[lit-ideas] Heidegger: the greatest living philosopher
- From: Jlsperanza@xxxxxxx
- To: lit-ideas@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Fri, 28 Mar 2014 05:34:12 -0400 (EDT)
In a message dated 3/28/2014 5:14:40 A.M. Eastern Daylight Time,
palmaadriano@xxxxxxxxx writes:
I presume that it must be thought that he was important as a philosopher.
It is this assumption that I am skeptical of.
Oddly, on p. 18 of "Studies in the Way of Words", that transcribe his 1967
Harvard conferences, Grice says:
Heidegger is the greatest living philosopher.
So, we indeed have, to use Omar K.'s words, an 'assumption' here: to the
effect that Heidegger was an important philosopher, or in Grice's words, "the
greatest living philosopher".
I'm not so far sceptical about the assumption, and am interested in the
fact that the assumption took different verbal versions along the years.
Heidegger seems to have cast a spell on many. His locutions and creed in
general influenced so many -- and so it may do indeed to approach the
assumption critically.
Or not.
One good start is McEvoy's commentary (on remarks by P. Enns) to the
effect that Heidegger's views of language are important and motivational. Or
not.
McEvoy:
"Nothing presented so far indicates how Heidegger offers an account of
human language that goes beyond grandstanding assertions of a question-begging
type: small wonder he was against science as measured against its
standards his assertions might seem little more than metaphysics of the more
empty
kind. I should note however that a reputable figure like Bryan Magee does
take Heidegger and his importance seriously, so perhaps there is something in
it."
Another would be to revise or revisit what Oxford-educated Magee said about
this. Or not.
Indeed, as Walter O. notes, it all seemed to have started, Oxford-wise,
when G. Ryle (who'd later become Professor of Metaphysical Philosophy there)
cared to review Heidegger's "Being and Time" (in the vernacular!) for
"Mind", of all places!
Cheers,
Speranza
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