Why can an electrical circuit be treated as a problem in Gabriel Marcel’s view?

In the philosophy of Gabriel Marcel, an electrical circuit is treated as a "problem" because it represents a task that requires a universal, objective solution accessible to anyone.1

Marcel categorized such inquiries under the realm of "having," which involves detachment from the self and the use of primary reflection. When analyzing an electrical circuit, one must engage in functional, abstract logical analysis, effectively separating oneself from the object of study to achieve conceptual mastery. Because the circuit is an objective, external entity, it can be studied and solved in principle by any individual without their personal, lived experience altering the nature of the inquiry.1

Marcel used this example to illustrate the limits of primary reflection. While he acknowledged that this approach is essential for disciplines like science, theology, and philosophy, he argued that it is insufficient for understanding the deeper "mysteries" of human existence, where the questioner is inextricably involved in the question itself.1