Martin Heidegger is often seen as the greatest philosopher of the 20th century. His forensic approach to apparently obvious questions or topics continues to have a big impact on contemporary philosophy.

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Martin Heidegger is often seen as the greatest philosopher of the 20th century. His forensic approach to apparently obvious questions or topics continues to have a big impact on contemporary philosophy.

Being and Time (1927) is his signature work. It was famously preceded by a 12-year ‘period of silence’, and seemed to come from nowhere.

Being and Time (1927) is his signature work. It was famously preceded by a 12-year ‘period of silence’, and seemed to come from nowhere. 

In fact, Heidegger had been lecturing to rapt audiences for years, building up an underground fame among German students as a truly original thinker.

In fact, Heidegger had been lecturing to rapt audiences for years, building up an underground fame among German students as a truly original thinker. 

As Hannah Arendt (once his student) famously noted, “There was hardly more than a name, but the name travelled all over Germany like the rumour of a hidden king.”

As Hannah Arendt (once his student) famously noted, “There was hardly more than a name, but the name travelled all over Germany like the rumour of a hidden king.”

Being and Time is notoriously difficult to understand, and many have found it a quicksand-like experience. Heidegger will spend pages defining a single term, such as Dasein (being).

Being and Time is notoriously difficult to understand, and many have found it a quicksand-like experience. Heidegger will spend pages defining a single term, such as Dasein (being). 

The question of ‘being’ had certainly been addressed by ancient and medieval philosophers, Heidegger admits, but no one had explored it properly.

The question of ‘being’ had certainly been addressed by ancient and medieval philosophers, Heidegger admits, but no one had explored it properly. 

‘Being’ was almost taken for granted, because everyone ‘is’ and therefore we know what it is to ‘be’. Yet in terms of philosophical analysis, “the meaning of being is ...shrouded in darkness”.

‘Being’ was almost taken for granted, because everyone ‘is’ and therefore we know what it is to ‘be’. Yet in terms of philosophical analysis, “the meaning of being is ...shrouded in darkness”.

Heidegger’s big question: What is personhood? What is it like to be a human being in the world, bound by space and time? For Descartes, the motto for the self was ‘I think’. Heidegger’s is I care.

Heidegger’s big question: What is personhood? What is it like to be a human being in the world, bound by space and time? For Descartes, the motto for the self was ‘I think’. Heidegger’s is I care. 

‘Care’ not in the conventional meaning of emotional sympathy, but more like searching, exploring, making, dealing with, building something. ‘Care’ concerns my place among others in a social or political sense (which includes concern for others), and my own development or unfoldin

‘Care’ not in the conventional meaning of emotional sympathy, but more like searching, exploring, making, dealing with, building something. ‘Care’ concerns my place among others in a social or political sense (which includes concern for others), and my own development or unfoldin

As a ‘being-in-the-world’, these cares or concerns tell the world what I am.

As a ‘being-in-the-world’, these cares or concerns tell the world what I am. 

What is being?

‘Thrownness’ is a crucial idea in Heidegger’s Being and Time. A human being is cast into a particular place, time and family not of their choosing. Life is about making sense of this fall into the realm of space and time. How did I get here? Why am I here? What do I do now?

‘Thrownness’ is a crucial idea in Heidegger’s Being and Time. A human being is cast into a particular place, time and family not of their choosing. Life is about making sense of this fall into the realm of space and time. How did I get here? Why am I here

Part of this perplexity is an inbuilt sense of ‘guilt’ or ‘owing’. We feel some responsibility to do something with our lives. Fortunately, we come equipped with the capacities for speech and action. In using them we reveal something of ourselves.

Part of this perplexity is an inbuilt sense of ‘guilt’ or ‘owing’. We feel some responsibility to do something with our lives. Fortunately, we come equipped with the capacities for speech and action. In using them we reveal something of ourselves. 


It would be impossible for life not to have meaning, given the raw materials of consciousness and environment before us. Even our death can be meaningful, because it discloses who we are. It marks the end of our ‘self-showing’.

It would be impossible for life not to have meaning, given the raw materials of consciousness and environment before us. Even our death can be meaningful, because it discloses who we are. It marks the end of our ‘self-showing’. 


The essential nature of existence, Heidegger says, is that it is mine. There is an enormity to this realization. The weight of it is such that few people can handle it or grasp what an authentic life would mean for them.

The essential nature of existence, Heidegger says, is that it is mine. There is an enormity to this realization. The weight of it is such that few people can handle it or grasp what an authentic life would mean for them. 


Authenticity means recognizing the unlikely fact of having consciousness, and yet still proceeding to ‘make sense’ of our existence. In saying this, Heidegger was a big influence on Jean-Paul Sarte and other existentialist philosophers.

Authenticity means recognizing the unlikely fact of having consciousness, and yet still proceeding to ‘make sense’ of our existence. In saying this, Heidegger was a big influence on Jean-Paul Sarte and other existentialist philosophers. 


The crucial point about being is that it is played out in time. To be a being in time is the feeling of always moving toward something. The nature of being human is a forward orientation. We are our possibilities.

The crucial point about being is that it is played out in time. To be a being in time is the feeling of always moving toward something. The nature of being human is a forward orientation. We are our possibilities. 


Heidegger rejected Schopenhauer’s idea that the world is simply a projection. Clearly, we do exist in the world, and it’s impossible to exist without having meaning to that world. I love, I act, I have an impact. The nature of my being becomes evident across a lifetime.

Heidegger rejected Schopenhauer’s idea that the world is simply a projection. Clearly, we do exist in the world, and it’s impossible to exist without having meaning to that world. I love, I act, I have an impact. The nature of my being becomes evident acr

For the modern person, the implication of Heidegger’s work is clear: though it is tempting to shut yourself off from the world or rise above it through contemplation or meditation, this denies the fact of me being a social and political animal.

For the modern person, the implication of Heidegger’s work is clear: though it is tempting to shut yourself off from the world or rise above it through contemplation or meditation, this denies the fact of me being a social and political animal. 


There's such thing as a fully ‘self-made’ person. No one truly separates themselves from the communal or social voice, which Heidegger calls the ‘One’.  The appropriate response to life: throw ourselves into it, coming to conclusions about what is real or true, separate from public opinion.

There's such thing as a fully ‘self-made’ person. No one truly separates themselves from the communal or social voice, which Heidegger calls the ‘One’.  The appropriate response to life: throw ourselves into it, coming to conclusions about what is real or

Bottom line: Human existence is a mystery. The authentic person is one who reflects on that existence and yet lives in the real world, making the most of their possibilities.

Bottom line: Human existence is a mystery. The authentic person is one who reflects on that existence and yet lives in the real world, making the most of their possibilities.


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