The problematic relationship between Heideggers political views and h

Question

The problematic relationship between Heidegger’s political views and his seminal status as a philosopher is a continuing point of contention in the historical assessment of his achievements. His contributions to Continental philosophy in works such as Sein und Zeit have been read, in some circles, through the critical lens of his affiliation with National Socialism in Nazi Germany during the Second World War. His writing during that time covered a broad range of subjects, including philosophy, politics, and aesthetics. His work on ontology directly influenced his contemporary philosophical thinkers, such as Jean-Paul Sartre. Though he is widely regarded within philosophical circles as one of the preeminent luminaries, along with Husserl, in the modern development of ontology, there are scholars and thinkers in certain intellectual circles who militate against the value of his thought in its entirety. To regard Heidegger’s work highly would be, in their eyes, to absolve him for his support of the politics of Nazism, even though he is being evaluated solely on the basis of his contributions to the study of philosophy, and not in any political context.   1  Though he is widely regarded within philosophical circles as one of the preeminent luminaries, along with Husserl, in the modern development of ontology, certain scholars and thinkers militate against the value of his thought in its entirety.  
 
 1. Select the sentence in the passage in which the author indicates the current attitude of critical reaction to Heidegger from the academic community in general.

2 
 2. Which conclusion is implied by the author in his description of the status of Heidegger’s legacy?

A Heidegger’s work should not be given serious recognition due to his political views.
B The Second World War fostered a climate of intellectual innovation in Europe.
C It is possible to critically evaluate Heidegger’s contributions to philosophy while not absolving him for his political views.
D Scholars should consider the entire body of work of a thinker, in every field to which he or she contributed, when assessing that thinker’s legacy in any one field.
E It is impossible to divorce the study of politics from the study of philosophy

3 
 3. The author asserts which of the following about Heidegger’s work:

I. Some academics view him positively for both his political and philosophical work.
II. His legacy has been affected by his actions during World War II.
III. Some academics in some circles view him positively for his contributions to philosophy, while others cannot countenance them at all because of his connection to the Nazis.

Sajjad1994 · Answer

OE

1. Select the sentence in the passage in which the author indicates the current attitude of critical reaction to Heidegger from the academic community in general.

The sentence you’re looking for is one that sums up how the intellectual community, as a whole, views Heidegger. This means the sentence should encompass all parties, both those that are receptive to him and those that view him negatively. The second sentence,  “His contributions to Continental philosophy in works such as Sein und Zeit have been read, in some circles, through the critical lens of his affiliation with National Socialism in Nazi Germany during the Second World War,”  may be tempting, but this is telling you the way in which his work has been interpreted, not the reactions or attitudes of the academic community. It also doesn’t mention any  “competing”  feelings toward his work. The last sentence provides justification for why certain scholars view him as they do, but it does not account for the other schools of thought. The next-to-last sentence,  “Though he is widely regarded within philosophical circles as one of the preeminent luminaries, along with Husserl, in the modern development of ontology, certain scholars and thinkers militate against the value of his thought in its entirety,”  sums up the complete range of reaction to Heidegger across the academic community.

Sajjad1994 · Answer

OE

2. Which conclusion is implied by the author in his description of the status of Heidegger’s legacy?

Choice (A)  is incorrect. The author nowhere explicitly states or implies that anyone has a positive reaction to Heidegger’s political views. The author only intimates that scholars working in the study of philosophy have been influenced by his work in that field.

Choice (B)  is correct because the author states that Heidegger’s work, even in philosophy, has been viewed through this  “critical lens.”

Answer choice (C)  is also correct. The author cites philosophers, such as Sartre, who have reacted positively to Heidegger’s philosophy and asserts that those who view him negatively do so because they cannot abide by absolving him of guilt for his support of the Nazis. 
 
  Answer: B,C

Sajjad1994 · Answer

OE

3. The author asserts which of the following about Heidegger’s work:

This question asks you to engage the text at a deep level and to infer what the author is suggesting. It is important to pay close attention to the author’s tone. The passage’s Main Idea is the evaluation of a thinker’s body of work by academic scholars in different fields. The author points out both Heidegger’s tremendous accomplishments in the field of philosophy and his less-than-admirable involvement with the Nazi party.  Choice (B)  is dealt with nowhere in the passage.

Choice (E)  goes beyond the scope of the passage.

Choice (A)  is incorrect, because the author emphasizes Heidegger’s influence on philosophers like Sartre and makes certain to point out that it is in  “their eyes”  that Heidegger is so viewed, not the author’s own.

Choice (D)  is incorrect because it is the opposite of what the author implies.

Choice (C)  is the correct answer because, in the last sentence of the passage, the author stresses that it is only Heidegger’s contributions to philosophy that are being considered, not his political views. The author seems to be suggesting that the two can be judged apart from one another. 
 
  Answer: C

The problematic relationship between Heideggers political views and h

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