Abstract

This chapter begins with some brief biographical information and some general remarks about Friedrich Nietzsche's philosophical methodology and style. Throughout his life, Nietzsche's books had a very small circulation. But by the end of his life, he was beginning to receive greater acclaim, and he was to have an enormous influence, not just within philosophy, but in the wider cultural sphere. In some recent literature on Nietzsche, the divide between naturalism and non‐naturalism has figured prominently. This reflects a broader debate about where exactly to situate Nietzsche, with respect to his eighteenth and nineteenth century predecessors, as well as with respect to debates in contemporary philosophy, particularly surrounding moral psychology, the philosophy of action, and the philosophy of mind. The chapter also presents the discussion of his books themselves, beginning with The Birth of Tragedy (1872) and ending with his autobiography Ecce Homo (1888). It concludes by reflecting on Nietzsche's philosophical and cultural legacy.