A landmark discussion between two great thinkers, vital to an understanding of twentieth-century philosophy and intellectual history.
No other modern philosopher has proved as influential as Friedrich Nietzsche (1844-1900) and none is as poorly understood. In the first new biography in decades, Rüdiger Safranski, one of the foremost living Nietzsche scholars, re-creates the anguished life of Nietzsche while simultaneously assessing the philosophical implications of his morality, religion, and art. Struggling to break away from the oppressive burdens of the past, Nietzsche invented a unique philosophy based on compulsive self-consciousness and constant self-revision. As groundbreaking as it will be long-lasting, this biography offers a brilliant, multifaceted portrait of a towering figure.
Curtis Cate's new biography, written for the layperson rather than the academic, goes far towards clarifying Nietzsche's ideas and the reactions they elicited. The author does equal justice to the musical as well as philosophical influences to which Nietzshe was subjected, the subtle workings of his incomparable mind, and the acute physical suffering he combated from his adolescence until his final mental collapse of January 1889.
Cutting through the academic jargon and complexities to clear away stereotypical prejudices that have accumulated around Nietszche's name, Cate reveals a Nietzsche whose ideas continue to have prophetic relevance and incredible vibrancy today.
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