
The Other Side of Good and Evil
[German] Friedrich Nietzsche
East China Normal University Press
2016-10-01
BackSummary
Beyond Good and Evil is a companion piece to On the Genealogy of Morals. The book consists of a preface, nine chapters and a finale, including philosophical arguments, aphorisms, short reviews, poems and other discourse styles, involving various classics in the Western philosophical tradition...
Highlights
Of course, the following are wonderful sentences or paragraphs from Friedrich Nietzsche's book Beyond Good and Evil, each of which reflects Nietzsche's profound, unique, beautiful, wise or creative thoughts. And suitable for readers to read. 1. "At the edge of the abyss, good and evil are like two torrents that meet and are inseparable." This sentence depicts Nietzsche's profound understanding of the complex and intertwined relationship between good and evil. 2. "When we gaze into the abyss, the abyss also gazes back at us." Nietzsche uses this circular sentence structure to emphasize the mutual influence between the observer and the observed, and the language is beautiful and full of philosophy. 3. "Morality is an interpretation, not a fact." This sentence challenges the objectivity of traditional morality and shows Nietzsche's unique moral relativism. 4. "There are no eternal facts, just as there is no absolute truth." Nietzsche has made profound insights into the relativity of truth, reflecting his skeptical spirit and critical thinking. 5. "God is dead, and we killed him." This famous saying is not only concise and powerful, but also full of challenges to religious and traditional values. 6. "One must learn to rise from the abyss of oneself, rather than constantly seeking salvation from the outside world." This sentence encourages the cultivation of personal autonomy and inner strength, and is a reflection of Nietzsche's self-transcendence. 7. "The anger of the weak is often in the name of morality." Nietzsche pointed out the instrumental role of morality in the power struggle, and his language was sharp and profound. 8. "Great things are always born in opposition." This sentence is full of praise for innovation and change, showing Nietzsche's unique insights into the driving force of historical development. 9. "Art is our highest task, because it can redeem us from the nothingness of life." Nietzsche highly praised the significance of art in life, and this sentence reflects his idea of artistic redemption. 10. "All great things are regarded as blasphemy at their beginning." This sentence reveals the misunderstanding and rejection that new things often suffer when they first appear, and is a reflection of Nietzsche's historical insight. 11. “Our language has become so impoverished that we can hardly describe our feelings.” Nietzsche’s profound understanding of the relationship between language and thinking is reflected in this sentence, and he pointed out the limitations of language in expressing complex emotions. 12. “The idea of eternal reincarnation is the heaviest burden and the most powerful motivation.” This sentence expresses Nietzsche’s extreme emphasis on the meaning of life and personal responsibility, and also reflects the tragic color in his philosophy. 13. “A true thinker is always misunderstood as a madman by his contemporaries.” This sentence is both a pity for the fate of thinkers and a profound criticism of the spiritual state of the times. 14. “Science gives us knowledge, but only art can give us the meaning of life.” In this sentence, Nietzsche balanced the role of science and art in life and emphasized the importance of art to life. 15. “Life is a process of continuous self-transcendence, not a journey to reach a destination.” This sentence encourages people to look at life from a dynamic and developmental perspective, reflecting Nietzsche’s positive attitude towards life. 16. “We should not be afraid of our own shadows, because that is the proof that we are growing towards the sun.” Nietzsche used the metaphor of shadow and sun to encourage people to bravely face their own shortcomings. This sentence is full of wisdom and encouragement. 17. “Love is the highest affirmation of another person and the highest negation of oneself.” This sentence explores the nature of love in a dialectical way and shows Nietzsche’s profound insights into interpersonal relationships and self-cognition. 18. “Historical progress is at the expense of the individual.” This sentence raises a profound question about the cost of historical progress and reflects Nietzsche’s pessimistic attitude towards history and human nature. 19. “True wisdom lies in recognizing one’s own ignorance.” This sentence expresses Nietzsche’s views on knowledge and wisdom in a concise and clear way, full of philosophy and enlightenment. 20. “Life is like a long war, and we are all fighting for our own existence.” This sentence uses war as a metaphor to vividly depict the difficulties and struggles of life, and also reflects Nietzsche’s emphasis on vitality and willpower.
About the Author
Friedrich Nietzsche was a German philosopher, cultural critic, poet, composer and classical philologist who was born in 1844 and died in 1900.< His works have had a profound impact on Western philosophy, literature and psychology, and he is considered one of the founders of modern existentialism and postmodernism.
Personal basic information: Nietzsche was born in Saxony, Kingdom of Prussia.< His father was a Lutheran pastor and his family background was rigorous.
Nietzsche spent his childhood in an environment with a strong academic atmosphere.< Both his father and grandfather were pastors.
Nietzsche received higher education at the University of Bonn and the University of Leipzig, majoring in theology and classical philology.
Education and professional background: While studying at the University of Bonn, Nietzsche was influenced by the famous classical philologist Richard Wagner.< He continued his studies at the University of Leipzig and received a doctorate in philosophy in 1869.
Nietzsche served as a professor of classical philology at the University of Basel, but he resigned from his teaching position in 1879 due to health reasons.
Writing career: Nietzsche's writing career began in 1872, when his first work, The Birth of Tragedy (Die Geburt der Tragödie), was published.< Since then, Nietzsche has published many important works, such as Beyond Good and Evil, Also Spoke Zarathustra, and Der Wille zur Macht.
Nietzsche's works cover many fields such as morality, religion, culture, politics, and psychology.< His philosophical thoughts are highly innovative and challenging.
Style and theme of works: Nietzsche's writing style is unique.< He is good at using metaphors, allegories, and poetic expressions to make his philosophical thoughts more vivid and easy to understand.
Nietzsche focuses on the freedom and liberation of the human spirit, advocates the concept of "superman", and emphasizes the power and creativity of individuals.< He criticizes traditional moral concepts and advocates re-examining the definition of good and evil.
Personal life: Nietzsche's personal life is relatively lonely.< He is estranged from his family, and his relationship with Wagner also deteriorated in the later period.
Nietzsche lost his mind due to illness in early 1889, and lived in a mental hospital and under the care of relatives and friends until his death in 1900.
Social Impact: Nietzsche's philosophical thoughts have had a profound impact on philosophy, literature and art in the 20th century.< Many famous philosophers, writers and artists have been inspired by Nietzsche, such as Jean-Paul Sartre, Albert Camus, Freud, etc.
Nietzsche's thoughts also had a certain impact on Nazi Germany, but Nietzsche himself did not support nationalism and anti-Semitism.
Quotations and evaluations: Nietzsche is considered "one of the most controversial philosophers", and his works have been interpreted and evaluated differently in different eras and cultural backgrounds.< The New York Times once evaluated Nietzsche as "one of the greatest geniuses in the history of German literature", while British philosopher Russell believed that Nietzsche's philosophy has "extreme individualism and desire for power".
Latest developments: In recent years, research and discussion on Nietzsche are still active.< Scholars have conducted in-depth excavations into Nietzsche's philosophical thoughts from different angles, trying to reveal its value and significance in contemporary society.
At the same time, Nietzsche's works have been translated into many languages and widely circulated around the world.