“‘Are you sure?’ is a question whose actual nature is more sophisticated than it appears. The structure of the question must disturb its referent in querying it, like some mad physics experiment gone awry.

‘Well, let’s see, if I entertain that question, I must not be sure. But to tell, I must ask it, which changes my state from one of possibly having been sure to at least temporary uncertainty. I was more sure before I asked that question — because asking this required a doubt be introduced — which meant I wasn’t actually sure — surety being the exclusion of doubt — and — what will happen if I keep asking it? …

In fact (exclamations of despair) am I sure I doubt it? [sounds of a mind going to pieces]’

This kind of thing gets certain minds into trouble and others into prodigy. The latter take advantage of the recursion to explore the structure of the problem instead of the superficial formulation. Those who tend to follow the implications of the superficial formulation are assembling the labyrinth they cannot escape with their every move to evade it.”

— an anonymous informant