I know some think a yes/no or T/F type answer is an answer, but do you think they are philosophical A's?

Question

I know some here think a yes/no or T/F type answer is an answer to a philosophy Q, but do you think they are truly philosophical A's? What's missing from such answers?, Exactly what makes an answer philosophical?? This Q gets at the heart of the problem of what is the kind of Q&A process taking place at YA -especially here in the philosophy subcategory!

"Unless it is asking for further elaboration", Huh! I would think that elaboration -like explanations and reasons- which are obviously missing in the type of A's I am referring to , are some of the *necessary* ingredients of an A in philosophy and it should be presumed (implicitly assumed) so by the answerers when they answer a Q in PHILOSOPHY. Otherwise the idea of giving an "informative A" has ABSOLUTELY no meaning. The only exception would be the posing of poll type Q's ---explicitly posed as such.

BTW YA discourages those type of reportable answers. An A like Huh! by itself w/o explanation is just another reportable example of the type of A's that cannot be considered philosophical in any way shape or form!

yes/no , T/F , Your Right/ Wrong type answers provoke nothing in me. Good philosophical A's often may lead to further insigts and the need for asking additional Q's. Answers that try to redirect the Q-asked is intrusive and a bad habit of many here when they know they could easily pose their own Q, exactly they want to ask it. Many answers who hoard their points are parasitical when they critique the Q or Q-asker and pose Q's back to the Q-asker.

I think: Informatively Answering the Q-asked by someone, politely & respectfully, is the minimum required when answering the Philosophy Q-asker's reasonable expectations of an Answer. The act of answering is a voluntary act. If as answer you have no idea about the Q( eg HUH!) or if you don't like or disagree w/the Q or have a better Q, to ask, shouldn;t you skip on to the Q's you can answer or better yet ask the Q's that came to mind on your own. Q-Piggybackers are cheating the Q&A system & the phony pt system encourages that bad behavior

At least that is part of my explanation for the poor quality of much that happens at YA and the philosophy subcategory in particular.

BTW none of my added details or comments should be construed by intelligent participants as answering my own Q because it is background only to the Qasked. I am still hoping for real insightful and provocative, thoughtful A's from those with the mental clarity to provide such good A's. The A's themselves should evince the missing desirable characteristics cited as a good philosophical A to a good philosophical Q--like mine are most of the time.

It doesn't get any more real than I am being right now. So please give it your best shot to win BA. I compliment more than I criticize whenever there is merit!

"isnt life a little absurd" All secular existentialists think so, but the religious ones find meaning. At time I think like Sartre did when he said "Hell is other people." Other people make up our social environment and affect the quality of Life. Plato worried about that too' Hence his solution.

Remember this is the philosophy category for a reason!

"his solution=+ education and the class structure with the Philosopher at the top of the hierarchy as King of the Republic!!LOL

Answer 1

Of course, they are not appropriate A's...as anyone who aspires to be philosophical well knows. A philosophical Q is usually different than one from just about any other category (except maybe politics).
A (legitimate) philosophy Q should conform to the following criteria:
The Q will be either advocated by, opposed by or in deliberation of the Asker. As such (which should be understood by a legitimate answerer) the Q requires more than a simple Y/N to sufficiently and respectfully address the philosophical issue which UNDERLIES the Q.

Unfortunately, even though Y/A has done a pretty good job of laying down ground rules...too many distracting and annoying A's still get through!

Answer 2

I tend toward presenting statements that provoke comment, a view and some kind of alternative response. Some prefer the conventional straightforward question that maybe would prompt a true false or yes no. I tend to use the forum to bounce ideas with a view to broadening my own viewpoint. There are some very high calibre persons amongst the contributors, who bring much prestige to the same, alas smart alec trolls, who retort for the gaining of two points...isnt life a little absurd...

Answer 3

The Oxford entrance paper some years ago included:
"Is this a question?"
The highest accolade was given to the response:
"If it is then this is an answer."
And that, of course, was entirely different from answering merely Y or N.

Is that an answer?

Answer 4

if the question seeks for a T/F answer, so be it. Unless it is asking for further elaboration, then it must be deemed philosophical explanation since we are in Phl subcategory.

What an interesting character! lol...i am with you all the way..

Answer 5

If someone asks a question, any answer that applies is an answer. Any more is simply background or argument to support the true/false and yes/no answers. Other answers are commonly called 'inarticulate'.