Q&A

[kitroot]

As a brand new member to this community, (and having spent very little time here) I have been taken aback at the depth and quality of insight offered by some members and have quickly come to realize that I do not have anywhere nearly as much to offer to this community as it does to me.

Noting this, I have set out to invest some time in myself to improve the quality of any future input I may be able to provide. Unfortunately, this is not the first time I have set out to do this and what I have noted in the past is a mismatch between input and output; that is, I have never been content enough with where I was in terms of understanding something to confidently offer it to someone else. Admittedly I look for a relatively extreme degree of certainty in all aspects of what I contribute, and as such it is commonly difficult to achieve.

My questions (which I am starting to become concerned that may be all I have to offer) are:

1.Where would you draw the line as to how well you understand something, and how do you measure this objectively?

2.Is it selfish to pursue knowledge if it is uncertain that the end result is of benefit to anyone else?

3. Are questions worth at least a fraction of the value of the answers they may entail, and may they be regarded as contributions in themselves? The last question is of practical importance in terms of an online community as I do not want to 'consume' in excess of what I may provide.

 

[Anaximander]

1.Where would you draw the line as to how well you understand something, and how do you measure this objectively?

2.Is it selfish to pursue knowledge if it is uncertain that the end result is of benefit to anyone else?

3. Are questions worth at least a fraction of the value of the answers they may entail, and may they be regarded as contributions in themselves? The last question is of practical importance in terms of an online community as I do not want to 'consume' in excess of what I may provide.

1. I don't really draw the line, I keep learning more about something until I get bored with it.

2. Is it selfish to be happy?

3. A good question gives you more to think about than a simple answer.

 

[SpaceYeti]

1.Where would you draw the line as to how well you understand something, and how do you measure this objectively?

Generally, in studying a particular subject, you can get a ballpark approximation of how much knowledge there is on the topic and, thus, how much of that knowledge you don't have. To remain rational, however, you can never really know the depth of how much you don't know... because you don't know what you don't know.

2.Is it selfish to pursue knowledge if it is uncertain that the end result is of benefit to anyone else?

Yes, but so what? There's nothing wrong with selfishness. It, like all things, is a virtue. You can have too much or too little, but in the proper dose it's actually a good thing.

3. Are questions worth at least a fraction of the value of the answers they may entail, and may they be regarded as contributions in themselves? The last question is of practical importance in terms of an online community as I do not want to 'consume' in excess of what I may provide.

I would say they're not of relative values so much as opposite sides of a coin. With no question (in a ubiquitous way), you yield no answer. Once you have an answer, you discover more questions.

 

[redbaron]

1. What do you mean, 'draw the line' as to how well you understand something? As in determining what point you have enough knowledge to offer it to others?

2. http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/selfish

If the pursuit is related only to furthering your own goals with disregard of others, then it is. If it's simply uncertain whether it may or may not benefit others, then no it isn't.

But does it really matter if it is selfish?

3. If you want to ask a question then go ahead. If people don't want to or don't think it's worth answering, then they probably won't answer. You posing a question doesn't waste the time of anyone else any more than they let it.

Some people seem to enjoy answering questions and exploring ideas with other people. The boundaries here are pretty obvious, people don't really hesitate to respond when they disagree with something.

Just as an aside, try not to take the forum too seriously. I don't think it's really that amazing of a place to solicit advice on emotional issues, apart from maybe one or two users. It's nice that you want to contribute useful information though.

I'm personally a little jaded because of the fact that a pretty small percentage of the people on this forum are living in the adult world - working because of necessity, raising a family or pursuing a career.

Not to say these are the only things in life, but I can't help but groan when reading some of the opinions and ideas of some people who don't quite get it. Or when someone seems to think their life in a first world country is just oh so difficult.

That said I enjoy the content of a bunch of threads and the input of some members, even if I disagree with their opinions a lot of the time they present their viewpoints well and raise valid points.

 

[snafupants]

As a brand new member to this community, (and having spent very little time here) I have been taken aback at the depth and quality of insight offered by some members and have quickly come to realize that I do not have anywhere nearly as much to offer to this community as it does to me.

It's all right. Most people here have their niche "favorite" topic.

Proxy focuses on economics and PhilosopherKing specializes in, well, philosophy.

Just follow your curiosity and something will stand out to you.

1.Where would you draw the line as to how well you understand something, and how do you measure this objectively?

2.Is it selfish to pursue knowledge if it is uncertain that the end result is of benefit to anyone else?

3. Are questions worth at least a fraction of the value of the answers they may entail, and may they be regarded as contributions in themselves? The last question is of practical importance in terms of an online community as I do not want to 'consume' in excess of what I may provide.

1) Malcolm Gladwell says 10,000 hours for mastery.

I'm really in competition with myself rather than others though.

