The claim that Nietzsche was aware of Buddhist, Vedic, or Eastern thought more generally is uncontroversial. However, any stronger claims about the sphere of influence remain niche in Nietzsche studies. Any non-Western flavors in Nietzsche’s writings are most often considered ornamental and wholly unnecessary in the quest to interpret what Nietzsche means. To the contrary, in Nietzsche and Buddhism: How One Becomes What One Is, Sarah Jacob argues that Nietzsche’s work is further illuminated when seen as an endeavor that seriously engages with Buddhist ontology, and that Nietzsche’s philosophy marks a paradigm shift in “Western” thought because of this encounter. Though the second half of this book offers a thorough comparative analysis between Nietzsche and Buddhism, its validity rests upon the often understated importance of Indian thought for German intellectuals prior to and during Nietzsche’s life. Indeed, the author argues that Nietzsche’s “philosophy of the future” should be recognized as a transcultural contribution to the history of ideas, one that has import for the perplexed global zeitgeist in the twenty-first century.
By:
Sarah Jacob
Imprint: Rowman & Littlefield
Country of Publication: United States
Dimensions:
Height: 232mm,
Width: 160mm,
Spine: 20mm
Weight: 520g
ISBN: 9781666973228
ISBN 10: 166697322X
Series: Studies in Comparative Philosophy and Religion
Pages: 272
Publication Date: 04 September 2025
Audience:
Professional and scholarly
,
Undergraduate
Format: Hardback
Publisher's Status: Active
Contents Acknowledgments List of Abbreviations A Note about Translations and Use of Quotes Introduction Part I: The Historical Chapters Chapter 1: The Impact of the East on Early Nineteenth-Century German Thought Chapter 2: The Impact of Buddhism on Schopenhauer and Wagner Chapter 3: Nietzsche and Indian Thought Beyond Schopenhauer and Wagner Part II: The Comparative Chapters Chapter 4: How One Becomes What One Is: Impermanence and the Selfless Self Chapter 5: How One Becomes What One Is: Suffering, Desire, and Self-Overcoming Chapter 6: How One Becomes What One Is: Honesty, Compassion, and Love of Thy Neighbor Chapter 7: How One Becomes What One Is: Zen and Zarathustra Postscript Bibliography
Sarah Jacob is associate professor of philosophy at Miami Dade College, Miami, Florida, USA.
