it always so helpful to know why the answer is the one that is? In another words, which principle of thinking and learning is most closely tied to question "why"? Or is it purely social act of expressing deeper interest? Is questioning for reasons mandatory?
I feel I know the answer to this question intuitively, but find it hard to express it into words without it sounding stereotypical and lazy.
This seems bizarre, because it's children who are most "famous" for asking "why" all the time, but: How would you, say explain to a child, why do we need to know reasons behind things?
You're viewing a single thread.
That is an interesting question.
I think wanting to know the "why" of things could be a matter of humans being curious in nature. Why that is the case, could be because of evolutionary benefits to the survival of the species.
I think wanting to know the "why" is related to wanting to understand how thinks work - because if we understand how things work, we understand the cause and effect relations in a situation, and with that we can try to control things.
If I can understand why something is the way that it is, that makes it predictable in the future. And if I can predict how things will behave in the future, I can try to control them or use them to my advantage. This goes for small things, like food staying good for longer in the fridge, but also for large things, like the social and cultural systems at work in society.
Yep, it all goes back to fear. If I know why I can control it hopefully and I’m less scared.