Abstract

Martin Heidegger, particularly in his essay The Question Concerning Technology, explores the intricate relationship between humanity and technology. He views technology not merely as a collection of tools, but as a mode of revealing Being—one that frames nature as an object of domination and even positions the human as a subject within this enframing. In his essay The Origin of the Work of Art, Heidegger investigates the essence of art and the artwork, asserting that a true work of art must disclose the truth of Being and provoke questioning of existence.

In contrast to the threatening nature of technological enframing, which imposes an aggressive mode of disclosure, Heidegger considers art as a potential site of salvation—a poetic opening through which Being may be revealed in a more authentic manner.

This paper aims to delve deeper into Heidegger’s reflections on technology and art by conducting a case study of Steven Spielberg’s film Duel. Through the lens of Heideggerian philosophy of art and technology, the study seeks to uncover the confrontation between human authenticity and technological framing in the modern era. It further attempts to trace, within Heidegger’s thought, the path of the artwork as it navigates the paradoxical capacities of technology and the poetic quest for existential liberation.