Date: Tue, 26 Jan 1999 12:52:16 +0100
Subject: Re: Heidegger in Germany


Rafael,

You write: 
> But dear Bob, just read (!) what H. wrote 1942 on Hitler: "Der Fuehrer ist
> der Aerger,..." all this (Parr. XXVI of the essays: _Ueberwindung der 
> Metaphysik_ published in Vortraege und Aufsaetze, Vol 1., pp. 63ff) This 
> are text which are never (!) cited by people who said H. did not put his 
> thinking back on the right track.

I cannot follow you here at all. Heidegger points out that
Those who accuse leaders [!] of blind rage, self-interest 
and willfulness are mistaken. Leadership is necessary in 
times like these. 
Besides, he published this paragraph in 1951. 

> The problem is in my view, to we (!) deal with his thinking now (!): In my
> opinion (and I agree with Michael E.), German intellectuals are not grown up
> to take him (his thinking, the matters to which he pointed to) seriously,
> they take him as _a dead dog_ (wie ein toter Hund)., so _um so schlimmer for
> the Germans_...

Heidegger is not only criticized or forgotten in Germany.
In the Netherlands too his philosophy has become suspect.
However, there are also those who do not take him 
seriously and regard him as a victim of his own 
"philosophical pathos". There is, of course, also the 
occasional fundamentalist - someone who believes himself
to be a Heidegger reincarnatus.
Is it different in France? In Spain? In Italy? 
Elsewhere on the continent?

> It is our (!) complex: to have fear to be treated as Heideggerians... but
> this is just psychological repression (in the Freudian sense)
> We (!) want to think _clean_... What is at stake is our (!) relation to H.,
> not H. _as such_ and, the less, his private shame. We should discuss on the
> way his thinking first re-acted to NS and then acted on it and on what is
> still going on. Otherwise we will always return to a pseudo historical
> debate...

Heidegger is no longer among the living. The problem is
no longer his. It is indeed our problem now, at least 
the problem of all those of us who want to keep his
thinking alive - at least the _clean_ part of it. What
he personally did or did not do is only of interest in
as far as it mirrors his philosophical thinking. In 
other words, I have the impression that for once we
agree...   
    
> we have discussed some times american imperialism in this list (see what Bob
> says about capitalism, Tom about violence etc. etc.) I do not want to
> consider this as: well you say this, we say that and so on. But fascism is
> still there in many cultures and parts of the world. 

Bob pointed this out, in his unique way. If this is true, 
not only continentals but everyone should be on his guard 
for Heidegger's thinking - till the question of where and
how it went wrong is answered.
And in that case it should not only be difficult for 
German but for all intellectuals to write about this
thinking.  
If there is immaturity, it is not on the part of German
intellectuals but on the part of those who want to go on 
as if nothing has happend - as Heidegger himself wanted
to do.   

> he went wrong in his radicality and in trans-posing this radicality of
> thinking into the political arena
> or: what may be true in philosophical thinking is not politically oportune
> and viable. He did not make this difference (_draw a difference_ according
> to G. Spencer Brown), as so many other _great_ philosophers (including those
> who choose the _right_ political party; Socrates was very conscious of this,
> I believe). There is something similar here as with the relation between
> politics and theology, or do I see it wrong?

Some very interesting parallels can be drawn between
Heidegger's political thinking and Plato's. I 
sometimes have the impression that Heidegger is far
more influenced by the political thinking of his 
predecessor than he knows - or wants us to know (?).
There are and have been many corrupt theologies - 
and highly influential ones too. One cannot be 
critical enough. However, this must not shy people 
away from religion. The same goes for philosophy.

In the case of Heidegger, I _just_ plead for a 
critical attitude until we know where and how - 
i.e. what to avoid. 

Kindest regards,
Henk




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