The Concept of Authentic and Inauthentic Existence in the Philosophy of Martin Heidegger: The ‘Quarrel’ of Communitarians and Libertarians

Abstract

The everyday use of the term ‘authenticity’ tends to mean ‘real’, ‘genuine’ or ‘true’, and ‘inauthentic’ as ‘fake’, ‘fraud’ or ‘impostor’. These terms are more value-judgments with something inherently better than ‘inauthentic’.The idea of authentic wishes to liberate the individuals from the constraints of their own socio-historical limitations; and to establish being as limitless potential, where we are free to be whatever we want,unconstrained by the values of instrumental or calculative thought prized by social exigencies and ideologies. It means that we have to use our potentialities as free Beings to overcome unfavourable circumstances,fight against, or protest against the ugly situation, but as ‘authentic-being, we at the same time ‘inherit and choose’ our own possibilities. So in transcending our socio-historical condition,our aim should be to be free from constraints, free from ‘the-they’ and be true to who we are.This paper holds brief for the Libertariansand liberals and supports the view that individual choice is important. But then, the community is indispensable in defining and shaping individuals in the light of communitarians.