Nietzsche - At the Turning Point of the Century

Author: Zhou Guoping
Publisher:
Publish Date: 1986-07-01
Features: A set of healthy teeth and a strong stomach—that is all I expect from you! If you can tolerate my books, we must be a good match! Nietzsche: "To My Readers" In the history of Western philosophy, Nietzsche has always been a controversial figure. Nietzsche once proposed the slogan of "re-evaluating all values," yet since the end of World War II, he himself has become an object of re-evaluation. This is not surprising. History is advancing steadily, the world is changing rapidly, and people's thoughts, ideas, perspectives, as well as the standards and methods for evaluating things, will inevitably change with it. The evaluation of people is not static either; the saying "judged only after death" seems to contradict dialectics. As time passes, things that were once incomprehensible to people may now become understandable, and things that were once ignored or abandoned may now be valued and new meanings extracted from them. Are there few such examples in history? In China, the fate of Nietzsche's philosophy has not been auspicious. At the beginning of the last century, when it was first introduced to China, it became popular among some intellectuals for a while, but then it was distorted and misused by certain individuals, aligning with the "Nietzsche fever" stirred up by German fascists. Since then, it has been burdened with various negative reputations. Despite Nietzsche's growing influence in contemporary Western society, we have not published a single book on Nietzsche or research works by Chinese scholars commenting on him in the past three decades. This situation cannot be considered normal. Who was Nietzsche? What new philosophical questions did he raise? What is his relationship to the modern era? What role and influence has he had on the development of modern Western thought? To this day, not only among the general readers but also among many comrades in the philosophical circles, there remains confusion. This lag in Nietzsche studies hinders our in-depth understanding of the development of modern Western thought. Therefore, it is indeed an important task for Western philosophy research in China to seriously study Nietzsche and scientifically re-evaluate him in accordance with the true nature of his philosophy. Comrade Zhou Guoping's work is an initial attempt to re-evaluate Nietzsche. Based on a thorough study of Nietzsche's life and works, and relying on first-hand materials, he has independently reflected and proposed insights that differ significantly from conventional views. I believe this is something worth welcoming. I hope readers do not misunderstand this work as a defense of Nietzsche. Before the historical court, only the weak need defense, and Nietzsche was by no means weak. What he needs is not defense but understanding. The work provides a new understanding of Nietzsche. Nietzsche's philosophy is a product of a certain stage of capitalist society, and it uniquely foretold the profound spiritual crisis in modern Western society. Therefore, when studying Nietzsche's philosophy, it is essential to fully account for its duality and complexity. When dealing with complex matters, it is particularly important to conduct thorough investigations, respect objective facts, and analyze specific cases from the perspective of Marxist,,, avoiding simplistic frameworks and preconceived notions. Relying on second-hand information and making metaphysical conclusions of absolute affirmation or negation is to be avoided. Starting from actual conditions and conducting concrete analysis of specific matters is the soul of Marxist dialectics, and we must never forget this when studying figures and ideas in the history of philosophy. Of course, during the process of research and analysis, differing opinions and perspectives are inevitable, especially when dealing with figures like Nietzsche, who may receive different or even opposing evaluations. I believe that there can be no uniform "public opinion" on such academic issues. The only correct approach is to allow for free and extensive discussion, promoting our understanding through "freedom of thought and debate" and enabling a truly Marxist and scientific explanation of Nietzsche's philosophy based on a deep understanding. If Comrade Zhou Guoping's work can spark readers' interest in Nietzsche's philosophy, encourage them to reconsider the questions he raised, and promote research and discussion on Nietzsche, then it will have done a great service to Western philosophy research in China. Yu Xin