We’ve been approaching Hölderlin’s talk of gods and their abandoning in an essential way, not merely relying on Hölderlin’s text nor secondary literature on Hölderlin. What is demanded, rather is orienteering through the depths of our own existence to let Hölderlin’s signposts point us to what is to be found there or what could be. … (Part 4) Heidegger’s Reading of Hölderlin’s Poem “The Ister”

Parmenides famously said, “apprehension and Being are the same,” and Heidegger quipped (I think in his Parmenides lecture course from the 40’s) such a thought makes you lose the desire to write books if you really understand it, which becomes obvious when it falls apart.  For example, we might apprehend movement fractionally, which starts out … (Part 3) Heidegger’s Reading of Hölderlin’s Poem “The Ister”

Hölderlin’s rivers are not symbolic images of a higher level or a deeper religious content.  They are not a placeholder for already familiar existing German essence and life.  Hölderlin’s hymnal poetry after 1799 was not concerned with symbolic images at all.  The end of The Ister says “Yet what that one does, that river, no … (Part 2) Heidegger’s Reading of Hölderlin’s Poem “The Ister”

I noted in my previous article on Hölderlin’s poem “Remembrance” that the modern university is metaphysical in Plato’s sense.  We might see two political science students debate the abortion issue using two equally illustrative but mutually exclusive examples or analogies to support their positions (e.g., arguing pro-life vs pro-choice).  It is this metaphysical reading of … (Part 1) Heidegger’s Reading of Hölderlin’s Poem “The Ister”

The Island The Cape Breton Liberation Army (CBLA) is a fictional entity born out of a satirical comic series called Old Trout Funnies, created by artist Paul “Moose” MacKinnon in the 1970s. This homegrown project emerged during a time when Cape Breton Island was experiencing a cultural renaissance, shaking off its historical marginalization due to … Home to Cape Breton: A Musical Reading of Martin Heidegger’s Lecture Course on Hölderlin’s Poem “Remembrance”

This is a transcript of a conversation between a teacher (me, John) and Grok 3 AI John: Hi Grok 3. Want to do some creative and critical thinking? Grok 3: Hey there! Absolutely, I’m up for some creative and critical thinking. What’s on your mind—want to brainstorm, tackle a problem, or maybe explore some wild … My Conversation About Learning With Grok 3 AI

“The Roman word res designates that which concerns somebody, … that which is pertinent, which has a bearing … In Enghsh ‘thing’ has still preserved the full semantic power of the Roman word: ‘He knows his things,’ he understands the matters that have a bearing on him … The Roman word res denotes what pertains … Hölderlin’s The Rhine (Part 3)

Ever-beautiful youth, before it withers (Holderlin, The Death of Empedocles) One point on the poem is it is not to be read as imagery combine with indication in the poem about how to interpret the imagery. [I]t presents difficulties and in the end is thoroughly mistaken if we seek to introduce a distinction between strophes … Hölderlin’s The Rhine (Part 2)

“[T]he closed essence of the universe contains no force which could withstand the courage of cognition; it must open up before it, and afford it the spectacle and enjoyment of its riches and its depths. (Hegel 1818).”  Heidegger comments: “[The] fundamental experience of Hegelian metaphysics – namely that the universe cannot withstand the courage of … Hölderlin’s The Rhine (Part 1)

I would like here to conclude my thoughts on Hölderlin’s poem Germania. It is not the case, as is popularly thought, that Parmenides taught the One while Heraclitus taught the many, since Heraclitus too taught the One.  So, for example, we gave the example previously that Life is understood in the context of death, specifically … Hölderlin’s “People” in Germania and The Rhine (Part 3 – Conclusion)