Merlinfmct87 Posted September 25, 2005 Share Posted September 25, 2005 Something I've been thinking about a lot for a while now. What do questions mean to you? I have a lot of thoughts and ideas about the subject, but I'd like to hear yours first. Merlin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pandora Posted September 25, 2005 Share Posted September 25, 2005 The answers to such questions give insight into what the answerer's reality is like. I'm kinda lost or I dont think deeply enough to get what youre saying, so could you elaborate? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Merlinfmct87 Posted September 25, 2005 Author Share Posted September 25, 2005 The answers to such questions give insight into what the answerer's reality is like. ..which is exactly why I asked, Pandora - We're alike in thinking more than you know. I'm kinda lost or I dont think deeply enough to get what youre saying, so could you elaborate? <{POST_SNAPBACK}> I could add a second clarifying question: What role do questions themselves play in your life? How do they impact it - indeed, DO they impact it? If so, how? If not, why? Merlin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amethyst Posted September 25, 2005 Share Posted September 25, 2005 What role do questions themselves play in your life? How do they impact it - indeed, DO they impact it? If so, how? If not, why? I find that by asking questions, I learn new things when I find the answers. Now, those things may not necessarily be true. That's why I conduct outside research (ex. by reading books or doing a google search) to see if the answers can be verified. I look at life as one big continuous learning experience. I haven't stopped learning since I got out of school, and I hope I never do. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ouroboros Posted September 25, 2005 Share Posted September 25, 2005 Because I like it. I like to ask and get answers and get a better understanding of other people, life and foremost my self. And sometimes I like to challenge people to start thinking about what they know and what they consider to be "the truth". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lizard Posted September 25, 2005 Share Posted September 25, 2005 I like to be questioned..rather than do the questioning, because that causes me to dig for the answers. At least, lately it does. Questioner and questionee can both learn..if they are openminded, that is. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ouroboros Posted September 25, 2005 Share Posted September 25, 2005 I like to be questioned..rather than do the questioning, because that causes me to dig for the answers. At least, lately it does. What do you mean? j/k. Just fulfilling your wish to be questioned... Questioner and questionee can both learn..if they are openminded, that is. Agree. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Antlerman Posted September 25, 2005 Share Posted September 25, 2005 One vital role of questions is challenging conventional wisdom. Looking at something from other sides and questioning accepted opinion is all about personal growth and the evolution of ideas. Without questions, we would still be in darkness, believing in the Bible and other such nonsense, under the rule of the great Church of Rome. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mythra Posted September 25, 2005 Share Posted September 25, 2005 The questions I respect are questions when someone is legitimately wanting to find out something about you, or to learn a new perspective about something. The questions I find disdainful are those questions that are posed solely to advance an agenda. Like "do you know what's going to happen to you when you die" or "where did the universe come from", when posed by a thumper. Those aren't really a question. They're just something to create an opening so that they can strut in with their dogma. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cerise Posted September 25, 2005 Share Posted September 25, 2005 As someone who firmly believes that books are questions asked about the world (and seeing as how my chosen field is literature), it's probably really clear how much importance I place on questions and questioning in my life. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Merlinfmct87 Posted September 27, 2005 Author Share Posted September 27, 2005 I'll give my comments on your excellent replies than give you my perspective. I find that by asking questions, I learn new things when I find the answers. Now, those things may not necessarily be true. That's why I conduct outside research (ex. by reading books or doing a google search) to see if the answers can be verified. I look at life as one big continuous learning experience. I haven't stopped learning since I got out of school, and I hope I never do. <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Using questions to seek knowledge... letting the question itself guide where you go. That is especially useful for introspection... finding out more about yourself as well as the world around you. Because I like it. I like to ask and get answers and get a better understanding of other people, life and foremost my self. And sometimes I like to challenge people to start thinking about what they know and what they consider to be "the truth". <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Very true! Often times a simple 'Why?' is enough to leave people gasping for air... just a little doubt shatters the whole matrix. That goes for any kind of assumption. One vital role of questions is challenging conventional wisdom. Looking at something from other sides and questioning accepted opinion is all about personal growth and the evolution of ideas. Without questions, we would still be in darkness, believing in the Bible and other such nonsense, under the rule of the great Church of Rome. <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Without questions, we'd still be in the dark ages... shit, we'd still be in a cave. It was wondering what was on the other side of the hill that got us where we are... first it was the hill... then the mountan... then the ocean... then the sky... then the moon! No failure... just where we quit. The questions I respect are questions when someone is legitimately wanting to find out something about you, or to learn a new perspective about something. The questions I find disdainful are those questions that are posed solely to advance an agenda. Like "do you know what's going to happen to you when you die" or "where did the universe come from", when posed by a thumper. Those aren't really a question. They're just something to create an opening so that they can strut in with their dogma. <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Those aren't questions, though. They are manipulations... designed to hide the Truth, not uncover it. When you ask a question, you don't know the answer. As someone who firmly believes that books are questions asked about the world (and seeing as how my chosen field is literature), it's probably really clear how much importance I place on questions and questioning in my life. <{POST_SNAPBACK}> The books that are banned are the books that show the world's shame... so