The Basic Writings

The Basic Writings compiles ten essential works from German philosopher Martin Heidegger's most influential texts. This collection spans multiple decades of Heidegger's career and includes complete essays as well as excerpts from longer works. The book contains Heidegger's foundational piece "What is Metaphysics?" along with other crucial writings on technology, language, truth, and being. Each selection features an introduction providing context and background for the included work. Key selections include "The Origin of the Work of Art," "Building Dwelling Thinking," and "The Question Concerning Technology." The translations aim to preserve Heidegger's distinct philosophical vocabulary while making the texts accessible to English readers. The collected works demonstrate Heidegger's central focus on questions of human existence, authenticity, and humanity's relationship with technology and modern life. His examination of being and time continues to influence contemporary philosophy, art theory, and cultural criticism.

Readers find this collection provides a useful introduction to Heidegger's key philosophical concepts, though many note the texts remain challenging even in translation. The inclusion of "Being and Time" excerpts alongside later works helps trace the evolution of his thinking. Liked: - Clear organization by topic and chronology - Helpful editorial introductions before each section - Includes both early and mature works - Quality of Krell's translations Disliked: - Dense, complex writing style requires multiple readings - Some readers wanted more context and explanation - Missing some important later works - Translation choices occasionally questioned Ratings: Goodreads: 4.2/5 (1,200+ ratings) Amazon: 4.4/5 (90+ ratings) Sample review: "The Basic Writings serves as a good entry point, but expect to struggle with the language and concepts. Heidegger's style remains obtuse even in translation." - Goodreads reviewer Several readers recommend starting with secondary sources before tackling these primary texts.

Being and Nothingness by Jean-Paul Sartre A foundational text of existentialism that examines human consciousness, freedom, and the nature of being through phenomenological analysis.

Critique of Pure Reason by Immanuel Kant An investigation into the structure of human reason and the limits of knowledge that influenced Heidegger's approach to metaphysics.

The Phenomenology of Spirit by Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel A systematic exploration of consciousness, self-consciousness, and absolute knowledge that shaped continental philosophy's development.

The World as Will and Representation by Arthur Schopenhauer A philosophical work that presents reality as the manifestation of a blind, irrational will and investigates human existence through this lens.

Introduction to Metaphysics by Henri Bergson A meditation on time, consciousness, and the nature of reality that challenges traditional metaphysical assumptions through philosophical inquiry.

🔷 During the writing of many essays in this collection, Heidegger would retreat to a small cabin in the Black Forest of Germany, believing isolation helped him think more deeply about fundamental questions of being 🔷 The essay "What Is Metaphysics?" caused significant controversy when first presented as a lecture in 1929, with some colleagues viewing it as an attack on traditional scientific thinking 🔷 Heidegger coined the term "Dasein" (being-there) to describe human existence, which became one of the most influential concepts in 20th-century philosophy 🔷 The collection's famous essay "The Question Concerning Technology" was written after WWII and was influenced by Heidegger's growing concern about humanity's relationship with modern technology 🔷 Several translations of these writings exist, but many philosophers argue that Heidegger's complex German terminology makes truly accurate translation impossible