Is it important to use time wisely? – A philosophical question posed for Miriam Lord Community School students

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Is it important to use time wisely?

N.B. I have never studied philosophy and am not an expert in the field of thought. Below are just some ideas from my wandering mind.

Hello Miriam Lord Community School,

What an interesting philosophical question, “Is it important to use time wisely?

Before looking at the overall question, let’s look at the parts within…

Important – meaning: of significance or consequence – Judgement of importance can depend on who is judging the importance. If we use our "feelings" to judge we are making a subjective judgement, i.e. a judgement made by one person often influenced by emotion.

Time – Time is a creation of humanity dating well back in our history. I won’t unwisely use time here. I recently created a post about time for another class. Here’s the link…

Learning About Time

Wisely – wise: having the power of discerning and judging as to what is true or right. – Wisdom is something we can develop through learning and experience although there are those in our world who seem to grow into adults without the ability to make wise choices. As in "important", there can be subjectivity here although, more importantly, wisdom mostly includes objective judgement. Objective judgements are made when we way up the information or need in order to decide the best choice. It isn’t an emotional a choice like a subjective one.

(Word definitions are taken from "The Concise Macquarie Dictionary")

Now for the overall question…

“Is it important to use time wisely?”

Yes.

Seems a simple answer yet, we must remember, we make choices based on our subjective and objective judgements. When we are young, we don't have the experiences to make objective judgements a strong part of our choices so we rely more on subjective judgements.

…but this game is important.

I like this TV programme.

…but my friends want to play.

As we grow, we experience more of life. We start to see the “bigger picture”. Our judgements start to become more objective.

I love this game but the assignment is due soon and must be done. The game can wait.

I like this TV programme but there is a documentary on at the same time that will help me with one of my subjects.

My friends want to play but I know I should be helping my parents pack for our move.

If a teacher were to say you weren’t using your time wisely, they mean they see the bigger picture and see the importance of other tasks in achieving goals. You might see the smaller picture but, in time, you will grow in experience and understand the advice given by others.

Is it wasting time to spend 10 minutes lying on your back and looking up at the sky?

No, this time out is like meditation. It can allow us to organise our thoughts or help us to relax for a task ahead.

Yes, if we have an appointment in five minutes then we are wasting time.

Is watching TV wasted time?

No, this can be a time of relaxation after a hard day of tasks or you might be watching an important programme relating to your work.

Yes, when you know you must be preparing a project due  the next day.

Is playing with friends a waste of time?

No, playing with friends helps us build links with those who will support us when in need. Being with friends is important in our social growth. Humans are social creatures.

Yes, if we know we should have been home earlier and our parents might be worried.

Philosophical questions are not so much a matter of getting the “correct” answer. The questions are designed to make us think.

From your school blog "Remember: Good philosophers PEE – make their POINT, EXPLAIN and give an EXAMPLE."

Here’s another philosophical question relating to your question….

“Can two people come up with different answers yet both be correct?”

My answer again, yes or no. Can you think why?

Schools and students have permission to use this graphic for non-commercial, educational purposes.

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