spatially at hand. The "surrounding world" does not arrange itself in a previously given space, but rather its specific worldliness articulates in its significance the relevant context of a totality of places that have been circumspectly assigned. In each case the world. discovers the spatiality of space belonging to it. The fact that what is at hand can be encountered in its space of the surrounding world is ontically possible only because Dasein itself is "spatial" with regard to its being-in-the-world.
§ 23. The Spatiality of Being-in-the-World
When we attribute spatiality to Dasein, this "being [Sein] in space" must evidently be understood in terms of the kind of being of this being. The spatiality of Dasein, which is essentially not objective presence, can mean neither something like being found in a position in "world space," nor being at hand in a place. Both of these are kinds of being belonging to beings encountered in the world. But Dasein is "in" the world in the sense of a familiar and heedful dealing with the beings encountered within the world. Thus when spatiality is attributed to it in some way, [105] this is possible only on the basis of this being-in. But the spatiality of being-in shows the character of de-distancing and directionality.
By de-distancing as a kind of being of Dasein with regard to its being-in-the-world, we do not understand anything like remoteness (nearness) or even being at a distance. We use the expression de-distancing in an active and transitive sense. It means a constitution of being of Dasein, of which de-distancing something, putting it away, is only a definite, factical mode. De-distancing means making distance disappear*. making the being at a distance of something disappear, bringing it near. Dasein is essentially de-distancing. As the being that it is, it lets beings be encountered in nearness.† De-distancing discovers remoteness. Remoteness, like distance, is a categorial determination of beings unlike Dasein. De-distancing, on the other hand, must be kept in mind as an existential. Only because beings in general are discovered by Dasein in their remoteness, do "distances" and intervals among innerworldly beings become accessible in relation to other things. Two points are as little remote from each other as two things in general because neither of these beings can de-distance in accordance with its kind of being. They merely have a measurable distance between them which is encountered in de-distancing.‡
Initially and for the most part, de-distancing is a circumspect approaching, a bringing near as supplying, preparing, having at hand.
* Where does the distance come from that is de-distanced?
† Nearness and presence [Anwesenheit], not the extent of the distance, is essential.
‡ De-distancing is more precise [schärfer] than nearing.