Nietzsche's Superman: Transmutation of Values and the Future Hero

The Superman (Übermensch)

Nietzsche seeks a higher type of man—the genius of the free spirit, the Übermensch (Superman). To cultivate this type of man, one must perform the transmutation of all moral values. The starting point of this criticism is based on the enlightened, but Nietzsche argues even against the claims of those whom he accuses of defending old Christian values. This concept is the central theme of Nietzsche's work, pointing toward the future hero, the philosopher to come.

However, before this superior man arrives, preparation is necessary: establishing values and ways of living that make the creation of new values possible and, crucially, preventing the destruction that might accompany his arrival.

Prefigurations of the Superman

Three prefigurations of the Superman appear throughout Nietzsche's work:

1. The Genius (First Period): This image is characterized by grandeur, openness, and the ability to express the Dionysian essence through words or music. The genius is the instrument that expresses the creator of the fund of life; the artist is the track of genius.

2. The Scholar or Scientist (Second Period): The place of the genius is occupied by the scholar or scientist. This shift represents the figure of the "freethinker," a bold experimenter who respects nothing and is capable of exposing what lies behind established ideas. They use science as a means to free themselves from the bondage of existence, ideals, religion, metaphysics, and morality.

3. The Superman (Final Period): The final stage presents the figure of the Superman as the man who knows the Death of God, affirms his Will to Power, and embraces the Eternal Recurrence. The Superman does not exist yet; he is a hope.

Defining Characteristics of the Übermensch

The Superman possesses several defining characteristics:

1. Acceptance of the Death of God: Having assumed the death of God, the Superman must become aware of their own finitude and consider their limited existence as great.

2. The Return to Earth: Their attitude is characterized by "the return to earth." Man previously transcended toward God, granting God all value. The Superman, upon recognizing the death of God, returns to earth the value that had been stolen.

3. Creator of Values: Their values are designed to make life richer and more powerful. The Superman must be a sense-creator who moves away from the crowd and the "herd animal" mentality. In The Will to Power, Nietzsche states that the great man requires the hostility of the masses.

Thus, the Superman is the man who resists the death of God, who knows that the Will to Power is the essence of existence, and who experiences the Eternal Recurrence in the infinity of existence.