Philosophy
The old chestnut "there is no such thing as a stupid question," is clearly designed to encourage questions from those who are insecure, but not stupid. But is it true?
When I do my "any questions: auto mechanics to quantum mechanics" schtick everyday, one of the challenges is to take questions that are clearly intended wise acre students to be stupid questions and show that they actually are deep and interesting questions when you look at them from a larger viewpoint or a perspective one generally would not occupy. In this sense, perhaps there are, indeed no stupid questions.
Some philosophers, on the other hand, have clearly held certain questions to be stupid. In the Nicomachean Ethics, Aristotle argues that the question "What do you want all that happiness for?" is a stupid question. Frege looks at two questions (Frege's Frages) "Is the morning star the same as the evening star?" and declares it non-stupid and "Is the morning star the same as the morning star?" and declares it stupid. Maybe they are correct that these are stupid questions, or maybe they are begging the question by not allowing for perspectives from which the questions become interesting.
So, are there any stupid questions? Is that one of them? How about that one? Or that one?
- Auto Mechanics To Quantum Mechnics: Any Questions?
Been a while since we've last done it, so let's give it a go. I've got a schtick I do every class where I let my students ask any question at all, auto mechanics to quantum mechanics, and we entertain it. When I started the Playground years...
- Auto Mechanics To Quantum Mechanics
I have a schtick I do at the beginning of each class where I allow the students to ask me any question, auto mechanics to quantum mechanics, I tell them that any question at all will be entertained. I had some former students who come here to play ask...
- Any Questions?: Auto Mechanics To Quantum Mechanics
For those new to the playground, I have a schtick I do at the beginning of each class where I allow the students to ask me any question, auto mechanics to quantum mechanics, I tell them that any question at all will be entertained. I had some former students...
- Steve Irwin, Rip (from Hanno)
From Hanno: Much has already been said about the death of Steve Irwin, The Crocodile Hunter. In tribute to the many hours of entertainment and education he provided by sons and myself, I wanted to share this story. When my first son was three, we were...
- Polish Jokes
This weekend's Comedist meditation will be the first of a three part series on Polish jokes. Next week we will set out a surmise about the history of Polish jokes. Why did Poles end up a standard butt of "dumb people" jokes? The easy answer is that...
Philosophy
There Is No Such Thing as a Stupid Question. Really?
The old chestnut "there is no such thing as a stupid question," is clearly designed to encourage questions from those who are insecure, but not stupid. But is it true?
When I do my "any questions: auto mechanics to quantum mechanics" schtick everyday, one of the challenges is to take questions that are clearly intended wise acre students to be stupid questions and show that they actually are deep and interesting questions when you look at them from a larger viewpoint or a perspective one generally would not occupy. In this sense, perhaps there are, indeed no stupid questions.
Some philosophers, on the other hand, have clearly held certain questions to be stupid. In the Nicomachean Ethics, Aristotle argues that the question "What do you want all that happiness for?" is a stupid question. Frege looks at two questions (Frege's Frages) "Is the morning star the same as the evening star?" and declares it non-stupid and "Is the morning star the same as the morning star?" and declares it stupid. Maybe they are correct that these are stupid questions, or maybe they are begging the question by not allowing for perspectives from which the questions become interesting.
So, are there any stupid questions? Is that one of them? How about that one? Or that one?
- Auto Mechanics To Quantum Mechnics: Any Questions?
Been a while since we've last done it, so let's give it a go. I've got a schtick I do every class where I let my students ask any question at all, auto mechanics to quantum mechanics, and we entertain it. When I started the Playground years...
- Auto Mechanics To Quantum Mechanics
I have a schtick I do at the beginning of each class where I allow the students to ask me any question, auto mechanics to quantum mechanics, I tell them that any question at all will be entertained. I had some former students who come here to play ask...
- Any Questions?: Auto Mechanics To Quantum Mechanics
For those new to the playground, I have a schtick I do at the beginning of each class where I allow the students to ask me any question, auto mechanics to quantum mechanics, I tell them that any question at all will be entertained. I had some former students...
- Steve Irwin, Rip (from Hanno)
From Hanno: Much has already been said about the death of Steve Irwin, The Crocodile Hunter. In tribute to the many hours of entertainment and education he provided by sons and myself, I wanted to share this story. When my first son was three, we were...
- Polish Jokes
This weekend's Comedist meditation will be the first of a three part series on Polish jokes. Next week we will set out a surmise about the history of Polish jokes. Why did Poles end up a standard butt of "dumb people" jokes? The easy answer is that...