“Thus I invented, when I needed them, the “free spirits” too, to whom this heavyhearted-stouthearted book with the title “Human, All Too Human” is dedicated. In the Preface, Nietzsche elaborates on the concept of free spirits, to whom the book is directed to: There is an implicit drive to overcome what is “human, all too human” through philosophy. Nietzsche believes that maxims about human nature can help in overcoming life’s hard moments. The work suggests that human fallibilities – not strengths – are to be the focus of attention. This style best represents Nietzsche’s philosophy. It represents an unsystematic approach to philosophy, contrary to previous philosophers who tried to have an explanation for everything.

The 638 aphorisms of Human, All Too Human range from a few words to a few pages, but most are short paragraphs. This book marks a turning point in terms of Nietzsche’s style, with his use of the aphorism. Nietzsche’s lifelong theme was one of overcoming: health is the overcoming of sickness the values of one society are overcome by the next each stage of an individual’s life is a self-overcoming. Although this idea is not yet expressed in Human, All Too Human – the notion of the will to power is here in embryo. He proposes the “will to power”, in which all life is striving and self-overcoming. Nietzsche characterised this ascetic attitude as a “will to nothingness”.

Nietzsche also rejected the pessimistic philosophy of Schopenhauer, who proposed that one must separate oneself from the will to reduce suffering, since human existence is an endless insatiable striving. He embraces 18 th century Enlightenment, rejecting the romanticism that had characterised his first major work, The Birth of Tragedy, inspired by Richard Wagner.

Human, All Too Human marks the beginning of a second period in Nietzsche’s philosophy, his period as an independent philosopher. However, it wasn’t just his health but his conviction that academic life was a hindrance to a true philosopher which prompted his departure. Since his childhood, he had been plagued with moments of short-sightedness that left him nearly blind, migraine headaches, and violent indigestion. Moreover, Nietzsche’s bad health forced him to leave his professorship at the University of Basel, where he taught for around 10 years. His long friendship with Richard Wagner had come to a halt. Human, All Too Human: A Book for Free Spirits was published by Friedrich Nietzsche in 1878 and represents a “monument of a crisis” for Nietzsche, a critical turning point in his life and thought.

Human all too human book