Foundation or Abyss (Abgrund)? Heidegger’s Interpretation of Nihilism in Nietzsche’s Philosophy

Abstract

The current article addresses the heideggerian interpretation of the concept of nihilism in nietzschean philosophy. Pointing out three components of Heidegger’s relationship with Nietzsche (1. Heidegger’s approach to Nietzsche as the culmination of Western metaphysics [Vollendung der Metaphysik], 2. the interpretation of five key concepts of Rocken’s philosopher in a metaphysical reading, and 3. the implicit concordances in Heidegger’s thought with Nietz- sche’s philosophy) the article focuses primarily on the first two outlined points in order to stress that, contrary to Heidegger’s stance, the nietzschean solution to the problem of nihilism does not end with the postulation of a ground ( Grund ) which substitutes those others which have governed Western history, but in the conception of the will to power as abyss ( Abgrund ), namely, in an opposite direction to that posed by Heidegger.