Nietzsche's Dawn: Philosophy, Ethics, and the Passion of Knowledge

Description

The first focused study of Nietzsche's Dawn, offering a close reading of the text by two of the leading scholars on the philosophy of Nietzsche Published in 1881, Dawn: Thoughts on the Presumptions of Morality represents a significant moment in the development of Nietzsche’s philosophy and his break with German philosophic thought. Though groundbreaking in many ways, Dawn remains the least studied of Nietzsche's work. In Nietzsche's Dawn: Philosophy, Ethics, and the Passion of Knowledge, authors Keith Ansell-Pearson and Rebecca Bamford present a thorough treatment of the second of Nietzsche’s so-called “free spirit” trilogy. This unique book explores Nietzsche’s philosophy at the time of Dawn's writing and discusses the modern relevance of themes such as fear, superstition, terror, and moral and religious fanaticism. The authors highlight Dawn's links with key areas of philosophical inquiry, such as "the art of living well," skepticism, and naturalism. The book begins by introducing Dawn and discussing how to read Nietzsche, his literary and philosophical influences, his relation to German philosophy, and his efforts to advance his "free spirit" philosophy. Subsequent discussions address a wide range of topics relevant to Dawn, including presumptions of customary morality, hatred of the self, free-minded thinking, and embracing science and the passion of knowledge. Providing a lively and imaginative engagement with Nietzsche's text, this book: Highlights the importance of an often-neglected text from Nietzsche's middle writings Examines Nietzsche's campaign against customary morality Discusses Nietzsche's responsiveness to key Enlightenment ideas Offers insights on Nietzsche's philosophical practice and influences Contextualizes a long-overlooked work by Nietzsche within the philosopher's life of writing Like no other book on the subject, Nietzsche's Dawn: Philosophy, Ethics, and the Passion of Knowledge is a must-read for advanced undergraduate and graduate students, instructors, and scholars in philosophy, as well as general readers with interest in Nietzsche, particularly his middle writings. Cover Title Page Copyright Page Contents Acknowledgments Editions of Nietzsche’s Writings Used with Abbreviations Introduction Notes Chapter 1 From Human, All Too Human to Dawn Nietzsche and the Art of the Aphorism Nietzsche’s Break with Schopenhauer and Nietzsche’s Skepticism The Moment of Dawn Notes Chapter 2 Nietzsche’s Campaign Against Morality The Retrospective Campaign Against Morality Nietzsche’s Original Campaign Against Morality Problems with the Campaign Against Morality Toward a Positive Ethics Notes Chapter 3 Nietzsche on Religion and Christianity Nietzsche on Christianity in Dawn Nietzsche on the First Christian Notes Chapter 4 Nietzsche, Mitleid, and Moral Imagination Approaches to Nietzsche’s Engagement with Mitleid Mood, Mitleid, and Customary Morality The Critique of Mitleid and the Concept of Moral Imagination Conclusion Notes Chapter 5 The German Enlightenment, Knowledge, and the Passion of Knowledge1 Notes Chapter 6 Nietzsche on Subjectivity: Drives, Self, and the Possibility of Autonomy Notes Chapter 7 Nietzsche on Fanaticism, and the Care of the Self1 Self-care Fanaticism Nietzsche on Love and Friendship Notes Chapter 8 Nietzsche on Epicurus and Death Notes Chapter 9 Dawn and the Political Notes Chapter 10 Aeronauts of the Spirit: Dawn and Beyond Notes Appendix: Nietzsche’s Letters of 1881 — Concerning Dawn February 9 to Gast February to Gast March 13 to Schmeitzner March 18 to Overbeck March 20 to Gast March 30 to Gast April 10 to Gast April 10 to Elisabeth June 23 to Gast July 19 to Laban Mid-July to Elisabeth Index EULA