Agency, Freedom, and Responsibility in the Early Heidegger

This book explores Heidegger's ideas about agency, freedom, and responsibility, offering a unique perspective that challenges traditional philosophical accounts. It argues that Heidegger's understanding of the ontological structure of human agency, including mental states, causal explanations, and deliberation, provides a plausible alternative to the standard free-will debate. The book also develops Heideggerian accounts of freedom and responsibility, which avoid the conflict between free will and determinism.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 190 pages
Publication date: 15 May 2022
Publisher: Rowman & Littlefield

This book delves into the profound and intricate works of Heidegger from the 1920s and early 1930s, employing his philosophical lens to offer unique perspectives on agency, freedom, and responsibility. Through a meticulous exploration, Hans Pedersen establishes that Heidegger's thought provides a compelling alternative to the mainstream philosophical accounts of these concepts.

In the initial chapters, Pedersen meticulously constructs an account of the ontological framework of human agency, specifically emphasizing the Heideggerian understanding of the significance of mental states, causal explanations, and deliberation in human agency. He argues that the concept of action does not necessarily require us to understand it in terms of the causal efficacy of mental states. This groundbreaking approach challenges the traditional understanding of agency and opens up new avenues for exploration.

Building upon the foundation established in the previous chapters, Pedersen proceeds to develop Heideggerian accounts of freedom and responsibility. By demonstrating that action need not be understood causally, he avoids the conflict between free will and determinism that gives rise to the problem of free will and the correlative problem of responsibility. Heidegger's perspective offers a fresh and insightful way of understanding these fundamental concepts, providing a deeper understanding of human agency and its relationship to the world around us.

Through his meticulous scholarship and thoughtful analysis, Hans Pedersen has shown that Heidegger's thought is a valuable resource for philosophers seeking to reimagine our understanding of agency, freedom, and responsibility. This book is a must-read for anyone interested in exploring the depths of philosophical inquiry and the potential for new and innovative perspectives.

Weight: 313g
Dimension: 223 x 154 x 12 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781538148327