Heidegger and Animals

In this open access volume, Jerome C. Regier provides a comprehensive exploration of Heidegger’s animal philosophy throughout the Gesamtausgabe, challenging some key claims, whilst also updating the discussion to incorporate new insights from biology and ethology.

Heidegger and Animals offers a new way of thinking about the contested relationship between humans and our fellow creatures. It does this by exploring Heidegger’s philosophical writings and oft-cited claim that there is an ontological abyss separating humans (existence) and animals (captivation). Scrutinising Heidegger’s emphasis on human Dasein’s distinctive way of being and the confirmation he claims to find for this in ethology, experimental biologist Regier challenges Heidegger’s ontological interpretation of animal behaviour. In particular he demonstrates Heidegger’s errors by drawing on numerous recent studies of bees, fish, birds and mammals.

Questioning Heidegger and yet continuing to work within his conceptual framework, this book aims to expand Heidegger’s understanding of Dasein to include our fellow animals without denying an abyss between existence and captivation. After all, through a more informed and sensitive understanding of biology, Regier reveals how humans and many animals are in both existence and captivation, even while Dasein remains solely existence.

In an innovative study, which will be of great value to debates around animal rights and environmental protection, Regier advances a Heideggerian approach that, perhaps unexpectedly, takes animals seriously. For Regier, any and all behaviour towards animals must start with an understanding of the animal’s way of being.

The ebook editions of this book are available open access under a CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 licence on bloomsburycollections.com.