Think Critically and Consciously- Women Like Hypatia Couldn't

Reflecting on ancient thoughts by an admirable woman.

Jul 01, 2024

Recently I stumbled on an article about Hypatia, an ancient female philosopher and mathematician. Daughter of Theon, and born in Alexandria around 350–370.

She inspired me.

Most women's voices were shut down back in the day and they weren’t allowed to follow any education. That didn’t prevent Hypatia from being interested in philosophy, maths, and astronomy.

Ancient Alexandria, where Hypatia lived, was a hub of learning and culture, yet it was also a society that had many rules.

Women were often denied access to education and cultural events.

One of the things that made her so special was that she highlighted other female scholars and made their knowledge known. Hypatia was a beacon of female empowerment back in ancient Egypt.

As she defied societal expectations, she also left an incredible mark on history that we still can learn from.

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You have the right to think

One of our greatest goods is intellectual freedom.

As she said:
“Reserve your right to think, for even to think wrongly is better than not to think at all.”

This tells us that it’s not a bad idea to start thinking, even if that means that you’re wrong. According to Hypatia, that’s the beauty of our freedom.

The freedom that she didn’t have initially back in ancient Egypt.

But because of her perseverance and willpower, she was taught by her father and built herself a life where she became a renowned scholar and philosopher.

She was glad to be able to think.

Often, I realize that most people have stopped to think for themselves. They do what they’re being told.

There’s no critical view in there.

The point Hypatia tried to make was to always challenge the status quo and think critically.

Never shy from a debate.

Think yourself out of superficiality

The world is filled with superficial trends and hype. We’re constantly distracted, me included.

But they’re all shallow, superficial.

Meaning that they’re not worth the distraction from the more important things in life. Things like building yourself a stable income, working on your relationships, meditation, and seeing the world.

You must think yourself out of this.

If Hypatia can do it in a time where she was constrained in every possible way, you can too.

By actively thinking and practicing mindfulness you can find yourself living in the moment. One of the things that helps me to consciously think about my life is walking or running.

Without anything, no music, no phone, just me and nature.

Look around and observe your surroundings.

Be grateful for what is and don’t pursue what could have been. — it’s not worth it.

Stop seeking validation

If you’re at a point where you’re consciously living and critically thinking about the things you encounter in life it’s time to also stop seeking external validation.

The only validation you need is your own.

This is achieved through reflection and meditation. Take 5–10 minutes every morning and evening to sit down and meditate. Incorporating gratitude into this practice is also a great idea.

And when you’re stumbling on things you need to remember, change, or keep doing — write them down!

Start journaling and you can see your progress as well.

But not only that.

You’re also able to write off your emotions. Maybe frustration, but also happiness.

Read it back every once and a while and you’ll see the beauty of life.

Final thoughts

So looking back at women like Hypatia reminds us that nothing should be taken for granted.

We should be grateful for our freedom to think and express our thoughts.

This isn’t the case all around the world.

Just like it wasn’t in ancient Egypt for women. Even more admirable for Hypatia to have kept going and pushing on her thoughts and ideas.

We can learn a lot from that.

Just like the fact that we must always fight the superficiality and shallow distractions that we’re facing.

Keep our eyes on the truly important goals.

But what those are, is up to you.

Unfortunately for Hypatia, in 415, Christians raided her ride home and after being violently pulled into the Caesareum of Alexandria, they murdered her.