How to Read Heidegger

How to Read...

by Mark Wrathall, Simon Critchley (Series Editor)

Intent on letting the reader experience the pleasure and intellectual stimulation in reading classic authors, the How to Read series will facilitate and enrich your understanding of texts vital to the canon. Martin Heidegger is perhaps the most influential, yet least readily understood, philosopher of the last century. Mark Wrathall unpacks Heidegger’s dense prose and guides the reader through Heidegger’s early concern with the nature of human existence, to his later preoccupation with the threat that technology poses to our ability to live worthwhile lives.

Wrathall pays particular attention to Heidegger’s revolutionary analysis of human existence as inextricably shaped by a shared world. This leads to an exploration of Heidegger’s views on the banality of public life and the possibility of authentic anticipation of death as a response to that banality. Wrathall reviews Heidegger’s scandalous involvement with National Socialism, situating it in the context of Heidegger’s views about the movement of world history. He also explains Heidegger’s important accounts of truth, art, and language.

Extracts are taken from Heidegger’s magnum opus, Being and Time , as well as a variety of his best-known essays and lectures.

Genres: Philosophy, Nonfiction, Metaphysics, Germany

144 pages, Paperback

First published April 17, 2006

Reviews

[فؤاد · Rating 4 out of 5]

چگونه هایدگر بخوانیم؟

اول:
از هر چیزی که اسمی از هایدگر به عنوان مؤلف بر روی جلدش بود، حداقل دوازده متر فاصله بگیرید.

دوم:
در صورت عمل نکردن به توصیۀ فوق، تمام آموخته-در-مدرسه‌های خود را راجع به معنای کلمات فراموش کنید. کلمات هرروزینه با معنای نا-هرروزینه از زمین و آسمان و خدایان و فانیان بر سرتان خواهد بارید.

سوم:
برای متوجهیدن ساختار نحوی جملات نتلاشید. هر چیزی احتمال دارد به فعل یا مصدر تبدیل شود. جملات ممکن است چهار یا پنج خط یک نفس بطولند، با جملات معترضۀ فراوان.

چهارم:
آماده باشید صفحات از پس صفحات راجع به در دست گرفتن یک چکش یا دستۀ در بخوانید.

پنجم:
به جهانی شگفت انگیز وارد شوید.


***
دو کتاب خوب از هایدگر، پشت سر هم. این، و
Heidegger: A Very Short Introduction
هنوز دو کتاب کوتاه دیگه راجع به هایدگر دارم.
مارتین هایدگر
و
مارتین هایدگر
هر چند اولی رو قبلاً خونده بودم، ولی می خوام دوباره بخونم، فکر کنم بیشتر بتونم بفهمم
یک سری درسگفتار هم راجع بهش دارم که خیلی وقته می خوام گوش کنم و تنبلی می کنم.

[Mohammad Mirzaali · Rating 4 out of 5]

کمک و مدخل خوبی برای هایدگر خواندن، از یک هایدگرشناس سرشناس. در واقع با حدی از بدبینی و پیش‌داوری نسبت به ترجمه، کتاب را از قفسه برداشتم. ولی ترجمه‌ی کتاب (به خصوص با مقابله‌ی گه‌گاه متن انگلیسی) نهایتا راضی‌کننده بود. در کل ترجمه‌های نسبتا کم‌شمار خوب از هایدگر هم، به دلیل زبان سخت (ولی فهمیدنی) هایدگر در مظان پیچیدگی‌اند و ای بسا این مساله به نگرش ما به اثر نوشتاری و تلقی فست‌فودی و راحت‌طلب‌مان از زبان برگردد: من کتابی می‌خرم، همان‌طور که ساندویچی می‌خرم

کتاب‌های این سری، به دبیری سایمن کریچلی بزرگ، به واقع در نوع خود بی‌نظیرند؛ متن‌های مستقیم از یک متفکر و شرح کلیدواژگان و مضامین اصلی آن نوشتار. با این سری، و طبق وجه تسمیه‌ی صادقانه‌اش، حقیقتا می‌توان به خواندن متون کامل و اصلی فلسفی و غیره مبادرت کرد

[Mohammad Sadegh Rasooli · Rating 5 out of 5]

I had problems understanding Being and Time, thus I found this book in the library and started to read it. Fortunately, the first half of the book is dedicated to Being and Time. This book does a great job of summarizing and simplifying the complicated concepts in Heidegger's book. The second half of the book explained other notions about art, language, technology mostly from The Origin of the Work of Art, On the Way to Language, The Question Concerning Technology, and Other Essays, Poetry, Language, Thought, and Building, Dwelling, Thinking.

