Nov. 29, Rita wrote:
"If ontology is grounded in the nullity of death, or nullity as Dasein's
"dying, then it seems a fair question to ask *why* death or
"nothingness 'is' -- is this not the question for which
"fundamental ontology clears the ground? For an understanding of
'"this, we move out from ontology, into metaphysics: Fundamental ontology
"fails as its own ground. The project is abandoned.
I have great difficulty with these types of constructions, "...nothingness 'is'".
"Nothingness is not simply privation,....", "grounded in nullity...".
Semanitcally they are logical surds. So I can't see that it's a "fair question to ask", "Why
nothingness 'is'?" I'm tramelled up in its violence to logic. But, I certainly agree
that at this point "ontology has failed and that we have moved out of
ontology into metaphysics." Instinctively, one wants to shift out of the
genre of rigorous thinking and into poetry/myth. And if one reads
B&T as, say, a "Berlin method" version of "The Wasteland," the
paradoxicality, tautology, ambiguity are not inappropriate, and the
themes and imagery and queer usages convey insight and force....
"Death however provocative is highly unsatisfying...cannot ultimately lend meaning to
Being."
Christian onto-theology speaks of "dying into life" (baptism ritual), sacrificial death,
memento mori, martyrdom.... Epicureanism, Stoicism, Zen...but always the theme
is dogmatically grounded??? So again, we've abondoned ontology for metaphysics.
Also, I don't see how an Husserlean phenomenolgy can be ontological. H insists
on the ontic vs. ontological difference, but then proceeds to conflate them with
the use of phenomenal (ontic) predicates (like "care", "self", "awareness",
"respect",...) for Dasein. He insists that Being is not an Essent, and immediately
substantivizes it as "Dasein" and even speaks of the "being of Dasein".
He claims to be doing phenomenological analysis but abritrarily conflates
"meaning" qua description (i.e. phenomenal manifestations) with meaning
qua moral value (e.g. authenticity, falling).
Rita, you needn't respond if I'm just a total muddle. Don't wish to become
a nuissance.
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