Posted on 11/09/2009 5:20:30 PM PST by NutCrackerBoy
For decades the German philosopher Martin Heidegger has been the subject of passionate debate. His critique of Western thought and technology has penetrated deeply into architecture, psychology and literary theory and inspired some of the most influential intellectual movements of the 20th century. Yet he was also a fervent Nazi.
Now a soon-to-be published book in English has revived the long-running debate about whether the man can be separated from his philosophy. Drawing on new evidence, the author, Emmanuel Faye, argues fascist and racist ideas are so woven into the fabric of Heidegger’s theories that they no longer deserve to be called philosophy. As a result Mr. Faye declares, Heidegger’s works and the many fields built on them need to be re-examined lest they spread sinister ideas as dangerous to modern thought as “the Nazi movement was to the physical existence of the exterminated peoples.”
First published in France in 2005, the book, “Heidegger: The Introduction of Nazism Into Philosophy,” calls on philosophy professors to treat Heidegger’s writings like hate speech.
(Excerpt) Read more at nytimes.com ...
It is a nontrivial question. I have read many, many essays on the subject of Heidegger's Nazism. One of the best is by Paul Tillich, who knew the guy, for goodness sake. Tillich was selective about which part of Heidegger's history was worthy of condemnation, and placed the philosopher among the greatest in the history of the West.
Hegel was a big influence on the early communists Marx and Engels.
He should similarly be scorned for the bloody consequence of his effed up “philosophy.”
In any other time He would not. But our Time, our Politicians, who could say he won’t.
I haven’t read the book either. But I find it odd that so many academics in the humanities (and not just in philosophy departments, worshipped at the altars of Heidegger and Derrida but now might dismiss Heidegger because of his political associations.
I doubt if there’s anything much new in this book. It was known that Heidegger apparently had no problems getting along with the Nazis.
But frankly the main problem is that the whole business of what is usually called “postmodernism” is filled with vacuous nonsense. And before that was Sartre, and before him Nietzsche, also very questionable influences.
It all leads, by various paths, to relativism and nihilism. So, whether or not Heidegger was a Nazi, he was certainly a destructive influence. It’s kind of pathetic that they would need some sort of political lever like this before they could manage to break through the veil of fashion and recognize him for what he is.
There was Stalin.
“I’m highly skeptical, especially if author turns out to be ignorant of the left-wing aspect of Nazism.”
The Nazi philosophy is another branch of the socialist tree, and socialism is a product of the Left. Very simple, but lotsa’ folks actually think it wasn’t. In fact many on the conservative side get all wobbly when liberal and Nazi are used in the same sentence. Neither have ever done their homework, so it leaves both sides confused.
Does Heidegger’s philosophy deserve credence? Probably, if you’re a liberal (or progressive of late). It certainly is not a product of the American Right. Any student of politics needs to understand the philosophy, before they can accept or reject the system being espoused. More information is a good thing. Failing to realize the connection between the Progressive movement and Naziism is a mistake that you expect to me made in secondary school, not the general population. We have our educational system to blame for such foolishness.
Correct, Hegel's method has been an enabler for those who like to treat their own questionable opinions as self-evident and scientifically proven. On the other hand, Hegel lays claim to many true accomplishments, such as correctly identifying Kant's weakness around concept of Noumenon.
Considering our own creeping facism since FDR, I have long believed Nazism has not been studied enough. It should be high school level history coursework, including their views on health care, the Hippocratic Oath, and even environmentalism.
Looks like we have a new movement, Philosophical correctness.
Heidegger was the most important philosopher of the twentieth century. I do not see any Nazism in his philosophy. Rather it was the culmination of German Idealism. His project was a unique form of anti-nihilism. He attempted to give life meaning without recourse to a deity. In this he failed, but it is a magnificent failure.
However, for this reason, his embrace of Nazism is even more disturbing. I believe it was caused by a combination of nationalism and personal ambition. The Nazis gave him an opportunity to supplant his Jewish mentor, Husserl, in the academy. Sadly, he was small enough to take it. Justly, he paid a heavy price for his Nazism. It is unfortunate that his philosophical work also paid a price.
It’s a great argument that advances that Margaret Sanger’s racist beliefs would detract from her eugenicism and her family planning views. Why not?
One not need for evil to manifest itself in popular movements or cults of personality in order to understand the destruction to the human race and the world at large if one has a rightly formed conscience and understanding of the nature of the Devil.
I thought it all leads, by various paths, to dark sunglasses, coffee shops, chinos, ciggies, folk singers, et. al. Crikey.
I thought it was going to be about barry. Never mind
Certainly academics have worshipped at the altars of Derrida and Foucault, the latter of whom is more Nietzschean. But many of same academics have always been willing to throw Heidegger under the bus ala Adorno.
Heidegger isn't about relativism. His relativist progeny have built their empires on a non sequitor. Tillich criticized Heidegger for emphasizing "existence" over "value." That is a great point, but if you know the difference, you can mine Heidegger's thought till the cows come home. Similarly, I do not reject all things Nietzschean. What Martin Heidegger said was that you should read Neitzsche, but only after you have spent ten years studying Aristotle.
Notice the attitude of the left towards nazis, an organization that hated Jews and wanted to kill them, thought that its members were superior to all non-members and was actively engaged in expanding throughout the world by violent means, and who had light skin.
Notice the attitude of the left towards members of an organization that hates Jews and wants to kill them, thinks that its members are superior to all non-members and is actively engaged in expanding throughout the world by violent means and who have dark skin.
Thanks for the insights. I’m not familiar with Heidegger, but if he kept his philosophy separate from his political associations, I’d probably lean toward including his works.
The world would be a much simpler place if great men were also good men. All too often, that is not the case.
if we can get the marxists/communists/socialists/Trotskyites run out of the academy as well, it would be a two-fer.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.