Yes, philosopher Martin Heidegger was a Nazi. A newly translated book argues that his work should be shunned and that all work based on his philosophy is tainted. We agree.From the Times:
An Ethical Question: Does a Nazi Deserve a Place Among Philosophers?
By PATRICIA COHEN
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.”...more...
Good. I never understood what this man had to say. Now, I am not going to bother even trying.
ReplyDeleteHeidegger was clearly a Nazi but The Rav z"tl and the philosopher Emmanuel Levinas (an observant Orthodox Jew)were influenced by him and highly critical of his Nazism.
ReplyDelete