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Overview
Richard Polt provides a lively and accessible introduction to one of the most influential and intellectually demanding philosophers of the modern era. Covering the entire range of Heidegger's thought, Polt skillfully communicates the essence of the philosopher, enabling readers, especially those new to his writings, to approach his works with confidence and insight. Polt presents the questions Heidegger grappled with and the positions he adopted, and also analyzes persistent points of difference between competing schools of interpretation. The book begins by exploring Heidegger's central concern, the question of Being, and his way of doing philosophy. After considering his environment, personality, and early thought, it carefully takes readers through his best-known work, Being and Time. Heidegger concludes with highlights of its subject's later thought, providing guidelines for understanding Contributions to Philosophy and other important texts. It gives special attention to the philosopher's political involvement with the Nazis in the 1930s, indicating the strengths and weaknesses of the reactions to his politics, reactions ranging from exculpation to complete condemnation.Synopsis
Heidegger is a classic introduction to Heidegger's notoriously difficult work. Truly accessible, it combines clarity of exposition with an authoritative handling of the subject-matter. Richard Polt has written a work that will become the standard text for students looking to understand one of the century's greatest minds.
Publishers Weekly
Polt, professor of philosophy at Xavier University and translator of Nietzsche's Twilight of the Idols, offers an introduction to reading Heidegger. Clearly intended as a supplement to Being and Time, his book also provides interesting details on Heidegger's biography and political life and surveys some of the philosopher's later writings. Although the author's descriptions of Heidegger's methodology and vocabulary and his analyses of sections from Being and Time purport to make Heidegger's thinking accessible to first-time readers, it is unclear how this rephrasing and simplifying makes reading Being and Time more engaging. In fact, Polt's paraphrases of Heidegger often result in dry descriptions and distortions of the text. For instance, in order to clarify the relationship between Heidegger's "moment of vision" and authentic existence, Polt offers the cliched example of a mechanic, which makes the "moment of vision" appear to be a rather empty concept: "In an authentic moment of vision, he sees his current situation and understands that it forms part of his life. The repair shop is not just his place of work: it is the arena in which he is improvising the drama of his life story." It is hard to escape the impression that the author's attempt to make reading Heidegger easier--by reducing the concepts of Being and Time to commonplaces--ultimately obscures the task of authentic thinking. Readers' Subscription main selection. (Nov.)
Editorials
From the Publisher
"This book is without a doubt the best general introduction to Heidegger ever written. Richard Polt has an uncanny ability to present Heidegger's central ideas in a straightforward way without sacrificing any of their richness or novelty. With his exceptional mastery of German, his concise formulations, and his sensitive, almost poetic style, Polt brings the philosopher's work to life. An incomparable achievement."-Charles Guignon, editor of The Cambridge Companion to Heidegger"Provides interesting details on Heidegger's biography and political life and surveys some of the philosopher's later writings."-Publishers Weekly
"Polt has written a valuable introduction for beginners to Heidegger. . . Polt encourages the reader to try Heidegger's ideas on for size, and to judge them accordingly. Heidegger's philosophy comes to life in this little book. Highly recommended for all levels."-Choice
"Polt negotiates the difficult path between introduction and over-simplification skilfully. Heidegger: An Introduction succeeds in making the philosopher's thought accessible without rendering it simplistic."-Neil Levy, Philosophy in Review. February-December, 1999.