Nietzsche on the Value of Valuing the Passions
Year: 2026
Type: article
Abstract: In his understanding of passion, Nietzsche closely follows Kant and Schopenhauer. For all three, passion is a uniquely demanding variety of desire: desire so strong that we are compelled to pursue its object regardless of the cost. In his evaluation of passion, however, Nietzsche is unique: while Kant and Schopenhauer both condemn passion, Nietzsche celebrates it. I argue that this celebration of passion is more central to Nietzsche’s thought than it might initially appear. Nietzsche does not encourage appreciation of passion simply because it functions as one means among many for driving change and growth. Rather, Nietzsche holds that valuing passion is essential to valuing life. This follows from passion’s role in resolving a problem highlighted by Schopenhauer’s pessimism: namely, the difficulty of valuing life when avoiding harm is your dominant concern.
DOI: 10.25894/jmp.2908
Author: Joshua Isaac Fox
Institution: Bryn Mawr College
Language: English
Subfield: Philosophy
Field: Arts and Humanities
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W7128391973
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