Heidegger's Ways

Hans-Georg Gadamer translated by John W. Stanley with an introduction by Dennis J. Schmidt HEIDEGGER'S WAYS H e id e g g e r ’s w ays Hans-Georg Gadamer Translated by John W. Stanley State University of New York Press Published by State University of New York Press, Albany © 1994 State University of New York All rights reserved Printed in the United States of America No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews. For information, address State University of New York Press, State University Plaza, Albany, N Y , 12246 Production by Marilyn P Semerad Marketing by Dana E. Yanulavich L ibrary o f Congress C ataloging-in-Publication D ata Gadamer, Hans Georg, 1900[Heideggers Wege. English] Heidegger’s ways / Hans-Georg Gadamer ; translated by John W Stanley ; with an introduction by Dennis J. Schmidt. p. cm. — (SUNY series in contemporary continental philosophy) Translation of: Heideggers Wege. Includes bibliographical references and index. ISBN 0-7914-1737-9 (HC : alk. paper). — ISBN 0-7914-1738-7 (PB : alk. paper) 1. Heidegger, Martin, 1889-1976. I. Title. II. Series. B3279.H49G24613 1993 193—dc20 93-24934 CIP 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 Contents Preface vii Translator’s Preface ix Introduction by Dennis J. Schmidt xv Existentialism and the Philosophy of Existence 1 Martin Heidegger—75 Years 15 The Marburg Theology 29 “What Is Metaphysics?” 45 Kant and the Hermeneutical Turn 49 The Thinker Martin Heidegger 61 The Language of Metaphysics 69 Plato 81 The Truth of the Work of Art 95 Martin Heidegger—85 Years 111 The Way in the Turn 121 The Greeks 139 CONTENTS VI 13. The History of Philosophy 153 14. The Religious Dimension 167 15. Being Spirit God 181 Notes 197 Glossary 203 Index 207 Preface I he Heidegger Studies presented here are a collection of essays, lectures, and speeches written in the course of the last twentyfive years, the majority of which have already been published. The fact that these are all relatively recent works should not be taken to mean that my engagement with Heidegger is recent as well. Rather, I received impetuses for thinking from Heidegger very early on, and I attempted from the very beginning to follow such impetuses within the limits of my capabilities and to the extent that I could concur. It set a standard that I had to learn to meet. However, as is always the case when one is attempting to find one's own position, some dis­ tance was needed before I was able to present Heidegger's ways of thinking as his; I first had to distinguish my own search for my ways and paths from my companionship with Heidegger and his ways. This process had its beginning with Heidegger's request that I write the introduction to the Reclam edition of his ‘Artwork” essay. Basically, this collection of works is only a continuation of what I first undertook in 1960 with that introduction. I was actually in my own element, for I took it as encouragement and confirmation of my own efforts when Heidegger introduced the work of art into his own thinking in the 1930s. Thus, my relationship to this short introduc­ tion to the “Artwork” essay of 1960 was not so much that of one “commissioned” to -write it, rather I recognized in Heidegger's thought some of the very questions I had voiced in Truth and Method. All of v i