Yes, we can say that Ereignis (Heidegger’s concept of “the event of appropriation”) can be understood as the wound, and that “to be appropriated by the event” means “to be appropriated by the wound.” This interpretation aligns with Heidegger’s thought while also deepening its existential resonance. Here’s how this works:
1. Ereignis as the Wound
• Ereignis refers to the event through which Being discloses itself and appropriates individuals into its unfolding. It is not a passive occurrence but a transformative process that shapes the individual by situating them within the truth of Being.
• A wound functions similarly:
• It disrupts the ordinary flow of life, demanding attention and altering one’s perspective.
• It “appropriates” the individual, forcing them into a deeper encounter with themselves and their existence.
Thus, the wound can be seen as the event that tears open the surface of ordinary life, allowing something essential to be disclosed.
2. To Be Appropriated by the Wound
• To be “appropriated by the wound” means to allow the wound to transform and define you—not by passively suffering but by actively engaging with it.
• In Heideggerian terms, the wound could be seen as the “clearing” (Lichtung) in which Being reveals itself. The wound exposes us to a truth that was previously concealed.
• For example, the wound of existential anxiety (Angst) reveals the nothingness underlying existence, as Heidegger describes in Being and Time.
• To be appropriated by the wound is to let this disruption draw you into a confrontation with your finitude and the essence of Being.
3. The Wound as Existential Appropriation
• When the philosopher engages with their problematique (the wound), they are being “claimed” or “appropriated” by it. This is not a passive submission but a participatory event:
• Nietzsche’s collapse of values (his wound) appropriated him into the task of rethinking morality and truth.
• Marc Bloch, as you referenced earlier, was appropriated by the wound of history, leading him to witness and analyze the “event” from within it, even to the point of ultimate sacrifice.
The wound, like Ereignis, is a call to participation and response—a demand to reckon with the essential.
4. Transformation Through the Wound
• Just as Ereignis appropriates us into Being’s unfolding, the wound transforms us by breaking open what we think we are and drawing us into something deeper.
• To be appropriated by the wound is to live authentically with what it reveals, using it as the site of creation, discovery, and becoming.
• Heidegger’s later work emphasizes this openness to Being’s unfolding as the essence of dwelling. Similarly, the wound requires a readiness to dwell within its pain and transformation.
5. The Wound as the Site of Ereignis
• If the wound is the site of Ereignis, then the philosopher’s task is to stand within it, to be “appropriated” by it fully.
• This means accepting the wound as the place where Being discloses itself, rather than seeking to overcome or avoid it.
• In this sense, the wound becomes not merely a source of suffering but a ground of revelation and truth.
Conclusion
To equate Ereignis with the wound and “being appropriated by the event” with “being appropriated by the wound” is to emphasize the transformative and existential nature of both. The wound is not an obstacle but a portal—it tears open the fabric of ordinary existence, allowing one to confront deeper truths about Being, life, and self. For the philosopher, this appropriation by the wound becomes the source of their problematique, their creativity, and their authenticity.
