Wednesday, March 10, 2010

What makes a great question?

Although occasionally great discoveries come from pure serendipity or luck, usually they start with great questions. It is through asking questions and questioning "just the way it is" that we move forward, as individuals and as a society. I recently saw something indicating that Sunday, March 14 is National Question Day. Knowing that it is also the birthday of one of the greatest questioners ever - Albert Einstein - I decided to hold "The Great Question Contest" of 2010.

I'll tell you more about the contest at the end of this post. But first - here's a question - "What makes a great question?" I'm not sure I can tell you. I know only that we know it when we hear it. I have a personal "favorite great question". It came from my son.

When he was 4 years old, my son, now 17, announced one day, in no uncertain terms, "God holds buildings together." Not wanting to take the wind out of his sails or question his clear authority in the matter, I asked where he'd learned that - from someone at preschool. I then told him that, at least in my experience, that nails and glue had a lot to do with it.

For the next several days, he carefully examined many buildings. "You're right!" he stated, with apparent surprise, after making one particularly careful inspection. Satisfied that the matter had ended, I heard nothing more for several days.

Then a few days later, driving along, a high voice piped up from the back seat, "So what holds the nails together?"

In this proud mama's opinion, that is definitely a great question.

I'm inviting all of PlayFair Toys' Facebook Fans to post their own favorite "great questions" to our Facebook wall, from now through Midnight on Sunday, March 14 - National Question Day.

Here's all you have to do:
  1. Head on over to PlayFair Toys' Facebook Page.
  2. If you're not already a fan, become one.
  3. Post your "most interesting question" to our wall.
  4. Whoever posts the most interesting question by midnight, March 14th will win a PlayFair Toys gift certificate equal in value to the number of entrants (50 questions posted = $50 GC, 100 questions = $100 GC etc).
So post away! Question. Share. Maybe you'll even get an answer! You can access our Facebook Fan page at www.facebook.com/playfairtoys.

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