Friedrich Nietzsche (1844-1900)Friedrich Nietzsche (1844-1900)

Early LifeEarly Life

Born October 15, 1844Born October 15, 1844 1849 father dies1849 father dies 1864 goes to Bonn University to 1864 goes to Bonn University to

study theology and philology study theology and philology (classics and ancient languages)(classics and ancient languages)

1865 transfers to Leipzig University 1865 transfers to Leipzig University to study philologyto study philology

Arthur Schopenhauer (1788-1860)Arthur Schopenhauer (1788-1860)

emphasized the emphasized the centrality of the centrality of the will/desire in will/desire in understanding the understanding the world (most world (most importantly importantly humanity)humanity)

Philosophical Philosophical pessimismpessimism

Richard Wagner (1813-1883)Richard Wagner (1813-1883)

Met in 1868Met in 1868 Became a father Became a father

figure for Nietzschefigure for Nietzsche Nietzsche saw him as Nietzsche saw him as

the reincarnation of the reincarnation of Greek tragedyGreek tragedy

Broke with Wagner Broke with Wagner due to anti-Semitism due to anti-Semitism and and ParsifalParsifal

Scholarly CareerScholarly Career

Offered the Chair of the Department Offered the Chair of the Department of Philology at Basle University in of Philology at Basle University in 1869 1869 beforebefore completing his doctoral completing his doctoral workwork

Gave popular lectures on Homer, Gave popular lectures on Homer, Greek Tragedy and Pre-Socratic Greek Tragedy and Pre-Socratic philosophyphilosophy

““On Truth and Lie in Their On Truth and Lie in Their Nonmoral Sense”Nonmoral Sense”

18701870 First began to question the notion of First began to question the notion of

eternal trutheternal truth Defined ‘truth’ as “errors whose Defined ‘truth’ as “errors whose

origin has been forgotten”origin has been forgotten” Left unpublished at the time of his Left unpublished at the time of his

deathdeath

The Birth of TragedyThe Birth of Tragedy18721872

Originally dedicated to Wagner; Originally dedicated to Wagner; removed in the 2removed in the 2ndnd edition edition

Focused on Greek theater (especially Focused on Greek theater (especially drama) and musicdrama) and music

Saw these as the Greeks’ way of Saw these as the Greeks’ way of overcoming pessimismovercoming pessimism

Distinguished between Apollonian Distinguished between Apollonian and Dionysian lives—sought a and Dionysian lives—sought a reconciliation of themreconciliation of them

The ApollonianThe Apollonian

Apollo was charioteer Apollo was charioteer of the sun and the god of the sun and the god of reasonof reason

The Delphic Oracle, an The Delphic Oracle, an oracle of Apollo, oracle of Apollo, inspired the mission of inspired the mission of SocratesSocrates

Represents life as a Represents life as a problem that must be problem that must be solved through reason solved through reason and principleand principle

The DionysianThe Dionysian

Dionysus (Roman: Dionysus (Roman: Bacchus) was god of Bacchus) was god of winewine

His dismemberment His dismemberment by the gods was by the gods was recreated in recreated in traditional bacchanaliatraditional bacchanalia

Represents passion Represents passion and the overcoming of and the overcoming of pessimism through pessimism through celebrationcelebration

Human, All-Too-HumanHuman, All-Too-Human1878-18801878-1880

Nietzsche’s first approach to Nietzsche’s first approach to understanding human psychologyunderstanding human psychology

One of the earliest developments of depth One of the earliest developments of depth psychologypsychology

Developed several ideas crucial to Developed several ideas crucial to Freudian psychoanalysis, including Freudian psychoanalysis, including repression, sublimation and projectionrepression, sublimation and projection

Critically influential on his later work on Critically influential on his later work on religion and moralityreligion and morality

Health ProblemsHealth Problems Visited a brothel in his college days, where he Visited a brothel in his college days, where he

contracted syphiliscontracted syphilis Long list of physical ailments, including Long list of physical ailments, including

gastrointestinal problems, migraines and vision gastrointestinal problems, migraines and vision problemsproblems

Retired due to his condition in 1879Retired due to his condition in 1879 Spent summers in cooler climates (primarily Sils-Spent summers in cooler climates (primarily Sils-

Maria, Switzerland) and winters in warmer Maria, Switzerland) and winters in warmer climates (primarily Turin, Italy)climates (primarily Turin, Italy)

Tertiary effects eventually led to his breakdown Tertiary effects eventually led to his breakdown from dementia in 1889from dementia in 1889

Spent last 11 years of his life as an invalidSpent last 11 years of his life as an invalid

DaybreakDaybreak18811881

First initiated his evaluation of moral First initiated his evaluation of moral idealsideals

Insisted in looking for the motivations Insisted in looking for the motivations that led to certain moral concepts that led to certain moral concepts and ideals—genealogical methodand ideals—genealogical method

First contrasted ‘morality’ with ‘life’, First contrasted ‘morality’ with ‘life’, insisting that morality as we know it insisting that morality as we know it is hostile to worldly lifeis hostile to worldly life

The Gay ScienceThe Gay Science 1882-18871882-1887

First proclaimed the death of GodFirst proclaimed the death of God Completes his break with Completes his break with

Schopenhauer’s pessimism and Schopenhauer’s pessimism and begins constructing his positive begins constructing his positive philosophyphilosophy

