Beyond Martin Heidegger's famously dense writing, there lies a deep and enriching philosophy that prompts one to examine human existence and the path to authenticity. An engaging video previews several of the tenets of the Heideggerian journey and expresses the philosopher's desire for knowing oneself in order to exist properly in the world.

Concepts

philosophers, human nature, human needs

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Additional Tags

social studies

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Instructional Ideas

• Have philosophy students watch the video before a lesson on Heidegger the next day
• Incorporate into a unit on German philosophy or when studying philosophers from the 19th and 20th centuries

Classroom Considerations

• Comment section is open to the public
• Video contains a lot of German words; although they are translated into English, some learners may disengage if they feel the language is too complex

• This video is hosted on YouTube

Pros

• Heidegger's beliefs, albeit bleak, may appeal to teenagers who are questioning their place in the world
• Employs animation and images to keep viewer attention

Cons

• None

Common Core

SL.9-10.2 SL.11-12.2 RH.9-10.2 RH.11-12.2