Medieneschatologie

Digital network technology has dramatically changed traditional notions of writing and literacy. The continuum of Western culture, usually thought to begin with Homer and to lead up to the present time, has been faced with a rupture caused by new communication protocols operative on a global scale. A number of philosophers trying to respond to this challenge have been influenced by Martin Heidegger's "Seinsgeschichte" (History of Being) which is supposed to contain hidden secrets of the rapport of humans to the force of Being itself. It is often overlooked that this kind of overarching historical construction was used by Heidegger to support Nazi Germany's conquests and to encourage German troops even after the war had turned into a national desaster. This articcle traces some of the connections between Heidegger's version of armageddon and present day accounts of media eschatology.