Are there any questions?

The philosophy behind asking questions is an interesting one.  On the surface, it seems to serve as a probing mechanism to acquire desired knowledge on a certain subject matter - I don't know the answer to something; I want to know the answer; therefore I ask a question.  Seems simple enough, right?

However, if one were to evaluate the true nature of question-asking, it isn't so much a reflection of what one doesn't know; but more of an indication of what one does know.  How so?  Perhaps it is best to illustrate this point using mathematical concepts.  It shouldn't be any secret that math is one of the few subjects in all of academia in which its concepts build upon each other.  For example, in order for one to grasp multiplication, one must understand addition since multiplication is essentially adding any given number to itself multiple times.  What makes math so unique from other subjects is that most other subjects simply require literacy as the only prerequisite to grasp its content, while math has very specific prerequisites to move up the knowledge ladder.

When it comes to question asking, any question one asks is a reflection of what he/she already knows.  It is nearly impossible to ask a question which doesn't contain some components of "tribal knowledge" from which the question itself is generated.  For example, if I were to ask the question, "Where is the best place to get my car's oil changed?" the assumption is I know several facts regarding oil: my car has it, my car's performance is directly related to it, and that it needs to be replenished periodically for my car to perform adequately.  Yet it would be impossible to ask this question had I not known these facts.  It is clear that this question is not an ignorant one since it is a question built from particular knowledge.  Therefore reasonable questions, as opposed to ignorant ones, must come from a good knowledge base.

So why am I blogging about this mundane topic at 2:11am on a Friday morning (other than my inability to sleep)?  Because I believe that much of today's misunderstanding - whether it be in social or business contexts - can be attributed to much of the general population's inability to ask good knowledge-based questions.  Have you ever found yourself lost in a subject matter but didn't ask questions about it?  I believe this is precisely the reason.  The issue is not that there aren't any questions, but that there are so many that one doesn't know where to begin asking or what to ask.

Have you ever done this when someone asked,
"Are there any questions?"

One of the questions that always bothered me as a student is the question, "Are there any questions?"  because it begs the question (see what I did there?).  Perhaps the real question is, "Do you understand?"  The latter question, to me, invites the student to confess any unresolved misunderstanding without shame.  In contrast, the former question assumes that a good knowledge base has already been formed to respond with a good question, which can provoke timidity in asking a question when a good knowledge base is actually absent.

Anyway, this is just a random thought - I just wanted to type what was on my mind until I got sleepy (and I'm getting sleepy right now).  Have you ever been at a loss for words to ask a good question because you simply didn't know what to ask?  Leave a comment!

           

Library

As I write this, I'm sitting in the corner of the El Toro Branch Library in Lake Forest preparing for tomorrow's High School Bible Study. I have my laptop, my Bible, and some study references. If my fickle mind wasn't distracting enough, the "making-out" high school couple to my right is even a greater one. But anyway...

I should be preparing more, but sometimes the the rummaging thoughts through my mind is a cacophonous blend louder than the "clickity-click" sounds my keyboard makes after my fingers strike the keys. I know I ought to plow through this; I ought to invest my energy into focusing and thinking. But how prone my mind and my heart is to grumbling! I've heard that FOCUS is an acronym for "Follow One Course Until Successful." It's pretty catchy, I guess - not sure what to think of it at this time. But in doing the Lord's work, it's quite difficult to follow one course (until successful) in a state of grumbling. Oh, to be humble and not grumble!

Right now, I'm passively meditating (if that's even possible) on a message Mark preached on Jude 16 about false-believing grumblers who have crept into the church. And in the midst of my grumbling, it's humbling to know that I'm privileged to share God's word tomorrow.

No excuses, just faithfulness. 30 'til close. Enough of my wilderness talk.

Happy New (Resolutions) Year!

I've experienced it again. Not merely the passing of another year; but the reminiscence of the thoughts as 2010 came to its extinction. And as the clock struck midnight, Jan. 1, 2012, I thought to myself, "If that's how quickly 2011 has come and gone, I expect 2012 to be just as swift - if not, more so."

It's been deja vu every single year - a final minute countdown while watching Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve on ABC, and warm wishes from loved ones for the coming year. I certainly welcome the optimism and joy; but one can't help but think of the dread of living the same type of year all over again. It seems as though during the last week of December, everyone thinks about what he/she will accomplish for the next year. And it also seems during this time, that one cannot compile a laundry list of what was accomplished for the immediate, yet ending year.

But of course, that's only one way of looking at the end of each year (and sheesh, it's quite depressing!). Here's another way of looking at it: this is not the end of a year, but the continuation of life! I've had 24 years to experience God; and of those 24, the last four have been spent knowing and growing in Him. Yet I can enjoy a prospective fifth year of His faithfulness, patience, kindness, and mercy. I may not be consistent with my resolutions, but I know God is with His. And I know He's resolved to establish His glory and the good for those who love Him.
So as we bid adieu to 2011 and welcome 2012, we must remember that though the year has changed, He hasn't. Cheers, my friends!

By the way, here are some of my resolutions (and I may need to refer back to this list come April or May, haha):

• Lose 30 pounds of unnecessary weight (bye-bye candy? No!)
• Be more adventurous! (Salsa dancing classes? Learn how to cook? - etc.)
• Be a more disciplined reader
  
• Learn and participate in trading Securities
• Maximize my 401(k) plan

...I may add more to this later on, we'll see. =)