Egocentricity and mysticism an anthropological study 9780231169127, 0231169124

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EGOCENTRICITY AND

MYSTICISM

AN ANTHROPOLOGICAL STUDY

Ernst Tugendhat Translated by Alexei Procyshyn and Mario Wenning

COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY PRESS

NEW YORK

Columbia University Press Publishers Since t.f93 New York Chichester, West Sussex

cup.columbia.edu EngLish translation copyright(·

4.

5.

6.

7. 8. 9. ro.

WONDER

Wittgenstein, "A Lecture on Ethics," Philosophical Review 74 (1965): 3-12. Hereafter citations given p;trcnthetica!Jy in the text. Sec Ludwig Wittgenstein, Bri~fi: an Ludwig von fickcr, ed. c;corg Henrik von Wright (Salzburg: Muller, r969), 35, as well as Cyril Barrett, Wittgenstein on Religious Belief( Oxford: Blackwell, 1991). See the last section of Elenor S;1in ;md 'fobias Trappe's ;1rticlc "Staunen" ("Wonder") in Joachim Ritter and Ka.dfried Grii11der, eds., Historisclies Wiirterbuch der l'h ilosophie (Basel: Schwabe, 19 9 8), IO :u5-2+ This is also the case for Heidegger, w:ho admittedly uses less precise formulations. U) take an example, ill the epilogue to "What Is Metaphysics?" he mentions the "wonder" "that beings exist" ("Wunder;' '\fass Scicndcs ist") (Heidegger, T#gm11rken [Frankfurt: Klostcrm;urn, 2004], IO'), 105)-which would be a tautology. Heidegger, "What Is Metaphysics?:' trans. David Farrell. Krell, in Pathmilrks (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1998), 82-96, at .9S· At the beginning ofthe Introduction to Metaphysics, he has recourse to Ldbniis Ljllestion "Why .is there somethi11g at all rathn than nothing?" (which asks for reasons). 111 his late philosophy, Heidegger states again and again that metaphysics docs not ask about "Being as such" or "the truth of Being"; i.t only asks about the Being of beings (see, for example, Walrer Kaufirnmn's translation of "lnmiduction to ~ 'What Is Metaphysics?;" in1't1thmdrks, 277-90, at279-80). This.is only a slightly obscure version of what I chim earl.in. Th.e contrast in orientation intended here is that between the Being of beings and the phenomenon of the wodd. English in the original.-TRANS. Tugendhat selectively LJUOtes Wittgenstein here, potentially ;11tcring die latter's remark slightly. In his lecture, Wittgenstein says, "It is nonsense to say that I wonder at the existence of the world, because I cannot imagine it not existing" (12). Ir should also be noted that Ti.tgcndhat\ discussion hinges on distinguishing between perplexity (Sichwundern) ;md wonder (Stmmm). Wittgenstein, however, never talks of "perplexity" - Tugcndhat simply reads the notion into Wittgenstein, mentioning that he has done so only in passing a fi:w paragraphs afi:er introducing the distinction.-TRANS. Dcsctrtes, Les panions dt' lame. Spinoza, sec no. 4 under "Ddinirions of the Emotions," i11 part> ofhis1ithic.-. See Stefan Maruschek, Uber dm Staunen: Eine ideengeschichtfich1' An,i/yse (Ttibingen: Niemeyer, I99i), esp. 22-2.>Thus, I do not think that th.e concepts of Aristotle and Plato arc ;Ls diffncnt as Matuschek takes them to be. In the case ofDescarrcs, sec Les passions de Dime, §18.

7- Wonder

I r54

n. Augustine, Confessions 11.14; Ludwig Wirtgenstein, l'hilosophical Investigations, tr;rns. c;. E. M. Anscombe, 3rd ed. (Oxfclrd: Blackwell. 2001), §89. ADDENDUM i.

