This book, the text of Martin Heidegger's lecture course of 1929/30, is crucial for an understanding of Heidegger's transition from the major work of his early years, Being and Time, to his later preoccupations with language, truth, and history. First published in German in 1983 as volume 29/30 of Heidegger's collected works, The Fundamental Concepts of Metaphysics presents an extended treatment of the history of metaphysics and an elaboration of a philosophy of life and nature. Heidegger's concepts of organism, animal behavior, and environment are uniquely developed and defined with intensity. Of major interest is Heidegger's brilliant phenomenological description of the mood of boredome, which he describes as a "fundamental attunement" of modern times.

A major turning point in Heidegger's thought

About the Author

William McNeill is Associate Professor of Philosophy at DePaul University. He is co-translator (with Julia Davis) of Hoelderlin's Hymn "The Ister" by Martin Heidegger.

Nicholas Walker is Research Fellow in philosophy and literature at Magdalene College, Cambridge.

Reviews

Whoever thought that Heidegger . . . has no surprises left in him had better read this new volume. If its rhetoric is "hard and heavy" its thought is even harder and essentially more daring than Heideggerians ever imagined Heidegger could be.

-- David Farrell Krell * DePaul University *

This authoritative translation is essential to any Heidegger collection.

* Choice *

In this text, which is crucial to understanding the transition from Heidegger's earlier to his later thinking, readers will find a helpful overview of Heidegger's conception of metaphysics . . . a brilliant phenomenological analysis of boredom . . . an investigation of the essence of life and animality . . . and an analysis of the structure of the propositional statement . . .

* Review of Metaphysics *



Book Information
ISBN 9780253214294
Author Martin Heidegger
Format Paperback
Page Count 400
Imprint Indiana University Press
Publisher Indiana University Press
Weight(grams) 572g