Abstract

Living in “the Machine Age” (dem Maschinenzeitalter), we can not avoid asking ourselves, whether every one of us lives as "a Part" (ein Bestand) in the world much like a cog in “a Machine” (einer Maschine). Heidegger made this concept clear by his phenomenology. In addition, he regarded a human being as a special Part, that could transform all beings into Parts. In order to overcome this dangerous situation, namely, "the Desolation of the Being" (dieSeinsverlassenheit), he considers deeper at “the Essence of Technology” (das Wesen der Technik), the most important element of the Machine Age. Founding on this consideration he finds a way of overcoming, namely, “Art” (die Kunst). By Art can we begin to ask about “the Being” (das Sein) and to think about the change of "the Understanding of the Being" (das Seinsverständnis). What makes this change possible is "the Basic Mood" (die Grundstimmung). Therefore this Basic Mood must above all things be awoken. Drawing on Heidegger's philosophy, I would like to make several observations on the Machine Age and its overcoming. In this way I hope to make a contribution to the Machine Age, so that the modern world will not be regarded as a Machine, all beings will not be regarded as Parts and the modern human being will not be regarded as a special Part.