Heidegger's Well-Wrought Urn

Paper Summary:

This paper examines Martin Heidegger's view, in his essay "Plato's Sophist", of the Aristotelian concepts of "conscience" and "know-how". The paper points out that Heidegger delimits these concepts as modes of disclosure, to reveal the manner in which their deliberation of beings relates to their agent and his experience of "being in the world". "Know-how" concerns itself primarily with the production of objects as form, which are then removed from its sphere of influence to realize their being through proper use. "Conscience" takes as its object life itself, and its dileberations of "excellence" are integrated into the agent. The paper maintains that, according to Heidegger, this creates a transparency of action and "being in the world" (Dasein) that must constantly reassert itself to resist life's natural tendency toward concealment. The paper concludes that the fundamental difference between these two modes of disclosure can be seen in their relationship to "excellence" and the manner in which their products are manifested.

From the Paper:

"The characteristic of excellence ( ) finds its expression differently in (know-how) and (conscience), revealing a primary distinction between these two modes of disclosure. While both direct themselves toward the becoming of beings which 'may be otherwise', stands beside ( ) its productions, whereas integrates its productions. Excellence ( ) is to manifest the perfection inherently possible to beings, which requires a degree of certitude. T finds this possible, within its limits of disclosure, while can never have such. Though the authentic being of an object is inaccessible to because it does not participate in its use, perfection of form ( ) may be reached through its fundamental methodology. As a set of principles drawn from a multiplicity of experiences, the process of trial and error creates a certainty that the form ( ) has achieved its maximum potential. As with the scientific method, the more experiments that reinforce a theory, the more accurate a representation of reality it is assumed to be. Any error results in a reworking of the theory to include such information, therefore increasing its accuracy ( ). "But in the case of , on the contrary, where it is a matter of a deliberation whose theme is the proper Being of Dasein, every mistake is a personal shortcoming". Errors do not open up the possibility of a higher degree of knowledge; rather, they are a complete corruption of proper being. Every deliberation of is in the form of an either/or proposition: it cannot have an end ( ) of excellence ( ) because it is excellence ( ) in its constant becoming. "The [origin] with which has to do is the action itself. And the which is taken into consideration in is the action itself". Thus, within , that which is uncovered remains uncovered through the constant struggle which orients it always toward its continuous expression in the actions ( ) of authentic Dasein. Conscience may be distorted by the desires and their usurpation of Dasein, but it can never be forgotten."

Sample of Sources Used:

• Heidegger, Martin. Plato's Sophist. Trans. Richard Rojcewicz and Andre Schuwer. Bloomington and Indianapolis: Indiana University Press, 1992.

More papers on Heidegger's Well-Wrought Urn:

• Analytical Essay # 132218 : "Heidegger on the Nature of Being"
• Analytical Essay # 74105 : "Heidegger's Architecture: An Analysis"
• Comparison Essay # 33633 : "Martin Heidegger and Hans Georg Gadamer"

APA Citation:

MLA Citation: