Ontotheology - Philosophical Concept | Alexandria
Ontotheology: A term that, like a phantom limb, gestures toward the interwoven, if not indistinguishable, realms of being (onto) and God (theo), suggesting a system of thought where divine attributes are inextricably linked to fundamental structures of existence. More than a mere theological doctrine, it hints at a deeply ingrained Western philosophical tendency to define God through the lens of being itself – often conceived as presence, permanence, and ultimate ground. One might hear whispers of "metaphysics of presence" or "onto-theological constitution of metaphysics" as aliases, yet these phrases often belie the controversial nature of the concept, frequently misinterpreted as a simple synonym for traditional theism instead of a complex critique of philosophical foundations.
The explicit coinage of the term "Ontotheologie" is attributed to Immanuel Kant in his Critique of Pure Reason (1781/1787), though the seeds of its critique arguably lie much earlier within skeptical traditions questioning the direct knowability of God through metaphysical frameworks. Kant used it to describe a particular branch of transcendent metaphysics attempting to prove God's existence through purely conceptual means, independent of empirical experience. This endeavor unfolded against the backdrop of Enlightenment critiques of religious dogma, mirroring the era’s struggle to reconcile faith with reason.
Throughout the 20th century, thinkers such as Martin Heidegger and, critically, Jacques Derrida, radically reinterpreted "ontotheology" not as a specific school within metaphysics, but as a pervasive structure inherent to Western thought. Heidegger, in works like Identity and Difference (1957), saw it as the culmination of a philosophical tradition that reduces Being to beings, ultimately obscuring its fundamental mystery. Derrida, elaborating on Heidegger's critique, identified ontotheology as a logocentric system privileging presence, certainty, and a "center" – all of which he sought to deconstruct. It is worth noting the persistent debate surrounding the exact scope and nature of this critique, with some scholars arguing that it unfairly characterizes the nuances of particular theological and philosophical positions. Does "ontotheology," then, serve as a genuine description of a philosophical error, or as a strategic lever for unsettling established modes of thought?
Today, the concept of ontotheology continues to reverberate within philosophical, theological, and even literary studies. It serves as a critical lens forexamining not only traditional metaphysics but also contemporary assumptions about language, power, and identity. From post-structuralist analyses of political discourse to theological explorations of divine absence, the spectral presence of ontotheology challenges us to reconsider the complex relationship between thought, being, and the very idea of God. Could it be that the very act of questioning ontotheology inevitably reinscribes its logic, trapping thought within the very system it seeks to escape?