Heidegger, Martin - Question Concerning Technology & Other Essays (Harper & Row, 1977)

8/16/2019 Heidegger, Martin - Question Concerning Technology & Other Essays (Harper & Row, 1977)

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The QuesionConcening Technology� an Other Essays X

MARTIN HIDGG

Tanslated and th an Intductn byWLLA LOV

GRD UBSHG, CN Y &

1977


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TH QUEON CONCNN EHNOLOGY AND OE EAY ngls ansaoncopyg @ 977 y ap Row, ulss nc ll gs sdnd n nd as o ma o pa o s oo ay usdo poducd n any ann waso wou wn pmsson xcp

n cas o uoaons odd n cca acls and ws Fonomaon addss ap Row ulss nc 10 as 53d Sw o 122 ulsd smulanously n Canada y Fny Wsd Lmd oono

egned b E Calaha

Ts don usd aann w a ow uss nc

BAY CON CAAON N BCAON DAA

d Man, T uson concn cnoo, and o ssas.

Tanslaons o ssas wc na aad nD Tcn und d K ow, and o undus

CONTN: T uson concnn cnooT

unnT wod o sc "God s dad c nooddsss, ssas, lcus . Tc

noloddsss ssas, lcus TlB SB


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AcknowlegmentsPreface

Introuction

Contents

PART I

he Question Conceing echnologyhe Turning

PART II

he Word of Nietzsche: "God Is Dead

PART III

he Age of the Word PictureScience and Reection

vix

xiii

115

155


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Acknwledgments

I m l n o Pofsso J lnn y fo nng no mnn of nsln Hgg n fo oulo oon ov h p wo s, n h ous of whh mo vn of nslons fo hs vol hs m om mny ns u f y f o bum on .

o Poo , s w s o Pofso Hgg hsf

o hnk fo s o h npubsh nss of womn on y Hg n Fn "Sn nu p of H su Drnzchrft Hg nSmn n ho n spmb p PofssuMn H. hs hp pov h psvo m noon n oh hv nhn y nsnngo v nu h

o on h l n s Clfon S Unvsy,Smno ho v hlp n spo n y wok onh vom oo nmos o knowg h nv I m pll fl o my ollu n n,oo Ol K. P fo ho of nn onvson nhh mn of h mn om w v o .

o Mo Nmn ho ws m yps fo h bgnnng

o h poj lmo o h ls n o y Eyn y,


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v Anowedgment

he ueo ae due m ea than o eetona andae

Eve age o th oo owe t na hang n ve agemeaue to the magnatve and goou utn o m we Haet Bundage Lovtt who though taned n anothedne ha now eome ndutab a hoa and nteeteo Hedegge n he own ght

WLM OVTT


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Preface

The essays in this book were taken with Heidegger's permissionfrom three dieren volumes o his works: De Technk und dieKehre (Pfulingen Gnher Neske, 1962); Holzwege (FrankurVorio Kostermann, 1952; and Vortrge und Aufstze (Pul-ingen Gnther Neske, 194. The Question Concerning Technology" is conained in both De echnk und de Kehre andVortrge und Austze.

In e echnk und de Kehre the olowing preatory noeappears regarding the two essays, The Quesion ConcerningTechnology" (Die Frage nach der Technik" and "The Tuing(Die Kehre)

Under the title Insight into That Which Is, the author gave Deember 1, 1949, i the Club at Breme, four letures, whih wererepeted wthout ltertions in the spring of 1950 (Marh 2S ad26) t Bhlerhhe The titles were "The Thig ["as ig] "E-

framing [Das Gestell], The Danger [Die Gefhr] "TheTurig [Die Kehre].

The irst leture ws give in a expanded versi Jue 195, before the Bavarian Aademy of Fine Arts. (ee Vor nz 1954, pp. 163 )

* Throughout the translations in ths volume parnthtical mntnterpolated by e are shown in brakts, while those presnt in th

author's orginal ext are gven in parentheses. "The Thng has ben publshed n P, Lu, huh, Abrt Hofsadter (New York: Harper & Row 1971) pp 165-186


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x Prfac

Th son u as gn on Nomb aso n anxpan son, un h Th uson Connng Th

noogy, n h ss n Th As n h Thnooga Ag.( Vortrge und Aufstz, pp. Th psn oumpas hs x una.

Th h u mans s unpubsh.Th ouh u, Th Tunng, s pubsh h o h s

m aong o h s una son.

A h n of Hozwege Hggr maks h foowng ob-

srvaons concrnng Th Wor of Nsch Go Is Da' "Nschs Wor Go s o' t an Th Ag of h WorPcr (D Z s Wbs)

Th o o Nsh 'Go Is Da Th mao poons pay n o sma goups. Th onn s basupon h Nzsh us ha gn bn 6 an 0ung smss a h Unsy o Fbug m Bsgau.

Ths s hmss h ask o usanng Nzshs hnkngas h onsummaon o sn maphyss om ou o BngTh Ag o h Wo u Th u as gn on un

un h Th Esabshng by Maphyss o hMon o u, as h as o a ss ha as aang byh oy o Ashs, Naua hosophy an Mn aFbug m Bsgau, an hh ha as s hm h sabshngo h mon o pu. Th appnxs n a h

sam m bu no .

Of a h ssas n Holzwege Hggr rmarks

In h nnng m hs ps ha bn pay san, n som pas, a In ah as h o on anh suu ha man, an so aso, ogh h hs, hash hangng us o anguag

An a h n of Vorrge und Ausze Hggr gs hfoowng nos

Th uson Connng Thnoogy D Fag nah Thnk] Lu h on Nomb n h man auoum o h Thnsh Hohshu, Munh, n h ss ThAs n h Thnooga Ag, aang by h Baaan Aamyo Fn As un h ashp o sn Em ous

pubsh n oum III o h Yarbook of th Acadmy (. Cmns Ga os), R. Onboug, Munh, pp. 70


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Prfac x

"Scence and Reection [Wssenschaft und BesnnungJ: Lecture,n ts present verson gven n August 9 before a smal groupn preparaton for the above-mentone onference in Munc

WLAM OVTTacramnto Caforna


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Intrductin

rad Hdr s s a advr. h ssas hs vm-r cha ad a hradrca hm aas aad a sprca sca ad r hhard h srs prs f hk

vr phsphr dmads rad hs rms. hss spca r Hdr ms cm hm hradmad as, ahh hs ar vr v hsHdr s a xsas H s ccrd crar xcsv h ma. Rahr h s cra ccrd hh ra ma ad B, h ma as h hch ad hch B prscs ad s k Hdrs a drms H ds v ha a's acsar cmp crd rcs sd hm r ha ma ha cv frdm Hdr ma's f ds dd dr a ds s frm f B. B hm ha ds ca s ca rh a sfr rsps f ma ha sra ad s a r xprss hma frdm Aa, Hds a msc H ds dscr r advca h xprc a sr ss h a as r Frhm bh ma a B ar ad hr rashp vrdssvs shr ss. Hc as, , r h ca appar hm as asracs f mas hk, ad as ras ssa pr


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xv Inrodcon

Hdggr s no a prmv or a romanc. H s no onho sks scap from h brdns and rsponsbs of con

mporar f no srn hr hrogh h rcrang ofsom dc pas or hrogh h xang of som smp xprnc Fna Hdggr s no a fo of chnoog andscnc. H nhr dsdans nor rcs hm as hogh hr on dsrcv of hman f

Th roos of Hdggr's hnkng dp n h Wsrnphosophca radon. Y ha hnkng s nq n man of

s aspcs n s angag and n s rar xprsson. In hdvopmn of hs hogh Hdggr has bn agh chb h Grks b Grman dasm b phnomnoog and bh schoasc hoogca radon Ths and ohr mnshav bn fsd b hs gns of snsv and nc novr ndvda phosophca xprsson.

In approachng Hdggr's ork h radr ms ask no onha h sas b ho h sas For hr form and conn ar

nxrcab nd Th prcpv radr nd a hand nh rar form of ach on of hs ssas man ks o n-ock s mann. H aso nd h conn of ach connashapng for sf forms admrab sd o s parcar xprsson.

For Hdggr r hnkng s nvr an acv prformd nabsracon from ra I s nvr man's ordrng of absracons smp n rms of ogca conncons Gnn hnkng srahr man's mos ssna mannr of bng man. Rgorosdmandng and b rar aand manfss h raon b-n man and Bng In r hnkng man s sd b Bnghch nds man as h openness ha provds h masr and

h bonds for Bng's manfsng of sf n havr s. Mann hnkng s cad pon o nd a hpng hand o Bng Indd Hdggr can rfr o hnkng as handcraf As schhnkng s man's fndamna rspondng o havr orssf o hm Informd b rcocon brngs forh no aarnss and cac havr s prsnd o o kno. I s hcarakng hand ha rcvs and hods and shaps vrhng

ha r coms o b and o b knon Throgh ha rcvngan shapng of havr s prsn hnkng as bongng o


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Intoucton xv

an n by Bng coopas n h hanng ou of mtsan th sttng of bouns.

H Bng s n no sns o b though of as an ny of somsot No s t o b smpy n wh any mn o aspco toay of th aty that w onay know Rah Bngs h Bng o whatv s Rung n whav s y anscn-ng an govnng th a n h pacuay of s psncngBng may phaps bst b sa o b th ongong mann nwhch vythng ha s psncs; . s h mann n whchn th asngnss of tm vythng ncouns man an comso appaanc though h opnnss ha man povs Hncfo Hgg Bng s h vy oppos of an abstactonfashon by human hough Rah s wha s gvn othnkng o hnk" Tu hnkng shou no concn sf wthsom acan an hn manng but wth somhng yngna ha whch s nast" whch n vu of ha vynanss man's thnkng can ay fa o notc a (W111) * Bng us n whav sn h patcua an n hfaangng compxty of th whothby constanty appoachng an concnng man In h s " spokn of anyhnga whatv Bng' s ut" (T 46) .

Bng manfss sf contnuay anw In kpng wth hshnkng can nv b fo Hgg a cos systm. Rah

s th avng of a oa Each thnk gos aong a way ha spcuay hs own In a funamnta sns t s h way an noh nvua ha assmbs wha s hough ha povsbouns an s vyhng san n aon o vyhng s.

Hgg's wtngs xmpfy ths cntaty of h a fo

Te ve esss in is olume re referred o in e Inroducion nd

in e foonoes wi e following smols QT Te Quesion Concerning Tecnolog"T Te Turning"WN Te Word of Niezsce God Is Ded' AWP Te Age of e World Picue"R cience nd Reflecion"

Te reviion Pr Iden" refers o e ess Prncple of Iden,in Heidegger's den and erence, rns. on Smug New YorHrper Row, 1969) pp. 23 In ll quoions fom is wor slig

modicions of e rnslion e een mde. Sem refers o e unpulised rnscrip of e minire enu u Tor en sepemre 1969 pre Profsseur Mrin Heidegger"


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xv Intoucton

hm. Chaactstcall h wts ssas xcusons o houghEach o h v ssas n h psnt voum s o hs natu.Th v cnt aoun th thm o tchnolog an th monag n ang ach o thm w avl a patcua path Eachs snctv an scontan an mus b a n an otsl . In ach nnumabl tas o wo an phas an suc-u at onc boh as om an val what Hgg s sang

Hgg s pmal a tach H os not wsh o avlalon an hn po wha h has sn no os h wsh o go

as a gu m pontng ou objcts aong th oa. H wshsh a o accompan hm on h wa to pacpat wth hman vn o bgn to bul hs own wa hough thnkng anno m o ha about wha t s o shoul b.

