The problem of 'understanding' in Martin Heidegger's Being and Time

Abstract

This thesis examines understanding as a fundamental existentiale in Heidegger's Being and Time, and its grounding position to all activities of cognizing. The ultimate goal of the thesis is to reveal the metaphysical basis on which Heidegger constructs his claim that logos is existentially grounded in understanding. The thesis begins with a presentation ofHeidegger's approach to the phenomenon of understanding via analysing his interpretation of human being as Being-there (Dasein) and certain key concepts such as "existence" and "world". Next, how Dasein understands its world in everydayness and the existential structure of Being-in as disclosed in the phenomenon of worldhood is analysed. The structure of involvement, uncovered in this analysis, is then used to show the existential hermeneutical character of understanding as "thrown projection". The inner structure of the hermeneutical character of understanding is analysed, in order to show how "logos as assertion" is grounded in understanding existentially, and that there is an "as-structure" in interpretation which recurs in assertion in a modified way. Then, "logos as assertion" is contrasted with "logos as talk" to bring forth the inadequacy of assertion in expressing existential understanding. The thesis concludes by showing that 'possibility' comes before 'actuality', on the basis of the analysis that Dasein existentially understands its Being by throwing itself toward possibilities and finding itself thrown into possibilities. Finally, it is suggested that the hidden "as" in the copula hides away possibilities as possibilities and it reminds us of our incompleteness as constantly coming towards our Being.