How to Read and Understand Heidegger's Being and Time

Being and Time by Martin Heidegger: A Philosophical Masterpiece

If you are interested in philosophy, you have probably heard of Being and Time, the magnum opus of Martin Heidegger, one of the most influential and controversial philosophers of the 20th century. But what is this book about, why is it so important, and how can you read it?

being and time heidegger epub

In this article, I will give you an overview of the main themes, concepts, and arguments of Being and Time, as well as some tips on how to approach this challenging but rewarding work. I will also show you how you can download an EPUB version of Being and Time for free, so you can enjoy this philosophical masterpiece on your preferred device.

Introduction

What is Being and Time about?

Being and Time is a book that explores the fundamental question of the meaning of being. What does it mean to be? What is the nature of reality? How do we relate to ourselves, to others, and to the world? These are some of the questions that Heidegger tries to answer in his ambitious and profound inquiry.

Heidegger argues that the traditional way of doing philosophy, which he calls metaphysics, has failed to address the question of being adequately. Metaphysics has focused on defining and classifying different kinds of beings (such as substances, properties, causes, etc.), but has neglected the question of what being itself is.

Heidegger proposes a new way of doing philosophy, which he calls phenomenology, which aims to describe the phenomena or appearances of being as they show themselves in human experience. Phenomenology does not assume any preconceived notions or categories about being, but tries to let being reveal itself in its own terms.

The main focus of Heidegger's phenomenology is the analysis of Dasein, which is his term for the human way of being. Dasein is not just a being among other beings, but a being that has a unique relationship to its own being. Dasein is aware of its own existence, its own possibilities, its own limitations, and its own mortality.

Heidegger explores how Dasein understands itself and its world through various modes or aspects of being, such as understanding, interpretation, discourse, mood, care, authenticity, etc. He also examines how Dasein relates to time as the horizon or dimension that gives meaning to its existence.

Why is Being and Time important?

Being and Time is one of the most important philosophical works of the 20th century, and arguably of all time. It has had a tremendous influence on various fields of thought, such as existentialism, hermeneutics, deconstruction, postmodernism, psychoanalysis, theology, art, literature, and more.

Being and Time is important because it challenges us to rethink the most fundamental questions of our existence. It invites us to question the assumptions and prejudices that we have inherited from the history of philosophy and culture. It urges us to confront the reality of our own being and its possibilities.

Being and Time is also important because it offers us a rich and nuanced account of human existence that does not reduce it to a mere object or a mere subject. It shows us how human existence is always situated in a complex and dynamic relation to itself, to others, and to the world. It reveals how human existence is always shaped by time, history, language, and culture.

The Main Concepts of Being and Time

Dasein: The Human Way of Being

Existence and Essence

The key concept of Being and Time is Dasein, which literally means being-there. Dasein is Heidegger's term for the human way of being, which is different from the way of being of other entities.

Heidegger distinguishes between two kinds of entities: those that have an essence and those that have an existence. An essence is what defines what something is, what makes it what it is. An existence is what makes something be, what gives it reality.

Most entities have an essence but not an existence. For example, a chair has an essence: it is a piece of furniture with four legs, a seat, and a back. But a chair does not have an existence: it does not care whether it exists or not, it does not choose to be a chair or not, it does not have any possibilities or potentialities beyond being a chair.

Dasein, on the other hand, has an existence but not an essence. Dasein does not have a fixed or predetermined nature or identity that defines what it is. Dasein is always in the process of becoming what it is, by making choices and taking actions that shape its own being. Dasein has possibilities and potentialities that are open-ended and contingent.

Being-in-the-World

Dasein is not an isolated or abstract entity that exists in a vacuum. Dasein is always being-in-the-world, which means that it is always involved in a meaningful relation to its surroundings.

The world is not just a collection of objects or facts that are external or indifferent to Dasein. The world is a network of meanings and values that are relevant and significant to Dasein's existence. The world is what matters to Dasein, what concerns it, what engages it.

Dasein relates to the world through various modes or aspects of being-in-the-world, such as:

• Understanding: the way Dasein projects itself into its possibilities and interprets its situation.

• Interpretation: the way Dasein articulates its understanding through signs and symbols.

• Discourse: the way Dasein communicates its interpretation through language and expression.

• Mood: the way Dasein feels its situation and discloses its attunement to the world.

• Care: the way Dasein relates to its own being as something that matters and has an issue.

• Authenticity: the way Dasein owns up to its own existence and takes responsibility for its choices.

Temporality and Finitude

Dasein is not only being-in-the-world, but also being-in-time. Dasein's existence is temporal, which means that it is always related to past, present, and future.

The past is not just a series of events that happened before the present. The past is what shapes Dasein's identity and situation in the present. The past is what Dasein inherits from its history and tradition.

