Heidegger: A Very Short Introduction
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Philosophy 20th century
by: Michael Inwood
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Heidegger (1889-1976) is perhaps the most divisive philosopher of the 20th century: viewed by some as a 'charlatan' and by others as a 'leader' and central figure of modern philosophy. This book is a lucid introduction to Heidegger's thought and focuses on his most important work, "Being and Time," and its major themes of existence in the world, inauthenticity, guilt, destiny, truth, and the nature of time. These themes are then reassessed in the light of Heidegger's later work, together with the extent of his philosophical importance and influence. This is an invaluable guide to the complex and voluminous thought of a major twentieth-century existentialist philosopher.
The "philosophy" of premier Nazi philosopher, Martin Heidegger is an unmitigated pile of deutschen Dreck. The authors (Michael Inwood's) essay inadvertently does the informed, wary, or novice reader service by clarifying how genuinely obscurantist, tautological, (alaleithia / anamnethtic) and dangerous this vain, self-important anti-humanist/Enlightenment/Christian German intellectual was. Heidegger's foundational vocabulary~ Dasein; Das Seiende (Dasein das Seiendes); Erigneis;Sorge; es Gibt (many key terms are not even in author Inwood's text) are masterpieces of murk. Author repeatedly evades or--in Heidegger's finest Der Spiegel tradition--distorts his mentor's involvement in Nazi agenda. (READ: "Martin Heidegger and European nihilism", Karl Lowith; or Victor Farias, now-classic,HEIDEGGER and NAZISM and be convicted~ Nazism utterly dominates and pollutes this PM monster's major philosophical themes and methodological concepts).
The ZEUGHAUS (which author ignores)is one of Heiddeger's best: translate as "abortion mill"; abatoir; "tool house" or arsenal (as in Weapons).This was Heidegger's recommendation to the Nazi hierarchy for Final Solution~ use "science": sterilize all the unwanted/subhuman/untermensch. In several generations "der unguten Leute" will die out.(Therefore: "der Totdenlagen" sind haben nicht). Heidegger reveals (p.83) himself as Nazi nihilist he is: "There is no truth; there are no objectively correct answers to life's basic problems; nor any decision procedure for discerning them. A moral code is of little help. (THOU SHALT NOT KILL). Either it gives no unequivocal answer, or IS ITSELF OPEN to QUESTION". ["Without God, everything is permitted" ~Dostoyevsky: 8,000,000 Jews in the HOLOCAUST; 63,000,000 infants(USA's)SILENT HOLOCAUST].
Heidegger's FINAL SOLUTION for true ubermensch /DASEIN: Entscholssenheit (Resolution ~ Authenticity (???).[Hitler was no less resolute than Christ or Socrates p.84.] Heidegger's homie buddy (ironically, the embittered by French military defeat J.P.Sartre) called such PM ("men without chests"~ C.S. Lewis)"Les Hommes des bons fois", MEN OF GOOD FAITH. Faith in what? "One must rise above current philosophical situation and the (JUDAEO-CHRISTIAN LOGOS) tradition that lies behind it," Heidegger, p 85...
Enough. Read this monstrous manifesto if you must. Author's ultimate obsequiousness is comparing Heidegger to St. Augustine (p.134); one of the West's most brilliant philosophers, theologians, and seminal existential psychologist. Heidegger, would-be anti-Aristotle and "poetic" voice of THE BEAST is, in my estimate, demonstrably a coward who abused vast gifts and opportunity to laud and justify some of History's greatest criminals. In writing this glowing account of Martin Heidegger, author Inwood complements and perpetuates, in laughable and scorn worthy naivte, an evil man's reputation, and a PM gospel of the intellectually poena damni.
The final chapter of this book -- where author discusses the serious issue of Heidegger's Nazism -- struck one as an exercise in blatant apologetics, peppered with lame excuses for why we should simply overlook or forgive Heidegger's involvement with National Socialism.
Reviews:
This is a standard garden-variety academic treatment of Heidegger, which is not bad, but rather dry reading. One nice feature is its short four-page Glossary of Heidegger's German terminology. It also has an index in which one notes the total absence of any mention of Buddhism, Mahayana, Zen, or the 'Tao Te Ching' (a text which Heidegger worked on), despite the fact that Heidegger's thought quite often reminds one of the great Taoist and Buddhist thinkers.
If you're new to Heidegger, and looking for a good Introductory survey of this philosopher and his thoughts, you may want to also check out George Steiner's _Martin Heidegger_. In contrast to Inwood, Steiner writes with real passion and leaves one with a desire to know more about this amazing thinker.
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