A Macat Analysis of Friedrich Nietzsche's Beyond Good and Evil: Prelude to a Philosophy of the Future

What might society look like if we were brave enough to emerge fully from the shadow of the Christian God? The German philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche explores this intriguing question in his 1886 work, Beyond Good and Evil. Going further, Nietzsche then asks of his “philosophers of the future” that they take on the challenge of supplying humanity with new ideals to live by. Nietzsche bases his understanding of our current morality in history and psychology, tracing its roots through to the Christian religion. He also claims that the systems of many illustrious philosophers before him are nothing more than fabrications, created only to express the unconscious drives of their authors. Although Beyond Good and Evil sold just 114 copies when it was first published, the book was never out of print in the twentieth century. Nietzsche’s ideas continue to be central to philosophy, and are the subject of books, lecture courses, blogs, and dedicated journals throughout Europe and America. He is essential reading for anybody, anywhere, who is interested in moral philosophy.