On Truth In Heidegger’s Critiques Of Poetry

The problem of truth is a central theme in Heidegger’s thought of poetry which plays an important role in his critiques of poetry. However, scholarly enquiries of Heidegger have tended to regard the problem of truth and his thought of poetry as two independent aspects without any connection with each other since1970. The study of truth concentrates on the fields of aesthetics and ontological philosophy, inquiring the essence of truth and the causes of his ideological change. Nevertheless, the research of his critiques of poetry attempts to elucidate the constituent elements of poetry from the aspects of art and language. But both of them have their own one-sidedness since these studies intend to ignore the internal connections of poetry and truth. Therefore, this thesis tries to combine Heidegger’s ontological truth with his thought of poetry. Starting with Heidegger’s later thought of truth, this thesis attempts to illustrate the significance of poetry in the revealing of truth. In the first chapter, it explores the founding of truth in poetry. Firstly, it discusses the possibility of founding truth by illustrating the essence of poetry. Although founding contains the meaning of bestowing, grounding and beginning, poetry is the founding as beginning in nature. Finally, the founding of truth happens in the strife of world and earth. In the second chapter, it attempts to discuss the disclosure of truth from the perspective of poetic language. First of all, words as part of poetic language are givers who give Being, offering us the poetic experience of truth. Secondly, poetry is the naming of things and Being by words, therefore naming as the other part of poetic language names the dif-ference of the world and reveals the truth of Being. Besides, poetic language as saying in nature is the saying of truth of Being. Hence, poetic language, including words, naming and saying, discloses truth in poetry. In the third chapter, it discusses the significance of poets in returning to the home of truth. Poets are regarded as demigods who interpret the message of the gods and guide the truth of Being. Consequently, the vocation of poets is to lead lost people to dwell poetically in truth. Therefore poets as demigods guide the origin of the truth, and enable people go back to the home of truth. At last, the thesis concludes that poetry is the most outstanding way to show the appearance of truth. Truth is founded in poetry and disclosed in poetic language, while poets guide people dwelling poetically in the house of Being. Therefore, truth in Heidegger’s critiques of poetry is "Heideggerian poetic truth".