Abstract

Being curious is something that we take for granted. We attribute curiosity not just to ourselves and other people, but often to animals as well. This suggests that it has a deep evolutionary history. Whereas animal curiosity is specialized, during the evolution of our own generalist species multiple inherited elements merged into a comprehensive, general curiosity with a wide range of interests – social, environmental, artistic, technical, etc. Consequently, there are positive and negative aspects to this evolutionary inheritance, as there are to all human faculties. The assumption that we can tell a priori which is which has led to an unwarranted bifurcation, according to which curiosity is either a vice or a virtue. Once understanding of curiosity turned from a focus on the individual person toward the social significance of knowledge, movements began to channel individual curiosity toward objects of public interest. This can be seen on the example of museums, which developed from ‘curiosity cabinets’ into institutions of participatory education and scientific research. At the same time the ambivalent character of curiosity also became more obvious, as for example in the voyages of discovery and dangerous aspects of technology. Our current situation is one of increased opportunities and capabilities. These will inevitably be explored in a spirit of curiosity, but it will be important to keep in mind that curiosity is ambivalent and to employ it wisely.