We Philologists Complete Works of Friedrich Nietzsche, Volume 8

"We Philologists" by Friedrich Wilhelm Nietzsche is a philosophical critique written in the late 19th century. This work examines the field of philology, particularly focusing on the qualifications and effectiveness of its practitioners in conveying the essence of classical cultures to modern students. Nietzsche expresses deep concerns about how classical antiquity is taught and understood in contemporary education. The opening of the text sets the stage for Nietzsche’s provocative ideas regarding philology and education. He argues that many philologists are ill-equipped and unsuited for their roles, often lacking a genuine understanding of ancient cultures. Nietzsche points out that most practitioners enter the field out of imitation or for the sake of earning a living, rather than a true grasp of their subject matter. Throughout this introduction, he emphasizes that philology should evolve to truly engage with antiquity, urging a connection between the past and present that transcends mere academic exercise to enhance genuine cultural understanding. (This is an automatically generated summary.)

Friedrich Wilhelm Nietzsche was a German classical scholar, philosopher, and critic of culture, who became one of the most influential of all modern thinkers. He began his career as a classical philologist before turning to philosophy. He became the youngest person to hold the Chair of Classical Philology at the University of Basel in Switzerland in 1869, at the age of 24, but resigned in 1879 due to health problems that plagued him most of his life; he completed much of his core writing in the following decade. In 1889, at age 44, he suffered a collapse and afterward a complete loss of his mental faculties, with paralysis and probably vascular dementia. He lived his remaining years in the care of his mother until her death in 1897, and then with his sister Elisabeth Förster-Nietzsche. Nietzsche died in 1900, after experiencing pneumonia and multiple strokes.