On the idea of a progressive derdativization of concepts, see my ;utick on philosophical method in Tugendhat, Philosophische Aufiiitze (Frankfurt: Suhrkamp, 199i,), i,6dL esp. 27r. See also my lecture "Kann man aus der Erfahrung moralisch lernen" ["ls it Possible to Learn M.orally from Experience?"], in l'robleme da Ethik (Stuttgart: Rcclam, 1984), 87ff

INDEX

Accepuno.:, u4, 117, u8 Accountability, 40, 43 Achievement ( Gelingen), 21, 23, 14-38, +2., +6; the adverbial good and, 51; intellectual honesty ;md, 63; mysticism ;md, 98; and peace of mind, uo-n Action: active form of, 35-36; atternpt, 34, ;i8; in Daoism, n1; deDberate intent and, ;i4-35, 38; ddiberation ;rnd, 07-38; deliberative, altruism and, 24-25; freedom of, 36-37; goal, 49; "good," 58; "I"-, 38-19; intention and, 13-:14; nonaction, io9; passive fonn ot; 35-36; without sdt:consciousncss, 109; success, '\4, 18 Action-specific goods, 47, 49 Adverbial good, xi; animals and, 50; definition ot; 50-51; for I-sayers, 56; moral good ;md, 5:;-54, 60; within prudential good, 54-55; prudential good and, 52, 55; recognition ;md, 57-58; shame ;rnd, r48n9

Adverbial virtue, 61 Affective condition, 70-71; st;rnce taking;md, 72-73 Affective n:sponsivcncss, 41 Agency, n

Albert, Karl, 104 AlLncss (Allhcit), 95 Altruism: Buddhism ;u1d, n9; deliberative action and, 24-25; egoism ;md, 24, 66; evolution and, 24; "final purpose'' :md, 21-24; "putting oncsdfin pnspectivc" and, 67; wdl-bcing and, 24-25 Anger, +;f, 57; and pas.,ivc action, :i6 Anglo-American ;uMlytic philosophy, viii Animals: advnbial good aml, 50; cognition of: 144nn; death mJ.S:iety for, 78; hum;uikind :u1d, x:x:v-xxvi, 1-4, 72, 144n u; "I'' saying ;md, xx vi-xx vii, i44nu; misforrnnes ot; 98-99

Anthropology: constants . .x:iv; structurco, 9 L See ,zlso Philosophical anthropology Aristotle, xv; on death, 75; on desire, r8-19; on ethics, 75-76; on "good," 69; on 'T' s;rying, :i49ni.5; on lanb'Uagco, +-5, 145n3; lr~r;os, 145n3; Nic11111,ul11:,m]'thi1s, 75; pcrpkx.ity for, 129-30; l'oLitfi:,·.. +:on "the How'' oflifr, 75-76; on virtue, 62-6+, 1491115 Artistic activities, 59 Asscrtoric, 5-6

Index

1

156

Attempt, 34-38. See also Achievement Attentiveness, 132 Authenticity, xii

Context, propositional language and, ix.-x, 8 Context-independent

Behavior: human patterns of, 65-66; instrumental, 98; towards self, 45-46 Being, rn4 Being-alive, 71-72 Being and Time (Heidegger), 91 Bentham,Jeremy, 52 "Better; "good" and, 50-51 Bifurcation, 137 Blame, 42-43 Blameworthiness, 49 Buddhism, xx-:xxi, 89-91, 15on3; Arhat in, n9-20; Bodhisattva in, n9-20; Daoism and, rn7-8; emptiness in, n6-17; mysticism and, 94; suffering in, rn4; Theravada, 94, n9-20, 122; Vedanta and, 102-3, 120; Zen, rn6-7, n6. See also Mahayana Buddhism Burge, Tyler, 31-32

content, x; desire, 20-21; language, 9, 20-21; objects, reference to, 9-rn Contingency, 98, n3 "Counsels on Discernment" (Eckhart), n5 Creativity, 59 Criminal law, 40-41, 147mo Criticism, 48 Critique ofPractical Reason (Kant), 30 Cultural phenomena, 92-93 Culture, 141-42

(Situationsunabhangigkeit):

Causal relations, 13 9 Children, 44-46 Christianity, 52-53; love in, nS-19, 122; mystical factor in, n4; mysticism and, :xxi, n7-18 Cohesion, 89 Collectedness ( Gesammeltsein): mysticism as form of, 89; religion and, 89, 91-92; self-relation and, II2; unity and, 76 Compassion, wisdom and, 120 Confirmation, 29 Conscience, morality and, 59-60 Consciousness: "I"-, 15-16; predication and, 15-16; propositional language and, 16; religious, 97; self-, 15-16, rn9; self-reference and, xxvii; time, 18 Content, ix.-x

