Because beings become intelligible to us primarily in terms of our interests, Heidegger says that we regard beings primarily as equipment (Zeug) for our use. The way that beings are disclosed by us depends on where they fit into our projects, or what Heidegger calls a “totality of equipment” (Zeugganze): “Taken strictly, there is no such thing as a piece of equipment. To the being of any piece of equipment there always belongs a totality of equipment”. Heidegger speaks of the basically equipmental character of all beings as being their “readiness-to-hand” (Zuhandenheit). “The kind of being that equipment possesses – in which it discloses itself as it is – we call ‘readiness-to-hand’”. We can now see that there is a real sense in which the being/intelligibility that things have is “given” to them by Dasein’s interests.

¶ 12:18 PM