Nietzsche: A Very Short Introduction

by Michael Tanner

Book Overview

With his well-known idiosyncrasies and aphoristic style, Friedrich Nietzsche is always bracing and provocative, and temptingly easy to dip into. Michael Tanner's introduction to the philosopher's life and work examines the numerous ambiguities inherent in his writings and explodes many of the misconceptions that have grown in the hundred years since Nietzsche wrote "do not, above all, confound me with what I am not "

About the Series:...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0192854143
• ISBN13: 9780192854148
• Release Date: February 2001
• Publisher: Oxford University Press
• Length: 128 Pages
• Weight: 0.25 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.3" x 4.5" x 6.9"

Customer Reviews

Leading the Horse to Water

Before reading this book, I was of the opinion that philosophy, really, was nothing more than the study of the pyschology and personality of the philosopher. After reading this introduction to Nietzsche though, I am pleased to have discovered that the relationship between the philosopher and his or her philosophy is more involved - and interesting - than I had first thought. In this book, Nietzsche comes across as someone who seemed as if he was overwhelmed by the gravity of his philosophical discoveries. I'm not completely sure if this is true or not but in one sense this is irrelevant as Mr. Tanner has succeeded in making me want to find out more for myself. More than just relating 'facts & figures', Mr. Tanner has succeeded in letting Nietzsche's discoveries reveal their own life - and worth - to the extent that the only thing left now is to read Nietzsche and find out for myself.

Excellent

This is a superb introduction to Nietzsche, one that goes beyond a recitation of works and main points, although it contains that aspect, also. Tanner knows Nietzsche from the ground up, and he has produced an overview and evaluation that is at once sympathetic and tough-minded. For example, there are many who claim that 'Thus Spoke Zarathustra' is Nietzche's greatest book; Tanner explains why it isn't, by a long shot. Nietzsche's works are complex and unsystematic, his themes are many and sometimes mixed together without warning, and he changed his mind about some of his crucial early concepts and positions later on. All of that makes a short summary and evaluation a very difficult thing to pull off, but Tanner has done it better than anyone. Tanner has also written the introductions to many of the Penguin editions of Nietzche's works. Highest recommendation.

A comment on the opening chapter only-misreadings

In his opening chapter Tanner claims that Nietzsche has been appropriated by the most diverse groups. Neitzsche Tanner claims is the most written about philosopher in the world today. He claims that he has been the patron saint of post- modernists and deconstructionists, structuralists and other academic schools of reading texts. He mentions but does not dwell upon the evil and horrible misreading of Nietzsche made by the Nazis. Neitzsche Tanner seems to say has been adopted by all kinds of different people and schools all of whom put his work to use for their own purposes. In this regard Tanner points out the negative influence of the publication of Nietzsche's notebooks and journals. He claims that often these were half- baked ideas and not what Nietzsche would have necessarily presented to the public. He points out how careful Nietzsche was in polishing , and even rewriting whole works. And he claims that the published writings are far superior in their style and quality of thought than the notebooks. In contradiction to this it seems to me that none of Nietzche's major ideas, not the will-to -power, not the 'eternal recurrence' and certainly not the ' ubermensch superman idea ' are of positive value to mankind today. I would even maintain that his telling insight into the cultural state of Europe in which the West seemed at his time to lose the meaningfulness given by a felt presence of the Divine ,is not a final definition even for the old continent. So too his critique of Christianity , his contempt for the idea of Christian equality seems to me to not be of any real positive human value. It seems to me that the religious and philosophical problems facing Mankind today , including the problems created by Mankind's unending usurpation of Divine powers have no real answer in Nietzsche. Our world in which we are the threshhold of ' enhanced human beings' ' cloning ' ' two hundred year life spans' ' possible nuclear destruction' is not really the one that Nietzsche lived in. In this regard it seems to me it is not Nietzsche alone among the great philosophers in not really addressing the kind of unprecedented Reality mankind is confronted by today. Therefore however dramatic and powerful many of his ideas might seem the best reading of him is as a kind of inspired literary master, a maker of philosophical fictions, a most brilliant aphoristic stylist, a man of extraordinary intelligence and humor but not a thinker who really can address the questions facing Mankind today for tomorrow.

The Will to Brevity...

No one can reasonably expect to sum up Nietzche's views and philosophy in under 100 pages. The reader should not go into this work expecting to come out understanding Nietzsche, but maybe make him a little less obscure or receive a slight bit more context in which to read Nietzsche's books. For those who have already read some Nietzsche and are left nonplussed, this tiny book may help you out as well (it did me).The book follows Nietzsche's publications more or less in chronological order. The longest and most difficult chapter is the one on "The Birth of Tragedy." This work gets the most attention of all of Nietzsche's works, presumably because it is easier to "sum up" or encapsulate than any of his other works. For instance, the section on "The Genealogy of Morals" will leave you wondering what the book is about (in fact, reading the book itself may also have this effect - it's a tad difficult)."Morality and its Discontents" is one of the most illuminating chapters, and will shed some light on Nietzsche's proclamation that "God is dead" which is probably his most infamous and misunderstood concept (there's also a lot more meat to it than the eternal recurrence and the Ubermensch, which Tanner points out).Overall I agree with Tanner's assessment of Nietzsche's "Thus Spake Zarathustra." It was the first book of his I read, and I came out of the experience energized, but I had no idea why. "Zarathustra" is a passionate but potentially misleading read. It's nothing like his other works, and introduces concepts that never come up again, though they seem to be of utmost importance in the context of the book (i.e., the eternal recurrence, Ubermensch, and the will to power - at least in his published works).The pace of Tanner's book quickens and the delineation of Nietzsche's texts becomes more and more sparse towards the final few chapters. There is very little information about Nietzsche's insanity, or Lou Salomé or even the details of his life. The book is almost completely dedicated to Nietzsche's philosophy. In fact, the book ends as abruptly as Nietzsche's own sane life must have. There's a slight feeling of "so what's next?!?" at the end of the last and shortest chapter that discusses the works of 1888 in a flash.Nietzsche is a huge subject, and his books are thick conceptually if not physically. He was a thinker that wanted to teach us to think differently, which makes him a valuable read no matter what your stance on the views he covers. This minute book will help you peek through the keyhole of this enormous and overwhelming subject.Lastly, Richard Wagner figures hugely in Nietzsche's work. Knowing more about Wagner will only elucidate some of Nietzsche's works and concepts. Tanner also supports this view.

Nietzsche demystified (well, sort of)

Tanner's NIETZSCHE provides as plain-spoken an account as can be managed of what the philosopher was all about, taking the reader through Nietzsche's life and work step by step. There are a few things about the book I do not like -- for instance, insufficient discussion of the abuses of Nietzsche by others, too short shrift to THUS SPOKE ZARATHUSTRA, and an unhelpful final chapter of assessment -- but its merits outweigh these several flaws. I would definitely recommend that others read this book before tackling Nietzsche's works directly.