I highly recommend this book (by Klaussen and Zimmermann) to anyone who is interested in the subjects of university education, the humanities, and postmodernism. I wish I could have read it before I completed my college education (though it wasn't yet written!); through tracing the historical development of the university it has given me a new appreciation of the benefits of a well-rounded education, and along the way has cleared up some philosophical terminology, such as "dualism," "ideology," and of course, "humanism." And while it clarifies many terms and concepts, it is also a reminder that the concept of humanism is complex; understanding it involves an in-depth consideration of the Enlightenment and its critics, in all their various forms.
"Why is Heidegger so important? Because he attacked directly the Enlightenment's way of measuring truth and determining rationality. Something was considered rational and true when it could be examined neutrally and objectively. Objective knowledge had to be free from any personal involvement . . . " (116)
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