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Posts tagged ‘Heidegger’

Jul 15

Delos: Island of Islands OR More Beasts and Sovereigns

This picture is what erupted into view at the crest of the mountain on Delos that had previously hid itself entirely from view.

In his book, Sojourns, Heidegger journals his travels through Italy and Greece and the Greek islands.  I have something of a love-hate relationship with Heidegger.  I couldn’t think the way I do nor read ancient texts as I do without the influence of Heidegger.  And yet, when he writes things like: “The Asiatic element once brought to the Greeks a dark fire, a flame for their poetry and thought to reorder with light and measure,” I want to scream.  Heidegger holds a common prejudice that I tease my students for adopting so easily: the East is exotic, full of fire and passion and the West brings order and logic.  When I read that line, I was put in mind of Foucault’s discussion of the Chinese encyclopedia in the Introduction to The Order of Things.   Read more

Jun 7

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Delphi, Part I: The Gods Must be Near

Legend has it that Martin Heidegger was walking in the Black Forest with friends when he came across a country shrine and crossed himself.  Knowing that Heidegger had given up his Catholicism, the friend asked what he was doing.  Heidegger responded something like, “Many have prayed here, the gods must be near.”*

We arrived in Delphi and looked over the valley that cuts through the mountains up to the water and thought, the gods must be near.   Read more