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In this popular, highly readable survey, Mary Warnock considers the contributions made to Existentialism by Kierkegaard, Nietzsche, and Husserl, and discusses at length the works of Heidegger, Merleau-Ponty, and Sartre. This revised edition includes a postscript reviewing the status of Existentialism in the 1990s and has a thoroughly updated bibliography. ... Read more

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Since 1945, and particularly since the facts of the "Heidegger case" became widely known in 1987, an enormous number of words have been devoted to establishing not only Heidegger's involvement with Nazism, but also that his philosophy is irredeemably discredited thereby. This book, while in no way denying the depth or seriousness of Heidegger's political involvement, challenges this tide of opinion, arguing that his philosophy is not compromised in any of its phases, and that acceptance of it is fully consistent with a deep commitment to liberal democracy. ... Read more

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Heidegger and his connection to Fascism
I began reading this book wondering how Heidegger came to be involved with Fascism.Sadly, because Heidegger himself was never very forthcoming it was left to others to sort out this question.It is interesting to read how Heidegger assumed the Rectorship of the University of Freiburg immediately after the Nazi takeover, only to resign soon afterwords.One is left with the impression that Heidegger recognized his error, but was unable to find a suitable context for expressing his disappointment.Given his bent as an existentialist thinker, Heidegger might have thought it disingenuous to declare himself "schuldig" when he regarded the errors of politicians and diplomats rather than a defect in his philosophy (or "essence") as responsible for his downfall.

At this point I feel that I should admit that I do not really understand Heiddeger's philosophy.If I did understand it, then I would be able to make a better assessment of this book.Nevertheless, I really did enjoy this book, which I guess may have been targeted at people like me who are not actual students of Heidegger.Although I still feel somewhat in the dark regarding Heidegger's thoughts and motivations, this book has, at least, brought me somewhat closer to understanding them.

... Read more

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What is consciousness and how is it related to the natural world? The essays in this volume address this question from the perspective of phenomenological philosophy of mind, a new trend that integrates phenomenology, analytic philosophy, and cognitive science. The guiding principles of this new thinking is that precise and detailed phenomenological accounts of subjective experience are needed if significant progress is to be made in understanding consciousness and its place in the natural world. From this standpoint, the essays collected here explore a variety of nuances concerning consciousness,. perception, schizophrenia, empathy and intersubjectivity. Also addresses are fascinating methodological issues involving the relationship between phenomenology and other approaches to understanding the mind in science and philosophy. ... Read more

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Paul Ricoeur is widely regarded as the foremost living phenomenologist. His writings cover a wide range of topics, from the history of philosophy, literary criticism and aesthetics, to metaphysics, ethics, religion, semiotics, linguistic structuralism, the humanistic sciences, psychoanalysis, Marxism, guilt and evil, and conflicts of interpretation. In similar format to the preceding 21 volumes of the "Library of Living Philosophers", this book contains Ricoeur's intellectual autobiography, critical essays by 25 leading philosophers, and Ricoeur's replies to these criticisms. ... Read more

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This book focuses on the emergence of contextual existential theory and practice from more traditional existential psychology. Farley addresses the diversity of humankind and the need to be culturally aware as we attempt to address the dilemmas that present themselves to us in our daily lives. ... Read more

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An excellent guide for applying contextual existential theory to clinical practice
In Living in Paradox, Ned Farley lays out the principles of contextual existentialism, weaving together classic existential thought with principles of humanistic psychology and the here-and-now approaches of phenomenology and Zen Buddhist practice.Concise and accessible, this useful book draws on case examples that are familiar to any clinician, showing how the principles of existential psychology can come alive in the therapy room.The book includes a structure for assessment and diagnosis that avoids freezing clients in time and lays a foundation that allows clinicians to see their clients with fresh eyes at each therapy session.It also provides practical instructions and guidance for working with one's intuitive sense while sitting with clients. This book is an important addition to the library of any clinician who wants to work in the here-and-now with clients. ... Read more

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The Examined Life. . .
This book is a satisfying study of psychological insecurity, identity, and alienation. It's personal in that it deals with the vulnerability of being out of whack with oneself and others, but the book is philosophical in approach. With scrupulous honesty and creativity Bach walks the reader through uncomfortable (sometimes hardly bearable) contradictions at the core of our being-in-the-world. In the end he loosens the knots of some false premises and points to freedom of mind. A neat trick in 105 pages.

