Nietzsche's Dawn: Philosophy, Ethics, and the Passion of Knowledge

Nietzsche's Dawn: Thoughts on the Presumptions of Morality, published in 1881, is a significant moment in his philosophy and his break with German philosophic thought. In Dawn: Philosophy, Ethics, and the Passion of Knowledge, authors Keith Ansell-Pearson and Rebecca Bamford present a thorough treatment of the second of Nietzsche's "free spirit" trilogy. The book explores Nietzsche's philosophy at the time of Dawn's writing and discusses the modern relevance of themes such as fear, superstition, terror, and moral and religious fanaticism. It highlights the importance of an often-neglected text from Nietzsche's middle writings, examines Nietzsche's campaign against customary morality, discusses his responsiveness to key Enlightenment ideas, offers insights on Nietzsche's philosophical practice and influences, and contextualizes a long-overlooked work by Nietzsche within the philosopher's life of writing.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 288 pages
Publication date: 12 November 2020
Publisher: John Wiley and Sons Ltd

The first comprehensive study of Nietzsche's Dawn, offering a close reading of the text by two of the foremost scholars in Nietzsche's philosophy, was published in 1881. Dawn: Thoughts on the Presumptions of Morality represents a pivotal moment in the development of Nietzsche's philosophy and his departure from German philosophical thought. Though groundbreaking in many ways, Dawn remains the least studied of Nietzsche's works. In Nietzsche's Dawn: Philosophy, Ethics, and the Passion of Knowledge, authors Keith Ansell-Pearson and Rebecca Bamford present a thorough treatment of the second of Nietzsche's so-called "free spirit" trilogy. This unique book explores Nietzsche's philosophy at the time of Dawn's writing and discusses the modern relevance of themes such as fear, superstition, terror, and moral and religious fanaticism. The authors highlight Dawn's links with key areas of philosophical inquiry, such as the art of living well, skepticism, and naturalism. The book begins by introducing Dawn and discussing how to read Nietzsche, his literary and philosophical influences, his relation to German philosophy, and his efforts to advance his free spirit philosophy. Subsequent discussions address a wide range of topics relevant to Dawn, including presumptions of customary morality, hatred of the self, free-minded thinking, and embracing science and the passion of knowledge. Providing a lively and imaginative engagement with Nietzsche's text, this book: Highlights the importance of an often-neglected text from Nietzsche's middle writings. Examines Nietzsche's campaign against customary morality. Discusses Nietzsche's responsiveness to key Enlightenment ideas. Offers insights on Nietzsche's philosophical practice and influences. Contextualizes a long-overlooked work.

Weight: 428g
Dimension: 152 x 228 x 19 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781119693666