QUEST

What is quest and how does our brain process the sensory information before it generates question? This natural cycle of curiosity, questioning, and learning is crucial for acquiring deeper understanding and building knowledge. The brain builds questions as a natural response to new information through a complex interplay of cognitive processes. When new information is received, sensory organs transmit it to the brain. The sensory cortex processes the raw data, and the brain encodes it into a recognizable form, activating memory and prior knowledge. If there’s a gap or mismatch, the brain generates curiosity, prompting questions to resolve the discrepancy. New information often creates a sense of uncertainty or cognitive dissonance. Curiosity-driven neural circuits, drive the formation of specific questions. The language centers in the brain frame these thoughts into linguistic structures. For example, if the brain recognizes a gap in understanding the "how" or "why" of new information, it forms questions starting with "how" or "why." The executive network, including the prefrontal cortex, prioritizes and organizes the questions. It assesses the relevance and feasibility of finding answers based on available cognitive resources. Once a question is formed and pursued, we feel an urge to get the answer.

It is interesting to see how a child's questioning is different from adults. A child’s questions in new situations often stem from a sense of wonder and a desire to explore the unknown, whereas an adult’s questions are typically more structured, rooted in prior knowledge, and focused on solving problems or achieving specific goals. Children ask questions driven by curiosity and discovery, often starting with "why" or "how" as they try to make sense of unfamiliar concepts, phenomena, or environments. Their questions are less constrained by preconceived notions or the fear of being wrong, which allows for imaginative and open-ended inquiry. In contrast, adults tend to ask questions that are more analytical, practical, or outcome-oriented, shaped by their existing mental frameworks and life experiences. While children explore broadly to understand the world, adults inquire more narrowly, seeking to connect new information to established knowledge or resolve ambiguities efficiently. This difference reflects the evolving nature of cognitive and social development over time.

When I teach undergrad students at university who are in late teenage or early twenties, I wonder what happens to them in their journey of almost 18 years, that they stop questioning the set of information and knowledge being presented to them. I think the tendency of young adults in Pakistan to lose the ability to question by the time they reach university can be attributed to several social, educational, and cultural factors. The education system often emphasizes rote memorization over critical thinking, leaving little room for inquiry-based learning or creative problem-solving. From an early age, students are conditioned to prioritize grades and compliance with authority over intellectual exploration. Culturally, questioning may be discouraged in familial and societal settings, where respect for elders and conformity to norms are highly valued. This suppresses curiosity and the confidence to challenge ideas. Additionally, universities may lack the necessary infrastructure, teaching methodologies, or supportive environments to foster independent thought, further reinforcing passive learning behaviors. As a result, many young adults enter higher education with diminished curiosity and a reluctance to engage critically with new information, limiting their ability to develop the questioning mindset essential for innovation and progress. As Sir Ken Robinson mentioned schools kill creativity, I agree to that and once their curiosity and creativity is killed then we begin to teach them once again to build questions that may lead to research.