Question answers to answer questions

Theoretical physicist Richard Feynman once said, “I’d rather have questions that cannot be answered than answers that cannot be questioned.” In other words, Mr. Feynman would rather face the frustration of an impossible question than the resistance from a protected answer.

Established answers should be revisited - not only the philosophical, religious, and scientific but corporate ones too. It’s not always easy:

- Some answers appear self-evident

- It’s uncomfortable questioning the settled or sacred

- We may waste others’ time by retracing familiar ground

- You might be the only one who’s curious

- We sense the answer is being protected

Of course none of these are sufficient for leaving an answer unexamined, and no answer deserves the privilege of eternal impunity. To retain their place they must make their case repeatedly. They will be better for it.

Some tips:

- Train your mind to see unexamined answers

- Determine why they are protected

- Recognize that the answers being most protected need the most inquiry

- Don’t be a jerk about it