Ask a question saying "If there is a God..." and asking for a hypothetical answer, inevitably people will answer with "Worthless situation, there is no god."
Conversely, ask a question saying "If this was different, pertaining to your belief in God..." and people will answer "It doesn't matter, God put me here and made me who I am".
Is it impossible to entertain a hypothetical question long enough to answer it? If not, why would you answer it in the first place, for any other reason than injecting your beliefs into a question?
And keep in mind what Aristotle said: "The mark of an educated mind is the ability to entertain an idea without accepting it." In other words, you should be able to answer a hypothetical question, even if it goes against what you believe.
2006-11-07 01:03:06 · 16 answers · asked by angk 6 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
mortgagegirl: Interesting you should bring that up--my love for hypothetical questions, I think, has half the people on here convinced I'm a Christian and half convinced I'm an atheist...not that I mind. :D
2006-11-07 01:10:05 · update #1
People pose hypothetical questions because they want to sound clever, even though their question maintains no actual basis in reality.
If there was a 'real' reference they could relate the question to, they wouldn't have to say anything 'hypothetically' at all.
2006-11-07 01:09:11 · answer #1 · answered by quay_grl 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I agree that it has something to do with refusing outright the validity of any other possibility. I've asked a few as well, questions I thought could bring up some interesting points, but they ended with people barracading off their camp.
By the way I believe the correct way to ask this question would be, "If I were to ask a hypothetical question, why would people find it difficult to answer?" More fun that way.
2006-11-07 01:21:26 · answer #2 · answered by Phil 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Hypothetical questions are difficult because these are open-ended questions that has no right or wrong answer. It only speaks what is on your mind and your belief. Just a matter of opinion.
2006-11-07 01:07:45 · answer #3 · answered by madc 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
perhaps they experience attacked via the hypothetical question. perhaps the very foundation of the hypothetical question violates their information of certainty. Like, attempt to conceive a hypothetical subject wherein friction does no longer exist. on an analogous time as definite, you may conceive it on a floor point... yet for friction to no longer exist might advise that dozens of different changes interior the regulations of physics could be mandatory to accomodate that alter. finally... the finished universe might thoroughly give way. actually. So, this is relatively impossible to truly attempt to conceive a hypothetical universe without friction. basically a floor point works. maximum provided hypothetical circumstances are comparable. If the hypothetical immediately or circuitously alters the very foundation of their comprehension of the universe, they're incapable of remodeling the universe to exist interior the hypothetical subject. they could no longer be consciously conscious of the dynamics, their minds basically bypass, "it relatively is not and could't be so." A greater smart individual could be ready to remodeling their entire information of the character of the universe to accomodate a sparkling hypothetical subject. In my recommendations, the very ability to attain this is a undeniable sign of intelligence.
2016-10-15 11:43:49 · answer #4 · answered by cully 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Wow. I see that all the time: so many people unwilling to think hypothetically. I, personally, don't believe I really have this problem, but then I think perhaps more education would help with the problem. Most of the people who are unable/unwilling to think hypothetically just don't really understand what it means to do so. Beyond that, many people, at least in America, are conditioned to ignore doubt, and keep repeating phrases they are taught, rather than to think for themselves. It's sad, really.
2006-11-07 01:07:25 · answer #5 · answered by kristalshyt 3 · 2⤊ 0⤋
A hypothetical question requires one to be open minded and give an opinion. Most people would rather not be seen as fence walking. So they stick to what they believe instead.
2006-11-07 01:07:28 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
Some people lack imagination. They might be intrigued by the question, but fail to think of themselves outside what they are, so they end up making a lame answer. Or sometimes they're just self-righteous and use it as an opportunity to preach their version of the "gospel."
2006-11-07 01:29:31 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
They are not that difficult, however when you are assuming non-existent entities you are perforce attributing non-existent qualities to them, each degree of separation becomes more tenuous.
Thus that there is a god is a hypothesis, that he is good is another, that he has some purpose to allow suffering is yet another and so on down the line, each step is less and less grounded.
2006-11-07 01:08:22 · answer #8 · answered by fourmorebeers 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
A lot of the time on here hypothetical questions are so dumb and they try to be disrespect to other.
2006-11-07 01:06:01 · answer #9 · answered by Kenneth G 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
When the hypothetical query deals with supernatural and/or metaphysical issues, it most certainly becomes closed to rational inquiry.
2006-11-07 01:10:41 · answer #10 · answered by Sick Puppy 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