Final Project Installment 1: Nietzsche - Noah Silver #8

Born on October 15, 1844 to a Lutheran pastor, Friedrich Nietzsche was an unlikely contender for one of the greatest philosophers of all time. Coming from humble beginnings, he lived in the small town of Röcken, Prussia until shortly after his father’s death. Nietzsche (who was not yet even five) and his family would soon move to Naumburg, Saxony where he began his formal education at the Schulpforta preparatory school. It was here that Nietzsche began to learn about the humanities and philosophical thought. He would later go on to study philology at the University of Bonn as well as join the military. The latter is significant in that Nietzsche both discovered the works of Arnold Schopenhauer and befriended Wagner while on sick leave. Both were to prove early influences on the young philosopher, especially in his first book “The Birth of Tragedy”. Much would happen to Nietzsche in the next seven years after the birth of tragedy; he would break his ties with Wagner (over the latter’s anti-Semitism and nationalism), join the military again, become sick – again, and become a professor. Around 1879, Nietzsche began to travel Western Europe. Generally in poor health and without a home, it is during this period from 79’ to 89’ that his most famous books were written. Unfortunately, in 1889 Nietzsche suffered a mental breakdown (possibly the result of syphilis) that caused him to never quite be the same – he died nearly ten years later in 1900. While not overly popular during his lifetime, Nietzsche would come to be recognized as one of the most important philosophers of the 19^th century. He has influenced everyone from Albert Camus and Sigmund Freud to Mark Rothko and David Bowie, and is seen today as one of the foremost thinkers of western thought. The video posted demonstrates Nietzsche’s love for music and features a piano composition by him.

Citation: http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/nietzsche/