It seems to me that the problem with Heidegger, in this context, is his=20
failure to broach the question/problem of violence.
Tom B.
On Thu, 23 May 1996, malcolm riddoch wrote:
> The rectorate address talked of the new awakening. The Nietzsche lectures
> (c. 36-41) are the self-styled site of his philosophical confrontation wi=
th
> Nazism which changes from the early optimism concerning the possibilities
> of will to power through to the apocalyptic pessimism of the critique of
> that nihilist will to will which orders itself in willing.
>=20
> The problem of technology which occupies so much of his later thinking
> comes out of this critique of Nazism where will to will becomes mere
> machination. From this strange perspective democracy, communism and fasci=
sm
> are 'essentially' the same, and the death camps are no different from
> intensive farming practises!
>=20
> But then he links the 'inner truth and greatness' of National Socialism t=
o
> the problem concerning technology (in the disputed 1950's editorial
> addition to the 'Intro to metaphysics'). Finally, in the Spiegel intervie=
w
> he doubts whether democracy is capable of coming to terms with
> technological nihilism and goes on to say that the Nazi's, although 'too
> limited in their thinking', at least went in the right direction...?
>=20
> Given this version of textual events how close is the 'saving power' to t=
he
> inner truth and greatness of Heidegger's ontologically informed 'private
> doctrine' of Nazism? What kind of ethical-ontologial abyss are we
> approaching here?
>=20
>=20
>=20
>=20
> ************************************************
>=20
>=20
> The F=FChrer alone is the present and future German reality and its law..=
..
> Heil Hitler!
> Martin Heidegger, c. 19=
34
>=20
> ************************************************
>=20
>=20
> Malcolm Riddoch
> Murdoch University
> Western Australia
>=20
>=20
>=20
>=20
> --- from list heidegger@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx ---
>=20
=20
"the soldiers beat me with the butts of their guns, pushed m=
e
onto the ground, and kicked me. They tore off my wrapper,
then my underwear. Two of them raped me through my anus,
three the usual way. While one soldier raped me, another
would beat me. I tried to scream, but they held my mouth.
They said if I made too much noise they would kill me."
--- Report by a victime of human rights abuses.
--- from list heidegger@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx ---