Heidegger And The Ideology Of War: Community, Death, And The West Comunità, La Morte, L'occidente. English

Domenico Losurdo reconstructs the genesis of Heidegger's philosophy in its historical context, analyzing the meaning and characteristics of the peculiar "ideology of war" developed in Germany at the outset of the First World War. In the 20th century, conflicts between states took the form for the first time of total war requiring the mobilization of an entire society. This all-pervasive ideological mobilization of consciences was associated at the purely military and industrial level in a form never seen before. On the one hand, among the allied nations the ideology of war centered on the principle of "democratic intervention," the Wilsonian idea of a holy crusade able to subvert the eternally militarist and autocratic Germany and, in this way, favor a kind of great "international democratic revolution." On the other hand, in a spiral of radicalization, the German ideology of war characterized the looming conflict as a great clash between irreconcilable civilizations, faiths, world-visions, and even races. Germans affirmed not only the superiority of their culture over the enemy countries, but above all the hypothesis of a political and social model that expelled from modernity every universalistic concept of emancipation and democratization. Moving within this milieu, Heidegger's philosophy contested the cultural decadence and "massification" reigning in Western industrial society. In a sharp confrontation with the entire philosophical tradition starting from ancient Greece, he finally condemned the conceptual basis that is the foundation of the modern world as a form of degenerated Platonism in which liberal, revolutionary, and Marxist ideas, and even Nietzsche's philosophy, were involved. Contrary to the majority of interpreters of Heidegger's philosophy, Losurdo reconstructs Heidegger's political dimension and shows the influence of historical and social forces on the development of his ideas. CONTENTS 2 TRANSLATORS' NOTE 6 ONE. A "GREAT AND WONDERFUL WAR" 8 1. The Gemeinschaft and the "Socialism of War" 8 The "Ideology of War" Outside of Germany 12 3. War and Meditatio Mortis 15 4. Sacrifice, Death, and the Gemeinschaft 21 5. The End of Bourgeois Security 24 6. Obeying Destiny 26 Notes 28 TWO. War, Community, and Death: Jaspers and Heidegger 33 1. Jaspers and the Kriegsideologie 33 2. Jaspers and the Coming of Nazism 37 3. Jaspers and the Community of the Soil 41 4. Heidegger, Camaraderie, and the Gemeinschaft 43 5. The Philosopher, the "Abyss of Dasein," and "Primal Courage" 45 6. The Freischwebend Intellectual: Heidegger as a Critic of Mannheim 47 7. Value Neutrality and Liberalism: Heidegger as a Critic of Weber 48 8. Sein und Zeit and the Kriegsideologic 52 Notes 58 THREE. GERMANS, EUROPEANS, GYPSIES, AND PAPUANS 68 l. "Historicity" and the Negation of the Universal Concept of Man 68 2. "'Historicity," "Difference," and "Struggle" 74 3. "Spirit" and Subversive Intellectualism 77 4. Detranscendentalization and the Deuniversalization of the Subject 81 5. The Criticism and Reinterpretation of Historicity: Husserl 85 6. "Historicity" and the Autonomy of Theory: Husserl versus Heidegger 89 7. The Western World: The West and the East 92 8. German Historicity and the Unity of the West 94 9. The Outcasts of "Historicity:" Gypsies, Papuans, and Hottenrots 97 10. The "Metaphysical People" and the Salvation of the Western World 100 Untitled 104 FOUR. WAR, REVOLUTION, AND CONSPIRACY 114 1. The Bolshevik Revolution and the "Judaic- Bolshevik" Conspiracy 114 2. Jews, Zivilisation, and Revolucion 115 3. The Jews and the Community without Soil 120 4. The Western World and Judaism: Jaspers and Heidegger 123 5. Schmitt and the Theory of Judaic Conspiracy 127 Notes 130 FIVE. BETWEEN "BLOOD AND SOIL" AND REACTIONARY MODERNISM 135 1. The Ideological Contraditions of the Third Reich 135 2. Nietzsche, the Will to Power, and the Struggle Against Nihilism 141 3. Mechanization and Standardization: Heidegger and Jaspers 146 4. Totality, Calculative Thought, and Standardization 152 Notes 156 SIX. THE DECLINE AND TRANSFIGURATION OF THE WEST 162 1. Criticism of the Ideal of Perpetual Peace 162 2. Blitzkrieg, New Order, and Absolute Nihilism 166 3. Imperium, the Reich, and Ancient Hellenism 171 4. Heidegger and Spengler: Kultur and Zivilisation 175 5. The Defense of "Historicity" and the Reinterpretation of the War 179 6. Germany, "Guilt," and the Assessment of the Worldwide Will to Power 184 7. Heidegger, Junger, and Schmitt 189 Notes 194 SEVEN. HEIDEGGER, THE SECOND THIRTY YEARS' WAR, AND THE CRITICISM OF MODERNITY 203 1. An Apolitical Philosopher? 