“Perhaps you might point to some examples of how it’s best applied?” ⇒ “I’d be curious to read some examples of how it’s best applied.”
By changing from a question to a statement, the request for information is transferred from a single person [me] to anyone reading the comment thread. This results in a diffusion of responsibility, which reduces the implicit imposition placed on the original parent.
Another advantage of using statements instead of questions is that they tend to direct me toward positive claims, instead of just making demands for rigor. This avoids some of the more annoyingly asymmetric aspects of Socratic dialogue.
“Perhaps you might point to some examples of how it’s best applied?” ⇒ “I’d be curious to read some examples of how it’s best applied.”
The request can be fulfilled by anyone either way, though. There doesn’t seem to me to be any difference, in that regard.
Another advantage of using statements instead of questions is that they tend to direct me toward positive claims, instead of just making demands for rigor. This avoids some of the more annoying aspects of Socratic dialogue.
Hmm. I’m afraid I find the linked essay somewhat hard to make sense of.
But, in any case, I’ll give your comments some thought, thanks.
“Perhaps you might point to some examples of how it’s best applied?” ⇒ “I’d be curious to read some examples of how it’s best applied.”
By changing from a question to a statement, the request for information is transferred from a single person [me] to anyone reading the comment thread. This results in a diffusion of responsibility, which reduces the implicit imposition placed on the original parent.
Another advantage of using statements instead of questions is that they tend to direct me toward positive claims, instead of just making demands for rigor. This avoids some of the more annoyingly asymmetric aspects of Socratic dialogue.
The request can be fulfilled by anyone either way, though. There doesn’t seem to me to be any difference, in that regard.
Hmm. I’m afraid I find the linked essay somewhat hard to make sense of.
But, in any case, I’ll give your comments some thought, thanks.