Why Do They Do That?
Artis; California sea_ ion; ⒸCreative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic Cormorants at John Pennekamp State Park; ⒸBillKeogh Humpback Whale breaching; Ⓒ Courtesy E. Lyman – HIHWNMS/ NOAA Permit # 14682 Monarch Butterfly migration; ⒸNational Geographic Starling murmuratio; ⒸCreative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 2.0 Bear scratching its back against a tree. ⒸPD_USA_1977 Wolves howling; ⒸRICK MERIL AND WWW.COYOTES-WOLVES-COUGARS_dotcom Little brown bat hanging from the rafters; ⒸCreative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 Previous Next "The art and science of asking questions is the source of all knowledge."
Thomas Bergerwas an American novelist. Probably best known for his picaresque novel Little Big Man "Why don't they make the whole plane out of that black box stuff."
Steven Wrightis an American stand-up comedian, actor, writer, and film producer "It is one thing to mortify curiosity, another to conquer it."
Robert Louis Stevensonwas a Scottish novelist, essayist, poet and travel writer. He is best known for works such as Treasure Island, Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde, Kidnapped and A Child's Garden of Verses "Curiosity is the lust of the mind."
Thomas Hobbeswas an English philosopher, considered to be one of the founders of modern political philosophy. Hobbes is best known for his 1651 book Leviathan, in which he expounds an influential formulation of social contract theory. "Adults are always asking kids what they want to be when they grow up because they are looking for ideas."
Paula Poundstoneis an American stand-up comedian, author, actor, interviewer, and commentator. "'The best scientists and explorers have the attributes of kids! They ask question and have a sense of wonder. They have curiosity. 'Who, what, where, why, when, and how!' They never stop asking questions, and I never stop asking questions, just like a five year old."
Dr. Sylvia Earleis an American marine biologist, oceanographer, explorer, author, and lecturer. She has been a National Geographic explorer-in-residence since 1998. "'Philosophers are adults who persist in asking childish questions."
Isaiah Berlinwas a Russian-British social and political theorist, philosopher, and historian of ideas “Ah, but my dear sir, the why must never be obvious. That is the whole point.”
Agatha Christie a quote taken from her book "Five Little Pigs", she was an English writer known for her 66 detective novels and 14 short story collections, particularly those revolving around fictional detectives Hercule Poirot and Miss Marple. "Don't spend your precious time asking "Why isn't the world a better place?" It will only be time wasted. The question to ask is "How can I make it better?" To that there is an answer."
Leo Buscagliaalso known as "Dr. Love", was an American author, motivational speaker, and a professor in the Department of Special Education at the University of Southern California. Previous Next
Why Do They Do That?
When studying the natural world in order to understand it better, we get the best answers by asking the right questions. Which seems to make perfect sense, despite seeming like one of those push-me-pull-you dilemmas at first.
"How can I tell the right questions from the wrong ones?" is among the right questions. Asking "Why is that?" is the perfect goil.
Because it started with "How…", not "Why…", that's how!
Confused? Welcome to science. Were it not for such confusion there's be nothing left to figure out, right? And you're not alone. Forming the best questions is a skill that comes with time and concerted effort. Which entails experiencing a healthy ratio of failure-and-success in getting to answers that have any chance to pass scientific muster. As in; * + Does it improve the accuracy of the predictions our model makes? + Are they consistent with results from prior scientific inquiries? + Has the overall model become more reliable with that result?
Curiosity is hardly limited to working scientists. We all have an "Inner Scientist" at work for us all the time, diligently supporting every decision we make. And, like those professional researchers, everyone must improve their ability to interrogate the unknowns in their own lives. Like most good things in life, that skill rarely comes without working at it.
Let's try an example from a Field-trip I've led many times.
A common position California Sea Lions occasionally adopt while "hauled out", meaning not in the ocean, always draws the attention of the public. “Why do they do that?” came up every Saturday afternoon when I was teaching Marine Mammalogy at Pier-39's K-Dock in San Francisco.
While not every visitor asked it, the question never failed to come up in the ten years I was stationed there. It's a good question, and understandably so. Because a sea lion resting on land in this particular position looks a lot like a human-being falling asleep at their desk.