Bng appoachs an concns us n whav s Bngchaactstca concas tsl vn n so ong Hnc thnkngcannot al n out Th wa though hnkng o ha plac

wh man can opn hmsl to th ung o Bng s cut. I as otn though unama an vn plous count.W mon mn a a om hat opn cang. W a appan bln b a mo o hough tha nsss on gaspng although mpos concptual stuctus W canno an wll nocom o that plac wh w can wha s be. W o not p-cv hat h wa b whch u hnkng pocs can tsl

pov to b th souc o tha un whch w on nstv at n ou phlosoph n ou scnc an n v aspco ou acvt.

In o o ppa us u o hnk Hgg n kpngwh h bst spcuav aon otn cas us bon ouacl concvng o sk th goun o ou thnkng Bu h osmo H conots us pa wth an abss. o h svs

to nuc us o ap to nw goun o hnk n sh was.Hnc agan an agan as w av wh hm hough hsssas som ppc wl conon us On must on cambthough ak sangs an sca absuts on wou olowon ths pahs Ths s a aunng pospct. Y Hgg hashop o hos who go wth hm o h goun h sks toachv bongs unamna to man as man Hnc h cas

ach o us who as o com an n t ou.


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Introcton xv

Hggr's wrtng s ntrnsca sqnta awas movng nsom partcar rcton Thrfor on mst scovr manng

as on movs forwar On mst xprnc th trnngs of thspaths jst whr th happn No mnt can propr xcrpt an consr n soaton an non can propr ft ot of accont for ach mnt pas ts part n th forwarmovmnt Wors an sntncs mst awas ra n contxtf on hops to aprhn th manng that th ar

In ths ng forwar of thnkng thr s awas a pattrn

Somtms t s cos an ntrcat wovn as n Th Trn-ng" Somtms as n Th Qston Concrnng Tchnoog"or Th Wor of Ntsch Go Is Da' " t s farrangngnvong ong compx scssons whos ntrconnctons can har to scrn At tms wrmnt ma s vn ththoghtf rar Yt h mst rmmr that on ach partcarpath Hggr hmsf nvr oss hs wa an nvr forgts

n what rcton h s gong H nvr aanons th sqncof hs thms nvr forgts what h has prvos sa annvr forsaks th pattrn of hs work. Evrthng ts oftnwth grat prcson nto that pattrn For Hggr s awasworkng ot of th whonss prov th mtng waprs

Hggr mst an s contnt to nt How-

vr ntrcat th ratonshps to xprss howvr manfo th gvn manng h mst st forth on fact at a tmThr s trmnos rgor n hs work. Thrfor h maks gratmans on thos who foow hm Yt th rar who prsvrsma hop to xprnc th xctmnt of scovr as h nshmsf ntmat ngag n th prst of thnkng

Bcas Hggr s agr that th rar sho foow hm

an sns that th wa s har agan an agan h spaks soas to vok a spons that w carr hs companon forwarOftn at som k pont h w ask a qston skng to forcth rar to com to grps wth what s ng sa to thnk torp an thn to stn for an answr that w sn th scsson forwar Dos ths man that man for ttr or wors shpss vr ovr to tchnoog?" T 37). In what os

th ssnc of morn scnc AWP 117) What s hap


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v n toduton

enng to Beng?" (WN 104) When we ome uon uh queton we mut ten aet A queton ma be anweed n an

mmedate enung entene o t anwe ma emege onafte an nvoved eoton But an anwe w ome And tw be motant to he whoe duon

Sometme Hedegge ea wth ha emha to ndatethat a ont mu be head neve an t be uentteed " (SR 160) a onfontaton wth Chtendo aboute not n an wa " (WN 64) neve doe the Beng

of that whh ont (AWP 10) Suh wod demandou oet attenton

Agan Hedgge ha man deve fo athng the eade uand otng hm fom h habtua fame of mnd But wheehave we taed to?" he w a afte a equene of thought hadawn to an eeted onuon (T 1) O he w nteetome ha aeton fo entue we have ated a though

the dotne of the fou aue had faen fom heaven a a tutha ea a daght" (T 6)and he theeb a n quetonou unondeed aumton At one ont he w eho whatwe ae thnng on to amf t wth a wod that move tnto anothe dmenon Ye the ntumenta denton of teh-noog oet" t ndeed o unann oet" and thewod unann" even f fogotten hang ove the otaa of

the eeta owe nto whoe doman we oo n wod thateventua foow (T 5, 1 ) . At anothe ont he w thutat the foundaton of ou thnng wth a qu evea ofthought hong to dodge u and bng u to new goundModen h aed mathemata beaue n a emaabe wa t mae ue of a qute e mathemat But tan oeed mathemata n th wa on beaue n a deee

ene t aead tef mathemata" (A WP 11)and we aeomeed to a What he ang wth th uzzng aeton?Sometme uh thut ae a but beond ou omehenon

The eene of tehnoog b no mean anthng tehnooga" (T 4) Ph a h an mae no aetonabout h" (SR 16) Suh wod ma even when headuea ound e mee evene o aogant nonene

Moe eou onfonted uh tatement ma fa hat theeade n dma and eaeaton now th man mut be


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ntrodcton xx

wron," he ma protet, he a that the eence o technoo a nothn to do wth technoo e cant e an

that Bt what he an? am wn to do a wa aked, tooow, to qeton, to d a wa. Bt what can I do wth anopaqe tatement ke that? The eence o technoo nomean anthn technooca!" Yet n ch opaqe tatementthe meann o the wa oten mot deep oded. an thereader ha een orced to ak, to ook or the rane o meannwthn eemn amar word. Never hod t e thoht

that at ch jnctre Hedeer mere pan wth word.For hm, rather, anae pa wth . he wt trnedphrae not a roadock. t another, enmatc, npot.t a tatement opaqe on reaon o ne, ntended tode the reader orward n earch o the meann that t odeorth.

cce to the wa to whch Hedeer whe to ntrodce the wa to thnkn and to a ree reatonhp wth Ben, ethroh anae. For thnkn man accordn wth andrepondn to Ben, and "anae the pma dmenon" nwhch that reponve correpondn take pace ( 4).

Hedeer ha a poet ear or anae and oten wrte na poetc wa For hm the proper ncton o word not to

tand or, to n Rather, word pont to omethn eondthemeve he are trancent earer o meann. o name athn to mmon t, to ca t toward one. Hedeer' wordare rch n connotaton Once ncned to nvent word to carrneeded meann, he ha more recent ecome concerned wththe rehataton o anae wth the retorn o t ornanow oterated orce.

Repeated he te o the ancent and ndamenta meann o word, care ettn orth nance or tracn htorcahane that took pace a thoht paed rom one anae toanother. Or word "technoo" we earn, ret ack pon theGreek ecn Or "cae," rom the Latn caua tranate theGreek aon, whch ha a ver derent meann. "Eence,""theor," reecton," the "rea"word ater word earched

ot to t root and dened and ed acordn to t atentmeann. n a th Hedeer o core no mere antqaran


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nrodon

or eene or ehnoo or meaph are onvenhere

n h aon he nonGerman reader of ore a apear dadvanae A ranaor neora fored o hooeamon man ape of onnoaon for word pon word and orea enene afer enene no a ver deren mod. araeword and even raher enh phrae have omeme eened here o render ne German word n order o dpaadeqae her readh of meann. Ever aemp ha een

made o manan onen n he ranon of ven wordand o mrror a fahf a poe he nner emphae ofonron reden n he German e e depe a heor he evoave power of he orna ord a ofen of heorna re and of phrae an are e preerved forhe Enhpean reader n hee ea foonoe and aon of he orna German have een provded o hep he

reader a ra pon. The ea have een ranaed whare and hoped ha mh of Hedeer' meann e whnhee pae even hoh he fne of he orna Germanm e an. oe who an ha anone who wheo now Hedeer wor we m read and d he Germane

When a h ha een ad m e added ha he r

proem of he reader of h Enh vome ap o e no nhe fa ha he readn Hedeer n ranaon n hefa ha n readn Hedeer he enonern word ha hem earn o e ome o hm wh freh meann. Denonand one reman o ve onderae ad. Moreover even ne anae of ranaon he eprevene of man of Hedeer word an reah wh enne power. f we an earnwh whaever d o hn rh a noneamen oreene a he manner n whh omehn endre n omn opreene f we an e word e ehnoo or dennor daner ond wh he meann Hedeer nend henohn of ha power w e preen for

Ver ofen Hedeer e word ha pon o reae or reaon eond hoe of whh he mmedae pea. On oaon a par of word w e fond eah of whh f we arer enn more or e ear e and reenfore heoher. Word e nonean and onean pre


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xx noucon

ncng an whawng a nn vaousy o ac n hs

way Mo mpoany such wos k many ohs aso hava wowaynss ha pms hm o pon a onc o Bng an oman Thus psncng an vang spak smuanousyof a movng no psnc o un concamn an of on owawhom ha movmn aks pac wh concang an wh-awng of a movmn away an mn of on who sbng pv of ha whch mgh b psn o va

Ofn hs bah of xpssvnss possss by Hgg'sanguag can hp h anv a o mak hs way houghcu passags In Th Tunng fo xamp houghouh spcay cu squnc n whch w a o of whacoms o pass n h unng of h ang ha s h ssnc ofchnoogy amos no ov auson s ma o h o of man(T ) Tha o s s foh n h opnng pags of hssay (pp 361) bu cou asy b sp fom vw as ha foows h nca scusson Thoughou ha vyscusson howv a who ss of wosgh n-ashng ganc nsgh appas An hs can sv omn on of ghng up ha boh shns foh an s snThs wos spak spcfcay of wha happns n h unngwhn Bng sf Bu hy aso susan fo us f bu hnyh mmoy of man's ncssay nvovmn n wha s comngo pass un h human o s agan akn up an boughfowa (T 7)

Hgg maks pacua us of pposons an avbssanng h aon o as componns of vbs o spak husof funamna aons vn whn hos aons hmsvsa no un scusson uch wos as no fom ou ofowa foh ou an hh w b m wh f-quny n hs pags Thy shou b cafuy no fo hyan mboy wh pcua foc h apphnson of ay ouof whch Hgg s spakng

Po ha h s Hgg ofn spaks h sam wos aganan agan an agan Rpon gvs mphass A wo nouc a on pon an hn akn up ony a no u scus-son gans n chnss hough ha ay noucon fo spsnc has a bu unnoc hough h pan of n-vnng hough Th sam phass a us now hn us agan


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xxv Introcton

sbt verse occrrencessch thngs are here to be met wth

at ever trnOnce more the reaer ma be tempte to sa "What non-sense!" One sho be war however o eapng hast to ansch concson So pervasve oes ntve reatona thnkngnorm ever aspect o Heegger's work that one who smssesch thnkng ot o han wo rsk extngshng or hmsean hope o nerstanng what Heegger s sang The reaer

mst n act become so aert to ncsve compextes o thoghtthat he w be senstve to ther presence even when the o notmanest appear

