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On Truth and Untruth: Selected Writings
“We continue to live within the intellectual shadow cast by Nietzsche.”— New York Times Book Review Reissued for the age of "fake news," On Truth and Untruth charts Nietzsche’s evolving thinking on truth, which has exerted a powerful influence over modern and contemporary thought. This original collection features the complete text of the celebrated early essay “On Truth and Lies in a Nonmoral Sense” (”a keystone in Nietzsche’s thought”— Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy ), as well as selections from the great philosopher’s entire career, including key passages from The Gay Science , Beyond Good and Evil , On the Genealogy of Morals , The Will to Power , Twilight of the Idols , and The Antichrist . In times of crisis, the great works of philosophy help us make sense of the world. The Harper Perennial Resistance Library is a special five-book series highlighting short classic works of independent thought that illuminate the nature of truth, humanity's dangerous attraction to authoritarianism, the influence of media and mass communication, and the philosophy of resistance—all critical in understanding today's politically charged world.
161 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2010
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About the author
Friedrich Nietzsche
4,224 books25.2k followersFriedrich 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 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.
Nietzsche's work spans philosophical polemics, poetry, cultural criticism, and fiction while displaying a fondness for aphorism and irony. Prominent elements of his philosophy include his radical critique of truth in favour of perspectivism; a genealogical critique of religion and Christian morality and a related theory of master–slave morality; the aesthetic affirmation of life in response to both the "death of God" and the profound crisis of nihilism; the notion of Apollonian and Dionysian forces; and a characterisation of the human subject as the expression of competing wills, collectively understood as the will to power. He also developed influential concepts such as the Übermensch and his doctrine of eternal return. In his later work, he became increasingly preoccupied with the creative powers of the individual to overcome cultural and moral mores in pursuit of new values and aesthetic health. His body of work touched a wide range of topics, including art, philology, history, music, religion, tragedy, culture, and science, and drew inspiration from Greek tragedy as well as figures such as Zoroaster, Arthur Schopenhauer, Ralph Waldo Emerson, Richard Wagner, Fyodor Dostoevsky, and Johann Wolfgang von Goethe.
After his death, Nietzsche's sister Elisabeth became the curator and editor of his manuscripts. She edited his unpublished writings to fit her German ultranationalist ideology, often contradicting or obfuscating Nietzsche's stated opinions, which were explicitly opposed to antisemitism and nationalism. Through her published editions, Nietzsche's work became associated with fascism and Nazism. 20th-century scholars such as Walter Kaufmann, R.J. Hollingdale, and Georges Bataille defended Nietzsche against this interpretation, and corrected editions of his writings were soon made available. Nietzsche's thought enjoyed renewed popularity in the 1960s and his ideas have since had a profound impact on 20th- and early 21st-century thinkers across philosophy—especially in schools of continental philosophy such as existentialism, postmodernism, and post-structuralism—as well as art, literature, music, poetry, politics, and popular culture.
Nietzsche's work spans philosophical polemics, poetry, cultural criticism, and fiction while displaying a fondness for aphorism and irony. Prominent elements of his philosophy include his radical critique of truth in favour of perspectivism; a genealogical critique of religion and Christian morality and a related theory of master–slave morality; the aesthetic affirmation of life in response to both the "death of God" and the profound crisis of nihilism; the notion of Apollonian and Dionysian forces; and a characterisation of the human subject as the expression of competing wills, collectively understood as the will to power. He also developed influential concepts such as the Übermensch and his doctrine of eternal return. In his later work, he became increasingly preoccupied with the creative powers of the individual to overcome cultural and moral mores in pursuit of new values and aesthetic health. His body of work touched a wide range of topics, including art, philology, history, music, religion, tragedy, culture, and science, and drew inspiration from Greek tragedy as well as figures such as Zoroaster, Arthur Schopenhauer, Ralph Waldo Emerson, Richard Wagner, Fyodor Dostoevsky, and Johann Wolfgang von Goethe.
