Primary sourceBook1886
Beyond Good and Evil
Friedrich Nietzsche · 1886
Nietzsche's 1886 book setting out his critique of past philosophers and his ideas of perspectivism and the will to power.
Nietzsche's 1886 'prelude to a philosophy of the future', published at his own expense.
About this source
What it is
Beyond Good and Evil: Prelude to a Philosophy of the Future is a book by Friedrich Nietzsche, published in 1886 at his own expense and later translated into English by Helen Zimmern, who knew Nietzsche personally.
Why it matters
In this book Nietzsche accuses earlier philosophers of hiding moral prejudice behind claims of objective truth, and argues that ideas of 'good' and 'evil' are too simple. He introduces the 'will to power' as an explanation for human behaviour and questions whether there can be one universal morality for everyone. It shows Nietzsche moving from his earlier aphoristic style toward a more directly argumentative one.
Look closer
- What does Nietzsche mean by saying philosophy should go 'beyond' good and evil rather than just choosing one side?
- Why might questioning the value of truth itself have been controversial in his time?
- How might the book read differently if translated by someone who did not know Nietzsche personally?
This book is part of the curated material that grounds the AI version of Friedrich Nietzsche on Humy.ai — when students ask about related events, the AI can quote it and cite it.
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