What do you know about
Friedrich Nietzsche?
Friedrich Nietzsche (1844-1900)


Life
Works






The Birth of Tragedy (1872)
Thus Spoke Zarathustra
(1883-88)
Beyond Good and Evil (1886)
Twilight of the Idols (1888)
The Antichrist (1888)
“Art is the truly metaphysical
activity of man” and “the
existence of the world is
justified only as an aesthetic
phenomenon.”
Some Key Points




Nietzsche’s Aim: Towards a Revaluation of
All Values
Philology and Perspectivism: every view is
only one among many possible
interpretations.
“Truth is a necessary lie.”
Dionysus: the central metaphor for
Nietzsche’s affirmative philosophy
Thus Spoke Zarathustra

Who is/was Zarathustra?
What is he doing?
What are his central teachings?

N.B. Nietzsche writes for you!


How do you interpret Z’s
proclamation that god is dead?

No absolutes, transcendental values or absolute
principles, e.g., Judeo-Christian tradition as ultimate
moral authority

Emphasizes individual freedom in creation of values

“Once the sin against god was the greatest sin, but god
died, and these sinners died with him” (p. 125)

Forget otherworldly salvation (p. 144)

“…there is no devil and no hell. Your soul will be dead
even before your body: fear nothing further” (p. 132)
How do you interpret Z’s teaching of
the overman?





“I teach you the overman. Man is
something that must be overcome. What
have you done to overcome him?”
Man as a bridge from “beast to overman”
(p. 126)
A “creator”
Essentially metaphorical
Refers to humanity’s capacity for
achieving a self-transformation of itself
Who is the last man?



Most contemptible, domesticated, without
longing, no chaos, apathetic and
indifferent
Happiness and contentment are goals as
well as…
Poison (medicine, alcohol, drugs) and
agreeable sleep (that’s why he needs the
virtues)
Zarathustra’s Speeches




On the three metamorphoses of the spirit
Camel: beast of burden, bears much that
is difficult, traditional values
Lion: fights the great dragon “thou shalt”
and conquers to become free, says “I will”
Child: innocent and forgetting, sacred
“yes,” creates new values
Zarathustra preaches against




(1) Teachers of Virtue who preach sleep
“Blessed are the sleepy ones for they will
drop off.”
(2) Teachers of the afterworldly, i.e.,
metaphysicians
“I teach men to no longer bury one’s head
in the sand of heavenly things, but to bear
it freely, and earthly head, which creates a
meaning for the earth.”
What does Z mean by “remain faithful
to the earth”?



those who speak of “otherworldly hopes”
are “despisers of life”
“body am I entirely, and nothing else; and
soul is only a word for something about
the body.” (p. 146)
On the Despisers of the Body: “turns away
from life”; “going under” (p. 147)
What is Z’s advice in part 3 of “The
Gift-Giving Virtue”?





go alone
“Go away from me and resist Zarathustra!
And even better: be ashamed of him!
Perhaps he deceived you.” (p. 190)
“lose me and find yourselves”
Zarathustra wants no “believers”
“but, like Socrates, aims to help others
find themselves and surpass him.” (p.
121)