Existence is a term that has been explored by many philosophers throughout history. However, for one particular philosopher, it holds a special significance.
In this article, we will delve into the concept of existence as understood by this philosopher and explore its implications for human beings.
We will examine the meaning of Dasein, a German word that signifies life or existence, and how it relates to the question of being.
We will also explore the tripartite ontological structure that describes Dasein’s being and how it is rooted in temporality.
Join us as we take a deep dive into the philosophy of existence according to this influential thinker.
What Is Existence For Heidegger
For Heidegger, existence is a term of art that refers to the kind of being that human beings possess. He uses the term Dasein to describe this unique form of existence, which is characterized by the fact that it understands itself in terms of a distinctive possibility: the possibility of deciding to be itself or not be itself.
Dasein is essentially temporal, meaning that its being is rooted in time. Its temporal character is derived from the tripartite ontological structure: existence, thrownness, and fallenness. Existence means that Dasein is potentiality-for-being; it projects its being upon various possibilities. Thrownness refers to the fact that Dasein always finds itself already in a certain spiritual and material, historically conditioned environment. Finally, fallenness refers to the fact that Dasein exists in the midst of beings which are both Dasein and not Dasein.
The encounter with those beings, “being-alongside” or “being-with” them, is made possible for Dasein by the presence of those beings within-the-world. This represents the primordial phenomenon of the present.
Dasein’s temporality cannot be identified with ordinary clock time or with the concept of time found in natural science. It is the phenomenon of original time, of the time which “temporalizes” itself in the course of Dasein’s existence. It is a movement through a world as a space of possibilities.
As authentically temporal, Dasein as potentiality-for-being comes towards itself in its possibilities of being by going back to what has been; it always comes towards itself from out of a possibility of itself. Hence, it comports itself towards the future by always coming back to its past; the past which is not merely past but still around as having-been.
In this way, Dasein hands down to itself its own historical “heritage,” namely, the possibilities of being that have come down to it. As authentically temporal, Dasein is thus authentically historical.
Introduction: The Significance Of Existence For Heidegger
Heidegger’s philosophy places great significance on the concept of existence, particularly as it relates to human beings. For Heidegger, existence is not simply a matter of being alive or having a physical body, but rather a unique form of being that is characterized by the ability to understand oneself in terms of a distinctive possibility. This possibility is the choice to be oneself or not be oneself, and it is what sets human beings apart from other entities in the world.
To describe this unique form of existence, Heidegger uses the term Dasein. Dasein is essentially temporal, meaning that its being is rooted in time. It exists in a tripartite ontological structure consisting of existence, thrownness, and fallenness. Existence refers to the fact that Dasein is potentiality-for-being, projecting its being upon various possibilities. Thrownness refers to the fact that Dasein always finds itself already in a certain spiritually and materially conditioned environment. Finally, fallenness refers to the fact that Dasein exists in the midst of beings which are both Dasein and not Dasein.
The encounter with these beings is made possible for Dasein by their presence within-the-world. This represents the primordial phenomenon of the present. However, Dasein’s temporality cannot be identified with ordinary clock time or with the concept of time found in natural science. It is the phenomenon of original time, of the time which “temporalizes” itself in the course of Dasein’s existence. It is a movement through a world as a space of possibilities.
As authentically temporal, Dasein comes towards itself in its possibilities of being by going back to what has been; it always comes towards itself from out of a possibility of itself. Hence, it comports itself towards the future by always coming back to its past; the past which is not merely past but still around as having-been. In this way, Dasein hands down to itself its own historical “heritage,” namely, the possibilities of being that have come down to it. As authentically temporal, Dasein is thus authentically historical.
Understanding Dasein: The German Term For Life And Existence
The term “Dasein” is a German word that means “to be there” or “existence”. It is a term used by Heidegger to describe the unique form of existence that human beings possess. Dasein is characterized by the fact that it understands itself in terms of a distinctive possibility: the possibility of deciding to be itself or not be itself.
Dasein is essentially temporal, meaning that its being is rooted in time. Its temporal character is derived from the tripartite ontological structure: existence, thrownness, and fallenness. Existence means that Dasein is potentiality-for-being; it projects its being upon various possibilities. Thrownness refers to the fact that Dasein always finds itself already in a certain spiritual and material, historically conditioned environment. Finally, fallenness refers to the fact that Dasein exists in the midst of beings which are both Dasein and not Dasein.
Heidegger believed that language, everyday curiosity, logical systems, and common beliefs obscure Dasein’s nature from itself. Authentic choice means turning away from the collective world of Them, to face Dasein, one’s individuality, one’s own limited life-span, one’s own being.
Dasein’s temporality cannot be identified with ordinary clock time or with the concept of time found in natural science. It is the phenomenon of original time, of the time which “temporalizes” itself in the course of Dasein’s existence. It is a movement through a world as a space of possibilities.
As authentically temporal, Dasein as potentiality-for-being comes towards itself in its possibilities of being by going back to what has been; it always comes towards itself from out of a possibility of itself. Hence, it comports itself towards the future by always coming back to its past; the past which is not merely past but still around as having-been.
In this way, Dasein hands down to itself its own historical “heritage,” namely, the possibilities of being that have come down to it. As authentically temporal, Dasein is thus authentically historical.
