2023-2024 Academic Catalog

Nov 30, 2024

2023-2024 Academic Catalog [ARCHIVED CATALOG]

PHIL 262 - Nietzsche

Friedrich Nietzsche remains one of the most controversial figures in the Western intellectual tradition. He is famous for his attacks on religion (especially Christianity) and for his rejection of the humanistic values that he sees as associated with the mainstream of Europe’s religious and intellectual culture. Those values include equal respect for all people, tolerance of diverse viewpoints, and a sense of the central importance of pity and compassion. What might lead a thinker to reject the values we hold so dear? And what does Nietzsche offer in their place? The course will be devoted to exploring the question by looking at several of Nietzsche’s core works and by tracing the development of his thought in core areas like ethics, aesthetics, and epistemology.

Anticipated Terms Offered: every other year