The podcast delves into the concepts of temporality and historicity in Heidegger's 'Being and Time'. They explore Dasein's relationship to death, care, and temporality, and discuss self-constancy, historical progress, and Heidegger's perspective on history and being in the world. They also touch on perception of time, organizing existence, and the role of the clock in representing time.
Language limits our understanding of Dasein's fundamental ontology and the concept of nonhuman being.
Dasein's authenticity lies in its resolute repetition and ability to initiate newness within historical movements.
Deep dives
Dasein as Human Terms for Nonhuman Being
In the chapters five and six of Martin Heidegger's 'Being in Time', it is discussed that even though we understand aspects of Dasein, we cannot claim to have comprehended its fundamental ontology completely. Human terms can only approximate nonhuman being, something that extends beyond us. The project of understanding Dasein's totality may be limited by the limitation of language. Birth is considered a significant aspect that has been omitted, along with its connection to death and life's timeline. Dasein's existence is experienced only in the present moment, with a sense of distance between existence and comprehending it. Dasein's identity is formed by its successive presence in time, while self-constancy is a mode of being for Dasein, and it is shaped by previous Daseins. Dasein's adaptability to the world is influenced by its innate connection to the possibility of death and its resolute confrontation with it.
Dasein's Role in History
In Heidegger's exploration of temporality and historicity in 'Being in Time', it is emphasized that Dasein is primarily historical and gives possibility to history itself. The occurrence of Dasein is intertwined with historical events, as it encompasses the being there in the world and the anticipation of death. History is understood as the occurrence of being in the world and the impact of previous Daseins on the present. Dasein's authenticity lies in its resolute repetition and its ability to repeat and initiate newness within historical movements. Historiography, the science of history, plays a role later as it focuses on the existential choices of previous Daseins displayed through artifacts. However, Heidegger acknowledges the subjectivity and power dynamics involved in the selection and presentation of history.
Temporalization and the Concept of Time
The vulgar concept of time, as commonly understood through clocks and calendars, originates from Dasein's original temporalization, according to Heidegger in the sixth chapter. Time is not purely psychical, but physical, and it shows itself initially in the sky. The vulgar concept of time reduces primordial temporality and neglects the significance of care and world time. Dasein's ability to perceive past, present, and future, along with the capacity to date events, allows for the adoption of artificial constructions of time. Space is interconnected with time, and its truth is found in negating this negation, as it requires the orientation and movement of objects within it. Hegel's view of time and spirit offers some insights but does not fully address the fundamental ontology of Dasein.
Unresolved Questions and Future Directions
Heidegger concludes 'Being in Time' by posing several unresolved questions about the interpretation of temporality and the meaning of being. Is there a way to connect primordial time to the horizon of being? Can time reveal itself as the essence of being? The book does not provide definitive answers but presents multiple aspects of Dasein and raises thought-provoking inquiries. Despite its unfinished nature, the exploration of Dasein's existence, historical role, and the concept of time offers significant insights into the understanding of human existence and its relation to the world.
