The Will to PowerThroughout his career, Friedrich Wilhelm Nietzsche explored the concept of the will to power, interpreting it variously as a psychological, biological, and metaphysical principle. This posthumously produced volume, drawn from his unpublished notebooks, collects the nineteenth-century philosopher's thoughts on the force that drives humans toward achievement, dominance, and creative activity. Misunderstandings of Nietzsche's previous works compelled the author to attempt to express his doctrines in a more unequivocal form. These writings elucidate the principle that he held to be the essential factor of all existence — the drive and energy to develop independently according to one's nature, rather than being dominated by outside forces. A work that both illuminates and extends our understanding of Nietzsche's earlier books, this volume offers reflections on art, morality, Christianity, nihilism, and other topics that provide absorbing glimpses into the mind of one of philosophy's great thinkers. |
Contents
A Plan | 3 |
Concerning the History of European Nihilism | 33 |
Criticism of Religion | 69 |
Criticism of Philosophy | 194 |
3 | 225 |
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Common terms and phrases
absolute action altruism anti-Hellenic Arian attitude of mind become believe botched Buddhism cause century Chandala Christian classes concept concerning condemned conscience contempt corruption criticism cult culture decadence degenerate Democritus desire dialectician egoism Epicurus everything evil exhaustion existence faith false favour feeling Friedrich Nietzsche fundamental German Goethe Greek gregarious happiness hatred Hegel Heraclitus herd hitherto honour human ideal immoral immoralists individual instance instinct intellectual interpretation Judaism Kant kind knowledge lack longer man’s mankind matter of fact means mediocre mistrust moral values morbid natural Nihilism Nihilistic Nihilistic movement noble notion one’s Pantheism passions perfect Pessimism philosophers physiological pity Plato precisely priests principle Protestantism psychological purpose Pyrrho reason recognised regard religion result Richard Wagner salvation scepticism Schopenhauer sense slander Socrates sort soul species spirit strength strong teaching things tion Translator’s Note truth valuations virtue Voltaire weak whole