The highest determinations of the essence of man in humanism still do not realize the proper dignity of man (233). When Heidegger rejects the title humanist, it is not because he is anti-humanity or even pessimistic about the fate of the human race. Rather, he rejects the category because he rightly sees humanism as defined with man at the center, which is a point of view he very strongly rejects. Perhaps in some other era, Heidegger could fittingly be called a humanist; however, he believes that the word humanism … has lost its meaning (247). The modern connotation of humanism is not suitable for Heidegger mainly because in relation to the cosmos, other beings, and even life itself, Heidegger believes that man is essentially out of control. Instead of Heideggers philosophy revolving around mankind, it is centered on the question of Being. Dasein is often the main character of Heideggers elaboration, but not because he is the center. Instead, it is because he is the mechanism through which the nothing and hence the answer to Being can be discovered: If the answer to the question of Being thus becomes the guiding directive for research, then it is sufficiently given only if the specific mode of being of previous ontology—the vicissitudes of its questioning, its findings, and its failures—becomes visible as necessary to the very character of Dasein (62-63). Because of their trancendence and resulting link to Being and the nothing, they are the best route to the answer of Being. Even his focus on Dasein, however, leaves no trace of humanistic qualities: he doesnt even keep the title human: The analysis of Dasein thus understood is wholly oriented toward the guiding task of working out the question of Being (60). When Heidegger does speak of humanitys goodness, he does not incorporate the entire species in his statements. Only a percentage of the race is included in his vision of humanity. This is because he sees humanity as a goal for mankind. If he were reffering to all of humanity, wouldnt he just use the word mankind? Heidegger believes that part of mans essence is the ability to step out of his essence. This ability he calls ekstaticism, and it means that there is no question as to whether or not man is at the center. The answer is no because man is actually outside of what humanity claims revolves around men.
This transcendence is often unrecognized to the point of causing man not to understand or fully evaluate his environment, which just reiterates that he is not in control: Because man as the one who ek-sists comes to stand in this relation that Being destines for itself, in that he … takes it upon himself, he at first fails to recognize the nearest and attaches himself to the next nearest. He even thinks that this is nearest (235). Paradoxically, this eksistence characteristic of Dasein, which gives him the ability to transcend and reach a level of humanity also can cause inhumane acts. In this way, the possibilities of eksistence threaten its goals: the inhumanity that mankind is capable of threaten the very concept of humanity. If man were at the center, he would be granted control. His control would be indicated by his initiation, recognition, and decision. But he is not the beginning or the end, and neither does he understand them. From the point of view of Heidegger, control is something men obviously lack. Man is not even in control of his own existence. He does not decide to be given life. Being is given to man, but man does not command it; man occurs essentially in such a way that he is the there … that is, the clearing of Being (229). Man through thinking takes over this gift, but does not own it. Man does not even own his thoughts. Being does not revolve around man. Man is thrown into his eksistence; Da-sein itself occurs essentially as thrown (231). Man revolves around Being, and serves as one of Beings expressions. Humanity believes that because man is the center, it is his place to rule over all other life forms on the planet. Heidegger strongly refutes this notion. He recognizes the elementary aspect to the logic applied in the claim that because men are more intelligent than animals, they are better. First of all, men are not mere animals. They exist differently because of their ability to step out of their essence and into the nothing. People and animals are different, so they are not comparable. The elementary concept that man is an animal better than other animals implies prejudice against less intellectual persons. Technologys essence, relationship with man, and future are at the hands of Being, not humanity. Heidegger´s views of technology and its relation to ethics are complicated and difficult, not unlike his views on nearly everything else.
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