A Good Question

There was a famous physicist who once said "formulating a good question is more than half-way towards the right answer." Even though I was relatively young when I read this, I remember being thought-provoked by it and committed it to memory ever since. What is it about a good question that makes it so helpful, especially when it comes to complex matters that we need to investigate?

I'm not going to answer that question since it's a good question better left pondering rather than answering straight away. After all, in this somewhat uncomfortable mental space where there is a vacuum of knowledge (and understanding), we are free to explore various possibilities. They may not pan out into something insightful, but merely the process of wondering may be useful for us; at the very least, it will help us hone our imagination and investigating skills. Because when we don't know something, we are more open to new information and more willing to analyze it with a sense of committed curiosity.

But what is it that constitutes a good question? After all, it's usually those few thought-provoking questions that a speaker remembers after she has delivered a thoughtful presentation or seminar. Those few questions made her think before answering and sometimes provide a caveat in the answer since it's not always easy to provide a thorough answer to such a question. That's another thing to ponder.

Questioning what others take for granted has a value in and of itself, as it broadens our perspective.

Anonymous

This observation brings up an intriguing point: the value of questioning stuff. After all, isn't that how science advances? I often talk with a friend of mine who is a research scientist, and it's fascinating to see the open-mindedness that he and his colleagues exhibit, especially in his field of expertise. Perhaps questioning has something to do with it. Besides, there isn't anyone out there who knows all the answers, or if there is, he's awfully quiet about it! That's what makes things interesting, in my view, and a very educational opportunity for all of us.

Of course, for certain things, we may know enough to limit our questions, for the most part. Few, if any, question the value of a good break after a tiring stretch of work, and even fewer of them question the value of sunshine. Perhaps we are quite eclectic when it comes to our questioning. Imagine if the police were to question every single citizen about a crime and question him about everything in his life! That wouldn't go down very well, for sure! Perhaps that's why questioning is usually targeted and specific in various aspects of our lives.

When I set out to write this article, I had a particular question in mind that I read on a blog I visit from time to time. It was a simple question, but the person who asked it underlined its importance quite a bit as he claims it's a significant matter for this situation we all find ourselves in lately. It goes something like this: why are there are no hazmat disposal containers necessary to safely discard the contaminated / dirty masks we wear? Now, that's a good question worth pondering!