Daodejing, rn9, 1n-12 Daoism, xx-xxi; action in, u1; Buddhism and, 107-8; doctrine of opposites, rn9-u; emptiness and, n2-13; important in, 109; love in, n8; motivation for, n4-15; nonaction (wuwei), 109; smallness in, 108; "stepping back" in, n3; "true human" in, 1n-12; unity in, 110 Daoist mysticism, 94, rn7-8 Death: Aristotle on, 75; awareness 0£ 82; confrontation witli, 82-83; experience of. xi-xii; fear of. 78; future and, 77-78; life and, 83; mysticism and, 84; as object, 79; proximity of, 81-82; selfrdlection and, 82 Death anxiety (Todesangst): for animals, 78; biological explanation for, 78-80; for humankind, 78; mortality and, 79-80; motivation for, 81; nothingness and, So "Deduction," xi Deictic expressions, 9 Deliberate desire, 19-20 Deliberate intent (Vorsatz), 19, 21; action and, 34-35, 38; deliberation and, 38; desire and, 37; goals and, 35

Index I 157 Deliberation ( Uberlegenkonnen ), xv, 7; action and, 37-38; deliberate intent and, 38; "good" and, 19-21; "!"-actions and, 38-40; "I" and, 32; ofl-sayers, x; "it is up to me" and, 72; practical, x; responsibility and, 39-40; stance taking and, 72-73; "stepping back" and, 84 Deliberative action, altruism and, 24-25 Descartes, Rene, 129 Desire ("iVollen ), 15on3; Aristotle on, 18-19; context-independent, 20-21; Daoism and excesses of, 108; deliberate, 19-20; deliberate intent and, 37; goal and, 37; sensuous, 19 Dialogue, 140-41 Discourse, universe of, 126-27 Disinterested love, 122 Disrespect, 49; recognition and, 56, 58-59 Distinguished, 29 Distraction, plurality and, 76 Eckhart, Meister, xii, =-xxi, 104; on acceptance, n8; "Counsels on Discernment," n5-16; on God, n6-17 Ego, xxvi, 36 "Ego-attachment" (Ich-Bindung), n5-16 Egocentricity, xii; egoism distinguished from, 25, 66; of I-sayers, xxvi, 47, 56; mysticism and, 85-86; reference and, 17; "stepping back" from, 26; transcending, xxvi Egoism: altruism and, 24, 66; egocentricity distinguished from, 25, 66 Either/Or (Kierkegaard), 90-92 Eliade, Mircea, 97-98 Emptiness: in Buddhism, n6-17; Daoism and, n2-13; God and, n3

Encouragement, 42 "End in itsel£' 21-22 Enlightenment, 10 6

"Es liegt an mir." See "It is up to me" Evolution, xiv; altruism and, 24; of language, 8 Existence: of God, 100-1; Wittgenstein on, 127-28, 133, 153n6; wonder at, 127-28, 133, 153n4 Existentialism, vii, xiii-xiv Explanation, 131-32 Fear: of death, 78; of nothingness, 80-81 Fichte,Johann Gottlieb, 29 "Final purpose," 21-22; altruism and, 23-24 Finitude, 77 First-person perspective, xvii-xviii, 92-93; of philosophy, 139; third-person perspective and, 137, 140-41, 145nr8 Flasch, Kurt, 145nr8 Freedom, 7, 43; of action, 36-37 Free will, 36-37, 41; as illusion, 46; misunderstanding of, 44 Freud, Sigmund, 36; The Future ofan Illusion, 96 Future: death and, 77-78; for I-sayers, 21; sense of, r8 Future ofan Illusion, The (Freud), 96 Gadamer, Hans-Georg, xvii, 140-41 Gelingen. See Achievement Gesammeltsein. See Collectedness Goals, 23; action, 49; deliberate intent and, 35; desire and, 37; "it is up to me" and, 34-35; order of, 27 God, 100, n3-r8 Gods, 99-100; belief in, 100-101, r51nro; Daoism and, 117; Eckhart on, n6-17; emptiness and, n3; existence of, 100-r; love and, n8

