Monday, 8 February 2016

Notes on Heidegger's Being and Time - 1. VI: Care as the Being of Dasein (pp. 225-273, §§ 39-44) - Wednesday, 9 December 2015



1. VI: Care as the Being of Dasein (pp. 225-273, §§ 39-44)
Wednesday, 9 December 2015 (Notes by Marton Ribary)

Two modes of care

Care is a fundamental characteristic of Dasein’s Being-in-the world which manifests itself in two different modes. One mode is related to things drawn into Dasein’s interest what Heidegger has described as entities ready-to-hand (as opposed to things which are merely present-at-hand). The other mode is related to Others who have the same existence as Dasein itself. To simplify Heidegger’s terminological account, Dasein’s care expresses itself towards things as concern (Besorgen) and towards people as solicitude (Fürsorge).

Care, wholeness and solipsism

By bridging the chasm between Dasein and the things ready-to-hand, care expresses the wholeness of Dasein’s Being-in-the-world. It holds together the multiplicity of experiences (perceptual or otherwise) in one agent. By bridging the chasm between Dasein and Others, care avoids the philosophical threat of solipsism. It acknowledges that Dasein is not alone.

Truth and care


Heidegger maintains that truth is fundamentally the state of being “uncovered”. This manifests itself as the agreement between the statement and fact when the fundamental meaning of truth is reduced to a thing which is merely present-at-hand. Propositional truth in Heidegger’s understanding is neither general or fundamental, but a very special case of truth in the sense of being uncovered. However, like the meaning of Being, the fundamental idea of truth has been forgotten since the time of Plato and Aristotle. Heidegger interprets truth in the context of care: truth is only relevant, if it can be shared which requires that Dasein be alongside with Things ready-to hand (Besorgen) and be able to communicate it to Others (Fürsorgen).



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