The Political Implication of Martin Heidegger’s ‘Existential History’ in His ''Black Notebooks''
Philosophical community took the recent publication of Martin Heidegger's philosophical diaries ("Black Notebooks") as a challenge and reacted to this event with stormy discussions and new accusations against philosopher of involvement in German National Socialism and its crimes. From my point of view, it would be more competent to analyze the text and, integrally, political and philosophical discourse of "Black Notebooks" in the most thorough manner in the context of evolution of both thinker’s views and specific historical and linguistic realities in which Heidegger wrote his diaries. In particularly, discussion that has unfolded around the Black Notebook encourages studying Heidegger’s concept of history of being presented in his diaries. So, my article is a response to public reaction on Black Notebooks publication. The subject matter of my research is Heidegger’s ‘existential history’. Thus, I attempt to understand, what Heidegger called ‘move towards the Another Origin’ particularly in the context of events. Using textual, conceptual and discourse analysis, method of intellectual reconstruction and hermeneutic method, I attempt to trace evolution of Heidegger’s political and philosophical intentions with respect to National Socialism and his metaphysic of history. Yes, indeed, at the very beginning Heidegger mentions a kind of ‘spiritual National Socialism’, however, without revealing its essence, but throughout the whole period while keeping diary, he criticizes vulgar National Socialism and political regime that uses it as an ideology and practice. Indeed, Heidegger in his diaries shows himself both an anti-communist and an anti-Semite, but he defines the practice of National Socialism as ‘machination’ (Machenschaft), and since 1942 he describes it as a crime. Moreover, in 1938-1939 Heidegger directly recognizes the naivety of his own philosophical assessments regarding the essential strength of real National Socialism, mentioning the ‘mistake of 1933.’ To understand this, it is necessary be aware of Heidegger's conviction of the need to reject metaphysics, which originated from Plato and Aristotle, in favor of the philosophy of ‘being-historical instinct.’ To do this, in his opinion, was allegedly possible through some kind of ‘spiritual National Socialism.’ But something different happened: instead of trying to establish, through National Socialism, the ‘absolute metaphysics of the will to will’ (the message of life), metaphysics completely lost its existential historical destiny. As a result, the emptiness was filled with ideas that generated all infamous Nazi crimes. Heidegger sees the reason for the failure of spiritual National Socialism in the absence of a metaphysical view of what is happening in Germany, replaced by a purely politicized approach. According to Heidegger, Another Origin should be born directly from the End of Philosophy, if only this end will be correctly deciphered and recognized. However, National Socialism cannot be spiritual without metaphysics and therefore does not allow the transition towards Another Origin. I conclude that Heidegger exposed himself and his belif does not need additional exposure; there are no reasons neither for ‘denouncing’ Heidegger or to expunge him as one of the great philosophers. He had no intention to justify National Socialism and he had never put existential historical meaning. This article intends to clarify the political preferences of Martin Heidegger and his teaching experience, and to raise the question about the absence of any conscious and lasting commitment of the philosopher to historically specific ideas of it. In the process of studying the original text I conclude he did not want to justify National Socialism, and never put it existentially-historical pathos. Only in the period that spans several years, they do not deny the theoretical possibility of the development of absolute "metaphysics of will" within that system that could help mankind in the transition to Another Origin.