Being and Time in Exploring Existentialism

Aug 14, 2012 Feliks rated it it was amazing

Shelves: philosophy-general, philosophers-best

While Aristotle is probably my #1 fave thinker, I'm very much impressed by Heidegger and other phenomenologists. I think these men have much to say that is direct and relevant to today's mindset; today's anxiety-rich and over-wrought human condition; all our various mental quandaries; and all our dilemmas-of-daily life.

Unlike say, the existentialist schools of the modern era (which always seem to illuminate ever-deeper, ever-thornier problems of 'how-to-live'), phenomenology offers tools and tec While Aristotle is probably my #1 fave thinker, I'm very much impressed by Heidegger and other phenomenologists. I think these men have much to say that is direct and relevant to today's mindset; today's anxiety-rich and over-wrought human condition; all our various mental quandaries; and all our dilemmas-of-daily life.

Unlike say, the existentialist schools of the modern era (which always seem to illuminate ever-deeper, ever-thornier problems of 'how-to-live'), phenomenology offers tools and techniques to actually assist people with facing-the-daily-reality-before-them.

'Being & Time' of course, is Heidegger's masterwork; but it is (like the work of his follower, Gadamer) an extremely difficult and rigorous work to even attempt to absorb. This would be true even without issues of translation and Heidegger's frequent use of German terms he has coined which have no English equivalent.

Well into the first 1/3 of the book you will find Heidegger doing much "roving back-and-forth" in a lawyerly fashion, tacking across the pages first-this-way-and-then-that-way; often cutting back on his own trail, in a busy and energetic manner that can be extremely tiring to the reader. It is never easy to see where he is headed; and requires much faith to persist with him.

He introduces a daunting array of special terms-and-definitions which he needs to establish at the outset; just to get his premise launched to his audience; and he does much 'advance legwork' to forestall any possible objections whatsoever, as he builds up his case. It takes a long time to get to the meat of his ideas.

Chief among these is the concept of "dasein" which is his way of referring to man in an abstract sense. That's the most succinct way I can find to sum it up. I have never really been fond of this awkward phrase but I can see why Heidegger needs to rely on it.

Anyway... I truly appreciate the audacity of what Martin Heidegger has contributed to the body of philosophical thought. He is clearly well-aware of the intellectual heritage he is building on--at every turn he takes pains to make clear why his approach is different than his predecessors. It is a treat to read a set of new concepts presented --at the rather late date he arrived on the scene--by a man who clearly knows the classical hierarchy with which they must dovetail. His presentation obeys tradition.

My bottom line is this: I would confidently nominate him one of my top five favourite philosophers of all time. I think he is that important.
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Mar 11, 2015 nick riso rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Wow..what a monster of a book. I had an entire college course revolving around Heidegger, mainly this leviathan.. Though he does borrow a lot from husserl, he's definitely creating and building from that foundation into something extremely groundbreaking, if you take the time to read and digest it. And I think that's the point...go topic to topic with his expansive arguments, and you'll understand it and see things that were formerly invisible to you...hopefully ...more

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