Heidegger Forum 8- Hadjioannou- KORR

7/28/2019 Heidegger Forum 8- Hadjioannou- KORR

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Thisisadraft.Nottobecitedwithoutauthorswrittenpermission.PapertobepublishedbyVittorioKlostermannVerlag2013.ChristosHadjioannou

Name:ChristosHadjioannou(BA,MA).Adresse:Wrangelstrae66,10997Berlin.E-Mail:[email protected]

ThispapercontributestothegenealogicalinvestigationofHeideggersnotionofBefindlichkeitas

definedinSeinundZeit.ThewordBefindlichkeitfirstappearsinHeideggersworkasatranslationoftheAristoteliannotionof.Thephilosophicaloverlapsmustbeexplored:towhatextentdoesthestructureandoperationthatHeideggerascribestoBefindlichkeitinitsrelationtoStimmungoverlapwiththeoperationheidentifiesinAristotlesnotionofand?Accordingtomyreadingthereisacertain,albeitcomplex,formofcontinuity.TheessayshowshowHeideggersanalysisofBefindlichkeitinSeinundZeitretrievescertaincharacteristicsfromAristotleswhilstclearlyrejectingothers,i.e.thosecharacteristicswhichpertaintonaturalbeingspresent-at-handratherthanDasein.DieserAufsatzleisteteinenBeitragzurgenealogischenForschungdesBegriffsderBefindlichkeit,

wieHeideggerihninSeinundZeitbestimmt.DerBegriffderBefindlichkeiterscheinterstmalsinHeideggersWerkalseinebersetzungdesaristotelischenBegriffsder.DiephilosophischenGemeinsamkeitenmssenhinsichtlichderfolgendenFrageuntersuchtwerden:BiszuwelchemGradberschneidetsichdieStruktur,dieHeideggerderBefindlichkeitinihrerBeziehungzuStimmungzuschreibt,mitderStruktur,dieerindenaristotelischenBegriffenderunddeserkennt?InmeinerInterpretationgibteseinebestimmte,jedochkomplexeFormvonKontinuitt.DerAufsatzzeigtwieHeideggersAnalysederBefindlichkeitinSeinundZeitbestimmtestrukturelleMerkmalevonAristotelesBegriffderbernimmtunddabeiandereMerkmale,diesichaufVorhandenesinderNaturbeziehenundnichtaufdasDasein,klarzurckweist.


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BefindlichkeitasretrievalofAristotelian:HeideggerreadingAristotleintheMarburgyears

Introduction

genealogicalinvestigationintotheHeideggeriannotionofBefindlichkeitasdefinedinSeinundZeitdirectsusbacktoHeideggersMarburglecturesonAristotleandPlato.1InadditiontothephilologicalfactthatthewordBefindlichkeitfirstappearsinHeideggersworkasatranslationofthe

Aristoteliannotionof(disposition)2

,HeideggerhimselfmakescertainsuggestivehintsastosucharelationinhisanalysisofBefindlichkeitinSeinundZeit,whenhenamesAristotleasthefirstphilosophertohaveinvestigatedthe(passions)inhisRhetoric. HeideggerconsideredAristotlesRhetorictoconstitutethefirstsystematichermeneuticoftheeverydaynessofBeing-with-one-another3andthussawitasparticularlyrelevantforgroundingunderstandingwithintheaffectivelifeanditsaccompanyingmoodswhich,onanontologicallevel,ithadwronglybeenseparatedfrom.Heideggercomplainsthat[w]hathasescapednoticeisthatthebasicontologicalInterpretationoftheaffectivelifeingeneralhasbeenabletomakescarcelyoneforwardstepworthyofmentionsince

Aristotle.4ItaketheseremarkstobecluesfortheconceptualgenealogyofBefindlichkeitinHeideggersownphilosophy.

ButtheseremarksaregesturesthatbythemselvesdonotsufficeinprovingagenuinephilosophicalrelationshipbetweenHeideggersandAristotlesunderstandingofaffectivelife.Thephilosophicalcorrespondencesmustbeexplored:towhatextentdoesthestructureandoperationthatHeideggerascribestoBefindlichkeitinitsrelationtoStimmungcorrespondtotheoperationheidentifiesinAristotlesnotionsofcomportment()andpathos()?Accordingtomyreadingthereisacertain,albeitcomplex,formofcontinuity.

