It Is Solved By Photowalking -- Part 1

Well… Saint Augustine didn’t use that phrase exactly. His actual quote was:
Solvitur ambulando (Latin) — It is solved by walking. But I’m positive that if he lived today, he’d be carrying a camera and snapping like mad. In Black & White.

Taking a stroll after the morning prayer. Sheepshead Bay, Brooklyn.

Before peer-reviewed papers in scientific journals extolled the importance of walking for brain health, Augustine of Hippo (354-430 Anno Domini) knew that walking facilitates problem-solving, clarity of thought, and resolution of issues. Augustine frequently used the metaphor of a journey to describe his spiritual quest for truth and salvation.

Many important figures throughout history have been known for their love of walking, often finding inspiration, solace, or clarity of thought through this simple yet profound activity. I've already discussed it in a previous post, but I believe the subject is worth revisiting and expanding upon.

The Coney Island Boardwalk / Brighton Beach.

The Russian poet Alexander Pushking echos that notion in “Motion”:

Alexander Pushkin
Motion

One bearded sage concluded: there's no motion.
Without a word, another walked before him.
He couldn’t answer better; all adored him
And all agreed that he disproved that notion.
But one can see it all in a different light,
For me, another funny thought comes into play:
We watch the sun move all throughout the day
And yet the stubborn Galileo had it right.

Translated by Andrey Kneller

Shadow of a Ghost. Red Hook, Brooklyn

In his excellent book The Philosophy of Walking, Frederic Gros quotes Nietzsche:
“It is only ideas gained from walking that have any worth.”

Like Nietzsche, Immanuel Kant was a walker. According to Gros,

“Kant went alone, for he wanted to breathe through his nose all the way, with his mouth closed, which he believed to be excellent for the body. The company of friends would have obliged him to open his mouth to speak.

He always took the same route, so consistently that his itinerary through the park later came to be called ‘The Philosopher’s Walk.’ According to rumor he only ever altered the route of his daily constitutional twice in his life: once to obtain an early copy of Rousseau’s Emile, and to join the scramble for hot news after the announcement of the French Revolution.”

Self-portrait in a series of dirty windows.

A recent study at Stanford University by Dr. Manly Oppezzo shows that creativity increases substantially when participants take a walk. Dr. Oppezzo gathered volunteer undergraduates to complete tests of creativity, such as finding alternative uses for common objects (such as a button). Then the students, who met in a nondescript room, walked on a treadmill, in the same room, at their own pace. While walking, the students repeated the creativity tests. Almost every student generated about 60 percent more uses for an object while walking on the treadmill. The creative effects also lingered after the walking ended. (The Journal of Experimental Psychology: Learning, Memory and Cognition, 2014, Vol. 40, #4 )

The winning ticket. Downtown Brooklyn.

And in “Learning With the City Via Enchantment: Photo-Walks as Creative Encounter”, the Finnish psychologist and educator Noora Pyyry states:

”In this paper, I approach learning as a process of rethinking the world that happens via the surprising experience of “enchantment.” This process becomes possible by dwelling, that is, by forming meaningful multisensory engagements with one's surroundings. I present my arguments by discussing photo-walks that students conducted in Helsinki as part of a geography-learning project. During the photo-walks, learning happened with the spaces of hanging out. In contrast to common understandings of learning, this learning with the city is non-instrumental: it is making the familiar unfamiliar by paying attention to the particular in everyday spaces. Methods such as photography are understood as creative encounters that can help in re-cognizing the world and fostering one's ethical sensitivity.”
(Discourse: Studies in the Cultural Politics of Education Volume 37, 2016 - Issue 1)

Tall Buildings. Downtown Brooklyn.

Many important figures throughout history have been known for their love of walking, often finding inspiration, solace, or clarity of thought through it.

Henry David Thoreau: The American transcendentalist author of "Walden" was known for his love of nature and walking. He believed that walking was essential for both physical and mental well-being, often incorporating it into his philosophical reflections on simplicity and self-reliance.

Charles Darwin: The renowned naturalist behind the theory of evolution was an avid walker. He famously took long walks around his home and on his travels, finding that walking helped him to organize his thoughts and make important scientific discoveries.

Virginia Woolf: The English writer and modernist pioneer was known to take long walks around London and the English countryside. Walking served as both a form of exercise and a way to stimulate her creativity, often providing inspiration for her writing.

Albert Einstein: The groundbreaking physicist was known to take daily walks, often engaging in deep thought and contemplation as he strolled. He credited many of his scientific breakthroughs to the insights he gained while walking.

Steve Jobs: The co-founder of Apple was known for his walking meetings. He preferred to have important discussions while taking long walks outdoors, finding that the movement and change of scenery helped to stimulate creativity and problem-solving.

John Muir: The Scottish-American naturalist and environmentalist, often called the "Father of the National Parks," was an enthusiastic walker and hiker. He explored and advocated for the preservation of wilderness areas in the United States, finding solace and inspiration in the natural world.

For all of them walking provided a way to escape the confines of daily life, engage with their thoughts, and find inspiration in the world around them.

Rear Window. Bensonhurst, Brooklyn.

Stay tuned for It is Solved by Photowalking, Part 2.

As always, thanks for reading and participating in the conversation.

‘Til next time.

ak