V. "Art is the Creative Preserving of the Happening of Truth of Historical Being in the art work.

Heidegger's "turn" after Being and Time

Dr. Ferrara begins this passage by expanding on Heidegger's "turn" after Being and Time.

What is compelling to me is Dr. Ferrara's idea that, "art is present in the art work and guides the artist." (126) Dr. Ferrara describes artwork as a "thing" that when a work hangs in a museum, or a piece of music is hear amongst other things, in the background and atmospheric... it has a "thingly" character. Dasein which we learned in earlier chapters is being, goes further, stating that being "authentic" is "being-toward-death" (123). That being towards Being is an authentic place.

Heidegger claims that one can not push for Being to happen and that by the process of "meditative thinking" will be open enough for Being to happen.

On the Origin of the Work of Art:

"An artist is defined as an artist by the fact that he makes art; making art makes him what he is. The work is the source of the origin of the artist" (125). Furthermore, Heidegger's look at the being of a work's materials brings us to an analysis of terms. The earth as a part of the world and the work materials as apart of the work.

Earth and World:
The world, according to Heidegger, is the "existential" frame of reference of the living subject. This is where human experience and significance happens. It happens because of the world. He maintains, "World is the ever-nonobjective to which we are subject as long as the paths of birth and death, blessing and curse keep us transported into Being." (132). The world is dynamic, it is happening, and the earth is its materials.

Work and Strife:

According to Heidegger, truth in art is a result of strife which is developed from rift-design. In this case, the earth is the work materials, rift-design is syntax, and the world is reference.

Heidegger claims that, "Just as a work cannot be without being created but is essentially in need of creators, so what is created cannot itself come into being without those who preserve it." (138) Ferrara confirms that in order for art to happen it must have an audience to appreciate it.

Art allows for the "creater" and "preserver" to exist within their roles, allowing for truth to reveal itself. These roles which naturally belong together in order for art work to arrive to truth.

Art as Poetry:

Heidegger believes that poetry, a language form, provides the foundation for truth to come into being. Dr. Ferrara supports his claim, declaring that, "Language allows Dasein to come into openness, i.e., to experience its being-in-the-world." This a very compelling argument to me: That art is the "poetic," drawing from where Dasein discovered its "throwness" as being. (140).

My Reaction:

Chapter IV. "There's Only The Blanket"

Martin Heidegger (1889-1976) develops Husserl's foundations but moves away from The Transcendental Ego .

Martin Heidegger believes "that phenomenological description is never pure but is always based on interpretation" (89). He further explains that "interpretation" is done by those who are present in their "research" and have not "disappeared as cultural beings".

Heidegger believes that "understanding is framed by one's cultural and intellectual tradition" (89). Which I think is an interesting idea and relief that cultural prejudice is an acceptable form of understanding. However, Ferrara writes that this cultural bias makes it impossible for "pure" understanding.

Being and Time
Dr. Ferrara writes that that "standing outside oneself" is the key to being loser to being. Dasein is, "provided to characterize man's existence and to acknowledge that he alone is the being that can pose the question of Being." Within this idea is he defines phenomenology as a "tool" to defining Dasein; this shifts phenomenology in a different direction than Husserl.

Allegory of the Cave, Plato
This metaphor portrays mankind as in a cave of ignorance and outside the cave is the light and the chance to understand. But their backs are on the cave opening but man is forever in a state of "childhood" can only see forwardness, the darkness.


Phainomenon means, "to show itself."
Returning to Dasein: "must allow the thing the "freedom" to show itself, that the "essence" of truth is freedom.



My Reaction:
Keanu Reeves as mentor: