Western Philosophy
Awe, Origin (and End) of Philosophy
Document Type : Original Article
Author
Associate Professor, Department of Philosophy, Faculty of Literature and Humanities, University of Tehran, Iran.
Abstract
Plato in the dialogue Theaetetus and Aristotle in Book Alpha of Metaphysics both describe awe as the beginning of philosophy in terms that are strikingly close to one another. This statement has continued to occupy the minds of many thinkers throughout the centuries up to the present day. For Plato, Arche signifies the origin—the “from where” and “from whom” of everything—as well as the governing principle that makes each thing what it is. The consequence of such an understanding is that awe is not only the source and beginning, but also the end of philosophy. He sees this end in the intellectual contemplation of the Ideas, especially the Idea of the Good (Agathon). The final awe is the joy arising from beholding the Ideas or the truths of things. By contrast, although Aristotle also regards awe as the starting point of philosophy, for him, this awe culminates in knowledge of the four causes. If any wonder remains, it is only because someone might hold a belief other than this. Drawing on Aristotle’s words, Heidegger considers awe to be the beginning of philosophy insofar as one observes in the being its existence or beingness, and thereby grasps what he calls the “ontological difference.” This awe is no longer a historical wonder at the origins of philosophy, nor does it pertain to everything about which we seek knowledge or, more generally, curiosity. Moreover, by relying on the second meaning of the word Arche, he interprets it as a principle that, in the beginning, middle, and end, always accompanies and sustains philosophy. Although Heidegger’s perspective is worthy of reflection, it seems that reconciling it with the context in which Plato’s and Aristotle’s statements about the beginning of philosophy are situated involves certain difficulties.
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