In The "no" Abyss Of The Depths Of History,

If the ontological difference by Heidegger is tenable, it will be a fatal blow to western philosophy and history, because it reveals that western culture is self-deceiving and its meaning and value are questionable. Because of self-deception, the very essence of western culture is exposed as that of nihilism. In other words, the self-deception is the historical origin of western nihilism.Heidegger's ontological difference correlates with his acceptance of phenomenology. However, as far as his acceptance of phenomenology is concerned, he is not passive but active. Namely, he accepts phenomenology on the basis of his own thinking about ontology. Because of this, in the very beginning, Heidegger connects phenomenology with the history of philosophizing, that is to say, Heidegger's acceptance of phenomenology is historical, rather than a passive reception of Husserl's inheritance. In fact, Heidegger mixes Husserl's phenomenology with the historical elements. In this way, Heidegger has completed the hermeneutic shift of phenomenology, i.e., from Husserl's pure phenomenology to existential phenomenology.If we carry out a historical investigation into phenomenology, we will find that even Husserl's pure phenomenology is not pure enough. It has involved itself in the history and has been constantly beset by the history. According to Derrida's analysis on Edmund Husserl' Origin of Geometry: An Introduction, Husserl has approached the fringe of forsaking his original position when he touches upon the historicality of idea. Why? The answer is: it is related to the purpose of Husserl's phenomenology, namely, getting rid of nihilism.The background of Husserl's phenomenology is the crisis of science and human being in Europe. Husserl's goal is to overcome the discomforting nihilism. According to him, because of the prevalence of skepticism, irrationalism and nihilism, the scientific reason (Logos) originated in ancient Greece is imperiled. The only way out is to reestablish the authority of reason once again. Hence, he dedicated his life to lay a new foundation for science, expecting to build a rigorous and scientific philosophy.According to Husserl, a rigorous and scientific philosophy should accord with two conditions, one is to satisfy the loftiest theoretical demands; the other is to make it possible for a human being to lead a life which is regulated by pure rational norms. However, the traditional idea of science is destroyed by positivism, and it results in the crisis of science and human being in Europe. Husserl believes that he is the successor of Hellenic idea of science, and every endeavor he makes in his phenomenology aims at the rejuvenation of the original idea of Hellenic science.In order to rejuvenate the original idea of science, Husserl applies himself to the following tasks: firstly, to criticize psychologism and naturalism and thence to clarify the idea of science on the basis of transcendental ego; secondly, to revive the pre-predicative experience; finally, to return to the life-world. Undoubtedly, Husserl's endeavor is fruitful, but unfortunately, his philosophy falls into the Utopia of concepts since it is restricted within the field of consciousness.Different from Husserl, Heidegger revives the historicality of phenomenology from the perspective of ontology, and establishes his ontological phenomenology. Therefore, pre-predicative experience is changed from conscious experience to existential experience, and consequently the life-world is changed from conscious world to existential world. At the same time, the thinking about nihilism is switched from epistemological field to ontological field, andthe ontologically existential emotion has emerged as the core of nihilism.Nihilistic existential emotion is displayed as a kind weariness, and fundamentally, it is an existential weariness, that is, the person who is weary wearies of his own life, and thirsts for death. As far as the intention of this kind of weary emotion is concerned, death is the central topic of existential philosophy.In Being and Time, Heideg...