By the video above by Steven Johnson, I guess you have figured out that I do not agree with the myth of the arm chair philosopher, a person one sits and receives ideas and produce great philosophical thought all by his lonesome. No, I think differently. I believe that ideas are never self created. They are connected to other thoughts, incubate in us, and then manifest through more interconnection. Look at Socrates, his ideas manifested through dialogues he had with others. And a devote follower and present day author, Christopher Phillips travels the country to do as he did; talk to others as a way to get ideas.
Think about the most original idea you ever had. If you inspect it, you will find out that it came from somewhere, someone, from some spark outside of you first. See its not that self-created like you thought. Think about much of the academic work we read today. No paper escapes without mentioning a former or present philosophical idea from someone else. That’s what the history of philosophy shows: that we are contributing to previous questions, stealing them, borrowing ideas from them, and even our present day critique of our peers comes out of their ideas first. Thinking is never really done in isolation. That’s why what makes a good writer, is a good reader. Great ideas come through connection. So if you want to be innovative and a great thinker, kiss isolation good bye, you should be reading all the time. You should also be talking to others, exchanging ideas, engaging in debates, allowing others to critique your work, and also pay attention to your students. Only then will “your” true brilliance shine through.