Overview

"Though few might think to connect the two figures, Ralph Waldo Emerson was an important influence on Friedrich Nietzsche. Specifically, Emerson played a fundamental role in shaping Nietzsche's philosophical ideas on individualism, perfectionism, and the pursuit of virtue, as well as his critiques of social conditioning, religious dogmatism, and anti-natural morality. With Individuality and Beyond, Benedetta Zavatta offers the first philosophical interpretation of Emerson's influence on Nietzsche based on a sound philological analysis of previously unpublished materials from Nietzsche's private library. Nietzsche's collection reveals numerous copies of Emerson's essays covered with annotations and marginalia as Nietzsche revisited these works throughout his life. Through close-reading, Zavatta casts a new light on the ways in which Emerson's work informed Nietzsche's defining ideas of self-creation, the relation between fate and free will, overcoming morality of customs and achieving moral autonomy, and the ""transvaluation"" of such values as compassion and altruism. Zavatta organizes these concepts into two main lines of thought: the first concerns the development of the individual personality, or the achievement of intellectual and moral autonomy and original self-expression. The second, on the contrary, concerns the overcoming of individuality and the need to transcend a limited view of the world by continually questioning one's own values and engaging with opposing perspectives. Ultimately, Zavatta clarifies the surprising contributions that Emerson made to 20th century European philosophy. She provides a fresh portrait of Emerson as an American thinker long stereotyped as a naïve idealist disinterested in the social issues of his day. Seen through the eyes of Nietzsche, his acute interpreter, Emerson becomes an incisive cultural critic, whose contributions underpin contemporary philosophy."

Full Product Details

Author:   Benedetta Zavatta (Marie Curie Fellow Researcher, Marie Curie Fellow Researcher, ITEM (CNRS/ENS) Paris)
Publisher:   Oxford University Press Inc
Imprint:   Oxford University Press Inc
Dimensions:   Width: 15.70cm , Height: 1.70cm , Length: 23.50cm
Weight:   0.436kg
ISBN:  

9780197607473

ISBN 10:   0197607470
Pages:   296
Publication Date:   12 October 2021
Audience:   College/higher education ,  Professional and scholarly ,  Tertiary & Higher Education ,  Professional & Vocational
Format:   Paperback
Publisher's Status:   Active
Availability:   To order  
Stock availability from the supplier is unknown. We will order it for you and ship this item to you once it is received by us.

Table of Contents

Reviews

"This study is an important contribution both to Nietzsche studies and philosophy and to the literature on Emerson and on those who quarreled with him, which is a vast body of literature. Summing Up: Highly recommended. Upper -division undergraduates through faculty. * R. T. Prus, CHOICE * With Zavatta's Individuality and Beyond, we have a comprehensive study informed by exemplary archival research and a solid understanding of both Emerson's and Nietzsche's prolific writings. * Todd H. Richardson, University of Texas Permian Basin, American Literary Scholarship * ...remarkable comparative analysis of the thought of Emerson and Nietzsche...Zavatta's book is well worth the read. * Kaitlyn Creasy, Journal of the History of Philosophy * offers a systematic treatment of the relationships between Nietzsche and Emerson, illustrating many innovative comparisons between the two. It convincingly shows how the development of Nietzsche's philosophy cannot be understood without reference to a pervasive conceptual affinity with Emerson, who accompanied him throughout his works. Important Nietzsche's tropes like ""become who you are"", self-mastery, and other central tenets of the free spirit philosophy would be unthinkable without Emerson's influence. This book has the merit of unveiling the biography of these concepts by showing the role Emerson played on their development. * Laura Langone, Agonist * With this book, Bendetta Zavatta has written the finest study published to date of Nietzsche's appreciation of, and relation to, Emerson. Two reasons account for her achievement. First, she is an astute and careful reader of both thinkers and writers; and, secondly, she does not impose phantasmatic readings on Nietzsche but has admirably yielded herself to the task of cultivating a rich appreciation of the subtle and delicate character of his thought by reading him closely and attentively. * Philosophical Quarterly * In literature of the past several decades, there have been some treatments of this topic, and attempts to establish further points of similarity between [Nietzsche and Emerson]....Benedetta Zavatta's book is in the same direction, but is notable, indeed ground-breaking, for its level of philological detail... When it comes to documenting Nietzsche's reading and engagement with Emerson, the scholarship on display here is exemplary and highly informative in just this wayâ For those primarily familiar with Nietzsche, and with only more passing or faded acquaintance with Emerson, this study yields important insightsâ Zavatta has done a fine service to Nietzsche scholars by giving them a learned, well-documented treatment of Emerson's influence on Nietzsche. Zavatta's research is enriching, and I commend her work to others interested in this connection, and those interested in Nietzsche generally. * Notre Dame Philosophical Reviews * No matter how often we are told that Nietzsche admired Emerson, we are startled each time and reluctant to believe. In her unusually fine book, Benedetta Zavatta has at last succeeded in dispelling our surprise and reluctance. By exploring with splendid care Nietzsche's archive she establishes his continuous indebtedness (no mere affinity) to Emerson.ÂShe shows by textual detail how Nietzsche's thought was shaped by Emerson's. A subtle book that also excites our wonder. * George Kateb , William Nelson Cromwell Professor of Politics, Emeritus, Princeton University * Although Nietzsche's very high regard for Emerson, and his frequent re-readings of him, are generally known to Nietzsche scholars, the character of Emerson's influence on Nietzsche, and the connections between their positions, are still very poorly understood. This book provides a huge amount of information on these topics and more. It will be an invaluable source-book for anyone examining this unusual and formative intellectual relationship. * John Richardson, Professor of Philosophy, New York University * This is an exceptionally rich book. Zavatta's discussions of Emerson are lucid and compelling, and her readings of Nietzsche offer a number of fresh insights. Zavatta shows that although Nietzsche rejects many of Emerson's metaphysical views, he nonetheless develops certain Emersonian insights about the nature of agency, freedom, individuality, and the great individual's relation to society. Zavatta's discussions of Nietzschean freedom, Nietzsche's endorsement of virtuous egoism, and the individual's relation to culture are especially illuminating and will advance the debates on these long-disputed topics. * Paul Katsafanas , Associate Professor of Philosophy, Boston University *"

