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Article 6067 of comp.ai.philosophy:
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>From: panero@cheshire.oxy.edu (Jan Panero)
Newsgroups: alt.folklore.urban,alt.folklore.college,comp.ai.philosophy,sci.philosophy.meta,sci.philosophy.tech,talk.philosophy.misc,sci.logic
Subject: why question
Message-ID: <1992Jun3.194126.2521@cheshire.oxy.edu>
Date: 3 Jun 92 19:41:26 GMT
Sender: Miriam Steiner
Organization: Occidental College, Los Angeles, CA 90041 USA.
Lines: 27

Thank you to all who sent replies to me regarding the story of the 
"Why?"/"Why not?" question typically found on philosophy final exams.  The 
deadline for replies has been extended until June 9th as has the assignment I
am working on.  Please continue sending replies.  For those of you who did
not receive my first message here is a recap.

  My question was, and is, does anyone know the origin of the story.  The story goes:
A professor gives a philosophy final exam on which the only question is "Why?"
all the students in the class except one spend the full three hour period
furiously trying to answer such a broad question.  The one other student in the class left within 5 minutes.  His answer was simply "Why not?".  He is the only
student in the class to receive an "A". 

I previously asked that all responses be sent by Tuesday June 2nd.  However,
the project has now been extended.  I am asking anyone who has heard this stroy to write and tell me so.  Please include any details you have as to the origin 
of the story, the location of origin, the source you heard it from or if this 
actually happened to you.  When you heard it is also very important.  This time you have until Tuesday June 9 to reply.  In case you are curious I am gathering
this information as part of a assignment on urban legends ar Occidental College
in Los Angeles.  I am trying to document as many sources and variations as I can

Please send replies directly to me.  My account is M_Steiner@oxy.edu
Thank you very much for any help you can give me.
Miriam Steiner  
-- 
_________________________________________________________________________
Jan Panero                            "Brains are more like
Occidental College                     pomegranites than sheets of paper."
Los Angeles                            -John Haugeland


