9

Are questions like my latest one about The Borg unanswerable because there is not enough data to answer? Is "We don't know there isn't enough information" not a good enough answer?

2 Answers 2

Reset to default
9

In most cases, there is something to say: “episode 12 shows that the minimum is 42, episode 33 hints that the number is in fact in the millions” — this sort of thing. Sometimes “we don't know and the authors meant to leave this ambiguous” is the right answer. No matter what the answer are, in- or out-of-story evidence is preferable. If the answer is “we're never told and the author never revealed it”, so be it.

2
  • 1
    Right - but this does not explain the close votes.
    – Reinstate Monica - Goodbye SE
    Apr 4, 2012 at 9:26
  • 3
    @Wikis I think the close votes are from people who have some misunderstanding about what should be closed. It is entirely possible that there is some reference, either in the shows, movies, books, or comics, that gives a good answer, and the OP does not have to know if those references exist or not in order to ask the question (if he knew, he wouldn't have to ask). The only issue I could see providing some justification would be the complaints that there is no specific point in time mentioned, but I disagree that that is necessary in this case.
    – Beofett
    Apr 4, 2012 at 12:50
4

Anyone who claims it's "unanswerable" about a recent work (espeically a TV show) is just lazy. You can always expend the effort and go contact - in real life - the work's creator(s).

"We don't have enough info" is an answer, as long as it cites where and how specifically the answerer searched.

"It should be closed because it's unanswerable" is most likely a false statement (again, 100% false if any of the creators are still alive)

2
  • Why would one assume that the creators have a specific (but kept secret) idea of (w.l.o.g.) how many Borg cubes there are? Or, differently put: With or without asking the creators, the answer would likely be "very many" (which is an answer, although the degree of new information contained therein is debateable). Thus, I am not convinced the presence of the show's creators would change anything.
    – O. R. Mapper
    Apr 24, 2015 at 6:37
  • @O.R.Mapper - how many JKRowling interviews have you read?
    – DVK-on-Ahch-To
    Apr 24, 2015 at 6:40

You must log in to answer this question.

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged .