And so we have attained what we wanted in the first section of the second main part, the exposition of the dimensions of the problem of ground-which i s none other than the dimensions of an area of inquiry in the central direction of metaphysical inquiry as such. Before proceeding to the second section to develop the problem of ground itself within the dimension we attained, we should first briefly, in a sort of appendix, describe this dimension more closely and indicate the way it may be worked out. We designate this problem dimension, and its explanation a fundamental ontology.

APPENDIX:
DESCRIBING THE IDEA AND FUNCTION OF A FUNDAMENTAL ONTOLOGY

By a fundamental ontology we mean the basic grounding of ontology in general. This includes: 1) a grounding that exhibits the intrinsic possibility of the being question as the basic problem of metaphysics-the interpretation of Dasein as temporality; 2) an explication of the basic problems contained in the question of being-the temporal exposition of the problem of being; 3) the development of the self-understanding of this problematic, its task and limits-the overturning.

For what follows, and in the context of this lecture course. a rather general sketch must suffice. It is important not to conceive fundamental ontology too narrowly or from a single standpoint. The guiding questions here are : Why is fundamental ontology from the outset an existential analysis? What is meant here by "existence"? And to what extent does existential analysis as metaphysical history and "humanitas" get its sense from the full concept of metaphysics?

Only with and through this fundamental ontology do we grasp. from a definite viewpoint, the inner and hidden life of the basic movement of Western philosophy. We saw in several ways how the basic features of this problematic become manifest from the beginning. And it is important to bring these features to light as far as possible and not allow them to remain concealed by indifference. And this we should do, not because these problems have