Index I rsS "Good," xi; action, 58; actionspecific, 47, 49; Aristotle on, 69; "better" and, 50-5r; definition ot; r9; deliberation and, r9-L1; intdleerual honesty and, 64; language and, 4; Plato on, 5L; social strucnire and, 4; understand.ingot; s1. See ,dw Adverbial good; Moral good; Prudential good ( ;reatncss, 9 6 Guilt, s+, 60 Heaven, JJ s Hegel, (;corg Wilhelm, 118->9 Heidegger, Martin, xi-'xii, 71; Being ,md 1Yme, 91; continental philosophy,md, 118-39; on wonder ofex.istcnce, r53n4 Hermeneutics, 140-41 Historical: inquiry; q5-42; to logical, xviii; phenomena, 92-93, ris-17; use of term, 141-42 Hobbes, Thomas, 19 "How are you doing?," 69-71 "How do I want to or should I live?," 74-77

Humankind: agency ot; ix; animals and, xxv-xxvi, 3-4, 72, 144m 1; death anxiety for, 78; future for, 77; history and, 105-16; language and, ixc-x, xxvi, 5; linguistics and, 4; peace of mind for, xxv; reason for, 7; "true hunian:' 111-u; "what is humankind?;'xvxvii. Sec ,ifso I-sayers Hume, David, 62

"l..'' ix-x; -actions, >8-40; -activit.ics, :i9-40, 48; concept of; xxvi; -consciousness, 15-16; deliberation

and, :i L; first-person perspective and, xvii-xviii; perspective, 13-14, 146m3; reforentialfunction of 14-15; use ot; 11, v

"I can," 34-:i5 hh-Bindung. Sff "Ego-attachment'' Ich-S,iger. Sec I-sayers ''l could have done otherwise;' 41-42, 46. See ,d r-32; definition ot; 39; passive action and, 36 Logical, historical. to, xviii l,6gos, r45n:i

Love: bei11g loved, awareness oC 29-30; in Christianity, .u8-19, 122; in Daoism, u8; disinterested, 122; God ,md, n8; in Mahayana Buddhism, n9-2i; in rdigion, n8-23; universal, n9-21 Luck, 2i, 146n8 M.,1hay;wa Buddhism, w6-7; onptiness in, n6-17; love in, n921; mysti.cism ;u1d, ur; 'Iheravada Buddhism ;rnd, 122 Meditative immersion, 94 Meraphys.ics, u5-26 Mood,71 Moral bhme, 4:; Mor;1l good, xi; adverbial good and, 5>-54, 60; Christianity and, 52-')J.; for I-sayers, 56; nor.ion of; 52; within prudential good, 54-55; prudential good ,md, 55; shame and, 54 ·Moraliry, 1521142; conscience ;md, 59-60; Gme11logy rfMrmility, xi; Kant on, 52, 54; law and, r471110; Plato on, 60; Sidgwick on, 52-53 Moral responsibility; 40 ,,. Moral virrne . 61-61 Mortality, death an:x:iery and, 79-80 Motivar.ion, 42; for believer, n4-.15; for Daoist, n4-15; for death anxiety, 8.1; for intdkcrnal honesty, 64-66; recognition and, )I-52 Murdoch, Iris, 50, 62 Mysticism, xii; Huddbism ;md . 9+; Christianity ,md, :x:xi, 117-18; contingency and, .98, 113; Daoisr, 94, 107-8; death and, 84; deccntering potential o±; xix; definitions of; 92-95; East Asian, x:xi, 94; egocentr.ic aspect of; 85-86; as form of collectedness, 89; !Jidian, x:x:i, 94, ro2-,1, 105-6; Mahayana Buddhis.m and, TH;

