The Bounds of Self: An Essay on Heidegger's Being and Time

This book explores Martin Heidegger's project of "fundamental ontology" and challenges key elements of the anti-Cartesian framework that most readers bring to his texts. It argues that Heidegger's Kantian account of being has its roots in Descartes' anti-empiricism and Augustinianism and relies implicitly on an essentially Cartesian "meditational" method of reflective self-engagement. It also argues against the widespread tendency to see Heidegger's basic forms of being as normative, concluding that fundamental ontology is inert with respect to the question of how to live.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 210 pages
Publication date: 25 September 2023
Publisher: Taylor & Francis Ltd

This book delves into Martin Heidegger's profound project of "fundamental ontology," which he initially explored in Being and Time (1927) and further developed in his writings on Kant. It presents a systematic reading of Heidegger's ideas, revealing our understanding of being as a limited set of a priori, temporally inflected, "categorial" forms that articulate the nature, essence, and possibility of things. As beings entangled within and shaped by the world we inhabit, we creatively generate these forms to open ourselves up to the intra-worldly entities that instantiate them. This imaginative act makes us the source and unifying ground of being. However, this ground remains hidden from us until we embark on the journey of fundamental ontology.

In exploring Heidegger's development of these ideas, the author challenges prevailing interpretations of his texts. He argues that Heidegger's Kantian account of being draws upon the anti-empiricism and Augustinianism of Descartes, and that his project implicitly relies on a fundamentally Cartesian "meditational" method of reflective self-engagement that enables the revelation of being. Furthermore, he contests the common notion that Heidegger presents the fundamental forms of being as normative, leading him to conclude, partially against Heidegger himself, that fundamental ontology is inert with respect to the question of how to live.

The Bounds of Self will appeal to scholars and advanced students engaged in the study of Heidegger, Kant, phenomenology, and existential philosophy. It offers a comprehensive exploration of Heidegger's thought, shedding light on the intricate connections between his ideas and the broader philosophical landscape. Through its rigorous analysis and insightful interpretations, this book provides valuable insights into the nature of being, the role of the self, and the challenges of living in a world that is both finite and infinite.

Weight: 453g
Dimension: 229 x 152 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780367650117