What do you determine as an answer?
  • Tiberiusmoon
    139
    In philosophy we ask many questions and when we research such questions it can lead to greater understanding of that question.

    But what do you determine to be an answer?

    For example:
    If we were asked "what is the ball of fire in the sky?"
    We could answer with "The sun"
    But if we did more research we could call it "A source of solar ratiation that warms the planet"
    or even to the extremes of numbering all of the sun's atoms that makeup the sun itself.

    Each of these answers can be true but what defines an answer to be good enough for the question?
    Or do you just see it as a conclusionary term used to explain part of what is a greater subject matter of knowledge?

    View Answer
    Tiberiusmoon Options
  • AmalacAccepted Answer
    489
    ↪Tiberiusmoon


    My view on definitions is that they should be stipulative: First one determines the goals that one wants to achieve by the definition, and then one chooses the definition that is most suitable for achieving those goals.

    So the answer is: depends on what you want to use it for, on what you want to accomplish with it.
    Amalac Options
  • god must be atheist
    5.1k
    Each of these answers can be true but what defines an answer to be good enough for the question? — Tiberiusmoon

    An answer that is true, and delineates the answer for the listener from every other truth that are answers to different questions from the asked one.

    This does not mean that a good answer is unique or it can't have alternatives.
    god must be atheist Options
  • original2
    15
    If we were asked "what is the ball of fire in the sky?" — Tiberiusmoon

    So the answer is: depends on what you want to use it for, on what you want to accomplish with it. — Amalac

    I think Amalac has the point. The example question as stated is ambiguous, so it is hard to evaluate the quality of an answer to it.
    original2 Options
  • Jack Cummins
    5.3k
    ↪Tiberiusmoon

    In my own experience, answers to questions give a certain basis of knowledge. However, they often generate more questions, so it sometimes seems like an unwinding of coils. But, I am sure that some people get more definitive answers. It may also depend what we are looking for in the first place. Some may be looking for solutions and some may be looking for ideas for contemplation. In that sense, I think that the mindset of the questioner has a critical role in determining the answers.
    Jack Cummins Options
  • Tiberiusmoon
    139
    All very good answers, I was curious to your replies since the answer can be varied.
    Tiberiusmoon Options
  • Banno
    25.2k
    ↪Tiberiusmoon


    Use.

    It's good enough if you can get on with more stuff in the light of the answer.
    Banno Options
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