"This study is an important contribution both to Nietzsche studies and philosophy and to the literature on Emerson and on those who quarreled with him, which is a vast body of literature. Summing Up: Highly recommended. Upper -division undergraduates through faculty. * R. T. Prus, CHOICE * With Zavatta's Individuality and Beyond, we have a comprehensive study informed by exemplary archival research and a solid understanding of both Emerson's and Nietzsche's prolific writings. * Todd H. Richardson, University of Texas Permian Basin, American Literary Scholarship * ...remarkable comparative analysis of the thought of Emerson and Nietzsche...Zavatta's book is well worth the read. * Kaitlyn Creasy, Journal of the History of Philosophy * offers a systematic treatment of the relationships between Nietzsche and Emerson, illustrating many innovative comparisons between the two. It convincingly shows how the development of Nietzsche's philosophy cannot be understood without reference to a pervasive conceptual affinity with Emerson, who accompanied him throughout his works. Important Nietzsche's tropes like ""become who you are"", self-mastery, and other central tenets of the free spirit philosophy would be unthinkable without Emerson's influence. This book has the merit of unveiling the biography of these concepts by showing the role Emerson played on their development. * Laura Langone, Agonist * With this book, Bendetta Zavatta has written the finest study published to date of Nietzsche's appreciation of, and relation to, Emerson. Two reasons account for her achievement. First, she is an astute and careful reader of both thinkers and writers; and, secondly, she does not impose phantasmatic readings on Nietzsche but has admirably yielded herself to the task of cultivating a rich appreciation of the subtle and delicate character of his thought by reading him closely and attentively. * Philosophical Quarterly * In literature of the past several decades, there have been some treatments of this topic, and attempts to establish further points of similarity between [Nietzsche and Emerson]....Benedetta Zavatta's book is in the same direction, but is notable, indeed ground-breaking, for its level of philological detail... When it comes to documenting Nietzsche's reading and engagement with Emerson, the scholarship on display here is exemplary and highly informative in just this wayâ For those primarily familiar with Nietzsche, and with only more passing or faded acquaintance with Emerson, this study yields important insightsâ Zavatta has done a fine service to Nietzsche scholars by giving them a learned, well-documented treatment of Emerson's influence on Nietzsche. Zavatta's research is enriching, and I commend her work to others interested in this connection, and those interested in Nietzsche generally. * Notre Dame Philosophical Reviews * No matter how often we are told that Nietzsche admired Emerson, we are startled each time and reluctant to believe. In her unusually fine book, Benedetta Zavatta has at last succeeded in dispelling our surprise and reluctance. By exploring with splendid care Nietzsche's archive she establishes his continuous indebtedness (no mere affinity) to Emerson.ÂShe shows by textual detail how Nietzsche's thought was shaped by Emerson's. A subtle book that also excites our wonder. * George Kateb , William Nelson Cromwell Professor of Politics, Emeritus, Princeton University * Although Nietzsche's very high regard for Emerson, and his frequent re-readings of him, are generally known to Nietzsche scholars, the character of Emerson's influence on Nietzsche, and the connections between their positions, are still very poorly understood. This book provides a huge amount of information on these topics and more. It will be an invaluable source-book for anyone examining this unusual and formative intellectual relationship. * John Richardson, Professor of Philosophy, New York University * This is an exceptionally rich book. Zavatta's discussions of Emerson are lucid and compelling, and her readings of Nietzsche offer a number of fresh insights. Zavatta shows that although Nietzsche rejects many of Emerson's metaphysical views, he nonetheless develops certain Emersonian insights about the nature of agency, freedom, individuality, and the great individual's relation to society. Zavatta's discussions of Nietzschean freedom, Nietzsche's endorsement of virtuous egoism, and the individual's relation to culture are especially illuminating and will advance the debates on these long-disputed topics. * Paul Katsafanas , Associate Professor of Philosophy, Boston University *"

