VLVL2 (15): A Frame around 'Em ...

[KXX4493553 at aol.com]

In einer eMail vom 22.05.2004 09:44:34 Westeuropäische Normalzeit schreibt 
teacher at inwind.it:


> btw the German term 
> Technik, like the Italian equivalent Tecnica, does not coincide with 
> Technology--with or without a capital T) 

In German there are existing both words, too, "Technologie" and "Technik". 
Technik means technique, or "the way how to do it" (the "Technik des Lesens" for 
example, the technique of reading). But in every-day-language Technik and 
Technologie are often used synonymously.

The problem with Heidegger is that he often invented terms or artificial 
words that were also not known in every-day-German before. This was his way to 
prevent "logocentrism".

My dictionary translates "Gestell" (Ge-stell) with the following terms:
rack
shelves
stand
support
trestle
legs
frame

So Gestell has several meanings, and Heidegger is playing with the ambiguity 
and the polysemy of the word.

In his early philosophy ("Sein and Zeit") Heidegger uses the word "Zeug" 
(stuff, things), but "Zeug" has also a pejorative meaning in German, like in 
"dummes Zeug" (rubbish); it can also mean waste, trash, useless things. Later 
Heidegger used "Gestell" instead of "Zeug". For me "Gestell" sounds more neutral, 
it means the world of the artificial things, but in the context of Heidegger's 
philosophy it sounds as pejorative as "Zeug".

Kurt-Werner Poertner.
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