Central and East European
Society for Phenomenology

Conference | Paper

The Difference between World and Thing in Heidegger's Later Thought

Marcel Hosu

Wednesday 4 September 2024

09:30 - 10:10

TU-Small Venue

The following paper outlines the development of the concepts of world (Welt) and thing (Ding) in Heidegger’s thought starting with the late 1940s. It addresses the startling description of their difference and in-between as pain (Schmerz), a concept which does not seem to fit within a more classical ontological framework.

 

In Unterwegs zur Sprache we see Heidegger develop an opposition between world and thing, where the “worlding of the world” is separated from the thing which, in turn, opens up a world as Geviert. The difference between them creates an in-between (Zwischen) which is marked by pain: the pain of difference (Schmerz des Unter-schieds). Pain can be hastily demoted to the level of affectivity or “poetic talk”. Yet I argue that in Heidegger’s usage, the notion of pain is neither subjective nor simply a manner of speaking. Rather, it describes the precise interrelation between world and thing. The paper also argues that the analysis of the “pain of difference” stems from the deepening focus on negativity in his later philosophy, which brings about a change not only in the language deemed appropriate for phenomenological analysis, but also in the scope of phenomena considered relevant in his unceasing ontological undertaking.

 

This broad concept of pain can shed light on Heidegger’s enigmatic construction of the Geviert, which can be considered a theoretical stand-in for his later conception of the world. The “world” ceases to be understood as a horizon for transcendental subjectivity and becomes the pain-ridden Gegnet for the poetic dwelling of mortals. The paper ultimately argues for the necessity of the linguistic shift that takes place in Heidegger’s oeuvre.