Riddle: The 'answer' is not the 'answer', the 'question' is the 'answer'.
What is it? (Give it your best shot.)
Answer: (Sept.30/10)
My latest game creation. You are given the answer and must provide the question that would elicit the given answer.
Sound like "Jeopardy"? Yes, but in this case, it's following the original concept. i.e. The answer, which is a question must truly be a question that would evoke the given answer.
Eg.
Answer: 79 Wistful Vista
.
Question: What was the address of Fibber McGee and Mollie?
Thursday, September 23, 2010
Tuesday, September 21, 2010
Who Owns the land?
This will not answer the question but if you take the time to read it carefully you will at least gain a wider understanding of the conflict
http://www.ap-agenda.org/nasser/nasser3.htm
http://www.ap-agenda.org/nasser/nasser3.htm
Any Questions?
Without Questions There Can Be No Answers
Questions need to play a larger role both in education and life. The entire educational system is obsessed with ‘answers’. From elementary grades to post graduate work success is measured by the correctness of ‘answers’. To a large extent the ‘answers’ are simply the regurgitation of ‘facts’ provided by the instructor or textbooks.
Students need to be encouraged to question the ‘facts’ presented to them. Instructors need to humble themselves and admit that much of what is presented is open to interpretation and revision. Students should be challenged to look for alternative explanations and theories.
For example a student may be presented with the following information on ‘magnets’
“When two magnets are brought together, the force will attract the two magnets together if the poles are opposite,”
The student should be encouraged to ask, “Why?” and be prepared to question further the stock answer that is often a “fig-leaf’ phrase. What is a ‘fig-leaf phrase’? It’s a statement that masks one’s ignorance. For example a child may ask, “Why does the pen drop to the floor?” The typical ‘fig-leaf’ response is, “gravity”. This explains nothing. The child should be encouraged to ask, “What is gravity?” A standard response might be, “Gravity is a force. Large objects attract smaller objects and because the Earth is very large and the pen is very small the gravitational force of the Earth pulls the pen towards it.” That is helpful but again the question needs to be asked, “Why?” At some point the admission, “I don’t know” should be forthcoming.
Socrates said, “The unexamined life is not worth living”. You must question the very validity of your existence. “To be or not to be” was Hamlet’s great dilemma. You do not need to continue your daily routine right up to the grave. You can change your life and make a positive contribution to others; you need not accept the status quo. Is your life meaningful? Is your work gratifying? Are you making a contribution to society? Are you making others happy? Is your government working for you? How will you be remembered after you’re gone?
Adopt a questioning attitude rather than making a conditioned reflex response based on cultural norms. Examine group mores related to such concepts as marriage and weddings, death and funerals, democracy and elections, heaven and hell, space and beyond.
Euripides said, “Question everything. Learn something. Answer nothing.”
Questions need to play a larger role both in education and life. The entire educational system is obsessed with ‘answers’. From elementary grades to post graduate work success is measured by the correctness of ‘answers’. To a large extent the ‘answers’ are simply the regurgitation of ‘facts’ provided by the instructor or textbooks.
Students need to be encouraged to question the ‘facts’ presented to them. Instructors need to humble themselves and admit that much of what is presented is open to interpretation and revision. Students should be challenged to look for alternative explanations and theories.
For example a student may be presented with the following information on ‘magnets’
“When two magnets are brought together, the force will attract the two magnets together if the poles are opposite,”
The student should be encouraged to ask, “Why?” and be prepared to question further the stock answer that is often a “fig-leaf’ phrase. What is a ‘fig-leaf phrase’? It’s a statement that masks one’s ignorance. For example a child may ask, “Why does the pen drop to the floor?” The typical ‘fig-leaf’ response is, “gravity”. This explains nothing. The child should be encouraged to ask, “What is gravity?” A standard response might be, “Gravity is a force. Large objects attract smaller objects and because the Earth is very large and the pen is very small the gravitational force of the Earth pulls the pen towards it.” That is helpful but again the question needs to be asked, “Why?” At some point the admission, “I don’t know” should be forthcoming.
Socrates said, “The unexamined life is not worth living”. You must question the very validity of your existence. “To be or not to be” was Hamlet’s great dilemma. You do not need to continue your daily routine right up to the grave. You can change your life and make a positive contribution to others; you need not accept the status quo. Is your life meaningful? Is your work gratifying? Are you making a contribution to society? Are you making others happy? Is your government working for you? How will you be remembered after you’re gone?
