Martin-heidegger Quote by Martin Heidegger
““We assert now that Being is the proper and sole theme of philosophy. This is not our own invention; it is a way of putting the theme which comes to life at the beginning of philosophy in antiquity, and it assumes its most grandiose form in Hegel's logic. At present we are merely asserting that Being is the proper and sole theme of philosophy. Negatively, this means that philosophy is not a science of beings but of Being or, as the Greek expression goes, ontology. We take this expression in the widest possible sense and not in the narrower one it has, say, in Scholasticism or in modern philosophy in Descartes and Leibniz. A discussion of the basic problems of phenomenology then is tantamount to providing fundamental substantiation for this assertion that philosophy is the science of Being and establishing how it is such. The discussion should show the possibility and necessity of the absolute science of Being and demonstrate its character in the very process of the inquiry. Philosophy is the theoretical conceptual interpretation of Being, of Being's structure and its possibilities. Philosophy is ontological." ―from_The Basic Problems of Phenomenology_””
About This Quote
Source Book: The Basic Problems of Phenomenology, 1935
Philosophy should focus on the fundamental nature of Being itself, not merely on individual entities, to uncover its structure and possibilities.
In simple terms: Study the essence of existence, not just things.
Explore the core of Being.
Themes
Mood
Type
When to use this quote
- academic lectures
- philosophical research
- teaching
- writing
- public discourse
Key Concepts
Questions to Reflect On
- What does “Being” mean for everyday decisions?
- How can ontology inform ethical action?
The abstract focus may overlook practical concerns of everyday life.