Nietzsche, the so-called herald of the ‘philosophy of the future’, nevertheless dealt with the past on nearly every page of his writing. Not only was he concerned with how past values, cultural practices, and institutions influence the present – he was plainly aware that any attempt to understand that influence encounters many meta-historical problems. This comprehensive and lucid exposition of the development of Nietzsche’s philosophy of history explores how Nietzsche thought about history and historiography throughout his life and how it affected his most fundamental ideas. Discussion of the whole span of Nietzsche’s writings, from his earliest publications as a classical philologist to his later genealogical and autobiographical projects, is interwoven with careful analysis of his own forms of writing history, the nineteenth-century paradigms which he critiqued, and the twentieth-century views which he anticipated. The book will be of much interest to scholars of Nietzsche and of nineteenth-century philosophy.
Editorial Reviews
Review
“…a strong combination of philology, intellectual history, and philosophical interpretation. […] Jensen has explicated [Nietzsche’s views] convincingly without eschewing complexities and framed them in a way that validates beyond doubt his claims regarding the importance of understanding Nietzsche’s philosophy of history.” Mason Golden / British Journal of the History of Philosophy.
“…a comprehensive and profound study of Nietzsche’s philosophy of history, which Jensen carries out with great rigor, precision, and a mastery of sources, without neglecting clarity and simplicity of exposition. It thus proves extremely valuable for understanding not only the roots and development of Nietzsche’s devotion to historical research, but also the importance this takes within his own philosophical project. […] This is a reference work for any researcher who is interested in Nietzsche’s Philosophy of History.” Marta Faustino (IFILNOVA) / Práticas da História.
“…it is obvious that Jensen’s volume represents an exceptional piece of scholarship, both in the breadth of its survey and in the detail of its research. This book is certain to become an important resource for philosophers of history and Nietzsche scholars alike, and to provoke renewed attention to this important, but under-investigated area of research.” Andrew Jampol-Petzinger (Fordham) / New Nietzsche Studies.
Book Description
An exposition of the development of Nietzsche’s philosophy of history in its historical context and of its relevance to contemporary theories.
About the Author
Anthony K. Jensen is Associate Professor of Philosophy at Providence College. He is Associate Editor of The Journal of Nietzsche Studies and his articles, translations and reviews appear in journals including Nietzsche-Studien, The Journal of the History of Philosophy, the British Journal for the History of Philosophy, Epoche and New Nietzsche Studies.
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