My summary notes from the first part:

It starts with Dasein (sein: being, da: there). Each of us is Dasein. Dasein are capable of taking responsibility according to the way they exist in the world. Non-Dasein things (like benches, tables, etc) do not exist but it does not mean that there are no such things. Their mode of being differs. Authentic Dasein has the ability to decide for itself on its own being. There can't be a Dasin without a world, nor a world without a Dasein and what Dasein is can be only read off the world as it acts in the world. A world is a genuine phenomenon in its own right and can't be reduced to a mere collection of physical objects. The world is the ``wherein'' of our active understanding. Being-in-the-world involves ourselves in the world in a particular way. We have a ``there'' that is a meaningfully structured situation in which to act and exist. Heidegger describes understanding as a ``projecting upon possibilities''. He means that we understand something when we grasp the possible ways that it can be used on the possible things that can happen to it. Interpretation is ``the working-out of possiblities projected in the understanding''. The real question is not, ``are there others'' but rather ``can I be myself?'' For it turns out that, at least in the everyday existence which immediately structures my world, my essence is not dictated by me, but by others. That is called the ``dictatorship of the one''. Like other existentialists, Heidegger thought that we have no option but to begin philosophical inquiry from a reflection on our current situation -- our existence. Death individualized Dasein down to itself. Thus is a way in which my situation is disclosed for existence. When we orient our lives towards death, we find our existence wrenched away from the `they', because we recognize that shared conventions or norms will ultimately fail us. Anxiety in the face of death brings us a joy. The world makes paths that direct our decisions but that is not all. It also establishes norms according to which some decisions are more important than others. Some options more praiseworthy than others.

My summary notes from the second part:

The existence of other worlds, worlds destroyed by the modern for mastery and control, shows that it is not a natural and self-evident proposition that the world should be organized in such way as to maximize control.

The essence of language according to Heidegger is the `saying' that shows things, 'language speaks by saying, that is, by showing... language speaks in that it, as showing, reaching into all regions of presences, summons from them, whatever is present to appear and fade'.

Traditionally, essences are understood as static, unchanging properties. For Heidegger, which properties are essential will depend on how the Heideggerian essence has oriented us to the world and thus what is essential about a thing can change historically because different ages and cultures might `essenced' differently.

Origenary language speaks by disposing us to the world lined up and organized in accordance with a particualr way of being. Orgineray language does not use words as linguistic expressions because it is not concerned with telling us facts but rather with getting us fell the world in a particular way. We speak because we are possessed by language, which means we are oriented to things and regions of the world in a particular way. As a result, different originary languages that ordinary languages end up being different as well.

If we come to experience everything as a mere resource, our ability to lead worthwhile lives will be put at risk. When someone disposed to the world in a technological way encounters human beings, she sees human resources the good human is the one most flexibly able to deal with shifts in the marketplace, pluralities of cultures, change in social norms, etc. Premodern technologies adapted themselves to the inherent properties that things had. Modern technology, by contrast, is `a setting in order that challenges forth the energies of the nature.' In a technological world, we feel free to use anything is any way we please, but correspondingly, there is no reason why we need to do anything. Everything becomes contingent and shallow, every action a meaningless expression of a whim. The real danger is that technology will deprive us of our essence as human beings. The possibility that we might become mere resources is an even more dangerous consequence of technology than weapons of mass destruction. Heidegger thinks that all the technological time-saving devices meant to free us for truly worthwhile pursuits, actually lead to modern lives lived in a mood of profound boredom. This boredom gives rise to an incessant appetite for constant busyness, saturated with amusement and entertainments. The boredom, Heidegger believes is a symptom of our failure to feel at home with the technological world. Heidegger's answer to technology is not nostalogic but rather allowing ourselves to be conditioned by our world.

