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Art from here. |
These are research papers aiming to make a contribution to the scholarly community's attempts to construct a comprehensive interpretation of varieties of atheism and theological responses to atheism. The research essays have been produced by Boston University graduate students.
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Art from here. |
By Roy L. Smith
The author writes: I here offer notes on Nietzsche’s Beyond Good and Evil. My intention is to carefully follow the main line of argumentation Nietzsche employs throughout the text in order to assist readers in the difficult task of interpreting this work. In order to avoid tangential rabbit trails I have skipped some sections, such as Epigrams and Interludes which consists of brilliant aphorisms, and the poetic Aftersong with which Nietzsche closes the book. These notes are choppy and often include lengthy quotations, so as to offer more of the author than of myself. Nietzsche integrates multiple trajectories that address varying philosophers. Thus he is often arguing against many positions in a given passage. As an explosion of napalm sends shard in every direction, so Nietzsche writes. I have not traced each of these trajectories and their targets. That would necessitate book length commentary. Because I firmly believe that one should first hear and understand an author before making determinations about the author’s claims, I have endeavored to follow the text as closely as I am able, without adding anything of myself (though this is not entirely possible). On occasions where I do insert my thought or quote Kaufmann, I do so in brackets. Last, I wish to extend my deep gratitude to Dr. Wesley J. Wildman (my mentor in writing, scholarship, and academic professionalism) for the opportunity to share these notes.
Click here to read the notes.