NIETZSCHE
This course seeks to explain and examine Nietzsche’s philosophy, concentrating
particularly on his critique of morality and his moral psychology. While focusing on
Nietzsche’s texts, principally his On the Genealogy of Morality, we will be examining
his key ideas including, the death of God, nihilism, life affirmation, the ascetic ideal,
perspectivism, the will to power, the eternal recurrence and his criticisms of the
asceticideal, the will to truth and Judeo-Christian morality.
Recommend Preliminary Reading:
 May, S., 1999, Nietzsche’s Ethics and his ‘War on Morality’, Clarendon Press
Lectures: The lectures for this module will be held in **, on Tuesdays from 1-2 pm in
Term 1. The lecturer is Professor Ken Gemes (k.gemes@bbk.ac.uk)
Seminars: The seminars for this module will be held in **, on Tuesdays from 2-3 pm in
Term 1. They will be led by the lecturer and by **.
Readings: Every week there is one key reading that is the focus of the seminar
discussion. One of the purposes of the seminar is to help you to understand the reading,
so do not worry if you have not fully understood the reading in advance. Nevertheless, it
is essential that you attempt the seminar reading each week if you are to follow the
lecture and to participate in the seminar discussion. In addition, there is ‘additional
reading’ listed that will deepen your understanding and help you to get the most out of
the module. You are especially advised to cover the additional reading for those topics
on which you are planning to write.
Essays (BA): This module is assessed by one essay of around 3,000 words. It must be
written in response to one of the set questions listed below, except with permission from
the module convenor. For details concerning submission of the essay, including
deadlines, see the BA Handbook.
Prior to this assessed essay, you may also write up to two essays during the course, taken
from the titles below, and receive feedback on them from your seminar leader. These can
be useful practice for your eventual assessed essay. You should submit the first such
essay by the first seminar after reading week, and the second by one week after the last
seminar of term. [Notes: 1) You are always welcome to submit an essay earlier than
these dates; 2) the seminar leader should not be expected to comment on the same essay
more than once.]
Essay (MA): This module is assessed by one essay of around 3,500 words. It must be
written in response to one of the set questions listed below, except with permission from
the module convenor. For details concerning submission of the essay, including
deadlines, see the MA Handbook.
Moodle: Electronic copies of course materials are available through Moodle, at
http://moodle.bbk.ac.uk. You will need your ITS login name and password to enter.
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NIETZSCHE BIBLIOGRAPHY
Primary Texts [and their abbreviations]:
BT
The Birth of Tragedy out of the Spirit of Music, translated by Shaun
Whiteside, edited by Michael Tanner, Penguin, London 1993
GM
On the Genealogy of Morality, trans. Maudemarie Clark, and Alan J.
Swensen, Hackett, 1998
UM
Untimely Meditations, trans. R. J. Hollingdale, Cambridge University Press,
Cambridge, 1983
A
The Antichrist trans. R. J. Hollingdale in Twilight of the Idols and The
Antichrist Penguin, Middlesex, 1968.
BGE
Beyond Good and Evil, trans. W. Kaufman, Vintage, New York, 1966.
GS
The Gay Science, trans. W. Kaufman, Vintage, New York, 1974.
TI
Twilight of the Idols, trans. R.J. Hollingdale, in Twilight of the Idols and The
Antichrist, Penguin, Middlesex, 1968
WTP
The Will to Power, trans. W. Kaufman and R.J. Hollingdale, ed. W.
Kaufman, Vintage, New York, 1968.
Z
Thus Spoke Zarathustra, trans. R.J. Hollingdale, Penguin, Middlesex, 1975.
Minimum required readings for the course are BT, UM II and GM; do read more!
I would also recommend Twilight of the Idols and The Antichrist.
Selected Monographs on Nietzsche:
Clark, M., 1990, Nietzsche on Truth and Philosophy, Cambridge University Press
Janaway, C., 2007. Beyond Selflessness: Reading Nietzsche’s Genealogy, Oxford
University Press
Kaufmann, W., 1974., Nietzsche: Philosopher, Psychologist, Antichrist, 4th edition,
Princeton University Press
Lieter, B., 2002, Nietzsche on Morality, Routledge
May, S., 1999, Nietzsche’s Ethics and his ‘War on Morality’, Clarendon Press
Nehamas, A., 1985, Nietzsche: Life as Literature, Harvard University Press
Reginster, B., 2006. The Affirmation of Life: Nietzsche on Overcoming Nihilism, Harvard
University Press
Richardson, J., 1996, Nietzsche’s System, Oxford University Press
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Selected Anthologies on Nietzsche:
Acompora, C., 2006, Nietzsche's On the Genealogy of Morals: Critical Essays. Lanham,
MD: Rowman & Littlefield Publishers
Came, D., 2014, Nietzsche on Art and Life, Oxford University Press
Gemes, K., & Richardson J.,2013, The Oxford Handbook on Nietzsche, J. Richardson,
Oxford University Press
Gemes, K., & Simon, M., 2009, Nietzsche on Freedom and Autonomy, Oxford
University Press
May, S., 2011, Nietzsche's On the Genealogy of Morality: A Critical Guide, , Cambridge
University Press
Schacht, R., 1994, Nietzsche, Genealogy, Morality: Essays on Nietzsche's "On the
Genealogy of Morals”, University of California Press
CLASS SCHEDULE WITH TOPICS AND READINGS
Week 1: Preliminaries and the Death of God
Seminar Reading: GS, 125
Essay Question: What, for Nietzsche, is the meaning of the death of God?
Week 2 Nietzsche: The Birth of Tragedy
Seminar Reading: BT
Essay Question: What is the importance of myth and/or illusion for Nietzsche?
Week 3: Untimely Meditations II
Seminar Reading: UM, II
Essay Question: What, for Nietzsche, are the advantages and disadvantages of the
study of history?
Week 4: Nihilism and Affirmation
Seminar Reading: Gemes “Nietzsche, Nihilism and the Paradox of Affirmation”
Essay Question: What is Nihilism?
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Week 5: What is Genealogy?
Seminar Reading: GM, Preface
Essay Question: What is Nietzsche’s purpose in doing what he calls “genealogy”?
Week 6: Master Morality versus Slave Morality
Seminar Reading: GM, First Essay, BGE 260
Essay Question: Explain the difference between slave and master morality and
Nietzsche’s attitude to these moralities.
Week 7: Free Will and the Sovereign Individual
Seminar Reading: GM I 13, GM II 1-3
Essay question: Does Nietzsche have a positive account of free will?
Week 8: Ascetic Ideals
Seminar Reading: GM, Third Essay
Essay Questions: What is the Ascetic ideal?
Does Nietzsche value truth?
Week 9: Perspectivism and Will to Power
Seminar Reading: GM II 6; GM III 7; GM III 12; BGE Sect 36
Essay Question: Explain the meaning and function of Nietzsche’s notion of the
Will to Power.
Week 10: The Eternal Return and Amor Fati
Seminar Reading: GS, Sects. 276, 341
Essay Question: Explain the meaning and function of Nietzsche’s notion of the
Eternal Recurrence
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Other Essay Questions:
Does Nietzsche have a secular theodicy?
Does Nietzsche have any positive values?
What is ressentiment and what part does it play in Nietzsche’s account of slave
morality?
Does Nietzsche have any positive values?
In what sense is Nietzsche an immoralist?
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