The Early Heidegger's Philosophy of Life—Facticity, Being, and Language

Campbell (philosophy, Nazareth College of Rochester) presents a fascinating study of the earlier Heidegger (pre-1925), advancing a number of scholarly and philosophical points about the meaning of Being, world, facticity and authenticity. Arguing against some more recent interpretations to the contrary, he asserts that Heidegger is as concerned with the question of Being as he says he is. He turns on Heidegger's understanding of Aristotle's definition of humans as "rational animals," which Heidegger concludes refers less to rationality than to the capacity to speak. This leads him to explore the relationship between language, world-building, and truth, which tends to be interpreted dichotomously (i.e. inauthentic vs. authentic, conformist vs. nonconformist). Campbell argues that Heidegger didn't see things quite this way and shows "how Heidegger was trying to draw out the positive elements of lived experience against the background of various deceptions and distortions that are, nonetheless, built into factical experience." Campbell's interest in language and "speaking life" makes this a book of interest for those looking to grasp Heidegger's influence on psychoanalysis, especially that of Jacques Lacan. Annotation c2013 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)

SCOTT M. CAMPBELL is Associate Professor of Philosophy at Nazareth College of Rochester.