Central and East European
Society for Phenomenology

Conference | Paper

Heidegger's ecstasies—a shortcut to the existential problem

Liya Zou

Wednesday 6 September 2023

15:00 - 15:30

 

The philosopher Martin Heidegger’s theory of time proposes that the temporal horizon of existence is composed of three dimensions: past, present, and future. He argues that the concept of “ecstasy” or “ekstasis” is crucial in unifying these dimensions and constitutes the temporality of existence. In this essay, the author begins by explaining Heidegger’s concept of Dasein as “being-there” or “being-in-the-world” and its relation to time. The author then examines the concept of ecstasy, highlighting its importance in the existence of being. However, two objections are raised against ecstasy and temporality. The first objection is proposed by Emmanuel Levinas, a phenomenologist, who argues that being never reaches its own existence and that ecstasy does not support this external existence because it presupposes a unity of subject and object. The second objection argues that ecstasis belongs to the ontology of being and only appears in the condition of an unchanging and constant ontology. The author concludes the essay by stating that ecstasis is only a way to correlate the three structures of time and that it does not provide a complete understanding of the nature of time and existence. The essay presents a critical examination of Heidegger's theory of time and offers alternative perspectives on the concept of ecstasy and temporality.