Heidegger, Art, and Postmodernity

by Iain D. Thomson

• ISBN13: 9780521172493
• ISBN10: 0521172497
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2011-04-29
• Publisher: Cambridge University Press

Summary

Heidegger, Art, and Postmodernity offers a radical new interpretation of Heidegger's later philosophy, developing his argument that art can help lead humanity beyond the nihilistic ontotheology of the modern age. Providing pathbreaking readings of Heidegger's "The Origin of the Work of Art" and his notoriously difficult Contributions to Philosophy (From Enowning), this book explains precisely what postmodernity meant for Heidegger, the greatest philosophical critic of modernity, and what it could still mean for us today. Exploring these issues, Iain D. Thomson examines several postmodern works of art, including music, literature, painting, and even comic books, from a post-Heideggerian perspective. Clearly written and accessible, this book will help readers gain a deeper understanding of Heidegger and his relation to postmodern theory, popular culture, and art.

Table of Contents

Introduction: Heidegger, art, and postmodernity

Understanding ontotheology, or 'the history that we are'

Heidegger's critique of modern aesthetics

Heidegger's postmodern understanding of art

'Even better than the real thing'? Postmodernity, the triumph of simulacra, and U2

Deconstructing the hero: the postmodern comic book

The philosophical fugue: understanding the structure and goal of Heidegger's Contributions to Philosophy (From Enowning)

The danger and the promise of Heidegger, an American perspective

Against conclusions

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