Why Read Heidegger?
Posted in Political Philosophy by Steven Hayward
Folks have been buzzing for a while now about
Carlin Romano's blistering attack on Heidegger in the
Chronicle of Higher Education. Today in
The New Republic online,
Damon Linker fires back, with a half-hearted defense of why we should still study Heidegger even though he was a fascist.
We report, you decide.
4:25 PM / November 2, 2009
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How is Damon Linker's defense "half-hearted?"
What a stupid book/article.
Metcalf also has a decent essay on this topic:
https://www.slate.com/blogs/blogs/browbeat/archive/2009/10/23/carlin-romano-s-wrongheaded-heidegger-assessment.aspx
Hans Jonas's Memoirs contain a heart-felt and intellectually honest explanation of his break with Heidegger: His conception of philosophy leads to the nihilism of the Nazis. See also his book on Gnosticism, which contains a chapter on contemporary manifestations of that ancient heresy and willfulness.
Ken,
Even the Big Lebowski shows us the difference between Nazis and nihilists.
The Dude: They were Nihilists.
Walter: Huh?
The Dude: They kept saying they believe in nothing.
Walter: Nihilists? Jesus....Say what you will about the tenets of National Socialism, at least it's an ethos.
Just cuz someone destructs the history of Western metaphysics doesn't make them a nihilist...even if he was a Nazi.
Zing!