Heidegger: An Introduction - Hardcover

Polt, Richard

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0801435846 ISBN 13: 9780801435843

Publisher: Cornell University Press, 1997

Synopsis

"Provides interesting details on Heidegger's biography and political life and surveys some of the philosopher's later writings."― Publishers Weekly

Richard Polt provides a lively and accessible introduction to one of the most influential and intellectually demanding philosophers of the modern era. Covering the entire range of Heidegger's thought, Polt skillfully communicates the essence of the philosopher, enabling readers, especially those new to his writings, to approach his works with confidence and insight. Polt presents the questions Heidegger grappled with and the positions he adopted, and also analyzes persistent points of difference between competing schools of interpretation. 

The book begins by exploring Heidegger's central concern, the question of Being, and his way of doing philosophy. After considering his environment, personality, and early thought, it carefully takes readers through his best-known work, Being and Time. Heidegger concludes with highlights of its subject's later thought, providing guidelines for understanding Contributions to Philosophy and other important texts. It gives special attention to the philosopher's political involvement with the Nazis in the 1930s, indicating the strengths and weaknesses of the reactions to his politics, reactions ranging from exculpation to complete condemnation.

About this title

About the Author

Richard Polt is Professor of Philosophy at Xavier University, Cincinnati. He is the author of The Emergency of Being: On Heidegger's Contributions to Philosophy, also from Cornell.

Reviews

Polt, professor of philosophy at Xavier University and translator of Nietzsche's Twilight of the Idols, offers an introduction to reading Heidegger. Clearly intended as a supplement to Being and Time, his book also provides interesting details on Heidegger's biography and political life and surveys some of the philosopher's later writings. Although the author's descriptions of Heidegger's methodology and vocabulary and his analyses of sections from Being and Time purport to make Heidegger's thinking accessible to first-time readers, it is unclear how this rephrasing and simplifying makes reading Being and Time more engaging. In fact, Polt's paraphrases of Heidegger often result in dry descriptions and distortions of the text. For instance, in order to clarify the relationship between Heidegger's "moment of vision" and authentic existence, Polt offers the cliched example of a mechanic, which makes the "moment of vision" appear to be a rather empty concept: "In an authentic moment of vision, he sees his current situation and understands that it forms part of his life. The repair shop is not just his place of work: it is the arena in which he is improvising the drama of his life story." It is hard to escape the impression that the author's attempt to make reading Heidegger easier?by reducing the concepts of Being and Time to commonplaces?ultimately obscures the task of authentic thinking. Readers' Subscription main selection.
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Edition details

• Publisher: Cornell University Press
• Publication date: 1997
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0801435846
• ISBN 13: 9780801435843
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 216