Nietzsche's Perspectivism (International Nietzsche Studies) [Hardcover]

Steven D Hales (Author), Rex Welshon (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 27, 2000 | Series: International Nietzsche Studies

In "Nietzsche's Perspectivism", Steven Hales and Rex Welshon offer an analytic approach to Nietzsche's important idea that truth is perspectival. Drawing on Nietzsche's entire published corpus, along with manuscripts he never saw to press, they assess the different perspectivisms at work in Nietzsche's views with regard to truth, logic, causality, knowledge, consciousness, and the self. They also examine Nietzsche's perspectivist ontology of power and the attendant claims that substances and subjects are illusory while forces and alliances of power constitute the only reality. Hales and Welshon present Nietzsche's treatment of perspectivism as both more complex and more fruitful than the common view of it as a doctrine that truth is not objective. Neither a metaphor nor a methodology, perspectivism emerges as a protean concept akin to a unifying theme; an alternative to the absolutism that recurs in science, philosophy, and religion; and a technique for revealing the unimagined possibilities open to every individual.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"A stereotype of Nietzsche persists even in the academic community, namely, that 'Nietzsche believes that truth depends upon one's 'perspective.' This book not only shows how facile that stereotype is, but also how rich and diverse Nietzsche's perspectivisms are... A rich and nuanced work that will be of value not only to philosophers and theologians but to literary critics as well." -- Fred W. Burnett, Religious Studies Review "A project of considerable merit... Especially worthy of attention is the authors' consideration of Nietzsche's views on logic and consciousness... A welcome and a challenging addition to the body of Nietzsche scholarship." -- Tsarina Doyle, International Philosophical Quarterly ADVANCE PRAISE "A probing, analytically sharp, and philosophically illuminating account of a central theme in Nietzsche's work. Hales and Welshon show that Nietzsche's complex view is of serious philosophical interest and importance, and their close work with the texts yields rich rewards." -- Martha C. Nussbaum, Ernst Freund Distinguished Service Professor of Law and Ethics, University of Chicago

Product Details

• Hardcover: 272 pages
• Publisher: University of Illinois Press (March 27, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0252025350
• ISBN-13: 978-0252025358
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 6.2 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #4,190,655 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Steven D. Hales, Ph.D. (Brown) is a professor of philosophy at Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania. He works primarily in metaphysics and epistemology, and also in popular philosophy. He was recently Visiting Professorial Fellow at the Institute of Philosophy, School of Advanced Study, University of London. He is a past winner of Bloomsburg University's Outstanding Teaching Award.