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This paper discusses Bertrand Russell's critique against Nietzsche's philosophy. In his critique, Russell gives voice to the common interpretation that describes Nietzsche as an insecure man, motivated by hatred against Christianity, fear of moral values etc. Unfortunately, this approach rushes to conclusions that show disdain for the man as well as for the philosopher. Regarding the idea that Nietzsche, with his "Übermensch" concept, is a forerunner of the Nazist thinking is rejected with arguments that show that the nobility of that uniquely beautiful being has its origin in a compounded image of the great men from the past and has nothing to do with the super race of "blond beasts". Also, Nietzsche's criticism of Christianity is not directed toward Christ, but mostly at the concept of permanent humility that is so unnatural for man.
Keywords: Nietzsche, Russell, Übermensch, modern philosophy.
Bertrand Russell in his "A History of Western Philosophy" (1945), describes Nietzsche as an insecure man, motivated by hatred against Christianity, fear of moral values etc. In his critique of Nietzsche's books, Russell rushes to conclusions that, unfortunately, show disdain for the man as well as for the philosopher. Some English and German scholars underscore the fact that Russell did not study carefully Nietzsche's works. I agree with this point of view. After listening to Russell's recorded conference about Nietzsche, I discovered that some of his statements show clearly that he misses, among many other things, the main idea of Nietzsche's "Also Sprach Zarathustra" (1883-1885), in which the philosopher becomes a poet whose love and dream for the beauty and perfection of a special and "unique man" make him a prophet who envisions "the birth and the future existence" of such an ideal being.
Like communist thinkers of the Stalinist era, Russell considers the German philosopher a reactionary, the one who inspired what will become the doctrine of Nazi Germany. Moreover, Russell's critique of "The Antichrist" (1895), displays, I'm sorry but not shy to say, ignorance about the reason why the book was written, and, of course, what, in fact, is the substance of it.
What triggered my strong repulsion to Russell's statements is, first of all, my profound admiration for Nietzsche's philosophy, for his intellectual curiosity, for his incomparable genius as...