Summary reviewed by:
Terrence Timmons
Terrence Timmons
Analyst
Bachelor of Arts (BA), University Of California, Santa Barbara 2019
With over 4 years of experience as an analyst. Terrence Timmons is committed to analyzing summaries without compromising on quality.
Uncover the secrets of existence with "Basic Writings of Nietzsche", a thunderous symphony of thought to shake your comprehension of reality to its very core.
Embarking on an uncharted expedition through the deep, philosophical mind of Friedrich Nietzsche, readers are asked to cast aside the mundane bonds of preconceived notions and immerse themselves in the truth of human nature and morality.
This collection of his major works, selected from the richest veins of Nietzsche's intellectual mine, stands as an unrivaled testament to his intellectual prowess. Readers will find themselves grappling with Nietzsche's bold, paradoxical assertions, a struggle that has the potential to shatter and then reshape the edifice of their own understanding.
The exploration begins with Nietzsche's championing of the 'Will to Power', a potent force underlying all human actions. He poignantly questions the dogmatic religious and philosophical perspectives of his time, the chains of 'slave morality', and provocatively celebrates the idea of the 'Übermensch', the transcendent individual who creates their own values beyond good and evil.
This book, a torch to illuminate the labyrinthine recesses of Nietzschean philosophy, is the perfect starting point for those ready to confront the abyss, peering into it, even as it peers back into them.
Date Published: November 28, 2000
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Philosophy
Existentialism
Criticism of Religion
Moral Philosophy
Metaphysics
Will to Power: Nietzsche believed this was the main driving force in humans—a basic, insatiable desire to manifest power. He viewed all other motivations as secondary to this primal urge. Nietzsche expounds this theory in “Thus Spoke Zarathustra,” one of the works included in this collection.
The Übermensch: This concept, also predominantly discussed in “Thus Spoke Zarathustra,” represents a superior human being who has achieved self-mastery, has created their own values, and has the ability to fulfill their greatest potential. The Übermensch, the ideal existence, stands above the common herd morality.
God is Dead: Nietzsche famously declared that “God is dead” to express the idea that the Enlightenment had “killed” the possibility of belief in God or any gods, leading to a significant shift in cultural consciousness. This phrase is first seen in “The Gay Science”.
Eternal Recurrence: The idea of Eternal Recurrence, a cornerstone of Nietzsche’s thought, suggests that all events recur infinitely. In “Thus Spoke Zarathustra,” Zarathustra contemplates if people could embrace this concept, they would affirm life in every moment—despite its pain and suffering.
Criticism of Christianity: Nietzsche critiques Christianity as a life-denying force rooted in fear and guilt. His most potent critique is found in “The Antichrist,” where he portrays Christianity as a religion that goes against life’s natural instincts.
Slave and Master Morality: Nietzsche developed the concepts of master-slave morality as a critique of the values and moral systems of his time. According to Nietzsche, “slave morality” values things like kindness, humility, and sympathy, while “master morality” values pride, strength, and nobility. Nietzsche discusses these concepts extensively in “On the Genealogy of Morals”.
