Experience/observation/imagination. Sources for questions. When you ask questions which source do you use most and why?

Thanks for the tips.

You just became a source! :)

Moi? Aw! Thank you for your reply hartfire and Happy Wednesday. What other sources  ARE there? :)

Most ?

Probably Numero 2.

Experience, observation, and imagination are great sources for questions, probably the best and most frequent. Perhaps the only ones.

We could subdivide experience.

A question arises when we have a problem - how do we solve it? And from that, probably many more questions - what information do I need and where can I get it? What skills do I need and where can I find a teacher?

Or we have emotional pain. How do we deal with it? Is it coming from the past - and if so, where and how do we discover the means of healing? Is it related to our failures in communication and relationship? If so, where and how do we find better skills in sharing our feelings and listening? Is it the result of having made a mistake or done something wrong? If so, how do we make amends?

Observation is a part of experience. We might see, hear, feel, smell, or taste something, but not know what it is, and so the question arises - what is this new thing? Or we come across a new thought, or witness un unfamiliar behaviour - how can I understand this, what does it mean, what could it mean?

Imagination allows us to create and sense within the mind that which does not exist. We can imagine tiny variations on what we already know, or we can imagine the impossible. Like inter-galactic communication by ansible (Orson Scott Card). Or jumping between wormholes (Piers Anthony). And often the act of imagining leads us to finding the ways to make it possible. So the first question after imagining is - how?

I'm guessing that you might be obliquely referring to inspiration from God. Does God sometimes inspire us with questions for which there is no other obvious source? It's a brilliant question.

Many believers see all things as coming from God, which if so, would put the whole question into a cul de sac or a feedback loop.

I have never experienced a question that didn't come from one of your first three sources. But then, I'm an atheist, so if God exists, perhaps he/she would not visit his/her inspiration on me for that reason.

If there are believers here who have such questions - that is, ones which could not possibly have their origins in experience, observation, or imagination - perhaps they might be willing to share them. I would be extremely interested to hear them.

I am very fortunate to have met some really intelligent, thoughtful, knowledgeable and cordial people here on Answermug hartfire. Some are friends from Answerbag and we are refugees from having been there for years and have a long history together. Some are new to me. But we all have our interests..expertise..experiences which differ. So some folks tend to focus on specific kinds of questions. Politics for example. Others will show up  if  am asking something that has to do with religion. Still others avoid anything to do with either topic and will show up if I  ask fanciful "what if" questions or questions that  trigger some specific memory that they are willing to share.  So hopefully those who are interested in engaging with you about those things you ask will show up.  Thank you for your thoughtful  reply hartfire. My questions are usually piggybacking from one another. A political occurrence will trigger a question and then just like a long row of dominoes another one is triggered and then another one and then another one. They roll out  effortlessly. I  honestly don't know how that happens or where it comes from.  Except for asking the first specific question everything else flows from everything else and sometimes I'm very surprised at what I ask because it was not premeditated or planned. That's why I won't ever run out of questions because things change daily worldwide and I pay careful attention. Some are similar...some are unique. But each has its own life and gives birth to other questions with their own lives. Someone asked me if I had a large book of questions to ask that I refer to. I think there is no such book. I have heard of books of jokes to tell but never a book of questions to ask.

Happy Thursday my friend! :)

Thank you for sharing your question generating process.

The way you describe it, it's a creative, evolving and natural process, part of the way your mind works from long practice.

It gives me further hints about how to be more successful in which questions might attract more answers.

I might have already met some of these answerbaggers without knowing who they are, but I hope I meet more. From what you say, they sound like types whose conversation I would enjoy.

You're very welcome my friend. Indeed yes. You absolutely would enjoy engaging with them as they would enjoy engaging with you. I could name names but I would not want to hurt any folks I might exclude. I can leave it to you to read some of the threads and discover it for yourself! :) Just as you said you admired Old School and how his mind works there are others whom you will admire for the same reason(s).

Thank you for your answer Sharonna!  :)

I respect your respect for people keeping their identities quiet.

And I look forward to the discoveries. :)

My wit and incredible talent for sarcasm. No "why?" is necessary.

 Nope. WHY is ALWAYS necessary. Besides which you didn't answer the question I asked. Experience/observation/imagination. I said nothing about incredible talent for sarcasm and wit. Also I don't remember your EVER being sarcastic  on one of my question threads. If you were it went over my head m'dear. I guess the next time you are being sarcastic you should give me a head's up. I'm clueless otherwise. Thank you for your reply Ele and Happy Friday! :)

Good times ahead hartfire! :)

My answer WAS sarcastic...sheesh. OK...I pick experience. I have been around for a long time (not as long as you of course) and have learned lots of "stuff".