What is Bauen?

Heidegger contrasts a life of Gestell, framing, with a life in which man truly dwells. My reading of Heidgger is underway, so please forgive my basic of understanding of him. Thus, for now, let us briefly look at dwelling in Heidegger's essay, "Building Dwelling Thinking." The lack of commas in the title suggests the identity of the three, and Heidegger develops a deep etymological connection of being, building, dwelling, and thinking in the essay. Bauen, to build, connects with buan, to dwell, and with bin, bist, the words for "be." Being on the earth is also building on the earth - most of all cultivating growing things and constructing buildings. Moreoever, for one to build in the sense of cultivating and construction, one must have a poetic ability, the ability to take the measure of the world. Without the poetic ability, one's life falls under the aegis of Gestell - framing everything before one as a self-representation or self-assertive production. In other words, one's life becomes an automation of self-will.

Thus, this blog is my virtual dwelling - Building Dwelling Thinking.