Walking the Tightrope

I have intended to read Mattia Riccardi's Nietzsche's Philosophical Psychology , ever since it came out in 2021 following a series of posts I made on this very subject in January 2020 (see here , here , and here ).  It is an academic book and the headiness of its approach and the hefty price tag kept me more interested in other things until this year.  My daughter gifted it to me last December.  As I have said before, nothing says “Christmas” quite like a Nietzsche book!  I began reading it shortly before my mother died and only finished it a couple of months ago.  Then I had to digest it for a while.  But, finally, here is my review of this rewarding academic examination. I found myself both intrigued and challenged by Riccardi's interpretation of Nietzsche’s ideas, particularly concerning consciousness, drives, affects, and the nature of the self, all of which I examined in my three previous blog posts.  As someone who has previously written about an...

The Nietzsche Podcast on YouTube is the best source for understanding the philosophy of Friedrich Nietzsche that I have found online. This splendid content is authored by Keegan Kjeldsen, a heavy metal guitarist and former zen practitioner. Where Keegan got his insights into Nietzsche is unknown to me, though he seems to be steeped in a philosophical background with a special understanding in postmodernism. That does not matter, however. I have never read or listened to anyone who is so gifted in the nuances of Nietzsche's thought. The following is a slightly edited transcript of highlights from his episode entitled “ The Meaning of Life, According to Nietzsche. ” Keegan's articulation of this thread in Nietzsche's philosophy is refreshingly spot-on (as are almost all of his episodes). He begins by stating that he wants to summarize how concepts like the Overman, Will to Power, and Amor Fati meld together to form Nietzsche's “religion,” his affirmation of life, ...

Nothing says “Christmas” quite like a quality book on the philosophy of Friedrich Nietzsche .  What better proclaims the miraculous birth of salvation than “god is dead,” right?   The Challenge of Nietzsche by Jeremy Fortier was published in 2020 but it sat in my Amazon wish list until I received a copy as a gift this past holiday.  The book's subtitle, “How to Approach His Thought,” might indicate that it is an introductory level book.  True enough, Fortier offers a sweeping narrative through the span of Nietzsche's early, middle and late period thinking.  With stronger interest in the latter two periods of his life. But, the aim of this book is more specific than a general introduction of all facets of Nietzsche's philosophy would necessarily entail.  Rather, this “approach to his thought” is an attempt to uncover a particular, fundamental thread that serve...

Part Three of three. “ Insofar as the individual is seeking happiness, one ought not to tender him any prescriptions as to the path to happiness: for individual happiness springs from one’s own unknown laws, and prescriptions from without can only obstruct and hinder it."  (Daybreak 108) Nietzsche intentionally does not prescribe any specific methods or techniques for discovering or mastering the multiplicity of drives and affects.  This may seem as though he has not thought things through very well.  There is little in the way of practical advice in his psychology.  But Nietzsche’s truth claim is merely to understand the mechanics of the multiplicity in all its many facets.  How to master the mechanics and be a well-ordered soul is not specifically told because it can’t be.  Unlike virtually any other “wise” teacher you will encounter, Nietzsche understands that the multiplicity is almost infinitely varied and will manifest differently for everyone....