After his death, Nietzsche's sister Elisabeth became the curator and editor of his manuscripts. She edited his unpublished writings to fit her German ultranationalist ideology, often contradicting or obfuscating Nietzsche's stated opinions, which were explicitly opposed to antisemitism and nationalism. Through her published editions, Nietzsche's work became associated with fascism and Nazism. 20th-century scholars such as Walter Kaufmann, R.J. Hollingdale, and Georges Bataille defended Nietzsche against this interpretation, and corrected editions of his writings were soon made available. Nietzsche's thought enjoyed renewed popularity in the 1960s and his ideas have since had a profound impact on 20th- and early 21st-century thinkers across philosophy—especially in schools of continental philosophy such as existentialism, postmodernism, and post-structuralism—as well as art, literature, music, poetry, politics, and popular culture.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 78 reviews
April 18, 2025
This book contains a small sample of Nietzsche's published and unpublished writing on the nature and value of truth.
The editor has tried to include what struck him as the most memorable and important pronouncements on truth, untruth, and truthfulness.
The texts are in chronological order to provide an insight into how Nietzsche's views became subtler and more sophisticated through his life.
Having read this book, I wondered what Nietzsche would make of the current state of the 'truth' being told to people.
The editor has tried to include what struck him as the most memorable and important pronouncements on truth, untruth, and truthfulness.
The texts are in chronological order to provide an insight into how Nietzsche's views became subtler and more sophisticated through his life.
Having read this book, I wondered what Nietzsche would make of the current state of the 'truth' being told to people.
June 25, 2017
God damn this boy str8 W I L D
July 15, 2018
Some reviews on here have complained that the excerpts in this book would be more useful in their original context. While I understand the sentiment, I believe that the translator has strategically arranged these excerpts in a way that is easy to understand and is faithful to Friedrich Nietzsche's message. (I know that the author is often misunderstood.) So kudos to the translator, Taylor Carman.
It's a great introduction to Nietzsche's philosophy. This was the first book that I read by him, and it left me wanting more. So I went out and got Beyond Good and Evil, and it was a much harder read. I'm not sure why this was. It could be that the material was not as relevant, that it was harder to understand, or because of the translation. I have come to realize that much depends on the translation of a book. Now I'm in the middle of reading Thus Spoke Zarathustra, and it's great, but I think it's somewhat different than his other writings and not representative of his work in general. On Truth and Untruth seems like a comprehensive view of his work, in a condensed format. If you've never read Nietzsche, I think it's a good idea to start with this and then decide if you want to move on to something else.
It's a great introduction to Nietzsche's philosophy. This was the first book that I read by him, and it left me wanting more. So I went out and got Beyond Good and Evil, and it was a much harder read. I'm not sure why this was. It could be that the material was not as relevant, that it was harder to understand, or because of the translation. I have come to realize that much depends on the translation of a book. Now I'm in the middle of reading Thus Spoke Zarathustra, and it's great, but I think it's somewhat different than his other writings and not representative of his work in general. On Truth and Untruth seems like a comprehensive view of his work, in a condensed format. If you've never read Nietzsche, I think it's a good idea to start with this and then decide if you want to move on to something else.
June 10, 2024
These selected writings are a nice slice of Nietzschean goodness; be sure to check out the real deal as well; Beyond Good and Evil, On the Genealogy of Morals, Twilight of the Idols, Thus Spoke Zarathustra and for some background; I Am Dynamite! A Life of Nietzsche and on his middle writings; Nietzsche’s Search for Philosophy: On the Middle Writings.
May 13, 2014
As difficult as I expected, but in a good way. I expected this volume to be a good introduction to Nietzsche and was not disappointed. I'm looking forward to more!
November 22, 2016
"Whatever can be thought must surely be a fiction."
June 3, 2023
we’ll written but he’s weird
January 31, 2025
what a crazy intro to nietzsche
March 10, 2025
A well constructed book of published and unpublished excerpts by Nietzsche and translated by Taylor Carman. What is Truth? and Why do Humans strive for Truth? are challenging concepts in the hands of Nietzsche, as he demolishes much cherished shibboleths.
