Nietzsche’s Notebook of 1887-1888

Nietzsche’s unpublished notes are extraordinary in both volume and interest and indispensable to a full understanding of his lifelong engagement with the fundamental questions of philosophy. This volume includes a complete selection of the notes he kept during 1887-88. They address the philosophy of the Greeks, the nature of tragedy, the relationship of language to music, and the value of the unfettered pursuit of truth and knowledge which Nietzsche thought was a central feature of western culture. They contain startling and original answers to the questions which were to occupy Nietzsche throughout his life and demonstrate the remarkable stability and consistency of his fundamental concerns.

Regarded as one of the most profound German philosophers, Friedrich Nietzsche (1844-1900) is popularly considered a cultural critic and philologist whose work exerted a scholarly influence on modern intellectual history. His intellectual works focus on widespread themes such as religion, morality, philosophy, and science. Prominent elements of his philosophy include his radical critique of truth, a genealogical criticism of religion, and Christian morality. His body of work touched a wide range of topics, including art, philology, history, music, tragedy, and culture, most of which drew inspiration from Greek tragedy.