It is no exaggeration to say that of the early 20th century German philosophers who claimed to
establish a new ontology former neo-Kantian turned realist Nicolai Hartmann is the only one to
have actually followed through. Ontology: Laying the Foundations deals with what is insofar as
it is and its four parts tackle traditional ontological assumptions and prejudices and
traditional categories such as substance thing individual whole object and phenomenon a
novel redefinition of existence and essence in terms of the ontological factors Dasein and
Sosein and their interrelations an analysis of modes of givenness and the ontological
embeddedness of cognition in affective transcendent acts and a discussion of the status of
ideal being including mathematical being phenomenological essences logical laws values and
the interconnections between the ideal and real spheres. Hartmann's work offers rich resources
for those interested in overcoming the human-centeredness of much 20th century philosophy.
Hartmann's work offers rich resources for those interested in overcoming the human-centeredness
of much 20th century philosophy.
