(Hölderlin by Franz Carl Hiemer, 1792) Johann Christian Friedrich Hölderlin (20 March 1770 – 7 June 1843) was a German poet and philosopher. Described by Norbert von Hellingrath as “the most German of Germans”, Hölderlin was a key figure of German Romanticism. Particularly due to his early association with and philosophical influence on Georg Wilhelm … (INDEX) How Johann Christian Friedrich Hölderlin Helped Us Rethink Ancient Thought

Hegel, on page 26 of the Preface to the Phenomenology of Spirit, his first major work, and at the same time his greatest work, which appeared in 1807, writes the following: “Death, if that is what we wish to call that non-actuality, is what is most terrifying, and to hold fast to what is dead … (Main Exposition Part 6) How Johann Christian Friedrich Hölderlin Helped Us Rethink Ancient Thought

Much have humans experienced. Named many of the heavenly, Since we are a dialogue And can hear from one another. (Holderlin) We noted last time that we operate in and out of contexts, e.g., the spirit of the age or the human condition, noting that the dog, for all its cleverness, knows nothing of a … (Main Exposition Part 5) How Johann Christian Friedrich Hölderlin Helped Us Rethink Ancient Thought

(1) “Nothing is certain but death and taxes. (Benjamin Franklin)” (2) Carpe Diem! (“Seize the day:” Horace Odes [Book 1, Poem 11], where he writes, “Carpe diem, quam minimum credula postero,” which means “Seize the day, put no trust in tomorrow.”) Holderlin calls language “that most dangerous of goods (Fragment 13, IV, 246) that is … (Main Exposition Part 4) How Johann Christian Friedrich Hölderlin Helped Us Rethink Ancient Thought

Have you ever asked yourself who you really are, with all your distractions stripped away, sitting in the corner facing the wall in a Time-Out? Last time we looked at restlessness with Sophocles, Holderlin, Nietzsche, and Heidegger.  We can see this horror loci demon winding its way through the history of Western thought.  Heidegger says … (Main Exposition Part 3) How Johann Christian Friedrich Hölderlin Helped Us Rethink Ancient Thought

Thus the blessed ones feel it not themselves, But their joy is The saying and the talk of humans. Born restlessly, these soothe Their hearts, intimating afar, by the happiness of those on high. This the gods love; yet their ordinance . . . Hölderlin, Draft of Patmos (Heidegger, Martin. Hölderlin’s Hymns: “Germania” and “The … (Main Exposition Part 2) How Johann Christian Friedrich Hölderlin Helped Us Rethink Ancient Thought

Given the 3 previous background posts, I’ll now go ahead with Hölderlin as the main focus, particularly here in Part 1 with his “Germania.” We are looking at Hölderlin’s poetry as a clue to understanding the ancient Greeks in a new way.  Hölderlin spoke of the departure of the gods.  As I noted previously, Roberto … (Main Exposition Part 1) How Johann Christian Friedrich Hölderlin Helped Us Rethink Ancient Thought

Today I’d like to conclude my preliminary background thoughts with Aristotle and then transition to an initial take on Hölderlin. Naas cites an instructive passage from Heidegger’s Zur Frage nach der Bestimmung der Sache des Denkens, “Heidegger recalls a passage from the Odyssey (16. 161) in which Athene appears as a young woman to Odysseus … (Preliminary thoughts Part 3/3) How Johann Christian Friedrich Hölderlin Helped Us Rethink Ancient Thought

So, we are going through some preliminary remarks based on Heidegger’s 1926 lecture course on ancient philosophy to prepare for looking at Hölderlin’s interpretation of ancient thought. Last time I looked at Heraclitus and Parmenides, and today I’ll look at Plato and the “as” structure, something “as” something else: e.g., The table appearing “as” badly … (Preliminary thoughts Part 2) How Johann Christian Friedrich Hölderlin Helped Us Rethink Ancient Thought

Wiki: Hölderlin by Franz Carl Hiemer, 1792 So, I’m going to be looking at ancient thought as it was reimagined by the German poet Hölderlin.  As a brief introduction I’d like to make a few remarks about the presocratic philosophers Heraclitus and Parmenides. (1) Heraclitus/Euclid and the Rule of Opposites: “Something “as” Something Else” In … (Preliminary thoughts Part 1) How Johann Christian Friedrich Hölderlin Helped Us Rethink Ancient Thought