Beyond Good and Evil is a comprehensive overview of Nietzsche’s mature philosophy. The book consists of 296 aphorisms, ranging in length from a few sentences to a few pages. These aphorisms are grouped thematically into nine different chapters and are bookended by a preface and a poem. While each aphorism can stand on its own, there are also connections between the various themes within each chapter as well as with other chapters throughout the book.
The German philosopher highlighted a case study of how Europeans think and what shaped their purpose in life. As a result, he found religion, more specifically Christianity, to be the driving force for people to bring order in their lives. But according to the author this cannot be the only medium, so he looks for a more comprehensive explanation to understand the rule of the social structures. Why kings are worshiped, why revolutions take place and why in some countries, democracy is being accepted successfully, are some of the questions he asked in the book to figure out the answer.Nietzsche did not want the population to settle on what religion or philosophy has told them about morals, values and truths. He promoted individuality and in shaping one’s own direction towards life. In all his criticisms of modern society, the most cunning one for me was when he said, “Objection, evasion, joyous distrust, and love of irony are signs of health; everything absolutely belongs to pathology.”
The preface accuses philosophers of dogmatism, and the first chapter explores this claim. Every great philosophy is simply a justification for its creator’s own assumptions and prejudices. We can see what they value most deeply if we dig up these core beliefs and put them in plain sight.
Nietzsche contrasts the dogmatic philosophers with a free spirit who is not caught up in any particular point of view. The latter are willing to try out any hypothesis and follow an argument wherever it leads them.
Nietzsche discusses the nature of dogmatism and religious thought. He goes on to talk about how morality is a means by which we overcome ourselves, but that most people are too mediocre to be able to do so. In fact, he says, scholars in modern times are more concerned with facts than meaning.
Nietzsche believed that there was a rank order of people, and this is what he meant by “a good conscience” in the passage. Everyone has prejudices that they need to be aware of, including women. In fact, Nietzsche spends eight pages talking about how much he hates women.
Next, Nietzsche addresses the issue of nationalism and nationalities. He believes that different nations have inherent characteristics. For example, he criticizes anti-Semitism while praising the English for their individuality and creativity. Finally, he talks about a “good European” who is able to rise above these issues to find true individuality.
The final chapter of the book presents Nietzsche’s concept of nobility. He says a noble soul is one who has risen above the common rabble and is completely misunderstood by them. A noble soul sits on top of a mountain, wishing he had more friends.
The work transcends the black and white view because it rejects conventional morality, which he despises in favor of what he sees as an affirmative strategy that bravely tackles the prospective nature of knowledge and the precarious state of the contemporary individual. The book is challenging to understand but those who enjoy a different view and twist on philosophy will find the book fascinating. You can also read more works of the German philosophers as the post explanations of the same thoughts expressed here.
