Nietzsche’s Dawn

<p><b>The first focused study of Nietzsche’s<i> Dawn</i>, offering a close reading of the text by two of the leading scholars on the philosophy of Nietzsche</b></p> <p>Published in 1881, <i>Dawn: Thoughts on the Presumptions of Morality</i> represents a significant moment in the development of Nietzsche’s philosophy and his break with German philosophic thought. Though groundbreaking in many ways, <i>Dawn</i> remains the least studied of Nietzsche’s work. In <i>Nietzsche’s Dawn: Philosophy, Ethics, and the Passion of Knowledge, </i>authors Keith Ansell-Pearson and Rebecca Bamfordpresent a thorough treatment of the second of Nietzsche’s so-called “free spirit” trilogy<i>.</i> </p> <p>This unique book explores Nietzsche’s philosophy at the time of <i>Dawn’s</i> writing and discusses the modern relevance of themes such as fear, superstition, terror, and moral and religious fanaticism. The authors highlight <i>Dawn’s</i> links with key areas of philosophical inquiry, such as “the art of living well,” skepticism, and naturalism. The book begins by introducing <i>Dawn </i>anddiscussing how to read Nietzsche, his literary and philosophical influences, his relation to German philosophy, and his efforts to advance his ‘free spirit’ philosophy. Subsequent discussions address a wide range of topics relevant to <i>Dawn, </i>including presumptions of customary morality, hatred of the self, free-minded thinking, and embracing science and the passion of knowledge. Providing a lively and imaginative engagement with Nietzsche’s text, this book:</p> <ul> <li>Highlights the importance of an often-neglected text from Nietzsche’s middle writings</li> <li>Examines Nietzsche’s campaign against customary morality</li> <li>Discusses Nietzsche’s responsiveness to key Enlightenment ideas</li> <li>Offers insights on Nietzsche’s philosophical practice and influences</li> <li>Contextualizes a long-overlooked work by Nietzsche within the philosopher’s life of writing</li> </ul> <p>Like no other book on the subject, <i>Nietzsche’s Dawn: Philosophy, Ethics, and the Passion of Knowledge</i> is a must-read for advanced undergraduate and graduate students, instructors, and scholars in philosophy, as well as general readers with interest in Nietzsche, particularly his middle writings.  </p>