Bach writes in an inviting manner, moving the inquiry forward at a brisk pace. The language and style are a treat. The bibliography is a treasure.

My favorite philosophy book ever.
When my favorite philosophy professor retired, he gave away all the books in his office. Along with a handful of others, I picked up this one, because I'm always interested in existentialism.

It's a fascinating book, and the easiest philosophy book to read that I've come across, for those of you who have trouble with the diction of some philosophers.

It discusses some of the basic questions of existence, questions about identity, meaning, the self, and other subjects under the existentialist umbrella of "How should I live?"

It's hard to say what makes this book distinct, but although it is so small and short, I feel that it is like a holy scripture that contains, not all the answers (for that is impossible), but all the right questions of existentialist philosophy.

The author's exploration is thoughtful, intelligent, and fair to all perspectives; the author is apparently very self-aware and is always conscious of his own biases, inclinations, and fallabilities. I get a sense that the subject matter of the book is a part of the author's life, not just something he writes about to have a book.

This is one of the books I would choose if I could only keep a handful from my library. ... Read more

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Existentialism as a movement tries to come to terms with the most personal and ultimate issues that confront human beings: Does life have meaning?Is there any basis for choosing one set of values over another?The author shows that denying the existence of God and His relevance has led modern man into despair.Here he offers hope for the human condition by showing that despair is not the only honest response. ... Read more

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The sickness unto death
Stephen Evans begins this book by telling the reader of his own experience with death.The concern here is not death as a biological event or the way people feel when they are about to die, but with the existential significance this certain yet-to-come death has for the individual human life.Next the author gives a quick glimpse into the thoughts of such existentialists as Camus, Dostoevsky, Sartre, Marcel, and Kierkegaard-- the book is not meant as a treatment of individual thinkers, but the reader gets the basic gist of what they thought. (and for the interested there is a list of books for further reading in the back)

Evans discuss morality and reasoning focusing on the effect existential despair and alienation can have on the individual person -- the roots of alienation and despair are also covered.There is a positive mood running throughout this entire book, even when Evans is discussing human emptiness and despair there is always a sense of hope. After giving a description of existentialism and its possibilities the final chapter is about the decision all thinking people must make; whether to despair as a way of life or whether to have hope in something more.The author gives some good criteria that should be considered when making your own choice-- and everyone does make a choice, everyone has an ultimate concern or as Camus said: 'one must choose a master'.The book is only 120 pages, still, the message is clear with everything being well presented and thought out. This is definitely a book worth a reading.

An Excellent Primer
This was the first book I ever read to begin my exploration ofexistentialism.Although its been 10 years, it is still a most excellentintroduction into existential thought, and while I have read broadly since,I have found C Stephen Evans a most excellent lucid author, whom I will beforever grateful for. He has opened a door for many universes to me inwonderful abounding thought.

This is an excellent primer for those whohave wondered about what existentialism means, but were afraid to ask.

Ican never keep this one on my shelf. ... Read more

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"The heart of history, for Heidegger, is not a sequence of occurrences but the eruption of significance at critical junctures that bring us into our own by making all being, including our being, into an urgent issue. In emergency, being emerges."—from The Emergency of Being

The esoteric Contributions to Philosophy, often considered Martin Heidegger’s second main work after Being and Time, is crucial to any interpretation of his thought. Here Heidegger proposes that being takes place as "appropriation." Richard Polt’s independent-minded account of the Contributions interprets appropriation as an event of emergency that demands to be thought in a "future-subjunctive" mode. Polt explores the roots of appropriation in Heidegger’s earlier philosophy; Heidegger’s search for a way of thinking suited to appropriation; and the implications of appropriation for time, space, human existence, and beings as a whole. In his concluding chapter, Polt reflects critically on the difficulties of the radically antirationalist and antimodern thought of the Contributions.