very true. Okay. Time for me to offer some original thoughts here, not just agree with the lot of you. The reason I started this thread is because I had been mulling over what it means to be a 'Freethinker' for a while. It's something that is important to me because I want to take advantage of the fact that 'I know,' as it were. OK, I know... so what do I do about it? What makes me truly different than a fundamentalist that attends services regularly... besides the fact that I disagree about what God is? Well, I was watching the special features on the Sci-Fi production of Dune and had just finished 'The Color Wheel.' It's a special on the lighting details that were used throughout the series, really just amazing techniques. At the end of the segment was this one last little comment, something off-topic and independent of the documentary. He said that this interview was like a confession... he was reaching inside of himself and pulling something out... something that wasn't there earlier. The question itself created something inside him... it deepened his understanding of his profession, how his art relates to his life, his craft, and himself. This sparked a rather fast-and-furious journal entry... it was exactly on-point to what had been slowly brewing in the back of my mind for a few weeks. It seemed to really confirm that old line of Socrates - 'An unexamined life is not worth living.' Natural reply to that is, ironically enough, a question. Why is the unexamined life not worth living? Well, the best answer I've come up with is that if you don't look at the choices you make in life are not your own. You're not thinking on your own about what you're doing... you're accepting other people's thinking. Not only that, you don't truly appreciat what you have on your own. You are truly blind to all around you if you don't investigate it on your own! Your thoughts? Merlin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fweethawt Posted September 27, 2005 Share Posted September 27, 2005 It seemed to really confirm that old line of Socrates - 'An unexamined life is not worth living.' Now, just how in the world did I know that Socrates would get a mention in this thread? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Merlinfmct87 Posted September 27, 2005 Author Share Posted September 27, 2005 Now, just how in the world did I know that Socrates would get a mention in this thread? <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Probably should have put a disclaimer. My name is Merlin and I'm a classical world addict... Merlin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fweethawt Posted September 27, 2005 Share Posted September 27, 2005 Probably should have put a disclaimer. My name is Merlin and I'm a classical world addict... Merlin That's not exactly what I was getting at. I figured that Socrates would eventually be mentioned since, after all, he has a little something to do with The Socratic Method, which is a method of learning through questioning. It is rather cool, and I would advise anyone who is interested to look into it. Heck, I'll even give you a quick link that shows how the basics of binary arithmetic were taught to a class of third-graders by using The Socratic Method. CLICK HERE <---- Now that, is just plain cool. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Merlinfmct87 Posted September 27, 2005 Author Share Posted September 27, 2005 That's not exactly what I was getting at. I figured that Socrates would eventually be mentioned since, after all, he has a little something to do with The Socratic Method, which is a method of learning through questioning. It is rather cool, and I would advise anyone who is interested to look into it. Heck, I'll even give you a quick link that shows how the basics of binary arithmetic were taught to a class of third-graders by using The Socratic Method. CLICK HERE <---- Now that, is just plain cool. <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Read the site... I'll have to dig a lot deeper into it... The reason I started this thread was to see if anyone else had come to the same conclusions I had - that questions - by simple virtue of being posed - change how you look at life, and deepen your understanding of it... not so much 'what technique do you use to ask your questions,' more 'what do the questions you ask do to your perceptions?' Thank you very much for the link! I'll probably wind up starting a thread on that next week. Merlin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fweethawt Posted September 27, 2005 Share Posted September 27, 2005 The reason I started this thread was to see if anyone else had come to the same conclusions I had - that questions - by simple virtue of being posed - change how you look at life, and deepen your understanding of it... not so much 'what technique do you use to ask your questions,' more 'what do the questions you ask do to your perceptions?' My, oh my! That is such a pleasant way of saying, "Stop hijackin' my thread, Fwee!" Thank you very much for the link! I'll probably wind up starting a thread on that next week. Merlin Should be interesting. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Merlinfmct87 Posted September 27, 2005 Author Share Posted September 27, 2005 My, oh my! That is such a pleasant way of saying, "Stop hijackin' my thread, Fwee!" There's just no warm fuzzy way to say that, is there? I meant it as a clarification of my point... ... ... ALLRIGHT! and to make sure it didn't get hijacked. Ya got me. Should be interesting. <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Thanks, man mouse. Merlin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reach Posted September 28, 2005 Share Posted September 28, 2005 He said that this interview was like a confession... he was reaching inside of himself and pulling something out... something that wasn't there earlier. The question itself created something inside him... it deepened his understanding of his profession, how his art relates to his life, his craft, and himself. This sparked a rather fast-and-furious journal entry... it was exactly on-point to what had been slowly brewing in the back of my mind for a few weeks. It seemed to really confirm that old line of Socrates - 'An unexamined life is not worth living.' Often for me, the questions are simply the keys which I find to open the seemingly locked doors inside of me where the answers already dwell. Sometimes, while I have an answer and may be fully aware of that, I can find no worthwhile application for that answer until I can conceive of the question first. Other times, something seems new to me but after more thought I realize that I have known that thing for a very long time, even if I don't remember how I learned it or when or how I conceived it myself. Examine everything and hold fast to that which is dear and true. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ouroboros Posted September 28, 2005 Share Posted September 28, 2005 Now, just how in the world did I know that Socrates would get a mention in this thread? And I was working hard on avoiding the word Dialectics (Socrates' style, not Hegel's). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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