Nietzsche: Influences, Life, and Philosophical Context

Influences on Nietzsche's Philosophy

Nineteenth-century philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche, born in Saxony, received a large number of influences. These were based on the classical Greek world during an early stage, and various philosophers of the modern age in the second stage of his thought.

His engagement with ancient Greece focuses on the tension between the Dionysian and Apollonian worldviews. He strongly denied the influence of Socrates and Plato, but accepted Heraclitus, taking from him the claim of the existence of contradiction and movement, and studies on change and opposition.

In his first phase, the influence of the Sophists, Stoicism, and early Christianity can also be observed.

In the second phase, we find a strong impact from Enlightenment philosophers and the belief in the nonexistence of God.

It is worth noting the undeniable imprint of positivism, primarily through Comte, which gave birth to sociology, a science that sought to resolve historical problems and social conflicts.

Subsequently, Nietzsche acquired ideas from the "Hegelian Left" through the thinking of Marx, who produced studies based mostly on society, the problem of its organization, the benefit of the bourgeoisie and detriment of the workers, and the current economic system (capitalism), emphasizing the theories of economic infrastructure and superstructure or ideology.

Finally, Schopenhauer, possibly his most important influence, maintained the existence of the "will to live," claiming that we must move away from the desires and temptations of life. Nietzsche denies this, asserting that will is the controlling element of life and advocating for living life intensely, risking the achievement of desires even though they can lead to pain, rather than Schopenhauer's renunciation.

Nietzsche's Life and Times

Nietzsche was born in 1844 in Röcken (Saxony) into a family with a church tradition. He died in 1900.

His development as a philosopher occurred during the first century of the Modern Age, a time of great importance. A highlight of this century was the Industrial Revolution.

This era also saw a population increase that led governments to focus on solving societal problems, applying scientific principles in the strongest terms.

Current ideological, cultural, and philosophical movements included Romanticism, Positivism, Realism, and Neo-Romanticism.

The ideals of Romanticism, concerning freedom and a return to nature, are reflected accurately in the literature of the period (Larra, Goethe...). The Nietzschean nihilism at the end of the century was already present in the romantic poetry of all Europe, since in them there was no difference between truth and error, being and nothingness, or between God and man.

As for Positivism, it was born with Comte, who proposed a new science, sociology (which was intended to solve historical problems and social conflicts), and a new positive philosophy bound by facts and the scientific method. A positivist believed in order and progress. This led to Realism, which was reached because of the spirit of scientific observation and fidelity to this in the literature.

Finally, Neo-Romanticism brought new knowledge, new problems to philosophical reflection, and new disciplines, especially focusing on linguistics and history. Also at this time, the study of reality and life gained great importance.