Heidegger: A Critical Introduction

by Peter Trawny

Martin Heidegger is one of the most influential figures of twentieth-century philosophy but his reputation was tainted by his associations with Nazism. The posthumous publication of the Black Notebooks, which reveal the shocking extent of Heidegger’s anti-Semitism, has only cast further doubt on his work. Now more than ever, a new introduction to Heidegger is needed to reassess his work and legacy.

This book by the world-leading Heidegger scholar Peter Trawny is the first introduction to take into account the new material made available by the explosive publication of the Black Notebooks. Seeking neither to condemn nor excuse Heidegger’s views, Trawny directly confronts and elucidates the most problematic aspects of his thought. At the same time, he provides a comprehensive survey of Heidegger’s development, from his early writings on phenomenology and his magnum opus, Being and Time, to his later writings on poetry and technology. Trawny captures the extraordinary significance and breadth of fifty years of philosophical production, all against the backdrop of the tumultuous events of the twentieth century.

This concise introduction will be required reading for the many students and scholars in philosophy and critical theory who study Heidegger, and it will be of great interest to general readers who want to know more about one of the major figures of contemporary philosophy.

Genres: Philosophy

191 pages, Kindle Edition

Published January 15, 2019

Reviews

[Jeff Samuelson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Early Heidegger part is very good. Not really into the later stuff. But I could say that for 99% of philosophers.

[Pintado · Rating 4 out of 5]

Que Heidegger una mente brillante se haya entregado parcialmente (tres años de rectorado) a la causa del nacionalsocialismo no deja de sorprenderme; hay una verdad muy humana detrás de tan magnífica mente (te enseña a pensar). Una verdad que nos interpela hoy en día ante los fanatismos políticos. Como dice Peter Trawny el bucle o el claro de su pensamiento solo se cierra incorporando esa inconsistencia fatal…

[Willemf · Rating 4 out of 5]

Heldere inleiding: Trawny weet het denken van Heidegger duidelijk uit te leggen.

[Lukas op de Beke · Rating 5 out of 5]

The first two chapters of this book, on the facticity of life and the meaning of being, are very good, not in the least because of the detail given to the early Heidegger (before Being and Time). Trawny needs few words, and few complicated ones at that, to explain notoriously difficult and muddled Heideggerian concepts- with the exception of the ontological difference, the meaning and implications of which are still not wholly clear to me.

After these two central chapters, Trawny incisiveness falters when he discusses the history of being and the "Wesen der Technik".

[Morgan Sloan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Helpful Introduction

Heidegger is not an easy philosopher to engage with and no amount of introductory texts will change this. Nonetheless, some prior knowledge of his terminology and most important concepts can make a big difference. The fact that this text introduces some of these concepts and ideas whilst engaging critically with them makes it ideal for those interested in reading Heidegger, as well as anyone who already has done but wishes to further engage with his thought.