203 2. Two Opposed Criticisms of Modernity 208 3. Horkheimer, Adorno, and the Dialectic of Enlightenment 211 4. Husserl, Modernity, and the Enlightenment 216 5. Heidegger, Croce, Gentile, and Liberalism 218 6. Liberal Tradition and the Criticism of Modernity 220 7. Radical Antimodernism and Nonactuality: Nietzsche and Heidegger 225 Notes 232 BIBLIOGRAPHY 238 INDEX 248 In Heidegger And The Ideology Of War, Domenico Losurdo Reconstructs The Genesis Of Heidegger's Philosophy In Its Historical Context, Analyzing The Characteristics Of The Peculiar Ideology Of War Developed In Germany At The Outset Of The First World War. In The Twentieth Century, Conflicts Between States For The First Time Took The Form Of Total War, Requiring The Mobilization Of An Entire Society. On The One Hand, Among The Allied Nations, This All-pervasive Ideological Mobilization Centered On The Principle Of Democratic Intervention, The Wilsonian Idea Of A Holy Crusade Able To Subvert The Eternally Militarist And Autocratic Germany And, In This Way, Favor A Kind Of Great International Democratic Revolution. On The Other Hand, In A Spiral Of Radicalization, The German Ideology Of War Characterized The Looming Conflict As A Great Clash Between Irreconcilable Civilizations, Faiths, World-visions, And Even Races. Germans Affirmed Not Only The Superiority Of Their Culture, But Above All A Political And Social Model That Expelled From Modernity Every Universal Concept Of Emancipation And Democratization.--jacket. A Great And Wonderful War -- The Gemeinschaft And The Socialism Of War -- The Ideology Of War Outside Of Germany -- War And Meditatio Mortis -- Sacrifice, Death, And The Gemeinschaft -- The End Of Bourgeois Security -- Obeying Destiny -- War, Community, And Death: Jaspers And Heidegger -- Jaspers And The Kriegsideologie -- Jaspers And The Coming Of Nazism -- Jaspers And The Community Of The Soil -- Heidegger, Camaraderie, And The Gemeinschaft -- The Philosopher, The Abyss Of Dasein, And Primal Courage -- The Freischwebend Intellectual: Heidegger As A Critic Of Mannheim -- Value Neutrality And Liberalism: Heidegger As A Critic Of Weber -- Sein Und Zeit And The Kriegsideologie -- Germans, Europeans, Gypsies, And Papuans -- Historicity And The Negation Of The Universal Concept Of Man -- Historicity, Difference, And Struggle -- Spirit And Subversive Intellectualism -- Detranscendentalization And Deuniversalization Of The Subject -- The Cricitism And Reinterpretation Of Historicity: Husserl -- Historicity And The Autonomy Of Theory: Husserl Versus Heidegger -- The Western World: The West And The East -- German Historicity And The Unity Of The West -- The Outcasts Of Historicity: Gypsies, Papuans, And Hottentots -- The Metaphysical People And The Salvation Of The Western World -- War, Revolution, And Conspiracy -- The Bolshevik Revolution And The Judaic-bolshevik Conspiracy -- Jews, Zivilisation, And Revolution -- The Jews And The Community Without Soil -- The Western World And Judaism: Jaspers And Heidegger. Domenico Losurdo ; Translated By Marella And Jon Morris. Includes Bibliographical References (p. 241-249) And Index. Domenico Losurdo reconstructs the genesis of Heidegger's philosophy in its historical context, analyzing the meaning and characteristics of the peculiar "ideology of war" developed in Germany at the outset of the First World War. In the 20th century, conflicts between states took the form for the first time of total war requiring a total mobilization of society. This all-pervasive ideological mobilization of consciences was associated at the purely military and industrial level in a form never seen before. On the one hand, among the allied nations the ideology of war centered on the principle of "democratic intervention", the Wilsonian idea of a holy crusade able to subvert the eternally militarist and autocratic Germany and, in this way, favor a kind of great "international democratic revolution". On the other hand, in a spiral of radicalization, the German ideology of war characterized the looming conflict as a great clash between irreconcilable civilizations, faiths, world-visions, and even races. Not only was the superiority of German culture over the enemy countries affirmed, but above all the hypothesis of a political and social model that expelled from modernity every universalistic concept of emancipation and democratization.Moving within this milieu, Heidegger's philosophy contested the cultural decadence and "massification" reigning in Western industrial society. In a sharp confrontation with the entire philosophical tradition starting from ancient Greece, he finally condemned the conceptual basis that is the foundation of the modern world as a form of degenerated Platonism in which liberal, revolutionary, and Marxist ideas, and even Nietzsche's philosophy, wereinvolved.Contrary to the majority of interpreters of Heidegger's philosophy, Losurdo reconstructs Heidegger's political dimension and shows the influence of the historical and social context on the development of his ideas. The outbreak of the First World War was perceived by more than just a few European intellectuals as the confirmation of the irreversible crisis, not only of historical materialism, but of every "unilateral, naturalistic way of thinking and feeling" as well-the expression, we will see, is Husserl's.