The present is not just a point in time that separates the past from the future. The present is what Dasein encounters in its immediate environment. The present is what Dasein deals with in its everyday activities and tasks.

may happen after the present. The future is what Dasein anticipates in its projects and goals. The future is what Dasein strives for in its possibilities and potentialities.

Dasein's temporality is not linear or chronological, but circular or existential. Dasein's past, present, and future are always connected and interrelated in a dynamic and holistic way. Dasein's temporality is what gives coherence and direction to its existence.

Dasein's existence is also finite, which means that it has an end or a limit. Dasein's finitude is manifested in its mortality, which is the possibility of its own death. Death is not just an event that happens to Dasein at some point in time. Death is the ultimate possibility that defines Dasein's existence.

Death is what makes Dasein aware of its own being and its own freedom. Death is what challenges Dasein to face its own existence and to make authentic choices. Death is what gives meaning and urgency to Dasein's existence.

The Question of the Meaning of Being

The Ontological Difference

The main question that motivates Heidegger's philosophy is: What is the meaning of being? This question is not about what being is, but about how being is understood and disclosed.

Heidegger argues that the question of being has been forgotten or obscured by the history of philosophy, which has focused on the question of beings. Beings are the entities that exist in various ways and modes, such as things, persons, events, etc. Being is the way or mode of existing of beings, such as substance, property, cause, etc.

Heidegger makes a fundamental distinction between beings and being, which he calls the ontological difference. Ontology is the study of being, while ontic is the study of beings. The ontological difference is the difference between what something is (its essence) and that something is (its existence).

Heidegger claims that metaphysics has failed to recognize the ontological difference, and has reduced being to one of the beings or categories of beings. For example, Plato reduced being to the idea or form of beings; Aristotle reduced being to the substance or essence of beings; Descartes reduced being to the subject or cogito of beings; Kant reduced being to the condition or possibility of beings; etc.

By reducing being to one of the beings or categories of beings, metaphysics has lost sight of the question of being itself. Metaphysics has assumed that being is something self-evident or given, without questioning how being is revealed or concealed in human experience.

The History of Metaphysics

Heidegger traces the history of metaphysics from its origins in ancient Greek philosophy to its culmination in modern German philosophy. He argues that metaphysics has gone through various stages or epochs, each with its own way of understanding and representing being.

The first epoch was the Greek epoch, which lasted from Plato to Aristotle. In this epoch, being was understood as presence, as what remains constant and unchanging in contrast to what changes and becomes. Being was represented by the concept of logos, which means reason, word, or account.

The second epoch was the Medieval epoch, which lasted from Augustine to Aquinas. In this epoch, being was understood as creation, as what depends on a transcendent cause or source for its existence. Being was represented by the concept of theos, which means God or divinity.

The third epoch was the Modern epoch, which lasted from Descartes to Kant. In this epoch, being was understood as representation, as what corresponds to a subjective cognition or perception. Being was represented by the concept of ego, which means I or self.

The fourth epoch was the Contemporary epoch, which lasted from Hegel to Nietzsche. In this epoch, being was understood as willing, as what expresses a subjective desire or power. Being was represented by the concept of wille, which means will or volition.

The Turn to Phenomenology

Heidegger criticizes metaphysics for its failure to address the question of being adequately. He argues that metaphysics has been based on a metaphysical prejudice, which is the assumption that being is something that can be defined or determined by a single principle or category.

Heidegger proposes a new way of doing philosophy, which he calls phenomenology, which aims to overcome the metaphysical prejudice and to restore the question of being. Phenomenology is not a new system or doctrine, but a new method or attitude.

Phenomenology is the method of letting things show themselves as they are, without imposing any preconceived notions or categories on them. Phenomenology is the attitude of openness and receptivity to the phenomena or appearances of being, without judging or evaluating them.

Heidegger defines phenomenology as the science of the phenomena of being, or as the ontological science. He also defines phenomenology as the way of access to being, or as the ontological method. He summarizes phenomenology by the formula: To the things themselves!

How to Read Being and Time

The Challenges of Reading Being and Time

The Language and Style of Heidegger

One of the main challenges of reading Being and Time is the language and style of Heidegger. Heidegger uses a very complex and dense language, full of technical terms, neologisms, etymologies, quotations, references, etc. He also uses a very unconventional and difficult style, full of parentheses, dashes, ellipses, etc.

Heidegger's language and style are not arbitrary or accidental, but intentional and deliberate. Heidegger uses his language and style as a way of expressing his thought and challenging his readers. He tries to create a new language and style that are appropriate for his inquiry into being.

Heidegger's language and style are meant to convey the following aspects of his thought:

• Originality: Heidegger tries to avoid using the traditional terms and concepts of metaphysics, which he considers inadequate or misleading for his question of being. He invents new terms and concepts, or gives new meanings to old ones, to capture the originality and novelty of his question.

