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Nietzsche and the revaluation of values

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For everyone

In The Gay Science (1882) Nietzsche used the phrase "God is dead" to argue that Christian belief in Europe could no longer carry morality and meaning. He thought this could lead to a void of meaning, nihilism. He held that humans must create their own values. After his death his works were read in very different ways, shaped by his sister's editing and by political aims.

For specialists

On the Genealogy of Morality (1887) examines the historical and psychological origins of moral values through the distinction between "master" and "slave" morality. How the concepts of will to power, eternal recurrence and the Übermensch should be read is disputed. Nietzsche avoided building a system and developed a view of knowledge known as perspectivism: "There are no facts, only interpretations."

Claims

Traditional moral values have historical and psychological origins; they can be questioned and revalued.^[1][2][4]

Positions

National Socialist reading: The Will to Power compiled by his sister Elisabeth Förster-Nietzsche and Nazi-era publications presented his works as a basis for racist politics.^[3]
Kaufmann and later academic readings: Nietzsche openly criticised antisemitism and German nationalism; the Nazi reading rests on a selective and distorted use of the texts.^[3][4]

Open questions

Are the will to power and eternal recurrence metaphysical claims, or thought experiments describing an attitude to life?

Connections

Parent

Philosophy

Influenced

Existentialism

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Sources

BookNietzsche, F. (1882). Die fröhliche Wissenschaft. Ernst Schmeitzner, Chemnitz
BookNietzsche, F. (1887). Zur Genealogie der Moral: Eine Streitschrift. C. G. Naumann, Leipzig
BookKaufmann, W. (1950). Nietzsche: Philosopher, Psychologist, Antichrist. Princeton University Press
EncyclopediaAnderson, R. L.Friedrich Nietzsche. Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophyplato.stanford.edu archive

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Cite this page

APA

Athena contributors. (2026). Nietzsche and the revaluation of values. Athena: The tree of human knowledge. Retrieved November 1, 2026, from https://latifkedi.github.io/athena/en/d/nietzsche/

BibTeX

@misc{athena_nietzsche,
  title        = {Nietzsche and the revaluation of values},
  author       = {{Athena contributors}},
  year         = {2026},
  howpublished = {\url{https://latifkedi.github.io/athena/en/d/nietzsche/}},
  note         = {Athena: The tree of human knowledge. Accessed: 2026-11-01}
}

Added: September 28, 2026 · Last changed: September 28, 2026 · Page history

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