Sorry it’s been a while since I’ve posted on Heidegger and Greek Philosophy. Let’s get back to his “Contributions” book. Of critical importance of a thorough secular reading here is the Greek metaphysical position that “he psyche ta onta pos estin,” which we translate as “the soul is in a way the things (CTP 247).” When we consider beings “as such,” we tacitly adopt a whole host of ontological structures like einai/Being, choris/separate from, ton allown/the others, and kath auto/in itself. These ground my ability to stand in relation to beings. I encounter the dog as it is in itself/not me, for instance. The question of Da-sein always arises when the question of beings “as such” arises (CTP, 250).

The Greeks interpreted the thinker in relation to Life, that the thinker was not close to life, but rather like an awkward kid at a party wishing he could fit in. In this way Nietzsche rethought the self in terms of the Body and hence thought of disposition as more primordial than thinking. Heidegger says

precisely in the interpretation of the human being in connection with the question of beings, something like ψυχή, νους, animus, spiritus, cogitatio, consciousness, subject, ego, spirit, and person becomes relevant (Heidegger, Martin. Contributions to Philosophy (Of the Event) (Studies in Continental Thought) (p. 248). Indiana University Press. Kindle Edition).

Thinking thus shows itself as representing something in general, and as such also the highest generality, which is why Hegel thought Being as the most general and hence most all-encompassing and emptiest thought (CTP, 250). The “I” is what is over and against the object in a field of correctness of representing, and so the ground of Dasein as the power of questioning and the will to clarify gets painted over.

The Greeks assumed the fundamental restlessness of the soul in relation to attuning oneself to the eternal, and so Nietzsche re interpreted the value of philosophy in relation to a sickly kind of life. The philosopher had recourse to philosophy because he was trying to heal himslef. Nietzsche thus did not rethink the origin but thought it through to a conclusion. Heidegger writes:

Thus we also see the reason the question of truth, which Nietzsche seems to pose out of an original power of questioning and deciding, is precisely not posed by him at all. He merely explains truth biologically, altogether out of a basic position in “life.” That is, Nietzsche bases himself on the traditional interpretation of beings as constancy and presence and explains truth purely as a means of securing the continuance of life. Heidegger, Martin. Contributions to Philosophy (Of the Event) (Studies in Continental Thought) (p. 250). Indiana University Press. Kindle Edition.