Philosophy of Walking

Philosophy of Walking

By: Latham & Maggie

Key Terms

1. Peripatetic-An Aristotelian who follows the concept of "Walking while philosophizing."
2. Walking Philosophers-Nietzche, Kant, Aristotle, etc.

Why Walk?

1. Physical health benefits of walking:

• Prevent and manage conditions such as heart disease, diabetes, and high blood pressure
• Strengthens bones and muscles
• Maintain a healthy weight
• Improve balance and coordination

 2. Mental health benefits of walking

• Reduces anxiety and depression
• Promotes healthy thinking
• Induces cognitive functioning

• Connectivity with nature
• Aristotle-"In all things of nature there is something of the marvelous"
• Fresh air 
• If you're lucky: woods, trees, fauna, & flora

Walking is not a sport

• Walking is not competitive in nature, it is a reliever of stress and pressure instead of an induction of pressure (I'm not walking fast enough, someone is going to pass me, etc.)
• Walking has no rules-you are allowed to stop and smell the roses along the way
• Walking takes no training-aside from when you first learn!
• There are no scores in walking
• One doesn't have to walk at a certain pace to reap the benefits of walking

Solitude

• Walking gets the gears turning
• Freedom in walking and thinking

            “Let’s take a walk!”  That’s something you don’t hear many people say, especially nowadays.  In a 2016 study, the average American takes approximately 5,000 steps per day, which is equal to about 2.5 miles per day (according to VeryWell.com). Walking and philosophy go hand in hand, dating back centuries to Ancient Greece. Author Frédéric Gros firmly believes that walking can lead to happiness and enlightenment in his book A Philosophy of Walking, which he won the English Pen Award.  His opening sentence in Chapter 1 states, “Walking is not a sport.”  Sports require competition, scoring, and performance, while walking is simply putting one foot in front of the other, and that “there is only one sort of performance that counts: the brilliance of the sky, the splendor of the landscape.  While markets have capitalized on walking, the trends of new shoes and whatnot never last forever, but the act of walking will always remain. 

            Many philosophers were known as “walking philosophers”, like Immanuel Kant, Jean-Jacques Rosseau, and Henry David Thoreau.  One of the earliest notable “walking philosophers” is Aristotle, whose followers were known as “peripatetics”, due to their constant walking.  Charles Darwin himself had a pathway built in his garden, where he would go for long walks just thinking!  Now, let’s talk about one of the most notable “walking philosophers”: Frederic Nietzche.  In his book Ecce Homo, Nietzche writes, “Sit as little as possible, do not believe any idea that was not born in the open air and free of movement-in which the muscles do not also revel…Sitting still (I said it once already) is the real sin against the Holy Ghost.”  Nietzche was in almost constant pain through part of his life: terrible migraine attacks that kept him bedridden, hurting eyes that prevented him from reading, nausea, and back pains.  For him, walking was one of two remedies to fight against his ailments (the other being solitude).  Every opportunity he had, he would write in his notebook and go on long walks in forests, by the lake (like Lake Léman), and mountain passes, which would often last over six hours.  Walking helped him to think, which led to the inspiration to write some of his greatest works such as The Gay Science, The Wanderer and His Shadow, Zarathustra, and Beyond Good and Evil.  In the final act of life, Nieztche discovered the city of Turin in April 1888 and had a sudden access of happiness and good health; all of his ailments went a way and was able to work and read better than ever before.  Despite going mad near the end of his life, Nietzche constantly loved walking and would often fight against pains just to go for a walk.

            Walking can help the well being of a person.  One can experience pure pleasure from walking; it permits clearance of a path of feeling from encounters, i.e. meeting people and the scent of nature.  Joy can also be experienced from walking, as a person will experience moments of contentment and the enjoyment of life.  You take joy in the feeling of movements your body makes, like a child taking its first steps.  Lastly, one can experience serenity by walking, because one is detached from the agitations of life and gradually leads to “a steady balance in the soul.”  Serenity is achieved by walking the path: go at your own pace and don’t calculate or discourage yourself from thinking about past or future occurrences in your life.  In conclusion, I think we can all agree that walking is a good thing.  When you walk, you’re not troubled by life issues; your mind wanders, you are calm, and you are moving constantly, usually to no destination.  As Frédéric Gros wrote, “Once on his feet, though, man does not stay where he is.”

Quiz Questions

1.)   What is a peripatetic?

2.)   Name a “walking philosopher”.

3.)   Does Gros believe walking is a “sport”? 
4.) Name 2 benefits of walking.
5.) Does one have to walk at a certain pace to reap the benefits of walking? 
6.)   To Nietzche, what is “the real sin against the Holy Ghost”? 

7.)   Name the three experiences one receives when walking.

Discussion Questions

1.)   Do you enjoy walking?  Why or why not?

2.)   Do you have any walking experiences to share?

3.)   Nietzche once wrote that, “It is our habbit to think outdoors-walking, leaping, climbing, dancing, preferably on lonely mountains or near the sea where even the trails become thoughtful.”  Do you agree with him?

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