Date: Thu, 17 Jan 2002 00:29:53 +0100
From: Jan Straathof <janstr-AT-chan.nl>
Subject: Re: BHA: Down with theocracy!


on Sat, 12 Jan 2002 17:57:51 <phil-AT-pwalden.fsnet.co.uk> wrote:

>This sounds like Heidegger to me - stand back and try to deny
>your own essence.

hi Phil,

i don't know where you got this from, but as far as i know Heidegger
never said or meant anything of the like, allow me two short remarks:

1) re "stand back":
i guess you are referring to Heidegger's word "Schritt zurueck" (step
back); Heidegger uses this dynamic notion of stepping back/turning
back as a radical new point of departure for (a post metaphysical)
philosophy, Heidegger urges for a new movement of thinking through
a "step back", this step back is necessary because this is 'the way to give
philosophy back to itself', as Heidegger said:

    "Durch den Schritt zurueck ergibt sich vielmehr die Moeglichkeit,
    die Philosophie erst ihrem eigens zu uebereignen" (GA16:632).

and throughout Heidegger's oeuvre we can find many related key-words
connoting this cautious move of "stepping back(wards)", e.g. in: Ruckgang
(going back); Ruckblick (looking back); Ruckkehr (turning back);
Umkehr (turning around); Heimkehr (returning home); Einkehr (settling
in, introspection), all of which is aimed at getting a wider, deeper and
a more total and universal view on the question of being.

2) re "deny your own essence":
i'm really puzzled by this remark, where does Heidegger (want to) deny
essence, whether his own or some other's ? --- on the contrary, Heidegger
never denies any essences whatsoever, the question of essence is pivotal
for all his work, from the early "Vom Wesen des Grundes" -1928 (On the
essence of ground) and "Vom Wesen der Wahrheit" - 1930 (On the essence
of truth) to the later "Das Wesen der Sprache" - 1959 (The essence of
language); in all these texts (and many more) Heidegger shows a persistent
affinity with the problematic of essence, and e.g. one of the main recurring
themes is Heidegger's own notion of essential 'alienation' viz. that of
"Seinsvergessenheit" (oblivion of being) and in its interpretation various
relations of this loss of essence within modern life and through modern
philosophy, technology and art are turned and questioned.

yours,
Jan





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