Nietzsche's Philosophy Research Articles

A Nietzschean tafsīr for Nazi Germany: The Commentary to Sadr-ud-Dīn’s Qur’an of 1939

This contribution traces the history of the German Qur'an edition published by the Ahmadiyya Anjuman Isha’at-e-Islam Lahore (Lahore-Ahmadiyya) in Berlin in 1939. Maulvi Sadr-ud-Dīn, the Lahore-Ahmadiyya missionary who erected the first mosque in Berlin, fashioned the translation. To reach out to a German audience gearing up for war, he entrusted his Berlin collaborator, the philosopher Hugo Marcus, with the details of the commentary. The narrative starts in 1924, when Tatar intellectuals first sat down with Sadr-ud-Dīn to discuss the necessity of preparing Qur'an editions for European readers. It ends with the publication of the German Qur'an at the moment Germans were finalising their war preparations. Hugo Marcus’ approach to his commentary involved relating single Qur'an verses to Friedrich Nietzsche's philosophy, focusing on genius, heroism, and suffering. In making that choice, he connected the Qur'anic text to the Herrenethik (‘ethics of male superiority’) that pervaded National-Socialist (Nazi) ideology. From this emerged an exegesis full of delusions about masculinity and racist arrogance. A comparison with Hugo Marcus’ writings of the 1930s illustrates how it was wrought. In their approach to racism, nationalism, and war, Ahmadi Muslim missionaries and German Muslims in Berlin differed considerably. In their many attempts to bridge East and West through religion, their disagreements on these issues present a pivotal moment in intercultural communication, leaving an imprint on how the Qur'an was explained in Sadr-ud-Dīn's translation. Whereas the Lahore-Ahmadiyya tried to smooth the way towards an ‘international religion’ and defended the ‘Jihad of the Pen’, German Muslims steered close to the expectations of a frenzied, war-minded public. A straightforward document, Hugo Marcus’ tafsīr served to exonerate them in advance, wherever they were heading.

THE PHENOMENON OF RESENTMENT IN CULTURE: NIETZSCHE, SCHELER, FUKUYAMA

The article delves into the concept of ressentiment within the context of phenomenology and its profound impact on the formation of moral values and socio-cultural dynamics. Drawing on the ideas of Max Scheler, which are partially rooted in Friedrich Nietzsche's philosophy and extended through Francis Fukuyama’s works, the paper explores how ressentiment serves as a critical factor in transforming various spheres of human social activity. The article identifies ressentiment as a driving force behind the crisis of humanistic ideals and examineі its pervasive effect on contemporary values. It emphasizes the importance of understanding this phenomenon in shaping socio-cultural dynamics, particularly in relation to moral-legal perceptions and the collective shifts in society’s values. By examining the internal conflict experienced by individuals influenced by ressentiment, the article sheds light on its role in moral conflicts and social tensions. Furthermore, the work underscores the relevance of Scheler’s phenomenology and Fukuyama’s exploration of identity politics in addressing the challenges posed by ressentiment. It highlights the need to grasp ressentiment not merely as a sociological phenomenon but as a complex psychological experience with deep social implications. The study also opens avenues for future research into how ressentiment influences modern political ideologies and cultural narratives, impacting both individual identities and collective consciousness. Additionally, the article discusses the implications of ressentiment in the digital age, where social media amplifies these sentiments, further polarizing societies and intensifying identity-based conflicts. By providing a focused and nuanced analysis of ressentiment, the article emphasizes its significance in the evolution and transformation of cultural and moral values in the modern world, making it a crucial topic for ongoing philosophical inquiry. This exploration is essential for understanding the roots of contemporary societal divisions and offers insights into potential pathways for addressing these deep-seated issues.

