Conference paper
Death in the philosophies of D. von Hildebrand and M. Heidegger
Ivan Tadić
; Katolički bogoslovni fakultet Sveučilišta u Splitu, Split, Hrvatska
Abstract
The author expounds Dietrich von Hildebrand's and Martin Heidegger's reflections on death. Firstly, Hildebrand examines death from its natural aspect whereby death is manifested as something primevally intrinsic to man and as his ontological determinant. He reflects on the death of a beloved one, of which one must speak as something that was rather than is. The horror of death cannot be displaced by a belief in immortality which is evoked by acts of morality and external beauty, nor by Christian optimism.
Hildebrand’s reflections on death are in congruence with the Christian faith according to which death signifies a time of judgement, an encounter with God and the inhabitants in heaven. Deprived of the Christian perspective, man finds himself in the midst of a pessimistic metaphysical confusion, in which death would seem to be somewhat of a disappearance into oblivion. God illuminates the enigma of the after-life with His Revelation.
Commencing with man’s death Heidegger , in his work Sein und Zeit, approaches his understanding of Dasein. Death belongs to the dynamic structure of Dasein itself. As long as Dasein exists, it retains its power - to be, and in death it is no longer a being-in-the-world. Dasein recognizes itself as a "being-toward-death", and at that point anxiety becomes evident. Heidegger reflects on the death of another and criticizes the everyday approach to death as “one dies”. He ponders the death of another from the aspect of postmortem formalities. No one can cast off the burden of death from the dying.
The author presents Heidegger's thoughts on death in his other works as well, and he considers Heidegger's reflections on death as being opened-closed. Finally, the author compares the two philosophers and describes similarities and differences in their thought on death.
Keywords
Hrčak ID:
1236
URI
Publication date:
4.3.2002.
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