Paul Tillich's quote suggests that the feeling of awe is the structure of philosophical thought. Astonishment is a feeling of surprise and awe, and it is this feeling that leads us to ask questions and seek answers. Philosophical thought is based on the concept of questioning the world around us and looking for to comprehend it. By being amazed by the world, we are driven to check out and discover the responses to our concerns. This quote implies that without the sensation of awe, we would not be inspired to pursue philosophical thought. Astonishment is the trigger that ignites our interest and leads us to explore the world around us.
"I think philosophers can do things akin to theoretical scientists, in that, having read about empirical data, they too can think of what hypotheses and theories might account for that data. So there's a continuity between philosophy and science in that way"
"What I mean by photographing as a participant rather than observer is that I'm not only involved directly with some of the activities that I photograph, such as mountain climbing, but even when I'm not I have the philosophy that my mind and body are part of the natural world"