PHL 317 H5S: Topics in 19th Century Philosophy
Nietzsche’s Moral and Political Thought
Time and Location: Mondays 11-1 and Wednesdays 12-1, North Building 130
Instructor: Dr. Donovan Miyasaki
Office Hours and Location: Wednesdays 1:15-2:00 or by appointment, North Building 260
Email: miyasaki@chass.utoronto.ca
Office Phone: 905-569-4881 (during office hours only)
Home Phone: 416-923-6845
Course Website: http://www3.sympatico.ca/miyaski/PHL317/
Course Forums: http://s8.invisionfree.com/PHL317_Forum/
Course Description
Friedrich Nietzsche is notorious for his scathing criticisms of modern western civilization’s most deeply
cherished moral and political values. He declares Judeo-Christian morality to be a dangerous product of
hatred and resentment; he sometimes suggests that the practice of holding people morally responsible for
their actions is an absurdity; he even tells us that the political values of human rights, equality, and
democracy are either unfounded or positively harmful. But are Nietzsche’s moral and political positions
limited only to criticism, or does he present alternatives to the views he rejects? In this course we will
investigate Nietzsche’s explicit and implicit moral and political thought through close analysis of a
number of his key writings. In addition to his critical project, we will try to locate positive moral and
political positions in Nietzsche’s work. We’ll also critically engage a number of scholarly interpretations
of Nietzsche, including authors who suggest a surprising democratic potential in his thought.
Course Format
On both Mondays and Wednesdays there will be a one hour lecture. On Mondays, the second hour will
usually be reserved for group discussion of specific questions and topics (though we may not use the
whole hour). Each week I will post on the forum notes on the readings, including key topics and
questions for discussion. I strongly recommend that you read these posts and come to Wednesday’s class
prepared to discuss the suggested topics. You are also encouraged to bring up topics and questions of
your own for discussion.
Required Texts
Available at the UTM bookstore. (You are welcome to use other editions or translations.)
Friedrich Nietzsche, On the Genealogy of Morality (Maudemarie Clark translation)
Friedrich Nietzsche, Beyond Good & Evil (Walter Kaufmann translation)
Friedrich Nietzsche, Twilight of the Idols and the Anti-Christ (R.J. Hollingdale translation)
Additional Readings
There will be additional readings from Nietzsche and a number of secondary articles on Nietzsche’s work.
Additional Nietzsche readings are available on the web (see links in schedule, or click on the links in the
online version of the syllabus). All secondary articles can be accessed electronically through the
University of Toronto library. To access electronic journals online, go to
http://www.library.utoronto.ca/resources/index.html.
Evaluation
10%
20%
30%
40%
Participation (5% forum participation, 5% attendance)
5-7 page exegetical essay
Take-home exam
8-10 page critical essay
First 2 posts due February 18th
Due February 9th
Due March 7th
Due April 6th
Paper extensions and excused absences will be granted only in cases of illness (with appropriate U of T
medical form) or truly extenuating circumstances. When possible, you should request extensions or
excused absences in advance, not after the fact. Please note that having assignments due in other courses
and ordinary scheduling conflicts are not adequate for an excused absence. Penalty for late essays is -2%
per day, including weekends.
Description of Assignments
1. Participation (10%)
Attendance (5%) You are allowed two unexcused absences without penalty. Thereafter, you
will lose one percentage point of your final grade for each unexcused absence (up to a maximum
penalty of -5%).
Forum Participation (5%: 5 posts, 1% per post). You will be expected to contribute at least
five posts in five separate weeks to the course discussion board. There is no required length;
however, only posts that address the philosophical content of the course will be counted. Your
first two posts must be completed on or before Friday, February 18th. You may post as often as
you like, but additional posts made in the same week do not count toward your participation mark
credit.
