Dumb questions

[james438]

It has been said that there is no such thing as a dumb question. I do not believe this. Take the following:


Is gasoline oil based?

John goes over to visit Peter after a hard day's work painting and has splotches of orange paint all over him and explains that he was painting a house and Peter asks "what color did you use?"

A man writes into a help column and asks "Why do I need to have my tires rotated? Don't they rotate thousands of times anyway when I drive some place?"

Those are actual questions I have either heard or read or at some point in my life I myself have asked. I would have to say that the definition of a dumb question is one to which the answer is obvious or requires 2 seconds of actual thought to figure out.

Not sure why I started this line of thinking. I think that it was because I read in another forum someone saying hat there is no such thing as a dumb question and heard others say the same when I know that I have asked many a dumb question myself. Can anyone else think of some truly dumb questions you have heard or can think of?

[thetestingsite]

Well, really and truly there is not such thing as a dumb question; just dumb people. :)

[james438]

hehe, I guess I can't disagree with that. When the blame is placed on the question the person can get off scott free (hmm, I wonder where the phrase "scott free" came from :/). Even so, I think that there is still a definition for a dumb question and "one where the answer is abundantly obvious or requires very little thought to figure out" is the best definition I could come up with. I know that I have certainly asked my fair share and probably will continue to do so although I'll try not to.

But I liked your answer ;)

[rhlblue]

Both are right :P there are dumb people who ask dumb questions !simple !

Question : Btw, what is this topic all about ? :D

[jscheuer1]

I still like the old saw:

There's no such thing as a stupid question, just stupid answers.

Like many old saws, it states a profound truth. And as with many old saws, there can be exceptions to it. It expresses an attitude worth striving for.

[lorelord]

Well I'm not sure if it's related to "dumb questions", but I hate certain phrases like "Heads up" and "Near miss".... it doesn't really make any sense!

[Trinithis]

"Heads up" is an idiom that came from that if something is coming at you, you can't see it if you are not looking. So to make them look, you are telling them to lift their heads. Same type of deal in today's speech, but perhaps often metaphorically.

"Near miss": Read it literally and it should make sense.

[jscheuer1]

Wouldn't a near miss be like my niece?

[james438]

I still like the old saw:

There's no such thing as a stupid question, just stupid answers.

Like many old saws, it states a profound truth. And as with many old saws, there can be exceptions to it. It expresses an attitude worth striving for. The point of the quote is that people should not be afraid to ask dumb questions to further their knowledge and the people giving answers should continually strive to give intelligent and understandable answers to further the increase in wisdom.

The problem arises in that some people who are not afraid at all to ask dumb questions should be because their questions are not thought out at all and are mere ramblings. They do not ask questions to further their own pursuit of knowledge, but out of sheer laziness. Laziness that is so extreme that the person asking the question simply doesn't want to concentrate for the two seconds needed to figure out the answer.

I am not criticizing anyone on this forum at all and am used to answering dumb questions over and over and really don't mind. Actually I am thinking of myself and how it is important to ask intelligent questions so that they can be understood and are relevant to the conversation and that I try to figure out the answer myself before asking someone else for the answer.


Btw, what is this topic all about ? was a great and perfect example of a dumb question and much appreciated rhlblue. I think rhlblue may well understand what is trying to be said better than any of us.

[BLiZZaRD]

The point of the quote is...

Never argue with an idiot in public, other people may not be able to distinguish whom is the idiot...

[james438]

That is a good adage as well Bizzard, but I think I may be missing what you are referring to if you are referring to something.

Your quote reminds me of Proverbs 26:4
"Do not answer a fool according to his folly, Lest you also be like him."

[BLiZZaRD]

Ahh, biblical.. and Proverbs 26 no less. Yes a whole chapter devoted to a "fool"

Sometimes I think that is the catalyst of the book, you know the part where the reader finds out the author was writing about him the whole time?

I prefer 26:12 myself,



Seest thou a man wise in his own conceit? there is more hope of a fool than of him.

[james438]

Seest thou a man wise in his own conceit? there is more hope of a fool than of him. very very true...

That actually saddens me a bit because some friends of mine and relatives even think that they are wise and are simply not. I'll guess I'll have to give some examples to explain what I mean.

There is one fellow I know who used to be kind and friendly and not so wise, at least in his own estimation. Then he started drinking heavily to the point where he was drunk nearly all the time. He would often talk of the health benefits of alcohol and of being drunk and "happy" when he was clearly miserable. Years later when he stopped and considered himself a fool again he seemed (to me at least) much wiser than before.

Another friend claimed to not be a Christian and would often ask about God and about how he could get right with God. He thought he did not know the answer. Now that he thinks he is right with God I know he is not. How can he consider himself a Christian when he does not believe in Hell or that anyone needs Christ for salvation. He is worse off now than he was before.

Still, it is more important that I look at my own thoughts to make sure I do not head down that path of conceit myself and not compare myself to others so as to think myself somehow better (another form of conceit).

[BLiZZaRD]

Start drinking Scotch, quit believing in Hell, and don't jump into arguments with fools..

sounds good to me :)

[boxxertrumps]

Start? For me that ship has sailed.