A QUESTION AND SOME COMMENTS: WHAT IS METAPHYSICS?

Abstract

Heidegger’s lecture, “What is metaphysics?”, pronounced in 1929, inserts at the heart of the metaphysical reflection the theme of ‘nothing’. This lecture was preceded in 1928 by an essay entitled “The essence of the founda­tion” and followed by a speech on “The essence of truth” (1930). It was then completed by a “Postface” (1943), then by an “Introduction” (1949) written by Heidegger. The first part of the article follows the evolutions of the German philosopher as evidenced by the temporal sequence of these texts. The second part presents interpretations of the 1929 conference proposed by two French phenomenologists: Jean-Louis Chrétien (1985) and Jean-Luc Marion (1989).

Keywords: Being. No-thingness. Heidegger. Marion. Chrétien.