Earth and Gods: An Introduction to the Philosophy of Martin Heidegger

by Vincas Vyčinas

Earth and Gods is an attempt to introduce the reader to Heidegger's fully developed philosophy. The title Earth and Gods gives an im pression of not being a general study of Heidegger's philosophy. However, this is not true - the earth and the gods are fundamental ontological symbols of his fully developed philosophy, namely, his third and final phase of thought. This phase repeats the problems of both preceding phases in a fuller and more developed manner; hence, it implies them. The two preceding phases are the phase of Dasein and the phase of Being. These two phases are a natural flow of fundamental problems which reach their final formation and development in the phase of earth and gods. Dasein (the first phase) leads to Being, and Being (the second phase) bursts into fundamental ontological powers of Being (Seinsmiichte) which are earth and sky, gods and mortals (the third phase). Since earth is unthinkable without sky and since gods are gods in the world of mortals - of men, the title Earth and Gods is an abbreviation of these four fundamental powers of Being. Hence, an investigation of earth and gods is an attempt to present Heidegger's philosophy as a whole. Such a presentation provides the reader with the background necessary for a more adequate and efficient understanding of the writings of Heidegger himself. Thus, Earth and Gods may rightly be considered an introduction to Hei degger's philosophy."

Genres: Philosophy

340 pages, Hardcover

First published July 31, 1969

Reviews

[Ave Mets · Rating 5 out of 5]

Many Heideggerian terms are translated differently than what I was used to from other translations.
I liked the long explications of the Greek's understanding of gods, especially the two different kinds of their gods, and divine in their lives, as explication of Heidegger's 'Götter' and 'Göttlich'. I also liked the examples from the author's own traditional culture for explaining the fourfold (foursome).

[Administrative Law · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is a hidden gem. Beautiful writing. Will definitely return to it after reading more Heidegger.