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Dr. Mel Blumberg

Every question does not have an answer, but every answer has a question.

I recently saw this statement on Quora, and don't like the explanation(s) it received. Could it be that all logically constructed and factually- correct questions do have answers. We just don't know what they are because  we are using the wrong system of logic (e.g. calculus vs algebra; inductive vs. deductive logic ) , frame of reference, or coordinate system for their analysis.  

asked on Tuesday, Oct 20, 2020 05:35:37 PM by Dr. Mel Blumberg

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Bo Bennett, PhD
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Could it be that all logically constructed and factually- correct questions do have answers. We just don't know what they are because  we are using the wrong system of logic (e.g. calculus vs algebra; inductive vs. deductive logic ) , frame of reference, or coordinate system for their analysis?

I don't know.

answered on Wednesday, Oct 21, 2020 07:32:20 AM by Bo Bennett, PhD

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Bo Bennett, PhD writes:

In case you missed the irony here, "I don't know" could be an answer to any question. Therefore, the question actually is begging the question that there are some questions that can't be answered. Once we demonstrate that any (non-multiple choice) question can be answered with an "I don't know" or similar, the question is moot.

posted on Wednesday, Oct 21, 2020 01:52:05 PM
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Dr. Richard
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To me the statement is so loaded with internal problems, I label it as incoherent. 

answered on Wednesday, Oct 21, 2020 01:48:09 PM by Dr. Richard

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Dr. Mel Blumberg writes:

That doesn't respond to the question, merely dismisses it. 

 

 

 

posted on Wednesday, Oct 21, 2020 09:15:57 PM
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Dr. Mel Blumberg writes:

That was a serious question. The response is specious.

posted on Wednesday, Oct 21, 2020 09:18:07 PM
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Dr. Richard writes:
[To Dr. Mel Blumberg]

With all respect, the following statement is, to me, incoherent: "We just don't know what they are because  we are using the wrong system of logic (e.g. calculus vs algebra; inductive vs. deductive logic ) , frame of reference, or coordinate system for their analysis."  For example: who is "we?" All of mankind or a specific group of people? 

I think Dr Bo's comment is correct.

[ login to reply ] posted on Thursday, Oct 22, 2020 10:22:19 AM
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Dr. Mel Blumberg writes:

Dr Bill. I've attached a link to the question, and some answers that have been provided. However, when I sent in my question, I wasn't confused by the answers on Quora, but intrigued by the question itself. Unfortunately, as I re-read what I wrote, it could have been clearer. It also may not be a question of logic, and its use, but of general philosophy requiring the use of shadows on the wall of a cave. 

The point I was trying to get at is-- when we can't answer a question--is it because the question has no answer, or because we lack the physical and intellectual tools needed to answer it? For example, we could not have developed a germ theory of illness until after the development of the microscope. When Sir Isaac Newton was working on his theories of acceleration, velocity, and planetary motion, the existing tools of algebra and trigonometry were insufficient to describe and predict changes in mass, energy, and velocity over time , and he had to invent calculus to deal with action-reaction and acceleration problems. And where would the world of science be if we did not have the "tools" of deductive and inductive logic at our disposal to make and test hypotheses? Our experimental findings  would all be inconclusive, or as muddled as my original question.  Here is that link:    www.quora.com/For-every-a. . .

posted on Friday, Oct 23, 2020 12:07:35 AM
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Bo Bennett, PhD writes:
[To Dr. Mel Blumberg]

There are clear examples that some questions asked in the past lacked the language or knowledge to be answered at the time, but later were answered. From this, it does not follow that all questions currently unanswered simply lack language or knowledge to be answered. This is not even a reasonable inductive inference given the percentage of questions asked that fit in this category (I would imagine infinitely small).

The problem I alluded to before is that "answered" is ambiguous. "I don't know" is an answer. "I don't care" is an answer. There are incorrect answers to questions, there are answers where the "correctness" is on a continuum. There are poorly and ambiguously worded questions that can have many correct answers or no answers, depending on what is meant. There are unfalsifiable answers. The list goes on.

[ login to reply ] posted on Friday, Oct 23, 2020 07:54:21 AM
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DrBill
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I'm not surprised to see such a potentially dismissive non sequitur on Quora, having misspent hours and hours looking at many questions and answers there over the past 2 years.

I do enjoy some sorts of contention and would ask you to provide a link to the Quora question that contained this answer, so I could read it in context and see what point the answerer was trying to make.

On the topic, we all can agree that many questions do not have answers, but the pseudo-wisdom about answers having questions may simply variations on argument from ignorance or merely irrelevant.  The single most significant critique I would make is that answers cannot be necessarily reversed to imply that a question can be induced by knowing a statement of an answer.  For example, the famous answer from "Hitchhikers Guide" is 42, which might be an answer from 6x7, and might be an answer from a question about the number of blue marbles left when 58 red ones are removed from 100 mixed red/blue bag of marbles, or the number of giant black holes in the center of the galaxies within 1500 light years. On Quora, it might even be an answer to a homework problem.

It could even be a misconstrued generalization about the math problems which are so hard to solve using computer analysis, the time needed may not be within practical time limits (a P-type problem).  As I understand it, if such a problem did have an answer, perhaps by luck, it's correctness is easily verified and when that happens, the problem is called  "NP"  In either case, though, the problem or question has to be defined beforehand and having an answer does not lead to any unique question.

I would enjoy seeing the question/answer in context.

 

answered on Thursday, Oct 22, 2020 09:59:15 AM by DrBill

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