I think that this is good example of evidence
for a non-human kind of 'Being-toward-the-end.' The problem arises,
though, I tend to think, when we try to think 'Being-towards-death'
as having the kind of unifying role which Heidegger asserts that it
does, as as the possibility under which all other possiblities get
subsumed. I mean this not merely in the sense of 'at death, possiblities
cease,' but in the sense of 'all possibilities gain their determination
and their quiddity explicitly in virtue of their being subsumed within
the final possibilities,' i.e. 'I can get such-and-such done in my life:
this is my calling.' I think the latter is what Heidegger is getting at.
Is it possible for an entity whose possibilities (presumably) on the order
of hunting prey, achieving a certain status in the pecking order of the
community, taking care of offspring, etc., to obtain such a determination
by means of the recognition of its mortality? For that matter, do human
possibilities -- most of which are probably on this order -- really
achieve determination in this way?
Just an idea. Thanks for the missive,
Chris Doss
--- from list heidegger@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx ---