Nietzsche: Volumes Three and Four

by Heidegger, Martin (1991)

Abstract

A landmark discussion between two great thinkers--the second (combining volumes III and IV) of two volumes inquiring into the central issues of Friedrich Nietzsche's philosophy.

Key Passage

Nietzsche himself in his published works scarcely spoke of will to power. This may be taken as a sign that he wanted to protect as long as possible what was most intrinsic to his recognition of the truth concerning beings, and to take it  into the custody of a  uniquely simple saying. Will to power is mentioned, but not yet singled out as a key expression, in the second part of Thus Spoke Zarathustra (1883). The title of the episode in which the first sovereign insight into the essence of will to power is achieved offers a  clue for the correct understanding of it. In the section "On Self-Overcoming" Nietzsche says: "Where I  found the living, there I  found will to power, and even in the will of those who serve I  found the will to be master." According to this, will to power is the basic character of "life." Nietzsche uses "life" as another word for Being. "'Being'-we have no other way of representing this than as 'living.'-How can anything dead 'be'?" (WM, 582). To will, however, is to will to be master. This will prevails even in the willing of one who serves, not insofar as he strives to free himself from his role as underling, but precisely insofar as he is un-derling and servant, and as such still has the object of his labor beneath him, as an object. that he "commands." And insofar as the servant makes himself indispensable to the master as such and so obligates and orients the master to himself (the underling), the underling dom-inates the master. Being a  servant is still a  form of will to power. Willing would never be a  willing to be master if the will were merely a  wishing and striving, instead of being-from top to bottom-a command.  (p.194)

Keywords

Heidegger, Nietzsche, Technology, Skill, Education

Themes

The Nietzsche Lectures, Heidegger Citations

Links to Reference

• https://play.google.com/store/books/details?id=cu5IY6ygv9UC
• https://books.google.com.au/books?id=cu5IY6ygv9UC&dq=Nietzsche:+volumes+three+and+four&hl=en&newbks=1&newbks_redir=1&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwinu-GN6-3uAhWVyDgGHVWCBT0Q6wEwAHoECAMQAQ
• https://books.google.com.au › bookshttps://books.google.com.au › books

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