Polt’s original reading neither reduces this challenging text to familiar concepts nor refutes it, but engages it in a confrontation—an encounter that respects a way of thinking by struggling with it. He describes this most private work of Heidegger’s philosophy as "a dissonant symphony that imperfectly weaves together its moments into a vast fugue, under the leitmotif of appropriation. This fugue is seeded with possibilities that are waiting for us, its listeners, to develop them. Some are dead ends—viruses that can lead only to a monolithic, monotonous misunderstanding of history. Others are embryonic insights that promise to deepen our thought, and perhaps our lives, if we find the right way to make them our own." ... Read more

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Contributions to philosophy
An excellent and well written introduction to this very difficult text. This book follows Introduction to Metaphysics by the same author and expands on his text in the Companion to Heidegger's Contribution to Philosophy.

Some knowledge and understanding of Heidegger's work would seem a useful prerequisite - especially Being and Time.

A useful addition to any bookshelf if the owner is interested in knowing what the world is all about. ... Read more

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The Essence of Human Freedom is a groundbreaking work that provides a compelling philosophical account of humanity's potential for liberty. It is fundamental for understanding Heidegger's view of Greek philosophy and its relationship to modern philosophy. In no other work by Heidegger do we find as detailed a consideration of Kant's practical philosophy or of Aristotle's Metaphysics as is given here. Translated by Ted Sadler. Dr Ted Sadler, studied at the University of Sydney and has taught philosophy widely at Australian universities. ... Read more

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Quintessential Heidegger
This set of lectures, published for the first time in English, reflect the rigor of Heideggerian method of philosophy. Heidegger discusses the question of human freedom with reference to Kant's pure and practical reason. For Heidegger the essence of human freedom is the fundamental problem of philosophy because it can illuminate the whole through the part.

Heidegger also typically links his question to the 'leading question of philosophy', which permeates Heideggers oeuvre - that of being. After a brief investigation into the positive and negative concepts of freedom in Kant and concepts like causality etc., he explains why it is necessary to understand being to understand human freedom and launches a hermenuetic/etymological inquiry into the concept of being in Aristotle's metaphysics.

At this stage you begin to wonder, why Heidegger is taking you deeper and deeper into the question of being when you are reading the book in order to understand human freedom. But Heidegger rarely follows a line of argument aimlessly. By discussing being and causality, he connects back to Kant to show that there can be a double causation of being and humans are the only beings who can ascertain this causation through their consciousness, bringing human will and freedom back into the picture.

He then discusses the other concept of freedom in Kant, based on 'the categorical imperative' but here he falls a little weak, especially when he dismisses the contributions of Scheler and Hartmann towards a non-formal ethics, (although his grounds of dismissal remain valid in principle, they miss the critique of Scheler).

Yet, this book teaches you more than the essence of human freedom - it teaches you philosophy and the method and duty of philosophy, something which many contemporary philosophers easily forget. ... Read more

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This title covers most of Edith Stein's philosophical life, from her early work with Husserl to her later encounters with medieval Christian thought, as well as a critical and analytical reading of major Steinian texts. Stein was an original thinker who challenged not only the direction in which Husserlian phenomenology was progressing but also sought to bring to philosophical light the relevance of certain key questions, including the meaning of what it is to be human, the relevance of metaphysics to science, and fundamental questions about the nature of God. Working to correct the perception that Stein is either an 'unfaithful and distorting' phenomenologist or a pious Catholic mystic, Calcagno brings to light important work that has been neglected by both secular and religious scholars. The essays are not merely expository, but discuss the philosophical questions raised by Stein's work from a contemporary perspective, using Stein's original German texts. ... Read more

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Beginning with Plato and Aristotle, philosophers throughout history have built their theories around the problem of reconciling a fundamental distinction, as for example, Plato's distinction between knowledge (reality) and opinion (appearance), Descarte's mind/body distinction, and Kant's a priori/a posteriori distinction. This 'problem of difference' is a classic theme in philosophy, and one that has taken especially intriguing turns in recent decades. Jeffrey A. Bell here presents a finely constructed survey of the contemporary continental philosophers, focusing on how they have dealt with the problem of difference.