A Comparative Study of Nietzsche's Ecological Philosophy and Hauerwas' Eschatological Creation Theology - Focusing on Ontological Non-violence Ethics -

A Comparative Study of Nietzsche's Ecological Philosophy and Hauerwas' Eschatological Creation Theology - Focusing on Ontological Non-violence Ethics -

철학상담으로서 실천가능한 철학교육 모든 가치의 전도

The true value of philosophy is that philosophy should not only pursue theoretical truth but should also play a role in participating in and helping with the pain of life. Therefore, the practical possibilities of philosophy can be found in philosophical counseling. In his early The Birth of Tragedy(1876), Nietzsche recovered ‘Heiterkeit’through Greek tragedy that touches the essence of life, and in Thus Spoke Zarathustra(1883-5), he explored the truth or gained freedom. It shows how to reach Übermensch,’an existential human being who creates new values, through the three stages of mental change that a person must go through. For Nietzsche, the ‘Übermensch’ is a person who finds and achieves meaning in a meaningless life, is an educator who is an example of humanity's self-overcoming and is a new human image that shows the practicability of liberal education. In the Western philosophy world, since the 1980s, a new movement has emerged under the names of Philosophische Praxis and Philosophical Counseling by Gerd B. Achenbach, Germany, to overcome the practical difficulties of philosophy. Nietzsche’s ‘conversion of all values’can show the practical possibility of philosophical education leading to philosophical counseling. The ideal and goal of Nietzsche's philosophy was true education to achieve self-liberation as a human being who educates himself. Now, we would like to look at the core values of Nietzsche's education, which overcomes God and realizes the value as a liberator, in relation to philosophical counseling that helps each human being understand and act in life.

The Perception of Socrates' Ethics in F. Nietzsche's Moral Philosophy: Overcoming Metaphysics and its "Eternal Recurrence"

The subject of the study is to consider the perception of Socrates' ethics in Nietzsche's philosophy as a theoretical basis for the formation of the key provisions of Nietzsche's philosophy of morality, in particular, possible elements of metaphysical thinking in these provisions. Nietzsche's critical argumentation in relation to the philosophical views of Socrates was considered as the basis for the key provisions of Nietzsche's moral philosophy, particularly in the aspect of its connection with the question of metaphysics. The focus of the author's research is the analysis of the perception of Socratic ideas in the context of criticism of Nietzsche's project of metaphysics through the prism of morality: the idea of self-overcoming and the increasing will to power turn out to be the basis for understanding Nietzsche's new project in moral philosophy. The research methodology includes theoretical methods, historical-philosophical and ethical-philosophical analysis of the consideration of Socrates’ ethics by Nietzsche, and the influence of this consideration on the ethical position of the latter. As a research basis, the article uses the approaches of J. Deleuze, L. Klages, A.F. Losev, L. Shestova, V.M. Bakuseva. The novelty of the article lies in tracing the influence of Socratic ethics on Friedrich Nietzsche's formulation of the moral problem, especially in the aspect of the question of metaphysics in Nietzsche's ethical thought (both criticism of metaphysics and the continuation of some lines of the metaphysical tradition). The first line of Nietzsche's criticism of Socratic philosophy was to identify the influence of Socrates on the emergence of European nihilism. Nietzsche's second thought, in relation to Socrates, concerned the "theoretical man".The third idea, which can be designated as one of the most important features of Nietzsche's moral philosophy, was the idea of self-overcoming.

Nietzschean Themes in Béla Tarr's The Turin Horse

Béla Tarr's last feature film The Turin Horse (2011) begins with a prologue that narrates Friedrich Nietzsche's mental breakdown in Turin in 1889, which was allegedly prompted by his witnessing a cab driver brutally whipping his horse. Nietzsche's name is not mentioned again in the film, and the viewer is left wondering what connection, if any, exists between the Nietzsche story and the film's narrative. Scholars often refer to one or another aspect of Nietzsche's philosophy when analysing Tarr's film. Yet, to date, no comprehensive study has been devoted to exploring the connection between The Turin Horse and Nietzsche's philosophy. This article seeks to fill this gap in the literature. The first section examines the connection between the prologue and the film. In the second section, attention is given to the most evident connection between Tarr's film and Nietzsche's philosophy, namely the use of circularity and repetition in The Turin Horse and Nietzsche's idea of the eternal recurrence of the same. The third section interprets the neighbour's monologue in light of Nietzsche's death of God. Finally, the fourth section is devoted to nihilism.

