What is the philosophy? The philosophy ask consistently this question after its birth, but an adequate answer to this question is not given yet. Heidegger asserted, in Einleitung in die Philosophie, that the philosophy is not a science of sciences. This assertion makes us very confused, who research and lecture the philosophy in the university. Although we consider the philosophy as a different thing from any other sciences, we don’t understand, that the philosophy is not a science of sciences. We make a hasty deduction according to the so-called tradition of philosophy, that the philosophy is the queen of sciences. But another sciences respect the philosophy as the queen by no means! The philosophy claim itself to be a queen of sciences. Another sciences would like to assert, “the philosophy is never a science of sciences!”
According to Heidegger, the philosophy is not a science of sciences, because it is not a member of sciences. The philosophy is the queen of sciences, not for its brilliantness, but for being the origin of another sciences. This Heidegger’s assertion is from his own standpoint of philosophy, that Being(Sein) is different from beings(Seiendes), and then the philosophy is an ontology, which inquire into Being. Another sciences make researches in beings. For research of beings, Being is firstly inquired into, because beings become for the first time itself owing to Being. The philosophy inquire into Being, and Heidegger’s philosophy is the ontology. But his own standpoint and assertion is a controversial problem in the section of philosophy.
Nevertheless Heidegger’s standpoint and assertion of philosophy is relevant for us, since we research and lecture now the philosophy in the university. His own standpoint and assertion of philosophy would give us a clue for answering to question, what is the philosophy. And it would be a guide for us, which suggest us, what and how we may do in our research and lecture of philosophy in the university. Although the philosophy may be not a science of sciences, it makes a great contribution to the public with another sciences in the university, if the philosophy will find his proper topology among the sciences in the university. For there are some misunderstanding and disappointment of the philosophy in the university, in the public, even in the philosophy itself.
The contribution of the university to the public meet requests from the public through the activities of research and lecture. According to this circumstances, the philosophy must meet to requests from the public, while it may be a member of community in the university, even though it must be a science of sciences. Formation of theories in philosophy and cultivation of professional members in the philosophy is the contribution of the philosophy to the public. For this contribution, the philosophy in the university must discipline itself the introduction to the philosophy and the activity of the philosophy. The introduction to the philosophy is not only an introduction to the philosophical theories but also to the philosophical activities.
In this paper, we will look at with attention popularly figured point of view to the university in the public, the science in the university, the philosophy in the university. And, while understanding and interpreting Heidegger’s standpoint and assertion of philosophy, we will investigate, which position the philosophy has in the university and how the philosophy meets to requests from the public.