[Michael Flick · Rating 2 out of 5]

I'm torn about this book: On the one hand, it's a digestible introduction to Heidegger's important thinking--though it neglects the centrality of "care" to Dasein (death has crucial possibilities more than just responsibility and authenticity). On the other hand, it flounders when faced with the catastrophic consequences of Heidegger's thinking--how his thinking misled him to be a deluded reactionary and inauthentic human being (on his own terms).

Heidegger is the post-modern retreat, the wringing of hands over the death of the old trinity (Heidegger's "primal oneness [of] four" is that same delusion), longing for what never was. The author tries to deny that Heidegger peters out in nostalgia (and elitism), but that's exactly what happens.

How to read Heidegger is in our world. Mark Wrathall seems to me stuck trying to read Heidegger in Heidegger's world. Heidegger might be worth the effort, but only on our terms, not on his own.

[Hsandlin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Informative, enjoyable, but not fully what title implies.

As much as I enjoyed reading this book and as great of an overview of Heidegger it is, I can’t recommend it as a guide for reading him. It presents several passages written by Heidegger and then explains them, quite well I should add. However, it doesn’t leave you with any insight on how to go about reading him. The book was focused on “but this Heidegger means...” instead of “You’ll notice with Heidegger, he often...” As enjoyable and enlightening as the explanation is, you will not be any less lost with the different passage from the same author.

Ideally the book would have given tips and explained Heidegger’s writing style but it did not. Based on the title I had hoped for a book that would tell me how he often took nouns and used them as verbs, how to interpret that when you encounter it, etc. Instead it was a straightforward explanation of what you just read.

I’m still giving it four stars because it is well written and enjoyable. The title felt a bit misleading to me is all. If you are new to Heidegger though, it goes from his famous Being and Time into his later years, giving a nice overview of his path. It also provides context when needed which can fill you in on his life as well. It’s a short read but worth it if you’re interested in the subject.

[Jake Hawken · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wrathall does an incredible job of writing a deep, insightful explication of Heidegger's philosophy while managing to avoid both of cardinal problems of books of this type, namely: 1) bogging the reader down with endless specifics and 2) being so vague and general as to convey little applicable knowledge to the reader. Avoiding these two converse problems, Wrathall manages to give the reader a workable understanding of Heidegger's central concepts and goals (e.g the meaning of being, Dasein, being-in-the-world, thrownness, etc), and actually manages to imbue the reader with the hope of possibly reading Heidegger directly and understanding some of it. In fact, it gave me enough confidendce that I went out last month and picked up a copy of the Stambaugh translation of Being and Time and have been (very) slowly making my way through the first section. A must read for anybody who wants to understand the last 80+ years of intellectual/Modern/Postmodern thought. I highly recommend it.

[Björn]

because I'm too lazy to learn how to read him on my own. philosophers kill me.

[Rahil Fallahfar · Rating 1 out of 5]

ترجمه ی ناراحت کننده

[Oliver Trapp · Rating 4 out of 5]

Short, clear, concise. Great intro to a notorious obsure philosopher.

[Linards Jansons · Rating 4 out of 5]

*** 4.5 stars ***

For me, any book that simply makes Martin Heidegger comprehensible deserves a high rating. According to this basic metric, Wrathall's short introduction succeeds marvelously, dealing with aspects of Heidegger’s thought from his early magnus opus Being and Time to his later more mystical considerations on art, truth, language, technology and mortality.

I had first dipped into Wrathall’s book years ago for some ancillary study. This time, however, I read with genuine interest and appetite, piqued by some podcasts by the series editor, Simon Critchley. I’m fascinated to note that Critchley has also taken a turn to the mystical (his book on Mysticism is a soon-to-read).