Bell's work centres around three key figures- Husserl,Merleau-Ponty, and Deleuze. He also considers the positions of such thinkers as Foucault, Derrida, and Rorty, who have called for an end to the traditional response to the problem of difference - an end to the search for any ultimate foundations on which our varied and different experiences of the world might be based - and thus, in effect, an end to traditional philosophy.

In clarifying the relationship between phenomenology and poststructuralism, Bell analyses the role of paradox in both traditions, in particular the role it plays in accounting for difference. Not only philosophers, but also teachers and students in the area of comparative literary they will benefit from this book. ... Read more

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Paradoxa and the Repetition of Irreducible Difference
The central matter of this text is that the difference between two things, a difference that is irreducible, brings about a paradox, in that the things that are irreducibly different are nevertheless related. This problem is what Bell names as 'the problem of difference' (p. 3). This is not a new problem, as it dates back to at least Plato: only the proposed solutions are. And it is for the same purpose, so at least appears to me, that Bell discusses Husserl (part 1), Merleau-Ponty (part 2), and Deleuze (part 3).

Bell starts with Husserl and his recognition of a previously neglected difference, especially by Kant, between acts that intend an object and acts that experience an object, in an effort to break away from the traditional quest for the origin of such a difference. As Bell explains, with Husserl one is aware of an object in an act of consciousness, which has interpretive sense. Hence a dual focus, one on language (linguistic model), and the other on perception (perceptual model). Bell however shows that each model has its own difficulty to account for the problem of difference (that sense needs sense to be meaningful; that an object needs a sense-content to be meaningful). This regress (paradox of fulfillment) Husserl eventually comes to admit as taking place within the continuity of consciousness. To correct his position, Husserl tries to account for the constitution of the datum of sensation, hence the difference between the intuited object and the act of intuition giving form to what is form-less. Such an act is moreover meaningful as it is grounded on noema, the neutral 'condition for the expressibility of consciousness', which accounts for the 'irreducible difference in consciousness itself' (pp. 69-70). Against Follesdal (concept theory) and Gurwitsch (percept theory) Bell argues that noema is the 'neutral, non-positing boundary between sense and object' (p. 86). And it is this view of the noema that becomes for Bell not only the tread linking Husserl to Deleuze to Merleau-Ponty, but also the basis for defining paradox as 'the simultaneous affirmation of two contrasting senses (p. 95).

However meritorious the effort to develop noema as that which accounts for difference, it seems, according to Bell, that in assigning a 'mediating identity' (p. 96) to noema as being that between a positing consciousness and reality, Husserl provides us with an interpretation that denies the paradoxical character of noema. And to avoid it becomes subservient to a more fundamental identity Merleau-Ponty sees noema to be the 'condition which makes possible the distinction between subject and the word' (p. 99). It is not a mediate identity because it is unable to account for the other, since such a position tends to reduce the other within oneself. Instead, in adopting a noematic reflection, Merleau-Ponty proposes to reveal the body and the world as being the condition for self and other, hence an emphasis on structure: the perceived is not form-less. To avoid however accounting for the existence of a structure by claiming another structure of a higher order, Bell explains that Merleau-Ponty argues for the paradoxical nature of perception, in that it makes all binary oppositions possible. But in this sense perception is also primordial whereupon language as excess is grafted, a leakage that precludes any direct perception. Thus, self and the other can only be related in a divided consciousness in a perceiving body: 'it is the paradoxical experience of the perceiving body, of being already constituted and constituting, that is the condition for perceiving an already constituted object' (p. 136). This characterization, however, causes a tension between paradox as the differentiating condition and a fundamental identity, that is the body, hence accounting for the other (paradox of limitation and access). For this reason, Bell elucidates, Merleau-Ponty shifts emphasis from the body onto the Being, as that which makes inter-subjectivity possible along the notion of "reversibility", in particular that of the flesh, to account for the other. Against Lefort (flesh is immanence) and Dillon (flesh is transcendence) Bell argues that for Merleau-Ponty flesh is a differentiating condition, a paradox that plays a constitutive role (in the same vein as Husserl's noema). From this Bell arrives at stressing two types of paradox, namely, 'of infinite series' and 'of identity and difference' (p. 185).