BTS’S MAGICAL SPELL IN THE AGE OF ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE: THE POISONED CHALICE OF FREEDOM THAT I SWALLOWED KNOWINGLY

The question this paper aims to address is whether we can find a philosophical message for the age of artificial intelligence in the songs of BTS. The research objective of this paper is to show that we can find a philosophical message for the age of artificial intelligence in the songs of BTS. The research method of this paper is to first find a philosophical message for the era of artificial intelligence through Yuval Harari's book Homo Deus, then analyze the lyrics of BTS's song "Blood Sweat and Tears" based on the message, find a philosophical message for the era of artificial intelligence contained in the song, and support the philosophical message with Nietzsche's Philosophy of the Superhuman. The research finding of this paper is that we can find a philosophical message for the era of artificial intelligence through the song "Blood, Sweat & Tears" by BTS, which can also be supported by Nietzsche's Philosophy of the Superhuman. The message is: "Swallow the poisoned chalice of freedom, even though you know it's poisoned!". The conclusion that can be drawn from this finding is that the humanity that needs to be renewed in the age of AI is Homo sapiens, who thinks for himself. It is not AI-recommended Hommo Sapiens, not AI represented Homo Sapiens, but Self-deciding free Homo Sapiens, a free human who wanders, crosses over, thinks and decides for oneself.

Sobre a possibilidade e a impossibilidade de um diálogo teórico entre Nietzsche e Lacan

Abstract: The present article examines contemporary scholarship attempting a theoretical convergence between Lacanian psychoanalysis and Nietzschean philosophy. The main positions, ideas and arguments of this scholarship are assessed. In doing so, the philosophical problem that immediately arises concerns the very possibility of such a theoretical dialogue. The thesis to be developed, then, is that superficial similarities rather obscure core theoretical, and even ontological, disagreements - and so besides the critical examination of the mentioned literature, the goal of the paper is to illuminate these tensions insofar they obstruct easy Nietzsche-Lacan articulations. Thus following the resemblances between both theoretical perspectives, we move from the merely superficial to the stronger similarities among the will to power, unconscious desire and jouissance, then between nihilism and jouissance, and finally between the very logics of resentment and repression. At each step, the article shows similarities to rather be insufficient, to the extent they are sustained on unquestioned assumptions. The paradigmatic one: the idea that Nietzsche is already a Lacanian avant la lettre.

Metaphysics of the sequence shot: the gathering and nihilating of being in Béla Tarr’s The Turin Horse

ABSTRACT This article examines the philosophical implications of Béla Tarr’s The Turin Horse (2011) by attending to the thematic and aesthetic configuration of its sequence shots. The film’s durational images, I suggest, perform a gathering and nihilating of presence whereby the existence of the subject is repeatedly affirmed and questioned. I read this dynamic, over and above figurative and diegetic parameters, as metaphysical. In line with its Nietzschean framing and de-creational structure, and in distinction from the hermetic living that characterises Damnation (1988), Satantango (1994) and Werckmeister Harmonies (2000), I posit the film’s catastrophic vision of the end of the world as revelatory. Placing stylistic analysis in dialogue with film theory and the philosophies of Nietzsche and Heidegger, I argue that Tarr’s strategies of attention (on the subject) and reversal (of the action and cinematography) puncture narrative chronology, exposing the spatiality and temporality that structure our existence. For this, I align with Heidegger’s thinking on metaphysics and the relation between art and truth. I establish the grounds for a compatibility between Heidegger’s philosophy and the worthiness of cinema by appealing to the ontological purpose it attributes to certain works of art and technology. The presencing and absencing of The Turin Horse’s in turn phenomenal and abyssal sequence shots, I conclude, produces a renewal of ground that illuminates questions of human fragility, freedom and emancipation, attuning us to the responsibilities of our being in a shared world.

"Infinitely Dangerous, Infinitely Saviour": Gabriel Marcel's Commentary on Nietzsche's "God is Dead" Statement

Gabriel Marcel's writings are intricately intertwined with Nietzsche's philosophy. As one of the most respected representatives of existential thought, Marcel acknowledges the significance of Nietzsche's ideas while recognizing that he grapples with a thinker who is both distant and very close. Marcel's references to Nietzsche's philosophy are linked with Nietzsche's statement "God is dead." For Marcel, the declaration of the "death of the divine" emerges as a theme that underscores both the magnitude and tragedy of Nietzsche. In this context, Marcel regards the contradictions in Nietzsche's philosophical thought as both dangerous and fruitful. This study will discuss the influence of Nietzsche on Gabriel Marcel's ideas and Marcel's interpretation of the phrase "God is Dead."

