Ideas of Martin Heidegger, by Theme

[German, 1889 - 1976, Born at Messkirch. Professor at the University of Freiburg for most of his life.]

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1. Philosophy / D. Nature of Philosophy / 5. Aims of Philosophy / b. Philosophy as transcendent
Later Heidegger sees philosophy as more like poetry than like science [Polt]
When philosophy makes itself intelligible, it commits suicide
1. Philosophy / D. Nature of Philosophy / 5. Aims of Philosophy / d. Philosophy as puzzles
Perhaps the aim of philosophy is to abolish sham problems
1. Philosophy / H. Continental Philosophy / 2. Phenomenology
Being-in-the-world is projection to possibilities, thrownness among them, and fallenness within them [Caputo]
Pheomenology seeks things themselves, without empty theories, problems and concepts
2. Reason / A. Nature of Reason / 2. Logos
'Logos' really means 'making something manifest' [Polt]
3. Truth / A. Truth Problems / 1. Truth
For Heidegger there is 'ontic' truth or 'uncoveredness', as in "he is a true friend" [Wrathall]
3. Truth / A. Truth Problems / 9. Rejecting Truth
Heidegger says truth is historical, and never absolute [Polt]
5. Theory of Logic / C. Ontology of Logic / 2. Platonism in Logic
The idea of an atemporal realm of validity is as implausible as medieval theology
7. Existence / A. Nature of Existence / 3. Being / a. Nature of Being
Reducing being to the study of beings too readily accepts the modern scientific view [May]
For us, Being is constituted by awareness of other sorts of Being
7. Existence / A. Nature of Existence / 3. Being / h. Dasein (being human)
Heidegger turns to 'Being' to affirm the uniqueness of humans in the world [Gray]
Dasein is a mode of Being distinguished by concern for its own Being
Dasein is ahead of itself in the world, and alongside encountered entities
In company with others one's Dasein dissolves, and even the others themselves dissolve
'Dasein' expresses not 'what' the entity is, but its being
The word 'dasein' is used to mean 'the manner of Being which man possesses', and also the human creature [Cooper,DE]
'Dasein' is Being which is laid claim to, and which matters to its owner [Cooper,DE]
Dasein is being which can understand itself, and possess itself in a way allowing authenticity
I say the manifestation of Being needs humans, and humans only exist as reflected in Being
7. Existence / A. Nature of Existence / 6. Criterion for Existence
Ontology is possible only as phenomenology
7. Existence / D. Theories of Reality / 3. Reality
Readiness-to-hand defines things in themselves ontologically
9. Objects / D. Essence of Objects / 1. Essences of Objects
Heidegger seeks a non-traditional concept of essence as 'essential unfolding' [Polt]
11. Knowledge Aims / A. Knowledge / 2. Understanding
Propositions don't provide understanding, because the understanding must come first [Polt]
11. Knowledge Aims / B. Certain Knowledge / 5. Cogito Critique
If we posit 'I' as the starting point, we miss the mind's phenomenal content
11. Knowledge Aims / C. Knowing Reality / 1. Perceptual Realism / b. Direct realism
Our relationship to a hammer strengthens when we use
12. Knowledge Sources / B. Perception / 4. Sense Data / d. Sense-data problems
There are no raw sense-data - our experiences are of the sound or colour of something
12. Knowledge Sources / B. Perception / 5. Interpretation
Perceived objects always appear in a context
13. Knowledge Criteria / D. Scepticism / 6. Scepticism Critique
The scandal of philosophy is expecting to prove reality when the prover's Being is vague
15. Nature of Minds / A. Nature of Mind / 1. Mind / b. Purpose of mind
Having thoughts and feelings need engagement in the world [Wrathall]
15. Nature of Minds / A. Nature of Mind / 4. Other Minds / c. Knowing other minds
Dasein finds itself already amongst others [Caputo]
If we work and play with other people, they are bound to be 'Dasein', intelligent agents [Cooper,DE]
15. Nature of Minds / A. Nature of Mind / 6. Anti-Individualism
When Dasein grasps something it exists externally alongside the thing
16. Persons / A. Concept of a Person / 4. Persons as Agents
My active existence is defined by being able to say 'I can'
16. Persons / B. Nature of the Self / 7. Self and Body / a. Self needs body
Certainty that I will die is more basic to my existence than the Cogito
16. Persons / C. Self-Awareness / 2. Knowing the Self
There is an everyday self, and an authentic self, when it is grasped in its own way
16. Persons / E. Rejecting the Self / 4. Denial of the Self
Everyone is other, and no one is himself
18. Thought / A. Modes of Thought / 3. Emotions / c. Role of emotions
Moods are more fundamentally revealing than theories - as when fear reveals a threat [Polt]
22. Metaethics / B. Value / 1. Nature of Value / b. Fact and value
We do not add value to naked things; its involvement is disclosed in understanding it
23. Ethics / F. Existentialism / 1. Existentialism
Dasein has the potential to be itself, but must be shown this in the midst of ordinariness
23. Ethics / F. Existentialism / 3. Angst
Anxiety reveals the possibility and individuality of Dasein
Anxiety about death frees me to live my own life [Wrathall]
Anxiety is the uncanniness felt when constantly fleeing from asserting one's own freedom [Caputo]
23. Ethics / F. Existentialism / 4. Boredom
Culture is now dominated by boredom, so universal it is unnoticed [Aho]
23. Ethics / F. Existentialism / 5. Existence-Essence
Being what it is (essentia) must be conceived in terms of Being (existence)
23. Ethics / F. Existentialism / 6. Authentic Self
Heidegger says we must either choose an inauthentic hero, or choose yourself as hero [Critchley]
Dasein is always only that which it has chosen to be