I think it is a perfectly legitimate question - and a good one - I may even use it myself - though Aboutjob's answer is not what I have in mind.
You must look at it from the Interviewer's POV. He's got roughly 60 minutes to assess a highly complex individual about which he knows nothing except his Resume - and he's no psychologist or HR expert - and make an expensive decision.
Letting the Candidate rattle off prepared answers does little to help him. He NEEDS some way to put the candidate off-balance.
I often use similar techniques such as "what is your biggest personal weakness" or "what has been your worst professional experience", "what do you do when faced with a problem you've no solution for?" Many people mumble a little at these questions - which is precisely why I do it: There's no "correct answer" but the answers you do get, tell you something about the candidate.
Another method (I'm in the IT industry) is to ask the candidate to describe a product or system he's worked on, and then pick it apart. If he can't handle it, he's gone.
Almo
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