Philosophy 285
Seminar on Special Topics: Nietzsche's Critique of Morality

Winter 2007


Philosophy Seminar Room (H&SS 7077)
Wednesday 2-4:50

Professor Don Rutherford
drutherford AT ucsd DOT edu
office: (858) 534-6802

Office hours: MW 11:00-12:30 in H&SS 8046 (or by appointment)

Description

The focus of this seminar is Nietzsche's critique of Judeo-Christian morality, a critique that he identifies with the project of a "revaluation of all values." We will analyze this project both from within the context of Nietzsche's own thought (e.g. its relation to will to power, perspectivism, nihilism) and in terms of its lasting impact on our understanding of morality as a normative practice and system of belief. With respect to the latter, we will look closely toward the end of the quarter at selections from the growing secondary literature that attempts to make sense of Nietzsche's "revaluation" in terms of the discourse of contemporary metaethics. However, I do not want to lose sight of the "revaluation" as, most basically, a manifestation of the trajectory of Nietzsche's thought: the culmination of his life-long attack on the foundations of the Western metaphysical-moral tradition. (fuller description)

Readings

The following primary works should be in the UCSD bookstore:

F. Nietzsche (ed. W. Kaufmann), The Gay Science
F. Nietzsche (tr. W. Kaufmann), Beyond Good and Evil
F. Nietzsche (tr. W. Kaufmann), On the Genealogy of Morals/Ecce Homo
F. Nietzsche (ed. M. Clark, tr. A. Swensen), On the Genealogy of Morality
F. Nietzsche (tr. W. Kaufman), The Portable Nietzsche
F. Nietzsche (tr. W. Kaufman), The Will to Power

I will expect you to read the first three books straight through (see below). The Clark edition of the Genealogy is relatively new. Some (e.g. Leiter) praise it highly. I haven't had the chance to do a systematic comparison with the Kaufman translation. If anyone is inclined to do so, I am eager to hear your conclusions. In general, I would recommend sticking with Kaufman at this point, especially since it also includes Ecce Homo. The Portable Nietzsche contains Thus Spoke Zarathustra, Twilight of the Idols, and The Antichrist, none of which we are scheduled to read, but which you will find cited throughout the secondary literature. The same goes for The Will to Power, which brings with it other textual issues discussed in Magnus 1986 (see Tentative Schedule, Week 1).

In addition I have ordered four recent secondary works:

B. Leiter, Routledge Philosophy Guidebook to Nietzsche on Morality (2002)
B. Reginster, The Affirmation of Life (Harvard, 2006)
J. Richardson and B. Leiter, Nietzsche (Oxford Readings in Philosophy, 2001) (abbreviated below as R&L)
J. Richardson, Nietzsche's System (Oxford, 1996)

I have assigned readings from three of these books, but I will make the relevant parts available as photocopies in the departmental library, so it won't be necessary to purchase them, if you are not so inclined. There will be other assigned readings from secondary sources, and these too will be made available electronically or as copies in the library.

Requirements

Most importantly, I expect you to attend all meetings of the seminar (unless an absence is unavoidable), apply yourself with vigor to the reading, and make every effort to contribute constructively to discussion.

If you are registered for the course, you will be required to write two papers.

The first paper (6-8 pp.) will be primarily exegetical, focusing on one or more passages from The Gay Science, Beyond Good and Evil or The Genealogy of Morals. The object of this paper is for you to engage Nietzsche's texts directly, analyzing a passage that might otherwise appear opaque or problematic. I will expect an email describing your topic by February 7. The paper itself will be due on the Monday of Week 6 (February 12).

The aim of the second paper (12-14 pp.) is for you to respond critically to some work from the recent secondary literature. You may think of this as a potential APA colloquium paper. X has offered an interpretation of Nietzsche on Y that has garnered some attention. Your task is to assess (i.e. show the weakness of) X's argument. I would like an abstract of this paper by the last meeting of the seminar. The paper itself will be due the Wednesday of exam week (March 21).

With either paper, if you're having trouble coming up with a topic, I will be happy to talk about it, in person or by email. Your grade for the seminar will be a (simple) function of the quality of your two papers and your participation.

Tentative Schedule (* = recommended but not required)

Week Topic Reading
1 Introduction Rutherford, "Nietzsche's Way"
*Leiter, Nietzsche on Morality, chs. 1-2
Magnus, Nietzsche's Philosophy in 1888: "The Will to Power" and the "Übermensch", Journal of the History of Philosophy 24:1 (1986), 79-98
2 Nihilism and its Overcoming Nietzsche, Ecce Homo
Nietzsche, The Gay Science
*Reginster, The Affirmation of Life, Introduction and ch. 1
3 Truth and Perspective Nietzsche, Beyond Good and Evil, Parts I-IV
*Clark, "The Development of Nietzsche's Later Position on Truth" (in R&L)
*Anderson, "Overcoming Charity: The Case of Maudmarie Clark's Nietzsche on Truth and Philosophy," Nietzsche-Studien 25 (1996), 307-41
*Poellner, "Perspectival Truths" (in R&L)
4 A Natural History of Morals Nietzsche, Beyond Good and Evil, Parts V-VIII
*Leiter, Nietzsche on Morality, ch. 3
5 Master and Slave Morality Nietzsche, Genealogy of Morals, Essay 1
*Leiter, Nietzsche on Morality, chs. 5-6
*Geuss, "Nietzsche and Genealogy" (in R&L)
6 Ressentiment and the "Bad Conscience" Nietzsche, Genealogy of Morals, Essay 2
*Leiter, Nietzsche on Morality, ch. 7
*Williams, "Nietzsche's Minimalist Moral Psychology"
7 The Ascetic Ideal Nietzsche, Genealogy of Morals, Essay 3
*Leiter, Nietzsche on Morality, ch. 8
8 The Authority Problem Leiter, "Nietzsche's Metaethics: Against the Privilege Reading," European J. Phil. 8 (2000), 277-97
Leiter, Nietzsche on Morality, ch. 4
Ridley, "Nietzsche and the Re-evaluation of Values", Proceedings of the Aristotelian Society, 105 (2005), 155-75
9 Subjectivism and Fictionalism Hussain, "Honest Illusions: Valuing for Nietzsche's Free Spirits" (forthcoming)
Reginster, The Affirmation of Life, ch. 2
Anderson, "Nietzsche on Truth, Illusion, and Redemption," European J. Phil. 13 (2005), 185-225
10 Self-Creation and Freedom Nehamas, "How One Becomes What One Is" Phil. Review 92 (1983), 385-417 (also in R&L)
Leiter, "The Paradox of Fatalism and Self-Creation in Nietzsche" (in R&L)
Rutherford, "Freedom as a Philosophical Ideal: Nietzsche and His Antecedents"