AfullycomprehensivecomparisonbetweenHeideggerandAristotleonthistopicwouldrequiremorespace5.However,thebasisofthisencountercanonlybesetbyexploringHeideggersunderstandingoftheAristoteliannotionof

1IwouldliketothankTziovanisGeorgakis,AndreasVrahimis,TimothySecret,JoshHayes,TanjaStaehlerandChristopherMerwin,forgivingmefeedbackconcerningthematerialpresentedhere.2TheodoreKisiel,TheGenesisofHeidegger'sBeingandTime, Berkeley1993,293.3Heidegger,SeinundZeit,GA2,138.4Heidegger,SeinundZeit,GA2,139.5Arecentresurgeofinterestinthistopichasaffordeduswithcertainexcellentarticlesthatexploretherelationbetween

HeideggerandAristotleonthistopicinmoredetail.Forexample:JoshHayes,Being-affected:Heidegger,Aristotle,and

thepathologyoftruth,inDanielO.Dahlstrom(ed.),InterpretingHeidegger,CambridgeUniversityPress2011,156-173.LouAgosta,Heideggers1924ClearingoftheAffectsUsingAristotles Rhetoric,BookII,in:PhilosophyToday(2010:

Winter),333-345.JoshHayes,DeconstructingDasein:HeideggersEarliestInterpretationsofAristotles DeAnima,in:TheReviewofMetaphysics61/2(2007),263-293.JussiBackman,Divineandmortalmotivation:Onthemovementoflifein

AristotleandHeidegger,in:ContinentalPhilosophyReview38(2006),241-261.


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disposition.ThemostfruitfulpointofentryintoHeideggersreadingofAristotleisthroughtheMarburglectures:thelecturetitledGrundbegriffederaristotelischenPhilosophie6,deliveredduringtheSummersemesterof1924,andthelecturetitledPlaton:Sophistes7,deliveredduringtheWintersemesterof1924-25.

Thefollowingexpositionproceedsbythesesteps:Heidegger,inhisaccountofDaseinspracticalcomportment,arguesthatAristotleinfactoffersanexistentialaccountofdispositionofhisown.IwillthenshowhowHeideggerraisesthequestionofthesimilaritybetweenDaseinsdispositionandgeometricalpositioninAristotlesphenomenology,andhow,inthatcontext,Heideggerdismissesthesimilaritybymaintainingthattheformerisexistentialwhereasthelatteriscategorial.Ishallfirstlyshowhowthefundamentalrelationalstructureofcomportmentisunderstoodascontinuum,whichisderivedfromAristotlesPhysics.IshallthenturntothenotionofcontinuumoperativeinHeideggersaccountofAristoteliangeometry.Adifferencebetween

thecontinuuminvolvedingeometricalstructuresandthecontinuuminvolvedinpraxiscanbeidentified.However,thisdifferencewillnotbeonethatcorrespondstothedifferencebetweenpresent-at-handentitiesandDaseinsexistence,typicalofHeideggersdifferentiationbetweencategoriesandexistentiales.Rather,bothsensesofcontinuumpertaintobeingsthatarepresent-at-hand.Thegeometricalcontinuumwillbefoundtorefertospatialrelationsandthepracticalcontinuumtotemporalrelations,botharticulatedintermsofpresence-at-hand.ThiswilldiscreditHeideggersdifferentiationbetweengeometricalpositionandDaseinsdisposition,sincethestructureofcontinuumtheysharedenotesbeingaspresent-at-hand.

AccordingtoHeideggersanalysis,theAristoteliancontinuumderived

fromthePhysicshasthecharacterofbetweenness,acharacteristicalsoexhibitedinthecontinuumthatconstitutesthestructureofDaseinscomportment.Finally,IshallshowhowHeideggersanalysisofBefindlichkeitinSeinundZeitretrievescertaincharacteristicsfromAristotlescomportmentwhilstclearlyrejectingothers,i.e.thosewhichpertaintoAristotlesconceptionofcontinuumandcontainment(In-Sein).Ultimately,thesearethecategoriesthatremainattachedtoanunderstandingoftheworldquanaturalpresent-at-handbeings.

DispositionandcomportmentinAristotle

HeideggeranalysesAristoteliancomportmentinhislectureGrundbegriffederaristotelischenPhilosophiedeliveredduringtheSummersemesterof1924.Heideggersaccountofdispositionthusoccursinthecontextofanalyzinghumancomportment.Thenotionsofdispositionandcomportmentdenotethesamephenomenon,inasimilarmannertothewayinwhichHeideggersVerfassung

6Heidegger,GrundbegriffederaristotelischenPhilosophie,GA18.7Heidegger,Platon:Sophistes,GA19.


