ABSTRACT

Why a book on Kierkegaard and Nietzsche? Quite simply, because they are the most significant moral philosophers of the nineteenth century. Their works show a remarkably trenchant and penetrating awareness of key ethical issues, while also demonstrating a stylistic flair that is rare in philosophical writing. No one who picks up their texts can fail to be struck by one or both of these qualities. This alone would justify their being paid sustained philosophical attention. But in addition, I shall argue, their works are related in a peculiarly intimate way, which merits their being brought together in one dedicated study. For it will be my contention that Kierkegaard both anticipated, and subjected to detailed critique, Nietzsche's central arguments and views in moral philosophy. In other words, Kierkegaard 'saw Nietzsche coming' - and did his best to show the weaknesses of core Nietzschean positions, which he realised could exert a powerful attraction over people. This book will thus be about Kierkegaard's critique of Nietzscheanism in ethics, a critique that I will in the main defend.