Expand Your Philosophy: Seek Curiosity - Question Assumptions - Shape Your World Anew
Short principles for long-term clarity—and occasional epiphanies.
How do historical decisions and designs limit your growth journey?
“The pursuit of knowledge is a lifelong journey driven by the questions we ask, and by embracing curiosity, challenging assumptions, and seeking new perspectives, we can shape a more just and equitable future.”
Have you ever wondered why the world looks the way it does? Every road, law, and piece of technology exists because of decisions made long before we arrived. But were they perfect? Hardly. Every system carries the fingerprints of its time - shaped by old knowledge, compromises, and sometimes, intentional design flaws. But progress isn’t about past incompetence; it’s about how you evolve your understanding. These choices were made with the tools and priorities of their era. Instead of judging them through hindsight, the real question is: how do we navigate a world built on old decisions - and what happens when we dare to challenge them?
Rules prioritise stability over fairness - but stability isn’t progress. The world changes, yet past decisions harden into laws, traditions, and unspoken expectations - all shaped by outdated assumptions. Rules exist to shape default behaviours and reduce cognitive load, but most weren’t designed with you in mind - they’re relics of an older world. They aren’t sacred; they’re meant to be questioned. The best innovators learn the rules, then challenge them with purpose.
Knowledge is never fixed. What we ‘know’ today is just a stepping stone for what we’ll discover tomorrow. For centuries, people believed leeches could cure disease - not out of ignorance, but because it was the best knowledge available at the time. Knowledge evolves as we do. Progress isn’t about proving things right indefinitely; it’s about questioning what we take for granted and being willing to discard ideas that no longer hold up.
I love questions, with a passion that seems unhealthy. Why? (😏) Because creativity and human progress come from questioning and redefining boundaries. Every discovery begins with a question: 'What if?', 'Is this true?', 'Is there a better way?'
Nowhere is this clearer than in quantum mechanics, where the very fabric of reality resists certainty. Scientists once believed electrons orbited a nucleus in fixed paths - until they discovered an unpredictable cloud of probable locations for the electron instead. Reality wasn’t what they expected, and in questioning it, they reshaped our understanding of the universe. It also led to the realisation that looking at the same thing twice doesn’t guarantee you’ll see it the same way - at a subatomic level, the odds of an identical observation are extremely low. Like peeling back the layers of an onion, every question reveals deeper complexity. Richard Feynman captured this beautifully when he said:
“I can appreciate the beauty of a flower. At the same time, I see much more about the flower than he sees. I could imagine the cells in there, the complicated actions inside, which also have a beauty. I mean it’s not just beauty at this dimension, at one centimeter; there’s also beauty at smaller dimensions, the inner structure, also the processes.”
Science thrives on questioning, but so does creativity. Every breakthrough comes from someone daring to ask, "What if this rule isn’t absolute?". Game design follows a similar pattern: Master the rules, then break them with purpose. The best creators - writers, musicians, and thinkers - start by deeply understanding the rules before intentionally breaking them to create novelty. Although rules provide structure and stability, they aren’t progress. Rules hold the world steady, but questions move it forward.
True innovation comes from knowing which assumptions to challenge for progress and which to preserve for stability. If you break all rules recklessly, you lose stability and create chaos. Because structure exists for a reason. Change it too drastically, and you risk alienating your audience by removing their frame of reference or creating unsustainable complexity through costly new structures (e.g., coordination problems).
It’s tempting to discard assumptions entirely - they shape the rules we challenge - but they aren’t the enemy. They are the scaffolding that holds our understanding in place, giving us a foundation to think, create, and navigate the world. The real danger isn’t having assumptions, but in mistaking them for absolute truths. Growth thrives in curiosity. Every challenge to what you know isn’t just valuable - it’s how you move forward and step towards something greater.
We assume things constantly - often without noticing. This blog assumes three things: You read English. You have a screen. And, most importantly, you want to read it (among many other things). Assumptions are unavoidable, but they are also the starting points for innovation. True progress isn’t about rejecting all assumptions - it’s about knowing which ones you need to challenge. The most transformative ideas arise when we dare to ask: What if this weren’t true?
Assumptions build the framework of how we think. They help us navigate the world, but the real breakthroughs come from questioning the ones that no longer serve us. That’s why you need to stay infinitely curious. Not because it guarantees happiness, but because progress depends on questioning the assumptions you hold - constantly. Struggling to see them in your life? Notice absolute statements: 'This is X. That is Y.' Every certainty hides an assumption, ripe for questioning.
The universe is full of unanswered questions, and every answer leads to fascinating - and sometimes frustrating - new questions. To question is to be human. Discovery isn’t just a process - it defines us. And finding joy in that? That’s what makes life worth living. The beauty of human existence is in both seeking and creating - transforming assumptions into something new. So, follow the boundaries of life and seek clarification about why they are the way they are. Embrace the flaws. Welcome the unknown. The most interesting life awaits.
Seek. Question. Create.
You belong at the edge of the unknown. You shape the future by questioning everything. The most transformative ideas come from those who refuse to accept the world as fixed. Seek the cracks in old assumptions. Find the beauty in the unknown. The future belongs to those who dare to ask better questions - and chase the answers with relentless curiosity. By doing so, you shape the world anew.
🗝️ Three Paths to Make This Yours - Unlock Your Understanding:
🧠 The Thinker’s Path: Take 30 minutes each day to journal about your thoughts and questions.
🌿 The Wanderer’s Path: Spend an hour in nature, observing how the world around you is constantly changing and evolving.
🔥 The Challenger’s Path: Engage in a respectful debate with someone who holds a different view, with the goal of understanding their perspective.
🧭 The Compass of Curiosity - A Pause, A Question, A Shift:
Imagine yourself as a renowned scientist, a master of your field, studying someone who mirrors you exactly. What subtle adjustments or insights about their perceived reality would you offer to help guide them toward a more fulfilling life?
Imagine the designer of the objects surrounding you. If you were to pick one up, what assumptions about the user would they have made? Consider not only physical and emotional factors but also spiritual, moral, and cultural aspects - how would these influence the design?
🔥 Two Sparks to Light Your Thinking - Dare To Challenge The Ordinary:
Take a week to notice and challenge one assumption you hold about the world, each day reflecting on how that same assumption affects you.
Write down three things you believe to be absolute truths and then research to find counterarguments or alternative perspectives.
🎶 Resonance in Rhythm - Melodies That Echo Meaning:
Overnight – Logic
When I Grow Up – NF
Dare You To Doubt Me – The Script
One Step Closer – Linkin Park
The Scientist - Coldplay
📖 Wonderer’s Toolkit* - Resources For The Inquisitive Mind:
Clear Thinking - Shane Parrish (Amazon)
Think Again: The Power of Knowing What You Don't Know - Adam Grant (Amazon)
The Design of Everyday Things - Don Norman (Amazon)
The Creative Act: A Way of Being - Rick Rubin (Amazon)
Nudge - Richard H. Thaler and Cass R. Sunstein (Amazon)
*These are Amazon Affiliate links through which you can support the blog
Next Thought Voyager:
-
00Days
-
00Hours
-
00Minutes
-
00Seconds
🌌 More Wonderings Beyond This Path – Curiosity Leads, Wonder Follows:
In the Same Vein – Keep Wondering
A New Trail to Wonder
Looking for Something Else?
Want to Read a Poem?
Keen to Explore More Topics?
What About Bite-Sized Wisdom?
Or Maybe be Allowed into my Inner Sanctum
Would Rather Come Back Later?