The Art of Asking Essential Questions

Book excerpt: The Art of Asking Essential Questions illuminates an underappreciated yet vital skill set that lies at the root of all learning and success. Not only do questions help us gain knowledge on a topic, but they also allow us to dispel erroneous or deceptive information, uncover assumptions and motivations, draw accurate conclusions, and make sustainable plans. Linda Elder and Richard Paul illustrate the elements of an effective question and discuss the differences between analytic and evaluative questions. They also show how questions can uncover and help us avoid dangerous egocentric and sociocentric tendencies. As part of the Thinker’s Guide Library, this book advances the mission of the Foundation for Critical Thinking to promote fairminded critical societies through cultivating essential intellectual abilities and virtues across every field of study across world.