The students of Grade VIII put on their thinking hats this Monday to try to solve some of history’s greatest philosophical riddles – ‘How can one prove the reality of the external world?’, ‘Where did the world come from?’, ‘Can something come out nothing?’, and ‘What are the limits of possibility?’
The lively and stimulating discussion that emerged saw students argue and defend their ideas and stretch the limits of logical thinking. They examined popular theories such as the ‘big bang’ and that of infinite regress in great detail and picked out loopholes and flaws with surprising clarity and intelligence.
They then proceeded to explore creative approaches to creation, including folk tales and myths from around the world such as the Navajo, Zulu, Aboriginal and Egyptian legends of creation. Taking inspiration from these, as well as their own reasoned out arguments, the students took to creating their own creation myths. While a few students preferred the medium of graphic storytelling, most of them expressed themselves through writing.
The hour ended with a brainstorming session on the limits of possibility, and how these are specific to time and historical contexts. The ideas of flying people, time-travel, the dream paradox and cloning, left everybody with plenty of food for thought for the days to come.
Ferzine Imtiaz, Facilitator
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