Individual and Community in Nietzsche''s Philosophy

A traditional interpretation of Nietzsche claims that he values only the exceptional individual. Yet there are passages in which he seems to value the flourishing of the community above that of the individual. The ten essays that comprise this volume wrestle with this tension, some defending the traditional interpretation, others arguing for the importance of community.

According to Bertrand Russell, Nietzsche's only value is the flourishing of the exceptional individual. The well-being of ordinary people is, in itself, without value. Yet there are passages in Nietzsche that appear to regard the flourishing of the community as a whole alongside, perhaps even above, that of the exceptional individual. The ten essays that comprise this volume wrestle with the tension between individual and community in Nietzsche's writings. Some defend a reading close to Russell's. Others suggest that Nietzsche's highest value is the flourishing of the community as a whole and that exceptional individuals find their highest value only in promoting that flourishing. In viewing Nietzsche from the perspective of community, the essays also cast new light on other aspects of his philosophy, for instance, his ideal of scientific research and his philosophy of language.