This study is an important contribution both to Nietzsche studies and philosophy and to the literature on Emerson and on those who quarreled with him, which is a vast body of literature. Summing Up: Highly recommended. Upper -division undergraduates through faculty. * R. T. Prus, CHOICE * offers a systematic treatment of the relationships between Nietzsche and Emerson, illustrating many innovative comparisons between the two. It convincingly shows how the development of Nietzsche's philosophy cannot be understood without reference to a pervasive conceptual affinity with Emerson, who accompanied him throughout his works. Important Nietzsche's tropes like become who you are , self-mastery, and other central tenets of the free spirit philosophy would be unthinkable without Emerson's influence. This book has the merit of unveiling the biography of these concepts by showing the role Emerson played on their development. * Laura Langone, Agonist * With this book, Bendetta Zavatta has written the finest study published to date of Nietzsche's appreciation of, and relation to, Emerson. Two reasons account for her achievement. First, she is an astute and careful reader of both thinkers and writers; and, secondly, she does not impose phantasmatic readings on Nietzsche but has admirably yielded herself to the task of cultivating a rich appreciation of the subtle and delicate character of his thought by reading him closely and attentively. * Philosophical Quarterly * In literature of the past several decades, there have been some treatments of this topic, and attempts to establish further points of similarity between [Nietzsche and Emerson]....Benedetta Zavatta's book is in the same direction, but is notable, indeed ground-breaking, for its level of philological detail... When it comes to documenting Nietzsche's reading and engagement with Emerson, the scholarship on display here is exemplary and highly informative in just this waya For those primarily familiar with Nietzsche, and with only more passing or faded acquaintance with Emerson, this study yields important insightsa Zavatta has done a fine service to Nietzsche scholars by giving them a learned, well-documented treatment of Emerson's influence on Nietzsche. Zavatta's research is enriching, and I commend her work to others interested in this connection, and those interested in Nietzsche generally. * Notre Dame Philosophical Reviews * No matter how often we are told that Nietzsche admired Emerson, we are startled each time and reluctant to believe. In her unusually fine book, Benedetta Zavatta has at last succeeded in dispelling our surprise and reluctance. By exploring with splendid care Nietzsche's archive she establishes his continuous indebtedness (no mere affinity) to Emerson.AShe shows by textual detail how Nietzsche's thought was shaped by Emerson's. A subtle book that also excites our wonder. * George Kateb , William Nelson Cromwell Professor of Politics, Emeritus, Princeton University * Although Nietzsche's very high regard for Emerson, and his frequent re-readings of him, are generally known to Nietzsche scholars, the character of Emerson's influence on Nietzsche, and the connections between their positions, are still very poorly understood. This book provides a huge amount of information on these topics and more. It will be an invaluable source-book for anyone examining this unusual and formative intellectual relationship. * John Richardson, Professor of Philosophy, New York University * This is an exceptionally rich book. Zavatta's discussions of Emerson are lucid and compelling, and her readings of Nietzsche offer a number of fresh insights. Zavatta shows that although Nietzsche rejects many of Emerson's metaphysical views, he nonetheless develops certain Emersonian insights about the nature of agency, freedom, individuality, and the great individual's relation to society. Zavatta's discussions of Nietzschean freedom, Nietzsche's endorsement of virtuous egoism, and the individual's relation to culture are especially illuminating and will advance the debates on these long-disputed topics. * Paul Katsafanas , Associate Professor of Philosophy, Boston University *

