Introduction to Philosophy—Thinking and Poetizing

Phillip Jacques Braunstein teaches in the philosophy department at Loyola Marymount University.

"[This] translation is readable and admirably unobtrusive. Phillip Jacques Braunstein (independent scholar and entrepreneur) renders Heidegger's key terms in recognisable ways. He has a keen sense of when and how to include the original German in order to reveal translation choices and Heidegger's wordplay without sacrificing the flow of the text.2011"—Notre Dame Philosophical Review"[Abiding] within the depths of Holderlin's way of speaking, Heidegger arrives at the crossing between philosophy and poetry: the creative tension or 'essential sway' within language . . . .Sept. 2011"—REVIEW OF METAPHYSICS"Heidegger's Introduction to Philosophy—Thinking and Poetizing sheds important light on his thinking in 1944, when the lectures of which it is composed were given. By way of discussing Nietzsche's poems in terms of the distinction between thinking and poetizing, it clarifies both what that distinction is and how it works in Heidegger's thought. Wisely chosen appendices and supplements give further clarification. The translation, by Phillip Jacques Braunstein, is superlative. Braunstein has deep knowledge of Heidegger and of German, and his instincts are unerring. He manages well the inevitable trade-offs between English readability and faithfulness to the German. This will be recognized as one of the best translations of Heidegger into English ever produced. The combination of illuminating texts by Heidegger and the brilliant translation by Braunstein recommend the book for adoption in advanced undergraduate courses."—John McCumber, University of California, Los Angeles

• Editor's ForewordTranslator's ForewordIntroductionIntroduction to Philosophy as a Guide to Genuine Thinking through the Thinker Nietzsche and the Poet Hölderlin1. The Impossibility of an Intro-duction to Philosophy2. The Need for a Guide to Become at Home in Genuine Thinking3. The Manifold Ways for a Guide to Genuine Thinking. The Question: "What Now Is?"4. The Consideration of Thinking in its Relation to Poetizing as One of the Ways for a Guide to Genuine Thinking. Nietzsche and Hölderlin5. The Confrontation with Thinking that Encounters us Historically: Nietzsche's Main and Fundamental ThoughtReview (First Draft)Chapter 1The Fundamental Experience and Fundamental Attunement of Nietzsche's Thinking6. The Godlessness and Worldlessness of the Modern Human as Nietzsche's Fundamental Experiencea) The "Creation" of the Gods by Humansb) The Scope of the Thought of the Human as the "Creating One," the "Creative" in the Humanc) The "Metaphysical" Ground of the Thought of the Creative Human: The Modern Determination of the Essence of the Humand) Thought in a Greek Waye) The Worldlessness of the Modern Human7. The Homelessness of the Modern Human as Nietzsche's Fundamental Attunementa) The Loss of the Previous Home in the Anticipating and Searching for the New Homeb) Rationality that Merely Calculates and the Forgetting of the Western Historical DeterminationChapter 2The Creation of the New Home Out of the Will to Power8. The Homeless Ones as the Conquerors and Discoverers of the New Home9. Nietzsche's Main Thought: The Will to Power as Essenz (Essence) of Beings and as the Final Fact. The Veiled Difference between Being and BeingsThinking and PoetizingConsiderations for the LectureIntroductionThinking and Poetizing: Philosophy and Poetry ( and )1. The Comparing of Thinking and Poetizing. Genuine Comparing2. The Measure-Setting of the Decisive Thinkers and Poets for the Assessment of the Essence of Thinking and Poetizing3. The Necessity of a Preparation for the Hearing of Thinking and Poetizing4. Reflection on Thinking and Poetizing and Their Relationship. The Question-Worthy as the Standard for ContemplationSupplementsSecond Version of the Review: Introduction to Philosophy—Thinking and PoetizingReview of pp. 105ff. (Nietzsche. On the Relationship between Thinking and Poetizing)Second Version of the Manuscript pp. 4–5: On Thinking and Poetizing. Considerations for the Lecture (Preliminary Questions for the Reflection on Thinking and Poetizing)Two Fragmentary Versions of Manuscript p. 12a) First Fragmentary Versionb) Second Fragmentary VersionNotes to the Lecture: Introduction to Philosophy—Thinking and PoetizingThe Eternal Return of the SameThe Will to Power—the Eternal Return of the SameAppendix to Nietzsche's MetaphysicsNotes to Nietzsche's MetaphysicsWho Is Zarathustra? A Confrontation with NietzscheNietzsche's Thus Spoke ZarathustraReturn and ÜbermenschEternal Return of the Same and bermenschZarathustra's PrefaceLecture Announcements: Transcriptions and FacsimilesEditor's Afterword