Martin Heidegger’s concept of “solicitude” is deeply embedded in his analysis of everyday human existence (Dasein) and how we are called or drawn into the world and social norms. It refers to the way the world and others call to us or invite us to respond and act, shaping our behavior and sense of self.

Solicitation in Heidegger’s Philosophy

1. Solicitude as the World’s Call to Action
   Heidegger argues that in our everyday dealings, the world does not present itself as a collection of isolated objects with fixed properties. Instead, entities show up as available or ready-to-hand, meaning they solicit us to act in certain ways. For example, a door is not primarily experienced as a mere object but as something inviting us to open it to go out. This kind of engagement is pre-reflective and practical, where we respond to the invitations or references the world offers us to achieve our goals. This mode of encountering is called circumspection—a holistic, context-sensitive way of perceiving that constantly monitors the manifold affordances around us1.

2. Solicitude and the “Anyone-Self” (Das Man)
   Heidegger describes the everyday self as the “anyone-self” (das Man), meaning that we experience the world as soliciting us to respond in ways that anyone would, according to socially shared norms, tastes, and standards. This social normativity shapes the intelligibility of the world and our responses, often leading us to conform and lose sight of our authentic individuality. The solicitation by the world and others thus enacts a kind of social pressure or pull that guides our behavior in an inauthentic mode of being1.

3. Solicitude as Solicitation in Interpersonal Relations
   Heidegger also develops the notion of “solicitude” (Fursorge), which is related but specifically concerns how Dasein relates to others. Solicitude is an ontological structure of Being-with (Mitsein), reflecting how we care for and respond to others’ existence. It can manifest in different modes:

   • Deficient modes: Passing by others, not mattering to them, or being indifferent—these are ways of failing to respond to others’ solicitations, reflecting everyday inauthenticity and isolation.

   • Positive modes: “Leaping in” for the other, where one takes over the other’s concerns (which can be problematic as it may override the other’s agency), and “leaping ahead,” where one supports the other’s potentiality-for-being authentically, enabling their ownmost possibilities2.

   Solicitude thus captures the dialogical, normative, and ethical dimensions of how we are called upon and respond to others in our shared world.

Summary

• Solicitation in Heidegger’s philosophy is the way the world and others call upon or invite Dasein to respond and act, shaping our practical engagement and social existence.

• It reveals how our everyday self is shaped by social norms as the “anyone-self,” responding to the solicitations of the “they” (das Man).

• Solicitude is the interpersonal dimension of solicitation, describing how we care for and relate to others, with both deficient and positive modes that reflect authentic or inauthentic ways of being-with-others.

This concept is central to Heidegger’s existential analytic in Being and Time, emphasizing that our being is fundamentally relational and responsive to the world and others through solicitation and solicitude12

• While Heidegger's existential analytic in Being and Time can be interpreted as showing how the world and others “call” or “invite” Dasein into practical engagement. The world is disclosed as a network of meaningful involvements (Zuhandenheit) that Dasein navigates pre-reflectively through circumspection (Umsicht)1.

• The everyday self is shaped by das Man, the impersonal “they,” which governs social norms and implicitly solicits Dasein to conform, thus drawing it away from authentic individuality1.

• Heidegger’s Fürsorge (solicitude) describes Dasein’s mode of being-with-others, including deficient modes (indifference or taking over the other’s concerns) and positive modes (“leaping-ahead”) that support the other’s authentic potentiality. This concept is about interpersonal care and differs from the broader metaphor of solicitation as the world’s call2.

• The use of “affordances” to explain Heidegger’s equipment is a useful interpretive bridge but is not Heidegger’s own terminology. It comes from James Gibson’s ecological psychology and is often used by commentators like Hubert Dreyfus to clarify Heideggerian insights3.

Heidegger's concept of "solicitude" (Fürsorge) in his work Being and Time refers to a fundamental mode of being-with-others, characterized by a kind of care that involves actively engaging with and taking responsibility for the well-being of others. It's not just a feeling, but a way of existing in the world that shapes human relationships and reveals the interconnectedness of Dasein (human being). 

Here's a more detailed explanation:

• Beyond Concern:

  Heidegger distinguishes solicitude from mere "concern" (Besorge), which is the everyday way we deal with things, including other people as objects. Solicitude, on the other hand, is a deeper form of care that recognizes the other as another Dasein, another being with their own possibilities and concerns. 
• Two Modes of Solicitude:

  Heidegger identifies two main modes of solicitude: "leaping-in" solicitude and "leaping-ahead" solicitude. 

  • Leaping-in solicitude: This mode can be well-intentioned but can also be overbearing and take over the other person's possibilities, essentially treating them as an object to be taken care of. 
  • Leaping-ahead solicitude: This mode respects the other's freedom and allows them to develop their own possibilities, while still offering support and guidance. 
• Ethical Implications:

  Heidegger's concept of solicitude has important ethical implications, highlighting the importance of recognizing and respecting the being of others. It suggests that an authentic ethical existence involves a courageous engagement with the finitude of ethical situations and decisions. 
• Not Just a Psychological State:

  Solicitude is not simply a psychological feeling or attitude but a fundamental way of being that shapes human existence and relationships. It is a way of relating to others that is constitutive of our being-in-the-world. 
• Connection to Authenticity:

  Solicitude is closely connected to Heidegger's concept of authenticity (Eigentlichkeit). An authentic existence involves taking responsibility for one's own being and engaging with others in a way that respects their freedom and individuality. 
• Intersubjectivity:

  Solicitude is a key aspect of Heidegger's understanding of intersubjectivity, the way that human beings exist in relation to each other. It highlights the importance of shared being and the interconnectedness of human existence. 

In Martin Heidegger's philosophy, Zuhandenheit (often translated as readiness-to-hand or availableness) refers to the way we encounter and interact with tools and equipment in our everyday world. It describes a state of being where things are not the primary focus of our attention, but rather are readily available and integrated into our practical activities. 

Here's a more detailed explanation:

• Practical Engagement:

  Zuhandenheit is characterized by our practical engagement with the world, where things are used and manipulated without conscious reflection. For example, when using a hammer, we don't typically think about its properties as an object, but rather focus on the task of hammering. 
• Prior to Theory:

  Heidegger argues that Zuhandenheit is ontologically prior to our theoretical understanding of things (Vorhandenheit or present-at-hand). In other words, our practical interactions with the world shape our understanding before we start to analyze things as objects of contemplation. 
• Being-in-the-World:

  Zuhandenheit is closely tied to Heidegger's concept of Being-in-the-world (In-der-Welt-sein), which emphasizes our fundamental interconnectedness with the world through our practical activities. 
• Noticing the Breakdowns:

  We become aware of Zuhandenheit most prominently when a tool breaks or malfunctions, bringing it to our attention as a thing (Vorhanden) rather than a tool ready-to-hand. 
• Example:

  Imagine using a hammer to drive a nail. You don't typically focus on the hammer itself, but rather on the act of hammering. The hammer is simply "ready-to-hand" for that task. If the hammer breaks, it becomes "present-at-hand" – you now notice the hammer as an object with certain properties that are no longer suitable for the task. 
• Beyond Tools:

  While often associated with tools, Zuhandenheit can also be applied to other aspects of our environment that are integrated into our activities, like a familiar path we walk daily. 
• Social Recognition:

  Brandom, in his interpretation of Heidegger, suggests that the "ready-to-hand" aspect of a thing is also tied to social recognition and how a community would respond to it. 

In essence, Zuhandenheit highlights how our everyday interactions with the world are not based on detached observation, but rather on our practical engagement and involvement with things as they are integrated into our activities.