Sophie's World

In Hellenistic traditions, the name “Sophia” refers to the feminine side of God, which embodies wisdom and intelligence. Sophie, a name derived from Sophia, is the name given to the book’s protagonist and the girl who uses her wisdom and intelligence to defy all the laws of nature. In this way, Sophie’s World is a call to women everywhere to embrace their philosophical human nature and rise to the challenges philosophy presents. Before Alberto can arm Sophie with the philosophical knowledge she will one day need to escape the world she is trapped in, he must first explain to her what it means to be a philosopher. His words are clear and capitalized: “THE ONLY THING WE REQUIRE TO BE GOOD PHILOSOPHERS IS THE FACULTY OF WONDER” (17). Of course, it is soon evident there is much more to being a philosopher than this feature, but Alberto insists this is the primary trait from which all other philosophical traits are built. Using a metaphor of a white rabbit in a magician’s hat, Alberto explains to Sophie that there is a sense of astonishment and curiosity at the heart of every philosopher.