The Question Generator takes the 200+ questions found in the Future Scenarios Samsung-RISD Lab process documents— notes from critiques, brainstorming sessions, classroom discussions and workshops— and programmatically recombines their grammatical parts into new questions. Some are are oddly robotic and obviously machine-made, some are surprising, and refreshingly insightful.

The Future Scenarios Samsung-RISD Lab was a RISD course held in the summer and fall of 2013. The goal of the course was not to design a product; rather it was to design a way of thinking about future technologies and their effects on human interaction. The core of the course was a 'what if' situation— a prompt for a path of thinking about the possibilities of design.

• SOURCE QUESTIONS
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• What if we could eliminate the barriers of language?
• If we never had to listen would we choose not to hear?
• If we could manipulate memories — would we be able to tell fiction from reality?
• Do you really own the things you own if you have to pay to use them?
• What if we could blur outside and inside?
• Why not enjoy unexpected events?
• How can technology augment and sensationalize reality?
• What if we could transfer and share experiences with each other?
• How can technology lead us back to nature?
• What if physical interaction with devices is obsolete, direct mental input from brain to computer becomes natural?
• Why isn’t technology now helping our senses?
• How does one experience what someone else is feeling?
• How will technology evolve to make full sensory experiences possible?
• Why shouldn’t technology bridge humans and nature (rather than separate them)?
• What if technology could bridge humans and nature?
• Why can’t technology lead us back to nature?
• What if we could experience multiple spaces at once?
• What if we could experience the world the way plants do?
• What if we could share our actual experience with another?
• What if we could find relief in others’ experiences?
• What if we have a device enhancing our senses?
• What if we could extend our senses beyond our bodies to include another individual?
• What if our senses were no longer limited to our physical space?
• Why can’t we interact with nature in an experiential manner?
• What if we never had to leave the home?
• What if we could escape our world into someone else’s?
• Why are all our escape tactics technological?
• What if people are able to read someone’s secret?
• What if technology led us back to nature?
• Why can’t technology enhance our natural experience?
• What if we could understand intention better through sound?
• What if we no longer had to structure our thoughts into language?
• What happens to communication when we can no longer rely on people hearing us?
• Why can’t we curate our personal auditory inputs?
• What if nobody can hear it so it doesn’t?
• What if “Are you even listening?” becomes the phrase of the century?
• What if we were able to curate our everyday experiences?
• What if technology allowed us to share our feelings through sounds and not words?
• Why do we still experience everything?
• Does unreliable electricity bring back newspapers as the prime form of media?
• What if we could harness energy via brain power?
• What if we could make his own electricity?
• Would we wear night vision glasses to save electricity?
• Why do we rely on a centralized power system?
• Can our technology bring our social systems into a new perspective on how we can distribute power?
• What if battery power was a sign of rebellion?
• What if people start hacking devices so they work on alternative sources of energy?
• What if there was a monopoly on all of our power sources?
• Would a system with an allotted power allowance make people more conscious of their usage? (like a prepaid phone)
• What if our devices could power themselves?
• What if electricity will be new currency?
• Would the media starts to use ‘False memories’ as strategies of advertisement?
• What if narrative creation becomes more valued than actual experiences?
• What if we lost the ability to differentiate between reality and make-believe?
• How do you define real?
• What if the machines didn’t know what to make chicken taste like and that’s why chicken tastes like everything?
• What if we lose our short term memory because we become reliant on the machine?
• What if the machine breaks?
• Why do we place so much trust in technological representations?
• What if the value of an object depends on human effort?
• What if “it’s the thought that counts” becomes literal?
• What if we can embed memories in an object?
• How does this ability affect how people value objects and others?
• Will handmade things be irrelevant to value?
• What if you actually hand made something in this world?
• What happens to human trust if memories can be implanted?
• If memory is open-source does it belong to you?
• What if memory became the most powerful marketing tool?
• What if technology increases our appreciation for nature?
• Why does technology separate us from nature?
• Why do we constantly try to tame nature?
• Why don’t we appreciate grass and mundane vegetation?
• What will happen to people who like outdoor recreation?
• Can we maintain control and also keep nature ‘real’?
• Why do we desire to extend our control on our surroundings?
• What if we controlled everything down to each blade of grass?
• What if each person in the world was given one blade of grass to take care of?
• What if all the natural grass in the world disappears?
• Why do we give value to the unexpected, but then try to control everything to not let anything unexpected happen?
