The Birth of Tragedy, On Truth and Lie in an Extra-Moral Sense, Human, All Too Human, Thus Spoke Zarathustra, Beyond Good and Evil, On the Genealogy of Morals, Twilight of the Idols, The Antichrist, and Ecce Homo

Philosophy 420 and 522: Nietzsche Spring 2003

Nietzsche in 1882

Professor:	John Nolt	Office Phone:	974-7218
Office:	818 McClung Tower	Home Phone:	573-4135
Office Hours:	9-10 MWF and by appointment	E-mail:	nolt@utk.edu

Required Texts:

Kaufmann, Walter, ed., The Portable Nietzsche, Viking.
Nietzsche, Friedrich, The Birth of Tragedy and The Case of Wagner, Vintage.
Nietzsche, Friedrich, Human, All Too Human: A Book for Free Spirits, Cambridge.
Nietzsche, Friedrich, The Genealogy of Morals and Ecce Homo, Vintage.
Nietzsche, Friedrich, Beyond Good and Evil: Prelude to a Philosophy of the Future, Vintage.

About the Course: This is an intensive study of many of Nietzsche’s major works. Because Nietzsche’s views underwent dramatic shifts over the course of his life, his works cannot be read as a single coherent philosophy. We will therefore study his ideas not topically, but developmentally—that is, chronologically—revisiting the same ideas again and again, tracing their genesis, repeated reinterpretation—and, in some cases, demise. Our procedure will mimic Nietzsche’s own "genealogical" method, which seeks the motives and means by which ideas arise and pays close attention to how their original significance is pre-empted by later interpretations. In the end, we will see that not even this approach can give us a fully coherent account of Nietzsche’s thought, even at a given point in his life. Several of Nietzsche’s most notable ideas are mutually incompatible "experiments." But the understanding of his thinking that emerges with this method will (I hope) be deep, highly nuanced and accurate.

Grades: Grades for the course will be based on the following:

Midterm exam: 30%

Final exam: 35%

Term paper: 35%

Exams will consist of short answer and brief essay questions. Term paper requirements will be different for students taking the course for undergraduate credit (Philosophy 420) than for those taking it for graduate credit (Philosophy 522). Both sorts of papers should provide a critical analysis of some central Nietzschean idea. That is, the paper should:

exhibit a detailed knowledge of all the writings we have covered in which this idea is explained
explain the idea thoroughly and clearly
discuss objections to the idea
consider how Nietzsche or someone sympathetic to him would reply to the objections, and
provide a summary evaluation of the idea.

Undergraduate papers should be about 3000 words in length, graduate papers about 6000. Graduate papers should, in addition to using the material we cover in class, involve library research into other works by Nietzsche and into the secondary literature. For all students, a complete first draft of the term paper is due on April 7. I will provide comments and hand these papers back for rewriting. The final draft is due on April 25.

About Me: I came to UT in 1978 after receiving my Ph.D. from Ohio State with a dissertation in the philosophy of mathematics. Concern about the world in which my children will live led me into environmental activism in the late 80s, and soon thereafter I began working in environmental philosophy. I have had a long-standing interest in Nietzsche’s philosophy but began working on it professionally only a few years ago, while contemplating a Nietzschean critique of the transcendentalism of Gandhi and Thoreau. My immediate family includes my wife, Annette Mendola, three children, ranging in age from 5 to 17, and three cats. I enjoy primitive woodworking, rock climbing, hiking, biking and organic gardening.

Some Useful Secondary Sources (Not Required):

Allison, David B., ed., The New Nietzsche, MIT
Clarke, Maudemarie, Nietzsche on Truth and Philosophy, Cambridge
Danto, Arthur C., Nietzsche as Philosopher, Macmillan
Kaufmann, Walter, Nietzsche: Philosopher, Psychologist, Antichrist, Vintage
Hollingdale, R. J., Nietzsche, Routledge & Kegan Paul
Leiter, Brian, Nietzsche on Morality, Routledge
Nehamas, Alexander, Nietzsche: Life as Literature, Harvard
Poellner, Peter, Nietzsche and Metaphysics, Clarendon Press
Richardson, John and Brian Leiter, eds., Nietzsche, Oxford
Schacht, Richard, Nietzsche, Routledge & Kegan Paul

Best Web Site: The Nietzsche Channel Excellent! Contains virtually the entire Nietzsche corpus in both German and English translation in a searchable format, along with biographical resources and other material and links to everything else of interest on the web.

