Questions Without Conclusive Answers: Are They Worth Discussing?

Forums: Philosophy
Email this Topic • Print this Page

The history of philosophy shows that each generation has confronted questions on the meaning of existence, how people are governed, and how we should treat each other. Conclusive answers to the questions have eluded us. Do we benefit as human beings by continuing to discuss questions that have no guarantee of a definitive answer?

Topic Stats
Top Replies
Link to this Topic

Type: Discussion • Score: 9 • Views: 3,315 • Replies: 32

No top replies

@wandeljw,

No! lol I don't think there's much point in delving into the whys and wherefores of everything. Some things we just don't know, so why tease yourself with 'maybes' and 'what ifs'?

Is there a meaning of existence? Maybe, maybe not. But why care if you're never going to know-know? All anyone does is speculate and theorize, but nobody has come up with the definitive answer. So I think this sort of questioning is a waste of time. What would the answer get you, anyway? Would you be better off?

1 Reply

@wandeljw,

Is there any guaranty of a definite answer to anything ?
Whose it worth it anyway ?

There is no guaranty. Yes it was worth it. Actually it was worth it precisely because there is no guaranty.

Certainty is "Death" !

0 Replies

@wandeljw,

As the saying goes, its not so much the destination that matters but the journey itself.

0 Replies

How do you know that conclusive answers have eluded us? I think we've found a lot that we agree on.

Also, some questions require a lot of experience and thinking before you can recognize the answer. Just because they can't be answered in the same way as "why is the sky blue" doesn't mean they can't be answered.

1 Reply

@wandeljw,

Nope. Next question.

0 Replies

@Jebediah,

Any question can be answered given any question besides a categorical quality also implies a length in what is asking...now whether the answer fits the length and quality of the question 100% hardly has anything to do with its worth doing...

Given questions exist, as expected to be answered and only for that purpose, communication... so as I said, whether the answer can be proved to be True, meaning perfectly fitting what was meant to be asked, is of no major relevance if not to the belief that it may or may not fit.

0 Replies

@Mame,

Mame wrote:

No! lol I don't think there's much point in delving into the whys and wherefores of everything. Some things we just don't know, so why tease yourself with 'maybes' and 'what ifs'?

Is there a meaning of existence? Maybe, maybe not. But why care if you're never going to know-know? All anyone does is speculate and theorize, but nobody has come up with the definitive answer. So I think this sort of questioning is a waste of time. What would the answer get you, anyway? Would you be better off?

I think it is worthwhile to question the meaning of existence. I may get insight into what it means to be human, how I treat other human beings, how I relate to animals and the rest of the natural world. I am willing to give up certitude. Simply discussing the meaning of existence makes me feel more human. (An inanimate object would not question the meaning of existence.)

The question of how people should be governed has also not been settled. Each generation faces new social, economic and political problems. The best way to address such problems can not be settled "once and for all time."

1 Reply

@wandeljw,

I guess it's all a case of if you feel the need to know or not. I don't. You do. I'm happy to be amicably on the opposite of the fence from you, wandel.

0 Replies

They are worth discussing. What makes them feel futile is not starting these discussions with some agreed method of evaluation.

A
R
T

0 Replies

@wandeljw,

Sure. Some of the more sophomoric and/ or navel-gazing and/or pretentious stuff annoys me. But I don't think that translates to "just don't bother," at all!

Two main reasons:

1.) I think that thinking critically, itself, is a valuable skill. Not just accepting whatever is "conventional wisdom" and not just saying "yeah whatever." So if critical thinking is honed by engaging in these kinds of discussions, cool.

2.) While I don't necessarily think us message board people will come up with anything big, I think that these questions are important to ponder just in general (some more than others, for example I think questions of governance are more important than questions about the meaning of existence). Sometimes there are big advances, sometimes just a lot of little incremental ones, but I don't think society is well-served if anything abstract is sidelined.

Plus, I know you're talking about philosophy, but "Do we benefit as human beings by continuing to discuss questions that have no guarantee of a definitive answer?" applies to a lot of other things that I think are very worthwhile too, especially when it comes to science. We'll never find out if we just give up because we don't have a guarantee that we will find anything out.

0 Replies

The meaning of existence is the basis of inquiry for most people who can articulate about ones own life - and death.

I believe most of this inquiry is answered by where we are born, and what our parents believe about religion.

0 Replies

meaning of existence

the proof of the existence of Universe, reality

simple really

0 Replies

@wandeljw,

wandeljw wrote:

Do we benefit as human beings by continuing to discuss questions that have no guarantee of a definitive answer?

If you stick to questions that are guaranteed to have a (correct) answer, you'll have very few questions: http://yudkowsky.net/rational/lobs-theorem
This problem isn't in any way limited to philosophy, for example, did the world have a beginning? seems to be a question without a comprehensible answer, but if classical logic is the logic of science, then scientists seem to be unable to escape this question.

1 Reply

@ughaibu,

ughaibu wrote:

wandeljw wrote:
Do we benefit as human beings by continuing to discuss questions that have no guarantee of a definitive answer?
If you stick to questions that are guaranteed to have a (correct) answer, you'll have very few questions: http://yudkowsky.net/rational/lobs-theorem

Quote:

This problem isn't in any way limited to philosophy, for example, did the world have a beginning? seems to be a question without a comprehensible answer, but if classical logic is the logic of science, then scientists seem to be unable to escape this question.

when you say " world " what world are you referring too ...?

1 Reply

@north,

north wrote:

ughaibu wrote:
did the world have a beginning?
when you say " world " what world are you referring too ...?

I mean "the world" as the term is generally used by philosophers.

1 Reply

@ughaibu,

ughaibu wrote:

north wrote:
ughaibu wrote:
did the world have a beginning?
when you say " world " what world are you referring too ...?
I mean "the world" as the term is generally used by philosophers.

( it never ceases to amaze me that when asked such a simple question one has to refer to someone or something , rather than saying what they mean't within the context of there thought

its like they don't really know what they are trying to say ....hmmmm )

which is Earth then , (thrum my fingers) , I guess

1 Reply

anyway;

meaning of existence

the proof of the existence of Universe, reality

simple really

0 Replies

@north,

north wrote:

ughaibu wrote:
north wrote:
when you say " world " what world are you referring too ...?
I mean "the world" as the term is generally used by philosophers.
which is Earth then , (thrum my fingers) , I guess

Of course it's not!!!

1 Reply

@ughaibu,

ughaibu wrote:

north wrote:
ughaibu wrote:
north wrote:
when you say " world " what world are you referring too ...?
I mean "the world" as the term is generally used by philosophers.
which is Earth then , (thrum my fingers) , I guess
Of course it's not!!!

then the Universe

and as I said before then;

meaning of existence

the proof of the existence of Universe, reality

simple really

0 Replies

Questions Without Conclusive Answers: Are They Worth Discussing?

Related Topics

Quick Links

My Account

able2know