Mou Zongsan and Martin Heidegger: Reopening a Debate on Ontology and Ethics

In this paper I investigate differences and similarities in the of human being and human essence as proposed by two of the most thinkers of 20th-century world philosophy, namely Mou Zongsan and Heidegger. I first examine a number of interpretations put forth by that assess the philosophical compatibility of the thought of the two . Each of these assessments tend to agree that they are incompatible each other based on what they perceive as an absolute distance between ’s and Heidegger’s ways of thinking. Although these studies are pioneering show an in-depth understanding of Mou’s thought, none demonstrate a understanding of Heidegger’s philosophy. Therefore, I will attempt to that, despite their differences, the ontological and ethical theses of and Heidegger have several striking points of contact. I will also put forth claim that Heidegger’s post-turn philosophy is more compatible with Mou’s than Kant’s system.