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andBefindlichkeitdenotethesamephenomenon.8However,theydoretainatechnicaldifferencealsoinAristotle,eveniftheydenotethesamekindofquality.9Dispositionishowcomportmentisgraspedinthemomentofresolved,i.e.virtuous,praxis.Assuch,dispositionistheresolvedmomentofcomportment.Heideggerthusanalysescomportmentinrelationtohumanpraxiswhichhe

subsequentlycallsexistence.10Insofarasthegraspingisvirtuous,itisaccompaniedbyresoluteness

().Resolutecomportmentisdirectedtowardsthemoment,the.Heideggerarguesthatresolutecomportmentcapturestheparticularbeing-thereinAristotlesunderstandingofDasein.InHeideggersownwords,resolutenessisacomportmentthatshowsbeing-theremorepreciselyinitsparticularity[]TheBeingofhumanbeings,humanbeingasbeing-thereisparticular,atthemoment.11Atthatverymomentcomportmentisgraspedasdisposition:inthemomentofresolutionthehumanbeinggraspsitsBeing-thereasdisposition.12Inotherwords,intheauthenticmomentofresolutegrasping,

comportmentisgraspedasdisposition.Despitetheconcreteparticularityofthesituation,thevirtuousgraspingofthemomentismeanttoseizethemomentasawhole.13Thismeansthatthemomentisindeedconcreteandparticular,yetitalsobelongstoandmaintainsarelationwithastructuralunityasthewhole.

HeideggerfurtherexplainshowforAristotledispositionoccupiesaparticularpositionwithinthestructuralwholeofthesituation.Dispositionisamiddle();itisanorientationthatmaintainsthemean,inthesenseofmiddleposition.Heideggerdefinesthismiddlepositionasthatwhichweapprehendasbeing-equally-far-awayfromtheends[,]thatwhichisequallyfarremovedfrombothendsisaddressedasofthematteritself.14Despitethequasi-quantitativedelimitationofdisposition,HeideggerinsiststhatAristotle

acquireshereanexistentialunderstandingofdispositionthatgraspsthecharacterofDaseinsparticularity().Heideggerjuxtaposesdispositionwithgeometricalposition,whichisalsoagraspingoftheparticularpointofrelationalcharacterembeddedintoastructuralwhole.However,geometricalpositionismathematicallymeasurableandassuchorientedtowardsgraspingthebeingofathing,suchasaline.Indistinguishingthetwo,HeideggerexplainsthatforAristotledispositionisavirtue,andvirtueisneitherathinginitsconstitutionnordoesithaveathingasitsobject.InsofarasAristotledefinesvirtueasamiddle-position,thinksHeidegger,onecandeterminethemeanofa

8Accordingtomyreading,thedistinctionbetweenBefindlichkeitandVerfassungishermeneuticallyprecariousasbothnotionsrefertothesamefacticalphenomenon.Yet,eachgraspsthephenomenonfromadifferentangle.ThesafestwaytodistinguishthetwonotionsisbylookingathowHeidegeremploysthemwhilekeepinginmindtheetymologiesentailedineachword.Verfassungreferstotheaspectoftheexistentialstructurethataccountsforthepossibilityof falling,insofarasfallingisacertainmovementthatpresupposesastratum.Inthiscontext,HeideggersquestioncontextualizestheverynotionofVerfassungeloquently:WelcheStrukturzeigtdieBewegtheitdesVerfallens?Heidegger,SeinundZeit,GA2,177.Verfassungaccountsforthestructurethatallows Befindlichkeittofall.InHeideggersownwords:DieBefindlichkeiterschlietnichtnurdasDaseininseinerGeworfenheitundAngewiesenheitaufdiemitseinemSeinjeschonerschlosseneWelt,sieistselbstdieexistentialeSeinsart,inderessichstndigandieWeltausliefert,sichvonihrangehenltderart,daesihmselbstingewisserWeiseausweicht.DieexistenzialeVerfassungdiesesAusweichenswirdamPhnomendesVerfallensdeutlichwerdenHeidegger,SeinundZeit,GA2,139.Accordingtomyreading,thedualityofBefindlichkeitandVerfassungemulatestheAristoteliandualityof and,asHeideggerinterpretsthem. 9Aristotle,Organon8b.10Heidegger,GrundbegriffederaristotelischenPhilosophie,GA18,176.11Heidegger,GrundbegriffederaristotelischenPhilosophie,GA18,180.12Heidegger,GrundbegriffederaristotelischenPhilosophie,GA18,175.13Heidegger,GrundbegriffederaristotelischenPhilosophie,GA18,191.14Heidegger,GrundbegriffederaristotelischenPhilosophie,GA18,186.


