The Genealogy of Morals

Paper Summary:

This paper explains that Nietzsche's work, "The Genealogy of Morals", questions and evaluates the value of moral judgments according to a genealogical method, which in turn investigates the origins and meanings of various moral concepts. The paper further explains that "The Genealogy of Morals" discusses ascetic ideals or asceticism, a force that dominates modern thinking and life, and that Nietzsche views this as the expression of a weak and sick will that is unable to cope with its own struggle against itself.

From the Paper:

"The ascetic priest, Nietzsche writes, is the person who modifies the direction of resentment. While every suffering person instinctively look for the cause or agent of his suffering. The ascetic priest seeks living persons on whom he can unload his feelings in order to obtain relief from his mountains of resentment, revenge and similar torments. It his instinct to strike back as a merely reactive and protective measure or reflex .He needs them for emotional release and he must pretend utterly in order to produce it. He passes his guilt and vileness to others, assaults their past and present, look for what is dark and painful in these in indicating what needs to be healed. Finding cause, he blames it on others and thus keeps them forever bound to their guilt and to their need for his control (Nietzsche)."

Sample of Sources Used:

• Nietzsche, Friedrich. Walter Kaufmann, editor. On the Genealogy of Morals (Vintage). Random House, Inc., 1967

More papers on The Genealogy of Morals:

• Book Review # 92164 : "Genealogy of Morals"
• Analytical Essay # 33496 : "Genealogy of Morals"
• Analytical Essay # 141704 : "Nietzsche's "Genealogy of Morals"

APA Citation:

MLA Citation: