Summary

"Basic Writings" by Martin Heidegger is a comprehensive collection of his most influential essays, spanning from his seminal work "Being and Time" (1927) to "The Task of Thinking" (1964). This compilation serves as an introduction to Heidegger's complex philosophical system, focusing on the fundamental question of Being.

The book begins with an introduction to "Being and Time," where Heidegger introduces his concept of Dasein, or human existence, as the starting point for understanding Being. It progresses through key essays such as "What Is Metaphysics?," which explores the concept of Nothing and its relationship to Being, and "On the Essence of Truth," which challenges traditional notions of truth as correspondence, proposing instead truth as unconcealment (aletheia).

Further selections include "The Origin of the Work of Art," where Heidegger examines the role of art in revealing truth and establishing a world, and "Letter on Humanism," a critical response to Sartre's existentialism, clarifying Heidegger's stance on humanism and the essence of man. The collection also delves into technology with "The Question Concerning Technology," analyzing its essence as a mode of revealing that challenges and orders the world as standing-reserve.

Concluding with "The End of Philosophy and the Task of Thinking," the book reflects on the limitations of traditional metaphysics and proposes a new task for thinking: to attend to the clearing of Being. Throughout these writings, Heidegger challenges readers to question deeply held assumptions about existence, truth, and the nature of reality, offering a profound and transformative philosophical journey.