Sensible Answers Only

The class were looking enthused, and were even more engaged when they were told by the guest there were no right answers to the questions they were being asked. So, pens poised, creativity sparked . . . and then the teacher said “sensible answers only”.

There is an old adage amongst courtroom lawyers that you should never ask a witness a question to which you do not already know the answer. Otherwise, you risk being wrongfooted by unexpected responses that may not support your case.

But the whole point of creating a useful brief is to ask open questions in a way which is open to new answers. So, fewer ‘sensible’ answers please, and more ‘sensibility’ (defn: the ability to appreciate and respond to complex emotional or aesthetic influences).