Heegger as s tpca o hm s concerne n the essasbeore s wth the nerstanng o Western hstor an Western thoght We ornar thnk o the moern age "the age oscence an technoog" as one that began a ew centres ago

an that s nqestonab new Heegger too can speak o anew epartre n the moern age et or hm to sa ths s topont at te same tme to the comng nto overt expresson o atenenc whose tre orgn es ecsve hen n Greekantqt

The namenta Greek experence o reat was Heeggerbeeves one n whch men were mmeate responsve to what-

ever was presencng to the The open receve whateverspontaneos met them AWP 131) For the Greeks the comng nto the "present" ot o the "not-

present" was posss QT 10) Ths "brngng orth" was man-est rst o a n phss that presencng wheren the brstng-orth arose rom wthn the thng tse Tchn was aso a ormo ths brngng orth bt one n whch the brstngorth anot n the thng tse bt n another In chn throgh art anhancrat man partcpate n conjncton wth other contrbt-ng eementswth "matter" "aspect" an crcmscrbngbons"n the brngng orth oa thng nto beng QT 78)Moreover the arts o the mn ere cae chn aso QT 13)

Greek man open receve an mae known that whchoere tse to hm Yet nevertheess he tene n the ace othe nrsh o the reveang o Beng n a that met hm to seekto master t It s st ths tenenc towar master that showstse n Greek phosoph Phosoph sprang rom the na


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Introcton xxv

mnta Grk xprnc of ray. Th phosophr wonr a

h prsncng of hngs an wonrng x pon hm ThatHggr rmarks s why Thas umb no a w [Sm11 Th phosophr sogh to grasp an consr raty oscovr wavr mgh b prmann whn so as o knowwhat t ry was Bu prcsy n so ong h sanc hmsffrom Bng whch was manfsng sf n h prsncng of apartcar bngs For n hs skng h rach o no smpy

o rcv wh opnnss bu aso o conro Hr to H-grs thnkng s th ra orgn of h mon chnoogcaag T chn was a sk an horogh knowng ha scostha was as sch a mo of brngng forth no prsncng amo of rvang Phosophy as a thnkng that consrraty an hrwh ma manfst n s Bng was chnaso n ts own way. n h Wstrn traton h maphysca

hnkng born of ha phosophy carr forwar th xprssonof chn no morn ms.Hggr fns Chrsan thoogy to b whoy omnat y

maphyscs rng h cnrs afr h bgnnng of hChrstan ra. n h mva pro mn wr proccp whh qson of how thy mgh b n rgh raonshp wh Gohow hy mght b assur of savaton . how hy mgh n

nrng scrty. At h cos of tha pro h ovr hoogcanrgrng of hs qusons f away b h qus forscury rman Man n a nw bass for hs sfassranchs assranc of rghnss Th work of Dscars sf an xprsson of h shft n mns oook tha ha aray aknpac s forh hat bass n phosophca trms WN 8890).

In h go cogo [rgo u of Dscarts man foun hs sf-crany whn h Mans thnkng cogar whch H-ggr says was aso a rvng toghr coagar) was fono contan wthn sf h n srnss. Man cou rprnray o hmsf ha s h co s up ovr aganst hmsfas appard o hm as an objc of hough In so ong hf assur onc of hs own xstnc an of th xsnc ofh ray ths concv AWP 131)

It s n hs tha Hggr ss th foca pont for th bgn-nng of th mo ag Th nncy prsnt n mtaphyscsfrom s ncpon hr bgns o com to ffmnt. Man onc


23/214

xxv Introucton

concrn to scovr an csvly to bho th truly ral nowns hmsf crtan of hmslf an h taks hmsf n that

sfcrtanty to b mor an mor th trmnng cntr ofralty.

Ths stanc of man n th mst of al that s bspaks th factthat man has bcom subct." Th phnomnon of th sub ct" s tsf not nw. It was prsnt among th Grks. Butthr subct hypoknon, thatwhchsbfor (for thGrks that whch ooms up .g an san or mountan) mant

th ralty that confront man n th powr of ts prsnc cSm. 7 Wth Dscarts at th bgnnng of th morn proths manng of hypoknon, subct was csvly transform

Dscarts x hs attnton not on a raty byon hmsfbut prcsly on that whch was prsnt as an whn hs ownconscousnss. At ths pont human sfconscousnss bcam

subct par xcllnc an vrythng that ha th charactr ofsubctof thatwhchsbforcam to n th ocus anmannr of ts bng prcsy n that slfconscousnss nth unty of thnkng an bng that was stabsh by Dscartsn hs go cogo rgo su, through whch man was contnualyskng to mak hmslf scur. Hr man bcam what h hasbn ncrasngy throughout our pro. H bcam subct th

slfconscous shapr an guarantor of a that coms to hmfrom byon hmsf (AWP 147 .)

Morn scnc s for Hggr a work of man as subct nths sns. Morn man as scntst through th prscrb pro-curs of xprmnt nqurs of natur to arn mor an morabout t. But n so ong h os not rat hmslf to natur asth Grk rlat hmslf to th muttunous prsncng of

vrythng that mt hm spontanously at vry turn. H osnot rat to natur n th opnnss of mmat rspons. Forth scntsts "natur" s n fact Hggr says a humanconstructon. Snc strkngly manfsts th way n whchmorn man as subct rpsns ralty. Th morn scntstos not lt thngs prsnc as thy ar n thmslvs. H arrststhm obcts thm sts thm ovr aganst hmslf prcsy

by rprsntng thm to hmsf n a partcular way. Mornthory Hggr says s an ntrappng an scurng rnng


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Intocton xxv

of th a R 167) Ralty as nat s psnt as amanfo of cas an ct cohncs psnt natcoms amnal to xpmnt Bt ths os not happnsmply cas nat ntnscaly i of ths chaact; ath thappns Hgg avs spccaly cas man hmslfpn nat as of ths chaact an thn gasps an n-vstgats t accong to mthos that not spsngly tpfcty th alty so concv

H scnc Wincha) mans any scpn o anchof knowg. In spakng of scnc Hgg can f asoftn to th scpn of hstoy wth ts psntng of hs-toca vnts as casa sqncs as h os to physcs an tslat scpns wth th spctv ways of psntngnat

Th ntcat systm of tchnqs an appaats that w calmon tchnoogy ongs ssntaly to ths sam alm. Int contmpoay man's nvtat v to mast whatv con-fonts hm s pan fo al to s. Tchnoogy tats vythngwth octvty." Th mon tchnoogst s galy x-pct an xpcts hmsf to a to mpos o on aata to pocss vy sot of ntty nonhman an hmanalk an to vs sotons fo vy kn of polm H sfov gttng thngs n contol.

Hggs potaya of th gnnngs of th mon agan of ts chaactstc phnomna oftn so shapy stsss thsfxatng an stctv o of man that hs thnkng cansm not nk that of thos who ncontonaly conmnCatsan astacton" an cy th pncos tnncy ofscnc an tchnoogy to ct man o fom vta awanss ofth a (AWP 118 R 169 ) Bt fo Hgg that smp

stss nv stans aon Its smng smplcty n fact masksa concomtant hn tth that actay s any sch sm-pcty. Away fo Hggvn whn h most vvy -scs how man as sct has oght th mon ag ntong an how h now shaps an omnats ts phnomnath pmal atonshp twn man an Bng s as na athan an mans as mch to takn nto accont as t os

whn h spaks of th ancnt Gks an of th mmatsponsvnss to th lng of Bng n whatv was psncng


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xxv Inoucon

o hm Howv xnv Hgg ma pak abou manh hnkng an h ong h nv o gh of h uh han h ' /I of vhng ha Bng u.

Mon chnoog k ancn chn, fom whch pngan k cnc an maphc whch a na onwh a mo of vang. Bng hough mann ofung n a ha manfng f whn .

Tha whch ha com o fuon n Dca an n a of uh mon ucco no on ook ong bfo n ampoa n. I ao ook ong n avanc fom bonman (QT 14 Fo n fumn Hgg h hong-wa of a nng o nng foh of Bng ha ha comupon man an mo hm an h wo (QT 24).

In h m of h Gk h phooph no mp mpo cago k da upon a o a o mak accbo hmv n h wa h wh Rah ha whch v-wh m hm n Bng o o f a o ca foh hhough n u ho wa In h am mann n h monCaan cnc ag man o no m mpo h ownconucon upon a H o n pn a ohm fung o hng mg a h a. H o fo-v cach a up n a concpua m an n ha hmu x hu bfo h can a a. Bu man o h boha h own wok and bcau h vang now hong wa aonc n a ha an n hmf bng abou ha h houo o. Th muanou uxapong of h nng of Bngan h ong of man abou funamna fo Hgghnkng

W ona unan mon chnoog a havng anubqun o cnc an a ubona o W con o b a phnomnon bough abou hough cnc avancHgg pon ou ha on h cona mon cnc anmachn chnoog a muua pnn upon on anoh.Mo mpoan chnoog n nc pc an mo funamna han cnc Th no m amn con-cnng chonoogca po fo h nc of chnoog" h v mo of Bng vang of f ha hong

wa n a phnomna of h mon ag Man aogaon ohmf of h o of ubc n phooph; h obcfng of


26/214


27/214

ntouton

a moe o eng eeang o te Yet n t ao, eng wth-aw, o that the ummon that thu ename" a but e-o o eng a empoweng to be ompee by t amoee an oee ake ae enue A that an manhme ae gppe n a tutung that ehbt a mee keetono the eng, o the way n whh they ntnay ae. n ath the eene o tehnoogy ue

he omnon o Enamng a the eene o moen tehnoogy an the onomtant peene o the tanngeee aemot eay een n the eam o mahne tehnoogy whee noobjet ha gnane n te an whee the oeabty" oeeythng, om enegy an tatt to mahne an peon, ampotant It an be oun ao, Heegge ay, n thephee o ene namey, n moen phy. hee agan, theobet, othewe the hamak o the ene, ha appeaeIn t tea the eaton between ubet an objet ome to theoe an beome a tanngeee to be ontoe (SR 173.

In metaphy too the ue o the eene o tehnoogy ap-pea. Pehap athe upngy, Heegge n n Nethethe umnaton the moement o moen metaphy begunn Deate an ae owa by ubequent thnke. Stan-ng wthn the moen metaphya outook, Nethe, n akngonenng the eaty o the ea oun the w to be unamentay etemnate. he eonoune o the ubjet,whh Deate etabhe a nomate, ae n Netheto u metaphya epeon. Seonoune hee theeonoune o the w ng te. he w to powe,unamenta o Nethe, no mee human wng. It themoe o eng now ung n eethng that , whh mut naomphment though man (WN 9697

n tng ee owa n an to geate powe, the w topowe mutnee n the mot eteme manneat n theey way that Heegge n haatet o metaphyathnkng a uh In potng o te the peeatonenhanement onton o e that atten t own neeay aane,the w to powe annot an oe not eee what ome to tan eae t to t pontaneouy owng peenng Rathe t

mut aet t, emt t, make t nto a ontant eee, ntothat on the ba o whh t te moe owa (WN 83 .).