About Alfred Baeumler’s Nietzsche. 3. 'Bachofen and Nietzsche'

In this third part, we present the English translation of the text ‘Bachofen and Nietzsche’, written by the philosopher Alfred Baeumler. Baeumler's text explores the relationship between Friedrich Nietzsche and Johann Jakob Bachofen, two influential figures in the fields of philosophy, anthropology, and history. Baeumler argues that Nietzsche's philosophy was deeply influenced by Bachofen's ideas on matriarchy, Antiquity, and the feminine. Baeumler suggests that Nietzsche's concept of the Dionysian was inspired by Bachofen's theory of the chthonic and the matriarchal. Baeumler also argues that Bachofen's ideas on matriarchy and the feminine challenged the traditional patriarchal order of Western civilization, and that Nietzsche's philosophy continued this challenge by advocating for a new, life-affirming culture based on the principles of the Dionysian. Finally, Baeumler suggests that Nietzsche's philosophy can be seen as a critical response to Bachofen's romanticism, and that it offers a more nuanced and complex understanding of the relationship between the past and the present.

Affective Foundation of Society in Nietzsche's Philosophy

Affective Foundation of Society in Nietzsche's Philosophy

Nietzsche's Untimely Prophecy: Online Exemplars and Self‐Cultivation

AbstractDigital technologies are changing our understanding of ethical emulation. In this article, Matthew Dennis proposes that some social media technologies have given rise to a strikingly new set of ethical ideals, often concerned with the ideal of self‐cultivation. While there is relatively little philosophical discussion of these kinds of ideals, Dennis suggests that scrutiny of Friedrich Nietzsche's ethical philosophy offers a guiding account of why the ideal of self‐directed character change is important. He concludes by speculating on how the digital affordances of social media technologies will change the way in which ethical exemplars influence future generations.

OVERCOMING EUROPEAN NIHILISM IN THE TEACHINGS OF FRIEDRICH NIETZSCHE IN THE CONTEXT OF THE DEVELOPMENT OF NON-CLASSICAL PHILOSOPHY

The subject of the study is Friedrich Nietzsche’s concept of nihilism as an integral part of his socio-philosophical views.The relevance of addressing the concept of nihilism in the context of Friedrich Nietzsche’s reflections on society is due to the fact that, in the philosopher’s view, nihilism is the main concept for substantiating the idea of the crisis nature of modern Western civilization. It is because of nihilism, Friedrich Nietzsche believed, that Western society in the historical perspective is doomed to decline and death.So, Friedrich Nietzsche’s critical approach to the problems of society is conceptual in nature, in a historical-philosophical sense, Nietzschean criticism contributed to the formation of the problem of the formation of a mass society and the idea of a crisis of Western culture in Western philosophical and social thought.In accordance with the purpose of the research, the article analyzes the Nietzschean criticism of society in the context of the reception and reflection of this criticism in the thoughts of famous representatives of non-classical philosophy, which is important for the formation of the modern discourse of Western culture.The paper analyzes the concept of nihilism as a prerequisite for Friedrich Nietzsche’s negative attitude towards the development prospects of Western society. The close connection between the idea of nihilism and rationalism is noted, it is rationalism, according to the philosopher, that is a prerequisite for the moral decline of society.It is emphasized that Friedrich Nietzsche’s fundamental criticism of rationalism at the level of general philosophical ideas has certain deviations when the philosopher considers specific socio-political processes.It is concluded that it is precisely in the socio-political aspect in the views of Friedrich Nietzsche that the complexity of the relationship between the concepts of rational and irrational is most characteristically manifested. This complexity actually goes beyond purely Nietzschean philosophy and becomes a subject of reflection for many representatives of non-classical philosophy.The article, based on the statements of a number of researchers of the philosophy of Friedrich Nietzsche, proves the opinion that the philosopher’s anti-irrationalism can be understood in a constructive way, as a supplement and deepening of modern ideas about the nature of the rational, and not always the positive influence of the rational on man and society.Thus, the philosophy of Friedrich Nietzsche acts as a prerequisite for the further deepening of ideas in Western culture about the contradictory nature of society in which rational and irrational elements are inextricably intertwined.

