Lecture notes:

I. Things to know about Nietzsche

A. The is a difference between Nietzsche's text and his life, which was relatively uneventful.

B. Nietzsche was not gay, and had maybe one sexual encounter ever.

C. Nietzsche is the last important thinker of the 19th century.

II. The Nietzsche Biography: (1844-1900)

A. Nietzsche was born in Germany.

B. He had a brief friendship with Wagner.

C. He was raised by his mother.

D. Nietzsche was a sickly person throughout his life.

E. Nietzsche went mad ten years before his death.

III. There are several sets of paradoxes that concern Nietzsche as myth and mythmaker

A. The first set is in his writings. For example, Nietzsche suggests that morality has an "immoral" origin.

B. The second set of paradoxes in generated by his writing, specifically, the impossibility of constructing the right interpretation of any text, including Nietzsche's.

> 1. Interpretation takes place in all realms of society.

> 2. The are stakes in interpretation.

> 3. Nietzsche finds interpretations multiple and contestable.

> 4. Nietzsche suggests that methodological languages substantiate institutional powers.

C. The third paradox belongs to anyone who tries to present the text. The text can lose power by being trivialized in its presentation

IV. Myth is an important topic in Nietzsche's writings.

A. Nietzsche uses myth in writing.

B. Nietzsche develops a relationship between myth and modernity (capitalism) which is involved in the dialectic of enlightenment.

C. Nietzsche is an important figure in the post-modern condition.

V. The importance of Nietzsche

A. Nietzsche is a topic of conversation, and is part of culture.

B. There are debates over interpretations of Nietzsche.

C. "Nietzsche's return" in the 60′s and late 80′s was exhilarating and humorous.