The choice of excerpts are well chosen from each of Nietzsche’s major works as well as two that appear in his notebooks. The footnotes are invaluable in explaining long forgotten 19th century ideas such as Ernst Chladni’s tone figures in sand from vibrations.
Recommended.
The choice of excerpts are well chosen from each of Nietzsche’s major works as well as two that appear in his notebooks. The footnotes are invaluable in explaining long forgotten 19th century ideas such as Ernst Chladni’s tone figures in sand from vibrations.
Recommended.
January 2, 2024
“we, whose task is precisely to be awake”
August 29, 2015
Afirma Nietzsche que no hay en el hombre un verdadero interés por la verdad sino sólo por las consecuencias que de ella se derivan. Pero entonces cabe preguntarse si Nietzsche sostiene “de verdad” semejante tesis o si nada más está ya previendo las consecuencias que se seguirán de ello. Porque si no mantiene “de verdad” lo que dice, para qué continuar leyendo.
Más adelante sigue diciendo que “las verdades son ilusiones cuyo carácter de ilusiones se ha olvidado, metáforas que han perdido su cuño…” Y se puede pensar: “¿También tienen carácter ilusorio lo que de las verdades dice Nietzsche cuando dice que son ilusiones las verdades? Cualquiera sea la respuesta que a esta pregunta se dé la tesis según la cual las verdades son ilusiones quedará irremisiblemente malparada”. Por otra parte, para decir que una ilusión es en efecto una ilusión se requiere la verdad según la cual aquello es sólo una ilusión. De otro modo es imposible mantener que es ilusión. Además si todos han olvidado que las verdades son ilusiones, ¿sólo Nietzsche tiene buena memoria y conoce la “verdad” de que son ilusiones? Si el lenguaje no habla de la verdad y de la realidad ¿por qué habría que leer lo que Nietzsche nos escribe? Como ocurre con todos los escepticismos las tesis de Nietzsche terminan siendo contradictorias.
En vez de suponer en el hombre una tendencia natural a comunicar la verdad a través del lenguaje, Nietzsche prefiere pensar que no siendo posible la verdad, lo que el hombre pretendía en un hipotético estado de naturaleza es solamente un pacto, la guerra de todos contra todos. Y el pacto, basado en el lenguaje no refleja ninguna verdad sino la simple conveniencia de la paz. Y es que Nietzsche atribuye al primitivo hombre de naturaleza el uso de la inteligencia la mayor parte de las veces para fingir. Pero si se finge, y se sabe que se finge, es porque se conoce asimismo cuál es la postura sincera. La tendencia natural de los hombres hacia la verdad hace que, cuando se descubre el engaño del que fingía se reclame una rectificación ¿Puede el entendimiento hacer ficciones sin saber que las hace desconociendo entonces que son ficciones? No tiene mucho sentido...
Más adelante sigue diciendo que “las verdades son ilusiones cuyo carácter de ilusiones se ha olvidado, metáforas que han perdido su cuño…” Y se puede pensar: “¿También tienen carácter ilusorio lo que de las verdades dice Nietzsche cuando dice que son ilusiones las verdades? Cualquiera sea la respuesta que a esta pregunta se dé la tesis según la cual las verdades son ilusiones quedará irremisiblemente malparada”. Por otra parte, para decir que una ilusión es en efecto una ilusión se requiere la verdad según la cual aquello es sólo una ilusión. De otro modo es imposible mantener que es ilusión. Además si todos han olvidado que las verdades son ilusiones, ¿sólo Nietzsche tiene buena memoria y conoce la “verdad” de que son ilusiones? Si el lenguaje no habla de la verdad y de la realidad ¿por qué habría que leer lo que Nietzsche nos escribe? Como ocurre con todos los escepticismos las tesis de Nietzsche terminan siendo contradictorias.
