Philosophy Book
Chapter Twenty Seven: Friedrich Nietzsche
Brief Biography of Friedrich Nietzsche: Summary of Ideas, Portrait & Quotes
This webpage contains a brief overview of the recently published
book 'Philosophical Sketches'. Below you will find a short Chapter summary
on Friedrich Nietzsche, the book cover and back page text, links to other book chapters,
and introduction. You can buy this book online at our Cafepress Philosophy
Book Shop (Book Details: 90 pages, 30 full page portraits, 8.5 inches by
11 inches, $19.50 USD)
Hope you find it interesting,
Geoff Haselhurst & Karene Jade Howie
Chapter
Twenty Seven: Friedrich Nietzsche
Friedrich Wilhelm Nietzsche was a profoundly influential German
philosopher, psychologist, and philologist. He was a severe critic of Christianity,
Utilitarianism, German idealism, German romanticism, and of modernity in general.
One of Nietzsche's central concepts is the will to power (Der Wille zur Macht),
a process of expansion and venting of creative energy that he believed was
the basic driving force of nature. He believed it to be the fundamental causal
power in the world, the driving force of all natural phenomena and the dynamic
to which all other causal powers could be reduced. That is, Nietzsche in part
hoped will to power could be a "theory of everything," providing
the ultimate foundations for explanations of everything from whole societies,
to individual organisms, down to mere lumps of matter. In contrast to the "theories
of everything" attempted in physics, Nietzsche's was teleological in nature.
Nazi Germany often viewed Nietzsche as one of their "founding fathers." They
incorporated much of his ideology and thoughts about power into their own political
philosophy (without consideration to its contextual meaning). Although there
exists some significant differences between Nietzsche and Nazism, his ideas
of power, weakness, women, and religion became axioms of Nazi society. The
wide popularity of Nietzsche among Nazis was due partly to Nietzsche's sister,
Elisabeth Förster-Nietzsche, a Nazi sympathizer who edited much of Nietzsche's
works. It is worth noting that Nietzsche's thought largely stands opposed to
Nazism. In particular, Nietzsche despised anti-Semitism (which partially led
to his falling out with composer Richard Wagner) and nationalism. He took a
dim view of German culture as it was in his time, and derided both the state
and populism.
Nietzsche spent the last ten years of his life insane and in the care of his
sister Elisabeth. He was unaware of the growing success of his works. The cause
of Nietzsche's condition is undetermined. ... (see book for more)
There is nothing more necessary than truth, and in comparison
with it everything else has only secondary value. This absolute will to truth:
what is it? Is it the will to not allow ourselves to be deceived? Is it the
will not to deceive? One does not want to be deceived, under the supposition
that it is injurious, dangerous, or fatal to be deceived.
What if God were not exactly truth, and if this could be proved? And if he
were instead the vanity, the desire for power, the ambitions, the fear, and
the enraptured and terrified folly of mankind?
Do not allow yourselves to be deceived: Great Minds are Skeptical.
He who fights with monsters should look to it that he himself does not
become a monster. When you gaze long into the abyss, the abyss also
gazes into you.
Was it not for you the glacier today exchanged its gray for
roses? The brook seeks you; and wind and clouds press higher in the blue,
longingly
they crowd
aloft to look for you. For you have I prepared my table in the highest
height - who lives so near the stars as I, or who so near the depths
of the abyss? (Friedrich Nietzsche)
A lively and concise journey through the central
ideas of thirty famous philosophers. From ancient Indian, Greek and Chinese
Philosophy to modern Western Philosophy, this book explores the changing foundations
of human knowledge and their effect on how we think and live.
Includes full page portraits, brief biographies and selected quotes from some
of the greatest minds of human history on the universal subjects of Truth,
Reality, Nature, Cosmos, Wisdom, Morality, Mind, Education, Politics, Art,
Religion & God.
Written for the lay person, while remaining true to the original ideas, this
is an engaging account of the Metaphysical foundations of Philosophy that is
both illuminating and thought provoking. (Cover Photograph: Plato & Aristotle
- The School of Athens by Raphael)
Philosophy Book
Philosophical Sketches: Chapter Headings & Content Summary
Publisher / Online Bookstore Details
Space
and Motion Publications
Online print on demand publishers of books on;
Philosophy, Physics, Metaphysics, Truth, Reality, Evolution, Ecology, Nature,
Education, Politics, Fine Art, Erotic Art, Nature, Cosmos, Wisdom, Morality,
Mind, Religion & God.
http://www.spaceandmotion.com/books/online-book-publishing.htm
Related Pages: Friedrich Nietzsche
We also have a nice philosophy web page on Friedrich Nietzsche;
http://www.spaceandmotion.com/Philosophy-Friedrich-Nietzsche-Philosopher.htm
RSS
"When
forced to summarize the general theory of relativity in one sentence: Time
and space and gravitation have no separate existence from matter. ... Physical
objects are not in space, but these objects are spatially extended.
In this way the concept 'empty space' loses its meaning. ... The particle
can only appear as a limited region in space in which the field strength or
the energy density are particularly high. ...