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Intoduton xxx

he etblhng o the odton neey o the wl toowe wlng o te thought o by Nethe lue-otng

Nethe degnte nhl" the delung o the tn-endent lue oed on n by tdton ethylthnkng; nd he oeted nhl" the eung,"ohed n h own thnkng, tht t one gud gnt lng bk nto thoe oe lue nd ode n -te b o the otng o new lue Fo Hedegge, Nethetuly dy n h oleted nh" yet oe exteeo o nhl whoe hte he doe not hel uetDete h dee to oeoe ethy, Nethe tndquey n the ethy tdton, o he ontnue to thnkn te o lung He n ndeed tke eng to be lue, ondton oted n the wl to owe o t own eetonnd enhneent he eng o eeythng, o beng eelng eenng to be eey eeed, beoe deten-te n ew tht ut led wy to oe uthe endHee elonounewhh ubjet et te nd eey-thng eent to t beoe tel, tht t y ke tel eueoe, n the ode o the wl to owe, to tke dol, n tueotng, een oe eng

It jut th thnkng tht o Hedegge n the hghet

degee nhlt" In t eng h been degded nto ue(. WN 1010) eng nnot be eng e, the owe oeeythng whtee to eene detly n t eng h beendetoyed by thnkng tht woud nd eey et nd h-tet o elty to be t the do n ee o the nexeon o the ubjetne o the ubjet eeung el-onounethe wl to owe Nethe ntted oe-

n," ebodyng n he the detenng owe one u-oed to le n the el o tnendent lue, would tuleth ubjetne

In th wy Hedegge ee n Nethe hoohy the o-eton nd onuton o ethy, nd tht ut eno the onuton o the eene o tehnology Netheoen ght be to be tehnologl n a excellence

he ne oen" doe not degnte n nddul Rthet ne tht hunty whh, oden hunty, now be


29/214

xxxii Intodtion

ginning to ente pon the onmmtion o the moden ge WN 96. Oemn wod onioy wi nd wod hedominion nd dipo oe thing the one y mnietingthe wi to powe.

One gin the thinking tht degde eing nd in eetdetoy it eing i not meey hmn doing. ndeed, Heidegge ee in the t tht Niethe wok, o it bodnewne, ony bing to mintion tendenie peent in metphyi om it beginning, tiking eidene tht the obtting,ye, the ey bene, o eing in it mniettion in Wetenthinking deie om eing ite Peiey with the heng-ing eeing o Enming, the powe tht, een in hi highetetphyi thinking, tht mn owd epoitingnd hene ndmenty odeing o end tht im-tneoy bing it bot tht nothing tht i n ppe iti in ite, nd tht mn mt oneie nd detemine eeythingin thi ontoing wyi the ey detining o eing itetht i hoding wy moe nd moe peiey in the modenge

Heidegge ee eey pet o ontempoy ie, not onymhine tehnoogy nd iene bt o t, eigion, nd tendetood the pit o the highet good, exhibitinge mk o the ing eene o tehnoogy tht hod wyin the dominion o mn eonio, epeenting bjetEeywhee i to be ond the jxtpoing o bjet nd objetnd the eine on the expeiene nd the eting jdgmento the bjet deiie. he peening o eeything tht ih been t t it oot Men pek, igniinty enogh, o wod pite o wod iew Ony in the moden ge odthey pek o Fo the phe wod pite men jt thi tht wht i, in it entietyi.e., the e in it eey pet ndeementnow i tken in h wy tht it t n bng ndnly i in being to the extent tht it i et p by mn, whoepeent nd et oth" AWP 12913, iti mine). Weeontemoy mn eioy to beome we o thi hte ohi ie nd o hi thinking, he might, with the mode phyiit,we y, It eem thogh mn eeywhee nd wy en-

onte ony hime" Q 27


30/214

Introuton

Suh a jugment wou howeer be a euson Man n atan never enounter ony hmse" (QT 7). For man s sum-mone ame n the haengng reeang o Enramng eenwhen he knows t not een when he thnks hmse most aoneor most reams o masterng hs wor Man's obousness tothat am s tse a manestaton o the rue o Enramng 50ometey has he been rawn nto that omnon that he satuay ut o rom awareness o hs own essene For he sestrange rom eng een whe eng n the sewthrawnness o ts haengng sereeang s so enounterng hm thathe s n at beng onstrane to brng about the omnon othat reeang.e. s beng ame by t For ths reason manoes not know hmse as the one who s beng brought ntoreaton to eng that s he oes not know hmse as man.Rue n ths way man toay este what seems true to hmnever enounters hmse e hs essene

Man nees aboe a n our age to know hmse as the onewho is so ame he haengng summons o Enramngsens nto a way o reeang" (Q 4) 50 ong as man oesnot know ths he annot know hmse nor an he know hmsen reaton to hs wor As a onsequene he beomes trae none o two atttues both equay an ether he anes that hean n at master tehnoogy an an by tehnooga means

by anayng an auatng an orerngontro a asets ohs e; or he reos at the neorabe an ehumanng ontrothat tehnoogy s ganng oer hm rejets t as the work o thee an stres to soer or hmse some other way o eaart rom t. What man truy nees s to know the estnngto whh he beongs an to know t as a estnng as the sosng ower that goerns a henomena n ths tehnooga

ageA estnng o eng s neer a bn ate that smy omes

man rom beyon hmse It s rather an oenng way n whhman s ae uon to moe to brng about that whh s takngae For man to know hmse as the one so ae uon s orhm to be ree For Heegger reeom s not a matter o mansng or not wng artuar thngs Freeom s mans oenng

hmsehs submttng hmse n attente awarenessto the


31/214

v Intouton

ummon ee to hm n to the wy on whh he ey

beng ent It to ppehen n ept the omnon o engey hong wy, n o to be tken nto eeng m"(QT 26

The tuth o moen mn tuton mut beome known tohm Th oe not men t tht mn n be peete wthome tuth" tht, t we one bought to h ttenton, hemght then gp, ent to, n t upon Fo Heegge uhtuth," the oeponng o ttement wth tuton, woube mee oetne Truh unonement Tht not to ytht t omethng mmetey ebe Un concamn ssmuanouy concamn Unonement, tuh, nevenkey peent to be mmetey known The tuth o moenmn tuton eveng tht ome upon hm, but t omeupon hm vee

Enmng moe o eveng, etnng o eng Yetpeey une t omnon nothng whteve, nung mnhme, ppe t ntny ; the tuth o t eng emn onee Eveythng et n ppe though twee o mn mkng

eue Enmng, eveng o eng, ue n th wy,t nge beyon ny nge tht mn othewe know Theeene o Enmng, t mnne o omng to peene, thtettngupon gthee nto te whh entp the tuth o own omng to peene wth obvon Th entppng guete, n tht t eveop nto the ettng n oe o eveythngtht peene tnngeeve, etbhe te n thetnngeeve, n ue the tnngeeve" (T 3738)In th obvon" tht bok the emnetng o eng, mnnge e The nge e tht evey othe wy o evengw be ven out n tht mn w oe h tue eton tohme n to ee Lnguge, the pm moe though whhmn my epeene n thnk n know whteve , n teng, my be beet o t powe, to beome ony mee ntu-ment o nomton An mn my be vete o h tueeene n beome one who mnutue hme" (Sem 34; QT 26 .) Mn hme, though whom the oeng h-

tet o Enmng tke pe, my even be whoy ukeup nto the tnngeeve n my ome to et not the


32/214

Inoucion

openneo" (D"), bu meely econciou

being knowing himel only n inumen ey o ue.Ye hi k eenuiy nee no bell mn o Enmingneceily n ininicy ule no meey nge bu o h which e Thee e no wo icee pec o iholing wy The nge i he ing powe" (T 42 Enming i eeling. I mnie i o l he wihwnneo eing I enge mn om eing Ye i emin eeing

In i eing i il cononing mn. Theeoe Enming bewihin iel imuneouly wih i enngeing o mn hohe poibiiy, h mn wil be eiee om hi engemen n h i will be gne o him o come ino n eenielionhip wih eing, ecollecingly o eceie wh i peeno him in l h i n houghuly o gu i (QT 32 )

In hi woone o Enming nge n ing powe,n no in ny meey humn eo, ie he poibiiy hechnoogy my be oecome Thi oe no men h echnoogywi be one wy wih I men, he, h echnoogy wil beumoune om wihin ie, in uch wy o be eoeo n ulle in i own eence The unconcemen, he uh,concee in he ue o echnoogy wil h oh in h eyconceing eing wi eel iel in he ey ongoing o echnoogy, peciely in h hing. u no wihou mn o mni neee o hi o eey eeling o eing Mn mu comeo h plce whee, hough lnguge, hough hinking, hieeing my come o p Ye mn cnno bing i bou, nhe cnno know when i will ke pce (T 39 4142

Wh come o p hppen ueny Heiegge pek oi uning" I i uning wihin Enming, wihin heeence o echnoogy he nge I i he enpping o heuh o eing in obiion, ie, in concemen The uh, heunconcelmen, o eing, i, in he ey inn o i eeing,

n lette to Pofesso J Glenn Ga (Otoe 10 197) oneningthis wo Heidegge sttes Evething tht I have attempted is misundestood wthout the tuning fom onsiousness ' o the op-f'tht ws eing pepaed in ." (Ohne die in Ztsih nahnende Wendung vom ewusstsein das D wid lles

ws ih vesuhte missvestnden Heidegge hs emphtiall expessedhis pefeene o openness and his disppoation of thee as a tnslation o in


33/214

Inouon

ught up n onelng Ye he eelng o the uth o eng onele as raing Hene when th nrapping-wihobon oe ome epely o p hen olon uh tunn n e th onelmen rald as concan 43)o onel h whh el mulneouly hown bng onele.

Hee Enmng enng o eng h ene o eeythng eng eome mulneouly h whh e tht whhetow eng Fo n he uh o eng eng own unonelmen un ou n ene nto whee (. 41)

In h unng eng eel el olely om out o telye neely oe o n uh wy o eh mn Fowhou mn eng nnot ome eely no the open heeng o wh . h unng out o onelng n unonelng whh o loely nole eng n mn gnte g

he uen hng o he uh o eng no one uhleeng whh ome o p n he eene o ehnology n En-mng n enteng hng look nght nto htwhh e . no eng el ( 46). h no humnlookng no humn eeng. Que to he ony t englong o el. In men e he one ehel n he eeneso ha hey ehol ( 47) Heegge ue o h nhngwhh he eleelng ung wthn eng el he woErgns I long ngng to p ngng o ghh ng no own (T 4 38 n. 4). kng ple whneng eun eng o elhee etong the eene oehnology o el eelngn mulneouly ngmn glmpe n h eene o glmpe he eelng genppopely o h.

h long ng el o p lwy unquely engn mn elong ogehe. he long hee nme he ul-llng o h elon I ng mn n eng no the own nenung hem to one nohe I leng elong togeheo mn n eng (P Ien. 3)

Enmng n he long ht ng no t own e nuh one. Heegge n pek o Enmng he phoo-gph nege o th long (Sem 4). In enmng,

eng n mn onon eh ohe u hey mee n enge-men. n he unque long ht ng hem no he own


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Intoduton xxx

they meet n the ey me eltonh; but now, nad o andy whn the keletl dkne o Enmng, thee he aothe lght o tht dlong whh bng them to belong togethe,whh gnt them wht tuly the own

Hee thee n be dloed to moden mn omethng beyondwht w known to the Geek he Geek knew the togethe-ne o mn nd eng ut now, n ou ge, t n be oble toglme t oeng h o the dlong bngngto- tht bng mn nd eng nto ontellton tht newnd newly known (P Iden. 38 In Enmng, eely n thte the mutul hllenge o mn nd eng to enteuon the lultng o the lulble, tht newne o eltonh e (P. Iden. 40) When we th ght o the tunngn the eene o Enmng, we do not mly th ght o thebelongng togethe o mn nd eng We do moe We wtne bongng togethe o mn nd eng n whh the ng bong r drn the mnne o the togethe nd t unty(P Iden 38, eond tl mne) Wthn nd beyond the loom-ng eene o moden tehnology thee dwn the obltyo ulle eltonh between mn nd engnd henebetween mn nd ll tht thn thee h ee been.