En vez de suponer en el hombre una tendencia natural a comunicar la verdad a través del lenguaje, Nietzsche prefiere pensar que no siendo posible la verdad, lo que el hombre pretendía en un hipotético estado de naturaleza es solamente un pacto, la guerra de todos contra todos. Y el pacto, basado en el lenguaje no refleja ninguna verdad sino la simple conveniencia de la paz. Y es que Nietzsche atribuye al primitivo hombre de naturaleza el uso de la inteligencia la mayor parte de las veces para fingir. Pero si se finge, y se sabe que se finge, es porque se conoce asimismo cuál es la postura sincera. La tendencia natural de los hombres hacia la verdad hace que, cuando se descubre el engaño del que fingía se reclame una rectificación ¿Puede el entendimiento hacer ficciones sin saber que las hace desconociendo entonces que son ficciones? No tiene mucho sentido...
August 8, 2020
I agree with other reviewers that these excerpts were well selected, and when read within the same context give a good introduction into Nietzsche's thoughts on Truth.
I particularly enjoyed:
- The way that Nietzsche plays with the role of dogmatism in how we perceive truths and untruths. Through allowing perspective and rejecting dogmatism, the world has inasmuch become "infinite" for us once again, as we cannot deny that it includes in itself infinite interpretations. However this leaves us to deify and worship the unknown in this world as "The Unknown"
- His thoughts on what it is that inately makes us hold truth as an ideal, and the moral, religious and philosophical ideas around this point.
- The breakdown of whether science is true, and how science may be perceived as a metaphysical faith. The notion that there exists no presuppositionless science is not one that I had previously considered, and has furthered my thinking on this.
I particularly enjoyed:
- The way that Nietzsche plays with the role of dogmatism in how we perceive truths and untruths. Through allowing perspective and rejecting dogmatism, the world has inasmuch become "infinite" for us once again, as we cannot deny that it includes in itself infinite interpretations. However this leaves us to deify and worship the unknown in this world as "The Unknown"
- His thoughts on what it is that inately makes us hold truth as an ideal, and the moral, religious and philosophical ideas around this point.
- The breakdown of whether science is true, and how science may be perceived as a metaphysical faith. The notion that there exists no presuppositionless science is not one that I had previously considered, and has furthered my thinking on this.
March 28, 2011
It is really stretching me, i have always been intrigued by Nietzsche whom i have only been exposed to superficially, its takes some getting used to.
April 10, 2018
Probably the most fun I've ever had reading philosophy - especially the segments from The Will To Power - but overall it was terse. Definitely excited to read his full length stuff now.
February 28, 2024
A quick read. I think more books like this might help to understand the enigma that is Nietzsche, a collection of his writings on a single theme. Not sure I like the motivation for this particular short series though, it's titled the "Resistance Series" I highly suspect they are resisting freedom and civilization since no decent people use that term normally nor put as one of the 5 books in the series Nietzsche talking about how the concept of Truth is a lie and there is no such thing as Truth. The people who push that are totalitarians of which Nietzsche seems to be the father of despite himself. If you read anyone who has been a dissident of Totalitarianism they always talk about fighting for the Truth and living in the Truth as the greatest weapon against it.
It was fun reading from excerpts of Nietzsche from the early 70s. He begins my questioning if Truth even exists or is attainable using a very severe and Humean skepticism. He questions cause and affect as beyond our understanding.
From the beginning though he seems to be trying to understand the Will to Truth itself. He acknowledges that it's real and concludes that it is the desire not to deceive even oneself.
He acknowledges that even his free spirits borrow a great deal from the Christian ascetic Ideal and all those who partake in science as well. But he digs deeper and see's that even the concept of Truth is rooted in faith and belief.
To the degree that Nietzsche is insightful and has keen insight into deep matters it seems to stem from his skepticism that questions everything. This makes him insightful and a leading proponent of totalitarianism. For the mindless, animalistic, strong willed individual basking in his profound solitude is the very building block of Totalitarianism.
I had gotten this impression before but in this book he comes out and says it and describes why. That consciousness is the herd organ. It reduces the unique and particular to the general in order to communicate with everyone else. It simplifies things and reduces them and thus destroys their uniqueness in order for things to be equal and thus compares. This view has as its foundation a heavy dossing of skepticism.
There is no such thing as presuppositionless science.
Truth forces into the ascetic ideal.
Faith in science undeniably exists. It's a metaphysical faith.
