The Metaphysics or a Hermeneutics

Abstract

When asked after the war about the understanding of humanity, humanism, ethics and responsibility, Heidegger gave an extensive and ambiguous answer in Letter on Humanism. Additional explanations are included in his post-war papers, read-outs and sketches (the essay collects them and compares to the main themes of Letter). An European asked about humanism is re-directed towards the tradition of Rome and cut off from the Greek roots of his history. However, it was in Greek, not Latin, that the fundamental solutions to our common thinking were taken. By cutting ourselves away from and forgetting them, we turn ourselves groundless and stand on the brink of a chasm (Abgrund). Heidegger asked about the medium of thinking, the speech and the language. He pointed out to the diversity of the Greek and Latin naming of speech and to the consequences of forgetting about the connections of poiesis and techne. He reminded of the difference in naming and understanding the ‘truth’ – aletheia and veritas, about the ambiguity of ‘thinking’ and its Greek root of logos. The essay brings up the views of Heidegger that, in his opinion, legitimise the necessity of backing away from the answer to the question of human condition and humanism. It would be rash and dangerous, unless we first decide to listen to what the history of our thinking says.