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Summary: A view on Philosophy trough the lenses of Nietzsche
Review: As a preliminary word of caution it is necessary to say that the author of this good book is not a follower of the great German philosopher, but his book is one of the most authoritative books that could be written on so hard a subject as Nietzsche. The credentials of Walter Kaufmann are impressive, being he one of the most renowned translator of the works of the XIX philosopher, who died in his middle age in a German asylum for insane persons.
Nietzsche was essentially innovative and a great polemicist in everything he did; the aphoristic style which permeates all his major works is in the tradition of Socratic minimalist philosophy, never willing to build a philosophical system (like the ones conceived by the likes of Thomas Aquinas and Karl Marx), and then falling prey to the dogmatism of first principle (Creator, First material, past infinity etc.), but trapping himself, it seems rather intentionally, in the ambiguities of language and style. He was accused of being against Jews, in favor of National Socialism, for the supremacy of the Germans as a race and against intra racial marriages, essentially anti-Christian etc.
The task of the author is to put the record straight and go trough all the maze of documents that constitutes his extensive documented legacy, which, following the author, unfortunately fell in the hands of the most unqualified person to pursue the work of the thinker, his sister, with links to anti-Jewish movements and married to a proto Third Reich supporter. Besides all that, all his major ideas (the overman, recurrent reality, the will to power, just to name a few) are reviewed and collated with the ideas of some of the great philosophers or artists to whom he owns a lot in terms of contributions to the development of his philosophy. Men like Schopenhauer, Hegel, Kant, Socrates, Goethe, Wagner and many more.
To sum it up, I could think of no book better than this as a means to try to intrude into the life and way of thinking of one of the most prolific and polemical man as Nietzsche was.
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Summary: A Monumental Achievement In The Study of Nietzsche
Review: .
This book is both beneficial to the study of Nietzsche and rather impressive. The 1974 edition has been updated and edited in it's fourth edition with prefaces from 1950, 1956, 1968 and 1974 and one can see with the extensive amount of footnotes through out the book that many changes, updates and corrections have been made over the years, as much thought and scholarship is contained in these pages. One can just imagine Kaufmann consulting various professors, and layman alike, receiving criticism, subsequently updating his extensive, yet non-exhaustive study and analysis of Nietzsche.
It must be said that this is a much more honest and well-rounded study than Heidegger, however Heidegger's theologian style I particularly love, as I am also a reader of theology, such as Paul Tillich. And I would recommend reading both author's analysis, as well as Karl Jaspers.
Kaufmann most certainly does an adequate explanation of Nietzsche's teachings and his falsely interpreted racism and anti-semitism so found in the exegesis of bias his sister and Nazi and nationalistic writers of the past. I think this is a fair assessment of Nietzsche, including his love and influence of Schopenhauer and Wagner, only to change course from both men in his objection to the racism, anti-semitism and pessimism of both and the subsequent idolatry of the Wagnerians and those romantics who fail in reason and those who reason who fail to attack their own convictions, as conviction act as mental prisons. (p. 355). Ultimately, Nietzsche perceived the greatness of men not in biological Darwinian terms, but of cultural terms, that in the philosopher, artists and saints.
Nietzsche was convinced that all life sprung from the one source (monism) - the Will to Power, which in turn contained both passion and reason, both form and chaos, both good and evil and it was not dualistic and to be extirpated or repressed as in Christianity, but rather to be re-directed, sublimated into self-mastery, self-overcoming into a created, controlled self, an Overman. (p. 251). However first he must brand himself (p. 253) - a war of the accepted, not creation." (p. 111) with values; self-positing, self-creating himself and then subliminating his directions, a creation, a "yes to Being." (p. 282). Kaufman calls this "monadological pluralism. (p. 243). Christianity was Not the flowering bud on the dung, as anti-semitic interpreters saw him, but rather "the miscarriage of Judaism."(pp. 299-300)
It's ironic how Nietzsche said greatness would consist in holding one's own in an unfinished system with free, unlimited views" as Leonardo da Vinici did, as systems act as blinders and bar many views, and yet one must have some type of finished system to analyze Nietzsche. (p. 87). Yet systems are good insofar as they reveal the character of a great thinker - independent of the truth of the system. (p. 81). And in this system one can find that the creativity, the Dionysus of Goethe which acts to absorb the Apollinian, which Apollinian is in self-mastery, self-overcoming (pp. 16, 242) of the Dionysus for "this is a man!," the passionate former of the chaos. (p. 410). Artists may be sick people (p.180) however; there is a sharp difference between the artist that is empty in hunger and that who in fullness overflows. (p. 375)
While Nietzsche recognized the emptiness of romanticism, the remedy of Socratic reason was only a temporal fix, as the time would come when such temporality would end into destruction, as "one had only one choice; either to perish or - to be absurdly rational" (p.406), In the wisdom of Socrates courage to die that for himself no ultimate cure is possible - except death itself. (p. 407) "The classical I call the healthy and the romantic I call the sick." (p. 380). The artist must first do as Oscar Wilde has stated; he must first melt down the bronze in order to create a new piece of art. The healthy man was the Apollinian over the Dionysian (pp. 131-132), and the Dionysian was not romanticism. (p. 138).
