There are few subjects that don’t become more interesting once we begin asking questions about them. Sometimes those questions lead us into familiar territory, such as history, science, economics, or philosophy. Other times, they take us somewhere unexpected: the history of stage magic, the origins of an ordinary household object, the strange claims surrounding the dark web, or the ideas that have shaped how people understand the world.
The Curious Inquiry is a place to explore those questions. There isn’t a single subject that defines this publication, nor does every article begin with something that needs to be debunked. Sometimes I want to investigate a claim that has been repeated so often that few people question it. Sometimes I want to explore a historical event, understand how a particular technology developed, or learn more about something I find fascinating. The common thread is curiosity, supported by research and a willingness to reconsider what we think we know.
My approach is to begin with the question and follow the available evidence. That means looking at original sources when possible, understanding the context in which a claim developed, and considering explanations that may not immediately agree with one another. Some questions have relatively straightforward answers. Others involve genuine disagreement, incomplete evidence, or conclusions that remain open to revision. I don’t think those complications make a subject less interesting. Quite often, they’re what make it worth investigating.
Articles appear in two general formats. Investigations explore subjects in greater depth, examining the background, evidence, and competing interpretations where appropriate. Quick Questions take a narrower approach, concentrating on a specific question that can be answered without requiring a lengthy article.
The Curious Inquiry is also part of a larger collection of publications. The Curious Christian focuses on Christianity, biblical studies, theology, religious history, and related philosophical questions. The Curious Historian explores the history of Sturgis, the Black Hills, and the Dakotas. The Curious Inquiry gives me room to pursue subjects that extend beyond either of those areas, while drawing on the same general approach to research and writing.
This website originally began in 2019 as The Amateur Scholar. In 2026, I began transforming it into The Curious Inquiry. Some of the original articles remain available, while others will be updated, expanded, or eventually find a more appropriate home in one of the other publications.
I write and edit The Curious Inquiry from Sturgis, South Dakota. The subjects may change from one article to the next, but the purpose remains much the same: to keep learning, to ask better questions, and to share what I discover along the way.