On this page we shall see how the full Dasein, the combination of the Function of Dasein and Entity of Dasein, come into being by thinking through an execution of the schematic. Stage 1: From Birth Dasein is initialized sometime before birth in humans, the precise time is of little importance here. For the first few years, Dasein is adjusting to a number of things, of which the most important are the world around it, the other instances of Dasein around it (the "They"), and the physical body it inhabits. In this period, the top cycle is dominant. Anticipations, especially in new situations, are going to be far removed from the "actuality" reported by the young senses. A disparity between the Potentiality-for-Being and the senses at any moment in the life of Dasein will produce "shock" to a degree dependent on the error in the Interpretation. Please be careful when reading words like emotions, at this stage in Dasein's development self awareness has not been reached, and we shall see that there is a big paradigm shift in the "meaning" and experience of emotion once that happens. In its infancy, Dasein is like many non-sentient beasts and such an experience as shock certainly lacks the "quality" that is afforded to sentient instances. This discrepancy is, however, vital for the development of Dasein, for in that moment a "new" Interpretation has been made. A new pathway between the disparate Entities has been realised, one that can only become stronger the more that Dasein encounters it, till it becomes familiar; knowledge. This is learning. What information is sent down the Motor action pathway is largely nonsense as well at this point. The instance lacks motor control experience, situated in other areas of the brain, the cerebellum for example, but also the intent required to initiate such actions in the first place. Accordingly, the feedback it receives from the World is of a passive quality. Dasein has done nothing with intent to change the world, cannot recognise the effect of its own actions, and certainly can't perceive that it itself exists. Dasein is not sentient. Stage 2: Familiarity After a few years, things are becoming to appear more familiar to Dasein. Within the small world it lives, the frequency of aberrant Potentialities-for-Being has decreased, but most importantly its sense of self has begun to form. Other instances constantly call it by the same noise, this sound is repeated so often in the context of its presence or requirement to do something, the instance has, on a "subconscious" level, linked this sound Entity with the connected body that is also permanent and familiar. This Entity is the beginning of the Entity-of-Dasein (De). The top cycle is performing as before, though with more accuracy with respect to the environment that is familiar. The physicality, the gravity, friction and inertia, of the world Dasein finds itself in is now not so foreign. Nor too is the attached body, such that Dasein can now Anticipate its own movement. This Potentiality-for-Being, the possibility of itself in the future, allows purposeful Motor action stimuli, and consequently movement that achieves what was Anticipated. At all times from now on, the action of Dasein shall originate in the Anticipated Potetiality-for-Being. Again, be careful interpreting this. Our instance of Dasein does not yet have what we would call "free will", but it has started to utilize the bottom cycle that will, given the presence of other emergent properties, allow what we call "choice". The "They" of its life, traditionally the family of the Dasein, respond to these actions, which in turn are sensed by Dasein, so the feedback loop is completed, and Dasein starts the climb towards self awareness. Stage 3: Sentience Several years into the life of a human instance of Dasein, self awareness occurs. The Entity of the self, the Entity of Dasein, has grown large in the familiarity of its own existence, it has significant connections to many other Entities of its world; it is a Star Entity. A massive and "heavy" Entity by the light of which the Function of Dasein constantly interprets all other Entities. The focus of Dasein in its Potentiality-for-Being is itself, or how another Entity relates to itself. Both thought and action are what we may refer to as "egocentric". Yet the instance is still not quite self aware. Many beasts of "higher intelligence" arrive to roughly the same stage in development, and cannot ascend the final step. The Function of Dasein has the Star Entity of Dasein, but by now it also has Entities of the other instances around it. Most "higher beasts" have the ability to store Entities of other instances within their Dasein, enabling a crucial ability to Anticipate the actions of another being. Humans have a particularly unique ability, however, to perform derivative Interpretations, and so Anticipate an Anticipation. This multi-staged Interpretive ability is what leads to self awareness. Our instance of Dasein that has been so comfortable in the light of its own Star Entity of Dasein up to now, through some mischance, Interprets itself as seen from the point of view of another instance and views the perception of itself as the They perceive it, according to its own model of the They. This Anticipation, a new Entity of the self which it can now Interpret and Make-present alongside its original Entity of Dasein, will most likely produce the "shock" described before. In this moment, self awareness is first realised. |