Summary: | With the aim of clarifying Heidegger’s main argument in “The Origin of the Work of Art”, this paper analyzes and interprets the main functions carried out by the work of art, namely its “setting up a world”, its “setting forth the earth” and its “accomplishing the strive between world and earth”. Since the occurence of these features amounts to a sort of unconcealedness, it investigates this latter notion as it is perspicuous in the great art. It shows how the very strutcture of Being as such is discloused herein. The structure of Being is what enables us to be aware of anything whatsoever. By setting up a world, the work brings about our belonging and allegiance to a set of values and meanings; by setting forth the earth, it makes us aware that this set of values and meanings are not necessary, but fortuitous; and by accomplishing the strive between world and earth, it shows that our world risks disappearing.
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