The Will to Power

This is, perhaps, Nietzsche's most outrageous work. It's a singular vision that has something to offend the convictions of both the left and the right. Such contemporary obsessions as identity politics and conservative nostalgia are objects of his withering, dismissive scorn. The fragmentary nature of the work precludes sustained argument, but the rationale of his critiques is easily discerned.

The new translation published in Penguin Classics strips away the anachronisms of earlier versions giving clear access to Nietzsche's thought.

I think the most important thing to keep in mind when reading “The Will to Power” is that it is NOT a “book” in the proper sense of the term. It is merely a collection of thoughts and scraps that are extensions of previous thoughts, meditations on works that were being fleshed out at that time, and projections towards future investigations. As Kauffman points out (who, by the way, I became a bit annoyed with throughout this edition with his constant self aggrandizement – despite the fact that he is probably the best Nietzsche scholar to date) this is to be regarded as a journal and nothing more.

The confusions inherent to the nature of this collection though seems to be that it is often hard to distinguish between when show more Nietzsche is making an evaluative description or a normative judgment. His basic principle of “the will to power” which is often juxtaposed and exemplified by hyperbolic examples, do not necessarily mean that he is advocating such means – simply that these are examples which justify his critique of epistemology and modernist idealisms/moralisms of all sorts. In other words, the contradictions that arise from any philosophy or theology that denies the world.
Of most importance to me in this “book” though is the third section entitled “Principles of a New Evaluation.” This is the basis or ground (in my opinion) by which to evaluate all of which is explored throughout the whole volume; primarily in Nietzsche’s assertion of the innocence of becoming. Once this is taken into consideration then some of the most aggressive passages are in all sincerity passionate defenses of his position against those who suppose a “being” of things and consequently the negation of this principle. As notes to himself with zero intention of being published, they express Nietzsche’s authentic (i.e. HUMAN in his Dionysian sense) and empathy towards the ultimate fate of mankind.

There is, and has been, much more to say of “The Will to Power.” Rather than pick and choose which points one finds contentious and others genius, I must agree with Kauffman that this volume is only of secondary importance in regards to the entire cannon of Nietzsche’s published work. Nietzsche continued to write and publish beyond the scope of time which comprises “The Will to Power,” and so to assume these jottings and scraps as the pinnacle of his thought is to do an injustice to his philosophy.

Nevertheless, for those interested in his thoughts and in general the inner workings of the mind which came up with such influential works of philosophy, this is a must read. As with anything indefinite and unauthorized though (and even those which are) it is essential to take it cum grano salis, and as Nietzsche would have it, from your own point of view. show less

It's very interesting to compare this translation with the one my mother owns. This is newer than hers and it's based on more recent scholarship and a more complete original version. This translation negates much of the interference of Nietzsche's sister and her husband (who edited and reorganized his work to push their own antisemitic beliefs). The sense of Nietzsche's meaning and values in this newer version is profoundly different - and sometimes contradictory - to the translation that was standard when my mother was in college.

This is the posthumous collection of Nierzsche's miscellaneous writings. While presenting some of his thoughts on the title subject among others, the book does not have the imprimatur of the original author and has been used in ways antithetical to the Nietzsche's original life project.

Not one of his best, but still deserves merit

Uf, izmedju 4 i 5 zvezdica, ne mogu se odlucit...

Excellent introduction in this edition by R. Kevin Hill - erudite and clear. Not yet read the text itself.