A Commentary on Heidegger's Being and Time

by Michael Gelven

Book Overview

This thoroughly revised commentary uses the most recent insights in Heidegger studies to lead the reader through the sometimes difficult text of Being and Time. The clearly marked section-by-section... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0061314641
• ISBN13: 9780061314643
• Release Date: January 1970
• Publisher: Joanna Cotler Books
• Weight: 0.95 lbs.

Customer Reviews

"Being" is a revealing way of seeing; it is world disclosive

I read this book for a graduate seminar on philosophy. Michael Gelven's book helps to illuminate one of the most influential philosophical books of the twentieth century, Martin Heidegger's "Being and Time," which deconstructs phenomenology. Heidegger's kind of phenomenology has to do with the idea of phenomenon, which means something that appears and shows itself. His criticism of traditional philosophy is that it gets started with categories, concepts, and notions, departing from the way human comprehension of this world first shows itself. This is Aristotelian and Aristotle is an enormous influence on Heidegger. Yet, there is something very radical going on here, and that is the idea of "being" is connected to meaning and negativity. In the history of philosophy, being has a positive concept, something that "is" thus, the opposite of being is none being. Heidegger wants to show how the meaning of being is distorted by this understanding of being as a purely positive concept, as a "thing" a full present entity. For Example, he also very much critiques in modern art, the modern conception of objectivity, the world is transformed into an object independent of art, of its significance, its meaning, or interest in it. This was due in large part because of modern science, and its strong sense of objectification converting nature into a set of mere objects, time, and space that are measurable and analyzable through scientific means. Meaning, importance, and significance for Heidegger equals value; science and nature have none of this as pure objects. Therefore, anything of meaning, and of significance would be transferred into the subject it would be simply the human estimation, nature itself has no meaning or significance in that respect. Heidegger critiques this scientific model. As he says in his phenomenology, "Well how is it that human existence first understands itself? Here he is talking about things that are very ordinary and complex. We are in a world that has significance, it is meaningful to us, it matters to us, it fits into our interests in such a way that we are absorbed into its significance. So, when we come across the world, first and foremost it is not a mere object that is standing apart from us or our mind, but rather it has significant elements of our environment that fit into our lives. Some things are significant, or they are useful, or dangerous, or satisfying, etc. What Heidegger wants to say in his phenomenology is we have to pay attention to this way of being. Therefore, first and foremost he says "being" matters, it matters to us. "Being" is a significance, it is not just a bare object or a bare fact. Heidegger doesn't accept this idea of subject on one side and object on the other side, that means that when humans have their understanding of the world, it is not just a human projection, it is not just a human construction. It is a revealing way of seeing; it is world disclosive. The meaning of t

The most clear commentary to Being and Time

Gelven makes reading Being and Time enjoyable and accessible for everyone. His section by section analysis includes wonderful examples that make crystal clear the important distinctions that Heidegger makes as he attempts to ask, and answer, the question of being. You will not need any other commentary for Being and Time apart from this!

Make time for this one!

If you're workin through B & T then you know you need help: where to turn. Depends, if you want themes laid individually, but not always making the big picture cohere and with further goals in mind (refuting certain analytic thoughts) Dreyfus is a must and probably necessary for any advanced philosophy student (if you don't want Heidegger to ultimately smell of spinach completely). If you want a Brit spin written pretty orderly but often focusing on specifics that show where the research interests of the author are, then Mulhall is a must. If you want someone without any axes to grind elsewhere, well laid-out and often willing to go back and reconsider earlier important areas in light of new important ones, then Gelven is your guy. Very level-headed and shows a sincere interest in B & T. I'm still leary of all things Heideggerian, but enjoy a good toil and Gelven allowed me that.

An indispensible guide to Heidegger's work

I don't think I could have ventured too far into Being and Time or the rest of Heidegger's philosophy if not for having read this book. Gelven makes very clear and accessible, but without watering down, all of the major concepts, terms and ideas brought out in Being and Time, a book which can be extremely intimidating and confusing, especially in translation. This is perhaps the best work on explaining the project of Heidegger's philosophy. If you just want to read one book by Heidegger or wish to gain an understaning of Heidegger's philosophy, don't read a book by Heidegger, read this book instead. Gelven's text is a great starting point and handy reference. I'd highly recommend bringing this book to any class in which one is trying to teach or learn Heidegger.

Simply one of the best keys to a major philosophical work

Gelven transforms Being and Time from an opaque philosophical maze into an accessible and meaningful work. I have found most of the major translations of Being and Time, in english translation, to be obscure, inaccurate, and confusing. Gelven's work is a masterpiece of cogency.