Search results for "An acquaintance"

Appearance as the Arrival of the Future

2017

AMBIGUITIES of language often indicate a problematic subject matter. That is the case with the word "appear" (erscheinen). When I say that an acquaintance (or someone with whom I was previously unacquainted) "appeared" to me, in order to speak with me, the meaning is: he came to me, he showed up in my habitat, perhaps at my home. He did not only seem (scheinen) to be there; he really was there. When something appears to us, it does not only seem to be with us, it actually is present. Appearance and existence are here very closely connected. But on the other hand, my acquaintance still exists even when he does not appear to me. Whether that would still be true if he appeared nowhere whether …