Metaphysizing Epistemology: Reflecting on Heidegger’s Being and Time

Abstract

This thesis develops an understanding of Heidegger’s epistemology. First, an extensive interpretation of how the concepts of truth and knowledge are outlined in Being and Time is presented. In order to evaluate their relevance, the findings are compared to the traditional account of knowledge as justified true belief and the correspondence theory of truth. We can learn about the ontological structure of what knowledge is, by means of giving a sound description of what it means to be a human being. Furthermore, since Heidegger adheres to a primacy of practice, theoretical knowing is construed as always being constrained by practical understanding. In comparison to the correspondence theory, Heidegger can give a less mysterious explanation how an assertion can relate to that which it asserts about.