The Question Of Being: How Dasein Relates To Existence
Heidegger’s concept of Dasein is central to his understanding of existence. Dasein is not a disembodied, transcendent being, but rather the experience of being that is peculiar to human beings. Dasein and human beings are interrelated, without one another, there is no being and no meaning. Existence only exists within our being, and the reality without our being is irrelevant.
Heidegger’s fundamental concept of Being and Time is the idea of Da-sein or “being-there”, which simply means existence, it is the experience of the human being. The world is full of beings, but human beings are the only ones who care about what it means to be themselves. “A human being is the entity which in its Being has this very Being as an issue.”
Dasein is what is common to all of us, and it is what makes us entities. It is essentially temporal, meaning that its being is rooted in time. Its temporal character is derived from the tripartite ontological structure: existence, thrownness, and fallenness. Existence means that Dasein is potentiality-for-being; it projects its being upon various possibilities.
The encounter with other beings, “being-alongside” or “being-with” them, is made possible for Dasein by the presence of those beings within-the-world. This represents the primordial phenomenon of the present. Dasein’s temporality cannot be identified with ordinary clock time or with the concept of time found in natural science. It is the phenomenon of original time, of the time which “temporalizes” itself in the course of Dasein’s existence.
The Tripartite Ontological Structure: An Overview
The tripartite ontological structure is a key concept in Heidegger’s philosophy of existence. It consists of three interrelated components: existence, thrownness, and fallenness.
Existence refers to Dasein’s potentiality-for-being. It is the projection of Dasein’s being upon various possibilities. This represents the phenomenon of the future.
Thrownness, on the other hand, describes the fact that Dasein always finds itself already in a certain spiritual and material, historically conditioned environment. In short, it is already thrown into the world. This represents the phenomenon of the past as having-been.
Finally, fallenness refers to Dasein’s existence in the midst of beings which are both Dasein and not Dasein. The encounter with those beings, “being-alongside” or “being-with” them, is made possible for Dasein by the presence of those beings within-the-world. This represents the primordial phenomenon of the present.
Together, these three components form a unity that characterizes Dasein’s being. They represent the original unity of the future, the past, and the present which constitutes authentic temporality. As authentically temporal, Dasein as potentiality-for-being comes towards itself in its possibilities of being by going back to what has been; it always comes towards itself from out of a possibility of itself. Hence, it comports itself towards the future by always coming back to its past; the past which is not merely past but still around as having-been.
In this way, Dasein hands down to itself its own historical “heritage,” namely, the possibilities of being that have come down to it. As authentically temporal, Dasein is thus authentically historical.
Temporality And Dasein’s Being: The Root Of Existence
For Heidegger, the concept of temporality is crucial in understanding Dasein’s being. Dasein’s existence is essentially temporal, and its temporal character is derived from the tripartite ontological structure of existence, thrownness, and fallenness.
Existence refers to Dasein’s potentiality-for-being, where it projects its being upon various possibilities. Thrownness, on the other hand, refers to the fact that Dasein always finds itself already in a certain spiritually and materially conditioned environment. Finally, fallenness refers to the fact that Dasein exists in the midst of beings that are both Dasein and not Dasein.
Dasein’s encounter with these beings is made possible by the presence of those beings within-the-world. This represents the primordial phenomenon of the present. However, Dasein’s temporality cannot be identified with ordinary clock time or with the concept of time found in natural science. Instead, it is the phenomenon of original time, of the time which “temporalizes” itself in the course of Dasein’s existence. It is a movement through a world as a space of possibilities.
As authentically temporal, Dasein as potentiality-for-being comes towards itself in its possibilities of being by going back to what has been. It always comes towards itself from out of a possibility of itself. Hence, it comports itself towards the future by always coming back to its past; the past which is not merely past but still around as having-been.
In this way, Dasein hands down to itself its own historical “heritage,” namely, the possibilities of being that have come down to it. As authentically temporal, Dasein is thus authentically historical. The repetition of the possibilities of existence, of that which has been, is constitutive for the phenomenon of original history which is rooted in temporality.
Implications For Human Beings: What Heidegger’s Philosophy Can Teach Us
Heidegger’s philosophy has important implications for human beings. It challenges us to think deeply about our existence and what it means to be human. According to Heidegger, human beings are unique in that they possess a form of existence called Dasein, which is characterized by its temporal nature and its ability to understand itself in terms of its possibilities for being.
This understanding of human existence has important implications for how we live our lives. Heidegger argues that we must constantly project ourselves onto the horizon of our death, which he calls “being-towards-death”. This means that we must confront the fact that our time on earth is finite and that we must make the most of the time we have. We must strive to become who we truly are by embracing our finitude and making meaning out of it.
Heidegger also challenges us to think critically about the technological culture in which we live. He argues that our understanding of being has become dominated by a technological framework, which has led to a dangerous will to power that threatens to reduce human beings to mere raw materials. Heidegger’s philosophy thus urges us to resist this technological interpretation of being and to find a way to rely on technologies without becoming enslaved to them.
In summary, Heidegger’s philosophy offers a unique perspective on human existence and challenges us to think deeply about what it means to be human. It encourages us to embrace our finitude, confront our mortality, and resist the dangers of a technological interpretation of being.
