Date: Sun, 17 May 1998 10:19:20 -0400
From: Daniel McGrady <dMcGrady-AT-compuserve.com>
Subject: Clarity


Hi Jim,

>For example, the QUOTES I used above (so you may take my word
>for it) -- from whom I took them I had no idea at the time, but I DO
>now -- suggested the following view, that is, once I broke through all
>the concealment, namely:
>the proper characterization of our everyday encounter with so-called
>'things' (even with codasein!), qua 'encounters with', is that although
>they are, zunachst und zumeist, epistemologically problematic, their
>'existence' (not in H's sense, of course) can be proven, validated, what
>have you; and our epistemological practices of proof, validation, what
>have you, confer upon them an 'existence' which is 'separate' from
>Dasein.

I agree.   But firstly, I still hold that the reason why these expressions
do not work is because they produce absurdities of language.   And this is
a kind of faithlessness with language.  E.g.  It is not the chair that one
defines, but the meaning of chair.    Secondly, it is not that validation,
proof, etc., have no place in Heidegger, but because Heidegger thinks that
they have been used to usurp the place of truth and even masquerade for it.
 Thus truth has been reduced to correctness.  Such that the words 'true'
and 'correct' become synonymous.   'This theory is true' means the same as
'This theory is correct/right.'   The danger of this synonymity is that
when kids are taught in school, they are not taught to practise the art of
truth, but the art of being correct.    Or they can swing to the other
extreme and in a reaction to the notion that the way to be or do something
is the correct way, they substitute this with, there is no correct way to
do these things.   Say teaching the writing of poetry, can swing from this
is the correct way to write poetry, to anything counts as a poem.   And
surely both are absurd.    Isn't the Heideggerian question, How does one
get into the poetic way, without that way being the correct way or an
anarchist reaction?

Daniel


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