If questions have answers, then problems have ____?

I know it sounds simple but I am not sure what the best word is.


Solutions come to mind

You could actually just start typing

problems and their

into google


Solutions, remedy also. " to devise a remedy " .

  • 2
    Actually, "problems" don't have "remedies", "ills" have "remedies". See Ngram. Feb 5 '14 at 1:46
  • And situations have remedies
    – mplungjan
    Feb 5 '14 at 5:50

Mitigation is another possible answer. Some problems may not have a viable solution, but actions to mitigate the risks associated with the problem (without eliminating it) could be an useful.


There isn't a single good answer to this question, because not all problems are similar in scope or character; in other words, the same term ('problem') can refer to numerous different situations, each requiring a different type of response.

Specifically, they occupy a spot along numerous continuums simultaneously. For instance:

Simple - complex
Acute - chronic (or temporary - perennial)
Practical - theoretical
Universal - individual
Political - individual / personal
Severe impact - trivial impact
Personal - institutional / national
Recurring - non-repeating / one-off
Existential - discrete / one-off
Anthropogenic cause - natural cause
Emotionally engaging or emotive - no emotional importance
Has moral dimension - no moral dimension involved
Has emotionally-based / subjective (re)solution - has logical / objective (re)solution
Can / must be (re)solved by an individual - can / must be (re)solved collectively
Impossible or difficult to fix - easy to fix
Expensive to fix - Inexpensive or costless to fix

And there are doubtless many other possible continuums.

The fact that a given problem lies somewhere along so many different continuums at once inevitably causes us to conceptualize different problems in different ways (indeed, some problems can even turn out to be non-problems).

We may also conceptualize them differently according to how much personal insight or professional knowledge we have about them.

As with the problems, so with the corresponding responses. For instance, a problem may be dealt with in many different ways. It may be:

Left unresolved
Left to fester
Considered to be unsolvable
Minimized as unimportant
Palmed off on someone else
Given insufficient attention
Given too much attention
Conclusively answered
Inconclusively answered
Wrongly answered
Resolved unfairly

It may sometimes elicit multiple responses, whether from one individual, or from multiple individuals or even nations.

  • You are overthinking this, Erik. It's a very simple analogy question. Not a philosophy question. Sep 2 '14 at 3:38
  • @CanisLupus - It's a not-so-simple analogy question which requires the issue of precisely what is being analogized to be considered. That makes it in part a semantic question; but to raise the issue of whether it is or is not a philosophy question is to elevate it beyond its actual significance.
    – Erik Kowal
    Sep 2 '14 at 7:12

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