Heidegger's Shadow

by José Pablo Feinmann

"Explores the philosopher Martin Heidegger's collusion with the Nazis through a two-part letter between the fictional Dieter Meuller and his son"--

Genres: Philosophy, Fiction

126 pages, Paperback

First published May 1, 2005

About the author

José Pablo Feinmann es un filósofo, docente, escritor, ensayista, guionista y conductor de televisión argentino.
En 1973 fue fundador del Centro de Estudios del Pensamiento Latinoamericano, en el Departamento de Filosofía de la UBA (Universidad de Buenos Aires). Posteriormente trabajó como colaborador en diversos medios periodísticos.
Fue un activo militante de la JP (Juventud Peronista) en los años setenta, considerando al peronismo como un verdadero movimiento de masas revolucionario. Siempre se opuso al uso de la violencia con fines políticos, sobre todo al foquismo guevarista, el cual —años después del triunfo de la revolución cubana— se volvió bastante popular dentro de algunos sectores de la izquierda peronista (como las guerrillas de Montoneros y de las Fuerzas Armadas Peronistas). Finalmente abandonó el peronismo en los años noventa, durante el gobierno de Carlos Menem. Sus estudios sobre la historia del peronismo son muy conocidos y debatidos por otros historiadores.
Suele escribir para el periódico Página/12 (incluyendo notas editoriales) sobre actualidad política, literatura y cine. Por otro lado, desde 2008 conduce los programas de televisión Filosofía aquí y ahora, emitido por el canal Encuentro (del Ministerio de Educación de Argentina), y Cine contexto, emitido por Canal 7.

Reviews

[Ffiamma · Rating 4 out of 5]

mi ha sempre incuriosito la figura di martin heidegger- e anche il suo complicatissimo pensiero. questo libro è una lunga lettera da padre a figlio in cui vengono spiegate le ragioni per cui si può diventare nazisti all'università di friburgo negli anni 30 (quando, appunto, heidegger era rettore) e i motivi di una fuga e di altro ancora. inquietante, non sempre- per fortuna- semplice.

[M. · Rating 1 out of 5]

In levels of writing, it's well written, the flow of words is engaging, it's not hard to follow and understand. The person who wrote this really understands the complicated German philosophy of those times. Heidegger, Arendt, Husserl... even French philosophers like Foucault and Sartre. And why, am I giving this one star, then?

Well, because while being a good reflection on the condemnable nature of Nazism, and doesn't necessarily fall into black and white scenarios where being a lefty is necessarily good (though it might have in some draft), it does the terrible leftist tactic of comparing the Argentine last military dictatorship to the Shoah. Let's be clear here: I don't approve of such coup d'état, nor the measures taken to stop the guerillas, but yes, there were guerrillas and they threatened us enough to aim to do a second Cuba project. More than 50 years after the revolution Cuba is still not free.

The author openly admits to having tried to infiltrate the peronist party for it to become Marxist. Let's say Perón wasn't a man of many principles, but that gives you an idea of how he thinks. This Marxist infiltration of the party, which Perón allowed him to win elections again in the 70s is responsible for the violence of the decade as much as the bad methods of the military were or even worse, given that they started attacking the population during the democratic government of Perón when they deemed he wasn't lefty enough.

I mean, that must be exactly the same as the Shoah, no? Six million people murdered by a man who wanted to conquer Europe and knew no limits vs. liberal military wrongly combating groups they were not prepared to fight against, groups that could take a PROVINCE.

Some groups are notoriously excluded when the people who Hitler hated are mentioned: Catholics and the disabled. Pretty curious.

[Paulo · Rating 5 out of 5]

Um romance filosófico em duas partes.

Na primeira, temos o relato do pai, Dieter Muller, contando desde os tempos da Universidade, onde conheceu Heidegger, bem como diversas citações a textos filosóficos. Acrescente-se a fuga de Dieter para a Argentina, onde é encontrado por aqueles que intentavam reerguer o Reich. Termina com o pungente pedido de perdão a uma foto de uma das vítimas indo para a câmara de gás.

Na segunda, temos o relato do filho.em que compara o Mestre Martin Heidegger com Moby Dick, ao conversar com ele, em monólgo, tendo uma Luger, na Floresta Negra. Quiçá, um enigma borgiano. Dieter suicidou-se com ela. O que fará Heidegger ?

A conclusão, fica com um breve relato de Martin Muller, o filho de Dieter ...

[Cooper Renner · Rating 4 out of 5]

For well over half of this book it’s impossible to tell if Feinmann’s narrator intends to exonerate Heidegger of his Nazism. Only in the final quarter of the book does the issue clarify itself. An unusual mix or event and philosophical discussion, some of which is not much more than angels dancing on the head of a pin (a common problem of philosophy) and some of which, as Feinmann establishes Heidegger’s beliefs, is frankly appalling.

[Willemjan Vandenplas · Rating 5 out of 5]

Creo que leo todo los temas

[Ricardo Zamora · Rating 5 out of 5]

Magnífico

[Pablo · Rating 5 out of 5]

short and good, doubly good.