It was fun reading from excerpts of Nietzsche from the early 70s. He begins my questioning if Truth even exists or is attainable using a very severe and Humean skepticism. He questions cause and affect as beyond our understanding.
From the beginning though he seems to be trying to understand the Will to Truth itself. He acknowledges that it's real and concludes that it is the desire not to deceive even oneself.
He acknowledges that even his free spirits borrow a great deal from the Christian ascetic Ideal and all those who partake in science as well. But he digs deeper and see's that even the concept of Truth is rooted in faith and belief.
To the degree that Nietzsche is insightful and has keen insight into deep matters it seems to stem from his skepticism that questions everything. This makes him insightful and a leading proponent of totalitarianism. For the mindless, animalistic, strong willed individual basking in his profound solitude is the very building block of Totalitarianism.
I had gotten this impression before but in this book he comes out and says it and describes why. That consciousness is the herd organ. It reduces the unique and particular to the general in order to communicate with everyone else. It simplifies things and reduces them and thus destroys their uniqueness in order for things to be equal and thus compares. This view has as its foundation a heavy dossing of skepticism.
There is no such thing as presuppositionless science.
Truth forces into the ascetic ideal.
Faith in science undeniably exists. It's a metaphysical faith.
August 27, 2023
Some notes to self:
I think this was a really good selection of essays, though I did prefer some alternate translations which I have read previously. I had noted in the margins those changes, particularly with reference to "On Truth and Lying in a Moral Sense".
I think generally, this selection could have included a more interesting preface. The selection was published in a series which responded to the political relevancy of "fake news" in recent years. (Yes, I am a little late to reading relevant material for that party). The preface does little, however, to tie in any of that analysis into the essays which were chosen. Even notes as per each selection as to why they were chosen would have been an interesting counterpoint to my own interpretations. This made some of the essays and aphorisms seem somewhat untethered and unrelated to one another, which should not have been their intention. Similarly, the final selection from The Antichrist is an incredible depiction of Nietzsche's descent into skepticism, but does not seem to fit the denouement that is implied by the series of essays. Nor does it provide any optimism for the prevailing context the essays were selected for (i.e. our political climate).
Even so, I found it was delightful to reread "On Truth and Lying", enjoyed the preface from Beyond Good and Evil , and was reminded that I definitely have to re-read The Gay Science in it's entirety. When paired with some of the other philosophical texts from Ernst Cassirer and Max Weber that I have read this year, I think it would be utterly fascinating to have a new perspective.
I always enjoy a bit of Nietzsche, and they chose from my favorite selections. There wasn't much they could do wrong.
I think this was a really good selection of essays, though I did prefer some alternate translations which I have read previously. I had noted in the margins those changes, particularly with reference to "On Truth and Lying in a Moral Sense".
I think generally, this selection could have included a more interesting preface. The selection was published in a series which responded to the political relevancy of "fake news" in recent years. (Yes, I am a little late to reading relevant material for that party). The preface does little, however, to tie in any of that analysis into the essays which were chosen. Even notes as per each selection as to why they were chosen would have been an interesting counterpoint to my own interpretations. This made some of the essays and aphorisms seem somewhat untethered and unrelated to one another, which should not have been their intention. Similarly, the final selection from The Antichrist is an incredible depiction of Nietzsche's descent into skepticism, but does not seem to fit the denouement that is implied by the series of essays. Nor does it provide any optimism for the prevailing context the essays were selected for (i.e. our political climate).
Even so, I found it was delightful to reread "On Truth and Lying", enjoyed the preface from Beyond Good and Evil , and was reminded that I definitely have to re-read The Gay Science in it's entirety. When paired with some of the other philosophical texts from Ernst Cassirer and Max Weber that I have read this year, I think it would be utterly fascinating to have a new perspective.
I always enjoy a bit of Nietzsche, and they chose from my favorite selections. There wasn't much they could do wrong.
April 3, 2022
Once one has truly, slowly, breathed in the profound, enigmatic, writings of this greatest of all philosophers-a man who dedicated himself to putting humanity’s beliefs on trial-revealing the hard and uncompromising reality of our world, then almost all other philosophy pales.
