Being and Time - Dasein

The ontic priority of the Question of Being

what is science for Heidegger?

Science occurs as a basis for knowledge. But is this true?

Science can be defined as the TOTALITY of true propositions

(Definition of propositions: Propositions are sentences that can be either true or false.)

What is the difference between totality and whole?

The totality is the sum of all parts, but it does not yet explain how all of these parts are working together, nor does it give us an idea of the whole.

Heidegger claims that this definition of science is not complete.

It seems sciences overlook the fact that they are made by humans and in this sense Heidegger points out that they have the Being of humans.

Human's being is defined as Da-Sein.

Heidegger makes a qualification that being scientific is not the only way of how Da-sein (that is humans that have being) is.

What is Da-sein?

"The ontic distinction of Da-sein lies in the fact that it is ontological." (Heidegger, 10)

What is ontic? Ontic is everything that is something. E.g. tables, chairs, clouds, thoughts, and so forth.

The ontic characteristic of Dasein is its ontology.

Well, what is ontology then?

An ontology describes a distinct understanding of all beings that occur in the world. For example, we could have objects of thoughts and objects of the physical order. Now, we can distinguish them further as animated objects and inanimate objects in the physical order and so forth. An ontology attempts to map all of the objects that we deal with.

Heidegger specifies in which way we are actually ontological. He says that most of the time we do not build ontologies and in this sense we are rather pre-ontological. This means that we have the potential to build an ontology but most of the time we do not engage in this activity.

What is existence?

Descries the way of how you relate to your life.