Nietzsche’s Best Life: The Ten Greatest Attributes of the <i>Ubermensch</i>, & a Comparison to Aristotle’s Virtuous Person
- 1 El Camino College, Torrance, USA
Abstract
The paper first outlines the 10 primary attributes of the Ubermensch, Nie-tzsche’s ideal person, with numerous quotations. Those attributes are self-determination, creativity, becoming, overcoming, discontent, flexibility, self-mastery, self-confidence, cheerfulness, and courage. The paper then compares Nietzsche’s Ubermensch with Aristotle’s virtuous person. Nietzsche describes more of an attitude towards life and a process of living which are similar to a means as compared to Aristotle’s objective character traits which are goals or ends in themselves. The paper concludes that Nietzsche does a better job of describing the best human life—one that is dynamic, passionate, and unique; consisting of self-growth and creativity; and filled with new experiences, insights, and adventures.
- Aristotle (1980). The Nicomachean Ethics (Ross, D., Trans.). Oxford: Oxford University Press.
- Cameron, F. (2002). Nietzsche and the “Problem” of Morality. New York: Peter Lang.
- Daigle, C. (2006). Nietzsche: Virtue Ethics … Virtue Politics? Journal of Nietzsche Studies, No. 32, 1-21. https://doi.org/10.1353/nie.2006.0012
- Danto, A. (2005). Nietzsche as Philosopher. New York: Columbia University Press.
- Hesse, H. (1929). Steppenwolf (Creighton, B. Trans.). In R. Solomon (Ed.), Existentialism (2nd ed., pp. 103-115). Oxford: Oxford University Press.
- Hunt, L. (1991). Nietzsche and the Origin of Virtue. Routledge Nietzsche Studies. London: Routledge.
- Kaufmann, W. (1974). Nietzsche: Philosopher, Psychologist, Antichrist (4th ed.). Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press.
- Leiter, B. (1997). Nietzsche and the Morality Critics. Ethics, 107, 250-285. https://doi.org/10.1086/233720
- MacIntyre, A. (1981). After Virtue (2nd ed.). Notre Dame, IN: University of Notre Dame Press.
- Magnus, B. (1980). Aristotle and Nietzsche: “Megalopsychia” and “Uebermensch”. In D. J. Depew (Ed.), The Greeks and the Good Life (pp. 260-295). Fullerton: California State University, Fulleton.
- Nagel, T. (1986). The View from Nowhere. New York: Oxford University Press.
- Nietzsche, F. (1872). The Birth of Tragedy; (1886). Beyond Good and Evil; (1887). On The Genealogy of Morals; (1888). Ecce Homo. In Basic Writings of Nietzsche (Kauf-man, W. Trans.). New York: The Modern Library/Random House, 1992.
- Nietzsche, F. (1874). On the Advantage and Disadvantage of History for Life (Preuss, P. Trans.). Indianapolis: Hackett Publishing Company.
- Nietzsche, F. (1878). Human, All Too Human: A Book for Free Spirits (Faber, M. Trans.). Lincoln: University of Nebraska Press.
- Nietzsche, F. (1882). The Gay Science (Kaufman, W. Trans.). New York: Vintage Books.
- Nietzsche, F. (1883-1888, 1901). The Will to Power (Kaufman, W., & Hollingdale, R. Trans. & Kaufman, W. Ed.) New York: Vintage Books, div. of Random House.
- Nietzsche, F. (1885). Thus Spoke Zarathustra (Kaufman, W. Trans.). New York: Penguin Books, Viking Penguin, Inc.