This study is an important contribution both to Nietzsche studies and philosophy and to the literature on Emerson and on those who quarreled with him, which is a vast body of literature. Summing Up: Highly recommended. Upper -division undergraduates through faculty. * R. T. Prus, CHOICE * With Zavatta's Individuality and Beyond, we have a comprehensive study informed by exemplary archival research and a solid understanding of both Emerson's and Nietzsche's prolific writings. * Todd H. Richardson, University of Texas Permian Basin, American Literary Scholarship * ...remarkable comparative analysis of the thought of Emerson and Nietzsche...Zavatta's book is well worth the read. * Kaitlyn Creasy, Journal of the History of Philosophy * offers a systematic treatment of the relationships between Nietzsche and Emerson, illustrating many innovative comparisons between the two. It convincingly shows how the development of Nietzsche's philosophy cannot be understood without reference to a pervasive conceptual affinity with Emerson, who accompanied him throughout his works. Important Nietzsche's tropes like become who you are , self-mastery, and other central tenets of the free spirit philosophy would be unthinkable without Emerson's influence. This book has the merit of unveiling the biography of these concepts by showing the role Emerson played on their development. * Laura Langone, Agonist * With this book, Bendetta Zavatta has written the finest study published to date of Nietzsche's appreciation of, and relation to, Emerson. Two reasons account for her achievement. First, she is an astute and careful reader of both thinkers and writers; and, secondly, she does not impose phantasmatic readings on Nietzsche but has admirably yielded herself to the task of cultivating a rich appreciation of the subtle and delicate character of his thought by reading him closely and attentively. * Philosophical Quarterly * In literature of the past several decades, there have been some treatments of this topic, and attempts to establish further points of similarity between [Nietzsche and Emerson]....Benedetta Zavatta's book is in the same direction, but is notable, indeed ground-breaking, for its level of philological detail... When it comes to documenting Nietzsche's reading and engagement with Emerson, the scholarship on display here is exemplary and highly informative in just this waya For those primarily familiar with Nietzsche, and with only more passing or faded acquaintance with Emerson, this study yields important insightsa Zavatta has done a fine service to Nietzsche scholars by giving them a learned, well-documented treatment of Emerson's influence on Nietzsche. Zavatta's research is enriching, and I commend her work to others interested in this connection, and those interested in Nietzsche generally. * Notre Dame Philosophical Reviews * No matter how often we are told that Nietzsche admired Emerson, we are startled each time and reluctant to believe. In her unusually fine book, Benedetta Zavatta has at last succeeded in dispelling our surprise and reluctance. By exploring with splendid care Nietzsche's archive she establishes his continuous indebtedness (no mere affinity) to Emerson.AShe shows by textual detail how Nietzsche's thought was shaped by Emerson's. A subtle book that also excites our wonder. * George Kateb , William Nelson Cromwell Professor of Politics, Emeritus, Princeton University * Although Nietzsche's very high regard for Emerson, and his frequent re-readings of him, are generally known to Nietzsche scholars, the character of Emerson's influence on Nietzsche, and the connections between their positions, are still very poorly understood. This book provides a huge amount of information on these topics and more. It will be an invaluable source-book for anyone examining this unusual and formative intellectual relationship. * John Richardson, Professor of Philosophy, New York University * This is an exceptionally rich book. Zavatta's discussions of Emerson are lucid and compelling, and her readings of Nietzsche offer a number of fresh insights. Zavatta shows that although Nietzsche rejects many of Emerson's metaphysical views, he nonetheless develops certain Emersonian insights about the nature of agency, freedom, individuality, and the great individual's relation to society. Zavatta's discussions of Nietzschean freedom, Nietzsche's endorsement of virtuous egoism, and the individual's relation to culture are especially illuminating and will advance the debates on these long-disputed topics. * Paul Katsafanas , Associate Professor of Philosophy, Boston University *

Author Information

Benedetta Zavatta is Marie Curie Fellow Researcher at the ITEM (CNRS/ENS) Paris. She is currently a member of the HyperNietzsche Association, the International Society for Nietzsche Studies (ISNS), and the Seminario Permanente Nietzscheano. Her principal research interest is German philosophy of the 19th Century, with attention to Nietzsche and his sources. Zavatta has been Research Fellow at the Weimar Classics Foundation, the Deutsches Seminar of Basel University, the LMU Munich, the University of Oxford, the New University of Lisbon, and Columbia University in New York. She has also participated in various European projects in the field of Digital Humanities (HyperNietzsche, Discovery, Agora, among others).

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