[Peter]

The glass is always half full. Optimism is crucial in every situation.

[bionic]

"When asked if the glass is half-full or half-empty, the INTJ thinks to him/herself: The glass is made from silicon dioxide, heated to a temperature of ..."

[birdflyaway]

decided as a function of circumstances, *if I am not going to go all abstract on you about it* (I'll let the professional nerds do that). It is half-empty if we are camping in a remote area and our water supplies are running dangerously low, and we have to conserve. It is half-full if you are reading in bed before falling asleep, and only deciding whether to get up out of bed one more time before falling asleep, and you think that a half-glass is all you will need that night should you become thirsty.

[KazeKaiyouHime]

This question confused me as a kid. When I first heard it I was confused as to why the person asking the question didn't realize that if it was half full then it was obviously half empty at the same time. I also wondered how they knew it was exactly half full or not because if it wasn't then obviously the contents of the glass was leaning towards which ever had a greater volume.

I now just say that the glass is both and you should either accept that or make the glass contain less or more liquid depending on what you need or want.

On another note I am amused by the answer "The glass is half full... of poison"

[birdflyaway]

I think it's really one of those trick questions. When someone asks it, they don't really want to know whether the glass is half full or half empty. They want to know what sort of person you are by your answer. It's a kind of Rorschach. If you are asked this at a job interview, answer "full yessir!"

[Turututu]

It's on its way to being full! *pours some water in it*

[KyojiK]

If we look at the molecular level, it's less than a percent full. Actual percentage, of course, depends on the precise mole of water, and the volume capacity of the glass.

[WuzzleGirl]

This question is not useful, relevant or intellectually stimulating, so why waste time and energy on it?

[Peter]

This question is not useful, relevant or intellectually stimulating, so why waste time and energy on it?

It is when you try to understand what motivates people. Don't ask a "half empty" person to motivate other people.

[MatsNorway]

"Is the glass half empty? Or half full?"

Its overengineered..

I liked the "it has a safety margin of 2" answer the most.