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BEING

Chapter Presentation on Being

BBL5202: Critical Appreciation

Instructor: Mr. Rohimmi Bin Noor

Khairul Hisyam Baharuddin

GS23139


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DEFINITION OF BEING

Being is an English word used for conceptualizing

subjective aspects fundamental to the selfrelatedto and somewhat interchangeable with terms like"existence" and "living".

In its objective usage as in "a being," or "[a] humanbeing" it refers to a discrete life formthat hasproperties of mind (i.e. experience and character)such that transcend that of mere organisms (ie. thathave only "life functions").

In abstract usage, "the being" or "one's being" is themind's concept of the self as a whole entity including both mind and body wherein the beingisin the mind, and the "body" is all sensory aspects

within the being.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Martin_Heidegger


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DEFINITION OF BEING - CONTINUED

In philosophy, being is the object of study of metaphysics, and

more specifically ontology.

In these contexts, the term "being," is typically understood asone's "state of being," and hence its common meaning is in thecontext of human (personal) experience, with aspects that involveexpressions and manifestations coming from a being's innate

being, or personal character.

In its most indeterminate sense, beingcould be understood asanythingthat can be said to be, which is opposed tononexistence.

For example one could ask: why is there something instead ofnothing? Where something implies being.

For a metaphysician the main problem is not the scientific questionof how the universe works, but why the universe is the way it is.


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THE BEING OF THINGS

Things can be broken down into two large categories which

are:a) Empirical Dimension

b) Transcendental Dimension

The Empirical Dimension (based on observation orexperience)

(i.ethere is a moon, there are stars). The question of beingis concerned with there is. Being is a particular essence

used to indicate a predicate.


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THE BEING OF THINGS - CONTINUED

The Transcendental Dimension (beyond ordinary or common

experience, thought, or belief).

It consists of three categories which are:

a) The eternal

b) The infinite

c) God (Existence is essence)

The Transcendental Dimension is more systematic compared

to the Empirical dimension because of its categorization ofthings.


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THE BEING OF THINGS - CONTINUED

The Eternal

- Assumed to exist outside and beyond worldly existence.

(i.e. Death of plants, animals, people as well as suns andplanets)

The Infinite

- Outside experience related to mathematics (concept ofinfinity)

(i.e. The ability to calculate and write long equations withoutlimits the limitations we assume of this is because of thematerial we used to write it on).

God (Existence is essence)- Exists ever where and before other thin s existed.


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WHY ARE THE TWO DIMENSIONS IMPORTANT?

The transcendental indicates an ordering or structuring of the

empirical. This order is embedded within our experience.

We assume the existence of some universal or grand principle ofordering on the basis of what we do have access to.

(i.e. We only have access to our traditions, histories customs, theappearance of the world, our mode or reasoning and events weparticipate in).

In the absence of a universal principle of ordering we producecritical yet faulty versions of the the universal.

(i.e. We produce subjective points of view that might not beapplicable to everyone such as the belief in karma, life after

death and distant galaxies).


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BEING AND EXISTENTIALISM

Human beings are concerned with their existence in the world andexistentialism provides a limited framework to understand somedilemmas that might occur from time to time.

Existentialism is a philosophical movement or tendency

emphasizing existence, freedom and choice.

Major Themes of Existentialism

a) Moral Individualism

b) Subjectivity

c) Choice and Commitment

d) Dread and Anxiety


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BEING AND EXISTENTIALISM - CONTINUED

Moral Individualism

a) Plato held that the highest ethical good is the same for everyone;as one approaches moral perfection or morally perfectindividuals.

b) Kierkegaard on the other hand believes that one must choose

ones own way without the aid of universal and objectivestandards.

c) Friedrich Nietzsche contends that individuals must decide whichsituations are to count as moral situations.

Subjectivity

a) Importance of personal experience and acting on ones ownconvictions.

- Understanding of a situation by someone involved in the

situation is superior that that of the detached observer.- Its important to take be passionate in a matter when deciding


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Choice and Commitment

Humanitys primary distinction is the freedom to choose.

(Except for how we were born, which family we were born into andother things beyond human control).

Each human being makes choices that create his or her own nature.Choice is central to human existence and is inescapable; even the

refusal to choose is a choice.

Freedom of choice entails responsibilities.

Individuals must accept the risk and responsibility of following theircommitment to wherever it leads.


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Dread and Anxiety

Kierkegaard believes that it is spiritually crucial to recognize thatone experiences not only a fear of specific objects(anxiety/phobias) but also a feeling of general apprehension

(dread).

Individuals tend to feel anxiety and dread when it is impossible tofind an ultimate justification for the choices he or she makes.

(i.e. The total freedom of choice that confronts individual at anygiven moment to make a decision that will affect his or her life).


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WORKS CONSULTED

"Being - Definition and More from the Free Merriam-Webster

Dictionary." Dictionary and Thesaurus - Merriam-Webster Online.Web. 3 Aug. 2010. .

"Existentialism." Microsoft Encarta. 2009. Web.

Lowe, E. J. Kinds of Being: a Study of Individuation, Identity, andthe Logic of Sortal Terms. Oxford, UK: Blackwell, 1989. Print.

Phillips, John. "The Political - Being." Contested Knowledge: aGuide to Critical Theory. London: Zed, 2000. 95-97. Print.

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