? Questions for learning (archive)

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One fine morning to you!

I could comment on the heat. But I already did that, a year ago tomorrow.

Instead, let’s talk about questions.

Earlier this week, a man approached me on the sidewalk as I exited the Ottawa Art Gallery. He gestured to the building and asked what was inside. I answered. We spent several minutes like this—he asking questions, me answering them. At the end of our conversation, he thanked me and said, “You know, when you have questions you have to ask them. Otherwise you never learn!”

And he’s right.

Questioning can take several forms. We can pose questions to others or pose them to ourselves. We can make them explicit or implicit. We can ask questions (in conversation, in writing, and so on) or we can question (through action, experimentation, and so on). Regardless, questioning is key to curiosity. (Answers are special things, too, especially when couched in honest uncertainty.)

While questioning is key to curiosity, it can be tricky to know what to ask. Here are some of my standbys:

These questions are useful in conversation with another person. But sometimes you want to provoke deeper thought about history. For that, I turn to these:

There you have it—six questions for better, deeper living. A curious mind can become a caring mind—the more we know, the more we can appreciate a situation’s nuance and complexity. All the best for the week ahead—may all your questions bear fruit.

Lucas