Heidegger in Ruins

Between Philosophy and Ideology

By: Richard Wolin

Narrated by: Paul Brion

What does it mean when a radical understanding of National Socialism is inextricably embedded in the work of the twentieth century's most important philosopher?

Martin Heidegger's sympathies for the conservative revolution and National Socialism have long been well known. As the rector of the University of Freiburg in the early 1930s, he worked hard to reshape the university in accordance with National Socialist policies. He also engaged in an all-out struggle to become the movement's philosophical preceptor, "to lead the leader." Yet for years, Heidegger's defenders have tried to separate his political beliefs from his philosophical doctrines. They argued, in effect, that he was good at philosophy but bad at politics. But with the 2014 publication of Heidegger's Black Notebooks, it has become clear that he embraced a far more radical vision of the conservative revolution than previously suspected. His dissatisfaction with National Socialism, it turns out, was mainly that it did not go far enough. The notebooks show that far from being separated from Nazism, Heidegger's philosophy was suffused with it. In this book, Richard Wolin explores what the notebooks mean for our understanding of arguably the most important philosopher of the twentieth century, and of his ideas—and why his legacy remains radically compromised.

©2022 Richard Wolin (P)2023 Tantor

Embarrassingly bad reading

An important and eye-opening book, but it is read about as badly as one can imagine. Sentences get miscarried everywhere. But the pronunciation of any foreign word or phrase -- and such citations are very frequent -- is terrible, unintelligible to anyone even vaguely familiar with the languages in question. Such a reading does a great disservice to a serious work of scholarship.

Takes concentration

A superb book the raises question about what can be salvaged from H’s works. Although Wolin draws a bright line from H’s thought and less savoury political ideas, allot of post-war theological thinking has also relied on H’s framework. I am left with more questions than answers.

Vision Undergoes Revision

Impressive research and analysis of Heidegger’s links to Nazism. I will never see MH the same.

An Excellent Insight into A Racist Mind

This excellently-performed audiobook speaks with a clear and capable voice as it lays out a philosophy of racism. It shows the superstitiousness and primitivism which underlies racism by skewering weak points in Heidegger’s philosophy, and I love it for helping me comprehend Heidegger in a new way.