§14. We share in the unconcealment of beings [111-12] | 79

present at hand. For this reason, we are not allowed to say that unconcealment (truth) “belongs” to what is present at hand, but only that unconcealment (truth) accrues to what is present at hand and/or may accrue to it. What is present at hand does not have it of its own accord qua something present at hand.

Here, though, lies a further problem, one that we have hitherto passed over for the sake of simplicity but that I shall briefly mention in an interim remark and that will occupy us later. Perhaps it has come to your attention that the nonbelonging of unconcealment to what is present at hand was suddenly demonstrated by reference to a random rock somewhere in a ravine and not by reference to the chalk. This was necessary because the chalk, as it lies before us as a thing of use, is strictly speaking not something present at hand; that does not mean that it would only apparently be real, but rather that as a thing of use, it has its own manner of being of something ready to hand. We deliberately did not take into account this distinction between the present at hand and the ready to hand but took the present at hand in the broader sense of things as distinct from Dasein. This indeterminacy now takes its revenge—as it always does—insofar as presence at hand in the strict sense (rock) and readiness to hand (chalk) are indeed different manners of being that also relate differently to their truth. Ultimately, truth necessarily accrues to what is ready to hand; it can accrue to what is strictly present at hand, but need not. This necessary accruing of unconcealment in the case of the ready to hand and this possible accruing of unconcealment in the case of the present at hand must nevertheless be rigorously distinguished from the belonging of truth to Dasein.

Truth of what is present at hand: as possible accrual of unconcealment.

Truth of what is ready to hand: necessary accrual of unconcealment, (a) necessarily having passed through truth, (b) not necessarily factically in use as ready to hand (historical truth!).

Truth of Dasein: belonging of truth to the being of Dasein.

The unconcealment of what is present at hand does not therefore belong both to what is present at hand and to Dasein but rather merely accrues to what is present at hand, and indeed not of necessity, “and” admittedly belongs to Dasein. Indeed, unconcealment accrues to what is present at hand and can accrue to it only because and insofar as it belongs to Dasein. Yet how does the unconcealment of what is present at hand belong to Dasein? We saw initially that the unconcealment of what is present at hand is something in which we ourselves share. Yet is it, then, altogether necessary that we, insofar as we exist as human beings and are as Dasein, share in the unconcealment of this chalk? Manifestly not, for surely we can also exist without the unconcealment of this chalk being something common for us. The unconcealment of what is present at hand does not, therefore, belong essentially to Dasein. In the end, however, it is indeed not necessary that we dwell with one another alongside this chalk, yet we must surely dwell alongside


Introduction to Philosophy (GA 27) by Martin Heidegger