Abstract

Why is there something rather than nothing? This form of the metaphysical question adopted by Heidegger has become quite popular. And that is very understandable; for in a world where man has it within his power to destroy the whole human race, the contingency of creatures is brought home to us with brutal clarity. Strictly speaking, however, the question is metaphysical nonsense: I may ask why I exist, why others exist, but not why being, reality, exists—it has no meaning. An absolute must exist. The real question is: what kind is this absolute? Can we get any real knowledge about it, and if so, how?