In the closing of this blog, I would like the reader to understand the importance of one small, simple question; and that question is "Why?" While I'm not certain that such value can be adequately expressed by one less-than-competent, ponderous, stuttering Audrey, I will try my best.
When engaged in the acts of thinking and analyzing, which as I know it composes all the essence of learning, Why becomes to learning what gas is to a car. First of all, it sets the motivation. One can look out on the great world and see a ball rolling across the street but pass it by without a second thought. One other can see the exact same ball, rolling across the exact same street and say quietly to himself, "Well, here is this ball that continues to be in motion even though there is no visible force pushing it. Why, Self! This is confusing! Why does the ball roll?" The inquisitive one might then begin research and study to answer the question of Why? and eventually learn all sorts of wonders about force and energy. However, I have skipped over the entire process.
During the course of his study, Mr. Inquisitive will have come across the fact that A acts in such and such a way when event B occurs. Now that's all fine and good, but why does A do that? That pushes the research further, until he notices that B is a result of C because B is defined as such and such. But why does C cause B, and why does it not also cause D then? And now you see that in this way, the question of why something is the way it is drives research deeper and deeper so that the researcher might understand the concept in its entirety. If one tries to learn and reaches a roadblock but stops looking for the Whys in things, giving up and claimed to understand it "well enough" becomes the typical response of the majority of the world's population. But imagine if, even as childish as it seems, we all continued to ask Why? at every given opportunity. How far and how rapidly would the human race progress? So why wait? Question! Question everything!
When engaged in the acts of thinking and analyzing, which as I know it composes all the essence of learning, Why becomes to learning what gas is to a car. First of all, it sets the motivation. One can look out on the great world and see a ball rolling across the street but pass it by without a second thought. One other can see the exact same ball, rolling across the exact same street and say quietly to himself, "Well, here is this ball that continues to be in motion even though there is no visible force pushing it. Why, Self! This is confusing! Why does the ball roll?" The inquisitive one might then begin research and study to answer the question of Why? and eventually learn all sorts of wonders about force and energy. However, I have skipped over the entire process.
During the course of his study, Mr. Inquisitive will have come across the fact that A acts in such and such a way when event B occurs. Now that's all fine and good, but why does A do that? That pushes the research further, until he notices that B is a result of C because B is defined as such and such. But why does C cause B, and why does it not also cause D then? And now you see that in this way, the question of why something is the way it is drives research deeper and deeper so that the researcher might understand the concept in its entirety. If one tries to learn and reaches a roadblock but stops looking for the Whys in things, giving up and claimed to understand it "well enough" becomes the typical response of the majority of the world's population. But imagine if, even as childish as it seems, we all continued to ask Why? at every given opportunity. How far and how rapidly would the human race progress? So why wait? Question! Question everything!