Being And Time

Heidegger continues his aim of clarifying the nature of his project, which he achieves by elaborating further on the character of Dasein and on the kind of enquiry appropriate for it. He starts by emphasizing a unique characteristic of Dasein: “These entities, in their Being, comport themselves towards their Being” (67). What this means is that, unlike tables, chairs, or other entities, Dasein’s being, our being, is still at stake. It is still yet to be and dependent on how we relate to it. For instance, we might realize our being as someone heroic and noble, or we might pursue possibilities that realize our being as a person who is cowardly and self-serving.

Either way, from this point two things follow. First, Dasein is not to be interpreted in terms of an “object” or an “is.” It is not to be treated as a special kind of present and substantial “thing” that has definitive and predetermined properties or characteristics. Rather, as Heidegger says, “The essence of Dasein lies in its existence” (67). Unlike animals, plants, or cars, Dasein’s nature, or essence, cannot be described in advance. It cannot be described prior to its lived existence and involvement in projects and possibilities.