I argue, that the ability to ask stupid questions is one of the most important skills to learn during your phd. Too many people avoid asking those questions, be

I argue, that the ability to ask stupid questions is one of the most important skills to learn during your phd. Too many people avoid asking those questions, because they think they make them look stupid. In reality I estimate that in many cases a large fraction of the people listening were asking themselves the same question. Many "stupid" questions are not even stupid by any definition they are just basic (and are often not simply to answer either). Asking these questions enables one to really understand a subject. I would also argue that it really does not take to be a postdoc to ask these questions. Hardly anyone thinks "this was a stupid question".