Index I

160

Mysticism (continued) meaning of, x:xv; peace of mind ,md, vii, 102; points of vic.:w influencing shapes ot; 101-2; rationality and, x:xi; rdigion and, xii, xviii-:xxii, 95-9 8, l!f; "stepping hack" i11, 85, 104; suffrriug ,md, 105; in third-person perspective, 95; transcendental, .xviii-x:xii; in twentieth century, 125-26; unity and, 102; uoivc.:rsalized, .x:x-xxi; universal love and, r2T; Western, x:xi, 93-94, ro:;; wondc.:r ;md, t44n9 Mysticism F.1st,z11d TVest (Otto), ro4 Nagd. 'fhomas, 8o-8r Nature, .1.09, 122 Nico11i,u:he,m Hthics (Aristotle), 75 Nietzsche, Friedrich: on altruism, 25; (/me,zlox_y o/lvlomlity, xi; imcllecrn;d honesty for, 61, i49nr6; will to truth, 61 Nirvana, ro6-7, u9 Nonaction (wu1cei), 109 Nor.ms, 4 Nothingness, foar ot; 80-8 r Numinous, 96-97; Otto on, 124; rclibrion ,md, 99-100 ( )bject: death as. 79; existing individual, 9-w; predicates and, n; spc.:akers ,md, 10-LI; "this·''-pcrspective, I> ( )bjectivity locating expressions, 9 One, 120-21 ()rn:seH; 90-9i. Set ;1/wJ"l'utting onesdfin perspc.:ctive" ()no, Rudolf: Mysticism /i;1st 1md Hle1t, 104; on urnninous, 124; on "state.: of mind," 9 6-97 Passiv·e action, :>5-36 Peace of mind (Seelenfiede), xx; mysticism and, vii, 102; need for,

xxv; proposition,tl Lmguage and need for, ix.-xiii; translation of: xxiii Perception, inner, l2-r3 Perplexity, 127-28; for Aristotle, 129-30; attc.:nti.vcness and, 112; proposition ,md, 130,; wonder and, 128-c;2

Perspc.:ctive: ''l;' 13-14, 146ni3; of I-sayers . x; predicates ,Uld, n; second-person, xvii; "stepping back" and, 84-85; "this"-, 1c;. See illro First-person perspective; "Putting oneself in perspective"; Third-person perspective Philosophers, xiv-xv, 138-c;9. Sec alw

specific philosophers Philosophicd 'mthrnpology; vii, 135-16; existentialism and, xiii-xiv; I-sayers and, xv; objections to, xvii; primacy of practical and .rern.m ot; xiii-xviii Philosophy: acadcmi.c, viii; 'malytk, viii, xiv-xv; "big questions" ot: viii; continental, xiv-xv, n8-39; J:irstpcrson perspective of-; 139; history ot; I)l-19; ofhlllguagc, vii; of mind, vii; snbdisciplines ot; 135-16; wonder and, 129, n4 Plato: on "good:' 52; on "How do 1 want to or should I live?;" 76-77; on mor,tlity, 60; Republic, 60; wonder for, 129-51 Plu.rali.ry, distraction and, 76 l'olitic> (Aristotle), 4 Position t,tking (Stellungsnehmen ), 7 Practical; deliberation, x; primacy ot; xiii-xviii; reasoning, 7, 30 Praise, 58. See ,zlso Recognition Prayer, n4 Predicates, 1 r-.12; consciousness ,md, r5-r6; i.tnmediacy ;md use of: 12-14 Pre-proposition;d consciousness, r5-16

Index

161

9-JO; "I; 14; point of, 10 r. Sec 1ilro Sdf reference Regret, anger and, 57 Rdigion: believers and, motivation fCn~, n4-15; collectedness :md, 89, 9r-92; contingency :md, 98, II :1: ekments ot; 99- coo; love in, u8-21; monotheistic, xxi.: mystical fiictor in, JJ4; mysticism and, xii, xviii-x:xii, .95-98; numimrns :u1d, 99-100; sdfco!Jection :md, 89-91.

"Prnfane;' 97 Proposition, perplexity and, l)O Propositional language: consciousness and, 16; context and, ix~x, 8; peace of mind and, need for, ix-xiii; pragmatic feanires of, 5; singular terms in, 8-9; situationindependence ot; 5-6; structure and, 7-8; wonder and, 1)0-11; yes/ no stance in, 5-6 Pmdcntial good, xi, 69; adverbial good and, 52, 55; adverbial good within, 54-55; for I-sayers, 56; moral good and, 55; moral good within, 54-55 Prudential virtue, 63 Punishment, 4:1-44 Purpose, 19; "final," 21-2+ See aLw Deliberate intent "Purring oneself in perspective" (Selbstrelativierung), xii, xix; altmism and, 67; translation of,xxii

Religious consciousness, 97 Repuh!ic (Phro), 60 Respect, 49; recognition