Heidegger on Affect

Book excerpt: Heidegger's explorations of affect or "attunement" are an essential part of his challenge to predominant Western traditions. The alert and inquisitive essays in this collection show that Heidegger's thoughts not only offer opportunities for deeper psychological insight, but also raise crucial questions about being, knowledge, ethics, and politics. - Richard Polt, Professor of Philosophy, Xavier University, USA This book offers the first comprehensive assessment of Heidegger's account of affective phenomena. Affective phenomena play a significant role in Heidegger's philosophy -- his analyses of mood significantly influenced diverse fields of research such as existentialism, hermeneutics, phenomenology, theology and cultural studies. Despite this, no single collection of essays has been exclusively dedicated to this theme. Comprising twelve innovative essays by leading Heidegger scholars, this volume skilfully explores the role that not only Angst plays in Heidegger's work, but also love and boredom. Exploring the nature of affective phenomena in Heidegger, as well as the role they play in wider philosophical debates, the volume is a valuable addition to Heideggerian scholarship and beyond, enriching current debates across disciplines on the nature of human agency.