The entire book is worth the read, however the appendix is for the study of manuscripts and previous authors and more for a study of post-Nietzsche interpretations as opposed to the study of Nietzsche's thoughts themselves.So much more can be said of Kaufmann's analysis and one must truly see this book as a wonderful means to the mind of Nietzsche.
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Summary: the only book you'll ever need
Review: after studying nietzsche for several years, i stumbled across this highly accessible book, which revealed nietzsche as never before. it provides a lovely bio on nietzsche, and highly elucidates his philosophy. i would surely recommend it. kaufmann could easily be described as the major, and preeminent nietzsche scholar.
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Summary: This Is The Student Nietzsche Reader!
Review: For laypeople and philosophical adherents alike!
This review applies to the 1974 Fourth Edition.
Professor Kaufmann has brought about an easily understood text on the great German philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche (1844-1900).
Professor Kaufmann breaks his work down into easily understandable "chunks" of vital information as chapters. Those chapters encompass Neitzsche's background (Part I); the development of his thought (Part II); his philospohy of power (Part III); a synopsis of his controversial works and philosophy (Part IV); his heritage; and appendixes of "supressed manuscripts" and four handwritten letters.
Kaufmann's develoment of Nietzsche's background progresses through his (Nietzsche's) works such as "Human, All Too Human," "Ecce Homo," "The Antichrist," and "Thus Spake Zarathustra."
Through excerpts and analysis, a portion of this book is also dedicated to investigating the insanity which gripped Nietzsche in his later years. Left without much explanantion, however, is the fact that Nietzsche actually believed that he was an incarnation of the ancient Persian prophet (God?), Zoroaster (Gr.) or Zarathustra.
This book, although not a complete biography or primer on the subject, fulfills the expectations of the reader and will leave that person with a solid understanding of Friedrich Nietzsche. I rate this text as five stars.
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Summary: Still a useful classic on Nietzsche
Review: I got this book after having finished reading the complete works of Nietzsche. Kaufmann has the best translations of most of N's works, save "Beyond Good and Evil" (Hollingdale is the way to go). However, Kaufmann didn't get around to translating many of N's early works, and we are poorer because of this. But, in this text, Kaufmann goes through these early works in his discussion of the development of N's thought. I found his comments on the Untimely Meditations very useful. I had read these texts in the older Oscar Levy translations, and found them hard to digest. For this reason alone, this book was useful to me. The book in general is a good introduction to N. It spends a lot of time dispelling rumors which do not have the same currency as when the book was written. These misguided misinterprations still exist however, and it is good to be able to counter them. I general don't like secondary texts, but this is a good one. Get it if you are interested in N's life story, or in the basis of his ideas, and you will be very happy.
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Summary: A bit redundant now
Review: I have, and have come to love, Kaufmann's translations of Nietzsche in the Modern Library and Viking Portable editions (both highly recommended). His translations are extremely lucid, and his commentaries are very helpful. I came to this book with high expectations, and I was a bit disappointed. The problem is that Kaufmann has really done his job too well. The book was originally written in a time when most of the English speaking world had an impression of Nietzsche as a proto-Nazi, a myth which Kaufmann nearly single handedly dispelled. It also served as a counterweight to the unreliable translations of Nietzsche into English. Since the first edition, Kaufmann has translated almost all of Nietzsche's oeuvre. All the problems this volume was meant to fix have since been fixed. This book would still be a good purchase for some, those who need a gentle introduction to Nietzsche, those who are interested in Kaufmann as a philosopher, and Nietzsche competeists who want a thorough history of the Nietzsche legend. There is also a thorough treatment of The Untimely Meditations, which could prove useful read against the availible translation because Kaufmann never got around to translating those. Kaufmann's favorite of Nietzsche's works is Ecce Homo. In his Nietzsche, Kaufmann echoes a lot ideas from that book. For those with some experience with Nietzsche, who are willing to put in a little more work reading into Nietzsche's prose, spend some time with that instead. Translated by Kaufmann. After all, if the point is Nietzsche, just read Nietzsche.
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Summary: most valuable book I have read on the work of a philosopher
Review: In this book, Kaufmann remarks that Nietzsche is easier to read and harder to understand than nearly any other philosopher. This is probably the reason that Nietzsche, as he feared,is still terribly misunderstood. Kaufmann presents Nietzsche with such clarity and develops his arguments with such skill, that I found myself understanding a large part of Nietzsche philosophy COHERENTLY for the first time. I seriously recommend this book for anyone who wants understand this often mysterious man. I should also add that the first chapter of the book is an interesting 40 page biography, which does a lot to dispell many of the rumors surrounding Nietzsche's life, as well as telling how these rumors came about (you will find that the majority are the fault of his sister). Great Book.
