April 25, 2008

Overcoming metaphysics

Following on from this post, a short passage from the Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy on Heidegger's view of metaphysics:-
According to Heidegger, today's metaphysics, in the form of technology and calculative thinking related to it, becomes so pervasive that there is no realm of life that is not subjected to its dominance. It imposes on man its technological-scientific-industrial character and makes it the sole criterion of his sojourn on the earth. Grounded in the Cartesian philosophy of the subject and the Nietzschean idea of the unconditioned will, metaphysics provides an answer to the question of the being of beings for contemporary men and women, but skillfully removes from their field of view the problem of existence. Moreover, because of its powerful sway over contemporary human beings, metaphysics cannot be simply cast aside or rejected. Any straightforward attempt to do so can only fortify its power over human life. Metaphysics can neither be rejected, canceled or denied, but it can be overcome by the way of demonstration that it is nihilism.