Introduction

Nietzsche: On the Genealogy of Morality

Published in 1887, the Genealogy of Morality is the locus classicus of Nietzsche's criticism of contemporary morality and religion. The book is divided into three essays: the first deals with the origins of Christian and contemporary secular morality; the second is an essay on the moral psychology of guilt; and the third is an examination of what Nietzsche calls the ascetic ideal. After an introductory module, which gives an overview of Nietzsche's life and broader philosophical ideas, there is one module for each of the three essays.

Introduction

In this module, Ben gives a background of Nietzsche's life, and how his thought developed over his career. He then debunks two popular myths about Nietzsche: first, that he held the impossible position of being both a naturalist and post-modernist; and second, that he was a Nazi and an anti-Semite.