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thinggeometrically.15However,insofarasAristotleisofferinganinterpretationofthebeingofDasein,thematterisnotoneofpertainingtoathing(),ratheritissomethingthatrelatestousasitappearstous(),relativetoourownbeing.Inthiscontext,Heideggerwarnsagainstunderstandingvirtueasnormativeethics.Rather,virtuesignifiesabasic

relationtothebeing-thereofhumanbeings.16ComportmentascontinuuminHeideggersreadingofAristotle

TheanalysisofdispositioninHeideggerslecturestakesplaceinthecontextofthediscussionof.WhatisofinteresttoHeideggerishowpathosisafundamentalcharacteristicofbeingsthathavethecapacitytomove.17Inanalysingthekineticphenomenonof,Heideggerholdsthatitsstructurecanonlybeunderstoodinrelationtocomportment,whichcharacterizesthe

mannerandmodeinwhichweareinsucha.18

Inacertainsense,comportmentsuppliessomesortofontologicalbasisfortheexperienceofchangethroughpathos:isachanging,andaccordinglyadeterminatecomingtobeoutofanearliersituation,butnotachangingthatwouldhaveitscoursesetforitself.Rather,itisamodeoffinding-oneself(Befindlichkeit)intheworldthat,atthesametime,standsinapossiblerelationto.19

AccordingtoHeideggersinterpretation,comportmentprovidestheplaceofhumanmovementinwhichmovementcanbeappropriatedorhadasawayofbeing.Heideggershowshowcomportmentistheactuality()ofhaving():istheofhavingandofwhatishad.20HeideggerthusoffersananalysisofhowAristotleunderstandshumancomportment

throughananalysisofhaving.EventhoughhavinghasseveralmeaningsforAristotle,Heideggeridentifiesaunifiedunderlyingmeaning.Heideggerarticulatestheunifiedmeaningtoindicatebeingswiththebeing-characterofbeingafteradefinitebeing-possibility,oritsnegation,which,inthecaseofnegation,isthesameasthatofholdingoffsomethingfrombeinggenuinelyasitwouldliketobe.21Thisshowsthatthestructureofcomportmentisnotstaticandthereforeitsrelationalcharacteriskinetic.Inexplainingthecharacterofthiskineticrelationality,HeideggerintroducestheAristoteliannotionofcontinuum.AccordingtoHeidegger,oneofthemeaningsthatAristotleascribestohaving,whichistheactualityofcomportment,isthatofholdingoffsomethingfrommoving().22Thisholdingoffhasthecharacterofcontinuum,saysHeidegger,bothinsofarasithasthecharacteroftogetherness,aswellasthecharacterofmovement.Buthereliestheproblem:HeideggerexplicitlymentionsthatthenotionofcontinuumisdrawnfromAristotlesPhysicswheretheissueishowbeingsofnaturemove.23Besides,onecanreadilyconfirmthatcontinuum

15Heidegger,GrundbegriffederaristotelischenPhilosophie,GA18,186.16Heidegger,GrundbegriffederaristotelischenPhilosophie,GA18,179.17Heidegger,GrundbegriffederaristotelischenPhilosophie,GA18,168.18Heidegger,GrundbegriffederaristotelischenPhilosophie,GA18,168. 19Heidegger,GrundbegriffederaristotelischenPhilosophie,GA18,171.20Heidegger,GrundbegriffederaristotelischenPhilosophie,GA18,175.21ComparethiswithwhatHeideggerwritesin SeinundZeit:DieStimmungerschlietnichtinderWeisedesHinblickensaufdieGeworfenheit,sondernalsAn-undAbkehr,Heidegger,SeinundZeit,GA2,135.22Heidegger,GrundbegriffederaristotelischenPhilosophie,GA18,173.23Heidegger,GrundbegriffederaristotelischenPhilosophie,GA18,174.


