Summary:
The purpose of this paper is to explore how Heidegger has developed a unique interpretation of Leibniz's philosophy within the framework of ontology, with a particular focus on the "question of the will". This paper first analyzes the background of the intersection of Heidegger's and Leibniz's ideas and Heidegger's motivations for interpretation, and then discusses in depth the position of "the problem of the law" and the "problem of will" in Leibniz's philosophy, as well as the points of confrontation with Heidegger's philosophy. Next, the article expounds Heidegger's interpretation of the "problem of will" from the perspective of ontology, and its deepening with the problem of being, and discusses Heidegger's metaphysical and technical critique of Leibniz, and proposes "let it go with poise" as a solution.
I. Introduction
In the philosophical arena of the 20th century, the ideas of Heidegger and Leibniz, although they are in different philosophical contexts, have produced profound and subtle symphonies on certain key issues. Leibniz, as the first driving force of rationalism and mathematical logic, is rich in profound discussions of reason, free will, and necessity, which echo Heidegger's ontological exploration. Heidegger's interpretation of Leibniz is in essence a search for a dialogue in the history of philosophy, a collision and fusion of ontology, rational logic, and free will.
Heidegger's in-depth interpretation of Leibniz was not motivated by mere historical research or scholarly interest, but by philosophical imperatives. Heidegger tried to further clarify and deepen his own ontological philosophical system through Leibniz's philosophy, especially his thinking on the "question of the will". He focuses on Leibniz's "problem of the law of grounds" because it touches on the deep contradiction between being and free will, and Heidegger is exploring how being is the tension between necessity and freedom. The significance of this study to the philosophical community lies in the fact that it not only enriches the understanding of Leibniz's philosophy, but also expands the boundaries of ontology, providing a new path for later philosophical thinking.
II. Heidegger's Question of Existence and Leibniz's Encounter
A. Based on the philosophical background of the problem of law and Heidegger's interpretation
The "problem of law" is a central topic in the history of philosophy, involving the discussion of causality, necessity and freedom. Leibniz's contribution to this issue is reflected in his insistence on the principle of "sufficient reason", that is, everything in the universe has a sufficient reason for its existence, which touches on the completeness of existence and explanation.
When Heidegger interprets Leibniz's "law of according to the law", he places it in the framework of ontology, and focuses on how the "law of according to the law" is revealed in the "being in the world", that is, the relationship between the revelation of the being and the world. He critically points out that Leibniz's "law of reason" fails to adequately explain the dynamic and historical nature of the being's existence, and that the "being" of the being is an interweaving of freedom and necessity, rather than being exhausted by mere rational sufficiency of sufficient reasons.
B. The place of the "problem of will" in Leibniz's philosophy
In Leibniz's philosophical system, "will" is a central concept, which is closely related to reason, freedom, and determinism. Through the concept of "monads", Leibniz regarded the individual will as part of the world order, and the actions of each monad have their own internal logical consistency with the rest of the world, but at the same time embody the free will of the individual. Leibniz's question of the will is to understand how reason and freedom are realized in the world order, and how the free will of beings determines itself in necessity.
C. The philosophical confrontation point of Heidegger's and Leibniz's thought
Heidegger's confrontation with Leibniz on the "question of the will" focuses on the understanding of freedom and necessity. Heidegger criticized Leibniz's "law of grounds" for failing to penetrate into the ontological roots of the being, ignoring the freedom of the being and the historical dynamics. Heidegger argues that Leibniz's rationalist tendency ignores the historicity and situationality of the "being's being" in the world, and that free will is not a purely rational decision, but a process of self-revelation of the being in the world.
Heidegger's "Theory of Being" transcends Leibniz in that it proposes the perspective of "Dasein der Welt-sein" (This Presence), revealing the dynamic interaction of the Being's freedom and necessity in the world, rather than being determined by mere rational logic. This confrontation highlights Heidegger's deep focus on freedom and ontology, as well as the critical inheritance and transcendence of Leibniz's philosophy.
III. Heidegger's Interpretation of the "Problem of the Will" and the Existential Perspective
A. The Place of the Problem of Will in Heidegger's Philosophical System
In Heidegger's vast philosophical system, the "question of will" occupies a central position, which is not only the key to understanding human existence and freedom, but also the axis of ontological discussion. According to Heidegger, the will is not the power that autonomously determines actions in the traditional sense, but a way of being for the world of the being, which is the manifestation of the being's "In-der Welt-sein" (being in the world). Therefore, in Heidegger's philosophy, the question of the will is not only about the choice of individual action, but also about the relationship between the being and the world, and the revelation of being.
B. The intrinsic connection between the will and the theory of existence and the existence of the outer world
Heidegger closely links the will with ontology, arguing that the will is not an isolated mental event, but a manifestation of the being's presence in the world, that is, the "outside" (Da-sein) of the being. The existent relates to the world through volitional action, and this action is not a simple causal chain reaction, but the revelation of existence by the existent, which is the understanding of the world and existence. In this process, the will is not only the revelation of the being, but also the dynamic activity of the ontology, which embodies the interaction between the existent and the world, and shows the external nature of the ontology.
