Mark- This is an interesting arc on different philosophers' beliefs and how they compare. I'm no philosopher, nor do I know much about it. But as I understand it: reason is one of those things that can't really look much at itself. It's kind of like a tornado trying to see every moving particle of its own swirl. Possible, but unreliant. I think Descartes' take is great because it gives humans ownership into the profiles of the future. But I suppose much like the tornado analogy, sure, for the most part it can for futures into being--except there are other moving variables, other moving tornadoes along the path(s). So much for me to think some more about when it comes to Descartes' thesis. Enjoyed this piece. Thanks!
Thanks, Thalia! I like your analogy of the tornado. It's worth noting that Heidegger is notorious for re-interpreting philosophers through the lens of his own thinking, rather than letting them stand on what they probably meant. If anyone wants to get started in Western philosophy, I usually recommend Meditations by Descartes because it's short, non-technical, forcefully logical, and extremely impactful on Western history. Thanks again for reading.
This is a wonderful exposition of Heidegger. I don't personally agree at all with most of what Heidegger is up to, but clearly for many people he has a lot of valuable things to say. On behalf of those less enchanted with Heidegger, I will only offer what his student Hans Jonas said to Heideggger when he stopped working with Heidegger and got out of Nazi Germany. Hans said, "I'm coming back with an army." Hans fought for the next dozen years or so and wrote what still seems like the best book on Gnosticism.
Mark- This is an interesting arc on different philosophers' beliefs and how they compare. I'm no philosopher, nor do I know much about it. But as I understand it: reason is one of those things that can't really look much at itself. It's kind of like a tornado trying to see every moving particle of its own swirl. Possible, but unreliant. I think Descartes' take is great because it gives humans ownership into the profiles of the future. But I suppose much like the tornado analogy, sure, for the most part it can for futures into being--except there are other moving variables, other moving tornadoes along the path(s). So much for me to think some more about when it comes to Descartes' thesis. Enjoyed this piece. Thanks!
Thanks, Thalia! I like your analogy of the tornado. It's worth noting that Heidegger is notorious for re-interpreting philosophers through the lens of his own thinking, rather than letting them stand on what they probably meant. If anyone wants to get started in Western philosophy, I usually recommend Meditations by Descartes because it's short, non-technical, forcefully logical, and extremely impactful on Western history. Thanks again for reading.
This is a wonderful exposition of Heidegger. I don't personally agree at all with most of what Heidegger is up to, but clearly for many people he has a lot of valuable things to say. On behalf of those less enchanted with Heidegger, I will only offer what his student Hans Jonas said to Heideggger when he stopped working with Heidegger and got out of Nazi Germany. Hans said, "I'm coming back with an army." Hans fought for the next dozen years or so and wrote what still seems like the best book on Gnosticism.
repent: https://open.substack.com/pub/sanctistulti/p/phenomenology-is-sinful?utm_source=share&utm_medium=android&r=wubfv
I responded AT LENGTH to this essay in the comments :)
Well written and argued, but utlimately incorrect, I think.