Introducing Heidegger [Paperback]

Jeff Collins (Author), Howard Selina (Contributor)

Book Description

Publication Date: February 16, 2002 | Series: Introducing

Introducing Heidegger provides an accessible introduction to his difficult thinking, examining its historical contexts and its resonances in ecology, theology, art, literature and other fields.

Product Details

• Paperback: 176 pages
• Publisher: Totem Books (February 16, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1840467126
• ISBN-13: 978-1840467123
• Product Dimensions: 8 x 5.5 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.1 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #905,542 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

15 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A Reader from New York, January 15, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Introducing Heidegger (Paperback)

INTRODUCING HEIDEGGER presents the reader with a lucid and thoughtfully rendered overview of Heidegger's overall corpus. However, this book does not represent a profound encounter with H's original texts by any stretch. Rather, it is a handy reference book, refresher, or study guide. The pictures are somewhat evocative and illuminating at times, but the book reminds me -- and this is NOT a slight-- of a well executed Cliff Notes edition. The main virtues of the book include reasonable clarification of terminology, consideration of H's predecessors and successors in philosophy and other fields, chronological presentation, very concise explication and the often helpful use of visual art. Still, the book is best for either "absolute beginners" or those who need a handy refresher/reference. It can also be used alongside original texts if existing commentaries seem too abstruse. In any case, it beats HEIDEGGER FOR BEGINNERS. But for those who want more depth and breadth from an introduction to Heidegger, I reccommend Macquarrie's HEIDEGGER AND CHRISTIANITY and, secondarilly, George Steiner's HEIDEGGER. These are both books (particularly Macquarrie's) of greater profundity than the INTRODUCTION, yet they are concise and accessible. In sum, INTRODUCING HEIDEGGER is a fairly reliable short study guide in which some of philosophy's most difficult terms and concepts are cleanly introduced, if not deeply explored.

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An accessible and artistic presentation of Heidegger, January 6, 2000

By 

Jake Sapiens - See all my reviews

This review is from: Introducing Heidegger (Paperback)

I have spent many afternoons in my adolescence hearing my father talk about Heidegger. He has some learning in the German Language, and actually read "Being and Time." I too have a copy of "Being and Time" which sits on my shelf many times begun and never finished. Still we discuss these ideas, and so through our conversations these ideas seem somewhat familiar. Finally one day he found a copy of this book. He read it, and tells me that rings very true to Heidegger's message. I will have to take his word for it. I feel greatly relieved as I think I have just about given up trying to read "Being and Time," though it will always sit impressively on my shelf. This book, "Introducing Heidegger" by comparison proves EXTRAORDINARILY accessible. I have read it through several times already and each time I find myself focussing on a new aspect of the messages there. Perhaps Collins and Selina present Heidegger better than Heidegger himself.

Collins and Selina do not limit their scope to Being and Time, instead creating a semi-biographical philosophical context for all of his ideas, not just Being and Time. They do not dodge the bullet about Heidegger's involvement in the early Nazi movement and his failure to disavow the Nazi's later and spend several pages exploring what this might and might not mean for Heidegger's philosophical outlook. As Heidegger's thinking proves inextricable from the language through which we would express such thinking, I found the artful illustrations crucial in setting this in a profound context that words alone could not do. Sometimes the connections between the words and the pictures emerged obviously and explicitly, and sometimes they revealed themselves poetically and subversively. This book proves every bit as artistic if not more so, as it does philosophical.

One of my currently favorite pages from the book occurs on page 150. "Language speaks, not the orator -- and it comes before the orator, speaking the orator's name and identity." Of course more appears on the page both picture and writing, but its basic message deeply resonates with another interest of mine, memetics. For those familiar with memetics recall Susan Blackmore's "The Meme Machine" and her exploration of the memetic nature of self and identity. This will speak to you. (see also mine and other's Amazon reviews of her book)

If you have ever scratched your head at the name of Heidegger and his ideas, or broken down in disappointment at an inability to devour the impenetrable pages of Being and Time, this book will provide the breakthrough. I hesitate to call this philosophy, because it does so much more than just philosophy. I see this book as art. Philosophical and spiritual art both disturbing and enlightening. Excellent job by the author, the illustrator, and the editor, Appignanesi. If, like me, you cannot get yourself to slog through Heidegger's thick prose, and you do not wish to miss a profound page in the history of western thought, do not miss this book.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great Introduction - Read and be Pleased, June 8, 2006

By 

D. Horan "Franciscan Friar" (Washington, DC USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Introducing Heidegger (Paperback)

While the comic-strip style of the "Introducing..." series can be entertaining and beneficial when it comes to breaking up the monotony of dense philosophy, it also tends to be rather distracting and can make the survey of Heidegger more difficult to understand. HOWEVER, I think this volume is well done!

As far as a survey of Heidegger's work goes, this is a very accessible introduction - truly living up to its name. You will be excited about his thought and itching to read "Being and Time" when you're through with this book.

Interested in the thought of Heidegger? Not ready to go to critical editions of his work just yet? Read this Introduction!!