Nietzsche’s Kind of Philosophy: Finding His Way

In this elaborate if plodding study, Schacht (Classical Modern Philosophers), professor emeritus of philosophy at University of Illinois, corrects misconceptions about Nietzsche’s philosophy. Schacht provides a “large-scale reconsideration” of Nietzsche’s work that emphasizes the need to examine the philosopher’s assertions in the context of his entire corpus to understand the ways in which his thinking evolved. Doing so, the author contends, reveals that Nietzsche’s reputation as a nihilist is overblown, and that while his disdain for philosophical absolutes fits the nihilist image, his belief that “truth,” “reality,” and “knowledge” exist doesn’t align. For Nietzsche, Schacht posits, nihilism was “no end point, but rather only a necessary (although also dangerous) ‘transitional stage’—to a healthier sort of humanity.” Through a close reading of On the Genealogy of Morality, the author suggests that contrary to popular belief, Nietzsche wasn’t an individualist and instead viewed individualism as a means to foster creative expression, a quality the philosopher valued far more. Astute as these insights are, they suffer from Schacht’s frequently tortured phrasing (“I further observe, or at any rate contend, that the same sort of case—mutatis mutandis—could be made against his construal”). Scholars will find this an evenhanded if awkwardly written take on Nietzsche. (Dec.)