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Heidegger, Morality and Politics

Questioning the Shepherd of Being

Sonia Sikka author

Format:Hardback

Publisher:Cambridge University Press

Published:30th Nov '17

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Heidegger, Morality and Politics cover

This book is a balanced and incisive analysis of Heidegger's ethical, cultural and political thought, arguing that his work remains relevant to modern debates.

Exploring topics including moral realism, human morality and dignity, animal rights, environmental philosophy, cultural identity, racism, fascism and the nature of reason, this book argues that Heidegger's moral and political thought is still relevant to modern debates. The book is accessible to students of ethics and political philosophy, as well as Heidegger scholars.Heidegger has often been seen as having no moral philosophy and a political philosophy that can only support fascism. Sonia Sikka's book challenges this view, arguing instead that Heidegger should be considered a qualified moral realist, and that his insights on cultural identity and cross-cultural interaction are not invalidated by his support for Nazism. Sikka explores the ramifications of Heidegger's moral and political thought for topics including free will and responsibility, the status of humanity within the design of nature, the relation between the individual and culture, the rights of peoples to political self-determination, the idea of race and the problem of racism, historical relativism, the subjectivity of values, and the nature of justice. Her discussion highlights aspects of Heidegger's thought that are still relevant for modern debates, while also addressing its limitations as reflected in his political affiliations and sympathies.

'Sonia Sikka offers a holistic vision of Heidegger's entrée into the moral and political realms in a way that counters the piecemeal and even polemical caricatures that are frequently presented. She succeeds in confronting the difficult and controversial issues surrounding Heidegger's involvement in National Socialism and the recent revelations of anti-Semitic remarks in his Black Notebooks. Her book is an indispensable resource which will prove to be rewarding for students and scholars alike.' Frank Schalow, University of New Orleans
'Presenting itself as 'an exegesis and friendly critique of Martin Heidegger's moral and political philosophy' … this book is more than that: it is also a thought-provoking statement of Sikka's own position, a Heidegger-inflected moral realism. Free of the partisanship that mars so much of the Heidegger literature, the book demonstrates an admirable command of both the primary and the secondary literature, as also of such thinkers as Herder, Kant, Fichte, Schelling, and Nietzsche.' Karsten Harries, Notre Dame Philosophical Reviews

ISBN: 9781108419796

Dimensions: 235mm x 158mm x 16mm

Weight: 480g

254 pages