Truth and Unconcealment

During the two decades between 1925 and 1945, the essence of truth is a pervasive issue in Heidegger’s work. He offers several essay courses devoted to the nature of truth, starting in 1925 with Logik. Die Frage nach der Wahrheit, (GA 21), and continuing with Vom Wesen der Wahrheit. Zu Platons Höhlengleichnis and Theätet (Winter Semester 1931–2, GA 34), Vom Wesen der Wahrheit (Winter Semester 1933–4, GA 36–7), and Grundfragen der Philosophie. Ausgewählte “Probleme” der “Logik” (Winter Semester 1937–8, GA 45). He also includes a significant discussion of the essence of truth in virtually every other lecture course taught during this period. Particularly notable in this regard are the Parmenides lecture course of 1942–3 (GA 54), Einleitung in die Philosophie (Winter Semester 1928–9, GA 27), and Nietzsches Lehre vom Willen zur Macht als Erkenntnis (Summer Semester 1939, GA 47).

Heidegger’s writings during this period also reflect his preoccupation with truth. In addition to the essay “Vom Wesen der Wahrheit” (GA 9), many of his other works include extended discussions of the essence of truth. These include Being and Time (GA 2), essays like “Vom Wesen des Grundes” (GA 9), “Der Ursprung des Kunstwerkes” (GA 5), and “Was ist Metaphysik?” (GA 9), and unpublished works like the Beiträge (GA 65) and Besinnung (GA 66).