Each of the ten brief chapters begins with an excerpt of primary text followed by explanation and discussion. A few brief reflections follow, rather than attempting a summary:

Heidegger’s concepts of ‘world’ and ‘earth’ stuck with me. We are familiar with the notion of specific ‘worlds’: a child's world is different from a politician's world, and 16th century peasant's world is different from the world of 21st century social media. Heidegger explores 'world' in relation to the earth and shows how our various worlds grow out of and feed into the earth, although what exactly the ‘earth’ is remains hidden. It’s not the case that the earth is simply the objective physical reality while our worlds are our subjective constructions, because even our construal of the earth in terms of mere materiality, as a physical resource (that can be measured or mined or marketed) is an expression of the particular world we live in. Consequently, as one world arises, features of previous worlds disappear from sight. And seen through the structures of a specific world, features of reality ‘withdraw’ by becoming too obvious for their inhabitants to see.

For me, this aspect of Heidegger’s work functioned as a kind of antidote to the potential nihilism that comes from the idea that at the end of the day reality is purely physical, and that physical reality is ultimately a resource valued for its practical use and efficiency. Such a view is a bias imposed by the very dominant ‘world’ we currently live in. This doesn’t mean that Heidegger promotes a traditionally religious perspective, although his later work clearly supports an open ended, non-specifically religious dimension to life: “By a primal oneness the four – earth and sky, divinities and mortals – belong together in one”.

Heidegger seems to write relatively normally in his later work. However, even his made-up terminology in Being and Time makes sense once grappled with long enough. Take ‘Dasein’ for example, Heidegger’s term for the human person shorn of its usual characteristics (such as mind, consciousness, soul or even gender). The point about Dasein ('there-being') is that we are always in-the-world, in a set of relations, always disposed one way or another towards our environment and other Dasein, always interacting with the world with concern and skill. We are thrown into a particular world in which things matter and there is no other way of being human. This is a very socially oriented and environmentally contingent perspective on being.

Heidegger's reflections about loss of authenticity in a mass culture are also interesting. It’s not hard to appreciate how the “the dictatorship of the they” levels Dasein down to a state of averageness. But far from griping about this, Heidegger regards inauthenticity less as a moral failing, and more as a given of societal existence, the necessary ground from which authentic existence can spring up through such media as art.

Wrathall shows how Heidegger’s project casts light on the very purpose of philosophy by tackling the biggest and most basic questions of existence. By trying to sweep aside the entire metaphysical edifice of Western philosophy, he demonstrates that philosophy can and should interrogate the obvious and help us recognize that which is right in front of our noses.

Which, ironically, Heidegger himself failed to do. Wrathall addresses the question of Heidegger’s sympathy for National Socialism which have led many to reject his work altogether. But while Heidegger’s philosophical insights are indeed matched by his utter blindness to the social realities of his time, I didn’t read anything to suggest that a Heidegerrian mode of thinking leads to antisemitism, or might somehow contribute to the recent spate of antisemitism around the world. The degree to which Heidegger’s thought has influenced philosophy and other modes of activity (e.g., architecture) leads me to hope that this is a case where the art can be separated from the artist.

[noblethumos · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mark Wrathall’s "How to Read Heidegger," published in 2006, offers a lucid and accessible entry point into the complex philosophy of Martin Heidegger, one of the most influential and challenging thinkers of the 20th century. Wrathall, a renowned Heidegger scholar, crafts a concise yet insightful guide that aims to demystify Heidegger's often impenetrable prose and abstract ideas, making them approachable for both students and general readers interested in philosophy.

Wrathall's approach in the book is to distill Heidegger's key concepts and themes, providing clear explanations and contextualizing them within Heidegger's broader philosophical project. He addresses seminal Heideggerian ideas such as Dasein, Being-in-the-world, authenticity, and the question of Being, offering interpretations that are both accessible and faithful to the original texts.

One of the book's significant strengths is Wrathall's ability to navigate Heidegger's terminologically dense and conceptually challenging works, such as "Being and Time," without oversimplifying the philosopher's ideas. His explanations are bolstered by relevant examples and practical applications, which aid in understanding Heidegger's abstract concepts in concrete terms.

