# 20 Questions version 4.0 **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [March 17, 2002, 5:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/20-questions-version-4-0/98743 "2002-03-17T17:31:47Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Ferrous](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8e7dd6/32.png) [@Ferrous](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ferrous)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2002, 10:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/20-questions-version-4-0/98743/41 "2002-03-19T22:27:27Z")
I’m having a hard time imagining how something could be a form of energy and yet not a physical phenomenon. Do you not consider things like light or magnetism to be physical phenomena? ---
**Author:** ![Ferrous](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8e7dd6/32.png) [@Ferrous](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ferrous)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2002, 10:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/20-questions-version-4-0/98743/42 "2002-03-19T22:30:53Z")
Um, I ask only for clarification purposes, so we’re all on the same page definition-wise. Not trying to be a Pedantic Pete.😉 ---
**Author:** ![ThreeLeggedBob](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b4bc9f/32.png) [@ThreeLeggedBob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThreeLeggedBob)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2002, 1:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/20-questions-version-4-0/98743/43 "2002-03-20T01:03:20Z")
1. Is it thought, or an idea? ---
**Author:** ![Jman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jman/32/4416_2.png) [@Jman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jman)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2002, 2:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/20-questions-version-4-0/98743/44 "2002-03-20T02:46:51Z")
1. Is it Knowledge? ---
**Author:** ![Yo\_La\_Tengo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/41988e/32.png) [@Yo\_La\_Tengo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yo_La_Tengo)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2002, 3:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/20-questions-version-4-0/98743/45 "2002-03-20T03:03:59Z")
Okay, I gotten extremely confused. I think I’m losing my mind. Let me try to answer everyone’s questions, I have to go in a few minutes and this may seem rushed. **Furry** , hmm… It’s pretty deep. If you count light and magnetism and other stuff like that. Then I guess it DEALS with phenomenon. It wouldn’t call my ‘it’ a phenonmenon by itself though. **ThreeLeggedBob** asked: 12) _Is it though, or an idea?_ **Octopus** , wait… **Tripus** , is that a guess at what my ‘it’ is? If yes, then no. **Jman** asked: 13) _Is it knoweledge_? **Jammin’** , no. ---
**Author:** ![Yo\_La\_Tengo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/41988e/32.png) [@Yo\_La\_Tengo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yo_La_Tengo)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2002, 3:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/20-questions-version-4-0/98743/46 "2002-03-20T03:26:35Z")
Don’t know what I was thinking… It’s not any kind energy or power. (#10) Sorry sorry sorry, once again. You get another free question due to my moronicness (that’s a word, right?). You’re on 12 (next is 13). Also, I would like you all to say hello to my new associate, **White Lightning**. He will be the one that keeps me in line. Make sure I don’t make any more stupid errors. You are to treat him with as much respect as you treat me. So you’ve been warned. He also knows the answer to the game, and agrees with everything I’ve said so far. That doesn’t mean you can bribe him to get the answer, though, **I am a lobster**. ---
**Author:** ![Protesilaus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/82dd89/32.png) [@Protesilaus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Protesilaus)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2002, 4:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/20-questions-version-4-0/98743/47 "2002-03-20T04:54:29Z")
1. Is it hope? ---
**Author:** ![SpoilerVirgin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/4491bb/32.png) [@SpoilerVirgin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SpoilerVirgin)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2002, 6:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/20-questions-version-4-0/98743/48 "2002-03-20T18:27:23Z")
1. Can it be measured (in standard units)? ---
**Author:** ![Yo\_La\_Tengo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/41988e/32.png) [@Yo\_La\_Tengo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yo_La_Tengo)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2002, 2:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/20-questions-version-4-0/98743/49 "2002-03-21T02:58:08Z")
**Protesilaus** asked: 13) _Is it hope?_ **Pro-Something** , no. **SpoilerVirgin** asked: 14) _Can it be measured (in standard units)?_ **Ms. Virgin** , I’ll say no. You agree, **WL**? ---
**Author:** ![Kat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/b19c9b/32.png) [@Kat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kat)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2002, 3:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/20-questions-version-4-0/98743/50 "2002-03-21T03:03:35Z")
Would a 5-year-old child understand what it is/does? ---
