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Published online by Cambridge University Press: 30 January 2009
Paul Edwards' October 1989 essay, ‘Heidegger's Quest for Being’ illustrates the wisdom of the dictum that the only legitimate criticism of a philosopher's position is a constructive criticism. His negative critique amounts to no more than expressions of distaste, dislike, and displeasure, and nothing of philosophical interest follows from his assertions, as the discourse is primarily an argument ad hominem. He grossly misinterprets Heidegger on some elemental and fundamental matters as well. In particular, he sorely misinterprets what he refers to as the ‘Quest for Being’, which only further contributes to the objectionable character of the essay.
1 Edwards, Paul, ‘Heidegger's Quest for Being’, Philosophy, 10 1989, Vol. 64, No. 250, 437–470CrossRefGoogle Scholar. This will be referred to as HQB in the following citations.
2 HQB, 438.Google Scholar
3 HQB, 439.Google Scholar
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5 Heidegger, Martin, An Introduction to Metaphysics (New Haven and London: Yale University Press, 1959), 121Google Scholar. Translation by Ralph Manheim.
6 Heidegger, Martin, What Is Called Thinking? (New York: Harper & Row, Publishers, Harper Colophon Books, 1968), trans, by J. Glenn Gray.Google Scholar
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20 Weber, Renée, Dialogues with Scientists and Sages: The Search for Unity (London: Routledge & Kegan Paul, 1986).Google Scholar
