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Easy question, difficult answer
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Most questions we ask in daily life are quite simple. The answers we give are usually quite unsophisticated as well and we are easily satisfied with those answers. If I point to an apple and ask, "what's that?", then everybody would react, "an apple". People will give this answer, because we all agreed to call this type of fruit 'apple'. Behind these simple questions and answers there is a whole structure of agreements, scientific research and ages of philosophy. We made agreements about almost everything. For example, when someone ask what temperature it is, people will answer: "25° C”, but what does this answer exactly mean? First of all, we refer to one of the many scientist who made a system that translates the measured temperature into a number. Secondly, we dig in our memory to find experiences with this number. What does this number means, how does 25 degrees feels like? Does 25 degrees feels the same in The Netherlands as in southern China? Questions are always simple, but the answer is usually complicated, more complicated than we think at first sight.
When exactly did the 21st century start? Are we able to answer this question? I have no answer. Who wants to try?
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Post comment Comment (13 replies)
- Reply fairy0612
- I never thought of the philosophy behind the answers. It is true that the answers are complicated in this way.
Maybe the 21st century started on January 1st 2000?
- Reply Cilla
- You are seems to be an philosopher
. But to answer those questions is not a easy task..However, we need to think instead of accept the existed answers..
- Reply Katherinefc
- The answer we give is indeed quite simple,but it's based on our experience and our knowledge that are accumulated in our every day life or from books before we give the answer. our thoughts are quite complicated!! we give this quite simple answer is because we all have the common understanding on that and there's no need to explain on that,like what is an apple. i guess we all know what an apple is......
Anyway,everything is both complicated and simple,it depends on from which aspect you see it...... :))))
- Reply lover5200
- yes,all the inner answers are under the appearance .But in the daily we may not to know much,just like 25° C we don't need to know how and what is ,we only need to know it is a suitable temperature for huaman being ,and the inner answers is left for the specialist，however sometimes the answers does come to our satisfaction and we want to figure them out we may Get to the heart of the matter
- Reply rainecho415
- It is philosophy makes us more wise and brillant. When we are asked some "simple"questions, we would concretize the abstract things. And that's why we answer" 25 degrees". However, we do lack the ability or the habit of exploring the meanings of life or something in our daily life. Maybe we all should read "Plato" and "the Analects of Confucius". Thought is really important!
- Reply bluebird
- You're indeed philosophical. :)
Most of time we just see the clear, still water, not realizing it may run deep. If we desire to know it, we have to be skilled at swimming or we may get drowned.
- Reply C.Robert
- fairy0612: I never thought of the philosophy behind the answers. It is true that the answers are complicated in this way.This would be my first guess too, but unfortunately, you're not though to the next round. Taking the christian calender in account, it should be an other date.
Maybe the 21st century started on Janu
- Reply bleuclair
- how come we call it 21st century? coz this number is based on the Christian era. Suppose we r not using this system to count years, maybe it'll be called 35th century or sth. else.
So, from this perspective, it involves human history, religion, etc.
answered by bleuclair haha
- Reply C.Robert
- bleuclair: how come we call it 21st century? coz this number is based on the Christian era. Suppose we r not using this system to count years, maybe it'll be calVery good suggestion!
- Reply C.Robert
- scale: What's the meaning? What do you want to say?One part of what I want to say is that the simple things in life, things we never think about, are in fact very complicated. Most things we do are based on culture and on history. Your point of view is based on simple things in life. If people recognise this enormous cultural and historical context, it might lead to tollerance and understanding towards eachother.
- Reply samscri
- In physics, there's a theory called the Priciple of Ralativity...Maybe it works the same in time...Because when we say year 2011, we alrealy assumed a specific time to refrence to, year 1(2010 years ago)...Right?!...Maybe it's meaning is just to simplify our lives, not to complicate it...hehe
