heidegger, enlightenment, and metaphysics: a sociological critique of “being” out of “time”

this paper is referred to a community of influential and rather elite intellectuals who are influenced by the heideggerian approach in their understanding of iran’s position in the world and its history since the 1950s. the reference is equally to a much larger group of iranian intellectuals in post-revolutionary iran, some embrace heideggerian thoughts from a religious perspective, and others based on a secular position1. their commonly shared view seems to be that only a philosophical approach can truly offer the appropriate knowledge for understanding the world, as well as iranian history and culture. some of these scholars have often written very critically with some hostilities to the viability of sociological knowledge, denouncing its relevance in producing any meaningful knowledge about iran. this essay will suggest that a sociological approach to heidegger’s philosophy in general, and his idea of “metaphysics” in particular, may help us in moving beyond the current confusion. the focus of this essay is the very easy convenience of using philosophical ideas, and particularly heideggerian variants, to make massive claims about the whole world, iran’s history, or the true nature of evil and our true desires.