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pertainstothemovementofphysicalobjectspresent-at-handfromtheexamplesquotedbyHeideggertoillustratehavinginthesenseofholdingoff:theexampleofAtlasholdingthevaultofheavennotlettingitfallandtheexampleofpillarsholdingweights.24ItisevidentthateventhoughthecontextofdiscussionpertainstoDaseinsaffectivelife,theparadigmofmovementusedpertainsto

naturalobjectspresent-at-hand.Inaddition,Heideggeralsopointstothefactthattheactualityofhavingisalsocharacterizedasanin-between,acharacteristicofcontinuumthatisattachedtoHeideggersanalysisofcontinuumasitisdevelopedinAristotlesPhysics.

Furthertothat,itisnotonlythenotionofcontinuumthatbearsthecharacterofnaturalobjectspresent-at-hand.Anothercharacteristicofthehavingofcomportmentsuppliedinthosepagesisthatofbeingacontainer()thathasthecharacterofbeing-in.25Thehavingofthecontainer,thephenomenonofcontaining,isdefinedbyAristotleasthesamekindofhavingthatthewhole()hasofitsparts().Tothisextent,comportmentis

ascribedwiththeunityofthewholethathasparts,inthesamesensethatacontainercontainsitemsinsideit.AgaintheAristotelianexamplesquotedbyHeideggerbetrayaworldthatconsistsofthingspresent-at-hand:theexampleofabasincontainingwaterandtheexampleofashiphavingsailorsetc.26Therefore,eventhoughdispositionquamoment,(i.e.inthesenseofapart),whichmaintainsarelationtothewholeissupposedtobeamodeofbeingradicallydifferentfromageometricalquantitativeaccountthatreferstohumanexistence,Aristotlesnotionofcontainerfailstodeliversuchanexistentialaccount.BecauseofAristotlescontaminatedviewofcontinuumandcontainment,hisunderstandingofcomportmentisgroundedwithinaconceptionoftheworldquaphysicalworld.Itmakesupamodeofbeing-in-the-

worldwhosecomponentsmakecomportmentacategorythatbetraysaworldwhosestructuralunityandwholenessisaquantifiablesum.27

YetitisstillimportanttoseeinmoredetailhowtheAristoteliancontinuumisanalysedinHeideggerslectures.InlookingatthatwewillseethatHeideggerisrightinarguingthatAristotlefastensontotheparticularityofsense-perceptionandadmitstheparticularitygiveninitasthefirstfactualstateofbeings,asthecontinuumisitselfgraspedfromsense-perception.Heideggershowshowthemoment,beitdispositionorgeometricalposition,isgroundedintheimmediacyofsense-perception.InlookingatHeideggersanalysisofAristotlesunderstandingofgeometry,wewillseethatgeometricalpositionhasarelationalcharacter,andassuchithasthecharacterofcontinuum.Inthiscontextitisimportanttonotethatthecontinuouscharacterofpositionanddispositionispreciselytheirrelationalcharacter,whichisfoundtobeofthesamekind:continuous.InfollowingthispathofanalysiswewillalsouncoverhowcontinuumisexplainedinAristotlesPhysics,andhowthecharacteristicsofcontinuumidentifiedtherearealsofoundinthecontinuumofcomportment.

24Heidegger,GrundbegriffederaristotelischenPhilosophie,GA18,174.25Heidegger,GrundbegriffederaristotelischenPhilosophie,GA18,173. 26Heidegger,GrundbegriffederaristotelischenPhilosophie,GA18,173.27Heidegger,Platon:Sophistes,GA19,81.


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Geometryandcontinuum:groundedinsense-perception

ThestructureoftheAristoteliangeometricalpositionistakenupbyHeideggerinhislecturecoursetitledPlatosSophist(GA19)deliveredduringtheWintersemesterof1924-25.ThediscussionofGeometrytakesplaceasHeideggertries

toshowhowtheoryinvolvesacountermovementagainsttheimmediacyofthatwhichisgiveninsense-perception(),thatwhichisgivenintheparticular(),eventhoughindeeditdoestakesense-perceptionasitspointofdeparture.28Aristotlegroundsthegraspofgeometricalpositiontosenseperception.Geometricalstructuresaregraspedinmeresense-perception.29Geometricalobjects,suchasthetriangle,maintainmorekinshiptothestructuregraspedbysense-perception,incomparisontoarithmetic,inthattheypossessacontinuousstructure:Thispeculiarstructureoftheispreservedinthegeometrical,insofarasthegeometrical,too,iscontinuous,.Thepoint[thegeometricalposition,,C.H.]presentsonlythe

