Study Questions for
Nietzsche, On the Genealogy of Morality
Note: The edition of the Genealogy we are using has
very comprehensive and informative notes at the back of the book, keyed to page
and line numbers. These notes explain
virtually every name Nietzsche mentions, every literary reference, and every
obscure or technical term. I think you
will find these very helpful. The
translator’s introduction to the text is also very clear and helpful. The first few pages provide a nice overview
of Nietzsche’s life.
Another Note: We are trying to get through Nietzsche in a week, so
we’re moving through this text pretty quickly.
Here are the sections I think are the most crucial for the purposes of
this class: Preface §s 3, 5, and 6; Treatise One §s 4, 6, 7, 10, 11, 13, 16 and
17; Treatise Two §s 1-6, 11-13, 16-25.
But it is always dangerous to interpret Nietzsche on the basis of a
partial reading: he so often qualifies, contradicts and re-interprets his own
thoughts.
1.Preface, §5, 6: What does
Nietzsche find most problematic in the ethical philosophy of Schopenhauer? How could “the morality of compassion” be
“the danger of dangers”? (This provides
something of a clue to the overall project of the book.)
Treatise One:
2.
What did the words
“good” and “bad” originally mean? Whose
words were they? (§§4, 6,7)
3.
How did the “slave
revolt” in morality introduce a new set of concepts? (§§7,10)
4.
What is “ressentiment”
and how does it play a role? (§10)
5.
How does the concept
“evil” differ from the concept “bad”? (§11)
6.
How does the invention
of “free will” fit into this? (§13)
7.
Does Nietzsche think
that the “slave revolt in morality” is an altogether bad development? (§§16-17)
8.
Why does Nietzsche think
the ability to make promises is a remarkable achievement?
9.
What was the original
function of punishment?
10.
What was the origin of
the concept ‘guilt’?
11.
How does Nietzsche
explain the origin of justice? (§11)
12.
What is permanent and
what is changing (“fluid”) in our practice of punishment? Why does Nietzsche think it is impossible to
say why we punish? (§13)
13.
What is the origin of
‘bad conscience’? (§16)
14.
What is the positive
value of this development? (§§18-19)
15.
How does Nietzsche
describe the specifically Christian development of these concepts? (§§21-23)
16.
What does Nietzsche seem
to be for?