Nietzsche: A Guide for the Perplexed

R. Kevin Hill is Assistant Professor of Philosophy at Portland State University, USA, and has published a number of books and articles on Nietzsche.

"Hill's discussion of later thinkers and working through of philosophical-logical problems in Nietzsche has obvious merits, but it does necessitate a certain degree of extra explanation. For example, the eight-page discussion of Deleuze includes a two plus page introduction to G. W. F. Hegel. While illuminating, such detours stray away from the focus of ‘introducing' Nietzsche and may pose a challenge to the typical reader of books in these kinds of series. Hill does not help matters by using, but not defining, philosophical terminology such as ‘axiological' and ‘qualia.' He also assumes knowledge of figures such as George Berkley and William Quine. A small amount of explanation on these matters would have been helpful. On balance, however there is no shortage of introductory texts on Nietzsche, so it is fair enough that Hill has made some idiosyncratic choice about the issues he feels are most pressing and which he is best equipped to discuss. In short, this book will be most useful for those who can read it along with Nietzsche's own work, have a grounding in basic philosophical issues, and are interested in how later philosophers have used Nietzsche in conjunction with their own unique and influential theories." - Jennifer Benner, H-Net Reviews, June 2008

• Preface; 1. Introduction; A pervasive presence; Biographical sketch. Nietzsche's minor published writings; Editions and translations; 2. Nietzsche's Writings; The early works; The middle works; Zarathustra and the latter works; 3. Nihilism, Will to Power, and Value; Nihilism; The will to power; 'And nothing else besides!'; Eternal recurrence; 4. Perspectivism; Logic; Perception; Knowledge in a world of will to power; 5. Critique of Morality; Nobility; Genealogy; The story; 6. Heidegger's Nietzsche; Preliminaries; The will to power as art; The eternal recurrence of the same; The will to power as knowledge; Nihilism again; 7. A Different Nietzsche; Derrida; Foucault; Deleuze; Notes; Select Bibliography; Index.