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elsapelsa
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14 Mar 2018, 4:46 am

I have started this book at least 10 times. I just can't get through it. I feel like the combo of Heidegger's language, the translation from German and the length and indirectness of the text drives me to sleep each time. Saying that I have always felt there was something for me in this book that I really wanted to unravel. In particular the concept of dasein. Has anyone managed to make it through? Can I have some pointers? Does it need to be this long and convoluted - is there a kernel of wisdom that can be extracted without quite so much pain and torture on behalf of the reader.


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shlaifu
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14 Mar 2018, 8:14 pm

I read German, but Heidegger (and Hegel) require a manic obsession, rather than mere "interest". I recommend reading books on them, rather than by them.

German philosophers put me off reading philosophy for a long time, until my English had become sufficient for English-language philosophers - and it was an eye-opening experience to learn that really, it was not philosophy, but German philosophers that proved unreadable.


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elsapelsa
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15 Mar 2018, 12:07 am

shlaifu wrote:
I read German, but Heidegger (and Hegel) require a manic obsession, rather than mere "interest". I recommend reading books on them, rather than by them.

German philosophers put me off reading philosophy for a long time, until my English had become sufficient for English-language philosophers - and it was an eye-opening experience to learn that really, it was not philosophy, but German philosophers that proved unreadable.


Thank you. I have been wondering if it is time to give up and go with secondary sources. I thought maybe it was a bad translation but maybe it is just German philosopher then although I find Nietzsche very accessible and easy to read.


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techstepgenr8tion
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15 Mar 2018, 11:01 pm

I've often heard that Heidegger is a fascinating read but almost anytime I've seen him brought up it's always been either too surface-scraping or too narrow in focus to hook me in. Seems like I've always done best with the philosophers when they've spent a lot of time on some particular issue that's been front and center in my life, and for Heidegger it's just tough to find that sort of accounting of him very easily.


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