L’ESSERE, IL DIVINO, LA FORMA. SU ALCUNI MOTIVI IN WALTER F. OTTO E MARTIN HEIDEGGER

Abstract

Moving from the relevant intellectual relationship between Walter F. Otto and Martin Heidegger, the assay aims at discussing a central topic for both authors: the concept of form. For Otto as well as for Heidegger the being of the world always needs to acquire some sort of form. In their view form is a fundamental phenomenon which connects nature, art and religion and through which truth establishes itself. Despite many similarities between the positions of Otto and Heidegger, they differ significantly as far as their ontological viewpoints are concerned. On the implicit basis of a metaphysics of presence and of substance, Otto is of the opinion that Greek Gods are the most bright and full manifestations of the essence of nature. Heidegger, instead, feels the need to move beyond the Greek experience of manifestation, and to rethink alétheia in the terms of Unverborgenheit. The divergent paths of Otto and Heidegger become particularly clear in connection with their interpretations of Friedrich Hölderlin’s poetic experience of nature, man and Gods