Opus 2022-140: Q and A, part 2, the A

Questions come in many forms.  Then you have the answers.

Some answers are right.  Some are wrong.  Some are “It depends.”  Some are personal.  Some questions have no answer.  

Just because the question is true/false doesn’t mean it is easy to answer.  Consider the issue of so-called “global warming”.  There are a series of questions which should only require a true/false answer but each one leads to another.  To get a real answer requires a series of correct responses.  At any point a negative answer should stop the entire series.

Question one:  Is the earth warming?
Question two:  Is the warming part of a constantly repeating cycle?
Question three:  Is the warming caused by the actions of humans (anthropomorphic)?  
Question four:  Does warming make a significant difference?
Question five:  Is there anything that can be done by people to change the warming?

I am sure that you could think of other questions that might be important.  Of course it is possible that none of them are important and the whole thing is just a solution, socialist utopia, looking for a problem, anything people will fall for.

That brings up an other question:  Is an answer important?  Think about a lot of possible scientific research.  Imagine dedicating your life to finding out if there are any duplicate snow flakes.  I am sure that you have heard that every snowflake is unique.  Now I am hearing that there are repeats.  Would you like to spend your life trying to find out which is the correct answer?  If you say “Yes” don’t bother getting back to me with the results.  My questions are not your questions.

I think there is a progression of answers because people are usually not satisfied with what they hear.  Eventually you are forced to multiple choice.  That evolves into short answers and essays.  You don’t believe me?  Take a child on a cross country trip and try to get away with a simple answer.  Invariably the child will ask, “Why?”

To complicate the situation, an answer that is right today may be wrong tomorrow.  Things change.  Situations evolve.  Knowledge grows.  Gullibility evaporates.  That is part of what makes life so interesting.

And questions?

homo unius libri