The DaVinci Mode
I walked into our wonderful Kanbar Campus Center this morning and quickly observed two design professors intensely engaged in discussion. Professorial kindness forgave me the interruption. “What has captured your attention so raptly”, I asked. “Curiosity”, they responded in unison. “This year we are making a theme out of curiosity. The students will be rewarded for their abilities to find the range of ‘what and why’ answers to design problems. We will take every opportunity to celebrate and foster curiosity!”
I almost hugged them both. Professors Tod Corlett and Mike Leonard went on to explain that Michael Gelb’s book ‘How to Think Like Leonardo DaVinci” outlines 7 DaVincian principles:
Sensazione - the continual refinement of the senses, especially sight, as the means to enliven experience
Sfumato - a willingness to accept ambiguity, paradox, and uncertainty
Corporalita - the cultivation of grace, ambidexterity and poise
Arte/Scienza - the development of the balance between science and art, logic and imagination
Dimostrazione - a commitment to test through experience, persistence and a willingness to learn from mistakes
Connessione - a recognition and appreciation for the interconnectedness of all things and phenomena
Curiosita - an insatiably curious approach to life and an unrelenting quest for continuous learning
“One more question Professors. What endeavor doesn’t need this kind of thinking?”
“Exactly”, they answered.
More great curriculum from Philadelphia University.