Moreover, Wrathall engages with both the historical context of Heidegger's work and its wider influence, offering insights into how Heidegger's thought evolved over time and how it has been received and critiqued in both philosophical and broader cultural spheres. This holistic approach helps readers appreciate the depth and breadth of Heidegger's philosophical impact.

However, the book, given its introductory nature, inevitably cannot cover all aspects of Heidegger's rich and complex thought. Some readers, particularly those seeking an in-depth scholarly analysis, may find "How to Read Heidegger" a starting point rather than a comprehensive guide. Additionally, while Wrathall provides critical perspectives, the book primarily focuses on explicating Heidegger's ideas rather than engaging deeply with the critical debates surrounding his work.

Mark Wrathall's "How to Read Heidegger" is a commendable work that succeeds in making Heidegger's philosophy more accessible to a broader audience. It serves as an excellent starting point for those new to Heidegger and a useful refresher for those familiar with his work. While it doesn't delve into deep scholarly debates, its clarity and conciseness make it a valuable resource for anyone looking to understand the fundamentals of Heidegger's thought.

GPT

[tyler · Rating 3 out of 5]

my experience with this book:
1) read the heidegger passage at the beginning of each chapter, understand next to none of it.
2) stop for a second and wonder if it even IS understandable?
3) read wrathall's purported explication of the passage.
4) think "wow, wrathall is a very clear writer, but what does this have to do with what heidegger said? i mean, i see that wrathall used some heidegger quotes in his explanation... but somehow it feels impossible to relate this back to the original passage?"
5) repeat from 1)

yeah. i'm not convinced that heidegger is understandable or explainable to mortals like me. i feel like, at the very least, i should be able to look at wrathall's arguments and relate it back to it's heideggerian starting point to convince myself that either wrathall is right/convincing or wrong/unconvincing, but it's hard to even accomplish that seemingly minor task.

i know that philosophy (and in particular, phenomenology) can be written clearly because i've read sara ahmed's queer phenomenology. so what the fuck is heidegger's excuse? unfortunately, he's important so we have to struggle through this inanity.

this book is totally fine. it's probably as good an introduction to heidegger as you're going to get.

[Homayoun Hamedmoghadam-Rafati · Rating 3 out of 5]

In my opinion, this book was a good start for the philosophy and structure of Heidegger's thoughts, just as any other book in the "How to Read" collection. The Persian translation was not perfect at all with many typos and punctuation problems which makes it really annoying sometimes to read a rather difficult technical text. Again, to me the writer has done a good job, pointing out the most important aspects of Heidegger's concern about the universe, addressed mostly in his great work "Being and Time" and some significant succedent works, and furthermore elaborating them to readers presumed as novices.

[Jackie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I bought this book before I took a course on Heidegger's "Being and Time" in college, as my professor had told me beforehand that Heidegger's writing can sometimes be full of jargon and somewhat dense, so it seemed a good idea. While this book is a good help when it comes to deciphering Heidegger's philosophies and language, I find that it probably wouldn't be a good read for anyone who doesn't have a reason to read it, as it's really only a 'Heidegger for dummies' book that expounds on his canon work. A good help for any philosophy student or enthusiast, though!

[Mishehu · Rating 5 out of 5]

Terrific little book. Makes eminent sense of one of the most obscure philosophers in history. All that sense-making does beg the question, though: what purpose did Heidegger's obscurity serve? To the extent that Heidegger wielded language in technically precise ways, I suppose one might argue that his particular brand of obscurantism was in the service of analytic rigor. To this reader, the cost of that rigor is simply too high, especially when the same arguments Heidegger made can, as this book makes evident, be so intelligibly framed otherwise.

[Jeffrey N. Hora · Rating 5 out of 5]

Heidegger is notoriously difficult to wrap your head around. Aside from the challenges of translating his thoughts and writings from German to English, his efforts to create a language that somehow reflects his thought can be tortuous to follow.

That said, Mark Wrathall does an admirable job presenting illuminations, examples and interpretations of Heidegger so that an educated amateur can start to "get" the central points and implications of this man's work.

If you are working to understand Martin Heidegger's work, this is an excellent place to start!