Here, perhaps is the most important of all
Nietzsche’s cautionary and punctuating message:
‘anyone who is truthful in that bold and ultimate sense presupposed by faith in science thereby affirms a world other than that of life, nature, and history; and in so far as he affirms this ‘other world’, must he not precisely thereby deny its counterpart, this world, our world?…It is still a metaphysical faith on which our faith in science rests - even we knowing ones of today, we godless ones and anti metaphysicians, still also take our fire from the flame ignited by a faith thousands of years old, that Christian faith that was also Plato’s faith, that god is truth, that truth is divine…But what if just this were to become ever more unbelievable, if nothing else were ever to prove itself divine, only error, blindness, lie-if god himself proved to be our longest lie?’ - Gay Science. Bk V ( 344 )
Nietzsche threw down the greatest challenge to humanity and dared it to reevaluate its own values-and to build a world reflective of real, authentic, and life affirming values.
This book does well by not choosing the popular bumper sticker quotes for which Nietzsche is usually famous for.
A great companion for any devotee, while also a good introduction for anyone curious but intimidated by a book full of aphorisms.
Here, perhaps is the most important of all
Nietzsche’s cautionary and punctuating message:
‘anyone who is truthful in that bold and ultimate sense presupposed by faith in science thereby affirms a world other than that of life, nature, and history; and in so far as he affirms this ‘other world’, must he not precisely thereby deny its counterpart, this world, our world?…It is still a metaphysical faith on which our faith in science rests - even we knowing ones of today, we godless ones and anti metaphysicians, still also take our fire from the flame ignited by a faith thousands of years old, that Christian faith that was also Plato’s faith, that god is truth, that truth is divine…But what if just this were to become ever more unbelievable, if nothing else were ever to prove itself divine, only error, blindness, lie-if god himself proved to be our longest lie?’ - Gay Science. Bk V ( 344 )
Nietzsche threw down the greatest challenge to humanity and dared it to reevaluate its own values-and to build a world reflective of real, authentic, and life affirming values.
This book does well by not choosing the popular bumper sticker quotes for which Nietzsche is usually famous for.
A great companion for any devotee, while also a good introduction for anyone curious but intimidated by a book full of aphorisms.
August 29, 2017
While most of the book stands very strong alone, I felt a huge lack of context for some of the passages. I wish I had read one of the works in full first so that I could know what this book selected from it. Nevertheless, this served as a good introduction and I now know what Nietzsche I want to read next!
"Every concept arises by means of the equating of the unequal. Just as certain as it is that no one leaf is exactly the same as any other, so, too, it is certain that the concept of leaf is formed by arbitrarily ignoring these individual differences, by forgetting what distinguishes one from the other, thus giving rise to the notion that there is in nature something other than leaves, something like "The Leaf," a kind of prototype according to which all leaves were woven, drawn, delineated, colored, crimped, painted, but by unskilled hands, so that no specimen turned out correctly or reliably as a true copy of the prototype. We call a man honest. We ask, "Why did he act so honestly today?" Our answer is, usually, "Because of his honesty." Honesty! Which is again like saying, "Leaf is the cause of leaves." We really have no knowledge at all of an essential quality called Honesty, but we do know countless individualized, hence unequal, actions, which we equate by leaving aside the unequal and henceforth designate as honest actions; finally, from them we formulate a qualitas occulta with the name Honesty.
December 10, 2017
Pretty standard Nietzsche. Useful really only for the first two essays ("On the Pathos of Truth" and "On Truth and Lies in a Nonmoral Sense") which aren't easily found on their own physically. I skipped over the selections since I'd rather read them within the context of the larger works from which they're drawn.
OTLNMS is by far the most interesting of the two essays because of it's importance for what would go on to become Postmodern thought. The consideration of language not as something that exists as a reflection of reality, but as a series of metaphors for concepts that correspond incompletely to truth does provide food for thought on how we as a civilization tend to get caught up in language games.
