Questioning

questionnement

Worked through in 5 videos · 8 passages.

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Summary

Dominique Pagani distinguishes several ways of questioning. The question "what do you call…?" seems to him more radical than "what is it?". The latter takes existence for granted and bears only on essence, whereas the former presupposes the least and least confines the answer within the question1 2. He also separates the simple question from the problem: a problematic question does not admit an immediate yes or no answer3. In his view, philosophy requires a questioning form, which takes non-X into account as soon as one touches on X4. Remaining stuck on a difficulty, as under the effect of the Socratic torpedo fish, may be the most fruitful moment of inquiry5. He takes the example of Perceval, who fails to ask before the Grail the question that would have healed the Fisher King: it is difficult to question when one sees the stakes, and this silence is a fault6 7. He also cites Kafka's character, who asks his question too late, when the entrance was made for him alone8.

Summary produced automatically from 8 of the passages below, to be reviewed; the numbers link to the moment in the session.

Cycle 11 · 17 Feb 2023Roots or migration? From analytical reverie to current events, from Hölderlin to the war

1:04:20Perceval's silence before the Grail is a fault: the unasked question would have healed the Fisher King.
1:12:27In Kafka, man asks his question only too late: the entrance was made only for him.

Cycle 10 · 23 Jun 2022#15 Nietzsche: philosophical or musical relevance? Answers to questions

21:15Not every question is a problem: a problematic question cannot be answered immediately by yes or no.

Series · 31 Mar 2021A balance in nature?

15:04Philosophy requires a problematic and questioning form: as soon as one touches X, non-X is there and must be taken into account.

Cycle 5.2 · 25 Jan 2019#5.4 Introduction: nature or landscape?

56:02Remaining stuck on a difficulty, as under the effect of the Socratic torpedo fish, is perhaps the most fruitful moment of research.
58:34Perceval cannot manage to ask the question that would lift the curse: it is difficult to ask a question when one sees the stakes behind it.

Cycle 5.1 · 13 Jan 2019#5.3 bis Questions (Facebook Live)

3:19"What do you call...?" is more radical than "what is it?": it is the question that presupposes the least and that locks the answer least into the question.
12:28"What is it?" takes existence for granted and bears only on essence; "what do you call...?" takes the problem at its root.