Heidegger on Anxiety and Dasein

Summary

The video discusses Heidegger's philosophical view of anxiety. Heidegger sees anxiety not as a disorder, but a fundamental mood that reveals our existence and freedom. For Heidegger, our existence or 'Dasein' means 'being there' - we exist in relation to the world. Occasionally anxiety disrupts our habitual way of living and we face our 'nothingness' - the fact that we are free beings not determined by anything. Anxiety reveals we were previously 'at home' in the world. It individualizes us by making us realize we are our own freedom and no one else can live our lives. Though anxiety involves responsibility, embracing our nothingness can bring calm and peace.

Takeaways

• 😯 For Heidegger, anxiety discloses our very being - it's through anxiety that we find out who we are
• 😮 Dasein means 'being there' - it shows that existence is always already outside of itself, always situated in the world
• 🤔 Anxiety reveals we relate to our environment through nothingness - we feel uncanny when our habitual way of living is disrupted
• 😑 Anxiety isn't a constant state, but reveals an underlying freedom we have in relation to the world
• 😳 The experience of nothingness in anxiety makes creativity possible by removing our feeling of being at home
• 🙂 Anxiety can evoke wonder and creative longing - it causes us to come into our own
• 😅 Anxiety is different from fear - it has no specific object we try to flee from
• 😉 Freedom and nothingness are interwoven for existentialists like Heidegger
• 🧐 Anxiety individualizes us by making us realize we are our own nothingness and freedom
• ☺️ Resting in anxiety brings a sense of peace from accepting the nothingness that we are

Q & A

What is the fundamental difference between how anxiety is commonly viewed and how Heidegger views it?

Anxiety is commonly seen as a particular state of mind or disorder that some people suffer from. Heidegger sees it as a fundamental mood that discloses our very being and through which we find out who we are.

What does the term 'Dasein' mean and why is it significant to Heidegger's view of existence?

'Dasein' is a German word meaning 'existence' or 'being there'. It's significant because it shows that for Heidegger, existence is always 'being in the world', always situated in an environment.

How does anxiety reveal our fundamental way of relating to the world according to Heidegger?

Anxiety reveals that we relate to the world in the mode of nothingness - it jolts us out of our habitual, everyday way of living and makes us aware of our freedom in relation to the world.

Why does Heidegger say that anxiety brings a disclosure of 'the nothing'?

In moments of anxiety we realize that things like meetings and obligations are not set in stone - we are free to not participate. This realization of our freedom and lack of determination is what Heidegger calls 'the nothing'.

How is the experience of 'uncanniness' related to anxiety?

When things feel strange or uncanny, they become 'unhomely'. This feeling of not being at home in the world anymore is characteristic of anxiety for Heidegger.

What is the difference between fear and anxiety according to Heidegger?

Fear has a specific object that we tend to flee from, while anxiety has no determinate object. We cannot pinpoint what we are anxious about - we are anxious about nothingness itself.

Why does anxiety reveal our freedom for Heidegger?

Because anxiety has no determinate object to flee from, resting in anxiety means facing our nothingness directly. This nothingness is our utter freedom to determine our own course of action.

How does Heidegger link anxiety to creativity?

He says anxiety can evoke wonder and is allied with creative longing. Facing our nothingness allows us to break out of habitual ways of living and come into our own.

How does Heidegger's view of anxiety compare with other existentialist thinkers?

His ideas about nothingness disclosing freedom and anxiety revealing our fundamental being resonate with other existentialists like Kierkegaard. Though he differed, his thinking aligned in many ways.

Why does facing our nothingness bring a sense of calm for Heidegger?

Usually we flee the objects of our fear. But with anxiety, there is no object - only our own freedom. Facing this directly brings acceptance and peace.