It is compelling how Nietzsche acknowledges that being aware of this relation of language to reality allows one to use the "scaffolding" of language-concepts as a tool rather than a constrictive edifice, but he gives scant details on what that might be, except an implication that "lying" could prove beneficial. Though, again, even lying as a concept isn't fully explored here. Overall the work is left lacking because the ideas are approached but never fully fleshed out into something which could be fruitfully explored, they're only useful as jumping off points into further discussion with others.
OTLNMS is by far the most interesting of the two essays because of it's importance for what would go on to become Postmodern thought. The consideration of language not as something that exists as a reflection of reality, but as a series of metaphors for concepts that correspond incompletely to truth does provide food for thought on how we as a civilization tend to get caught up in language games.
It is compelling how Nietzsche acknowledges that being aware of this relation of language to reality allows one to use the "scaffolding" of language-concepts as a tool rather than a constrictive edifice, but he gives scant details on what that might be, except an implication that "lying" could prove beneficial. Though, again, even lying as a concept isn't fully explored here. Overall the work is left lacking because the ideas are approached but never fully fleshed out into something which could be fruitfully explored, they're only useful as jumping off points into further discussion with others.
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August 21, 2025“These are beautiful, glittering, tinkling, festive words: honesty, love of truth, love of wisdom, self-sacrifice for knowledge, heroism of the truthful man — there is something in them that makes one swell with pride. But we hermits and marmots, we convinced ourselves long ago in all the secrecy of a hermit’s conscience that even this dignified pageantry of words belongs to the old false finery, junk, and gold dust of unconscious human vanity, and that the terrible underlying primary text homo natura must also be recognized beneath such flattering colors and painted surfaces. To translate man back into nature; to master the many vain and effusive interpretations and incidental meanings that have until now been scrawled and painted over that eternal primary text homo natura; to make sure that man stands henceforth before man, as he stands already today, hardened by the discipline of science, before the rest of nature, with unfrightened Oedipus eyes and sealed Odysseus ears, deaf to the lures of the old metaphysical bird catchers who have whistled to him all too long, ‘You are more! You are higher! You are of a different origin!’ — that may be a strange and insane task, but it is a task — who would deny it!”
August 10, 2022
I struggle a lot with liking Nietzsche, and that’s probably because I find him difficult to understand. So take my rating with that information in mind.
I do love how Nietzsche questions assumptions of truth. One of my favorite examples is-
“The most firmly believed a priori “truths” are, for me—provisional assumptions, e.g., the law of causality, very well rehearsed habits of believing, so deeply incorporated that not believing them would drive the race to extinction. But are they for that reason truths? What a conclusion! As if the truth could be proved by man’s continuing to exist!”
That’s good stuff! Nietzsche asks great questions and isn’t afraid to ask the hard ones. I just feel like I have to sift through a lot to get those gems. But anything is better than “Thus Spoke Zarathustra!”
I do love how Nietzsche questions assumptions of truth. One of my favorite examples is-
“The most firmly believed a priori “truths” are, for me—provisional assumptions, e.g., the law of causality, very well rehearsed habits of believing, so deeply incorporated that not believing them would drive the race to extinction. But are they for that reason truths? What a conclusion! As if the truth could be proved by man’s continuing to exist!”
That’s good stuff! Nietzsche asks great questions and isn’t afraid to ask the hard ones. I just feel like I have to sift through a lot to get those gems. But anything is better than “Thus Spoke Zarathustra!”
July 22, 2024
Speaks so clearly a belief I held yet thus far been unable to express: truth is a lie to help us live with the unknownability of the real world.
Consider x worlds, each with their own axioms and thus own interpretations, internally self consistent but fundamentally incomplete. Are any of these the Truth? “Truth” is an invention to assign meaning to our confidence in our own preassumptions; we a priori assume that our axioms are true in order to live with them. Math assumes axioms, science assumes an idealized world. Only cs seems partially to escape this fate by learning off of real data; however, by nature of perception all our observations are noisy, yet we assume that it is possible to recover the knowable, true distribution.
Truth is a human invention; the greatest lie from the greatest artist, the human brain.