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Summary: Brilliant work of philosphy, flawed picture of Nietzsche
Review: Let me begin with saying that even though I found many flaws in this work it is easily one of the most brilliant works I have ever read. I read this book with growing amazement and admiration with each passing chapter. In fact I believe this book is worth reading even if as an interpretation of Nietzche it is unetnable, which I believe is partially the case. This book is an absolute marvel of lucid philosophic exposition, and the ideas it presents are fascinating and developed with a subtelty and intelligence that is amazing. For me it was a life-changing book.
As an interpretation of Nietsche I think it is only a very partial success. It's picture of Nietsche strikes me as extremely flawed. To take a random example: Nietszches attitude of macho, juvenile contempt for women has a very real and obvious relation to the rest of his philosophy, and indeed is a natural outgrowth of a particular strain in his philosophy. Surely Kaufmann is unconvincing and guilty of lack of philosophic insight when he merely dismisses Nietsches contempt for women as a regrettable abberation bearing no serious relation to his philosophy as a whole or his personality, as if this attitude appeared out of nowhere! The fact is there is a very virulent straing of extreme macho posturing in Nietzches philosophy, and only by virtually ignoring this as Kaufmann has done can Nietzches contempt for women appear as an abberation. In my opinion Kaufman does an altogether unsatisfactory job in integrating this aspect of Nietsches thought in his picture of Nietsche - yet this aspect of Nietsches thought appears in very striking and powerfully emotional ways in all of Nietsches works. It is in this way that Kaufmann seems most deficient in his analysis of Nietsches thought.
Presumably Kaufmann did not wish to underline this aspect of Nietsches thought since at the time he wrote the popular misconception of Nietsche emphasized this aspect of his philosphy to the exclusion of all else - indeed it failed even to SEE anything else. Kaufmann wanted to present aspects of Nietsche that were up till then ignored. But if so, then why offer the book as a comprehensive evaluation? Any comprehensive evaluation must come to grips with this dark side of Nietsches thought in a far more successfull manner than Kaufmann has. And further, to gain credibility for Kaufmann's sympathetic image of Nietsche, wouldn't it be better to honestly own up to the dark side of Nietsches thought, which is so glaringly obvious, and then explain how this is not the whole picture by any means? The book actually loses credibility for its portrait of Nietszche because I believe most readers who have read Nietszche leave Kaufmanns book with a vague sense that in some important, crucial way he does not quite describe the Nietzche they have encountered.
In any event, this is a fanstastic work nonetheless. I urge everyone to read it.
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Summary: walter kaufmann is an ignorant, pompous blowhard
Review: Nietzsche was destined to be cursed by the vapidity and foolishness of those closest to him: first his sister, and next his translator, Walter Kaufmann, who singlehandedly stifled all creative and thoughtful work on Nietzsche in English for much of the twentieth century, when it would seem to have been just getting started. Not only were his translations one-dimensional, not only was his view of Nietzsche fairly warped and condescending; but he spent most of his time not translating Neitzsche or doing thoughtful work in the community but rather destroying the careers of others by publishing nasty reviews which, due to his iron grip on the american philosophical societies, made it fairly impossible to publish on nietzsche if one hadn't earned his prior approval by kissing up. He was, in short, the very portrait of the arrogant know-it-all professor. To see this, one only has to look to his translations of Nietzsche, where he comments derisively on the works of others; chides Nietzsche for his views on women, his poetic capability, and his philosophical outlooks; and refers more to his own footnotes than the text in question. It becomes quickly apparent that W. Kaufmann sees himself as vastly more important than Nietzsche; even his biographical note at the end of the texts is almost twice as long as Nietzsche's!
Here he is no different; his view of Nietzsche is perhaps slightly more developed than some, but is not outstanding in any way. Besides, this is less about Nietzsche than about Kaufmann anyhow. The "Kaufmann freeze" has broken, and other people are publishing about Nietzche; it may be hard to find good books about him, but rest assured that this isn't one of them. Briefly: forget about this one, and also avoid any of Mr. Kaufmann's translations. Try Hollingdale, who isn't much better in the translation department, but at least doesn't detract from the text through arrogant footnotes.
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Summary: Classic
Review: Walter Kaufmann will perhaps always be remembered as the man who rescued Nietzsche. Prior to 1950, the year Kaufmann's "Nietzsche" emerged, Nietzsche's name had been most commonly associated with Nazism, barbarism, fascism, misogyny, and a host of other ill-fated ideologies that could do no justice to a thinker of Nietzsche's caliber. Kaufmann took it upon himself to remove these misconceptions and for the first time in history Nietzsche emerged as a philosopher that warranted serious attention. In effect, modern Nietzsche scholarship is forever indebted to Mr. Kaufmann. For all its faults-though relatively few-this book continues to paint a sensitive and exhaustive picture of both the Nietzsche philosophy and the life of Nietzsche, even though its final edition was printed nearly thirty years ago. Compassionate in tone, though not without its criticisms, Kaufmann's "Nietzsche" is probably still the best overview of Nietzsche available.
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