In lookng uon the eent, ou thnkng n hoe to ee,oe nd beyond the mmedte, edent tuton o mn, theelton o eng nd mn om out o tht whh ge themto belong to one nothe, om out o the dlong bgngto tht bng them nto the own (P Iden 40). Suhthnkng omletely deent om the ot o ntntneoulultng on whh we moe nd moe ely It thnkngwthn the hee o tdton, lenng hough wht h beenthought A uh, t eed by tdton om beng mee

thnkng bk, to beome thnkng owd tht totlly e-moed om lnnng, odeng, nd ettng u o ue.

It h ometme been d tht Hedegge exhbt n h hlo-ohl wok exteme ogne. ue, he doe not, lke De-te, ut oth h thnkng oeed o the omellngetnty o eledent tuth; no doe he, lke Hegel, belee

hmel ble o ueyng nd exeng the tuth bout llhumn htoy nd ll elty. ut doe he not onde hmel


35/214

ntoduton

to he nght nto elty uh none beoe h h ee hd?

t t tht h thnkng onned to Weten htoy ndWeten thought ut wthn tht oe doe he not, n htetent o Nethe, belee hel ble on the b o thtnght to thnk tht whh unthought" n the thought oothe, to doe the tue enng tht thoe beoe h ouldnot theele ee? He doe Yet th ogne, o theenght hee?

Suely Hedegge hel would y tht whtee nght heh not o h own doeng but oe to h o out oelty tel lel he ontnully eel hel uoned toeond to the eelng tht oe to h nd to ll othe tothe e th Deely onou he o h le wthn tdton, Hedegge doubtle egd wht ee to oe lkethe oud enteetng o othe wok beng, the, the

doey n tht wok o oe enng thn thoe beoeh who olhed t wee gen to ee etnly, lthoughHedegge ek wth une o h nght, nd though tnge , he lo hold t to be but gle, begnnng, nenteng o oden n uon thnkng tht, n t own te,y be gnted to ee oe lely nd to ee new (. WN6) n h hoohl wok he h oed owd nd ee

owd, not bound by ny gen oulton o h thought. ToHedegge tue thnkng lwy en eelng, nd he utollow whee tht eelng led The oenne o h thnknghow tel ttngly enough n the t tht eh o the eyn th olue end, not wth delte tteent o wht nontoetbly tue, but wth tul queton o wth ontngto oe wy o elty needed beyond wht now known Ehey, whole though t be n tel, en t o n un-nhed way. Whee Dete bult gl le nolble ndHegel non nhed o ll te, Hedegge buld, twee, ndtle, edy to be ehed o wet wy n thenet eone onwokng o thought

Hedegge h wtten:

At te close o a lecte called "Te Qesto Coceg Teology gve some tme ago I sad "Qestog s te pety otkg. "Pety s meat ee te acet sese obeet o


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Inoucion i

ubmve a th cae ubmttg to what thkg ha to

thk about Oe of the exctg experece of thkg that attme t oe ot fuy comprehe the ew ght t ha jutgae a oe ot propery ee them through Such too thecae wth the etece ut cte that quetog the pety ofthkg The ecture eg wth that etece wa areay theambece of the reazato that the true tace of thkg caotbe to put queto but mut be to te to that whch our quetog vouchafea a quetog beg to be a quetog

oy vrtue of purug t quet for eeta Beg3

Thi i Heiegge' own wy n hi ue hi i he iniguing enue o which he ummon u in he ey h olowH he glimpe uh h migh ighen ou icken ge? ojuge o h we mu puue wih him he ph o hi ownhinking

3 "The Nature of Langage" in O y L trans PeteD Hertz New Yor Harper Row, 1971) p 7.


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Part


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4 he Qestion onening ehnology

n eson to this essene we shll e le to exeiene thetehnologil within its own ons.

ehnology is not eqilent to the essene o tehnology.When we e seeking the essene o tee" we he to eomewe tht ht whih ees eey tee s tee is not itse tee tht n e enontee mong ll the othe tees.

Likewise the essene o tehnology is y no mens ny-thing tehnologil. hs we shll nee exeiene o eltionshi to the essene o tehnology so long s we meey oneien sh ow the tehnoogi t with it o ee it.Eeywhee we emin nee n hine to tehnoogywhethe we ssiontey im o eny it. t we e elieeoe to it in the wost ossile wy when we eg it s something net o this onetion o it to whih toy we tily ike to o homge mkes s ttely lin to the esseneo tehnology

Aoing to nient otine the essene o thing is on-siee to e wha the thing is. We sk the qestion oneningtehnology when we sk wht it is. Eeyone knows the twosttements tht nswe o qestion. One sys : ehnology is mens to n en. he othe sys : ehnology is hmn tiity.he two enitions o tehnology eong togethe. o to ositens n oe n tilie the mens to them is hmn

tiity. he mnte n tilition o eqiment toolsn mhines the mnte n se things themselesn the nees n ens tht they see l elong to wht teh

ere wt "to come to presence" rendering werein te menng "endure"sould e strongl erd Occsionll it will e trnslted "to essence,"nd its gerund will e rendered wit "essencing" Te noun will

regulrl e trnslted "essence" until Heideggers explntor dscussionis reced Terefter in tis nd te succeedng esss it will often etrnslted wit "oming to presene" n reltion to ll tese renderings, tereder sould er in mind point tt s of fundmentl importnce toHeidegger, nmel, tt te root of w wt ts mening "to dwell"proides one integrl component in te mening of te er (to e)(Cf A oo o Mpy p 59)

"Conception" ere trnsltes te noun Vo lsewere in tisolume Vo wll usull e trnslted "representtion," nd itsreted er o "to represent" ot "conception" nd "representtion" sould suggest plcing or settingupefore Cf te discussonof Vo in AWP 11


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The Qeston onenng ehnology

nology s. The whole omplex o these ontvnes s tehnology. Tehnology tsel s ontvne o n Ltn ninstrumenum

The ent onepton o tehnology ong to whh t s mens n hmn tvty n theeoe be lle the n-stmentl n nthopologl enton o tehnology

Who wol eve eny tht t s oet? It s n obvos on-omty wth wht we e envsonng when we tlk bot teh-nology. The nstmentl enton o tehnology s nee sonnnly oet tht t even hols o moen tehnology owhh othe espets we mntn wth some jsttontht t s n ontst to the ole hnwok tehnology some-thng ompletely eent n theeoe new. Even the poweplnt wth ts tbnes n genetos s mnme mens ton en estblshe by mn. Even the jet t n the hgh-eqeny ppts e mens to ens. A stton s oose less smple thn wethe vne. To be se the onst-ton o hghqeny ppts eqes the ntelokng ovos poesses o tehnlnstl poton. An etnly swmll n sele vlley o the lk oest s pmtve mens ompe wth the hyoelet plnt n theRhne Rve.

t ths mh emns oet moen tehnology too s mens to n en. Tht s why the nstmentl onepton otehnology ontons evey ttempt to bng mn nto the ghtelton to tehnology. Eveythng epens on o mnpltngtehnology n the pope mnne s mens. We wll s we syget tehnology sptlly n hn We wll mste t. Thewll to mstey beomes ll the moe gent the moe tehnologythetens to slp om hmn ontol

t sppose now tht tehnology wee no mee mens howwol t stn wth the wll to mste t? Yet we s we

nrmnm signies tha which fnctions to heap o id p or toarrange. Heidegge here eates it with the non nrng, ransatedcontrivance" which can aso mean arangement adjsmen, frnishing oepment In accordance with his dictm hat the re ms e soght wa of he corect Heidegger here anticipates with his identicaton of

technoog as an 1rmnm and an nr1 his ate "te" chaacterzaion of technoog in terms of setting-in-pace odering, Enframingand sanding-reseve


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The Quetion onerning ehnoogy 7

whene e it oe tht the u harater o the our uei o uniiey eterine tht they beong together?

So ong we o not ow ouree to go into thee quetion, uity, n with it intruentity, n with the tterthe ete ention o tehnoogy, ren obure groune

For ong tie we he been utoe to rereenting ue tht whih bring oething bout In thi onnetion, tobring bout en to obtin reut, eet The ausa eiiens

but one ong the our ue, et the tnr or uty.Thi goe o r tht we no onger een ount the ausa inalistei nity, uity Causa asus beong to the erbadere to ," n en tht whih bring it bout tht oething out reut in uh n uh wy. The otrineo the our ue goe bk to Aritote. ut eerything thtter ge eek in Greek thought uner the onetion n rubri

uity," in the re o Greek thought n or Greek thoughter e h iy nothing t to o with bringing bout neeting. Wht we ue [Ursahe] n the Ron ausa i e aition by the Greek, tht to whih oethingee i inebte das was ein anderes vershu ldet . The ourue re the wy, beonging t oe to eh other, o beingreonibe or oething ee. An ee n riy thi

Sier i tht out o whih the ier hie i e. A thitter (hye) it i oreonibe or the hie. The hie iinebte to, ie, owe thnk to, the ier or tht out o whihit onit. ut the riii ee i inebte not ony to theier. A hie, tht whih i inebte to the ier erin the et o hie n not in tht o brooh or rigThu the rii ee i t the e tie inebte to the

et (edos) o hiene oth the ier into whih theet i itte hie n the et in whih the ierer re in their reetie wy oreonibe or therii ee

Da, wa n ad vcd is a que idomaic epression hahere woud mean o man German readers ha which is he cause ofsomehing ese." The ver vcdn acual has a wide range of mean

ingso e indeed, o owe, o e gUil o e responsile for or o ocause. Heidegger inends o awaen all hese meanings and o have connoaions of muua inerdependence sound hroughou his passage.


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8 he Quetion onening ehnology

ut thee ein yet thi tht i boe ll eonible othe iil eel. It i tht whih in ne onne the

hlie within the el o onetion n betowl houghthi the hlie i iuibe iiil eel. iu-ibing gie boun to the thing. With the boun the thingoe not to the o out o the it begin to be wht,te oution, it will be. Tht whih gie boun, tht whiholete in thi ene i lle in Geek elos whih i ll toooten tnlte i o uoe' n o iinteete.

