Martin
Heidegger - was he 'philosophy's hidden king',
or the leading exponent of a dangerously misguided
secular mysticism? Heidegger has been acclaimed
as the most powerfully original philosopher
of the 20th century, making a deep impact
on thinkers like Sartre, Foucault, Lacan and
Derrida. Standing behind all major strands
of postmodern thought, Heidegger announced
the end of philosophy and of humanism, and
was a vocal supporter of Hitler's National
Socialism. Was he offering a deeply conservative
mythology or a crucial 'overcoming' of philosophy
as we have known it?
Introducing
Heidegger provides an accessible introduction
to his notoriously abstruse thinking, examining
its historical contexts and its resonances
in ecology, theology, art, literature and
other fields. Jeff Collins' brilliant text,
powerfully illustrated by Howard Selina, explores
a kind of thinking whose outlines are still
not clear, and whose forms may still surprise
us.
***
Jeff Collins studied Art History at the University
of Leeds and is currently lecturer in Art
History at the University of Plymouth..
Howard
Selina studied painting at St Martin's School
of Art and the Royal Academy in London, where
he now lives and works. He has also illustrated
for Icon Introducing titles on Evolution and
Consciousness.
