113: Martin Heidegger, part 1 - On Nietzsche & Dasein

On the Manifold Meaning of Being According to Aristotle analyzes Aristotle's exploration of being, revealing the different senses in which the term can be applied. Brentano delves into Aristotle's categories, substance, and essence, providing clarity to his complex metaphysical framework. The book offers a comprehensive overview of Aristotle's philosophy, exploring his views on logic, ethics, and natural science. It examines Aristotle's contributions to understanding existence, causality, and the nature of reality. Brentano's work remains a foundational text for those studying Aristotle's philosophy and its influence on Western thought.

The book details Zarathustra's descent from his mountain solitude to share his transformative ideas about humanity and existence. Nietzsche explores themes such as the rejection of traditional moral values, individualism, and the concept of the Overman. Zarathustra's interactions with various characters reveal his struggle to articulate his vision and confront prevailing societal values. The book also delves into the existential test of the eternal recurrence of the same and the importance of self-overcoming and personal transformation.

In 'Beyond Good and Evil', Nietzsche challenges the traditional morality and philosophical thought of his time. He argues that the Christian world is steeped in a 'slave morality' that demonizes strength and domination, and instead proposes a philosophy that celebrates the present and the individual's 'will to power'. The book is known for its aphoristic style and its critique of past philosophers for their dogmatic premises. Nietzsche advocates for a new kind of philosopher who values imagination, self-assertion, and the creation of values, and he introduces the concept of 'perspective of life' which denies a universal morality for all human beings.

The book is divided into four parts. The first part addresses the world as representation, the second details the world as will, the third discusses art and beauty as the only way to transcend the painful human condition, and the fourth discusses ethics and the ascetic ideal. Schopenhauer argues that the will is the underlying reality of the world, beyond mere appearances, and that it is characterized by ceaseless striving and suffering.

In 'Being and Time', Heidegger delves into the fundamental question of what it means to 'be'. The book is divided into two main divisions: the first analyzes the existentials of Dasein, or 'being-in-the-world', while the second grounds these existentials in temporality. Heidegger introduces key concepts such as 'Dasein', 'Being-with', and the three temporal ecstases (having-been, present, and to-come), emphasizing that Dasein's existence is essentially futural and characterized by its possibilities and projects. The work challenges traditional philosophical notions of subject and object, instead positing that Dasein is inseparable from its world and historical context.

The Will to Power is a compilation of Friedrich Nietzsche's notes and fragments, edited and published posthumously by his sister Elisabeth Förster-Nietzsche and others. The book is based on Nietzsche's intention to write a comprehensive work titled 'The Will to Power, An Attempt at a Revaluation of All Values. ' It explores his central philosophical concept of the 'will to power,' which he believed was the fundamental driving force in all living beings. The work delves into various aspects of human life, including morality, art, science, and metaphysics, and critiques traditional values and morality. Despite not being a completed work by Nietzsche himself, it remains a key component of his philosophical legacy.