A Comparison between Heidegger and Gadamer on Plato's Ideas

Abstract

The prevalent conception about Plato’s philosophy is that, by differentiating sensible things from the realm of Ideas, he has made a step toward establishing Metaphysics. From Plato’s viewpoint, ideas form the essences of sensible things. Ideas are the condition of both the existence of sensible things and their recognition. Now, considering this original ontology and epistemology, some important issues arise: how do sensible things relate to Ideas? To what extent is Aristotle’s viewpoint regarding the separation of Ideas and sensible things acceptable? What effect does the existence of Ideas have on our conception regarding human beings (Dasein) and her/his practical life? In this paper, we attempt to consider these questions from the viewpoint of two German philosophers, namely Martin Heidegger and Hans Georg Gadamer. While Heidegger believes that Plato by proposing the doctrine of ideas began oblivion of truth in the meaning of unhiddenness and disconcealment and also resulted in the oblivion of Being, Gadamer believes that Heidegger’s interpretation of Plato and the whole history of Metaphysics was under the influence of Aristotle’s criticism. On the one hand, consulting to dialogues of Plato, Gadamer clearly explains the relation of ideas and sensible things but on the other hand, he emphasizes that the Good while being transcendence and concealment is present in all of our actions.

Keywords

• plato
• heidegger
• gadamer
• idea
• the good