Seinsgefühl
Seinsgefühl, German for “feeling of being.”
Our discussion last night on the topic of Existentialism, the post WWII movement revolved around this indispensable aspect of our lives, “feeling of being.” For our fathers, or grandfathers who survived the industrial scale slaughter and destruction of Europe, of the Pacific islands including Japan the issue was nothing less than the possibility of once more building civilization, that is a world of community, of decency, of ethical exchange between peoples/cultures given the systematic mechanized genocide of the camps, and the spectre of city killer weapons as were demonstrated over Nagasaki and Hiroshima. Is there any basis, and foundation to “begin again?” Words are inadequate to “explain” or better, to rationalize away what we have done to one another.
The conclusion proposed by the existentialist movement: there is no god-given essential human nature, no baseline of what it means to be human, no measurement to assess what is “right” or what is “wrong.” Humankind is subject to becoming anything, even sub beast-like being, a stone cold killer drunk with lust for blood.
The dilemma confronting the thinkers and writers of the post WWII generation, “how to become human once again…” How is it possible to feel that anything matters, that I and others matter, in the light (or the darkness) of what we know know to be the truth?
At the beginning of the 21st century the dilemma remains before us, — the failure of my generation, the “boomers” to solve the problem is painful, obvious. Science and technology has accelerated, we have a globalized world of communication, girdled with supply chains that until lately, delivered anything the affluent could imagine. At the same time, democracy, rule by the people, is beset by authoritarian parties, offering relief to the majority suffering the 
consequences of income inequality, the rise of racism ignited by global warming induced mass migration, and a deadly world wide pandemic that waxes and wanes.
A question was asked in our discussion last night which cuts to the gordian knot of our dilemma. How is it possible that humankind is “free,” that we truly can exercise choice, to decide to “do the right thing” given the apparent universal, absolute rule of cause and effect. As far as we know there is no gap in the cause and effect sequence, the chain of outcomes from prior circumstance. If it is not possible for anyone to have done otherwise, how is “responsibility” possible? In what way, if any, am I responsible for my behavior in relationship to you?
Our feeling of “freedom” that the course of my life is at my disposal, that I am “responsible” to achieve my fulfillment — is that a mere necessary fiction?
It seems to me that a reconsideration of what is meant by “freedom” is mandated. It what sense am I free and responsible in relationship to you? You are both a separate, distinct self, a point-of-view that sharply differs from my own; and (paradoxically) you are a potential collaborator, an ally in the joint project of caring for one another and caring for the earth, our only home.
Only by rediscovering an ethical disposition of our freedom, will we again discover a “new world,” that palpable “feeling of being” which has been lost.
2 thoughts on “Seinsgefühl”
Leave it to Cindi to ask the difficult questions!
Existential philosophers writing novels illustrating existential philosophy, while claiming they are not philosophers. Author’s writing philosophy. Writing the Myth, and writing about the Myth.
No human nature? Another issue defended or refuted over and over, with opinion changing sides depending on argued conclusion. It seems claiming a Cat Nature, Dog Nature, or Snail Nature does not come with such controversy. Cat, Dog, or Snail Souls??
Free Will vs pre-Ordained? Another rabbit-hole debate, changing sides depending on conclusion wanted.
I guess the coming year has not run out of questions.
Indeed! Philosophy has to do with asking questions that point to fulfillment of the one life that each of us has. A good question has no conclusive answer.
I wonder when we ask questions about the essential nature of anything non human, if we are not just talking nonsense… What is the basis of the question? We have no first hand experience of the internal life of cats, dogs, or snails. Do they have a fragment of self awareness? Maybe. As far as I know, they have not said.
There is no question that humans exercise will. But how free? We do use free-will language, though I cannot see how any choice can be made outside of the deck of cards that we are holding, …
Plenty of questions for 2022.