Sophie Amundsen and the Mysterious Letters: A Philosophical Journey
Sophie Amundsen’s Philosophical Journey
The Garden of Eden
Sophie Amundsen returned home from school with a friend. The first stop? The mailbox. Usually, the mail was for her mother or her father, a tanker captain. But today, a letter addressed to her—no seal, no sender. Inside, a note: “Who are you?” Sophie pondered the question. In her garden, she reflected on life’s beauty and the eventual loss of her grandmother. Returning to the mailbox, she found a second envelope: “Where does the world end?”
Confused, Sophie went to her hideout, a place she sought in times of sadness, happiness, or confusion. She knew the world was a planet, but where did the universe begin? Back at the mailbox, she found letters for her mother and a postcard from Norway. The postcard was addressed to Hilde Moller Knag or Sophie Amundsen! It was a 15th birthday greeting from Hilde, apologizing for the mix-up and promising a belief-inspiring gift.
The Hat
Distracted, Sophie found another letter upon arriving home: a Philosophy Course. Intrigued, she ran to her alley and read:
What is Philosophy?
The letter described philosophy as the search for answers to fundamental questions:
- Who are we?
- Why do we live?
Philosophers, it explained, are truth-seekers. Another card awaited in the mailbox. It read:
A Stranger
This letter emphasized the importance of surprise in philosophy, contrasting those who lose their sense of wonder with philosophers who strive to regain it. It suggested Sophie might be a girl unaware of the world or a philosopher yet to be discovered. The letter ended with a peculiar request: to place a live frog or something green in the mailbox.
Sophie’s mother was shocked to find the frog. She asked Sophie if she found life strange, if the world seemed normal. Her mother’s concern escalated, questioning if Sophie had taken drugs.
Myths
The next day brought another letter. It explained philosophy’s connection to myths—stories about gods—and ancient sacrificial practices. The letter suggested that myths provide answers to the unexplained.
Sophie understood humanity’s need to explain natural processes.
Philosophers of Nature
A small envelope contained three questions:
- Is there a primary matter from which everything else is made?
- Can water become wine?
- How can water and earth become a frog?
Sophie found these questions absurd. Another envelope arrived the next day:
The Project of the Philosophers
This letter explained the importance of understanding each philosopher’s project—their area of focus. It introduced the Philosophers of Nature, who studied natural processes, believing in a fundamental matter underlying all change.
Three Philosophers of Miletus
The letter profiled Thales (a mathematician), Anaximander (who believed worlds are born and die), and Anaximenes (who posited air or fog as the origin of all things).
Nothing Can Come Out of Nowhere
Parmenides believed everything has always existed, arguing that nothing can come from nothing and that existing things cannot create anything new.
Everything Flows
Heraclitus emphasized constant change as a fundamental aspect of nature, stating that everything is in flux and full of contradictions.
Four Elements
Empedocles built upon Heraclitus’s ideas, proposing four elements (earth, air, fire, water) that blend and separate, driven by the forces of Love and Hate.
Something of Everything in Everything
Anaxagoras believed nature consisted of tiny, indivisible parts (germs or seeds).
Sophie found this letter challenging to understand.
Democritus
Another letter arrived. Sophie noticed a pattern in the sender’s actions. A small envelope contained a question:
- Why is Lego the coolest toy in the world?
Sophie agreed, believing Lego’s versatility made it the coolest toy. The next envelope contained:
The Atomic Theory
Democritus, the letter explained, agreed with his predecessors that natural change wasn’t due to things changing but to tiny, eternal building blocks called atoms. For Democritus, these atoms are eternal; nothing comes from nothing. When something dies, its atoms are reused. He believed the soul was composed of atoms that disperse upon death, potentially entering another person’s soul.
Sophie pondered these ideas.