In this episode of pplpod, we explore the life and legacy of Martin Heidegger, a figure considered by many to be among the most influential philosophers of the 20th century. We break down his groundbreaking 1927 masterpiece, Being and Time, in which he revolutionized Western thought by asking what it means "to exist" and introducing the concept of Dasein ("being-in-the-world"),.

We also confront the defining controversy of Heidegger's life: his membership in the Nazi Party and his tenure as the rector of the University of Freiburg beginning in 1933. We discuss the "uncomfortable questions" raised by his political allegiance, including his enthusiastic support for the regime and the anti-Semitic sentiments found in his private Black Notebooks,.