Being Quote by Martin Heidegger
““Being, as the basic theme of philosophy, is no class or genus of entities; yet it pertains to every entity. Its 'universality' is to be sought higher up. Being and the structure of Being lie beyond every entity and every possible character which an entity may possess. *Being is a transcendens pure and simple*. And the transcendence of Dasein's Being is distinctive in that it implies the possibility and the necessity of the most radical *individuation*. Every disclosure of Being as the *transcendens* is *transcendental* knowledge. *Phenomenological truth (the disclosedness of Being) is veritas transcendentalis*. Ontology and phenomenology are not two distinct philosophical disciplines among others. These terms characterize philosophy itself with regard to its object and its way of treating that object. Philosophy is universal phenomenological ontology, and takes its departure from the hermeneutic of Dasein, which, as an analytic of *existence*, has made fast the guide-line for all philosophical inquiry at the point where it *arises* and to which it *returns*." ―from_Being and Time_. Translated by John Macquarrie & Edward Robinson, p. 62””
About This Quote
Source Book: Being and Time, Martin Heidegger, 1927
The quote asserts that "Being" is a fundamental, universal condition that transcends individual entities, linking ontology and phenomenology as a unified inquiry into existence.
In simple terms: Being is a universal condition beyond any single thing.
Recognize the shared depth of existence.
Themes
Mood
Type
When to use this quote
- academic lectures
- personal reflection
- deep reading
- teaching philosophy
- writing essays
Key Concepts
Questions to Reflect On
- How does recognizing universal Being affect daily choices?
- What does “transcendental truth” mean for personal belief?
Its abstract nature can be inaccessible to non‑specialists.