[Rob McQueen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wrathall does a great job summarizing Heidegger's main ideas. He refers directly to the text so that you can try to decipher Heidegger as you read.

IMO, Heidegger is very relevant today, (and I might argue, always will be). In today's world where loneliness is showing itself amongst an alienating storm of technology, reading Heidegger and asking questions about what it means to be, being-in-the-world, taking a stance on one's being; is a project I'd wish upon any friend.

[Gina · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book on Heidegger's writings. It was written by a Brigham Young University professor who is knowledgeable about the subject and is also able to write in a way that is comprehensible and understandable. This book really helped me with my Existentialism class.

[Corey Astill · Rating 4 out of 5]

Easily the most digestible presentation of Heidegger's philosophy that I've encountered. Highly recommend for anyone wanting an introduction to Heidegger before taking the plunge into Being and Time.

[Marcus Leis Allion · Rating 4 out of 5]

Brilliant insight into Heidegger's visionary work that, rather than offer an oversimplified summary, provides an encouraging starting point for further investigation.

[Tully · Rating 4 out of 5]

excellent for undergrads struggling w/ the primary source

[Alexander · Rating 5 out of 5]

Attended a talk with Wrathall a while back. He was a gracious and dynamic speaker. Picked this up and it's a great intro/clear way to understand the basics of a fairly obscure philosopher.

[Holly Raymond · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'll admit it, I needed this.

[Jeff · Rating 4 out of 5]

A compelling interpretation.

[Leonardo]

Citado en Sobre la Violencia Pág.87

[Alvin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very well-written overview of Heidegger and his philosophical thought. Great book for students or those wanting to understand better his place in the history of thought.

[Jaclynn (JackieReadsAlot) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wrathall is very adept at taking a complex topic and breaking it down into manageable pieces.

[Liquidlasagna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Amazone

From German to English to Comprehensibility

An interesting aspect to this book is that every chapter starts out with about a page of Heidegger's actual writing. I would read this dense prose before and after reading Mr. Wrathall's discussion of the chapter topic. After reading the author's interpretation I would go back and read Heidegger's words again, and find that I had a better understanding of the original.

I would assume that the main reason one writes a review of a book like this is not to critique the philosophy that it contains, but to inform the prospective reader as to the comprehensibility of the presentation of that philosophy. Mr. Wrathall performs admirably in this regard. As a relative philosophical novice I found that this book turned night into day.

The author covers the topic of Heidegger's views of our being in the world; how our place in the world creates our possibilities and our constraints. It discusses how our culture forms us and can limit us. Do we become authentic or inauthentic beings in terms of how much we conform to culture. Heidegger's views on technology are presented. He feels that we should be part of the earth, and not conform the earth to our every need. We should not view that earth as something that merely provides us with resources.

There is also a chapter on Heidegger's views of art and truth. I found that I had a harder time relating to his views on aesthetics, than I did with the rest of his philosophy.

This is an excellent book for those with limited backgrounds in philosophy and/or Heidegger's works. It might also be worthwhile to those who have encountered Heidegger in the past, and need a littler refresher to his works.

One final comment: The author is evidently fluent in German. He frequently disagrees with some of the German to English translations, and provides his ideas of what the German words really mean in English. I found this to be an added bonus.

Bucherwurm

[Taylor · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not sure yet if this does what it says on the tin, but as a primer this was a provocative read, especially as it transitions into the later spiritual thought. Feels so strange to say this, but I'm fascinated to know what space for Nazism inheres in his project - I think here of Mishima, another romantic turned fascist, and wonder what their shared assumptions are.

Wish it said a little bit more on some things like that, but that's ultimately not the point; the point is, if you have your interest piqued, and you find yourself a book titled How To Read Heidegger (thanks for letting me steal it from you Dad!), the next thing you do is you read Heidegger.

[Ash · Rating 4 out of 5]

Incredibly helpful for understanding the early works of Heidegger (Being and Time specifically). Unfortunately, I was left a little confused with his later works which actually that led me to get this book. That being said, I don’t fault the author for trying his best to make Heidegger’s strange prose make sense.