The elos i eonible o wht tte n o wht ete togethe oeonible o the iil eel.

inlly thee i outh tiint in the eonibility othe nihe iiil eel' lying beoe u ey o ue i.e.the ileithbut not t ll beue he in woking, bingbout the inihe iiil hie i it wee the eet o king; the ileith i not ausa eiiens.

he Aitotelin otine neithe know the ue tht ine by thi te no ue Geek wo tht woul oeon to it.

he ileith onie eully n gthe togethe thethee oeentione wy o being eonible n inebte.To onie eully belegen i in Geek legein logos.egein i oote in apophaineshai to bing ow into -

ene. he ileith i oeonible tht o whenethe iiil eel' binging oth n etinginel tke netin thei it etue. The thee eiouly entione wyo being eonible owe thnk to the oneing o the ileith o the tht n the how o thei oing into e-ne n into ly o the oution o the iil eel.

hu ou wy o being eonible hol wy in the iiil

eel tht lie ey beoe u. hey ie o one notheyet they belog togethe Wht unite the o the beginning?n wht oe thi lying in union o the ou wy o being

6. itell "onnes into"the Germn preposition n with the ustive. Heidegger often uses this onstrution in ws ht e unusul inGemn, s te would e in ngish. It will ordinil e trnslted here within" so s to distinguish it from "in" used o trnslte with the

dtive


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he Queton Conenng ehnoogy 9

eponbe py Wht the oue o the unt o the ouue Wht te oe th owng n beng eponbe

en thought the Geek thought toy we e too ey nne ethe to unetn beng

eponbe n beng nebte oty pe o eeto ontue the n te o eetng In ethe e we b tooueve the wy to the p enng o tht whh tee uty. So ong th wy not opene up to u weh o to ee wht ntuentty whh be on

uty tuy .n oe to gu gnt uh ntepetton o beng

eponbe n beng nebte et u y the ou wy obeng eponbe n te o tht o whh they e epon-be. Aong to ou epe they e eponbe o theve he' yng ey beoe u vee Lyngbeoe n yng ey (hypokeishai) htee the peenng

o oethng tht peene. he ou wy o beng eponbebng oethng nto ppene. hey et t oe oth ntopeenng nwesen hey et t ee to tht pe n ott t on t wy ney nto t opete v. he pn-p htet o beng eponbe th ttng oethngon t wy nto v. It n the ene o uh ttng oe-thng on t wy nto v tht beng eponbe n o

onng o n nung to go ow [V eranlassen] On the

7. wtng Anwn Hedegge stesses te omposton of te veanwn tnslted s to pesene" Te ve onssts of wn (ltell,to ontnue o endue) wt te pepotonl pex an (t, to, towd.It s mn wo must eeve pesenng, mn o wom t omes s endng.Cf. On m and Bng tns Jon Stmug (New Yok Hpe Row,1972), p. 12

8 V-an-an s Hedegge's wtng of te ve vanan n nounfom, now pented to ng out ts menng. Vanan odnlmens to oson, to , to ng out, to ll ot Its use ee eltes k to te use of anan (to leve sometng on, to let loose, toset gong), ee tnslted "to stt sometng on ts w" Anan sust een smll wtten s anan so s to empsze ts ompostonfom an (to let o leve) nd an (to o towd) One of te funtons ofte Gemn pex v- s to ntensf te foe o ve. And Puuotes Hedegge s sng "Van-an s moe tve tn anane v s t wee, puses te ltte towd dong [v n a] Cf

Mtn Hedegge, Ea Connc (Ps Gllmd, 1958), p. 16 n.


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0 he Qeion Conening ehnoogy

ai o a ook a wha he eek eeiene in being eponie in ata we now gie hi e o oaion a moe

inie meaning o ha i now i he name o he eene oaaiy hogh a he eek hogh i he ommon annaowe meaning o oaion in ona i nohing moehan iking again an eeaing an mean a kin o eonay ae wihin he whoe o aaiy

in wha hen oe he aying in nion o he o wayo oaioning ay? hey e wha i no ye een aie ino

eening Aoingy hey ae niiey e oe y abinging ha ing wha eene ino aeaane Pao e wha hi binging i in a enene om he Symposum(20b) h gar to ek tu m onton es to on ont hotoun atapasa est poss. Eey oaion o whaee ae oe angoe owa ino eening om ha whih i no eeningi poss i bingingoh Hervorbrngen] 9

I i o mo imoane ha we hink bingingoh in i oe an a he ame ime in he ene in whih he eekhogh i No ony hana manae no ony aiian oeia binging ino aeaane an onee imagey ia bingingoh poss Physs ao he aiing o omehingom o o ie i a bingingoh poss hyss i ineeposs in he highe ene Fo wha eene by mean o

physs ha he ing oen beonging o ingingoh eghe bing o a boom ino boom in ie (en heaut) Inona wha i ogh oh by he aian o he ai eg

9 T fl l gmt of mnng o t vobngn fnctionng s non inclds to ing fot o podc to gnt o gt tott to lcit Hdgg ntnds tt ll of ts nncs d H

pnts t wod in od to mpsiz its di pixs o it nd vo (owd o fot Hidgg lsw mksspci t mnng idnt n H vobngn fo im tliing tospfxs indpndntl Ts ss (tnstng litl nging-fott ngs t ot of conclmnt fot nto nconclmnt ( ow p ndft dntfing woking irke) nd vobngn ss tt woking mst ndstood s nging into nconclmnt into psncng SR cs of t wkwdnssof t ngls ps to ng fot t it s not n possil toncld in t tnsltion of -vobngn t nnc of mning tt

pods


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he Queton Concenng echnoogy 1

the e chce h the butng open beongng to bngng-oth not n te but n nothe (en ai n the ctmn o

tthe moe o occonng, the ou cue e t py, then

wthn bngngoth hough bngngoth the gowngthng o ntue we whtee compete though thect n he t come t ny gen tme to the ppence

ut how oe ngngoth hppen be t n ntue o nhnwok n t? Wht the ngngoth n whch the

ouo wy o occonng py? Occonng h to o wththe peencng nwesen o tht whch t ny gen tme cometo ppence n ngngoth ngngoth bng hthe outo concement oth nto unconcement. ngngoth cometo p ony no omethng concee come nto unconcement h comng et n moe eey wthn wht wec eeng [da Enbegen he Geek he the wo

10 The ver nbn (to reveal and the allied noun Enbn (revealing are unique to Heidegger ecause of the exigences of translation,nbn must usuall e translated with "revealing," and the presence ofEnbn which is rather infrequent used, has therefore regrettaleen oscured for want of an appropriate English noun as alternative thatwould e suicientl active in meaning nbn and nbn areformed from the ver bn and the veral prex n Bn means torescue, to recover, to secure, to haror, to conceal. En- is used in German

vers to connote in one wa or another a change from an existing situaton t can mean forth" or out" or can connote a change that i tnegatng of a former condton Enbn connotes an openng out oprotective concealing, a harring forth. For a presentation of Heidcentral tenet that it is onl as protected and preservedand that enclosed and securethat anthing is set free to endure, to ont that which it is, ie., to e, see Building Dwelling Thinkn" Pc yLn, Thoh, trans Alert Hofstadter (New York : Harper & R1971) p. 149, and cf. p 25 elow

Enbnand

Enbnoin a faml of words al formed gvbn (to conceal, Vbonh (concealment), d Vbon (the

concealed), Unbonh (unconcealment, das Unbon (te unconcealedof which Heidegger makes frequent use The lack of vileEnglish words suicientl numerous to permit a similar use o ut onefundamental ste has made it necessar to oscure, through the use of"reveal," the close relationship among all the words just mentioed Noneof the English words used"reveal," conceal," "unconceal"evinces withan adequac the meaning resident in bn itself et the reader shoulde constant aware that the full range of connotation present in bn

sounds for Heidegger within all these, its derivatives


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2 he Question onerning ehnoogy

athea or reeling he Romns trnslte this with vertasWe sy truth" n usully unerstn it s the orretness on ie

ut where he we strye to? We re questioning onernngtehnology n we he rrie now t athea t reeingWht hs the essene o tehnology to o with reeing? henswer eerything. For eery ringingorth is groune inreeling ringingorth inee gthers within itse the ourmoes o osionngusityn rues them throughoutWithin its omin elong en n mens elongs instrumentity Instrumentlity is onsiere to e the unmenthrteristi o tehnology. I we inquire step y step intowht tehnology represente s mens tuly is then we shlrrie t reeing. he possiility o l proutie mnuturing lies in reeling

ehnoogy is thereore no mere mens ehnology is wyo reeling. I we gie hee to this then nother whole relmor the essene o tehnoogy will open tse up to us. It is therem o reeing ie. o truth.

his prospet strikes us s strnge Inee it shoul o soshou o s s persistently s possile n with so muh urgenytht we will inly tke seriously the simple question o wht the

nme tehnoogy" mens he wor stems rom the Greek.Tehnkon mens tht whih eongs to tehn We must osere

1 Hee nd elewhee "elong wihin" nle he Gemn ghr nwih he uie (liel elong ino) n unuul uage ha Heideggeofen emplo The egula Geman onuion i gh z (elong o).Wih he ue of "elong ino" Heidegge inend o ugge elionhipioling oigin

1 Heidegge hee hphene he wod Whrh (uh) o a o expoei em whr He poin ou elewhee ha wod wih hi em hae ommon deiion nd undeling mening (R 165) uh wod oenhow he onnoion of aenie wahfulne nd gudng h he heend n hei Gee ogne hr r e.g whrn (o wh oe ndeep fe) nd bwhrn (o peee) Hphenaing Whh dw ioel no hi le of meaning I poin o he fa ha n uh, whihi unonealmen (Unvrborgnh) feeeping ie ielf ouWhrh hu oe hee e loe pllel o ompnion noun

nbrgung (eeling; liell hoing foh) uil on brgn (oeue o hao o onel) ee n 0, oe. Fo a fuhe diuion ofwod uil ound whr ee T 42, n. 9


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he Quetion oncening echnology 13

two thing with eect to the meaning o thi wo. One i thattehne i the name not only o the actiitie an ki o thecatman, ut alo o the at o the min an the ne atT ehn eong to ingingoth, to poisis it i omethingoietic

he othe oint that we houl oee with ega to tehni een moe imotant Fom eaiet time until Pato the wotehn i inke wit the wo epistm Both wo ae nameo knowing in the wiet ene hey mean to e entiey athome in omething to unetan an e eet in it Suchknowing oie an oening u A an oening u it i a eeaing. Aitotle, in a icuion o ecia imotance (Niomahean Ethis, Bk VI, cha. 3 an 4), itinguihe etweenepistm an tehn an inee with eect to what an howthey eeal Tehn i a moe o altheuein It eeal whateeoe not ing itel oth an oe not yet e hee eoe uwhatee can look an tun out now one way an now anotheWhoee ui a houe o a hi o oge a acicial chaliceeeal what i to e ought oth, accoing to the eectieo the ou moe o occaioning. hi eealing gathe togethein aance the aect an the matte o hi o houe, with iew to the nihe thing eniione a comlete, an omthi gatheing etemine the manne o it contuction. hu

what i eciie in tehn oe not lie at all in making anmaniulating no in the uing o mean ut athe in the aoementione eealing. It i a eealng, an not a manuactuing, that tehn i a ingingoth

hu the clue to what te wo tehn mean an to how theGeek eine it lea u into the ame contet that oeneite to u when we uue the quetion o what intumental

ity a uch in tuth might eechnoloy i a moe o eeaing echnology come to

eence [West] in the ealm whee eealing an unconceamenttake lace, whee altheia, tuth, haen

In ooition to thi einition o the eential omain otechnology one can oject that it inee ho o Geekthought an that at et it might ay to the technique o

the hancatman ut that it imly oe not it moenmachineowee technology An it i eciey the atte an


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4 e Queston Conenng enoogy

t lone tt s te stung tng tt moves us to sk te

queston onenng tenoogy e se It s s tt moentenology s sometng nomly eent om eetenologes euse t s se on moen yss s n etsene. Menwle we ve ome to unestn moe leytt te evese ols tue s we: Moen yss, s ee-ment s eenent uon ten tus n uon og-ess n te ulng o tus. e estlsng o ts

mutul eltons etween tenology n yss s oet.ut t emns meely stoogl estlsng o tsn sys notng out tt n w ts mutul etonss goune. e esve queston stll emns: O wt es-sene s moen tenoogy tt t ens to tnk o uttnget sene to use?

