Heidegger`s Concept of "Die Befindlichkeit" and His Role in Human Cognition and Self-cognition

Year 2012, Issue: 18 - Kaygı (18) 2012, 11 - 17, 15.04.2012

Andrej Démuth

Abstract

The problem of cognition is one of the ancient questions of human inquiry and in its essence represents one of the most fundamental and crucial problems of philosophy. The reason for this is that the essence of cognition and the solution to its problems pre-determines the final result and character of any inquiry, and as a matter of fact, even our outlook on the world and ourselves. Do there exists something which can predetermine the cognition alone?

The present study approaches cognition through the analysis of Heidegger`s concept of “die Stimmung” and “die Befindlichkeit” which can be translated as a „state of mind”, „being in the mood” or an „attunement”1. The author of this study analyses the role of this concept and especially its existential modifications, as an epistemological determinant of cognition. Attunement is not viewed here traditionally, as a superficial and emotionally fleeting mental state of an individual (in the structure affect – mood – passion) but in line with Heideggerian understanding as a fundamental epistemological “attunement” of a subject or a kind of hermeneutical “approach”. The author of study try to show that “die Befindlichkeit” pre-determines the entire perception, understanding and outlook on the world and ourselves.

Keywords

Heidegger, Attunement, Mood, Understanding, Hermeneutic, Cognition

References

• Brayer, Th.: On topology of the cultural memory. Different modalities of inscription and transmission. Würzburg: Verlag Königshausen & Neumann, Gmbh, 2007.
• Condrau, G.: Sigmund Freud & Martin Heidegger. Praha: Triton 1998.
• Davis, B.W.: Heidegger and the Will. On the Way to Gelassenheit. Northwestern University Press. 2007.