In-der-Blog-sein

Analogies in the Theory Reading Group:

I've been thinking about whether it was Heidegger's duty to say something to the Nazi's... It makes me think of Aristophanes "The Clouds", in which Socrates spends all his time inside his think tank, measuring the length of flea feet in proportion to their jumping distance (and other useless pursuits). Eventually, one of his students lights the hut on fire, with an overall moral lesson to Socrates that he coudn't just sequester himself away from society. He needs its protection, just as society needs his thought. Although the philosopher wants to escape the cave, he has to be drawn back in, to teach and enlighten those still facing the wall. So, was it Heidegger's duty to speak out?

In Plato's allegory, the philosopher returns to the cave to enlighten the cave dwellers, and they kill him.  ¶ 8:34 PM