What is a Human Being?

In the snowy mountains of Davos, Switzerland, in March 1929, two great philosophers met face-to-face to answer one of the oldest and most important questions in human history: “What is a human being?” What followed was not just a debate—it became a turning point in modern thought. This historic encounter was between Ernst Cassirer, a respected scholar of the Enlightenment tradition, and Martin Heidegger, a rising thinker whose ideas would shape existentialism and postmodern philosophy. Their discussion, now famously called the Davos Debate, reflected not only two different views on human nature but also two different visions of the future of philosophy.

Cassirer’s View Point

Ernst Cassirer (1874–1945) was a German-Jewish philosopher who believed in the power of reason, science, and culture to shape human life. He followed the tradition of Immanuel Kant, who had argued that humans are rational beings capable of understanding the world through experience and reason.

Cassirer believed that human beings are best described as symbolic animals—creatures who live through language, art, science, myth, and religion. According to him, we don’t just react to nature like other animals; we shape it through symbols and culture. He called this the “symbolic universe”.

For Cassirer, the human being was a creator of meaning, and our dignity came from this ability. His vision was hopeful: through education, knowledge, and moral progress, humanity could overcome crisis and build a better world. I am asked to concisely state this viewpoint in the light of modern science and understanding, then it is not less than a “modern human-driven sustainability concept.”

Heidegger’s View Point

Martin Heidegger (1889–1976), who had just published his groundbreaking book Being and Time in 1927 held different view. Heidegger was challenging not only Cassirer but centuries of philosophical thinking.

He didn’t start by asking what humans are as objects, but rather how we exist. He introduced the idea of Dasein, which means “being-there” in German. For Heidegger, the human being is not primarily a thinker or culture-maker, but a being who is thrown into the world, full of anxiety, facing uncertainty and death.

Heidegger rejected the idea that reason alone could explain who we are. Instead, he argued that we must begin with our existential experience—our fear, our freedom, our mortality. In his view, humans are defined by Being-toward-death, meaning we live with the knowledge of our end, and this awareness shapes all our choices.

While Cassirer wanted to preserve human dignity through reason, Heidegger broke with that tradition. He believed that philosophy must confront the rawness of existence, even if it means giving up comforting ideas. This view point according to me is more close to the concept of sustainer—who sustains life and leads it to death.

Symbolic Event at Debate?

One detail from Davos became symbolic of the entire debate. On the day of the main session, Heidegger did not sit in the front row where a seat was reserved for him. Instead, he chose to sit quietly in the back, away from the spotlight. Some took it as a gesture of humility; others saw it as a rejection of tradition, hierarchy, and philosophical formalism.

That single act—refusing the front seat—mirrored his entire philosophical approach: refusing to follow the usual path, choosing to start again from the ground of existence.

Who Won the Debate?

There was no official winner, but over time, Heidegger’s influence grew stronger. His ideas became central to existentialism, a movement that would shape 20th-century thought. Jean-Paul Sartre, Simone de Beauvoir, and Albert Camus would expand on Heidegger’s vision, turning philosophy toward freedom, alienation, and the struggle for meaning in a godless world.

Later thinkers like Maurice Merleau-Ponty emphasized the role of the body in human experience, while Emmanuel Levinas took Heidegger’s ideas further by focusing on ethical responsibility to the Other.

On the other hand, Cassirer’s legacy lived on quietly through scholars of culture, linguistics, and anthropology. His work inspired later thinkers like Clifford Geertz and Hans Blumenberg, and remains important in understanding how humans build civilizations through symbols.

Why Does This Debate Still Matter?

In a time when technology, war, and climate change are transforming our lives, the question “What is a human being?” remains as urgent as ever.

Cassirer reminds us that humans are capable of creating meaning, beauty, and knowledge. Heidegger forces us to look deeper—at our fears, our mortality, and the mystery of being itself. This tension is not something to solve once and for all. It is a living question, one that every generation must ask again in its own way.

The Islamic Perspective

Islam offers a rich and balanced understanding of what it means to be human. According to the Quran, the human being (Insaan) is both noble and fragile. Allah says: “Indeed, We have created man in the best of moulds” (Quran 95:4), highlighting human dignity.

At the same time, humans are forgetful, limited, and morally responsible. They are given freedom of choice, the burden of trust (Amanah), and the role of Khalifah (steward) on Earth. Unlike the Western emphasis on reason alone or the existential focus on anxiety, Islam sees the human being as a soul with purpose, accountable before God but also capable of rising above selfishness through remembrance (dhikr), worship, and service to others. Thus, in Islam, to be human is to live with freedom, responsibility, and divine connection.

The Question Lives On

The 1929 Davos debate between Cassirer and Heidegger was not just an academic event—it was a clash of worldviews. One stood for human reason, culture, and progress; the other called for a radical encounter with the truth of existence. But perhaps the real value of the debate lies not in choosing sides, but in seeing how both perspectives deepen our understanding. In a world that often swings between blind optimism and deep despair, we need both Cassirer’s faith in culture and Heidegger’s existential honesty.

And beyond both, traditions like Islam remind us that to be human is not just to think or to suffer—but to be morally awake, spiritually conscious, and connected to something greater than ourselves. Even today, nearly a century later, the question remains: What is a human being? And each of us, in our lives, must offer our own answer.

Dr. Ashraf Zainabi , Teacher an Researcher from Gowhar Pora Chadoora J&K, and Advisor at The Nature University, Kashmir