• What if 3d printing food were possible?
• What if the only form of rebellion was local farming?
• What if all food was fast-food?
• What if we can 3d print our food?
• Would 3d printed food look like real food?
• Do we still have feasts, or Family dinners?
• Why don’t we just print a pill with all our nutrition?
• What if Physical human interactions become a rarity but, some people regularly visit temples that project holographic scenarios of human interaction?
• Why do/should we place value in physical interactions even with technology?
• What if the value we place in efficiency leads us to physical isolation?
• Why is technology isolating?
• What if peoples desire to communicate in a controlled virtual environment drives them into isolation in the physical world?
• Does technology actually connect us or is it driving us away from each other?
• What new kinds of rituals are created from technology?
• Does observation serve as a fulfilling stand-in for actual interaction?
• What if virtual communication has almost entirely replaced physical interactions?
• What if physical interactions became a kind of ‘entertainment’ novelty?
• Why is there a distinction between technology and nature, inside and outside?
• Why do we still need to keep separate outside when we have advanced methods of living?
• Why can’t technology be used to promote unpredictability instead of predictability and control?
• What if you could travel and visit remote places from the comfort of your home?
• What if we could bring the weather indoors?
• What if we reach a point where our virtual interpretation and interaction with nature satisfies the desire for a real experience with it?
• What if artificial experiences replace real experiences?
• What if unpredictability could be controlled?
• What if we create unpredictability within our living spaces for entertainment?
• What if all physical danger could be eliminated?
• Is danger still important to our lives?
• What if we could create space within a confined place?
• Is it possible to experience nature through something that we design?
• What if we no longer went outside?
• What if we went outdoors by going indoors?
• What if our virtual experiences could affect us physically?
• What if everyone shares their experiences with friends and families?
• What if we all became addicted to sharing?
• If we were to share one unanimous experience between multiple individuals would we suffer the loss of individual, unique experiences?
• Would unique experiences have more value?
• What if every action we took was shared with an audience?
• What if our life was a performance for the entertainment of an audience?
• How do you feel if surveillance keeps watching you?
• What if consuming entertainment became a LITERAL statement?
• Why do we desire distraction from (escape?) our realities?
• What if surveillance becomes an absolute and accepted norm?
• Why do we feel compelled to share using technology?
• If we can ‘turn-on’ how we look, do we ever turn it off?
• Do we still take showers and cut our hair?
• If someone just wants to look like they actually do, will they be an outcast?
• What if the societal importance placed on innate, physical beauty is diminished, and people interact and communicate with each other based on projected interests?
• What if we could control/change our projected appearance on a daily basis?
• What if we didn’t have to appear human to the rest of the world?
• What if we could show the world what we like instead of what we look like?
• How does this affect individuality and control over one’s self?
• What if people could change how they project themselves to satisfy everyone they come into contact with?
• Wouldn’t people admire people’s authenticity? What if people are willing to express who they are?
• What if the authenticity of physical matter no longer matters?
• If we know that our perception is faux/altered/unreal/edited, what happens to trust?
• What if being human is perceived as lame and uncool?
• What if we could completely change who we are?
• What if we could project our best intentions?What is the opposite of a duck?
• How many things are there in this room?
• How do they know that no two snowflakes are alike?
• Has everything doubled in size overnight?
• Do snakes have tails?
• How do you know you’re not a computer?
• How long is forever?
• Is an apple alive when you eat it?
• Is there an invisible monster behind you?
• For how long is now here?
• What do dragons eat?
• How many skies are there?
• What time is it on the moon right now?
• Where is last year's snow?
• Who makes the rules?
• How long is a piece of string?
• If you replace every part of a boat, is it still the same boat?
• Do colors look the same to every person?
• If someone says, "I'm lying," is that person lying?
• How do you know you’re not dreaming?
• How many stars are there?
• What makes something art?
• How high can you count?
• Why is there something instead of nothing?
• What is infinity plus one?
• How fast are you moving?
• Who was the first human?
• Is a chair with one leg still a chair?
• How long is the coastline of Manhattan?
• If a bad person always pretends to be good, are they really bad?
• Can you walk north from the north pole?
• If I make a promise to my cat do I have to keep it?
• Can you dig half a hole?
• What colour is a mirror?
• Where is your mind?
• Is it OK to lie to make someone happy?
• Did time have a beginning?
• Is the answer to this question "no"?
• Are more things smaller than you than larger then you?
