The simple truth is that an answer can only be as good as the question asked. If you ask the wrong question, you are going to get the wrong answer. - James E. Ryan

The explosion of information fueled by the internet and social media should in theory help bring us into contact and engagement with ideas, facts, and beliefs that challenge our own, which in turn should help us moderate our views and keep an open mind. In reality, the opposite is happening.

This single question is the key that can unlock a wealth of stories and solve a host of mysteries, large and small. This is the question that launches discoveries and leads to remarkable insights.

More than any of his colleagues, Justice Stevens tended to break open the case by asking lawyers the question at the center of their case, one they had to answer successfully in order to prevail.