Bell clarifies Merleau-Ponty's position: the former type refers to the fundamental synthesis of being whereas the latter to the fundamental difference of Being: a paradox is 'something which is itself conditioned, conditioned by Being' (p. 187). With this Deleuze seems to be in complete disagreement: the body, following Bergson and a discussion on cinema, takes snapshots of passing reality in that it frames the world and therefore is the condition of differentiation for perception (in the same manner as noema). For Bell then 'the frame is paradoxa' (p.203). And given the importance of time in the treatment of cinema, time is 'the fundamental difference that cannot be measured - that is, non-identifiable, un-present-able' (p. 222). Deleuze, in Bell's reading, is thus confronted with the problem of difference to which he responds by making it a neutral event dependent upon its actualization (playing a similar role as Husserl's noema). More importantly, Deleuze recognizes that the problem is not a matter of accounting for difference in terms of a fundamental identity, but the other way round.

Overall, this is a well-structured and thought-provoking text, albeit challenging in the sense that it is not always easy to follow unless familiar with the authors discussed, but the frequent reminders of the issues at stake does help maintain focus. And this is the focus on difference. In this respect it is a very important and highly recommended text because Bell has put together some original arguments and ideas on difference. Particularly that of seeing difference as a problem, not only in terms of a problematic to be solved, but as a recurrent problem that upsets the previous endeavor.

Good book!
The most important part of Bell's book, I believe, is the chapter on Merleau-Ponty, a chapter which marks the transition from phenomenology to post-structuralism.The preceding discussion on Husserl is good, but dozens of books are out there interpreting Husserl.Rather, his exposition not only of Merleau-Ponty but of current Merleau-Ponty scholarship, is what raises this book a notch above other books of its kind.In particular, he sheds light on the contemporary debates over Merleau-Ponty's ambiguous notion of the "flesh".And he uses the ambiguity surrounding this notion as impetus into his sections on post-structuralism, notably, the philosophy of Deleuze.As far as I know, this is the first work to present the philosophical ties between Merleau-Ponty and Deleuze.I recommend this book to anyone interested in the development of French thought in the 20th century. ... Read more

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Alison Stone offers a feminist defence of the idea that sexual difference is natural, providing a novel interpretation of the later philosophy of Luce Irigaray. She defends Irigaray's unique form of essentialism and her rethinking of the relationship between nature and culture, showing how Irigaray's ideas can be reconciled with Judith Butler's performative conception of gender, through rethinking sexual difference in relation to German Romantic philosophies of nature. This is a sustained attempt to connect feminist conceptions of embodiment to German idealist and Romantic accounts of nature. Not merely an interpretation of Irigaray, this book also presents an original feminist perspective on nature and the body. It will encourage debate on the relations between sexual difference, essentialism, and embodiment. ... Read more

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Leading scholars engage the later contributions of Maurice Merleau-Ponty. ... Read more

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The Phenomenology of Spirit is Hegel's most important and famous work.It is essential to understanding Hegel's philosophical system and why he remains a major figure in western philosophy. Stern offers a clear and accessible introduction to what is undoubtedly one of the most complex books in the history of philosophy. ... Read more

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a great way to understand a complicated philosopher
Hegel is a system philosopher...he provides an arching phenomenological philosophy. He dealt with huge concepts and spawned many philosophers...Marx, Nietzche, keirkegaard, Husserl, Schopenhauer, Sartre,
His mega philosophy is not helped by his writing style. Hegel is one of the most difficult philosophical reads, that a hegelian dictionary and assistant reader is almost non-negotiable. The Rutledge Hegel reader is one of the best, and was recommended to me by my Hegel expert professor...and it proved to be more than adequate. Having this book as you go through Hegel's phenomenology of spirit made the understanding of this tome much easier. It is clear, precise and has depth in understanding Hegel.

