Cities and Walking

Walking hints at a hidden connection between the physical world and the realm of thought. As the sights of the city unfold before our eyes, so do our problems unravel and our ideas compound. Familiar places unearth forgotten facts; each unexplored alley promises an epiphany. It should come as no surprise then that many of the great thinkers were also great walkers, a connection that probably goes back even further than Aristotle's peripatetic lectures. Kant's daily walks were so regular that clocks were set by them. Kahneman and Tversky used to walk together as they thought through the problems in behavioural economics which would lead to a Nobel prize. Nassim Taleb likes holding discussions while walking, but only if his partner walks slowly enough. It is heartening to see I follow in distinguished footsteps with my habits. When I was little, I used to pace my room as I roamed elaborate fantasy worlds. Now I ponder my philosophical projects as I walk, whether on my way somewhere or wandering without destination. It is surely an oversight of the English language that there is no word for the combination of walking and thinking.