Speaking of Silence in Heidegger by Wanda Torres Gregory

Speaking of Silence in Heidegger by Wanda Torres Gregory

In Speaking of Silence in Heidegger, Wanda Torres Gregory critically analyzes Heidegger’sthoughts on silence. Arguing that silence about silence is a guiding principle in his sparse and often reticent words, Torres Gregory sets out to decipher their elusive meanings. Charting the trajectory of Heidegger’s reflections, from Being and Time to On the Way to Language, she shows that he develops his ideas of silence in increasingly closer relations to his also evolving ideas of truth as the unconcealedness of being/beyng and language as disclosive sonorous saying. Torres Gregory distinguishes between human, primordial, and primeval forms of silence, and the linguistic, pre-linguistic, and proto-linguistic levels at which silence can occur in relation to sonorous speech. While the book focuses on these inner conceptual dynamics, the author remains mindful of Heidegger’s ties to National Socialism and clarifies how his theoretical assumptions allow for oppressive silencing. The book concludes with critical reflections on the later Heidegger’s thinking of silence and proposes alternatives to his claims concerning the sound beyond sounds, the metaphysics of mystical silence, the uniquely linguistic essence of the mortals, and the loud idle talk in the age of modern technology.

"With her acute differentiation of human, primordial, and primeval forms of silence, Gregory succeeds in demonstrating Heidegger’s conceptions, early and late, of the dynamic and essential interplay of silence with language and truthHer splendid study, at once appreciative and critical of Heidegger, is an enormous contribution that fills a considerable lacuna in contemporary examination of this enigmatic thinker."

-- Daniel Dahlstrom, Boston University

"Wanda Torres Gregory’s compact and rich study places silence at the core of Heidegger’s philosophy of language. With concise and original interpretations of both lesser-known and well-worn texts from Heidegger’s corpus, she deftly traces the manifold registers of silence, reticence, resonance and sonority which enliven Heidegger’s philosophy of language—if not his entire philosophical project."

-- Adam Knowles, Assistant Professor of English and Philosophy, Drexel University

Wanda Torres Gregory is professor of philosophy at Simmons University.

SKU	Unavailable
ISBN 13	9781793640031
ISBN 10	1793640033
Title	Speaking of Silence in Heidegger
Author	Wanda Torres Gregory Simmons College
Condition	Unavailable
Binding Type	Hardback
Publisher	Lexington Books
Year published	2021-10-15
Number of pages	164
Cover note	Book picture is for illustrative purposes only, actual binding, cover or edition may vary.