Heidegger: Philosophy in an Hour

By: Paul Strathern

Narrated by: Jonathan Keeble

Length: 1 hr and 29 mins

Publisher's summary

Philosophy for busy people who are always on the go but have always wanted to read up on certain figures in history that have shaped the way we think and live. Listen to this succinct account of the philosophy of Heidegger in just one hour.

One of the two major philosophical traditions of the 20th century was linguistic analysis, derived largely from Wittgenstein. The other, diametrically opposed, came from Heidegger, and its fundamental question was: ‘What is the meaning of existence?’ For Heidegger, this was not a query that could simply be ‘analysed away’ - it was beyond the reach of logic or reason. This was the primary ‘given’ of every individual life. To confront it, Heidegger needed to develop an entirely new form of philosophy.

Here is a concise, expert account of Heidegger’s life and philosophical ideas that is entertainingly written and easy to understand. Also included are selections from Heidegger’s work, suggested further reading, and chronologies that place Heidegger in the context of the broader scheme of philosophy.

©2012 Paul Strathern (P)2013 HarperCollins Publishers Limited

Critic reviews

"Well-written, clear and informed, they have a breezy wit about them... I find them hard to stop reading." ( New York Times)

"Witty, illuminating, and blessedly concise." ( Wall Street Journal)

"Each of these little books is witty and dramatic and creates a sense of time, place, and character.... I cannot think of a better way to introduce oneself and one's friends to Western civilization." ( Boston Globe)

"A godsend in this era of the short attention span." ( New York Times)