Consider x worlds, each with their own axioms and thus own interpretations, internally self consistent but fundamentally incomplete. Are any of these the Truth? “Truth” is an invention to assign meaning to our confidence in our own preassumptions; we a priori assume that our axioms are true in order to live with them. Math assumes axioms, science assumes an idealized world. Only cs seems partially to escape this fate by learning off of real data; however, by nature of perception all our observations are noisy, yet we assume that it is possible to recover the knowable, true distribution.
Truth is a human invention; the greatest lie from the greatest artist, the human brain.
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December 27, 2021While the collection, in theory, does as it promises– offers a sweeping overview of Nietzsche's developing/changing views on the nature of Truth and Untruth– its lack of context will make for a frustrating read for those unfamiliar with many of Nietzsche's core concepts. It starts off quite strong, but as we get into excerpts from Nietzsche's later works, particularly The Will to Power, the loss of context makes the end of the book rather incomprehensible, even to someone such as myself who has read a handful of Nietzsche's other works prior to picking this up.
A promising idea that was let down by its own editors and execution.
A promising idea that was let down by its own editors and execution.
September 30, 2018
I read of truth and lies in a non-moral sense about 7 times and I felt he was saying shit i've thought about many times just explaining it in a super inefficient way. Was he just trying to say we can never know what is true and what we accept as truth is just a concept and upon that concept we build everything, so like what is reality even? Honestly maybe i'm too dumb for this book and I missed the point, i don't really care, and it bummed me out, and I don't think I want to keep reading Nietzsche
December 30, 2022
I thought this book would be a couple of essays on truth, but instead, it's more of an extended Nietzsche quote book. There were a couple of interesting tidbits here and there, but without the full context of the texts from which the excerpts were pulled, it was challenging to discern the main points being addressed about truth. That's not to say this book lacks value. On the contrary, I found enough inspiration to write the first story, which I have enjoyed in years. So, you know, at least I have that going for me.
February 26, 2025
“What, then, is truth? A mobile army of metaphors, metonymies, anthropomorphisms—in short, a sum of human relations that have been poetically and rhetorically intensified, translated, and embellished, and that after long use strike a people as fixed, canonical, and binding: truths are illusions of which one has forgotten that they are illusions, metaphors that have become worn-out and deprived of their sensuous force, coins that have lost their imprint and are now no longer seen as coins but as metal.”
March 14, 2021
I haven’t yet read any complete work of Nietzsche, so beginning with this short compilation may have been a disservice to myself. That said, I don’t think that approaching the material as fragments pulled from other sources lends a robust enough treatment for this particular topic. I still plan to give the source material a fair shake, but as heavy as it all is, it’s difficult to reject the impression I keep getting of Nietzsche as a brilliantly mad philosopher pissing into the wind.
January 13, 2023
Lots of interesting thoughts on truth and judgment, in particular. I wanted to give myself a win and start the year with a philosophy book that is under 400 pages - yay me.
"There are many kinds of eyes. Even the Sphinx has eyes - and consequently there are many kinds of 'truths', and consequently there is no truth."
"There are many kinds of eyes. Even the Sphinx has eyes - and consequently there are many kinds of 'truths', and consequently there is no truth."
November 19, 2023
Really enjoyed it. It's very arbitrary how the author selected certain writings and I feel like without proper context some of them flew over my head but it definitely hooked me on some of the other books I want to read
The full essays On the pathos of truth and on truth and lie in a nonmoral sense actually slapped I recommend them o anyone
The full essays On the pathos of truth and on truth and lie in a nonmoral sense actually slapped I recommend them o anyone
December 4, 2023
I'm not familiar with Nietzsche's work outside of this one and so far I'm not impressed. This selection of passages was either boring or absurd to the level of slight entertainment.
Here's my favorite nonsense quote from the book, found on page 139, "There are many kinds of eyes. Even the Sphinx has eyes - and consequently there are many kinds of "truths," and consequently there is no truth."
Here's my favorite nonsense quote from the book, found on page 139, "There are many kinds of eyes. Even the Sphinx has eyes - and consequently there are many kinds of "truths," and consequently there is no truth."
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