The Asking Mystery

The Asking Mystery, Volume 1, by Michael Gelven offers a profound philosophical inquiry into the nature of human questioning. This work of inquiry and theory of knowledge explores what it means to be a self-reflecting thinker. Gelven examines the tension between total ignorance and complete knowledge, arguing that true understanding arises from a recognition of our own existence. By moving beyond mere schematic systems like clocks or calendars, the text investigates how deep, nonschematic reflection allows us to confront seemingly unanswerable questions through self-realization.

This scholarly volume integrates diverse perspectives, including Platonic, Kantian, Nietzschean, and Heideggerian analyses. Gelven expands his investigation of knowledge and theory of knowledge by incorporating literary and spiritual reflections from David's psalms, Auden's poetry, and Shakespeare's plays. The Asking Mystery, Volume 1 asserts that fundamental asking is vital to human being, suggesting that we must address great questions to truly understand the smaller aspects of our lives.