Phenomenology and the Question of Man
Questions of Phenomenology June 1, 2017 Françoise Dastur, Robert Vallier
Jan Patočka and Martin Heidegger both explore phenomenology and human phenomena, but they diverge on whether humanism can ground an understanding of humanity. Patočka credits Heidegger with realizing Wilhelm Dilthey's aim of understanding humans on their own terms, by focusing on what distinguishes them from other beings without external reference. However, Heidegger's "Letter on Humanism" argues that humanism is a form of metaphysics that fails to grasp human finitude, preventing mastery over truth. Patočka further contends that phenomenality—how things appear—is not something humans freely produce. The chapter examines these philosophical positions without endorsing one.