Why Didn't Nietzsche Get His Act Together?

Nietzsche's late works should not be read as endorsing a consistent set of philosophical claims, but as displaying Nietzsche living through different personalities or perspectives. Each perspective embodies a different way of seeing the world, deploying different values, highlighting certain features, and being motivated by a different dominant drive. Millgram provides seven readings of Nietzsche's most famous later works and discusses Nietzsche's perspectivism and the account he gives of why his life was one that he could look back on without regret.

Format: Hardback
Length: 352 pages
Publication date: 18 October 2023
Publisher: Oxford University Press Inc

Nietzsche, renowned for his philosophical work, penned his most famous pieces during a period of profound psychological disintegration. The circumstances surrounding Nietzsche's dramatic psychological breakdown often make his writing challenging for readers to comprehend. In this essay, Elijah Millgram presents a novel framework for interpreting Nietzsche's writings, aimed at transforming our understanding of him.

"Why Didn't Nietzsche Get His Act Together?" challenges the conventional interpretation of Nietzsche's late works, suggesting that they should not be read as straightforward endorsements of a consistent or systematic set of philosophical claims. Instead, Millgram argues that these late works depict Nietzsche living through a series of different personalities or philosophical perspectives. Each perspective embodies a distinct way of seeing the world, employs different values, highlights certain aspects while obscuring others, and is driven by a different dominant force.

What one perspective emphasizes may be left out by another; what one perspective presents as valuable may be perceived as neutral or even harmful from another; and what generates coherence or order in one perspective may undermine it in another. Millgram contends that, as each human life embodies a perspective, and as each of Nietzsche's late texts exhibits a distinct perspective, we can consider each of the late works as written by a different author.

In the course of the essay, Millgram offers seven distinct readings of Nietzsche's most famous later works. These readings explore different aspects of Nietzsche's thought and offer alternative interpretations of his ideas. Additionally, the two concluding chapters delve into Nietzsche's perspectivism, discussing the philosophical implications of his belief in the multiplicity of perspectives.

Furthermore, Millgram explores Nietzsche's account of why his difficult life was nonetheless one that he could look back on without regret. He argues that Nietzsche's perspectivism allows him to embrace the complexities and contradictions of his life, viewing them as valuable sources of insight and growth.

In conclusion, "Why Didn't Nietzsche Get His Act Together?" provides a fresh and insightful perspective on Nietzsche's writings, challenging our conventional understanding of him. By adopting Millgram's framework, we can gain a deeper appreciation for Nietzsche's complex and multifaceted thought, exploring the many different personalities and philosophical perspectives that shaped his work. This essay offers valuable insights into Nietzsche's philosophy and its enduring relevance to contemporary thought.

Weight: 652g
Dimension: 242 x 163 x 28 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780197669303