The Genesis of Heidegger's Being and Time

Theodore Kisiel's The Genesis of Heidegger's Being and Time traces the development of Martin Heidegger's philosophical thought from 1915 to 1927. The book follows the evolution of concepts and ideas that would culminate in Heidegger's major work Being and Time. The text examines Heidegger's early lectures, writings, and correspondence during his time teaching at Freiburg and Marburg universities. Through analysis of archival materials and draft manuscripts, Kisiel reconstructs the progression of Heidegger's philosophical framework and terminology. Kisiel documents the influence of phenomenology, Christian theology, and Greek philosophy on Heidegger's emerging ideas. The book includes translations of key lecture passages and detailed chronological analysis of how specific concepts transformed over time. This historical study reveals how philosophical ideas take shape through years of teaching, writing, and intellectual exchange. The work demonstrates the complex relationship between a thinker's life experiences and the development of revolutionary philosophical concepts.

Readers note this book provides thorough documentation of Heidegger's development of Being and Time through early lecture courses and writings. The level of detail and archival research impresses academic readers. Liked: - Extensive source material and historical context - Clear tracking of how key concepts evolved - Helpful chronological organization - Strong citations and references Disliked: - Dense academic writing style - Requires significant prior knowledge of Heidegger - Some sections become overly granular - High price point for academic market One reader called it "the definitive genetic study of Being and Time," while another noted it was "not for beginners" and "assumes familiarity with Heidegger's major works." Ratings: Goodreads: 4.35/5 (17 ratings) Amazon: 4.7/5 (6 reviews) Most reviewers are graduate students or academics in philosophy. General readers find it too specialized for an introduction to Heidegger's work.

Heidegger's Being and Time: A Reader's Guide by Stephen Mulhall This text traces the development of Heidegger's core concepts through a systematic analysis of Being and Time's structure and arguments.

The Young Heidegger by John van Buren This study examines Heidegger's early theological writings and their influence on his later philosophical work.

Husserl, Heidegger, and the Space of Meaning by Steven Galt Crowell This work explores the connection between Husserl's phenomenology and Heidegger's transformation of it through historical and philosophical investigation.

The Cambridge Companion to Heidegger's Being and Time by Mark A. Wrathall This collection provides interpretations of Being and Time's key concepts through historical context and contemporary philosophical perspectives.

Reading Heidegger from the Start by Theodore Kisiel, John van Buren This compilation examines Heidegger's early lectures and writings to reveal the origins of his major philosophical concepts.

🔷 Theodore Kisiel spent over 20 years researching and writing this comprehensive study, tracking down unpublished manuscripts and lecture notes across Germany to trace the development of Heidegger's masterwork. 🔷 The book reveals how Heidegger's early engagement with Christian theology and his experience as a Catholic seminarian significantly influenced the existential themes in Being and Time. 🔷 Kisiel demonstrates that Heidegger's concept of "being-towards-death" emerged from his intense study of St. Paul's letters and early Christian views of temporality. 🔷 The work shows how Heidegger transformed Edmund Husserl's phenomenological method by combining it with Aristotelian insights, creating what he called "hermeneutical phenomenology." 🔷 The manuscript of Being and Time was reportedly rushed to completion in 1926 because Heidegger needed to publish a major work to secure a professorship at Marburg University, leading to its famously unfinished state.