C. The dynamics of the volitional problem and the development of ontology
In Heidegger's view, the dynamics of the problem of the will lies in the fact that it is not a static theoretical construct, but an existential practice of the being. The will, as the driving force for the development of ontology, is constantly reorienting itself in the relationship between the being and the world, revealing new possibilities.
This means that the question of the will is open in Heidegger's philosophy, which evolves as ontology deepens, revealing the freedom and necessity of the being, the historical interaction, and how the being reveals itself in the world. Heidegger's question of the will dynamics, emphasizing the practicality of ontology and the dynamics of the being's existence, is the internal driving force for the development of ontology, showing the dynamic evolution of ontology and the continuous adjustment of the being's existence.
IV. Heidegger's "Critique of Metaphysics and Technology" of Leibniz
A. Critique of Metaphysics and Technology in Leibniz and Heidegger
Leibniz and Heidegger have their own distinct views on metaphysics and technical criticism, but they mirror each other. Leibniz's metaphysical system, while emphasizing reason and logic, does not ignore the profound influence of technology on the way of being, while Heidegger directly regards the critique of technology as part of the metaphysical problem. Heidegger argues that the metaphysical tradition ignores the practicality of the being, and technology is an extension of this neglect, which objectifies the world and turns man and nature into usable resources, ignoring the way of being and the original meaning of the world.
B. Heidegger's technological nihilism and metaphysical transcendence
Heidegger's critique of technology, that is, "technological nihilism", is the embodiment of his metaphysical transcendence. He pointed out that technology is not a neutral tool, but a manifestation of the way of being, and that the domination of technology has led to the oblivion of the way of being of the being and the understanding of the world as a ready-made stack. The critique of technological nihilism reveals the limits of metaphysics, that is, its inability to understand the way of existence of the being, and only by going beyond metaphysics, through the "ontological turn", to understand the existence of the being in technology, can we truly face the technical problem.
C. The transformation of the question of the will between poise and technology in Heidegger's philosophy
Heidegger, in the face of technical challenges, put forward the attitude of "Gelassen", which is a kind of transformation of the "problem of will". Rather than giving up or passively accepting, it is a positive "being" that requires the being to be open in the technological world, to understand his or her own way of being, and to allow being to reveal itself.
In the technological environment, the will is no longer controlled and decided by the subject, but calmly allows the existent's mode of existence to be revealed in technology, reflecting a new understanding of the "problem of will". The calm attitude makes technology no longer the opposite of will, but the way of self-revelation of the being in ontology, showing Heidegger's deep integration of technical criticism and ontological philosophy, as well as the dynamic transformation of the problem of will.
V. "The Problem of Will" and the Answer to the Problem of Existence
A. Heidegger's framework for the solution to the problem of the will
Heidegger's answer to the question of the will does not provide a closed answer, but an open framework. The real solution, he argues, lies not in the way the being exists, i.e., in the world, rather than in abstract volitional determinations. Heidegger's framework for the solution is the "ontological turn", that is, from subjectivity to the existence of the being, understanding the question of the will as the self-revelation of the being's existence in the world, emphasizing how the being relates to the world. The framework of his solution is to let the existence of the being reveal itself, which is not only a solution to the question of the will, but also an ontological practice.
B. The concretization of "existential problems" in the question of will
In Heidegger's philosophy, the "problem of being" and the problem of the will "are embodied in the practicality of the being." He pointed out that the will is not a transcendent determining force, but the way in which the being exists, how the being is alive, how it relates to the world. The existential problem is the embodiment of the problem of the will, that is, the understanding of the way in which the will is a being, how it is in the world, and how it reveals itself. Heidegger's answer is not a metaphysical definition, but an ontological practice, the concrete existence of the Being in the world.
C. Answers and the practicality of ontology
Heidegger's answer to the problem of will, the practicality of the question of being, lies in the practice of ontology, how the being exists, how he acts in the world. The answer is not a theory that is divorced from practice, but a self-revelation in practice, the way of being of beings, how to manifest in the world, how to understand the world.
Practicality means that the self-disclosure of the being is not static, but dynamic, and it is the continuous self-understanding and revelation of the being in the world. Heidegger's answer thus emphasizes the practicality of ontology, that is, how the practice of the being exists in the world, how to understand self-disclosure, how to face technology, and how to calmly allow being to exist in itself, which is the practical practice of the problem of being in the solution of the question of will.
VI. Conclusion
Heidegger's interpretation of Leibniz not only deepened the understanding of Leibniz's philosophy, but also broadened the vision of ontology, contributing a new dimension of thinking to the philosophical community. Through Leibniz's "problem of law" and "problem of will", he revealed the dynamic and practical nature of ontology, and gave new vitality to philosophical discussion. Heidegger's interpretation has a far-reaching impact, prompting people to re-examine the relationship between reason and being, incorporating the critique of technology into the metaphysical discussion, and providing a new research platform for later philosophers, especially in the fields of philosophy of technology, existentialism, and the critique of postmodernity.
Author: Lu Xilin
Bibliography:
Heidegger, M. "The Origin of the Work of Art". In Poetry, Language, Thought. Translated by Hofstadter, A. Harper & Krell, W. New York: Harper & Row.
Leibniz, G.W. Monadology and Other Philosophical Writings. Translated by Cress, R. Chicago: Open Court Publishing.
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