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Heidegger and the Supposition of a Single, Objective World
Author(s) -
McManus Denis
Publication year - 2015
Publication title -
european journal of philosophy
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.42
H-Index - 36
eISSN - 1468-0378
pISSN - 0966-8373
DOI - 10.1111/j.1468-0378.2012.00529.x
Subject(s) - argument (complex analysis) , epistemology , subject (documents) , subject matter , work (physics) , philosophy , sociology , computer science , engineering , mechanical engineering , pedagogy , biochemistry , chemistry , library science , curriculum
C hristina L afont has argued that the early H eidegger's reflections on truth and understanding are incompatible with ‘the supposition of a single objective world’. This paper presents her argument, reviews some responses that the existing H eidegger literature suggests (focusing, in particular, on work by J ohn H augeland), and offers what I argue is a superior response. Building on a deeper exploration of just what the above ‘supposition’ demands (an exploration informed by the work of B ernard W illiams and A drian M oore), I argue that a crucial assumption that L afont and H augeland both accept must be rejected, namely, that different ‘understandings of B eing’ can be viewed as offering ‘rival perspectives’ on a common subject‐matter. I develop this case by drawing on an alternative account of what a H eideggerian ‘understanding of B eing’ might be like.