Existentialism Books

A well-written, scholarly overview of Heidegger's work which ties all of the latter's aspects back to the "question of Being" or the "truth of Being" which was Heidegger's main concern. In the process Poggeler may even convince you these phrases have a meaning!

Continually emphasizing that Heidegger can only be understood (as the title indicates) as constantly on a "path" or "way" and never as offering up definitive conclusions, Poggeler shows how his interest in the Christian experience of time, problems of logic and language, the hermeneutics of facticity or historicity, the "seminal element" uncovered by the first Greek thinkers, the confrontation with Nietzsche, the reflections on Holderlin and the possibility of the holy and a new beginning, and other elements all feed into Heidegger's unique synthesis.

Poggeler does a good job of showing how in different ways Heidegger tracks the problem of how, in the "appropriative event" which brings humanity and being together in truth or sense, concealment or mystery is always necessary as well, something which for Heidegger has been forgotten in Western metaphysics, with drastic consequences.

Sadly, this volume of Hong's translation of Kierkegaard's work is yet another quickly-out-of-print delicacy. Few are likely to shell out the $80 (or more!) to own this book, so hopefully you can find it at your local library (or request it via interlibrary loan).

Also, like the other Hong translations, there is so much context to dive into. Kierkegaard's polemical attacks on the Danish State Church provoked a literary riot of controversy and rage. Responses from Danish clergy (namely Bishop Martensen) and various supporters or detractors of Kierkegaard are included in appendices, as well as a lengthy selection of journal entries from Kierkegaard.

This is Kierkegaard writing perhaps in his most concise style. The articles get repetitive ("...a truth-witness, one of the authetic truth witnesses, one of the holy chain.") when read altogether, but when one takes into account the dates and the rate at which Kierkegaard was writing and publishing them, and then if one compares the responses, it can be imagined that there was quite a stir going on in the press. And this, of course, was exactly Kierkegaard's intention. He was writing forcefully, persuasively, and personally, finding this attack on the "corrupted" nature of Official Christiandom to be the culmination of his literary calling.

This is Kierkegaard as a 40-something curmudgeon, summing up his legacy, and never writing with more passion than here, months before his death.

This volume of the Kierkegaard's Writings Series is certain to fall into the "Kierkegaard Studies" category, pretty much exclusively, being that those academics who make use of his philosophical work may find little utility here. However, if you're intending to read the whole book casually, set aside plenty of time. With all of the notes and supplemental material, there's lots of page flipping, and it's a little hard to navigate.

Dr. Kamber has written a book the goal of which is to examine the body of Albert Camus' work under the bright lights of the professional philosopher's expertise. The book is intended for those without extensive formal training in philosophy. As one who has read much of Camus' work throughout my lifetime but who lacks a formal philosophic background, I found "On Camus" to be highly edifying.
Dr. Kamber shows great insight and breadth of knowledge in tracing the roots of Camus' thought... his lifetime preoccupation with Christianity and his exposure and influence by the likes of religious thinkers (Pascal, Plotinus, the Gnostics, St. Augustine, Dostoyevski, Kierkegaard, Chestov and Jaspers). All of these influences are explicated in a concise, clear and understandable manner by Professor Kamber, whose obvious gifts as a teacher are displayed with bravura. One begins to understand the roots for many of Camus' themes such as the yearning for the lost homeland of his youth. Dr. K makes a strong argument for the veracity of Sartre's observation that Camus (as can be postulated from his lifelong "dialogue" with and about Christian ideas) was an anti-theist rather than an atheist.
The exegesis of "The Stranger" by Dr. K is excellent and it is apparent that he has lived with this book for many years. Mersault and his philosophical import are dissected under the scrutiny of a philosopher's exacting argumentative skills and we begin to see that the penetrating questions that are posed by Camus are not always answered. Some of the themes examined are the Absurd, the meaninglessness of life and finality of death, selfishness and moral obligation to others, the concept of scorn, with astute references to Kafka and Nietzsche. Dr. K demonstrates some of the deficiencies that a professional philosopher would find in this work, yet he maintains a deep appreciation and admiration for the lyrical beauty and power that was Camus' prose and perhaps his greatest gift.
Dr. K examines "Caligula" in the light of Nietzchean and Gnostic thought and finds the question of the moral import of the emperor's path to be left unanswered. In "The Myth of Sysiphus" we find Camus' development of his interpretation of the Absurd and it's liberating but costly demands, the scientific intelligibility (or unintelligibility) of the world, revolt, freedom and passion, fellowship and it's import, and Camus' challenge to Husserl's phenomenology. Here again Dr. K finds the reasoning to be "philosophically muddled" and "sketchy". Yet he acknowledges the potential of Camus' thought to enrich and broaden our approach to the tribulations of life.
There is an insightful examination of Camus as a moralist and the deficiencies of his approach are explored. In "The Plague", Dr. Kamber discusses Camus' thoughts on fighting evil, and his explication is thoughtful and insightful as always. Rebellion and revolt are explored in Camus' "The Rebel', with it's damning take on Marxism and Soviet Communism, and the interesting consequences of these viewpoints on his relationship with Sartre are presented. In Dr. K's analysis of "The Fall", selfishness and guilt are discussed. As ever, the deficiencies in Camus' philosophical analysis are exposed, and the exegesis is highly revealing of Camus' sources and conclusions.
Dr. Kamber ends his analysis of the work of Camus by stating that his writing is "seldom philosophy in the professional sense of the term, but it was always an earnest search for wisdom." I found it highly edifying to become aware of the philosophic deficiencies of one of my favorite writers, yet gratifying that Dr. Kamber is able to balance his analysis by maintaining his admiration for the sincerity, lyricism and passionate inspiration that Camus excels at imparting to the reader. Can a nonprofessional remain a lover of Camus' thought after reading an honest critique such as "On Camus"? I would answer with a resounding affirmation...
Congratulations to Professor Kamber for a work well done, and thanks for a balanced and highly intelligible analysis.

