R: Dasien, a question

Stephen Mulhall in his excellent _Heidegger and "Being and Time"_
(Routledge: New York, 1996) introduces the term "Dasein" this way:

"Heidegger's reasons for introducing the term 'Dasein' -- which translated
literally, simply means 'there-being' -- where it would seem natural to talk
instead about human beings, are manifold. First, in everyday German usage,
this term does tend to refer to human beings, but primarily with respect to
the type of Being that is distinctive of them; it therefore gives his
investigation the right ontological ring. Second, it permits him to avoid
using other terms that philosophers have tended to regard as synonymous with
'human being', and have concentrated upon to the point at which they trail
clouds of complex and potentially misleading theorizing. Time-hallowed terms
such as 'subjectivity', 'consciousness', 'spirit' or 'soul' could only be
prejudicial to Heidegger's enquiry. Third, and consenquently, an unusual
term such as 'Dasein' is a *tabula rasa*: devoid of misleading implications,
it can accrue all and only the significations that Heidegger intends to
attach to it." (Stephen Mulhall, _Heidegger and "Being and Time"_ Routledge,
New York, 1996, p. 14.)

At least according to Mulhall, then, Heidegger does not intend to attach a
particularly existentialist meaning to Dasein. Nor does this term refer to
something like authenticity. Dasein is not opposed to something less
authentic or more alienated. Instead, all forms of being, authentic or not,
are covered by the term.

--John

-----Messaggio originale-----
Da: Matthew Thrond <mthrond@xxxxxxxxxxx>
A: foucault@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx <foucault@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Data: Monday, January 18, 1999 1:09 AM
Oggetto: Re: Dasien, a question


>There is an interesting book from the seventies which may assist you.
>"The Crisis of Autonomy: The Existentialist Critique of Freud" by Gerald
>N. Izenberg might be a place to start. While it does not address
>Foucault per se, it might be a starting place; it seems to me you are
>really intersecting three things, namely psychoanalysis, existentialism
>(the book discusses Heidegger and Sartre), and Foucault. Don't be sad,
>'cause two out of three ain't bad, ja?
>
>Good luck,
>MT
>
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>>Date: Sun, 17 Jan 1999 15:22:06 -0700 (MST)
>>From: Krueger <Patrick.Krueger@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
>>To: foucault@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
>>Subject: Dasien, a question
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>>
>>Do you mind if I ask you a question?
>>
>>I have recently become interested in the idea of "Dasein" (after
>>Heidegger) as a possible method or perspective for inquiry into social
>>phenomena.
>>
>>The introduction by Dreyfus in Foucault's "Mental Illness and
>Psychology"
>>indicated that 1) Foucault used this method as a critique of
>>psychoanalysis, and 2) this work was not necessarily typical of
>Foucalt's
>>later works. Not being very familiar with Foucault I'm not sure what
>to
>>make of that disclaimer, but the idea interests me nonetheless,...
>>
>>So first of all, does anyone know of a good accessable description of
>the
>>concept of Dasein, and second, does anyone know of a few good works by
>any
>>author that demonstrates the use of this Dasein in practice?
>>
>>Many thanks,
>>
>>PMK
>>
>>"Why no officer, that isn't my smoking gun in my hand. Why do you
>ask?"
>>
>> --Onan, son of Judah (Gen 38:9)
>>
>>
>>
>
>
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