Heidegger, Morality and Politics: Questioning the Shepherd of Being

Description

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 is Professor of Philosophy at the University of Ottawa. Her publications include Herder on Humanity and Cultural Difference (Cambridge, 2011), Multiculturalism and Religious Identity: Canada and India (2014) and Living with Religious Diversity (2015).

'Sonia Sikka offers a holistic vision of Heidegger's entree 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