COURSE CALENDAR

This course calendar is tentative, but we probably will stick to it pretty closely. Revisions, if any, will be announced in class and posted on my website. Readings should be completed before class on the date indicated.

Date Topic Reading

1/13 Nietzsche: his life, work and influence. A useful reference is the:
Nietzsche Chronology

1/15 The Apollinian/Dionysian distinction Ecce Homo 270-5;
The Birth of Tragedy: Translator’s Introduction, Preface to Richard Wagner and secs. 1-4

1/17 The pessimism of strength and the optimism of weariness The Birth of Tragedy, secs. 5-15

1/20 NO CLASS (Martin Luther King Day) —

1/22 Alleged implications for 19^th century culture The Birth of Tragedy, secs. 16-25

1/24 Nietzsche’s later assessment of The Birth of Tragedy The Birth of Tragedy, "Attempt at a Self-Criticism"; reread Ecce Homo 270-5

1/27 The mature Nietzsche on his relationship with Wagner The Case of Wagner (entire, including Translator’s Introduction)

1/29 Early musings on truth and perspectivism Selection from On Truth and Lie in an Extra-Moral Sense (in Portable Nietzsche pp. 42-7)

1/31 Nietzsche comes into his own: the free spirit Ecce Homo 283-9; Human, All Too Human; prefaces, pp. 5-11 and 209-214

2/3 Metaphysics as human, all too human; Nietzsche launches his attack on the Hinterweltlich Human, All Too Human, "Of First and Last Things," pp. 12-30, also pp. 215-222 (aphorisms 1-32)

2/5 Morality and Religion as human, all too human Human, All Too Human, "On the History of the Moral Sensations" and "The Religious Life," pp. 31-79, also pp. 222-234 (aphorisms 33-98)

2/7 Art and Culture as human, all too human Human, All Too Human, "From the Souls of Artists and Writers," and "Tokens of Higher and Lower Culture," pp. 80-135

2/10 Society, women, etc. as human, all too human Human, All Too Human, "Man in Society" and "Woman and Child," pp. 136-160

2/12 Politics as human, all too human Human, All Too Human, "A Glance at The State," pp. 161-178

2/14 Nietzsche’s epiphany at Silvaplana; genesis of the concept of eternal recurrence Ecce Homo, pp. 295-309; aphorism 341 from The Gay Science (Portable Nietzsche, pp. 101-2) Optional: My paper "Why Nietzsche Embraced Eternal Recurrence"

2/17 Death of God and the Übermensch Aphorism 125 from The Gay Science; Prologue and Part I, secs.1-10 of Zarathustra (Portable Nietzsche, pp. 95-6, 103-137)

2/19 Zarathustra’s speeches Zarathustra Part I, secs. 11-22 (Portable Nietzsche, pp. 137-191)

2/21 More of Zarathustra’s speeches Zarathustra Part II,secs. 1-11 (Portable Nietzsche, pp. 191-225)

2/24 Still more of Zarathustra’s speeches; the will to power Zarathustra Part II, secs. 12-22 (Portable Nietzsche, pp. 225-259)

2/26 Eternal recurrence Zarathustra Part III, secs. 1-11 (Portable Nietzsche, pp. 260-307)

2/28 The creation of values Zarathustra Part III, secs. 12-16 (Portable Nietzsche, pp. 308-343)

3/3 Zarathustra’s strange nonfinal finale Zarathustra Part IV (skim some of it, if necessary) (Portable Nietzsche, pp. 343-439)

3/5 The prejudices of philosophers and the free spirit Ecce Homo, pp. 310-11, Beyond Good and Evil, Preface, secs. 1-44

3/7 Religion and the natural history of morals Beyond Good and Evil, secs. 45-62 and 186-203

3/10 Scholars and their virtues Beyond Good and Evil, secs. 204-239

3/12 Politics and nobility Beyond Good and Evil, secs. 240-296

3/14 MIDTERM EXAM —

3/17-3/21 NO CLASS—SPRING BREAK —

3/24 The genealogy of morals Ecce Homo pp. 312-13; review Human, All Too Human, "On the History of the Moral Sensations" and "The Religious Life"and Beyond Good and Evil, secs. 45-62 and 186-203

