Question

The subject of mathematical knowledge and the distinction between questions and answers, implicit and explicit, are discussed in The Blind Spot. The relationship between a question and its answer is described as a type of equality where one side is more equal than the other, revealing essentialist blind spots. This poses a delicate problem both mathematically and philosophically. The challenge lies in understanding the nature of this equality and the inherent disparities. The quote emphasizes that the relation between questions and answers uncovers intricate aspects.

An observation arises regarding the abundance of questions compared to answers, such as in the case of the halting problem. While questions and answers can be represented as finite strings of symbols, the set of all strings denoted as S, with q and a in S representing a question-answer string, introduces relations Q, A subset SxS. These relations signify that a is an answer to q, allowing q to be a question with multiple answers, and vice versa. The attempt to explore the cardinality of these relations leads to complexities.


According to the passage, what is the nature of the relationship between a question and its answer?

a. Equality with perfect symmetry
b. Equality with inherent disparities
c. Equality with mutual exclusivity
d. Equality with unlimited variability

Answer 1

The relationship between a question and its answer is equality with inherent disparities.

Step-by-step explanation:

The nature of the relationship between a question and its answer, according to the passage, is equality with inherent disparities. This means that while a question and its answer are considered equal, there are inherent differences or inequalities between them.

The passage mentions that a question-answer string q and a can be represented as part of a set of all strings denoted as S. The relationship between questions and answers is defined by relations Q and A, which are subsets of SxS. These relations signify that an answer a is related to a question q, allowing for the possibility of multiple answers to a question and vice versa.