Martin Heidegger was born on September 26, 1889, in Messkirch, a small town in rural southern Germany. The son of a devout Catholic sexton, Heidegger was originally studying to become a priest before falling in love with philosophy as a young adult. He attended the University of Freiburg, where he studied philosophy and theology, ultimately earning his PhD in philosophy in 1913. In 1923, he began teaching at the University of Marburg, where his engaging and insightful lectures quickly made him well-known within German academia, despite having published little research at that time. He passed away on May 26th, 1976, at the age of 86 in his hometown of Messkirch.
Heidegger was a member of the existentialist tradition. His greatest contribution to philosophy, the 1927 book “Being and Time,” describes human existence in terms of Being, especially in regards to our relationship with the world around us, which he calls "Dasein.” Heidegger’s existentialist philosophy was a major influence on Jean-Paul Sartre, one of the founders of the existentialist movement, and his former students Hans Jonas and Emmanuel Lévinas.
However, Heidegger is probably most famous for his complex and difficult way of writing. Analytic philosophers, such as Bertrand Russell, were not very impressed with his work, criticizing his often obscure and esoteric literary style. Additionally, his legacy has been somewhat tarnished by his anti-Semitic views and his affiliation with the Nazi Party.
Despite his flaws, Heidegger is still an important and thought-provoking philosopher who is worth studying. If you are interested in learning more, Professor Vogel will be teaching a course on Heidegger and his critics (PHI 330F) in the fall.