Dangerous Minds

A great book. If it proves anything, it's that ideas have consequences, often profound and dangerous ones. One perhaps unintended benefit of the emergence of the New Right is that it forces readers of Nietzsche and Heidegger to see them for what they are-apostles of a resurgent fascism. For those accustomed to reading these thinkers as prophets of individual liberation and moral self-realization, Ronald Beiner has a clear message: think again.-- Steven Smith, Yale University Dangerous Minds is a provocation: a forceful reminder that while Nietzsche and Heidegger are great thinkers, 'they are not innocent.' In that, Beiner succeeds splendidly.-- Review of Metaphysics In this erudite, insightful, and short monograph, Ronald Beiner takes aim at (often French-inspired) intellectuals who believe that Nietzsche and Heidegger can and should be deployed to advance a progressive or radically democratic politics Beiner believes that the two philosophers often serve as better resources for fascists. Dangerous Minds mounts its critique in the light of the recent rise of far-right movements, which often rely on Nietzsche and Heidegger for philosophic ballast.-- Contemporary Political Theory Ronald Beiner's Dangerous Minds is a staggeringly impressive and deeply needed book that traces the philosophical foundations of contemporary reactionary politics to the philosophical works of Nietzsche and Heidegger. Beiner avoids both shrillness while confronting present day opponents of liberal democracy and shallowness while excavating the work of their intellectual heroes. Indeed, he treats authors such as Julius Evola and Aleksandr Dugin with deathly seriousness, and he soberly-and with exquisite philosophical care-delves into the fundamental core of Nietzsche's and Heidegger's writings. Dangerous Minds is elegantly structured and beautifully written. It will be widely read and debated in this frightening age of fascist resurgence.-- John P. McCormick, University of Chicago