Wt s moen tenoogy? It too s evelng Ony wenwe low ou ttenton to est on ts unment testoes tt w s new n moen tenology sow tse to us.

An yet te evelng tt os swy tougout moentenology oes not uno nto ngngot n te sense opoii e evelng tt ules n moen tenology s -lengng [erufordern, w uts to ntue te unesonleemn tt t suy enegy tt n e ette n stoes su. ut oes ts not ol tue o te ol wnml s wel?No. Its sls o nee tun n te wn tey e let entey tote wns lowng. ut e wnml oes not unlok enegyom te uents n oe to stoe t.

In ontst, tt o ln s lenge nto te uttng out ool n oe. e et now evels tse s ol mnng s-tt, te so s mnel eost. e e tt te esntomely ultvte n set n oe [beelle es eentlytn t wen to set n oe stl ment to tke e o n

. Herusordern men to hlenge, to ll forth or ummon to tion,to demnd poitivel, to provoe t i ompoed of the ver ordern (todemnd, to ummon, to hllenge) nd the dveril preie her- hithernd aus (out The ver might e rendeed ver literl to demndout hithe" he truturl imirt etween herausordern nd her-rbrngen (to ring forth hither i redil pprent It erve of itelf topoint up the reltion uiting etween the two mode of reveling of

whih the ver pemode tht, in the ver ditintve w peulir tothem, oion oming forth into unonelment nd preening eeeow, 2


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he Quetion onenng ehnology 15

to ntin he wok o the pent oe not hllenge the

oil o the ie. In the owing o the gin it pe the ee nthe keepng o the oe o gowth n wthe oe t nee.ut enwhile een the ultiton o the e h oe unethe gip o nothe kin o ettinginoe, whih sets upon[stelt] ntue It et upon t n the ene o hlenging itAgiultue i now the ehnie oo inuty. Ai i now etupon to yiel nitogen, the eth to yiel oe, oe to yiel

uniu, o exple unu i et upon to yiel toenegy, whh n be elee eithe o etuton o o pee-u ue.

hi ettngupon tht hlenge oth the enege o ntuei n expetng [Frdern] n in two wy. It expete n thtit unlok n expoe Yet tht expeting i wy teliete o the beginning tow utheing oething ele,i e., tow ing on to the xiu yel t the nuexpene. he ol tht h been hue out in oe nngtt h not been upple in oe tht t y ply bepeent oewhee o othe It tokpile tht , it i on l,ey to elie the un' wth tht i toe n t he un'wth i hllenge oth o het, whh n tun oee toele te whoe peue tun the whee tht keep toy unnng.

4 Te er ee (to ple or set s wide riet of uses t nmen to put in ple, to order, to rrnge, to furnis or suppl, nd, in miitr ontet, to llenge or engge. Here Heidegger sees te onnottions of erasforder (to lenge, to ll fort, to demnd out iter fundmentll determintie of te mening of ee, nd tis reminstrue trougout is ensuing disussion. Te trnsltion o ee wt toset upon is intended to rr tis mening Te onnottions of setting in

ple nd of suppling tt ie witin te wordee

remin stronglpresent in Heideggers repeted use of te er erefter, oweer, sinete settingupon" of wi it speks is inerentl setting in ple so sto suppl. Were tese ltter menings ome deisie to te fore, sees een trnsted wit to set or to set up, or, rrel, wit to suppl

See emres te menings of wole fmil of ers: beee (toorder, ommnd to set in order, vrsee (to represent, cersee (toseure, ahee (to entrp, veree (to ok or dsguise, eree(to produe, to set ere, daree (to present or eiit, nd so on ntese ers te rious nunes wtin ee re reinfored nd mde

speii All tese menings re gtered togeter in Heideggers uniueuse of te word tt is piot for m, Ge-e (nfrming. Cf. pp 19 See lso te opening prgrp of Te Turnng, pp. 67


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16 he Queton onenng ehnology

he hyoelet lant et nto the uent o the Rhne It

et the Rhne to ulyng t hyaul eue, whh thenet the tubne tunng h tunng et thoe mahne nmoton whoe thut et gong the elet uent o whhthe longtane owe taton an t netwok o able aeet u to ath eletty n the ontet o the ntelokngoee etanng to the oely oton o eletalenegy, even the Rhne tel aea a omethng at ou om

man he hyoelet lant not bult nto the Rhne Rvea wa the ol wooen bge that one bank wth bank ohune o yea. Rathe the ve amme u nto the owelant Wha the ve now, namely, a wate owe ule,eve om out o the eene o the owe taton n oethat we may even emotely one the montoune thategn hee, let u one o a moment the ontat hat ea

out o the two ttle, he Rhne" a amme u nto thew wok, an he Rhne" a uttee out o the at wok,n Hleln hymn by that name But, t wll be ele, theRhne ll a ve n the lanae, t not? Peha. But how?n no othe way han a an objet on all o neton by a tougou oee thee by the vaaton nuty

he evealng that ule thoughout moen tehnology ha

the haate o a ettnguon, n the ene o a hallengng-oth hat hallengng haen n that the enegy oneale nnatue unloke, what unloke tanome, what tanome toe u, what toe u , n tun, tbute,an what tbute wthe about eve anew Unlokng,tanomng, tong, tbutng, an wthng about ae wayo evealng But the evealng neve mly ome to an en.Nethe oe t un o nto the netemnate. he evealngeveal to tel t own manolly ntelokng ath, thoughegulatng the oue. h egulatng tel , o t at,eveywhee eue Regulatng an eung even beome thehe haatet o the hallengng evealng.

5 n these tw sentenes in rder t shw smething f the mnner inwhh Hedegger gthers tgether fmil menings seies

vers three times) hve een trnslted withverl epressins frmed rund "set" Fr the usul menngs f thesevers see n. 4


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The Quetion Conening Tehnoogy 1 7

What kin o unoneamen i it hen that i peia to hawhih ome o tan oth hough hi ettingpon tha ha-

enge? Eeywhee eeything i oee to an by o beimmeiatey at han inee to tan hee j o hat i maybe on a o a the oeing Whatee i oee abo inhi way ha it own aning We a i he aningeee[Bestand] The wo epee hee omehing moe an ome-thing moe eenia than mee tok" The name taning-eee" aume the ank o an inuie bi It eignae

nothing e than the way in whih eeything peene that iwough pon by he haenging eeaing Whatee an byin the ene o taningeee no onge tan oe againt a obje

et an aiine that an on the unway i ey an objeCeainy We an epeen he mahine o u hen it oneaite a to wha an how i i Reeae it an on the a

tip ony a taningeee inamh a i i oee to en-e the poibiity o anpotation Fo hi it mu be in itwhoe te an in eey one o it oniuen pa on ao uy ie eay o akeo (Hee it wo be appopiateo i Hege eniion o he mahine a an autonomooo When appie to the too o he atman hi haatei-ation i oe Chaaeie in thi way howee he mahine

i not thogh a a om out o he eene o tehnoogy wihinwhih it beong Seen in tem o he aningeee hemahine i ompeey unautonomou o it ha i aningony om the oeing o the oeabe)

The a ha now wheee we ty o point o moen teh-noogy a the haenging eeaing the wo ettingpon"oeing" aningeee" obue an amuae in a ymonotono an theeoe oppeie way ha it bai in whati now oming o teane

6. Bstand odinaiy denoes a soe o supply as "sanding y caies e connoaion of e ve bstn wi is dua meaning of o lasand o undego. Heidegge uses e wod o caaceize e manne inwic eveying commanded ino place and odeed accoding o ecallenging demand uing in moden ecnology pesences as eveaed Hewises o sess ee no e pemanency u e odeailiy and susiuailiy of ojecs. Bstand conass wi Ggnstand oec a wic

sands ove agains) Ojecs indeed lose ei caace as ojecs weney ae caug up in e sanding-eseve Cf noducion p xxix.


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18 he Quetion onening ehnology

Who omplihe the hllenging ettingupon though whih

wht we ll the el i eeled tndingeee? Obioulymn. o wht extent i mn pble o uh eeling? Mnn indeed oneie hion nd y though thi o tht inone wy o nothe ut mn doe not he ontol oe unonelment itel in whih t ny gien time the el howitel o withdw. he t tht the el h been howingitel in the light o Ide ee ine the time o Plto Plto did

not bing bout. he thinke only eponded to wht ddeeditel to him.Only to the extent tht mn o hi pt i ledy hllenged

to exploit the enegie o ntue n thi odeing eelinghppen. I mn i hllenged odeed to do thi then doenot mn himel belong een moe oiginlly thn ntue withinthe tndingeee? he uent tlk bout humn eoue

bout the upply o ptient o lini gie eidene o thihe oete who in the wood meue the elled timbe ndto ll ppene wlk the me oet pth in the me wy did hi gndthe i tody ommnded by poitmking inthe lumbe induty whethe he know it o not. He i mdeubodinte to the odebility o elluloe whih o it pti hllenged oth by the need o ppe whih i then delieed

o newppe nd illutted mgzine. he ltte in theitun et publi opinion to wlling wht i pinted o tht et onguton o opnon beome ilble on demnd. Yetpeiely beue mn i hllenged moe oiginlly thn e theenegie o ntue ie into the poe o odeing he nee itnomed into mee tndingeee. Sine mn die teh-nology owd he tke pt in odeing wy o eeling

ut the un onelment itel within whih odeing unold inee humn hndiwok ny moe thn i the elm thoughwhih mn i ledy ping eey time he ubet elteto n obet.

