“Faith has no place in thought” (Heidegger, Anaximander’s Saying [1946, pg 280])

“Concerning the gods, I have no means of knowing whether they exist or not, nor of what sort they may be …” (Protagoras, On the Gods)

Protagoras was a proponent of either agnosticism or, as Tim Whitmarsh claims, atheism, on the grounds that since he held that if something is not able to be known it can be considered not to exist.  In the same way, I can’t disprove the existence of an invisible, immaterial unicorn in my room, but am reasonable in considering it not to exist. In modern times we might marvel at people who claim their god can do anything except appear and say hello.

It’s remarkable all these centuries later how short we come to living up to Protagoras’s insight.  Anyone can look at American politics and be dismayed at how politicians are expected to embrace and announce their superstitions (Jewish, Christian, Muslim, Scientologist, Astrology, etc.).  It’s against such things that I propose a secular reading of Heidegger.  Certainly, Heidegger spoke of god/theos, but the question becomes how is he using the term?  The goal is to sift out the gold hidden in the sand.

For example, when we think of experience in a modern way, we usually think of sense vs thought.  But if we reflect back on Plato, the sensuous is not just the immediate but also the most thoughtful and the true place for thought to be born, like Plato’s sense image / allegory of the cave in the Republic, and so Heidegger says

“Do we then never get beyond the allegorical? No and yes; for, conversely, the most sensuous language and images are indeed never merely “sensuous” but are at first (not “superveniently”) something understood. (Heidegger, Martin. Contributions to Philosophy (Of the Event) (Studies in Continental Thought) (p. 269). Indiana University Press. Kindle Edition).

This is a genuine and thoughtful opening of a path of inquiry seldom travelled, and opposed to dogma, religious or otherwise.