Good Introductory Commentary
Robert Stern's commentary on Hegel's Phenomenology of the Spirit is another strong addition in the Routledge Philosophy Guidebook series.Even by the arcane standards of German idealism Hegel's Phenomenology is a notoriously difficult text, at once, both, beautifully poetic and frustratingly specious.It can be impenetrable for the first-time reader if approached without the assistance of a skilled guide (or two).Following are comments for potential purchasers:

First. Stern is readable, short and clear - not overly laden with technical jargon.More advanced students may wish to augment this text with a more detailed commentary from the likes of Harris, Hyppolite or Lauer.

Second. Citations are referenced to Miller's standard English translation of the Phenomenology.

Third. A modest drawback is the lack of a glossary.Hegelian terminology can be especially difficult, hence some guidance would be useful.

Fourth. Jay Bernstein has a wonderful yearlong graduate-level course discussing the Phenomenology available on-line for no cost at BernsteinTapes.com.Kudos to the folks who have made this available, it is an outstanding resource.

Overall, I highly recommend Stern's commentary for readers approaching the Phenomenology for the first time.Even with this excellent guide, however, a solid background in academic philosophy is probably required to fully appreciate Hegel.

Cliff Notes
An introduction to Hegel is, in the first place, a certain barbarism. Given the emphasis that Hegel himself put on the act of pursuing the movement of The Phenomenology as a literary experience, we should be perhaps a bit hesitant to have such an experience augmented and, hence, swayed towards a particular reading. But, let's face it, The Phenomenology is so stuffed full of complex neologisms, seemingly circumlocutious sentences, and haphazard diversions as to likely lose the uninitiated within a few pages. It would seem that would really be helpful for those who haven't cut their teeth on Hegel yet would be an introduction to Hegel's style, both literary and philosophical, that would ease their entry into The PDG. Unfortunately, Stern's intro is much less a passage into Hegel, than a shortcut around him. Nowhere in "Hegel and The Phenomenology of Spirit" will you find an explanation of negativity, synthesis, or movement per se; they have been displaced in favor of more readily intelligible paraphrases, if at all directly mentioned. Hegel quotations appear periodically throughot the text, but without any insight into their meaning as such. To an unaccustomed reader, it probably seems like Stern is interpreting nebulous, equivocal poems. The bare bones outline structure of the Routledge Philosophy Guidebooks makes them much less amenable to thinkers like Hegel, Heidegger, Derrida, etc. whose style and precision with words eludes a simple rephrasing. Much like a book on Heidegger that didn't mention dasein, concealment, or concern would, Hegel and the Phenomenology Of Spirit leaves us with little assisstance in penetrating the actual text itself. Like many others, it is a good example of dry-humping an integral work in the history of philosophy. ... Read more

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Understanding Existentialism provides an accessible introduction to existentialism by examining the major themes in the work of Heidegger, Sartre, Merleau-Ponty and de Beauvoir. Paying particular attention to the key texts, Being and Time, Being and Nothingness, Phenomenology of Perception, The Ethics of Ambiguity and The Second Sex, the book explores the shared concerns and the disagreements between these major thinkers. The fundamental existential themes examined include: freedom; death, finitude and mortality; phenomenological experiences and 'moods', such as anguish, angst, nausea, boredom, and fear; an emphasis upon authenticity and responsibility as well as the denigration of their opposites (inauthenticity and Bad Faith); a pessimism concerning the tendency of individuals to become lost in the crowd and even a pessimism about human relations more generally; and a rejection of any external determination of morality or value. Finally, the book assesses the influence of these philosophers on poststructuralism, arguing that existentialism remains an extraordinarily productive school of thought. ... Read more

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Systematic comparison of Sartre and Adorno that focuses on their theories of the subject. ... Read more

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An absolutely fascinating book
The best new book on the subject, written by America's best young Adorno scholar, and our most promising Sartre scholar. Brilliant, clear,. a must-read. ... Read more