The Philosophical Foundations of Medieval Mysticism

Book excerpt: A new 2024 translation of Heidegger's early work "The Philosophical Foundations of Medieval Mysticism", was originally published in 1918. This edition contains a new afterword by the Translator, a timeline of Heidegger's life and works, a philosophic index of core Heideggerian concepts and a guide for terminology across 19th and 20th century Existentialists. This translation is designed for readability and accessibility to Heidegger's enigmatic and dense philosophy. Complex and specific philosophic terms are translated as literally as possible and academic footnotes have been removed to ensure easy reading. Heidegger's "The Philosophical Foundations of Medieval Mysticism" (original German "Die Philosophischen Grundlagen Der Mittelalterlichen Mystik") is a draft for a lecture written in 1918/19 but never delivered. Here Heidegger examines the phenomenological understanding of religious experience, distinguishing it from historical, metaphysical, and psychological perspectives, addressing the methodological challenges of interpreting mystical experiences, emphasizing the importance of a primordial understanding that transcends theoretical biases. Central themes include the experiential and theoretical aspects of mysticism, its metaphysical interpretation, and the philosophical complexities inherent in the study of religious consciousness.