**Author:** ![Yo\_La\_Tengo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/41988e/32.png) [@Yo\_La\_Tengo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yo_La_Tengo)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2002, 3:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/20-questions-version-4-0/98743/51 "2002-03-21T03:11:38Z")
**Dank** , perhaps I should be more clear in my rules (see last rule thing…even though it’s not really a rule.) I five year old should have heard of it. More or less anyone who could talk should be able to understand it’s meaning. This doesn’t count as a question; rules verification. ---
**Author:** ![White\_Lightning](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/f04885/32.png) [@White\_Lightning](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/White_Lightning)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2002, 10:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/20-questions-version-4-0/98743/52 "2002-03-21T10:55:50Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by \*\*Yo La Tengo \*\*\* > **SpoilerVirgin** asked: 14) _Can it be measured (in standard units)?_ > > **Ms. Virgin** , I’ll say no. You agree, **WL**? I dunno **YLT** , that’s a little iffy. It sorta depends how you look at it. Since they’re running out of guesses, I’ll stick in a little tiny hint about this one. I’m thinking that you might be able to measure it in terms of units of _x_, where _x_ is the thing that was the answer that we guessed on question #20 in a previous game. Know what I’m saying? But again, it kinda depends. Good call on the 5-year-old child thing, it not being a question at all. The point here, folks, is that by the rules he set down at the start, ANY object **Yo La Tengo** is thinking of can be comprehended by a small child. ---
**Author:** ![Yo\_La\_Tengo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/41988e/32.png) [@Yo\_La\_Tengo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yo_La_Tengo)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2002, 8:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/20-questions-version-4-0/98743/53 "2002-03-21T20:08:30Z")
> [@](#): > > _Originally posted by White Lightning_ > Since they’re running out of guesses, I’ll stick in a little tiny hint about this one. I’m thinking that you might be able to measure it in terms of units of x, where x is the thing that was the answer that we guessed on question #20 in a previous game. Know what I’m saying? Yeah, I do now. At first, I had no idea what you were talking about. Now that I get it, it is kind of true. The first thing I thought of was the more obvious measurement that relates to my ‘it.’ But then it wouldn’t work due to the thing we discussed in the instant messange… Do _you_ know what I’m saying? Anyway, **Question #14 can be changed to a yes.** ---
**Author:** ![SpoilerVirgin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/4491bb/32.png) [@SpoilerVirgin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SpoilerVirgin)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2002, 5:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/20-questions-version-4-0/98743/54 "2002-03-22T17:11:14Z")
1. Can it exist independent of living beings? ---
**Author:** ![White\_Lightning](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/f04885/32.png) [@White\_Lightning](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/White_Lightning)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2002, 6:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/20-questions-version-4-0/98743/55 "2002-03-22T18:17:23Z")
Yup, **Yo La Tengo** , loud and clear. Although I think that you are somewhat right, even the way I’m talking about sort of relates to the thing you’re talking about, which is what makes it iffy. **SpoilerVirgin** , great question. I’ll leave it to **YLT** to answer. ---
**Author:** ![Yo\_La\_Tengo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/41988e/32.png) [@Yo\_La\_Tengo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yo_La_Tengo)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2002, 9:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/20-questions-version-4-0/98743/56 "2002-03-22T21:07:48Z")
**SpoilerVirgin** asked: 15) _Can it exist independent of living beings?_ **Ms. Virgin** (you are a “Ms.” right?), that is a great question. The answer is no. ---
**Author:** ![Yo\_La\_Tengo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/41988e/32.png) [@Yo\_La\_Tengo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yo_La_Tengo)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2002, 9:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/20-questions-version-4-0/98743/57 "2002-03-22T21:50:28Z")
This thread as really died down recently. It used to be five questions a minute, now it’s like one every day! Come on, don’t make me mock you! Are you just stumped, or did you stop because I messing up a lot? It’s the weekend; no school. In the next few days, I’m going to have a lot of free time. I need something to do. ---
**Author:** ![panamajack](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/47e85d/32.png) [@panamajack](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panamajack)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2002, 10:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/20-questions-version-4-0/98743/58 "2002-03-22T22:10:08Z")
When it gets close to the end of the questions, people have to think more. But since I just joined, I’ll jump right in - 1. Is it something that requires more than one being for it to exist (i.e. is it roughly speaking individual or not)? For example, ‘love’, or ‘a football game’ requires more than one, while ‘despair’, or ‘vomiting’ is individual (though I don’t think any of these could be proper guesses based on previous answers). and yes, I welcome any insults about my user name, even the obvious ones. ---
**Author:** ![Hamlet](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hamlet/32/2818_2.png) [@Hamlet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hamlet)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2002, 10:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/20-questions-version-4-0/98743/59 "2002-03-22T22:23:15Z")
I’ll throw out a wild guess here, and hope that Yo La Tengo was being clever when he thought up his answer. 1. Is it a question (or 20 of them)? ---
**Author:** ![Yo\_La\_Tengo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/41988e/32.png) [@Yo\_La\_Tengo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yo_La_Tengo)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2002, 2:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/20-questions-version-4-0/98743/60 "2002-03-23T02:46:20Z")
**panamajack** asked: 16) _Is it something that requires more than one being for it to exist (i.e. is it roughly speaking individual or not)?_ **Mr. Canal** (sorry I couldn’t do any better), I’ll say no. **Hamlet** asked: 17) _Is it a question (or 20 of them)?_ **Bacon** , nice to see you back, but no, it’s not. You all have three questions left. Make good use of them. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/20-questions-version-4-0/98743.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/20-questions-version-4-0/98743.md?page=4)