What Is Curiosity?

One of the central threads of the call was defining curiosity itself - what it is, what it isn't, and how we recognize it.

Definitions Proposed

Noticing and Exploring

Scott Moehring proposed:

"Curiosity = Noticing things you didn't have to notice."

John Warinner refined this:

"To me, curiosity extends beyond 'noticing' and gets into 'exploring'"

Pete Kaminski suggested:

"Curiosity = Noticing things you didn't know that you needed to know."

This sparked deeper inquiry about the relationship between noticing and curiosity - which comes first?

Connection to Care

Gil Friend introduced the Etymology of Curiosity, revealing its roots in the Latin word "cura" (care):

"To be curious is to care enough to pay attention."

John Warinner reinforced: "The etymology connects back to 'care' and 'attention to detail'"

This reframes curiosity not as detached intellectual pursuit but as an act of caring.

Organization of Information

Scott Moehring cited DSRP Theory:

"I think it is the organization and reorganization of information that is the primary space of curiosity."

This suggests curiosity is fundamentally about making new connections and patterns.

What Curiosity Is NOT

Not Just About Information

Victoria (Spain) emphasized:

"Curiosity is not just about information... we want to understand the big questions, and find meaning"

This connects curiosity to existential questions and the search for meaning.

The Genuine vs Performative Distinction

Stacey Druss highlighted an important boundary:

"Curiosity when it's not genuine, can also be really annoying... sometimes curiosity can feel like I have to explain myself."

Genuine curiosity feels like connection; performative curiosity can feel like prying or demands for justification.

Complexity of Curiosity

Intrinsic vs Extrinsic

Judith Benham introduced a framework:

"Curiosity, per se, is complex. Intrinsic vs extrinsic…situation, knowledge, experiences."

Curiosity can arise from:

Internal drives and interests (intrinsic)
External stimuli and situations (extrinsic)

Individual and Cultural

LP1 (Louise) captured the dual nature:

"Curiosity is individual and cultural."

We cannot understand curiosity purely as personal trait OR cultural phenomenon - it's both.

Components of Curiosity

Based on the discussion, curiosity seems to involve:

Noticing - attending to what's present
Caring - valuing what you notice enough to pursue it
Exploring - actively investigating rather than passively observing
Connecting - organizing and reorganizing information into new patterns
Questioning - asking rather than assuming
Openness - willingness to have your mind changed

The Chicken-and-Egg Question

Scott Moehring posed a question that remained unresolved:

"Which comes first? Curious leading to noticing, or noticing leading to curiosity?"

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