Being and Technology: A Study in the Philosophy of Martin Heidegger (Phaenomenologica) (Volume 82)

The present wntmg attempts a clarification of the questIon bearing on technology and of its "Essence" in the Philosophy of Martin Heidegger. In view of this, our initial task will consist in examining the origins of modern technology, which Heidegger descries in the primordial "experience" of Being as cpvO'u;, together with the human manners of comportment to this the primordial manifestness of Being. We will begin in Part One by attending primarily, but not exclusively, to the subjective dimen­ sion, allowing thereby the manner of the historical "progression" of Being, that is, its transforming self-showing, to stand in the background. This procedure seems to us not merely appropriate with respect to our purpose as a whole, but moreover cor­ responds to the matter at issue, for Being in its own progression is essentially self-concealing, which in turn brings to prominence the "subjective" in union with the varied modes of the "Being of beings", termed "beingness". In conformity with Heidegger's interpretation of "Metaphysics", there can be but little doubt that Being itself persists throughout in presence only as absence. Thus, we will trace out this manner of Being's presence in absence and the respective dominating human manners of relatedness to Being's beingness, that is, we must observe the transformation of original vo6v (or I,SYElV, TSXV1J), into Platonic i6slV ( 'j6S!Y. ).