Confronting Heidegger: A Critical Dialogue on Politics and Philosophy [Paperback]

The question of the relation of Martin Heideggers thought to politics has been a subject of controversy since the 1930s, when he became an advocate of the National Socialist regime in Germany. This volume addresses this question in a unique format, as a dialogue among leading Heidegger scholars. That dialogue begins with an exchange between Gregory Fried and Emmanuel Faye about Fayes contention that Heideggers work represents nothing short of the introduction of Nazism into philosophy. At stake are issues such as what Heidegger himself understood Nazism to be, whether a thinkers life and actions define the meaning of his work, the enduring threat of fascism, and the nature of rationality and philosophy itself. Richard Polt, Matthew Sharpe, Dieter Thom?, William Altman, and Sidonie Kellerer join the conversation, with responses from Fried and Faye.Gregory Fried is Professor of Philosophy at Boston College. With Richard Polt he has translated Heideggers Introduction to Metaphysics and Being and Truth, and edited A Companion to Heideggers Introduction to Metaphysics and Nature, History, State: 1933-1934.

The prominent contributors to this timely and provocative volume critically reflect on and vigorously debate the significance of the deeply troubling fact that the thought of one of the most influential philosophers of the twentieth century was entangled in one of its most infamous and horrific political movements. At stake is nothing less than howand, for some, even whetherwe should continue to read Heideggers texts as contributions to philosophy. Bret W. Davis, author of Zen Pathways: An Introduction to the Philosophy and Practice of Zen Buddhism

A common response today by both Heideggerians and those who believe that he should still be read as an important philosopher is that despite Martin Heideggers deep and even passionate involvement with Nazism and antisemitism, there is still much of philosophic importance and fruitfulness in his worlƒÁ