Engaging Heidegger (New Studies in Phenomenology and Hermeneutics) [Hardcover]

Richard M Capobianco (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 24, 2010 | Series: New Studies in Phenomenology and Hermeneutics

One of the most important philosophers of the twentieth century, Martin Heidegger was primarily concerned with the ‘question of Being.’ However, recent scholarship has tended to marginalize the importance of the name of Being in his thought. Through a focused reading of Heidegger's texts, and especially his late and often overlooked Four Seminars (1966-1973), Richard Capobianco counters this trend by redirecting attention to the centrality of the name of Being in Heidegger's lifetime of thought.

Capobianco gives special attention to Heidegger's resonant terms Ereignis and Lichtung and reads them as saying and showing the very same fundamental phenomenon named ‘Being itself ’. Written in a clear and approachable manner, the essays in Engaging Heidegger examine Heidegger's thought in view of ancient Greek, medieval, and Eastern thinking, and they draw out the deeply humane character of his ‘meditative thinking.’

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Richard Capobianco's impressive book, Engaging Heidegger, tackles some fundamental questions in Heidegger's thought, and does so in a remarkably clear and pointed manner." (Lawrence J. Hatab, Gatherings: The Heidegger Circle Annual, vol. 1, 2011)

"Richard Capobianco's book, Engaging Heidegger, is an example of the best type of scholarship in Heidegger studies.  He offers eight careful studies that trace developments, changes, turns and returns in Heidegger's thought as they relate to specific themes and topics." (William Koch, Human Studies, vol. 34, 2011)

"Capobianco provides a much needed clarification of the development of Heidegger's thought … It is a valuable contribution to scholarship concerned with Heidegger's differing approaches to the question of Being as well as to the development of his concept of Lichtung." (Andrew Ryder, Studies in Social and Political Thought, Vol. 18: Winter 2010 )

"Engaging Heidegger is refreshing for its clarity and scholarly precision … I am sure that others will join me in looking forward to further stimulating and illuminating reflections on Heidegger by this careful scholar and insightful thinker." (Bret W. Davis, Notre Dame Philosophical Review )

"The book as a whole presents a well-argued, independent view that will interest and challenge specialists...and will serve as an excellent introductory guide for students." --Graeme Nicholson, Review of Metaphysics, LXV, September 2011.

"Capobianco is delivering challenges to views widely held by prominent Heidegger experts, and he does so with impeccable scholarship and remarkable lucidity and simplicity, qualities rare in writing on this philosopher."(Richard Velkley, Research in Phenomenology, 41, 2011)

From the Author

Richard Capobianco is Professor and Chair in the Philosophy department at Stonehill College. --This text refers to the Paperback edition.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 192 pages
• Publisher: University of Toronto Press, Scholarly Publishing Division (April 24, 2010)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1442641592
• ISBN-13: 978-1442641594
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,882,493 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

In addition to attending lectures by Hans-Georg Gadamer, I had the good fortune of studying with William J. Richardson (my esteemed teacher and mentor) at Boston College some years ago. As professor of philosophy at Stonehill College, I've been teaching courses and lecturing on Heidegger for nearly 25 years. The book 'Engaging Heidegger' brings together the principal insights that I've gleaned over that time.

Customer Reviews

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4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent Tome - Definitely Recommend!!, October 28, 2010

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This review is from: Engaging Heidegger (New Studies in Phenomenology and Hermeneutics) (Hardcover)

Engaging Heidegger is a must read for any student or scholar interested in Martin Heidegger. There is something here for many readers, from advanced scholars of Phenomenology and Hermeneutics to those simply interested in architecture; for those interested in contemporary philosophy to students of psychology.

The Foreward was written by Boston College professor William J. Richardson, who for decades has been the recognized authority on Heidegger.

Over eight chapters, Professor Capobianco lucidly describes the nature and experience of Being in its various manifestations. Capobianco understands the complexity of Being and carefully and perceptively, through text and context, leads the reader to an understanding of Being as the time and space flow of all beings.

Analysis is driven by the examination of Heidegger's writings and lectures and a thorough knowledge of the original German with insightful translations. At times, the analysis focuses on specific words and the context within which those words were used, to delineate Heidegger's intended meanings. Other times, Capobianco indicates that Heidegger himself conveyed different meanings for particular key words over the course of his life of thought, such as with the term die Lichtung.

Perhaps most importantly, Capobianco elucidates the concept of ontological "anxiety" which further advances the idea of our authentic unsettledness in living and being in the world. Anxiety is a multi-faceted concept with elements of fear, dread, wonder, perplexity and perhaps even acceptance. "Angst" is problematic because it is not simply dread and Capobianco engages the Heideggarian commentariat to demonstrate the difference.

Other chapters deal with a Heideggarian philosophy of the lived space (including architecture as well as our internal and external lived spaces), Plato's "light" and the phenomenon of the "clearing," among others.

Heidegger continues to be vital to philosophical thought today and this book is an important stepping stone on that journey toward a better understanding of the work of this great thinker.