Is

            Though I’ve never read it, Martin Heidegger’s Being and Time is definitely on my short list. I’m not entirely positive, but I think this is the book in which he asks the question that is root of all philosophical inquiry. It’s effectively the same question I mentioned yesterday (Why?), although slightly nuanced to some degree:

Why are there things rather than no things?

            Now of course the quick answers that readily come to mind might be “God” for some people or “The Big Bang” for others, but neither of these answers really tells us why. Will we ever get an answer to this question? Probably not.

            And this is exactly my point. That the joy of philosophy is simply grappling with the question, trying to wrap our heads around it, so to speak. Sure we can come up with plausible explanations, but none of them change the fact that existence IS. I love that word for lots of reasons. The sound it makes when you say it by itself is fascinating alone. Even more fascinating is that such a tiny two letter word can carry so much weight and potential meaning.

            I think of Heidegger’s quote in the most mundane moments and odd times, too. For instance, I thought of it while watching our younger cat Amber try to get a tree frog on the outside of the window after a rain shower (see below). The inherent beauty in the simplest of “things,” to use Martin’s eloquent diction, is often there for us to observe if we’re mindful enough to be looking for it.

So this is your homework: today or tomorrow (or whenever it comes to mind), ponder Heidegger’s question while paying attention to life. You may find that it brings a sense of awe and appreciation for the fact that there are indeed “things.”