2. Exegetical essay (20%). A 5-7 page interpretive essay on an assigned topic from On the Geneology of
Morality. You will be provided a number of topics to choose from. Format for all essays: double spaced,
1 inch margins, 10-12 point font. Please do not include a separate cover sheet. Essays must be handed in
during class, not emailed. Late essays can be dropped off at the Philosophy Department. For essaywriting advice and information on grading criteria for this assignment, please see the Essay Help and
Grading Information sections of the course website.
3. Exam (30%). A take-home, open-book exam. Multiple essay questions.
4. Critical essay (40%). An 8-10 page critical essay that substantially engages one or more article in the
secondary literature on Nietzsche. You may, if you wish, write on a secondary text not included in the
course readings. If you wish to do so, you should contact me by March 28 to obtain approval for your
chosen text and topic.
Tentative Schedule of Readings
Week Dates
Readings
1
January 3, 5
On the Genealogy of Morality, translator’s introduction, Preface, and begin
First Treatise, vii-33
2
January 10, 12
On the Genealogy of Morality, First Treatise, continued
Begin On the Genealogy of Morality, Second Treatise, 35-67
3
January 17, 19
On the Genealogy of Morality, Second Treatise, continued
Begin On the Genealogy of Morality, Third Treatise, 67-118
4
January 24, 26
On the Genealogy of Morality, Third Treatise, 67-118, continued
Richard White, “The Return of the Master,” Philosophy and
Phenomenological Research, volume 48, 1988
5
January 31, Feb 2
Beyond Good and Evil, “On the Prejudices of Philosophers,” “The
Free Spirit,” and “What is Religious,” 1-76.
6
February 7, 9
First essay due Wednesday, February 9th
Beyond Good and Evil, “Epigrams & Interludes” and “Natural History of
Morals,” pp. 79-118.
Twilight of the Idols, pp.31-65 (to the end of “The Four Great Errors”).
7
February 14, 16
READING WEEK
First two forum posts must be completed by Friday, February 18th
(Remember: posts made in the same week count as only one credit)
8
February 21, 23
Mark Warren, “Nietzsche & Political Philosophy,” Political Theory, May
1985
“The Greek State,” Preface to an unwritten book. Available online at:
http://www.geocities.com/thenietzschechannel/tgs.htm
Untimely Meditations, selection from Chapter III, Section 6 (handout)
9
February 28, Mar 2
Take-home exam to be distributed Monday, February 28th
Human, All Too Human, “A Glance at the State.” Online:
http://www.geocities.com/thenietzschechannel/human8.htm#gstate
Human, All Too Human, “Tokens of Higher and Lower Culture.” Online:
http://www.geocities.com/thenietzschechannel/human5.htm#hlc
10
March 7, 9
Take-home exam due Monday, March 7th
Beyond Good and Evil, “We Scholars,” “Our Virtues,” pp.119-71
In Journal of Political Philosophy, Volume 5, No. 2, 1997:
Mark Redhead, “Nietzsche and Liberal Democracy…”
William Connolly, “Reworking the Democratic Imagination”
11
March 14, 16
Beyond Good and Evil, “What is Noble,” pp.199-237
From The Southern Journal of Philosophy, 1999, Volume 37, supplement:
Maudemarie Clark, “Nietzsche’s Antidemocratic Rhetoric”
12
March 21, 23
From The Southern Journal of Philosophy, 1999, Volume 37, supplement:
Todd Franklin, “The Political Implications of Nietzsche’s
Aristocratic Radicalism”
Alexander Nehamas, “Nietzsche and ‘Hitler’”
13
March 28, 30
Twilight of the Idols, pp.66-122 (“The Improvers of Mankind” to the end)
Anti-Christ, pp.187-199 (section 56 and on)
14
April 4, 6
Final essay due Wednesday, April 6th
“Homer’s Contest,” Preface to an unwritten book. Available online at:
http://www.geocities.com/thenietzschechannel/hc.htm
From Journal of Nietzsche Studies 24, Fall 2002:
David Owen, “Equality, Democracy, and Self-Respect…”
Lawrence Hatab, “Prospects for a Democratic Agon…”