ultimateandmostextremelimitofthecontinuous.30Positionthereforedependsonthepriorgraspofthecontinuumofthe

wholeobject.Theunderlyingassumptionisthatthegeometricalpositionisamomentthatdenotesrelation,itisarelatingperse.Assuch,itisamomentwithinatotality,inthesensethatitdenotesthelimitsofthistotalityinawaythatdoesnotconstitutethepositionasaself-subsistententity,butratheressentiallycontainswithinitsbeingarelationshipwithotherpositionswithinthetotality.Thatwhichliesin-betweenthepositionsthemselveshasthecharacterofcontinuum.Thecharacterofthewhole,aswellasthemodeofrelationbetweenitsmoments,itspositions,hasthefundamentalcharacterofcontinuum.ItisinreferencetothismodeofrelationthattheAristotelian

categoriesofpositionanddispositionacquiretheirrelationalcharacter.Heidegger,inthatsameanalysis,againpointsatthesimilaritybetweenposition,dispositionandcomportment:hasthesamecharacteras,.=tofindoneselfinadefinitesituation[sichbefindenineinerbestimmtenLage],tohavesomethinginoneself,toretain,andinretainingtobedirectedtowardsomething.=orientation,situation;Ithasthecharacterofbeingorientedtowardsomething.,,...(Cat.7,6b2f.).31However,despitethecategoricalclosenessbetweenpositionanddisposition,inthatbotharemodalitiesofcontinuum,therepersistsadifferentiationamongthetwothatHeideggeridentifies:sense-

perceptioninvolvedingraspinggeometricalstructuresintheirwholenessdiffersfromsense-perceptionthatgraspsthepracticalsituationinitswholeness.Assuch,insofarasdispositionbelongstopraxis,itscontinuummustbegraspeddifferently. Inpraxis,writesHeidegger,sense-perceptionmaintainsitspracticalcharacterasitsgraspischaracterizedascircumspection,whereasingeometricalsense-perceptionitisamatterofpureonlooking,asheerinspection.32Assuch,

28Heidegger,Platon:Sophistes,GA19,98.29Heidegger,Platon:Sophistes,GA19,117.30Heidegger,Platon:Sophistes,GA19,112:DieseeigentmlicheStrukturdes erhltsichnochimGeometrischen,sofernauchdasGeometrischestetig, ,ist.DerPunktstelltnurdieletzteunduersteGrenzediesesStetigendar.31Heidegger,Platon:Sophistes,GA19,104.32Heidegger,Platon:Sophistes,GA19,163.


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circumspectiongraspstheconcreteandthetemporallymomentaryinitspracticality,33whereasinspectiongraspsthatwhichiseternalinthesenseofautonomousandunmoveable().WecanimagineHeideggerfindinginAristotletwodifferentwaysofgraspingthecontinuum,onepertainingtogeometricalsense-perceptionandtheothertopracticalsense-perception;the

firstsupplyingtheunderstandingofthemomentquaanentitysposition,thelatterquaDaseinsdisposition.However,wearenotgivendifferentaccountsofcontinuumbyAristotleinthesetworespects;theonlydistinctionwehaveisacontinuumthataccountsfortimeandanotherforspacebutultimatelythenotionofcontinuumisderivedfromthePhysics.

HeideggershowsingreaterdetailhowAristotleacquiresthenotionofcontinuuminthePhysics.Ultimately,continuumismeanttoexplainthephenomenonofco-presence,thephenomenonofbeingwithandbeingrelatedtooneanother.34Continuumisdeterminedasamodeofconnectednessbetweenthingswherebythelimitoftheonethattouchestheotherisoneand

thesamelimit.35

Oneexampleofcontinuumgiveninthatcontextiswhenthelimitsofahouseareidenticaltothelimitsofanotherhouse:continuummeansthatthereisnothingin-betweenthetworelatedobjects.Furthermore,continuumisidentifiedasthein-betweenitself().36HeideggerillustratesthisdefinitionofcontinuumbyrecitingAristotlesexampleofaboatmovingupstream,thestreambeingthein-between,themediumthroughwhichmotiontakesplace.37BetweennessisthewayAristotleunderstandschangingbeing().InHeideggersownwords:Thisbasicphenomenonistheontologicalconditionforthepossibilityofsomethinglikeextension,:siteandorientationaresuchthatfromonepointtherecanbeacontinuousprogressiontotheothers;onlyinthiswayismotion

understandable.38Ultimatelythecharacterofcontinuumextendstocharacterizebothtimeandplace(and).39

