Essence of Human Freedom: An Introduction to Philosophy (Athlone Contemporary European Thinkers) [Paperback]

Martin Heidegger (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: August 5, 2002 | Series: Athlone Contemporary European Thinkers

The Essence of Human Freedom, in its first complete translation into English, derives from a course of lectures delivered at Freiburg in 1930. It presents Heidegger's most accessible and unified discussion of Greek metaphysics, and the succeeding traditions, together with a profound and searching analysis of the Kantian concepts of Freedom and Causality. Heidegger conceived of this course as a pedagogic strategy for introducing philosophy This is a fundamental text for understanding Heidegger view of Greek philosophy and its relationship to modern philosophy. After a preliminary discussion of the problem of freedom and its relationship to philosophy, Heidegger devotes Part One primarily to the meaning of "being" in Greek metaphysics, this providing the framework for his interpretation of Kant treatment of freedom and causality in Part Two. In no other work by Heidegger do we find a comparably detailed consideration of Kant's practical philosophy as that given in the present text. Further, in no other work is Heidegger's interpretation of the key Chapter 10 of Aristotle's Metaphysics Theta presented with comparable thoroughness. These lectures were delivered by Heidegger at the University of Freiburg in the summer of 1930.

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

Over the past decade, an abundant number of Heidegger's writings have been translated into English. Key among them are the lectures he delivered both prior to and following the writing of his magnum opus, Being and Time, which allow us as never before to chart Heidegger's philosophical development. Here are two new additions to the series. The Essence of Human Freedom, which derives from a set of lectures Heidegger delivered in 1930 at Freiburg, focuses on human freedom as the leading question of philosophy. Heidegger contends that this emphasis on freedom enables us to understand philosophy as a "going-after-the-whole" that is at the same time a "going-to-our-roots." In other words, we must search for the essence of human freedom in the constant presence of being-in-the-world that precedes and grounds philosophical thinking. Heidegger plunders Kant's understandings of freedom and Aristotle's theories of metaphysics to establish his own theory that the understanding of human freedom provides the starting point for philosophy (metaphysics).
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Review

"These new volumes reveal Heidegger's consummate exegetical and hermeneutical skills...recommended."—Library Journal

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Product Details

• Paperback: 240 pages
• Publisher: Continuum (August 5, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0826459242
• ISBN-13: 978-0826459244
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 6.3 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.6 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,472,377 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Quintessential Heidegger, February 6, 2006

By 

Vinay Varma "VinVar" (India) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Essence Of Human Freedom: An Introduction To Philosophy (Continuum Impacts) (Paperback)

This set of lectures, published for the first time in English, reflect the rigor of Heideggerian method of philosophy. Heidegger discusses the question of human freedom with reference to Kant's pure and practical reason. For Heidegger the essence of human freedom is the fundamental problem of philosophy because it can illuminate the whole through the part.

Heidegger also typically links his question to the 'leading question of philosophy', which permeates Heideggers oeuvre - that of being. After a brief investigation into the positive and negative concepts of freedom in Kant and concepts like causality etc., he explains why it is necessary to understand being to understand human freedom and launches a hermenuetic/etymological inquiry into the concept of being in Aristotle's metaphysics.

At this stage you begin to wonder, why Heidegger is taking you deeper and deeper into the question of being when you are reading the book in order to understand human freedom. But Heidegger rarely follows a line of argument aimlessly. By discussing being and causality, he connects back to Kant to show that there can be a double causation of being and humans are the only beings who can ascertain this causation through their consciousness, bringing human will and freedom back into the picture.

He then discusses the other concept of freedom in Kant, based on 'the categorical imperative' but here he falls a little weak, especially when he dismisses the contributions of Scheler and Hartmann towards a non-formal ethics, (although his grounds of dismissal remain valid in principle, they miss the critique of Scheler).

Yet, this book teaches you more than the essence of human freedom - it teaches you philosophy and the method and duty of philosophy, something which many contemporary philosophers easily forget.