Be inquisitive

From Studyplace

In the lectures I give on the course "Computers & Society" which is currently (2008-2009) a one semester course, I have become accustomed to try to teach how to ask questions. This is very difficult. My usual beginning is to ask the question: Who made the world? I know that as soon as the question is asked that many students will have answered it in their heads: God.

Some will deny that they had any such answer in mind. Most will be silent. Then I say that the question is not a good one. The question has been taught to them when they were very young so that they would be able to (re-)produce the correct expected answer. The problem, of course, lies in the formulation of the question.

How would you formulate the question in a more neutral way?