The Will to Power

• ISBN13: 9789372270822
• Binding: Paperback
• Subject: Religion and Philosophy
• Publisher: Atlantic Publishers & Distributors (P) Ltd
• Publisher Imprint: Peacock Books
• Publication Date: July 10, 2026
• Pages: 599
• Original Price: INR 475.0
• Language: English
• Edition: N/A
• Item Weight: 420 grams
• BISAC Subject(s): General, Ethics & Moral Philosophy, and History & Surveys / Modern

“To attain the heights, one must have within oneself the means to rise—power, the will to power.”

The Will to Power by Friedrich Nietzsche, first published in 1901, is a posthumously assembled collection of the philosopher's notebooks, offering a bold and raw insight into his most radical and evolving ideas. Though not compiled by Nietzsche himself, the text reveals the trajectory of his later refelections, centred on the notion that life is fundamentally driven not by survival or reason, but by an innate striving for power and dominance. In this unfinished philosophical project, Nietzsche critiques traditional morality, religion and truth, replacing them with a dynamic worldview rooted in strength, creativity and self-overcoming. Through reflections on nihilism, art, science and politics, The Will to Power challenges readers to confront a world without inherent meaning and to create their own values. It remains a vital text for understanding Nietzsche's impact on modern philosophy and the existential crises of the twentieth century.

Friedrich Nietzsche (1844–1900) was a pioneering German philosopher, poet and cultural critic whose provocative ideas profoundly influenced the course of modern thought. A bold challenger of established norms, Nietzsche questioned traditional religious, moral and philosophical values, famously proclaiming the “Death of God” and urging humanity to confront a world without absolute truths. His concepts of The Will to Power, the Übermensch (or “Superman”), and Eternal Recurrence continue to provoke debate and inspire generations of thinkers, writers and artists. Nietzsche’s work laid the groundwork for major 20th-century intellectual movements, including existentialism, postmodernism and nihilism.

Noteworthy works by Friedrich Nietzsche:
• Thus Spake Zarathustra (1883–1885)
• Beyond Good and Evil (1886)
• The Birth of Tragedy (1872)

• Preface.ix
• Book I: European Nihilism
• A Plan. . . . . . . . . . . .3
• Chapter I: Nihilism. . . . . . . . . . . . 7
• 1. Nihilism as an Outcome of the Valuations and Interpretations of Existence Which have Prevailed Heretofore. . . . . . . . . . .7
• 2. Further Causes of Nihilism. . . . . . . .18
• 3. The Nihilistic Movement As an Expression of Decadence. . . . . . . . . .23
• 4. The Crisis: Nihilism and the Idea of Recurrence.. . . . . . .35
• Chapter II: Concerning the History of European Nihilism.41
• (a) Modern Gloominess. . . . . . . 41
• (b) The Last Centuries. . . . . . . . .54
• (c) Signs of Increasing Strength.. . . . . . . . . . . . 67
• Book II: Criticism of the Highest Values that have Prevailed Hitherto<'strong>
• Chapter I: Criticism of Religion. . . . . . . . . . . .83
• 1. Concerning the Origin of Religions.. . . . . . . . . . . .83
• 2. Concerning The History of Christianity. . . . . . . . .96
• 3. Christian Ideals. . . . . . . . . . .130vi THE WILL TO POWER
• Chapter II: A Criticism of Morality. . . . . . . .151
• 1. The Origin of Moral Valuations. . . . . . . . .151
• 2. The Herd. . . . . . . . . .162
• 3. General Observations Concerning Morality.. . . . . . . . . .170
• 4. How Virtue Is Made to Dominate.. . . . . . . . . . . .178
• 5. The Moral Ideal. . . . . . . . . .189
• 6. Concluding Remarks Concerning the Criticism of Morality. . . . . . . . . . .227
• Chapter III: Criticism of Philosophy. . . . . . . . . . . . .233
• 1. General Remarks. . . . . . . . .233
• 2. A Criticism of Greek Philosophy. . . . . . . .245
• 3. The Truths and Errors of Philosophers. . . . . . . . .262
• 4. Concluding Remarks in the Criticism of Philosophy. . .268
• Book III: The Principles of a New Valuation
• Chapter I: The Will to Power in Science. . . . . . . . . . 275
• (a) The Method of Investigation. . . . . . . . . . .275
• (b) The Starting-point of Epistemology. . . . . . . . . . .276
• (c) The Belief in the “Ego.” Subject. . . . . . . . .281
• (d) Biology of the Instinct of Knowledge. Perspectivity.. . . .287
• (e) The Origin of Reason and Logic. . . . . . . . .291
• (f) Consciousness. . . . . . . . . . . .299
• (g) Judgment. True—false. . . . . . . . . . .303
• (h) Against Causality. . . . . . . . .310
• (i) The Thing-in-Itself and Appearance. . . . . . . . . . .317
• (j) The Metaphysical Need. . . . . . . . . .325
• (k) The Biological Value of Knowledge. . . . . . . . . . . .341
• (l) Science.. . . . . . . . . . . .343
• Chapter II: The Will to Power in Nature. . . . . . . . . .351
• 1. The Mechanical Interpretation of the World. . . . . . . . . .351
• 2. The Will to Power as Life. . . . . . . .361
• 3. Theory of the Will to Power and of Valuations. . . . . . . .388
• Chapter III: The Will to Power as Exemplified in Society and the Individual. . . . . . . . . . . .405
• 1. Society and the State. . . . . . . . . . . . .405
• 2. The Individual. . . . . . . . . . . .427
• Chapter IV: The Will to Power in Art. . . . . . . . . . . .445
• Book IV: Discipline and breeding
• Chapter I: The Order of Rank. . . . . . . . . . . . .485
• 1. The Doctrine of the Order of Rank. . . . . . . . . . . .485
• 2. The Strong and the Weak. . . . . . . .487
• 3. The Noble Man. . . . . . . . . . .523
• 4. The Lords of the Earth.. . . . . . . . . .531
• 5. The Great Man.. . . . . . . . . . .535
• 6. The Highest Man as Lawgiver of the Future.. . . . . . . . . .540
• Chapter II: Dionysus. . . . . . . . .551
• Chapter III: Eternal Recurrence. . . . . . . . . . .576