Philosophy 189
Fall 2018
| Number | Title | Instructor | Days/time | Room |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 189 | Special Topics in Recent European Philosophy | Kaiser | M 9-12 | Moses 234 |
Later Heidegger: On the Essence of Art (Poetry), Technology, and Language
A study of key notions and texts from Heidegger’s later philosophy in light of critical challenges and other philosophical responses. We will work out the inner relations between art (poetry), technology, and language in key texts from Heidegger’s late philosophy (amongst these are Art and Space, What are Poets for?, The Thing, Question Concerning Technology, Hölderlin’s Earth and Sky, Dialogue on Language). In these texts, Heidegger argues for a “retrieval” of ancient Greek notions (Heraclitus’ fragments on “phusis,” “logos,” “polemos,” and “beauty”—harmonia aphanes—and the original sense of “techne”), as well as learning Eastern ways of thinking and experiencing. These themes are supposed to help us “unconceal,” “unlock,” and “free” us from our contemporary one-dimensional thinking. Art, poetry, and an ongoing interpretative engagement with Hölderlin’s law of “foreign and own” are revealed to be crucial for our path towards a “poetizing” thinking, ‘appropriation’, and eventual “releasement.”
Adorno’s ‘Parataxis’ takes aim at Heidegger’s ‘elucidation’ of Hölderlin’s poem ‘Remembrance’. And the importance of Heidegger’s later thoughts for Eco- Phenomenology, Eco-Feminism, and a proper understanding of Avant-garde art will also be thematized. A question to be addressed will be the challenge of the ‘Black Notebooks’
The essay collections Poetry, Language, Thought and Elucidations of Hölderlin’s Poetry by Martin Heidegger have been ordered for the course. Additional texts will be made available later on bCourses.
Enrollment is limited to 15 and by application only. Preference will be given to advanced Philosophy students or those who have already taken a course on Heidegger.
To apply, students should submit a brief statement (a few sentences) to the instructor via email (kuk@berkeley.edu ), explaining their interest in this seminar and their background in philosophy. Those accepted for the seminar will be notified and given their course enrollment code via email soon thereafter.
As taught this semester, Phil 189 may satisfy the more inclusive history requirement (which is: 153, 155, 156A, 160–188).