Bizhan Karimi, a mathematician, in his first book written in Farsi in a series of future books about THE "MESSAGE" and "TIME" explores the concept of "TIME" as it has been presented in the little known to the West of ancient Iranian (Persian)philosophy of the Zoroastrian period, combining his superb knowledge of the Western Scientific Worlview and the little known to the West of 17-18th Century Iranian Islamic Philosophy of Sadra, best known to the experts as "Existential Motion". In this synthesis, superbly, he explores such concepts as "Existence" and "Zero" and that West, in spite of its obviously tremendous Scientific acievments and advancement compared the the East, as yet has to develope a true understanding of the concept of "Existence" which has been so richly expolred in the East particularly Iran, for eons of time before and also after its Islamic history. Through all this, he has also formulated a concept of "TIME" that is far expanded and engaging beyond what has so little been presented in the philosophy of the West, only as a scientific view by Physicists such as Einstein as part of "Time and Space".

For those who can read Farsi and particularly those who are interested in exploring the mystic concepts about "REALITY", reading this book is a must. It is hoped that Karimi in addition to expanding his concept of "TIME" in the form of more books (I am aware that he is near completion of another book, the "Nature of Time", soon), he will have the opportunity to present his novelle ideas about "TIME" to the Western readers as well.

Respectfully submitted, Cyrus Milani

This is a great collection of essays to bring you up to speed on the historical and philosophical development of phenomenology. It's got foundational material from Husserl, Heidegger and Merleau-Ponty, as well as newer stuff. It's not a contemporary collection, but a great way to introduce yourself to where it all started.

This is Professor Groth's first book on Martin Heidegger, the eminent 20th century German philosopher. It includes two essays: on the fable "Cura" (Hyginus) in Heidegger's masterpiece, BEING AND TIME, and on a guiding notion of Heidegger's philosophy, that all thinking is preparatory for an experience of SEIN (the "be" that makes possible any sort of be-ing). The bibliography is an important source for Heidegger scholars. The volume is complemented by Professor Groth's 1997 collection of studies on Heidegger, THE VOICE THAT THINKS.

For over ten years I had been reading this book--attempting to grasp the vocabulary which is sometimes in French, (with no page of definitions) and sometimes in English. One's task is to first keep track of ideas presented in the first chapter, then with your deep and profound pre-knowledge of Levinas, Blanchot, and Bataille, you can try to ferret out what is the strange, echoing discussion all three of them had amongst and between their works. The premise is that they DID read each other and responded in their own works to each other, but only Libertson gained some intuition of what these correlations might be. An excellent effort, hard to understand, must love exotic French theory and Martinus Nijhoff books. European all the way.

To begin I must say that as to content and organization, this is an excellent book. The problem is it is about style. This is only a problem in that the book itself lacks one. In the words of the Negro Spiritual "Everybody talkin' `bout hebben aint goin' there." Is it perhaps enough to talk about Nietzsche's style when he explicitly tells us that conquering nihilism requires we enact our own (GS 290)? Could it be that our author has imbibed too much nihilist French criticism, which evades coming to grips with Nietzsche (which must come at the expense of dealing with the me myself) in the name of becoming merely "Nietzschean?" Is this not, perhaps, how all "Truth" begins: in becoming critical in order to avoid having to come to grips with the me myself? By all means, buy this book. Read this book. But become who you are, not just somebody who knows how to debunk "Truth."

Quentin Lauer is one of the best writers on Hegel. Read his other books too. Especially the "Essays in Hegelian Dialectic" among others.

Hegel is difficult to understand at first, Mr. Lauer makes the task a bit easier. Although more introductory materials may be needed for most readers before this one is read.

No sabia de este libro y conociendo al escritor lo compre.

La lectura es dificil aunque el libro tiene un orden de pensamiento logico. La dificultad viene porque se siente que cada reflexion fue hecha sin tomar aire sino una sola continua expulsion de palabras que fatiga ademas de no haber pausas editoriales como capitulos.

Leerlo abre una ventana al pasado, nos centra en la pelea ideologica del lado moralamente correcto.

Este texto nos muestra como un importante escritor tambien fue un ciudadano importante, lastima que este libro tenga validez hoy en dia cuando todavia los Judios enfrentan al antisemitismo.