(no subject)
It's raining and gray outside. I've decided to spend the day doing nothing.
Yesterday, I did actually go outside just before it got dark. I schlepped all the heavy boxes of Ahud's stuff to my car. So that is done. I also swept the walk--again, just trying to stay ahead of the the leaves and acorns. I have created a big pile of leaves and acorns on the tree-line, but it hardly shows because the area has eroded so much. When it's time to do real leaf clean up, I'll deal with it. For now, whatever decomposes into that soil is for the better.
Hey, I wonder whether I should just set up a couple of compost bins right on the tree line to simplify leaf clean up. I just asked Nadav and his first reaction was negative: it wouldn't look nice, other people won't like it... On the other hand, the eroded soil with no grass looks worse. Maybe it would work--just for the winter. It sure would simplify my work.
Lately I've been thinking about Questions.
What is a question? Is it an innate trait of humans?
What are the different kinds of questions?
It seems that babies learn by imitating for a long time. When do they start asking questions?
Does wondering about things constitute asking questions within oneself?
When and why do people stop asking questions?
Do some people naturally ask more questions than others?
Is asking questions a higher order of cognitive ability? I think so.
Does the form of questions in the syntax or common usage of a language have an impact on the thought processes of the speakers of that language. I'm thinking about the French "n'est pas?" Isn't it so? which sets up the answer that is expected. It seems to me that Americans are more likely to ask yes/no questions or open-ended ones.
It all started when I tried to imagine talking with 4-5-year-olds about their explanations for learning certain things in school. Do children think about why they are in school or why they are taught reading and math? Do they wonder why they aren't taught other things? Do they ask questions among themselves?
There is lots to think about.
Yesterday, I did actually go outside just before it got dark. I schlepped all the heavy boxes of Ahud's stuff to my car. So that is done. I also swept the walk--again, just trying to stay ahead of the the leaves and acorns. I have created a big pile of leaves and acorns on the tree-line, but it hardly shows because the area has eroded so much. When it's time to do real leaf clean up, I'll deal with it. For now, whatever decomposes into that soil is for the better.
Hey, I wonder whether I should just set up a couple of compost bins right on the tree line to simplify leaf clean up. I just asked Nadav and his first reaction was negative: it wouldn't look nice, other people won't like it... On the other hand, the eroded soil with no grass looks worse. Maybe it would work--just for the winter. It sure would simplify my work.
Lately I've been thinking about Questions.
What is a question? Is it an innate trait of humans?
What are the different kinds of questions?
It seems that babies learn by imitating for a long time. When do they start asking questions?
Does wondering about things constitute asking questions within oneself?
When and why do people stop asking questions?
Do some people naturally ask more questions than others?
Is asking questions a higher order of cognitive ability? I think so.
Does the form of questions in the syntax or common usage of a language have an impact on the thought processes of the speakers of that language. I'm thinking about the French "n'est pas?" Isn't it so? which sets up the answer that is expected. It seems to me that Americans are more likely to ask yes/no questions or open-ended ones.
It all started when I tried to imagine talking with 4-5-year-olds about their explanations for learning certain things in school. Do children think about why they are in school or why they are taught reading and math? Do they wonder why they aren't taught other things? Do they ask questions among themselves?
There is lots to think about.