Episode Details

In this episode of pplpod, we explore the life and legacy of Martin Heidegger, a figure considered by many to be among the most influential philosophers of the 20th century. We break down his groundbreaking 1927 masterpiece, Being and Time, in which he revolutionized Western thought by asking what it means "to exist" and introducing the concept of Dasein ("being-in-the-world"),.

We also confront the defining controversy of Heidegger's life: his membership in the Nazi Party and his tenure as the rector of the University of Freiburg beginning in 1933. We discuss the "uncomfortable questions" raised by his political allegiance, including his enthusiastic support for the regime and the anti-Semitic sentiments found in his private Black Notebooks,.

Topics covered in this episode include:

• The Philosophy of Existence: Understanding Heidegger’s rejection of the subject-object divide and his analysis of authenticity versus the "dictatorship of the they" (das Man),.

• The "Turn" (Die Kehre): His later shift in focus toward language and technology, where he famously declared that "Language is the house of being",.

• Personal Betrayals: His complex relationship with his Jewish mentor, Edmund Husserl, whose name he removed from the dedication of Being and Time, and his secret affair with his student Hannah Arendt,.

• Post-War Silence: Heidegger’s controversial 1966 interview with Der Spiegel—published only after his death—in which he defended his actions and claimed "only a god can save us",.