The Eclipse of Humanity: Heschel's Critique of Heidegger (Studia Judaica)

It has been widely assumed that Heschel's writings are poetic inspirations devoid of philosophical analysis and unresponsive to the evil of the Holocaust. Who Is Man? (1965) contains a detailed phenomenological analyis of man and being which is directed at the main work of Martin Heidegger found primarily in Being and Time (1927) and Letter on Humanism (1946). When the analysis of Who Is Man? is unapacked in the light of these associations it is clear that Heschel rejected poetry and metaphor as a means of theological elucidation, that he offered a profound examination of the Holocaust and that the major thrust of his thinking eschews Heidegerrian deconstruction and the postmodernism that ensued in its phenomenological wake. Who Is Man? contains direct and indirect criticisms of Heidegger's notions of 'Dasein', 'thrownness', 'facticity' and 'submission' to name a few essential Heideggerian concepts. In using his ontological connective method in opposition to Heidegger's 'ontological difference', Heschel makes the argument that the biblical notion of Adam as a being open to transcendence stands in oppostion to the philosophical tradition from Parmenides to Heidegger and is the only basis for a redemptive view of humanity. Abraham Heschel believed that the Holocaust was an "Eclipse of Humanity." In its philosophical and historical context, Heschel saw this eclipse as embedded in the phenomenological approach of Heidegger. Focusing on their respective phenomenological methods, Heschel's view of Adam and Heidegger's notion of Dasein, this book is an analysis of Heschel's critique of Heidegger and the postmodernism that followers of Heidegger espoused. Nach dem Zweiten Weltkrieg hat Ernst Ludwig Ehrlich (1921-2007) herausragende israelische Gelehrte in englisch- und deutschsprachigen Veroeffentlichungen in Europa und Nordamerika bekannt gemacht. Die zu diesem Zweck von ihm begrundete Reihe Studia Judaica bietet heute ein Forum fur wissenschaftliche Studien und Editionen aus allen Epochen der judischen Religionsgeschichte. Nach dem Zweiten Weltkrieg hat Ernst Ludwig Ehrlich (1921–2007) herausragende israelische Gelehrte in englisch- und deutschsprachigen Veröffentlichungen in Europa und Nordamerika bekannt gemacht. Die zu diesem Zweck von ihm begründete Reihe Studia Judaica bietet heute ein Forum für wissenschaftliche Studien und Editionen aus allen Epochen der jüdischen Religionsgeschichte. Abraham Heschel believed that the Holocaust was an "Eclipse of Humanity." In its philosophical and historical context, Heschel saw this eclipse as embedded in the phenomenological approach of Heidegger. This book focuses on their respective phenomenological methods, Heschel's view of Adam and Heidegger's notion of Dasein. Introduction 1 Are Philosophy and Religion Possible after Auschwitz and Hiroshima? 2 Amidst the Traditions 3 First Phenomenology – in the Cobbler’s Workshop 4 Dasein and Adam 5 The Eclipse of Humanity 6 Heschel and the Postmodernists: (Are the Demonic and Death Real?)