Should we embrace the unknown? Memorials to unnamed soldiers affect us on a deep psychological level, but there are also philosophical reasons to accept the unknown and welcome uncertainty.
The unknown soldier remembered 100 years on
Should we embrace the unknown? Memorials to unnamed soldiers affect us on a deep psychological level, but there are also philosophical reasons to accept the unknown and welcome uncertainty.
On the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month, Big Ben chimes and a cannon fires a single shot. Across Britain, people fall silent for two minutes of remembrance. It symbolises the moment 104 years ago when the guns stopped at the end of one of the deadliest wars in history.1
In London, wreaths are laid at the foot of the CenotaphA monument to those killed in World War One. The word is Greek for empty tomb.. The name of this memorial means, literally, "empty tomb" - a reminder of the thousands of dead who never returned home from World War One.
But one soldier did come back. A hundred years ago, a horse-drawn gun carriage brought a casket through London to be buried in Westminster Abbey, alongside 16 kings and queens of England.
Who was this soldier? We do not know. He was picked at random from thousands buried in unmarked graves on battlefields across France.
And because he could have been anyone, he became everyone. Each grieving family was able to imagine that their loved one lay "among the kings" in the Tomb of the Unknown WarriorThe unknown soldier lies in a coffin made of oak from the royal palace of Hampton Court, buried in soil from battlefields in France and covered by black marble from Belgium., a lasting symbol of the universal and human cost of war.
It is a powerful idea that draws on the unique ability of the unknown to incite our imagination. The psychologist Nicholas Carleton argues that the fear of the unknown may be "the one fear to rule them all", an ancient evolutionary response to danger that kept our ancestors alive.
But some choose to face the unknown. From Scott of the AntarcticRobert Falcon Scott (1868-1912) was a British explorer who led the expedition that discovered the Antarctic Plateau, where the South Pole is located. It was the first major scientific exploration of the continent. to Amelia EarhartThe American aviator was the first woman to fly solo across the Atlantic Ocean and disappeared in 1937 in an ill-fated attempt to circumnavigate the world., explorers have found the blank spaces on maps an irresistible invitation. Artists and philosophers have also purposefully sought out the unknown.
The unknown is troubling, scary and maybe even dangerous. But should we embrace it?
<h5 class=" eplus-wrapper">Should we embrace the unknown?</h5>
Yes: Fearing the unknown stops us from achieving our full potential. If we do not embrace it, we resign ourselves to living dull and predictable lives without adventure or discovery.
No: The world is a scary and unpredictable place and there is nothing wrong with sticking to the things we know and trust. There is no reason why we should put ourselves in situations where we feel afraid or uncomfortable.
Or... Experiencing and embracing the unknown together can be a beautiful moment that bonds humans together - as in the case of the unknown soldier. But you should not put yourself in danger just for new experiences.
Cenotaph - A monument to those killed in World War One. The word is Greek for empty tomb.
Tomb of the Unknown Warrior - The unknown soldier lies in a coffin made of oak from the royal palace of Hampton Court, buried in soil from battlefields in France and covered by black marble from Belgium.
Scott of the Antarctic - Robert Falcon Scott (1868-1912) was a British explorer who led the expedition that discovered the Antarctic Plateau, where the South Pole is located. It was the first major scientific exploration of the continent.
Amelia Earhart - The American aviator was the first woman to fly solo across the Atlantic Ocean and disappeared in 1937 in an ill-fated attempt to circumnavigate the world.
The unknown soldier remembered 100 years on

Glossary
Cenotaph - A monument to those killed in World War One. The word is Greek for empty tomb.
Tomb of the Unknown Warrior - The unknown soldier lies in a coffin made of oak from the royal palace of Hampton Court, buried in soil from battlefields in France and covered by black marble from Belgium.
Scott of the Antarctic - Robert Falcon Scott (1868-1912) was a British explorer who led the expedition that discovered the Antarctic Plateau, where the South Pole is located. It was the first major scientific exploration of the continent.
Amelia Earhart - The American aviator was the first woman to fly solo across the Atlantic Ocean and disappeared in 1937 in an ill-fated attempt to circumnavigate the world.