Begins his full-scale assault on the Begins his full-scale assault on the ideas of eternal truth and human ideas of eternal truth and human naturenature

Thus Spoke ZarathustraThus Spoke Zarathustra1883-18851883-1885

Inspired by the historical Inspired by the historical Zoroaster (c.628-551 BCE); Zoroaster (c.628-551 BCE); written in scriptural stylewritten in scriptural style

Proclaims the coming of Proclaims the coming of Nietzsche’s higher man, Nietzsche’s higher man, the Übermenschthe Übermensch

Introduces the idea of the Introduces the idea of the Eternal Recurrence of the Eternal Recurrence of the Same (first mentioned in Same (first mentioned in The Gay ScienceThe Gay Science))

Aims at the overcoming of Aims at the overcoming of pessimism through pessimism through celebration of lifecelebration of life

Beyond Good and EvilBeyond Good and Evil18861886

One of Nietzsche’s best-known and One of Nietzsche’s best-known and widely read works, inaugurated a widely read works, inaugurated a period of incredible productivityperiod of incredible productivity

Explicitly connected morality and Explicitly connected morality and religion to hatred of lifereligion to hatred of life

Advocated a return to ancient Advocated a return to ancient systems of ethics that focuses on systems of ethics that focuses on character character

Advocated an ethics of nobilityAdvocated an ethics of nobility

The Genealogy of MoralsThe Genealogy of Morals18871887

Nietzsche’s most “traditional” Nietzsche’s most “traditional” philosophical writingphilosophical writing

Sought to locate the origin of Sought to locate the origin of morality in morality in ressentimentressentiment

Exposed the negative psychological Exposed the negative psychological motivations behind pity, guilt, motivations behind pity, guilt, responsibility and punishmentresponsibility and punishment

Twilight of the IdolsTwilight of the IdolsThe AntichristThe Antichrist

18881888 Nietzsche’s grand declaration of war Nietzsche’s grand declaration of war

against Christianity and moralityagainst Christianity and morality TwilightTwilight focuses on the origin of focuses on the origin of

philosophy’s errors in Socratesphilosophy’s errors in Socrates The AntichristThe Antichrist focuses on Paul as the focuses on Paul as the

initiator of Christianity’s denial of lifeinitiator of Christianity’s denial of life Treats Paul as a perversion of Jesus’ Treats Paul as a perversion of Jesus’

teachings as a result of his commitment to teachings as a result of his commitment to the philosophy of Platothe philosophy of Plato

Ecce HomoEcce Homo1888, published 19081888, published 1908

Retrospective on his own workRetrospective on his own work Outlines his approach to philosophyOutlines his approach to philosophy Intended to prevent both misuse of Intended to prevent both misuse of

his work and blind obedience to his his work and blind obedience to his philosophyphilosophy

Success and DestructionSuccess and Destruction

First public lectures were given on First public lectures were given on Nietzsche’s philosophy in 1888, leading to Nietzsche’s philosophy in 1888, leading to a sudden interest in his worksa sudden interest in his works

Nietzsche’s long-time friend Lou Salomé Nietzsche’s long-time friend Lou Salomé publishes the first book on Nietzsche’s publishes the first book on Nietzsche’s philosophy in 1894philosophy in 1894

Suffered mental breakdown in early 1889Suffered mental breakdown in early 1889 Died August 25, 1900Died August 25, 1900

Elisabeth FElisabeth Förster-Nietzscheörster-Nietzsche Had control of Nietzsche’s Had control of Nietzsche’s

literary estateliterary estate Estranged from her brother Estranged from her brother

because of her husband because of her husband Bernhard Förster, an early Bernhard Förster, an early member of the Nazi partymember of the Nazi party

Founded the Nietzsche Founded the Nietzsche Archives in 1894, to which Archives in 1894, to which she alone granted accessshe alone granted access

Used Nietzsche’s writings Used Nietzsche’s writings to support Hitler and to support Hitler and National SocialismNational Socialism

Published Published My Sister and IMy Sister and I, , a fraudulent work of a fraudulent work of Nietzsche’s proclaiming Nietzsche’s proclaiming her to be his sole her to be his sole interpreterinterpreter

The Will to PowerThe Will to Power19011901

Edited by Nietzsche’s sisterEdited by Nietzsche’s sister Made up of notebook entries from a Made up of notebook entries from a

10-year period ordered thematically10-year period ordered thematically Presented as Nietzsche’s Presented as Nietzsche’s

uncompleted masterworkuncompleted masterwork Exposed for what it really is by Exposed for what it really is by

Walter KaufmannWalter Kaufmann

Nietzsche RehabilitatedNietzsche Rehabilitated

1950 publication of Walter Kaufmann’s 1950 publication of Walter Kaufmann’s NietzscheNietzsche rescues Nietzsche from rescues Nietzsche from traditional Nazifications of his thoughttraditional Nazifications of his thought

1952 Walter Kaufmann exposes 1952 Walter Kaufmann exposes My Sister My Sister and Iand I as a fraud as a fraud

1965 Arthur Danto’s 1965 Arthur Danto’s Nietzsche and Nietzsche and PhilosophyPhilosophy sufficiently “normalizes” sufficiently “normalizes” Nietzsche to make his work studied in the Nietzsche to make his work studied in the English-speaking worldEnglish-speaking world