Playfulness as a Mode of State-of-Mind

When looking at the example of 'fear' that Heidegger uses for state-of-mind in Being and Time, it has become difficult for me to directly compare with playfulness. So I will tease out playfulness and associated concepts, and then come back to fear. Below is informed by Gadamer's Truth and Method (which I need to at closely again), together with some insights inspired by Heidegger. This is intended to replicate in part the analysis that Heidegger has given to fear (pp. 179-182).

Play

Play has its own mode of being which we will call a game. This being exists only in the world and is not aware of its own being (ie does not have Dasein character). It does however require participants with Dasein character to give the game importance and make it matter.

Players

The players are the participants in the game. In order for them to be players then they must take the game seriously. All players are played by the game and lost to the game while they are playing it. They are concerned only with being-in-the-world, with the they, in fact only as it exists within the world of the game. Their 'authentic being' is lost to them. The game could not be disclosed to the world without the players being predisposed to being players in the first place.

Playing

Playing is giving oneself to the game and the play - in as much as the game has to be taken seriously one is played by the game. The point is to be part of the they and therefore it is unlikely for Dasein's authentic being to disclosed. It is useful to note here that this being lost is not necessarily negative or positive - I would like to say this depends on your playfulness.

Now to my terms of interest (and away from Gadamer's) and possible representations of them:

Being Playful

Being playful allows one to be able to play with what is serious and the games that matter within one's Being-in-the-world. Being playful can make one feel as though they are outside the game or games, it is also equally seductive in transforming what is serious into a game. In the constructing a new game, which may be more a complex or a simplified version of it constituents, it creates the pitfalls of other games. This game is still part of Being-in-the-world. It does have the benefit of being of Dasein's conscious construction, making it more likely to phenomenologically disclose aspects of 'authentic being'.

Playfulness

Playfulness as a mode of state-of-mind is of Dasein and cannot apprehend itself without losing authenticity. This allows playfulness to envision the possibilities of our 'authentic being' be realised within Being-in-the-world, and the possibilities of Being-in-the-world to inform our 'authentic being'. Here it can be said that Playfulness is a conduit and its phenomenologically is of 'authentic being'.

From Being and Time:

That which fear fears about is that very entity which is afraid - Dasein. (p. 180)

To paraphrase:

That which playfulness is playful with is that very entity which is playful - Dasein.


I need to reflect more on this; I am sure what I have done so far is only a small step - but I have a better sense of the journey to come.