• What is the best painting ever?
• Which came first, the chicken or the egg?
• Why is it good to be good?
• Do animals think?
• Is there one world or many worlds?
• Can we change the past?
• Is it possible to tell lies all the time?
• Can you think about nothing?
• Is there something bigger than the universe?
• Do Martians like ice cream?
• Where does a mountain end?
• Do cats have feelings?
• Can you do something wrong in your dreams?
• How much is enough?
• What happens to the characters after the end of the story?
• What time is it right now?
• What's it like to be a bat?
• How big is the biggest number?
• Can you step in the same river twice?
• Are you thinking what I’m thinking?
• What is bigger than the biggest thing imaginable?
• Can anyone read your mind?
• Are cockroaches conscious?
• Can you split the smallest possible thing in half?
• What is normal?
• What is at the end of space?
• If no one sees it, is a sunset still beautiful?
• How high is the sky?
• How many times can you cut a rope in half?
• Is this sentence true?
• Is doing nothing doing something?
• How many words are not in this sentence?
• If you do everything there is to do, what can you do next?
• Are there colors we can't see?
• Do you feel what I feel?
• If a tree falls in the woods and no one is there, does it make a sound?
• Have we been visited by time travellers from the future?
• Is time real?
• What color is the number four?
• What would a square circle look like?
• Is your mind in your head?
• Is this a trick question?
• Do animals have feelings?
• Can computers think?
• When you stand on your head, which way is up?
• Who does Superman’s laundry?
• Who was the first human?
• Can you be right and wrong at the same time?
• Is a man with one hair on his head bald?
• Is there more than one of anything?How old would you be if you didn’t know how old you are?
• Which is worse, failing or never trying?
• If life is so short, why do we do so many things we don’t like and like so many things we don’t do?
• When it’s all said and done, will you have said more than you’ve done?
• What is the one thing you’d most like to change about the world?
• If happiness was the national currency, what kind of work would make you rich?
• Are you doing what you believe in, or are you settling for what you are doing?
• If the average human life span was 40 years, how would you live your life differently?
• To what degree have you actually controlled the course your life has taken?
• Are you more worried about doing things right, or doing the right things?
• If you could offer a newborn child only one piece of advice, what would it be?
• Would you break the law to save a loved one?
• Have you ever seen insanity where you later saw creativity?
• What’s something you know you do differently than most people?
• How come the things that make you happy don’t make everyone happy?
• What one thing have you not done that you really want to do? What’s holding you back?
• Are you holding onto something you need to let go of?
• If you had to move to a state or country besides the one you currently live in, where would you move and why?
• Do you push the elevator button more than once? Do you really believe it makes the elevator faster?
• Would you rather be a worried genius or a joyful simpleton?
• Why are you, you?
• Have you been the kind of friend you want as a friend?
• Which is worse, when a good friend moves away, or losing touch with a good friend who lives right near you?
• What are you most grateful for?
• Would you rather lose all of your old memories, or never be able to make new ones?
• Is is possible to know the truth without challenging it first?
• Has your greatest fear ever come true?
• Do you remember that time 5 years ago when you were extremely upset? Does it really matter now?
• What is your happiest childhood memory? What makes it so special?
• At what time in your recent past have you felt most passionate and alive?
• If not now, then when?
• If you haven’t achieved it yet, what do you have to lose?
• Have you ever been with someone, said nothing, and walked away feeling like you just had the best conversation ever?
• Why do religions that support love cause so many wars?
• Is it possible to know, without a doubt, what is good and what is evil?
• If you just won a million dollars, would you quit your job?
• Would you rather have less work to do, or more work you actually enjoy doing?
• Do you feel like you’ve lived this day a hundred times before?
• When was the last time you marched into the dark with only the soft glow of an idea you strongly believed in?
• If you knew that everyone you know was going to die tomorrow, who would you visit today?
• Would you be willing to reduce your life expectancy by 10 years to become extremely attractive or famous?
• What is the difference between being alive and truly living?
• When is it time to stop calculating risk and rewards, and just go ahead and do what you know is right?
• If we learn from our mistakes, why are we always so afraid to make a mistake?
• What would you do differently if you knew nobody would judge you?
• When was the last time you noticed the sound of your own breathing?
• What do you love? Have any of your recent actions openly expressed this love?
• In 5 years from now, will you remember what you did yesterday? What about the day before that? Or the day before that?

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Question Generator programmed by Daniel Howe