WehavethusseenhowHeideggermovesintoatreatmentofAristotlesnotionofcontinuumthroughhisanalysisofgeometricalpositionanditsrelationtosense-perception.WehavealsoseenhowHeideggerdistinguishesbetweenthegraspofpracticalsense-perceptionandgeometricalsense-perception.Insofarasdispositionisamomentofpracticallife,wewouldanticipatethatAristotlewouldhavesuppliedanotionofcontinuumappropriatetoDaseinsaffectivelife.However,continuum,asHeideggershows,isacategorythatemergesoutofthePhysicsandindicatesthemodeofconnectednessbetweenphysicalentitiesthatmove.Thebasicdistinctionbetweenthecontinuuminvolvedingeometricalpositionanddispositionseemstocorrespondtothedistinctionbetweenthekindofcontinuuminvolvedinspatialrelationsthataredevoidofmovementandthekindofcontinuuminvolvedintemporalrelationsthathavemovement.InthiscontextwemayevendiscerninHeideggersreadingacertainhierarchybetweenspatialcontinuumandtemporalcontinuum,inthesensethatinsofarastheverynotionofcontinuumoccursinordertoexplainkinesisofnaturalobjects,the

33Heidegger,Platon:Sophistes,GA19,163. 34Heidegger,Platon:Sophistes,GA19,113:Seinsmitoderzueinemanderen.35Heidegger,Platon:Sophistes,GA19,115.36Heidegger,Platon:Sophistes,GA19,113.37Heidegger,Platon:Sophistes,GA19,114.38Heidegger,Platon:Sophistes,GA19,119.39Heidegger,Platon:Sophistes,GA19,119.


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continuuminvolvedingeometryisderivative.Insummation,thedistinctionthatHeideggerseemstofindinAristotlebetweenthecontinuuminvolvedindispositionandthatofgeometricalpositionisnotonethatsustainsthedistinctionbetweenthemodeofbeingofDaseinandthemodeofbeingofanentitypresent-at-hand,accordingtoHeideggersownstandardsoftheexistential

analyticsuppliedinSeinundZeit.Bothnotionsofcontinuumrefertorelationsbetweenobjectspresent-at-hand.40

Concludingremarks

HeideggerfoundinAristotlearadicalitywithrespecttogroundingbeing-in-the-worldtotheparticularthatshowsupinsense-perception.Inthiscontext,Aristotlesunderstandingofcomportmentanddispositiondoesemergeoutofacommitmenttothepriorityofsense-perception.Heideggerjuxtaposes

dispositiontogeometricalposition,arguingthattheformerbelongstothatwhichpertainstoDaseinsparticularwayofBeingandassuchshouldnotbeunderstoodquantitatively,whereasthelatterbelongstomerethings.However,amorecarefullookatHeideggersownanalysesofAristotlerevealsthatAristotlefailstoofferanaccountofthestructureofcomportmentthatisactuallyderivedfromDaseinsparticularmodeofbeing.Rather,thestructuralcharacterofcontinuumisinfactunderstoodinasimilarwaytohowitoperatesingeometricalstructure,asbotharederivedfromthePhysics.

WhilstHeideggerdoesnotexplicitlypointtotheseshortcomingsinhisanalysisofcomportmentanddisposition,itisdiscerniblefromhisaccountof

continuum,asittakesplaceinhisbriefanalysisofgeometry,aswellasfromHeideggersownaccountofBefindlichkeitandthecharacteristicsheascribestoitinSeinundZeit.

Inhisanalysisofgeometryandcontinuum,ananalysisthatcameafterhisanalysisofcomportment,HeideggertacitlysaysthatAristotledidnotfullydevelopanexistentialanalytic.WritesHeidegger:Onemustfastenontopreciselytheofandadmititasthefirstfactualstateofbeings.EvenAristotlewassuccessfulhereonlywithincertainlimits,andinspiteofhistendencytoradicalityhedidnotpressonintotheultimateoriginalityoftheBeingoftheworld.ThereisapossibleinterpretationwhichevenendeavourstoseebeingsoftheworlddetachedfromtheGreekconceptofBeing.That,

