Friedrich Nietzsche

Beyond Good and Evil: Prelude to a Philosophy of the Future

15:30 min

Philosophy, Psychology, Religion, Classics

240 pages, 1886

Friedrich Nietzsche reframes existence with this provocative short that questions the value of truth. He argues that the human mind does not actually want to discover reality, but rather to interpret it to suit our needs. Through skeptical yet poetic prose, Nietzsche challenges the assumption that truth is inherently good, proposing instead that falsehood and appearance create the conditions for life itself. Embarking on a journey beyond good and evil, this short ultimately points toward a new psychology centered around the "will to power" —- one that does not cling to outdated notions of morality. Immersing readers in rich paradoxes, Nietzsche compels us to confront our unexamined beliefs and abandon what we thought we knew about truth and knowledge.

Friedrich Nietzsche

Friedrich Nietzsche (1844-1900) was an influential German philosopher and cultural critic who radically questioned the foundations of Christianity, morality, and traditional philosophy, arguing they stemmed more from power dynamics than truth. Through controversial yet impactful writings, Nietzsche challenged conceptions of religion, art, psychology, and science by suggesting knowledge and truth are subjective in his perspectivist view. Polemical at times so as to force readers to interrogate assumptions, Nietzsche's enduring imprint is evident across philosophy, moral theory, existentialism, and psychology.

Chapters

Traditional philosophers valued truth above appearances, seeing them as opposites. But truth may originate from error and greed, not some perfect realm. Questioning this antithesis, we could see a spectrum between truth and untruth where both have value, moving towards a new philosophy transcending morality.

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