I want to understand something just to see it through, in its beauty and nuance.

2) Selfish? Individual existence itself is self-interested. Have fun!

3) As long as the questions posed are stimulating and the answers are insightful, I can't complain.

People like Socrates are noteworthy for asking stimulating questions.

 

[kitroot]

Generally, in studying a particular subject, you can get a ballpark approximation of how much knowledge there is on the topic and, thus, how much of that knowledge you don't have. To remain rational, however, you can never really know the depth of how much you don't know... because you don't know what you don't know.

I would say they're not of relative values so much as opposite sides of a coin. With no question (in a ubiquitous way), you yield no answer. Once you have an answer, you discover more questions.

Which brings us to: Where does it end? Although I think the point you're trying to make is that it is indeterminable, and if so, any answer provided should be commonly understood to be imperfect. Is this mitigated (on a social level) by sincere intentions to provide the best that one is able? When, then, would it be more appropriate to lurk in a dark corner instead of besmirching the interwebs with inaccurate responses? Probably this is a skill the likes of which is only gained with experience.

Yes, but so what? There's nothing wrong with selfishness. It, like all things, is a virtue. You can have too much or too little, but in the proper dose it's actually a good thing.

This is just mind-blowing. And the increasing frequency with which I am encountering this idea requires me to re-examine some concepts which I've always held intuitively to be correct..

 

[SpaceYeti]

Which brings us to: Where does it end? Although I think the point you're trying to make is that it is indeterminable, and if so, any answer provided should be commonly understood to be imperfect. Is this mitigated (on a social level) by sincere intentions to provide the best that one is able? When, then, would it be more appropriate to lurk in a dark corner instead of besmirching the interwebs with inaccurate responses? Probably this is a skill the likes of which is only gained with experience.

Yes.

I'm not certain that lurking in a dark corner is ever synergistic to acquiring knowledge. I'm also not certain the intarwebs is the best place to gather knowledge. Good, certainly, but I would try going directly to the experts in their fields. Biologists are especially amiable to leaving their tower for a discussion once in a while, I find.

This is just mind-blowing. And the increasing frequency with which I am encountering this idea requires me to re-examine some concepts which I've always held intuitively to be correct..

Please do. I'm positive you'll find it to be correct, but inform me if it winds up I'm mistaken.

 

[kitroot]

1) Malcolm Gladwell says 10,000 hours for mastery.

Having a number to hold on to in absence of motivation is always a good thing. Thank you, contributors.

 

[Duxwing]

1. What do you mean, 'draw the line' as to how well you understand something? As in determining what point you have enough knowledge to offer it to others?

2. http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/selfish

If the pursuit is related only to furthering your own goals with disregard of others, then it is. If it's simply uncertain whether it may or may not benefit others, then no it isn't.

But does it really matter if it is selfish?

3. If you want to ask a question then go ahead. If people don't want to or don't think it's worth answering, then they probably won't answer. You posing a question doesn't waste the time of anyone else any more than they let it.

Some people seem to enjoy answering questions and exploring ideas with other people. The boundaries here are pretty obvious, people don't really hesitate to respond when they disagree with something.

Just as an aside, try not to take the forum too seriously. I don't think it's really that amazing of a place to solicit advice on emotional issues, apart from maybe one or two users. It's nice that you want to contribute useful information though.

I'm personally a little jaded because of the fact that a pretty small percentage of the people on this forum are living in the adult world - working because of necessity, raising a family or pursuing a career.

Not to say these are the only things in life, but I can't help but groan when reading some of the opinions and ideas of some people who don't quite get it. Or when someone seems to think their life in a first world country is just oh so difficult.

That's the fallacy of greater problems, redbaron. Worrying about the health of one's significant other, for example, does not preclude one from being concerned about starving children in Africa. Moreover, and on a practical level, we'd all melt down if we worried only about the greatest problems; even Spock, the tireless logician, took time to eat, sleep, and crack cerebral jokes whilst fulfilling the duties of chief science officer aboard Enterprise. In other words, a person can only handle so much at one time, and demanding that we ignore our own lives entirely (since their importance pales in comparison to the potential Sarin holocaust in Israel) is unreasonable given the material and emotional limitations of human beings.

That said I enjoy the content of a bunch of threads and the input of some members, even if I disagree with their opinions a lot of the time they present their viewpoints well and raise valid points.

I know that I'm a bit off topic, but that kind of thinking irks me.

-Duxwing

 

[redbaron]

I know that I'm a bit off topic, but that kind of thinking irks me.

Doesn't surprise me considering you're a teenager; your world still revolves around yourself.

 

[snafupants]

Having a number to hold on to in absence of motivation is always a good thing. Thank you, contributors.

It's important to remember, though, that when you love the work, it's not really work.

 

[SpaceYeti]

You probably won't love your job.