grgr: overcoming of metaphysics

[Paul Mackin]

On Wed, 28 Jun 2000, Terrance wrote:

> For Heidegger, objects in the world which we perceive as
> tools, say a rock that we perceive as a hammer when we are
> looking to drive a stick into the ground, already contain
> within themselves signals of their role within human
> purpose. In Pynchon   Heidegger's view, is ridiculed,  Benny
> Profane. Heideggar's classic example of the hammer, the
> hammer that does not fulfill its purpose or meaning until it
> is hammering, a nice combination of Plato's view and
> Aristotle's, becomes an extension profaned.

An extension profaned. I like that. Is Benny Pynchon's example
of Heideggar's breaking down or UNreadiness-to-hand? For Benny machines
never work right. Every machine is like a hammer with a broken handle.
Benny probably UNDERSTANDS machines better than any of us. He is forced
into and is used to ideationalizing them whenever they break down, whereas
the rest of us just use them to pound H's nail, as it were.  

		P.