Dasein

Dasein is a conceptforged by Martin Heideggerin his magnum opus Being and Time . It is derived from da sein, which literally means being there. Dasein is synonymous with existence, as in I am pleased with my existence (ich bin mit meinem Dasein zufrieden); however, it mustn't be mistaken with a subject. Heidegger was adamant about this distinction, which carried on Nietzsche's critique of the subject. Dasein, as a being that is constituted by its temporality, draws upon time in order to illuminate and interpret the meaning of being.

In the works of Heidegger, Dasein is a Germanword for a beingthat is capable of recursively comprehending the primal (ontological) authentic (ontic) nature of its own Being. Heidegger defined the term and concept of Dasein because he needed it to uncover the primal nature of "Being" which Aristotleand Kantleft unexplored in their earlier ideas of ontology. As Nietzsche before him, Heidegger criticized the notion of substance, intertwining being and temporality.

Dasein is a special entity in that it is simultaneously ontological (does) and ontic (is) in that its pursuit of itself is in fact the pursuit of the pursuit of itself; the primal nature of Dasein is authenticand recursive. Dasein is just the way we are. Traditions of language, logical system, or belief may obscure Dasein's authentic primal nature from itself. Beings are Dasein even when they are ontologically wrapped up in a tradition which obscures the authentic choice to live within and transmit this tradition. In this case Dasein still authentically chooses the tradition when it is confronted by a paradox within the tradition and must choose to dismiss the tradition or dismiss the experience of being confronted with choice.

Heidegger attempted to maintain the definition of Dasein as we all are, in our average everydayness. Dasein does not spring into existence upon philosophical exploration of itself. Heidegger intended Dasein as a concept, in order to provide a stepping stone in the questioning of what it means to be. When Dasein contemplates this, what seems (absurdly) circular in ontic terms, is recursive in ontological sense, because it brings the necessary appearance of time to the center of attention.

In Being and Time, Heidegger opens by positing that the potentialities of Dasein's being extend beyond the realms disclosed by positive science. "Scientific research is not the only manner of Being which this entity can have, nor is it the one which lies closest. Moreover, Dasein itself has a special distinctiveness as compared with other entities [...]" What distinguishes Dasein from other existent entities is that "[...] in its very Being, that Being is an issue for it." Dasein's very nature poses a philosophical (or ontological) problem for it. Thus, we see Heidegger, being Dasein, attempt to tackle this innate dilemma in his philosophical works.

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It uses material from the http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dasein Wikipedia article Dasein.