What is Orientation?

Werner Stegmaier

Published by De Gruyter 2019

What is Orientation?

A Philosophical Investigation

Werner Stegmaier
Translated by: Reinhard G. Müller

https://doi.org/10.1515/9783110575149

Overview
Contents

About this book

The very first thing one does in all situations of life is orient oneself. Decisions of orientation, which are mostly made under uncertainty and the pressure of time, largely determine subsequent decisions. But what is orientation? The problems of orientation are as old as humankind, the word is used everywhere, but the concept has never been thoroughly investigated. The philosopher Werner Stegmaier comprehensively clarifies for the first time the conditions and structures of orientation, including those of our sexual, economic, media, political, legal, scientific, artistic, religious, moral, and ethical orientations. He thereby establishes a new philosophical language and offers a philosophy for our time.

"As if I unexpectedly slipped down into a deep vortex, I am swirled around in a way that I can neither put a foot down, nor swim to the surface. Nonetheless, I will work my way out … " (René Descartes, Philosopher)

"As often as my speculation seems to lead me too far from the paved road of common sense, I stand still and seek to orient myself. I look back at the point from which we started, and I seek to compare the two guideposts I have." (Moses Mendelssohn, Philosopher)

"A philosophical problem has the form: ‘I do not know my way about.’" (Ludwig Wittgenstein, Philosopher)

"The second O, orientation – as the repository of our genetic heritage, cultural tradition, and previous experiences – is the most important part of the O-O-D-A loop since it shapes the way we observe, the way we decide, the way we act." (John Boyd, Military Strategist)

Author information

Werner Stegmaier, University of Greifswald, Germany.

Reviews

"Aufs Ganze besehen präsentiert St. einen ambitionierten Entwurf, der Verschiedenstes auf eine Kernstruktur zu beziehen vermag. Vieles ist bedenkenswert und bietet Anlass, über Grundsätzliches und weitgespannte Zusammenhänge nachzusinnen."
Stefan Berg in: Zeitschrift für evangelische Ethik 2/2010

"Ein stattlicher Band von einem renommierten Verlag [...]."
In: Neue Zürcher Zeitung, 29.9.2008

Topics

Frontmatter Publicly Available Download PDF	I
Content Publicly Available Download PDF	V
Preface Werner Stegmaier Publicly Available Download PDF	XI
Introduction Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	1
Chapter 1. Pre-Orientations Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	5
Chapter 2. First Clues: Occurrences of Orientation Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	15
Chapter 3. The Situation of Orientation: Time Pressure Orientation as Finding-One’s-Way Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	25
Chapter 4. The Selectivity of Orientation: Views Orientation as Overview Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	35
Chapter 5. The Self-Arranging of Orientations by means of Horizons, Standpoints, and Perspectives Orientation as Arranging Things within Leeways Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	43
Chapter 6. Hold in Orientation: Points of Reference, Clues, Leads, and Footholds Orientation as Hold Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	55
Chapter 7. Signs as Footholds: Orientation as an Art of World Abbreviation Orientation by means of Signs Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	69
Chapter 8. The Self-Stabilization and Self-Differentiation of Orientation: Routines, Transposed Continuities, and Orientation Worlds Orientation by means of Routines Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	77
Chapter 9. The Self-Reflection of Orientation: Leeways of Thinking Orientation as Fluctuance Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	93
Chapter 10. Mutual Orientation: Interaction and Communication Orientation under the Condition of Double Contingency Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	111
Chapter 11. The Stabilization and Differentiation of Mutual Orientation: Respecting Identities Orientation via Respect Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	137
Chapter 12. Reckoning with Other Orientations: Economic, Mass Media, Political, and Legal Orientations Orientation by Planning Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	155
Chapter 13. The Critical Disciplining of Orientation, Its Creative Disorientation, and the Hold on the Eternally Ungraspable: Science, Art, and Religion Orientation at a Critical Distance Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	183
Chapter 14. The Self-Binding of Orientation: Moral Orientation Orientation through Self-Binding Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	205
Chapter 15. The Self-Reflection of Moral Orientation: Ethical Orientation Orientation through the Reflection of Self-Bindings Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	235
Chapter 16. World Orientation in Globalized Communication Orientation through Standardization Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	247
Chapter 17. Metaphysics in Our Orientation Disregard for the Conditions of Orientation within Orientation Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	265
Chapter 18. The End of Orientation The Death of Our Orientation in Our Orientation Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	275
Endnotes Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	287
Index Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	291

(Deutsch)

Language: English
Publisher: De Gruyter
Audience: Scholars, institutes, libraries
Pages
- Front matter: 17
- Main content: 298
Keywords: Orientation; communication; time; paradox

eBook

Published: August 19, 2019
ISBN: 9783110575149

Paperback

Published: August 19, 2019
ISBN: 9783110573886