Heidegger: War on the World
Perhaps it was just my inability to concentrate while reading this, but I had to say that this handout went largely over my head. I heard a lot about being "willed in the will to will," wondered how many people would crack jokes off my name from this reading, and then realized that that was my only thought after twenty-six pages. Fortunately, it was right after Heidegger wrung my name dry that I found something tangible: this idea that man is entirely obstructed from the Open, which I can only determine means nature.
Man is not a part of nature, says Heidegger. Man has cut himself off from and essentially declared war on nature by surrounding himself with technology. From what I can tell, his concern is that man has turned nature into a thing to be exploited rather than a living being to be respected. I would consider this to be true... partially. It's true that man looks at nature with an attitude of "What can I get out of it?" We breathe nature's air, drink its water, eat its food, build houses with its trees, generate power with its minerals, and do a million other things with it. Everything we use, down to smartphones and space shuttles, ultimately comes from nature and its resources; we've milked nature for all it's worth. But have we set ourselves against it as strongly as Heidegger claims?
I can't say I believe we have. Lumber companies plant as they harvest, and as a result we have more forested land in the US today than we did one hundred years ago (insert imaginary citation so this looks professional). Pollution can be an issue, yet far too many people are aware of it and attempting to control it for man to be blatantly opposing nature with it. So many people appreciate nature and strive to spend time in it appreciating its beauty. Now, it true that there are always the stereotypical parents saying, "No phones, no games, we're leaving technology when we camp or hike." We've got to leave our gun and compass behind to see Old Ben, because Heidegger isn't wrong when he says that technology separates us from nature. But does it make us opposed to nature? I wouldn't go that far. Man makes the most of nature, but so does every animal. Beavers tear up trees to make homes just like man. Predators hunt and kill other animals just like man. Natural processes release above ninety percent of greenhouse gasses into the air annually. Every creature bends nature to its own purposes--intelligent man is simply capable of doing it more. (...Not to mention we have God-given dominion.)
P.S. I commented on Zelda and Michael’s posts.
Man is not a part of nature, says Heidegger. Man has cut himself off from and essentially declared war on nature by surrounding himself with technology. From what I can tell, his concern is that man has turned nature into a thing to be exploited rather than a living being to be respected. I would consider this to be true... partially. It's true that man looks at nature with an attitude of "What can I get out of it?" We breathe nature's air, drink its water, eat its food, build houses with its trees, generate power with its minerals, and do a million other things with it. Everything we use, down to smartphones and space shuttles, ultimately comes from nature and its resources; we've milked nature for all it's worth. But have we set ourselves against it as strongly as Heidegger claims?
I can't say I believe we have. Lumber companies plant as they harvest, and as a result we have more forested land in the US today than we did one hundred years ago (insert imaginary citation so this looks professional). Pollution can be an issue, yet far too many people are aware of it and attempting to control it for man to be blatantly opposing nature with it. So many people appreciate nature and strive to spend time in it appreciating its beauty. Now, it true that there are always the stereotypical parents saying, "No phones, no games, we're leaving technology when we camp or hike." We've got to leave our gun and compass behind to see Old Ben, because Heidegger isn't wrong when he says that technology separates us from nature. But does it make us opposed to nature? I wouldn't go that far. Man makes the most of nature, but so does every animal. Beavers tear up trees to make homes just like man. Predators hunt and kill other animals just like man. Natural processes release above ninety percent of greenhouse gasses into the air annually. Every creature bends nature to its own purposes--intelligent man is simply capable of doing it more. (...Not to mention we have God-given dominion.)
P.S. I commented on Zelda and Michael’s posts.
You are right in that no one goes around picketing for dirty air and dirty water, but it seems that humans do not rely on nature as much as they used to. For example, if I want blackberries in winter, I can go to my local Walmart and pick up a container for $3. I don't have to wait until the bushes in my garden are ready to be picked. I don't believe anybody wants to destroy nature on purpose, but humans can deal reckless damage to their environment.
ReplyDeleteI think the problem is more that man wants to control nature entirely instead of just using the earth for its resources. Man has done and created so many things now that our effect on nature and the world around us is huge. Even though we can control nature in some ways, it is almost as if the earth fights back with hurricanes and forest fires. These weather events sometimes remind us that nature is indeed something we cannot control no matter how much we want to. I definitely have to agree though that we should entrap ourselves in nature more often. Old Ben is not going to find himself.
ReplyDeleteI do see where man has taken over nature but I do feel there are two different standpoints. You have people who think "What can I get out of it?" like you said, and then people who are all about nature and preserving it. I do not know if we have necessarily gone against nature because we are given dominion but we are also to care for the earth as well. I feel this could be a good debate on whether or not humans have or have not set themselves against nature.
ReplyDelete