Heidegger notes regarding phusis that when we see the Van Gogh that “this is art” or the circling bird of prey “this is nature,” as though artness and natureness was present incarnate in the beings (Pa, phusis, 212).”  More to the point with Heraclitus, beingness emerges as the being conceals in its emergence, “the animal … (18) Blogging Through Prof Martin Heidegger’s Interpretations of Greek Philosophy (Heraclitus Part 5)

Thales is a step back from life, not caught up in the everyday and so falls in a well while thinking, and the Thracian slave girl laughs at him. Heidegger argues (FCM, 183) all creative action resides in a mood of melancholy, whether we are clearly aware of this fact or not, whether we speak … (17) Blogging Through Prof Martin Heidegger’s Interpretations of Greek Philosophy (Heraclitus Part 4)

We’ve been thinking about “to on,” the participle which is simultaneously the nominative/substantive “the being” and the verbal “being.”  We saw with Plato’s Gorgias that with the beautiful thing beauty is present as the usual Greek way to understand being.  This was then more fully shown as movement (Aristotle) or appearing, and so the mansion … (16) Blogging Through Prof Martin Heidegger’s Interpretations of Greek Philosophy (Heraclitus Part 3)

There are 2 famous stories about Heraclitus The first famous story about Heraclitus involves him at a stove or oven, where he is said to have been warming himself. According to Diogenes Laërtius in his “Lives and Opinions of Eminent Philosophers,” some visitors came upon Heraclitus while he was at the stove: “They say that … (15) Blogging Through Prof Martin Heidegger’s Interpretations of Greek Philosophy (Heraclitus Part 2)

“We call those thinkers who think in the region of the inception ‘the inceptional [arche, 18] thinkers.’  There are only three such thinkers: Anaximander, Parmenides, and Heraclitus (Heidegger, Heraclitus, 4).” Heidegger considers Anaximander, Parmenides, and Heraclitus as the thinkers at the inception of Western Philosophy. I have previously posted about Anaximander and Parmenides. I will … (14) Blogging Through Prof Martin Heidegger’s Interpretations of Greek Philosophy (Heraclitus Part 1)

All I Really Want (by Alanis Morissette) (Heidegger, Heraclitus Lecture Course, 1943-44, pg 11) I spoke previously about the polis and the fleeting nature of what is prized in it, the current, so I’ll leave the above two quotes as they stand. In ancient Greek poetry, the concept of the afterlife was often depicted through … (13) Blogging Through Prof Martin Heidegger’s Interpretations of Greek Philosophy (Parmenides Part 4)

Parmenides said “for the same is apprehending as well as Being.”  Apprehending is a translation of the Greek word noein, to “take” into sight (to look it over or “take” it into consideration).  We operate in this while not normally seeing it as conspicuous, but as I said this is outlined when it breaks down.  … (12) Blogging Through Prof Martin Heidegger’s Interpretations of Greek Philosophy (Parmenides Part 3)

This is my second of two background pieces on Being that will prepare us to follow Heidegger along Parmenides’s path. An understanding of Being is necessary for us to “encounter” beings “as such,” for them to make us happy, weigh on us in a troubled manner, sustain us, be interrogated by us or occupy us … (11) Blogging Through Prof Martin Heidegger’s Interpretations of Greek Philosophy (Parmenides Part 2)

I’ve moved beyond Heidegger’s analysis of Anaximander in the lecture course to Parmenides.  Parmenides, of course, is the great philosopher of Being, so let’s gather some preliminary thoughts about Being. When we normally talk about Being, we mean a few different things.  The first is whatness: the dog understood in terms of its furriness for … (10) Blogging Through Prof Martin Heidegger’s Interpretations of Greek Philosophy (Parmenides Part 1)