Whee nd how doe thi eeling hppen i it i no meehndiwok o mn We need not look . We need only ppehend in n unbied wy ht wih h ledy limed mnnd h done o o deiiely tht he n only be mn t nygien time the one o limed Wheee mn open hi eyend e unlok hi het nd gie himel oe to meditting


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he Queton oncenng echnology 19

nd tvng hng nd wokng entetng nd thnkng he

nd hmel eveywhee ledy bought nto the unconceledhe unconcelment o the unconceled h ledy come to wheneve t cll mn oth nto the mode o evelng llottedto hm When mn n h wy om wthn unconcelmentevel tht whch eence he meely eond to the cll ounconcelment even when he contdct t hu when mnnvetgtng obevng enne ntue n e o h own

concevng he h ledy been clmed by wy o evelngtht chllenge hm to och ntue n object o eechuntl even the object de nto the objectlene otndngeeve

Moden technology n odeng evelng then no meelyhumn dong heeoe we mut tke tht chllengng tht etuon mn to ode the el tndngeeve n ccodnce

wth the wy n whch t how tel. ht chllengng gthemn nto odeng h gtheng concentte mn uon o-deng the el tndngeeve

ht whch modlly unold the mountn nto mountnnge nd coue though them n the olded togethene the gtheng tht we cll bg [mountn chn]

ht ognl gtheng om whch unold the wy n whch

we hve eelng o one knd o nothe we nme mt" [d-oton]We now nme tht chllengng clm whch gthe mn

ththe to ode the elevelng tndngeeve "[Enmng] 17

We de to ue th wod n ene tht h been thooughlyunml u to now

. Te trnsltion "Enrming" o Gesel is intended to suggesttroug te use o te prei "en" someting o te tie mening ttHeidegge ere gies to te Germn word Wile ollowing te disussiontt now ensues in wi nming ssumes entrl role te redersould e reu not to interpret te word s toug it simp ment rmework o some sort Insted e sould onstntl rememer tt Enrming is undment ling-ort t is "llenging lim" demnding summons tt "gters" so s to reel Tis lim as

in tt it ssemles nd orders It puts into rmework or ongurtioneerting tt it summons ort troug n ordering o use tt it isoreer estruturing new C ntrodution pp i


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20 The Queton Concenn Technoo

ccodn to odna uae the wod Gll ame] meanome knd o appaatu e.. a ookack. Gll ao the nameo a keeton. nd the empoment o the wod Gll En-amn that now equed o u eem equa eee not topeak o the atane wth whch wod o a matue anuaeae thu mued. Can anthn e moe tane? Sue not.Yet th tanene n od uae o thnkn. nd ndeed

thnke accod wth th uae pece at the pont whee t amatte o thnkn that whch hhet. We ate on ae noone n a poton to appecate the ncance o ato da-n to ue the wod o o tha whch n evethn and neach patcua thn endue a peent. Fo io n the com-mon peech meant the outwad aect [Anch] that a vethn oe to the phca ee. ato exact o th wod how-

eve omethn utte extaodna: that t name what pece not and neve w e pecevae wth phca ee. But eenth no mean the u extent o what extaodna hee.Fo name not on the nonenuou apect o what phca ve.S pect () name and ao that whchconttute the eence n the aude the tateae the tacten evethn that n an wa accee Compaed wth the

demand that ato make on anuae and thouht n th andothe ntance the ue o the wod Gll a the name o theeence o moden technoo whch we now ventue hee amot hame. Even o the uae now equed eman ome-thn exactn and open to mntepetaton.

Enamn mean the athen toethe o that ettnuponwhch et upon man .e. chaene hm oth to evea the

ea n the mode o oden a tandneeve Enamnmean that wa o evean whch hod wa n the eence omoden technoo and whch te nothn technooca.On the othe hand a thoe thn that ae o ama to u andae tandad pat o an aem uch a od pton andcha eon to the technooca The aem te how-eve toethe wth the aoementoned tockpat a wthn

Where idea s tace t s nt th Engsh r bt a transteratn the Greek.


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The Questio Coceig Techology 1

the sphee of techologicl ctivity; this ctivity lys

meely espos to the chllege of Efmig, but it evecompises Efmig itself o bigs it boutThe o ll [to set upo] i the me Gll [Efm

ig] ot oly mes chllegig At the sme time it shoulpeseve the suggestio of othe Sll fom hich it stems,mely, tht poucig pesetig [r ud Drllhich, i the sese of poii lets ht peseces come foth

ito ucocelmet This poucig tht bigs fothe.g, theeectig of sttue i the temple pecict the chllegigoeig o ue cosietio e iee fumetlly if-feet, yet they emi elte i thei essece Both eys of evelig, of lhi I Efmig, tht u cocelmetcomes to pss i cofomity ith hich the ok of moetechology evels the el s stigeseve This ok is

theefoe eithe oly hum ctivity o mee mes ithisuch ctivity The meely istumetl, meely thopologicleitio of techology is theefoe i piciple uteble Ait cot be oue out by beig efee bck to some met-physicl o eligious expltio tht uegis it

It emis tue, oetheless, tht m i the techologicl geis, i pticully stikig y, chllege foth ito evelig

Tht evelig coces tue, bove ll, s the chief stoehouseof the stig eegy eseve Accoigly, m's oeigttitue behvio isply themselves st i the ise ofmoe physics s exct sciece. Moe sciece's y ofepesetig pusues etps tue s clculble cohe-ece of foces. Moe physics is ot expeimetl physics be-cuse it pplies pptus to the questioig of tue Rthe

the evese is tue Becuse physics, iee ley s puetheoy sets tue up to exhibit itself s coheece of focesclculble i vce, it theefoe oes its expeimets peciselyfo the pupose of skig hethe ho tue epots itselfhe set up i this y

·k But fte ll, mthemticl physics ose lmost to cetuies befoe techology Ho, the, coul it hve ley bee set

upo by moe techology plce i its sevice? The fctstestify to the coty. uely techology got ue y oly


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22 he Question Concening echnology

when i coul be suote by ec hysicl science. Reckone

chonologiclly this is coec hough hstoiclly i oes nohit uon he tuhhe moen hysicl theoy o ntue ees the wy st

not simly o technology but o he essence o moen ech-nology Fo ley in hysics he chllenging gheingogetheinto oeing eeling hols swy. ut in i h gtheing oesnot yet come eessly to ence. Moen hysics is the

hel o Enming hel whose oigin is sill unknown heessence o moen technology hs o long time been concel-ing itsel een whee owe mchiney hs been inene wheeelecticl technology is in ull swing n whee omic tech-nology is well une wy.

All coming to esence no only moen technology keesitsel eeywhee concele to the lst Neetheless e-

mins wih esect o is holing swy th which ecees llthe eliest he Geek thinkes ley knew o his when theysi ht which is elie with eg to he ising ht holsswy becomes mnies o us men only lte ht which isimlly ely shows isel only ultimtely to men. heeoein the elm o hinking instking eo o hink houghstill moe imlly wht ws imlly hought is not the bsu

wish o eie wh is s but the the sobe einess o besoune beoe the coming o wht is elyChonologiclly seking moen hysicl science begins in

he seenteenh centuy In conts mchineowe echnologyeelos only in he secon hl o the eighteenth centuy. umoen echnology which o chonologicl eckoning is helte is om the oint o iew o the essence holing swywithin it the histoiclly elie.

9 Cmg t prsnc trnslts t gun Wsnd lfrm tt pprs n ts um nly n ts ssy t t ntuctnnt t scussn f cmng t prsnc s n tnt tnstn t nun Wsn (ssnc susunt t Hggs cnstn tmnng f ssnc lw pp 30 ) ccsnly t prsnc dasWsnd s rgrttly ut unly scu

2 t wc s pmlly ly trnslts d anngc F F scussn f tt wc s t ll prsnt n snt ngs t

rlst n mst ncnt t nc Egnn, das Egn y t ngug n On Way o Langag tns tr D Hrt wrk Hrpr Rw, 9), p 2


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e Quesion Concerning ecnology 23

I modern pysics mus resign isel ever increasingy o e

ac a is realm o represenaion remains inscruabe andincapabe o being visuaied is resignaion is no dicaed byany commiee o researcers I is caenged or by e rueo nraming ic demands a naure be orderabe assandingreserve ence pysics in al is rereaing rom erepresenaion urned only oard objecs a as aone beensandard il receny i never be abe o renounce is one

ing a naure repors isel in some ay or oer a isideniiabe roug cacuaion and a i remains orderabeas a sysem o inormaion is sysem is deermined en ouo a causaiy a as canged once again. Causaiy no dispays neier e caracer o e occasioning a brings ornor e naure o e ausa eiciens e alone a o e causaormais I seems as oug causaiy is srinking ino a re

poringa reporing caenged oro sandingreserves amus be guaraneed eier simulaneously or in sequence o issrinking oud correspond e process o groing resignaiona eisenbergs ecure depics in so impressive a manner*

Because e essence o modern ecnoogy lies in nramingmodern ecnoogy mus empoy eac pysica science. rougis so doing e decepive iusion arises a modern ecnology

is applied pysica science is iusion can mainain ise onyso ong as neier e essenial origin o modern science norindeed e essence o modern ecnoogy is adequaey oundou roug quesioning

We are quesioning concerning ecnoogy in order o bring olig our relaionsip o is essence. e essence o modern ec-nology sos isel in a e cal nraming. Bu simply opoin o is is sil in no ay o anser e quesion concerningecnoogy i o anser means o respond in e sense ocorrespond o e essence o a is being asked abou

Were do e nd ourselves broug o i no e ink onesep urer regarding a nraming ise acualy is I isnoing ecnological noing on e order o a macine I ise ay in ic e rea reveas isel as sandingreserve

Hesenerg Das atul n e eugen k n D Knm chnischn Zia (Munc 954) 43


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24 The Quesion Concerning Technoogy

Again e ask Does his reveaing happen somehere beyond

a human doing No Bu neiher does i happen ecusivey inman or decisivey hrough man.nraming is he gahering ogeher ha beongs o ha

seingupon hich ses upon man and pus him in posiion orevea he rea in he mode o ordering as sandingreserve. Ashe one ho is chaenged orh in his ay man sands ihinhe essenia ream o nraming e can never ake up a rea-

ionship o i ony subsequeny. Thus he quesion as o hoe are o arrive a a reaionship o he essence o echnoogyasked in his ay aays comes oo ae Bu never oo aecomes he quesion as o heher e acuay eperience our-seves as he ones hose aciviies everyhere pubic and pri-vae are chaenged orh by nraming. Above a never ooae comes he quesion as o heher and ho e acuay

admi ourseves ino ha herein nraming ise comes opresenceThe essence o modern echnoogy sars man upon he ay

o ha reveaing hrough hich he rea everyhere more oress disincy becomes sandingreserve To sar upon a aymeans o send" in our ordinary anguage We sha ca hasendinghagahers [versammelde Schicken] hich irs sars

man upon a ay o reveaingdesining eschick]

is romou o his desining ha he essence o a hisory [eschche]is deermined. isory is neiher simpy he objec o rienchronice nor simpy he uimen o human aciviy. Thaaciviy irs becomes hisory as somehing desined. * And i isony he desining ino objeciying represenaion ha makes hehisorica accessibe as an objec or hisoriography i.e. or ascience and on his basis makes possibe he curren equaingo he hisorica ih ha hich is chroniced.

nraming as a chaengingorh ino ordering sends ino aay o reveaing. nraming is an ordaining o desining as is

2 Fr a furtr prsntatn f t manng rsnt n Gk ant rlat vrb sk 38 . an ntrutn pp v .

Vom W War 930 st 943 pp [nglstranslatin n t ssn f rut n Exst a Bg nrBrk (Cag : Rgnry 949 pp 308 ]


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he Queion Concerning echnology 25

every ay o revealing Bringingorh poss i alo a deining

in hi eneAlay he unconcealmen o ha hich i goe upon a ayo revealing Alay he deining o revealing hold compleeay over man Bu ha deining i never a ae ha compelFor man become ruly ree only inoar a he belong o herealm o deining and o become one ho lien and hear[Hrender] and no one ho i imply con

Heidegger, Martin - Question Concerning Technology & Other Essays (Harper & Row, 1977)

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Transcript of Heidegger, Martin - Question Concerning Technology & Other Essays (Harper & Row, 1977)