Critical Questions About CSEP, in the Spirit of Dave, Yan, and Ilya

Abstract In honor of our dear departed friends Yan Kagan, Dave Jackson, and Ilya Zaliapin, we propose a selection of broad questions regarding earthquake forecasting and especially the Collaboratory for the Study of Earthquake Predictability (CSEP) in particular and give our thoughts on their answers. This article reflects our opinions, not necessarily those of Yan Kagan, Dave Jackson, and Ilya Zaliapin, and not necessarily those of the seismological community at large. Rather than provide definitive answers, we hope to provoke the reader to think further about these important topics. We feel that Dave Jackson in particular might have liked this approach and may have seen this as an appropriate goal.