Episode 22: The Powerlessness of Thinking

In this episode we read Section 18 of Contributions to Philosophy (of the Event), which is titled “The Powerlessness of Thinking.” The obverse of this, however, is what we gather from the section, i.e. the power of essential thinking. Essential thinking is separate from machination and lived experience, takes place in the solitude of the self, has no regard for results, requires a certain “level” of dasein, and opens us up to the strangeness of beyng. We then discuss how these ideas relate to anxiety and its “cure,” what they mean for certainty vs. uncertainty, and how one can actually “change one’s thinking.” Ultimately, it’s the “temporalization” of thinking (aka its empowerment) and the event-appropriations that incite it that Heidegger provides a roadmap for and that justify a deep enthrallment with his writing. Available here or on Spotify or Apple Podcasts.