3/26 "Good and evil" vs "good and bad" Genealogy of Morals, pp. 24-56

3/28 Guilt and conscience Genealogy of Morals, pp. 57-76

3/31 Punishment, bad conscience Genealogy of Morals, pp. 76-96

4/2 Ascetic ideals, nihilism Genealogy of Morals, pp. 97-139

4/4 Science, art, faith in truth Genealogy of Morals, pp. 139-163

4/7 DRAFT OF TERM PAPER DUE
How one philosophizes with a hammer, the problem of Socrates Ecce Homo, pp. 314-16; Twilight of the Idols in Portable Nietzsche, pp. 463-479.

4/9 Reason in philosophy; the "true world" as a fable Twilight of the Idols in Portable Nietzsche, pp. 479-86.

4/11 Morality as anti-nature, four great errors Twilight of the Idols in Portable Nietzsche, pp. 486-513

4/14 Nietzsche’s debt to the ancients Twilight of the Idols in Portable Nietzsche, pp. 556-563

4/16 Critique of Christianity, revaluation of all values Secs. 1-28 of The Antichrist in Portable Nietzsche, pp. 565-600

4/18 NO CLASS—GOOD FRIDAY

4/21 Psychology of the Redeemer Secs. 29-40 of The Antichrist in Portable Nietzsche, pp. 600-616

4/23 Paul’s perversion of Jesus’ thought, later developments in Christianity Secs. 41-62 of The Antichrist in Portable Nietzsche, pp. 616-656

4/25 TERM PAPER DUE
Nietzsche on Nietzsche Ecce Homo Editor’s Introduction, Preface, "Why I Am So Wise," "Why I Am So Clever," "Why I Write Such Good Books," pp. 201-269

4/28 Nietzsche on Nietzsche, letters from the period of Nietzsche’s madness Ecce Homo, "Why I am a Destiny," pp. 326-335; Portable Nietzsche, pp. 684-7

4/30 Review and Discussion
Class Cancelled; I'll be in my office Friday (5/2) for 9-12 to answer questions —

