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... sometimes when you are asked a question that is…

“... sometimes when you are asked a question that is difficult, the mind doesn't stay silent if it doesn't have the answer. The mind produces something, and what it produces very characteristically is the answer to an easier but related question.” quote by Daniel Kahneman
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“... sometimes when you are asked a question that is difficult, the mind doesn't stay silent if it doesn't have the answer. The mind produces something, and what it produces very characteristically is the answer to an easier but related question.”

Daniel Kahneman

About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

When faced with a hard question, the mind fills the silence by answering a simpler, related one, revealing hidden assumptions.

In simple terms: The mind answers easier related questions when stuck.

Key Takeaway

Notice and probe the easier answer.

Themes

cognition problem solving bias mindset

Mood

curious analytical

Type

philosophical psychological

When to use this quote

  • academic research
  • personal decision making
  • creative brainstorming
  • teaching
  • therapy

Key Concepts

heuristics metacognition implicit reasoning

Questions to Reflect On

  • What simpler question am I answering?
  • How does this reveal my assumptions?
A Different Perspective

The easy answer may mislead if not examined.

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