We've all seen it. Maybe during a post-lunch English class in high-school. Or late in the afternoon when an inconsiderate boss called a 5pm staff meeting.
Their head keeps drooping as sleep overcomes them. They "drop off", then wake up in start when their chin hits their chest. Only to doze off again a few moments later. The cycle can repeat itself for quite a while.
If they manage to make it to being "fully conked out", an expression of deep satisfaction and peacefulness seems to appear on their face. Then, they either get an elbow from a concerned classmate or colleague. Or end up falling out of their chair, waking up with a start and a shocked but embarrassed look on their face, much to the amusement of everyone there.
Resting sea-lions exhibit similar behavior. And when a suspicious sound, smell, or even an odd movement of the dock occurs, an instant change occurs. They quickly morph into self-preservation mode, seemingly aware of everything around them and clearly ready for acton. If it's perceived as dangerous, they all flee back into the water where they are far better equipped for self-defense than on land.
When a large group is startled out of their slumber it's called "flushing", because it sounds a lot like a flushed toilet as they all seem to hit the water at the same time
Some clever research has revealed that California Sea Lions, likely all the Otaarids (the eared seals, sometimes referred to as fur seals), can see behind themselves in this position. Which is a great thing to be able to do for an animal that has evolved great agility in the ocean but is a bit cumbersome, hence vulnerable on land.
And that's an uncomfortable situation for any critter. It seems that "personal safety" is one of those primal notions learned early in life. if not part of that mystifying cognitive-complex modern scientists try not to use; instinct.
But is that “why” they do it? We can’t say. Perhaps it just feels good, like some of us preferring to sleep on our sides instead of on our backs.
Ask a sea lion why it does that and even if it could speak “I don’t know” seems the likeliest response. Much like us, were we confronted with questions about why we furrow our brows when concentrating or blush after getting a compliment.
We hear this all the time in the field. Questions about the natural world that begin with "Why, …why, why, why, why, why?"
When confronted with too many “why’s” and not nearly enough “how’s, what’s, where’s, and when’s”, I try to move the crowd on to the other more productive, more cognitively challenging interrogatories. Substituting a “how” story, or one with a “where and when” ending is always more useful to everyone, for both the student and the teacher.
The truth is that not every question we deign to ask has an answer all ready to go simply because we want one. Or, worse, expect one. Nor does every behavior exhibited by an organism in a natural observation session come packaged with a neat explanation.
Frankly, "Why?" is a lousy interrogatory. It’s intellectually lazy, implying an expectation for the answer to our questions to be supplied for us rather than having to think up one for ourselves. Asking better questions than “why” when seeking to unravel nature’s many mysteries is the best way to go. For scientists.
Yet, that's true for everyone of us. "Why…" is the unmistakable sign of a curious mind, every teacher, parent and would-be field guide would be tilting at windmills without it.
But telling people who are legitimately curious about the natural world that their “Why?” question is shallow would quickly end that session. It's dismissive, exclusionary, and more than a bit arrogant. And, when phrased like that, comes off as hostile despite being true to the bone.
So, naturally, this notion comes with a caveat.
Don't tell students-of-nature not to ask questions that seek "why as an answer". Demonstrate how to ask better questions, instead. With a nod to "The Scientific Method", I like to lead with its built-in admonition about humility, emphasizing that the answer I'm giving has come to be accepted as the best answer we can muster. For now.
The beauty of this approach is that even in the absence of empirically derived answers accompanied by general scientific consensus, a student's questions can still be good ones.
So I often begin my response to questions in the field with "Well, our best current explanation is that…".
As in; * + Why do the cormorants all perch with their wings spread?
This will remind them that well-formed questions, when combined with some innovative experimental design and a bit of luck, will ultimately yield better answers. The kind that help us predict outcomes more accurately and reliably.
And don't forget to ask the group "Can you think of any good reasons yourself?" Thought provoking in its own right, questions they ask in their own words could lead to a good idea about an experimental-design that does eventually supply some credible answers to one of life's many mysteries.
And, with a subtle nod to the old adage "practice males perfect", they just might be teaching you how to ask much better questions yourself!