5/2 NO CLASS: Study Day —

5/5 FINAL EXAM 12:30-2:30 p.m. —

Home

Date	Topic	Reading
1/13	Nietzsche: his life, work and influence.	A useful reference is the: Nietzsche Chronology
1/15	The Apollinian/Dionysian distinction	Ecce Homo 270-5; The Birth of Tragedy: Translator’s Introduction, Preface to Richard Wagner and secs. 1-4
1/17	The pessimism of strength and the optimism of weariness	The Birth of Tragedy, secs. 5-15
1/20	NO CLASS (Martin Luther King Day)	—
1/22	Alleged implications for 19^th century culture	The Birth of Tragedy, secs. 16-25
1/24	Nietzsche’s later assessment of The Birth of Tragedy	The Birth of Tragedy, "Attempt at a Self-Criticism"; reread Ecce Homo 270-5
1/27	The mature Nietzsche on his relationship with Wagner	The Case of Wagner (entire, including Translator’s Introduction)
1/29	Early musings on truth and perspectivism	Selection from On Truth and Lie in an Extra-Moral Sense (in Portable Nietzsche pp. 42-7)
1/31	Nietzsche comes into his own: the free spirit	Ecce Homo 283-9; Human, All Too Human; prefaces, pp. 5-11 and 209-214
2/3	Metaphysics as human, all too human; Nietzsche launches his attack on the Hinterweltlich	Human, All Too Human, "Of First and Last Things," pp. 12-30, also pp. 215-222 (aphorisms 1-32)
2/5	Morality and Religion as human, all too human	Human, All Too Human, "On the History of the Moral Sensations" and "The Religious Life," pp. 31-79, also pp. 222-234 (aphorisms 33-98)
2/7	Art and Culture as human, all too human	Human, All Too Human, "From the Souls of Artists and Writers," and "Tokens of Higher and Lower Culture," pp. 80-135
2/10	Society, women, etc. as human, all too human	Human, All Too Human, "Man in Society" and "Woman and Child," pp. 136-160
2/12	Politics as human, all too human	Human, All Too Human, "A Glance at The State," pp. 161-178
2/14	Nietzsche’s epiphany at Silvaplana; genesis of the concept of eternal recurrence	Ecce Homo, pp. 295-309; aphorism 341 from The Gay Science (Portable Nietzsche, pp. 101-2) Optional: My paper "Why Nietzsche Embraced Eternal Recurrence"
2/17	Death of God and the Übermensch	Aphorism 125 from The Gay Science; Prologue and Part I, secs.1-10 of Zarathustra (Portable Nietzsche, pp. 95-6, 103-137)
2/19	Zarathustra’s speeches	Zarathustra Part I, secs. 11-22 (Portable Nietzsche, pp. 137-191)
2/21	More of Zarathustra’s speeches	Zarathustra Part II,secs. 1-11 (Portable Nietzsche, pp. 191-225)
2/24	Still more of Zarathustra’s speeches; the will to power	Zarathustra Part II, secs. 12-22 (Portable Nietzsche, pp. 225-259)
2/26	Eternal recurrence	Zarathustra Part III, secs. 1-11 (Portable Nietzsche, pp. 260-307)
2/28	The creation of values	Zarathustra Part III, secs. 12-16 (Portable Nietzsche, pp. 308-343)
3/3	Zarathustra’s strange nonfinal finale	Zarathustra Part IV (skim some of it, if necessary) (Portable Nietzsche, pp. 343-439)
3/5	The prejudices of philosophers and the free spirit	Ecce Homo, pp. 310-11, Beyond Good and Evil, Preface, secs. 1-44
3/7	Religion and the natural history of morals	Beyond Good and Evil, secs. 45-62 and 186-203
3/10	Scholars and their virtues	Beyond Good and Evil, secs. 204-239
3/12	Politics and nobility	Beyond Good and Evil, secs. 240-296
3/14	MIDTERM EXAM	—
3/17-3/21	NO CLASS—SPRING BREAK	—
3/24	The genealogy of morals	Ecce Homo pp. 312-13; review Human, All Too Human, "On the History of the Moral Sensations" and "The Religious Life"and Beyond Good and Evil, secs. 45-62 and 186-203
3/26	"Good and evil" vs "good and bad"	Genealogy of Morals, pp. 24-56
3/28	Guilt and conscience	Genealogy of Morals, pp. 57-76
3/31	Punishment, bad conscience	Genealogy of Morals, pp. 76-96
4/2	Ascetic ideals, nihilism	Genealogy of Morals, pp. 97-139
4/4	Science, art, faith in truth	Genealogy of Morals, pp. 139-163
4/7	DRAFT OF TERM PAPER DUE How one philosophizes with a hammer, the problem of Socrates	Ecce Homo, pp. 314-16; Twilight of the Idols in Portable Nietzsche, pp. 463-479.
4/9	Reason in philosophy; the "true world" as a fable	Twilight of the Idols in Portable Nietzsche, pp. 479-86.
4/11	Morality as anti-nature, four great errors	Twilight of the Idols in Portable Nietzsche, pp. 486-513
4/14	Nietzsche’s debt to the ancients	Twilight of the Idols in Portable Nietzsche, pp. 556-563
4/16	Critique of Christianity, revaluation of all values	Secs. 1-28 of The Antichrist in Portable Nietzsche, pp. 565-600
4/18	NO CLASS—GOOD FRIDAY
4/21	Psychology of the Redeemer	Secs. 29-40 of The Antichrist in Portable Nietzsche, pp. 600-616
4/23	Paul’s perversion of Jesus’ thought, later developments in Christianity	Secs. 41-62 of The Antichrist in Portable Nietzsche, pp. 616-656
4/25	TERM PAPER DUE Nietzsche on Nietzsche	Ecce Homo Editor’s Introduction, Preface, "Why I Am So Wise," "Why I Am So Clever," "Why I Write Such Good Books," pp. 201-269
4/28	Nietzsche on Nietzsche, letters from the period of Nietzsche’s madness	Ecce Homo, "Why I am a Destiny," pp. 326-335; Portable Nietzsche, pp. 684-7
4/30	Review and Discussion Class Cancelled; I'll be in my office Friday (5/2) for 9-12 to answer questions	—
5/2	NO CLASS: Study Day	—
5/5	FINAL EXAM 12:30-2:30 p.m.	—