The Shadow of Kantian Schematism behind Martin Heidegger’s Philosophy of Art

Abstract

During the winter semester of 1925/26, in his seminar on logic, Martin Heidegger suggested that artistic representation can be seen as a form of schematization—an extension of Kant’s original concept of the schema. What should we make of this passing mention of art in the 1925/26 seminar? How does it relate to “The Origin of the Work of Art”? Did schematism motivate Heidegger to reflect on art? I propose that the notion of the schema is crucial for understanding the role of art in Heidegger’s philosophy. My argument is that, having emphasized the ontological difference for so long, Heidegger requires a mediator to bridge the gap between the ontological and the ontic dimen­sions—for the former to function as a condition of possibility for the latter. In this context, the work of art serves as such a mediator, akin to the Kantian schema, bringing together two heterogeneous elements.