• Precision: Heidegger tries to be as precise and rigorous as possible in his analysis and argumentation. He defines his terms and concepts carefully, and uses them consistently and systematically. He also provides detailed explanations and justifications for his claims and positions.

• Complexity: Heidegger tries to reflect the complexity and richness of being and human existence. He does not simplify or reduce his phenomena to one-dimensional or abstract categories. He explores the various dimensions and aspects of being and human existence in their concrete and dynamic reality.

• Creativity: Heidegger tries to stimulate the creativity and imagination of his readers. He does not present his thought as a finished or final product, but as an ongoing or open-ended process. He invites his readers to participate in his inquiry, to question their own assumptions, to discover their own possibilities.

The Structure and Organization of Being and Time

Another challenge of reading Being and Time is the structure and organization of the book. Being and Time is divided into two main parts, each with three divisions, each with several chapters, sections, subsections, etc. The book also has various appendices, notes, references, etc.

The structure and organization of Being and Time are not random or chaotic, but logical and coherent. They reflect the scope and aim of Heidegger's inquiry into being.

The first part of Being and Time is called The Interpretation of Dasein in Terms of Temporality. It deals with the analysis of Dasein as the human way of being. It consists of three divisions:

• The first division is called The Preparatory Fundamental Analysis of Dasein. It introduces the basic concepts and methods of Heidegger's phenomenology. It also provides an overview of Dasein's everyday existence in its various modes or aspects.

• The second division is called Dasein and Temporality. It explores how Dasein relates to time as the horizon or dimension that gives meaning to its existence. It also examines how Dasein faces its own mortality as the ultimate possibility that defines its existence.

and Being. It deals with the question of the meaning of being in general. It also discusses how Dasein can approach this question through its own historical and cultural context.

The second part of Being and Time is called The Basic Problems of Phenomenological Philosophy. It deals with the critique of metaphysics and the development of phenomenology. It consists of three divisions:

• The first division is called The Phenomenological Destruction of the History of Ontology. It traces the history of metaphysics from its origins in ancient Greek philosophy to its culmination in modern German philosophy. It also shows how metaphysics has failed to address the question of being adequately.

• The second division is called The Phenomenological Construction of the Fundamental Ontological Concepts. It develops a new way of doing ontology, which is the study of being, based on Heidegger's phenomenology. It also introduces some of the fundamental ontological concepts that are relevant for Heidegger's question of being.

• The third division is called The Phenomenological Interpretation of Kant's Critique of Pure Reason. It provides a detailed analysis and evaluation of Kant's philosophy, which is considered as one of the most important and influential works of metaphysics. It also shows how Heidegger's phenomenology can overcome some of the limitations and problems of Kant's philosophy.

However, it is important to note that Being and Time is an incomplete work. Heidegger intended to write a third part, which would deal with the Phenomenological Foundations for a Possible Ontology, but he never finished it. He also left some parts of the second part unfinished or unpublished.

Therefore, Being and Time should not be read as a definitive or comprehensive statement of Heidegger's philosophy, but as a preliminary or provisional introduction to his inquiry into being.

The Interpretation and Reception of Being and Time

A final challenge of reading Being and Time is the interpretation and reception of the book. Being and Time is a very complex and controversial work, which has generated a lot of debate and discussion among scholars and readers.

There are many different ways of interpreting and understanding Being and Time, depending on one's perspective, background, interest, etc. There are also many different opinions and evaluations of Being and Time, ranging from admiration and praise to criticism and rejection.

Some of the main issues and questions that have been raised about Being and Time are:

• The relation between Dasein and being: How does Dasein access or disclose being? Is Dasein the only or privileged way of accessing or disclosing being? Does Dasein determine or constitute being? Is there a being beyond or independent of Dasein?

• The relation between ontology and ethics: What are the ethical implications or consequences of Heidegger's ontology? Does Heidegger provide any moral or political guidance or orientation for human existence? Does Heidegger's ontology support or undermine any moral or political values or principles?

• The relation between philosophy and history: How does Heidegger understand or approach history? How does history influence or shape philosophy? How does philosophy influence or shape history? How does Heidegger relate to his own historical and cultural context?

• The relation between Heidegger and other thinkers: How does Heidegger relate to his predecessors or contemporaries in philosophy? How does Heidegger influence or inspire his successors or followers in philosophy? How does Heidegger compare or contrast with other thinkers in different fields or disciplines?

• The relation between Heidegger and Nazism: What was Heidegger's involvement or association with Nazism? How did Nazism affect or influence Heidegger's philosophy? How did Heidegger's philosophy affect or influence Nazism? How should we judge or evaluate Heidegger's philosophy in light of his Nazism?

These are some of the questions that have been asked and answered by various interpreters and critics of Being and Time. There is no definitive or unanimous answer to these questions