however,willnothappenintheselectures.41Thisdiagnosisfitsperfectly

40EventhoughHeideggerdoesnotofferasystematicgroundingofquantifiedspaceandtimetoaparticularmodeofmanifestationofNature,inhislecturesonAristotle,hedoesitin SeinundZeit.Forexample:DasklassischeBeispielfrdiegeschichtlicheEntwicklungeinerWissenschaft,zugleichaberauchfrdieontologischeGenesis,istdieEntstehungdermathematischenPhysik.DasEntscheidendefrihreAusbildungliegtwederinderhherenSchtzungderBeobachtungderTatsachen,nochinderAuswendungvonMathematikinderBestimmungderNaturvorgngesondernimmathematischenEntwurfderNaturselbst.DieserEntwurfentdecktvorgngigeinstndigVorhandenes(Materie)undffnetdenHorizontfrdenleitendenHinblickaufseinequantitativbestimmbarenkonstitutivenMomente(Bewegung,Kraft,OrtundZeit)Heidegger,SeinundZeit,GA2,362.Healsomakesexplicittheconnectionbetweennatureaspresent-at-handandcontinuum:MansiehtdieStetigkeitderZeitimHorizonteinesunauflsbarenVorhandenenHeidegger,SeinundZeit,GA2,423.Furtheron,heexplicitlyreferstoAristotle:Dieersteberlieferte,thematischausfhrlicheAuslegungdesvulgrenZeitverstndnissesfindetsichinderPhysikdes Aristoteles ,dasheitimZusammenhangeinerOntologiederNatur.ZeitstehtmitOrtundBewegungzusammenHeidegger,SeinundZeit,GA2,428.41Heidegger,Platon:Sophistes,GA19,85-86:DasistauchdemAristotelesnuringewissenGrenzengelungen,sodaertrotzderradikalenTendenznichtzurletztenUrsprnglichkeitdesSeinsderWeltgedrungenist.EsisteineInterpretation


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Aristotlesanalysisofcomportment.WhilstHeideggerdoesnotexplicitlysaythis,itseemstobeforthisreasonthatinhisanalysisofBefindlichkeitinSeinundZeitheretrievesthebasicoperationalcharacterthatheidentifiesinAristoteliancomportment.However,simultaneously,heexplicitlycriticizescertaincharacteristicsofAristoteliancomportment,inparticulartheonespertainingto

beingsthatarepresent-at-hand,characteristicsthatrefertothestructureofcontinuumasAristotlederiveditinhisPhysics:ThusinhisownaccountofBefindlichkeit,Heideggerwillretrievethecharacterofbeing-thereasBeing-In(theWorld),aswellasthecharacterofturningtowardsorturnaway(An-undAbkehr)frommood.42ThesearealsocharacteristicsinAristotlesnotionofcomportment.However,whenHeideggeraddressestheinsidenessofBefindlichkeithemakesthefollowingremarks:Inwhichdirectionmustwelook,ifwearetocharacterizeBeing-in,assuch,phenomenally?[]Being-inisdistinctfromthepresent-at-handinsidenessofsomethingpresent-at-handinsomethingelsethatispresent-at-hand;Being-inisratheranessentialkindof

Beingofthisentityitself.Butinthatcase,whatelseispresentedwiththisphenomenonthanthecommerciumwhichispresent-at-handbetweenasubject-present-at-handandanObjectpresent-at-hand?SuchaninterpretationwouldcomeclosertothephenomenalcontentifweweretosaythatDaseinistheBeingofthisbetween.Yettotakeourorientationfromthisbetweenwouldstillbemisleading.43HereliesHeideggerscriticismofAristotlesconceptionofcomportmentanddisposition,sincethenotionofin-betweenimpliesthecharacterofcontinuum,andtheinsidenessthatHeideggercriticizeshereistheinsidenessinvolvedinAristotlesnotionofcontainer.

mglich,dieselbstversucht,dasSeiendederWelt,abgelstvomgriechischenSeinsbegriff,zusehen.DassollabernichthierimKolleggeschehen.42Heidegger,SeinundZeit,GA2,135.43Heidegger,SeinundZeit,GA2,132:WasanderesstelltsichaberDannmitdiesemPhnomendaralsdasvorhandenecommerciumzwischeneinemvorhandenenSubjektundeinemvorhandenenObjekt?DieseAuslegungkmedemphnomenalenBestandschonnher,wennsiesagte: dasDaseinistdasSein diesesZwischen.IrrefhrendbliebedieOrientierungandemZwischentrotzdem.


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Heidegger Forum 8- Hadjioannou- KORR

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