Nietzsche in 90 Minutes (Philosophers in 90 Minutes Series) - Hardcover

In earlier centuries philosophy had been dangerous for philosophers; with Friedrich Nietzsche it becomes dangerous for everyone. Nietzsche ended up by going mad, but his ideas presaged a collective madness which was to have horrific consequences in Europe during the first half of the twentieth century. His philosophy is one of aphorisms and penetrating psychological insights, not a system. But it is as brilliant, persuasive, and incisive as any before or since. His major concept is the Will to Power, which he saw as the basic impulse for all our acts. Christianity he saw as a subtle perversion of this concept - thus Nietzsche's famous pronouncement, "God is dead". In Nietzsche in 90 Minutes, Paul Strathern offers a concise, expert account of Nietzsche's life and ideas, and explains their influence on man's struggle to understand his existence in the world. The book also includes selections from Nietzsche's work; a brief list of suggested reading for those who wish to push further; and chronologies that place Nietzsche within his own age and in the broader scheme of philosophy.

Paul Strathern, a former Somerset Maugham prize winner, has written five novels as well as books on history and travel. His own degree in philosophy was earned at Trinity College, Dublin.