The Partially Examined Life Philosophy Podcast Episode 213: Nietzsche's Zarathustra (Part One)
Apr 15, 2019
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Zarathustra's Style and Substance
- Nietzsche's "Thus Spoke Zarathustra" is written in a style that parodies religious texts, creating a quasi-religious tone.
- Despite this, the core of the text contains familiar Nietzschean aphorisms and critiques of morality.
Zarathustra's Descent
- Zarathustra's journey involves a descent from the mountains after ten years of solitude to share his wisdom.
- This descent mirrors Plato's cave allegory, but with an inverted meaning: Zarathustra leaves the cave to engage with the world.
Why Zarathustra?
- Nietzsche chose the persona of Zarathustra because he saw him as the originator of the problematic good versus evil dichotomy.
- Nietzsche aims to revise this history, presenting Zarathustra as recognizing this mistake and embarking on a journey of correction.