Heidegger’s Being and Time - A Thematic Analysis

This personal project presents a thematic analysis of the lecture titled "Heidegger: Being and Time" delivered by Dr. Michael Sugrue. Although this analysis is not related to UX research, it provided an opportunity to explore the application of thematic analysis in the context of philosophy, a field of great personal interest. The primary objective of this analysis was to identify and explore the emerging themes within the lecture without a predefined research question. Consequently, the analysis employed a combined approach of semantic and inductive analysis and followed six phases of thematic analysis as outlined in the simal work “Using thematic analysis in psychology” by Victoria Clarke and Virginia Braun.

How I conducted my analysis?

I conducted my analysis using Dovetail, a software designed for analyzing qualitative research.

The process of my thematic analysis consisted of six stages:

1. Data familiarization

2. Generating codes

3. Searching for themes

4. Reviewing themes

5. Defining and naming themes

6. Producing the report

Data familiarization

To begin, I watched the video lecture to gain a comprehensive understanding of its content. I then transferred the transcript into Dovetail, ensuring its accuracy by cross-referencing it with the video. I carefully read and edited the transcript, incorporating punctuation and eliminating unnecessary words. I this phase my objective was to immerse myself in the data through repeated reading to grasp the depth and breadth of its content.

Generating codes

Next, I coded the transcript, identifying noteworthy elements within the data that displayed recurring patterns across the dataset. To facilitate clear thinking about the relationships between code labels, I created a visual map of my code labels. With a better overall view of my code labels through the map, I performed another round of coding on the transcript. You can see a portion of the script with the coded extracts below:

Searching for themes

During this stage, I derived initial themes from the code labels. I organized all the relevant coded data extracts using a affinity mapping, analyzing how different codes might combine to form overarching themes.

Reviewing themes

In this phase, I extensively reviewed all the gathered extracts for each theme, assessing whether they exhibited a coherent pattern. It became apparent that two of my initial candidate themes were too broad, so I broke them down into separate themes.

Defining and naming themes

Having developed a satisfactory thematic map of my data, I proceeded to define each theme by composing a concise report for it. I also selected the final names for each theme.

1. Heidegger as prophet

This theme of "Heidegger as prophet" encompasses the complex interplay between Heidegger's existential and ontological contributions, alongside the echoes of Christian theology present in his philosophy. While Heidegger himself claims not to be an existentialist, the lecturer, Dr. Michael Sugrue, acknowledges his significant influence on existentialist thinkers like Sartre and Camus but also the fact that Heidegger's focus on ontology as the fundamental concern of human beings distinguishes him as an ontologist too.

Dr. Sugrue also recognizes strong parallels between Heidegger's philosophy and Christianity, perceiving a de-theologized version of Christian themes within his work. He notes connections to Christian theology, including references to God and original sin. The enigmatic nature of Heidegger's central concept of being is interpreted as akin to the silence of God, suggesting a theological undertone. Moreover, Dr. Sugrue highlights the influence of Heidegger's ideas on theologians like Paul Tillich and Rudolf Bultmann, who incorporated Heideggerian thought into their theological frameworks.

2. Heidegger's Intellectual Legacy

Heidegger is hailed as one of the most influential and enigmatic philosophers of the 20th century, and his intellectual ambition is evident throughout his work. His ideas have deeply influenced existentialism and numerous important philosophers, including Sartre, Camus, and Merleau-Ponty. Heidegger's philosophical moves are characterized as absolute and groundbreaking, as he boldly pushes the boundaries of thought. His intellectual ambition is exemplified by his doctoral dissertation on Duns Scotus and his willingness to tackle formidable philosophical figures like Parmenides. Heidegger's influence extends beyond philosophy into popular works like Ernest Becker's "The Denial of Death," demonstrating the breadth of his impact.

3. Impenetrable philosophy

Heidegger's philosophy is characterized by its complexity and difficulty to comprehend. Heidegger strives to move away from practical and tangible inquiries towards abstract and nebulous realms of thought. This shift makes it challenging to articulate his ideas in an intelligible way. He introduces the concept of Dasein, a term that defies translation, emphasizing his penchant for employing untranslatable German terms. The lecture acknowledges the difficult nature of Heidegger's seminal work, "Being and Time," which is known for its obscurity and the layered complexity of its subject matter. Notably, Heidegger engages with the profound notion of nothingness, which proves to be a particularly challenging concept to grasp, leading to logical conundrums. The theme of "Impenetrable philosophy" encapsulates the intricacy and elusive nature of Heidegger's philosophical inquiries.

4. Dasein

The theme of "Dasein" in Martin Heidegger's philosophy explores the essence of human existence and its unique relationship with the world. Dasein is characterized as human being in the world, encompassing finite and contingent aspects intertwined with various psychic states such as worry, guilt, and anxiety.

It is through Dasein that the disclosure of being occurs, allowing humans to understand the nature of existence. Dasein possesses a three-fold structure comprising understanding, mood, and conscience. Understanding involves contextualizing the world, attributing meaning, and organizing experiences. Mood refers to the range of psychic states experienced, such as happiness or sadness. Conscience plays a crucial role in Dasein. We look into our past, we realize we have not been what we could have been and we feel guilt, we look at the present and we realize we are not as free and as knowledgeable about being as authentic as we could be and we look into the future and we realize that there is a definite temporal horizon that should force us to make meaningful decisions in the limited time available.

5. Difficulties with Heidegger's philosophy

Heidegger's departure from the empiricist and positivist approach makes him a target for criticism, particularly from philosophers like Rudolf Carnap. Dr. Sugrue argues that Heidegger in many places tries to do impossible linguistically when he articulated his philosophy. Carnap's scathing critique highlights the unintelligible nature of Heidegger's philosophy, leading to a clash between scientific inquiry and Heidegger's focus on existential concerns. Furthermore, Dr. Sugrue raises concerns about Heidegger's philosophy bordering on self-worship and solipsism, where the individual becomes the center of significance.

6. The most domesticated animal of all

"The Most Domesticated Animal of All" is a theme derived from Friedrich Nietzsche's quote, emphasizing how society tames individuals into conformity, making humans the most domesticated creatures. In Martin Heidegger's philosophy, this theme exposes the distractions caused by trivialities that people caught up with, leading to an inauthentic mode of existence. Vast majority of human beings, as Heidegger calls them “das Man” are herd creature, not reflective, not thinking, not encountering the world on their own.

Heidegger calls for a departure from distractions and a return to authentic being, urging individuals not to be consumed by insignificant matters and to confront the profound reality of human life. He challenges individuals to move beyond the preoccupation with “little irrelevant things” and embrace a genuine concern for being itself, reclaiming their true essence in the face of societal domestication.

7. Earn your freedom

Freedom is not inherent but must be actively pursued and earned. Heidegger emphasizes the need for individuals to confront the realities of human existence, allowing them to make themselves and become truly free. This entails a willingness to engage with life as it is, rather than being sidetracked by trivial distractions. Individuals are urged to confront being on their own, removing illusions and turning inward to discover their true selves. The theme highlights the transformative journey of the attainment of genuine freedom, and becoming a “true human being”.