One of two major philosophical traditions of the twentieth century was Wittgenstein's linguistic analysis. The other, diametrically opposed, came from Heidegger, and his fundamental question: 'What is the meaning of existence?' For Heidegger, this question was beyond the reach of reason and was the primary 'given' of every individual life. To confront it, Heidegger needed to develop an entirely new form of philosophy.

InHeidegger in 90 Minutes, Paul Strathern offers a concise, expert account of Heidegger's life and ideas and explains their influence on man's struggle to understand his existence in the world. The book also includes selections from Heidegger's work, a brief list of suggested readings for those who wish to delve deeper, and chronologies that place Heidegger within his own age and in the broader scheme of philosophy.

The 90 Minutes series includes brief but authoritative interpretations of the world's greatest thinkers, deciphering philosophical thought in an entertaining and accessible fashion and making it comprehensible and interesting to almost everyone.