Unanswerable questions

Stuka Stunt Main Forum · 3 of 3 known posts recovered

The Kiwi · Jul 15, 2000 07:24 PM

LAST EDITED ON Jul-16-00 AT 06:12 PM (EST)

LAST EDITED ON Jul-16-00 AT 12:02 PM (EST)

One of the things that discouraged me about checking in on George Aldrich's Engines Forum at RCO was stupid questions. Now, I know that as a classroom instructor, I tried to encourage almost any kind of questions just to be sure the students stayed involved in the classes, so I always told them that in my class there was no such thing as a stupid question.

BUT!

There simply is no answer when someone asks "What is the best .46" (and dimbulbs -- or perhaps just trouble-makers who enjoy stirring rancor? -- at RCO will constantly do so). I've just tried to "politely" tell a messager at Flight Lines that there is no such thing as a single "best" C-L beginner plane. I didn't name any design at all because the question was too wide open.

I don't think I'm being mean or ugly to expect the newby to actually put just a "little" thought into his/her question. Although I have been known to be somewhat sarcastic when a question has no thought at all evident in it..

Kiwi

Jim T. · Jul 15, 2000 09:48 PM

#1 source

Recognizing that one is ignorant is the necessary first step toward enlightenment. Recognition of ignorance is manifested by asking questions. However, it takes a good bit of insight to ask a good question, so don't expect too many. It also takes something that we see too little of--a lack of passivity. A large proportion of the population thinks they either don't need an answer, or should receive an answer without the effort of asking the question. So newbies who ask questions, no matter how poorly formulated, have lifted themselves out of the passive mass. We need to recognize this and do our best to nurture them, no matter how difficult they make it for us. We are too few to turn anyone away on a whim.

I thought your answer on the other forum was fine. You gave some guidelines for asking useful questions. I hope the questioner will clarify his nature so that we can actually do him some good.

Jim

The Kiwi · Jul 16, 2000 09:17 AM

#2 source

After some editing this morning (a couple of tries worth), now I'm somewhat more pleased with the answer I had offered to a question I considered poorly stated. The messager hasn't come back, or hasn't deigned to expand on his/her original message.

And I have a feeling that he won't ever add more to that thread.