Nietzsche for someone somewhat new to philosophy?

recommend begin introductory text.

go out , buy nietzsche on morality brian leiter (i've included link amazon listing of book).


there has been huge trend describe nietzsche postmodern, deconstructionist, rhetorician focuses on style , notoriously seems contradict himself. acquired mainstream view, popularized of french, post-war interpretations of him, , view wrong.

nietzsche legitimate naturalist philosopher put forth delicate arguments many of coherent, fascinating positions.

writing style difficult absorb. aphorisms skip topic topic difficult keep track of, if don't have background in history of ideas , don't know implicitly referencing or arguing against in each aphorism.

why recommend brian leiter's book. agree majority of arguments regarding nietzsche's position, , book exceptionally lucid @ presenting reliable, clean, exposition of many of nietzsche's thoughts. don't led on title think book talks morality. heavily mentions nietzsche's psychology , philosophy of mind & action. also, brian leiter, maudemarie clark, have been reason why nietzsche being taken today---because have written texts in analytic style of philosophy (the style of clarity , precision) regarding great continental figure, nietzsche (who obfuscated behind interpretations lacking in clarity).

great book, routledge philosophy guidebook nietzsche on morality, because takes nietzsche , presents him ought presented, legitimate philosopher coherent, complex arguments hang-together.


however, if insist on starting primary text, twilight of idols hands down best text begin with. read slowly, 100 pages in length!! however, read dictionary , encyclopedia @ side (wiktionary , wikipedia work perfect). these hundred pages richly present crux of mature nietzsche's philosophy.

in twilight of idols, of arguments puts forth include,
(1) critique against causality of (possible epiphenomenalism think he's merely saying function of 'consciousness' has been severely misconceived),
(2) argument against transcendent mind , against thing-in-itself,
(3) critique against indifferent objectivization of platonic form,
(4) part of critique of christianity being against natural growth decadent origins in socrates,
(5) argument determined in large part our physiology (i.e. type-facts),
(6) commentary against overemphasizing importance of reason.

book packed many other arguments, recall, these of ones stood out me.

after reading twilight of idols, i'd recommend read eccehomo (another short approx. 100 page book), followed on genealogy of morality (the best translation 1 maudemarie clark , alan swenson).

unfortunately, don't think walter kaufmann translator (his translations can bit difficult following nietzsche's philosophical arguments), , interpretations of nietzsche horrific, not considered accurate nor dependable. however, hard avoid when going out , purchasing nietzsche in english. nevertheless, maudemarie clark translation of "genealogy" available; however, in other cases, "twilight" , "eccehomo," stuck kaufmann.

also, if eager begin infamous on genealogy of morality, suggest read leiter book companion , read introduction @ beginning of clark & swenson translation of "genealogy". way, nietzsche has 2 page summary of on genealogy of morality in eccehomo, useful in provides simple road map can keep in mind when approaching genealogy.

enjoy nietzsche!



"[m]y fervent create impels me ever again toward man; hammer impelled toward stone.

"o men, in stone image sleeping, image of images! alas, has sleep in hardest, ugliest stone!

"now hammer rages cruelly against prison. pieces of rock rain stone: me? want perfect it; shadow came me - stillest , lightest of things once came me. beauty of overman came me shadow.

"o brothers, gods me now?"

(thus spoke zarathustra)

i haven't read philosophy in past few years, , never read nietzsche. of works place start?

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