Adopt a questioning attitude rather than making a conditioned reflex response based on cultural norms. Examine group mores related to such concepts as marriage and weddings, death and funerals, democracy and elections, heaven and hell, space and beyond.
Euripides said, “Question everything. Learn something. Answer nothing.”
Monday, August 30, 2010
Do You Have a Dream too?
Have you read Martin Luther King Jr's "I Have a Dream" speech?
I hadn't until recently. It's worth 5 minutes of your time.
http://www.usconstitution.net/dream.html
Reading the speech is much different than listening to it.
Here are a couple more worthy of your time:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/theguardian/2007/apr/20/greatspeeches3
http://www.guardian.co.uk/theguardian/2007/apr/22/greatspeeches
I hadn't until recently. It's worth 5 minutes of your time.
http://www.usconstitution.net/dream.html
Reading the speech is much different than listening to it.
Here are a couple more worthy of your time:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/theguardian/2007/apr/20/greatspeeches3
http://www.guardian.co.uk/theguardian/2007/apr/22/greatspeeches
Wednesday, August 4, 2010
OBITUARY: I knew him well.
Obituary: Common Sense
- Interesting and sadly, rather true. Today we mourn the passing of a beloved old friend, Common Sense, who has been with us for many years. No one knows for sure how old he was, since his birth records were long ago lost in bureaucratic red tape. He will be remembered as having cultivated such valuable lessons as: - Knowing when to come in out of the rain; - Why the early bird gets the worm; - Life isn't always fair; - and maybe it was my fault.
Common Sense lived by simple, sound financial policies (don't spend more than you can earn) and reliable strategies (adults, not children, are in charge).
His health began to deteriorate rapidly when well-intentioned but overbearing regulations were set in place. Reports of a 6-year-old boy charged with sexual harassment for kissing a classmate; teens suspended from school for using mouthwash after lunch; and a teacher fired for reprimanding an unruly student, only worsened his condition. He further lost ground when parents attacked teachers for doing the job that they themselves had failed to do in disciplining their unruly children. It declined even further when schools were required to get parental consent to administer sun lotion or an aspirin to a student; but could not inform parents when a student became pregnant and wanted to have an abortion. Common Sense lost the will to live as the churches became businesses; and criminals received better treatment than their victims. Common Sense took a beating when you couldn't defend yourself from a burglar in your own home and the burglar could sue you for assault. Common Sense finally gave up the will to live, after a woman failed to realize that a steaming cup of coffee was hot. She spilled a little in her lap and was promptly awarded a huge settlement.
Common Sense was preceded in death, by his parents, Truth and Trust, by his wife, Discretion, by his daughter, Responsibility, and by his son, Reason. He is survived by his 4 stepbrothers; I Know My Rights, I Want It Now, Someone Else Is To Blame, and I'm A Victim.
Not many attended his funeral because so few realized he was gone.
- Interesting and sadly, rather true. Today we mourn the passing of a beloved old friend, Common Sense, who has been with us for many years. No one knows for sure how old he was, since his birth records were long ago lost in bureaucratic red tape. He will be remembered as having cultivated such valuable lessons as: - Knowing when to come in out of the rain; - Why the early bird gets the worm; - Life isn't always fair; - and maybe it was my fault.
Common Sense lived by simple, sound financial policies (don't spend more than you can earn) and reliable strategies (adults, not children, are in charge).
His health began to deteriorate rapidly when well-intentioned but overbearing regulations were set in place. Reports of a 6-year-old boy charged with sexual harassment for kissing a classmate; teens suspended from school for using mouthwash after lunch; and a teacher fired for reprimanding an unruly student, only worsened his condition. He further lost ground when parents attacked teachers for doing the job that they themselves had failed to do in disciplining their unruly children. It declined even further when schools were required to get parental consent to administer sun lotion or an aspirin to a student; but could not inform parents when a student became pregnant and wanted to have an abortion. Common Sense lost the will to live as the churches became businesses; and criminals received better treatment than their victims. Common Sense took a beating when you couldn't defend yourself from a burglar in your own home and the burglar could sue you for assault. Common Sense finally gave up the will to live, after a woman failed to realize that a steaming cup of coffee was hot. She spilled a little in her lap and was promptly awarded a huge settlement.
Common Sense was preceded in death, by his parents, Truth and Trust, by his wife, Discretion, by his daughter, Responsibility, and by his son, Reason. He is survived by his 4 stepbrothers; I Know My Rights, I Want It Now, Someone Else Is To Blame, and I'm A Victim.
Not many attended his funeral because so few realized he was gone.
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