[lit-ideas] Re: Heidegger: the greatest living philosopher

  • From: Donal McEvoy <donalmcevoyuk@xxxxxxxxxxx>
  • To: "lit-ideas@xxxxxxxxxxxxx" <lit-ideas@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
  • Date: Fri, 28 Mar 2014 10:56:16 +0000 (GMT)

>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.>

Obviously Grice was unaware of Popper's continued existence (despite occasional 
health problems) in 1967.

Dnl
Ldn




On Friday, 28 March 2014, 9:34, "Jlsperanza@xxxxxxx" <Jlsperanza@xxxxxxx> wrote:
 
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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