Ereignis

is translated variously as ‘event’, ‘appropriation’, ‘appropriating event’, ‘event of appropriation’ or ‘enowning’.

Further aspects of the essential unfolding of Being are revealed by what is perhaps the key move in the Contributions—a rethinking of Being in terms of the notion of Ereignis, a term translated variously as ‘event’ (most closely reflecting its ordinary German usage), ‘appropriation’, ‘appropriating event’, ‘event of appropriation’ or ‘enowning’.

is used just as we use the word "event". However, it echoes the adjective eigen, "own", which is the root of words such as Eigenschaft (property), geeignet (appropriate), and even eigentlich (authentic).

So: what does Heidegger mean by "appropriation", Ereignis? The word is so crucial that, in a sense, the only way to answer this question is to study all of the Contributions, and other later writings of Heidegger as well. There is also the short and sweet answer: "Appropriation appropriates". 63 But maybe we can find an explanation between these extremes. Ordinarily Ereignis is used just as we use the word "event", but Heidegger wants us to hear an echo of the adjective eigen, "own", which is the root of words such as Eigenschaft(property), geeignet(appropriate), and even eigentlich (authentic). (Eigen is not actually the root of Ereignis, which in fact is related to Augen, "eyes".

is an event that is my own. In an Ereignis, beings find a significant place within my own life and world.

But an Ereignis is an event that is my own. In an Ereignis, beings find a significant place within my own life and world.

is an event that happens to me, I make it my own, it relates to me.

The Ereignis happens to me, I make it my own, it relates to me. One might think of the difference between watching a sport on television and playing the sport oneself: it may be the same game, but it shows itself much more intensely and meaningfully to the participants.

is a term suggesting that we can never truly be detached from the world and become timeless, placeless observers. The world opens up for us only because we are engaged participants in it.

The expression Ereignis, both in this early text and in the Contributions, points to the fact that meaning and truth require involvement. Like "care", the word Ereignis suggests that we can never truly be detached from the world and become timeless, placeless observers. The world opens up for us only because we are engaged participants in it.

is not a further thing above and beyond Being, but is Being's own way of occurring.

If Ereignis is not a further thing above and beyond Being, but is Being's own way of occurring, then to say that Being west as Ereignis is to say both (a) that Being is an event, a happening, and (b) that Being involves owning, or appropriation. Let us consider both these claims in turn.

is a metonym, if not a synonym for historical being.

Heidegger uses Ereignis, “the leading term” of his thinking since 1936, as a metonym, if not a synonym for historical being (though he later warns that this characterization itself can be misleading) (9: 316; 12: 248f; 14: 26f).

is hindered by a tendency to think of it as being, when in fact it is essentially other than because richer than any possible metaphysical determination of being.

Thinking this appropriating event is hindered by a tendency to think of it as being, when in fact it is “essentially other than because richer than any possible metaphysical determination of being” (12: 248; 70: 17). Indeed, “being vanishes in the appropriating event” (14: 27).

ereignis, n.Definitions

ereignis