Being and Time interpretation. This is the problem of the "hermeneutic circle," and the necessity for the interpretation of the meaning of being to proceed in stages: this is why Heidegger's technique in "Being and Time" is sometimes referred to as hermeneutical phenomenology. As part of his ontological project, Heidegger undertakes a reinterpretation of previous Western philosophy. He wants to explain why and how theoretical knowledge came to seem like the most fundamental relation to being. This explanation takes the form of a destructuring ("Destruktion") of the philosophical tradition, an interpretative strategy that reveals the fundamental experience of being at the base of
Philosopher in Meditation and titling it "Philosopher in Contemplation" or "Philosopher with an Open Book". Yet the real credit for the attribution to Koninck should go to John C. Van Dyke, who wrote: "In fact, one may be heretical enough to think that someone like Koninck or Dou may have painted them..." The subject matter and details of the Koninck picture seem to have been directly inspired by a Rembrandt etching dated 1642 and representing "St. Jerome in a dark chamber" (Bartsch 105), which is the only other known work by Rembrandt that features a complete helical staircase. The traditional iconography of the