Heidegger?

[-N-]

Why is he named such? Just for kicks? Every time I see the name, I can't help but think of Martin Heidegger, the early German existentialist, but whenever I see Heidegger, I can't see any relation at all. Coincidence, perhaps, but then why the hell would they choose a name like Heidegger?

[DocFrance]

Probably just for kicks. Gyahaha doesn't seem to me like the existentialist type.

[Kirobaito]

There's a famous story called "Dr. Heidegger's Experiment." I don't even remember what Heidegger did in the game (I know he worked for Shinra and said "Gyahaha"), but the story goes like this:

A mad doctor invited four people to come to his home for dinner. These four people all lost something because of their wickedness. They were all old. Fame, money, love, and beauty. Heidegger offered them a drink from the fountain of youth. They all took it, and they became young and began to dance. However, they looked in a mirror, and they saw themselves as old. Eventually, the drink wore off, and they fought over the pitcher with the water in it, and it spilled.

I'm not sure what this means in comparison to FF7's Heidegger, but it's just a thought.

[-N-]

Yes, "Dr. Heidegger's Experiment" by Nathaniel Hawthorne. I don't think the Heidegger in the story had much to do with Shinra's Heidegger either... Hawthorne's Heidegger seems more sage - although both engaged in odd experiments, I suppose...

[Kawaii Ryûkishi]

It's just more empty symbolism, I'd say. Just like Shake and Chekhov.

[DocFrance]

I assume you're talking about the philosopher Chekhov, not the "Kiptin! Ve are firing at ze Klingon battlecruiser!" Chekhov.

[Big D]

Originally posted by DocFrance
I assume you're talking about the philosopher Chekhov, not the "Kiptin! Ve are firing at ze Klingon battlecruiser!" Chekhov.

Like the man said, Chekhov and not Chekov.
I'm not familiar with the origin of the Shake reference, though.

It's possible that these names were used almost arbitrarily, not as an attempt at symbolism. Maybe they just thought that Heidegger was a suitable name for a broad, bearded military man? Same goes for many of the other names, perhaps.
Obviously there are plenty of symbols and allusions, but as Tolkien said, applicability doesn't always equate to allegory.

[Kawaii Ryûkishi]

Shake refers to Shakespeare. It fits into the bizarre literary theme of the names of the pagoda bosses, Staniv and Godo excluded. (It's been suggested that Godo's name was derived from Sam Beckett's "Waiting for Godot," but still no clue about Staniv.)

[DocFrance]

Staniv is obviously a reference to Stan Stanivolovski, the great Russian philospopher who theorized that all mankind is inherently pie. He was most famous for his life accomplishment, "Stan's Fourty Easy Recipes for Baking Mankind," which was later adapted into the noir short film, "pi."

[-N-]

[Q=Kishi] Staniv is obviously a reference to Stan Stanivolovski, the great Russian philospopher who theorized that all mankind is inherently pie. He was most famous for his life accomplishment, "Stan's Fourty Easy Recipes for Baking Mankind," which was later adapted into the noir short film, "pi."[/Q]

Duh, Kishi. Duh.

Oh yeah, I'm pretty sure pi was a feature length film. Conclusion: you fail.

[DocFrance]

Damn. The rest of the stuff is true. The voices told me so.

[Kawaii Ryûkishi]

Never heard of the guy.

[DocFrance]

I don't see why not. Stanivolovski was the world's greatest thinker in the school of pie. Maybe PG has heard of him.

[DJZen]

Pi was considered a short film?

[DocFrance]

It was more of a medium film. And they left out all the parts about the goodness of baked goods and their relevance to the eternal struggle of mankind. Instead, they filled it with a bunch of crap about some dude and the stock market and some Jews. Stanivolovski would be rolling in his grave right now if he was dead.