Friedrich Nietzshe is a name that is familiar to me. I could tell you that he was a writer in the 1800s. I could also attribute to him two of his most famous quotes but I had never read anything he wrote until I picked up Beyond Good and Evil.
Now I can tell you that one of the two quotes I know him for is found in this book. He famously wrote:
“He who fights with monsters should be careful lest he thereby become a monster. And if thou gaze long into an abyss, the abyss will also gaze into thee.”
Nietzsche included the above passage in the midst of several short philosophical sayings in the middle of the book.
Nietzsche spends a lot of time discussing free will and morality within this book. This passage stood out to me: “the collective impression of such future Europeans will probably be that of numerous, talkative, weak-willed, and very handy workmen who REQUIRE a master, a commander, as they require their daily bread; while, therefore, the democratising of Europe will tend to the production of a type prepared for SLAVERY in the most subtle sense of the term: the STRONG man will necessarily in individual and exceptional cases, become stronger and richer than he has perhaps ever been before—owing to the unprejudicedness of his schooling, owing to the immense variety of practice, art, and disguise. I meant to say that the democratising of Europe is at the same time an involuntary arrangement for the rearing of TYRANTS”
Another passage that caught my attention was this:
“In a tour through the many finer and coarser moralities which have hitherto prevailed or still prevail on the earth, I found certain traits recurring regularly together, and connected with one another, until finally two primary types revealed themselves to me, and a radical distinction was brought to light. There is MASTER-MORALITY and SLAVE-MORALITY”
Overall this is a book that requires effort. If you just gloss over the pages it will not be very impactful or impressive. It is also a book that is better the second time you read it and are ready to dive into the topics presented. I had a more shallow reading and was prepared to rate it a two or a three out of five stars but in reviewing my notes I think there is greater depth than I first realized. As a result I rate it 3.5 out of 5 stars with the caveat that if I ever read it again it will become a 2 star or 5 star book.
Thomas Aquinas is credited as one of the greatest proponents of natural law. During his time in Cologne he was taught by Albertus Magnus. Magnus used the teachings of Aristotle in his mentorship of Thomas Aquinas.
Samuel Adams believed in American Independence from Great Britain. He is one of the most well know Son's of Liberty. On August 1, 1776 he gave a speech to the Continental Congress in Philadelphia.
The Mount of Forty Springs, Zagros Mountains, Iran Saturday 11:30 PM
By the dim light of torches seven hooded figures made their ascent up the nearly invisible path. Thirty minutes had passed since they began hiking off the established trail. A person who had never traveled this path would not have been able to find it.
These men were not making their first journey. Each had traveled this path as part of a group and individually. Even without the torches each man would find the destination without difficulty. Some things could never be forgotten.
In silence they made their final steps. Amidst the juniper and oak trees stood a single cedar tree. They had arrived at their destination. Concealed amidst the undergrowth was a small cave. Sliding a large bolder away from the back of the cave revealed a secret stairwell.
The men could not be completely at ease yet, but the most physically demanding portion of their journey was over. From this point things would be more psychologically challenging and each man would handle those struggles...
