Ueberwindung/Verwindung

Cologne, 12 July 1996

Taking a cue from Laurence's and my turnings, Iain, Paul and Michael have now
been sidewinding off in a slightly different direction.

I agree that "umgekehrt" is too slight to get a turning.

But on Ueberwindung/Verwindung I'd like to put in my two cents worth:

Gianni Vattimo has some interesting thoughts in this distinction in his 'End of
Modernity', the essay entitled 'Nihilism and Postmodernity in Philosophy'. He
draws attention esp. to passages in *Identity and Difference* such as:

"What we are experiencing in the set-up is a pre-lude to what is called the
e-ventuation. The latter, however, does not necessarily persist in its prelude,
For in the e-ventuation the possibility emerges that it will get over the naked
dominating sway of the set-up, twisting it into a more originary eventuation."
(ID Neske, Pfullingen 1957 S.29)

I don't see how Verwindung could be construed as 'restoration' at all. 'Twisting
free' is one good translation (is it Krell, then Sallis?). Allow me to mention
in this context a small volume I edited called *Twisting Heidegger: Drehversuche
parodistischen Denkens* Junghans Verlag, Cuxhaven, 1993.

Apart from the 'winden' cognates, *verwinden* can also mean 'to get over', as in
when you get over the pain of losing a loved one. Thus you have the contrast
overcoming/getting over for Ueberwindung/Verwindung. It's not a matter of
overcoming, surmounting metaphysics and leaving them behind, but getting over
them in the sense of assuming another historical relationship towards the
metaphysical tradition. Getting over could also imply a transition, an undecided
passage, relapses (like getting over pneumonia), a co-existing of old and new.
Getting-over also implies painfully taking leave of the spoilt ideals of
metaphysics. Twisting free is more liberating, getting out into the open, making
a fresh start (the other beginning).

*Unravel* (aufdroeseln, entwirren) seems to me too far from *verwinden*,
although it's a nicer way of saying the destruction of metaphysics, like
unravelling a skein of wool.

Michael

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