Heidegger: beyond nihilism?

Abstract

we begin with a quotation from Hans Jonas: 1 The disruption between man and total reality is at the bottom of nihilism ... : the stare at isolated self-hood, to which it condemns man, may wish to exchange itself for a monistic naturalism which, along with the rupture, would abolish the idea of man as man. Between that Scylla and her twin Charybdis, the modern mind hovers. Whether a third road is open to it - one by which the dualistic rift can be avoided and yet enough of the dualistic insight saved to uphold the humanity of man - philosophy must find out. The principal task of this thesis will be to investigate whether Heidegger's thought, in either its earlier or its later form, serves to take us along the third road of which Jonas speaks. As the first step of this task, I will look closely at the characterisation of the ground of nihilism which Jonas gives, to see whether it cannot be developed and given more content. Show more