Martha Minow on the Art of Asking Questions

Martha L. Minow of Harvard Law School gave a final lecture to the 2019 graduating class which focused on the art of asking good questions, a skill she told the students would be invaluable to their future work.

In her lecture, Professor Minow shared some personal experiences and stressed the importance of fostering a spirit of inquisitiveness in people of all ages. She recalled times when the course of her own work was changed by questions that were asked of her.

“Ultimately, our questions define us: What we care about, what matters, and what we become.… The questions that you will ask as graduates—that will make the difference about whether a person can stay in his or her home, whether or not the internet is uncensored, whether or not corruption is exposed, whether financial misconduct is exposed, whether or not financial opportunities are pursued. And whether or not there will be new enterprises—and I don’t mean spaceships, but maybe you’ll do that too.”

Watch a video of the lecture below.

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