Afropessimism and the Specter of Black Nihilism

In arguing that slavery is not a relic of the past, but a relational dynamic undergirded by an ontology of anti-Blackness that prevents Blacks from ever being considered human beings, the self-described Afropessimist, Frank Wilderson III, argues that Black people occupy the position of social death in the present. Due to this anti-Black condition, Wilderson concludes that no form of redress is possible to assuage, liberate, and redeem Black people from this anti-Black condition other than the “End of the World.” Drawing upon Fredrich Nietzsche’s understanding of the problem of nihilism and its existential consequences, I argue that while Afropessimism is useful for articulating the problem of anti-Blackness, it makes a nihilistic turn through Wilderson’s “End of the World” since there is no world where Blackness is experienced as anything other than social death. As a response to Wilderson, I conclude that the philosopher Jacqueline Scott’s life-affirming Nietzschean philosophy and her anti-racist activism in “Racial Nihilism as Racial Courage” is one adequate response to the nihilistic threat to Black America if Black people are condemned to a life of social death because of the enduring nature of anti-Black racism.

Book review: The philosophy of person‐centred healthcare, By DerekMitchell, MichaelLoughlin, Cambridge: Cambridge Scholars Publishing. 2023. 201 pp. £64.99. ISBN (10): 1‐5275‐9058‐5, ISBN (13): 978‐1‐5275‐9058‐8

Book review: The philosophy of person‐centred healthcare, By DerekMitchell, MichaelLoughlin, Cambridge: Cambridge Scholars Publishing. 2023. 201 pp. £64.99. ISBN (10): 1‐5275‐9058‐5, ISBN (13): 978‐1‐5275‐9058‐8

Henry Flower Esq. and the Uses of History for Life in Ulysses

ABSTRACT: This essay brings two under-discussed aspects of Friedrich Nietzsche's philosophy, including his reflections on "cultural paralysis" and what he calls the "suprahistorical approach," into a productive philosophical dialogue with a comparably under-discussed aspect of Ulysses , that is, the significance of the role performed by Leopold Bloom's alter ego, Henry Flower. I argue that Bloom creates this alter ego using a process that is reminiscent of Nietzsche's suprahistorical approach, which proposes that an individual, or a body politic, might benefit from selective historical remembrance, with a view to overcoming the paralyzing trauma triggered by the death of his infant son, Rudy. Mindful of the temporal vantage point from which Joyce reflects upon the fictionalized events of 16 June 1904, this essay further demonstrates that the creation of Henry Flower completes the kaleidoscopic mode of narration through which Joyce refracts the stifling legacy of Irish history: first through Stephen Dedalus, then through Leopold Bloom, and ultimately through Henry Flower. When viewed from this perspective, it becomes apparent that the creation of Henry Flower allows Bloom to recognize the restorative potential of a surrogate father-son relationship with Stephen. In this way, Henry Flower performs a conciliatory function that establishes a philosophical blueprint for postcolonial nation-building, thereby underscoring the productive potential that resides in even the most disconcerting depths of Nietzsche's philosophical vision.

Reinterpeting Nietzsche: An Introduction to the Textualists' Approach

The core of Nietzsche's philosophy is typically articulated comprehensively by contentists through key concepts such as the will to power, the eternal return, and the overman. Unfortunately, such goals are frequently arbitrary and lack rigorous textual support. Textists, on the other hand, tend to prioritize a historical-contextual approach in interpreting Nietzsche's texts in order to overcome this weakness. The textists' approach is distinguished by the genetic and literary analysis of the critical editions of Nietzsche's texts compiled by Colli/Montinari. As a result, this article begins with a brief topography of the critical editions, focusing on the role of KGW IX in genetic analysis. Furthermore, the style of genetic and literary analysis applied to aphorism 36 of BGE becomes a case study to demonstrate how the interpretation differs from that of the contentists. Textists show Nietzsche's creativity as the author of the aphorism that makes parody, irony, and satire of will-causality and moral demands in scientific explanations, whereas contentists interpret the will to power hypothesis as the essence of reality. For textists, the principle of the will to power in BGE 36 is framed in suppositional language, implying that the proposition of the will to power is also unreal.

Reading O’Neill Creatively: Perspectives and Offerings

Reading O’Neill Creatively: Perspectives and Offerings

Eugene O’Neill’s Philosophy of Difficult Theatre: Pity, Fear, and Forgiveness

Eugene O’Neill’s Philosophy of Difficult Theatre: Pity, Fear, and Forgiveness