Towards a Polemical Ethics: Between Heidegger and Plato

Martin Heidegger accused Plato of contributing to the West's descent into nihilism and the apocalyptic crisis of modernity, but Gregory Fried defends him by highlighting Plato's transcending ideals. Fried argues that Heidegger's neglect of these ideals leads to his disastrous politics and unhinged from practical reason. Plato's skeptical idealism provides an ethics that captures the situatedness of finite human existence and the need for transcendent ideals, leading to a novel way of understanding politics and ethical life called polemical ethics.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 320 pages
Publication date: 15 September 2022
Publisher: Rowman & Littlefield

Martin Heidegger attributed the gradual descent of the West into nihilism and the catastrophic crisis of modernity to Plato. In his book, Gregory Fried offers a defense of Plato against Heidegger's criticisms. While acknowledging Heidegger's insightful analysis of human finitude and historicity, Fried contends that Heidegger overlooks the transcendent ideals that inherently guide human life as it is situated in time and place. This neglect leads to Heidegger's disastrous politics, which are disconnected from a practical reason rooted in the philosophical pursuit of a truth that transcends historical contingency.

Fried engages in a thoughtful dialogue with Heidegger, both agreeing and disagreeing with his perspectives. By employing a dialectical approach, Fried demonstrates how Plato's skeptical idealism offers an ethical framework that captures the complexities of finite human existence while also recognizing the importance of transcendent ideals. This results in a novel understanding of politics and ethical life that Fried refers to as polemical ethics. Polemical ethics serves as a mediator between finitude and transcendence, engaging in constructive dialogue with both traditions and other individuals.

One particularly relevant example of the application of polemical ethics is the contradiction between the founding ideals of the United States and its actual history of racism and slavery. This discrepancy highlights the need for ethical reflection and action to address historical injustices and promote a more inclusive and equitable society. By engaging in constructive dialogue and challenging dominant narratives, polemical ethics can contribute to the pursuit of a more just and virtuous political and ethical life.

In conclusion, Gregory Fried's book offers a compelling defense of Plato against Heidegger's critiques. By highlighting the neglect of transcendent ideals in Heidegger's philosophy, Fried proposes a novel approach to politics and ethical life that emphasizes the importance of constructive dialogue and the pursuit of transcendent ideals. The contradiction between the founding ideals of the United States and its history of racism and slavery serves as a practical illustration of the need for polemical ethics in addressing historical injustices and promoting a more just and virtuous society.

Weight: 508g
Dimension: 228 x 150 x 20 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781538174067