POLITICAL SCIENCE 551: NIETZSCHE

Spring, 2006

Professor Larry Arnhart

Tuesdays, 6:30-9:15 pm, DuSable 466

Larnhart@niu.edu

815-753-7049 (office)

OFFICE HOURS: Wed, Thurs, Fri, 12:30-2:00 pm, other times by appt.

TEXTS: Nietzsche, The Basic Writings of Nietzsche, trans. by Walter Kaufmann (Modern Library); The Portable Nietzsche, trans. by Kaufmann (Viking); Human, All Too Human, trans. by R. J. Hollingdale (Cambridge)

REQUIREMENTS

The final grade will be based on the grades for journal entries and responses (30% for entries and responses in the first half of the semester, 30% for entries and responses in the second half), class participation (15% for the first half of the semester, 15% for the second half), and a final essay (10%). Grades for the first half of the semester will be given out March 21. The journal entries and responses are due as indicated in the schedule. The final essay is due no later than May 9 at 12 noon at the instructor’s office.

For the journal writing, you will be put into journal groups (of 2 or 3 members). You will distribute copies of your journal entries to them and to the instructor. You will then write responses to their entries and distribute those responses to them and to the instructor.

The journal entries should be at least 600 words (roughly 2 pages typed). Each of the journal responses should be at least 300 words (roughly 1 page).

The purpose of this journal writing is to struggle in some manner with the reading assignment for each week. There will be many potentially interesting topics in the reading for each week. Usually, it is best to pick out one or two major topics as the subject of your journal entry.

SCHEDULE

Jan 17 Introduction

Jan 24 “On Truth and Lie in an Extra-Moral Sense,” Portable Nietzsche, 42-47

The Birth of Tragedy

Entry #1

Jan 31 Human, All Too Human, Pref., secs. 1-144

Response #1, Entry #2

Feb 7 Human, All Too Human, secs. 145-437

Response #2, Entry #3

Feb 14 Human, All Too Human, secs. 438-638

Response #3, Entry #4

Feb 21 Thus Spoke Zarathustra, Part One

Response #4, Entry #5

Feb 28 Thus Spoke Zarathustra, Part Two

Response #5, Entry #6

Mar 7 Thus Spoke Zarathustra, Part Three

Response #6, Entry #7

SPRING BREAK

Mar 21 Thus Spoke Zarathustra, Part Four

Response #7, Entry #8

Mar 28 Beyond Good and Evil, secs. 1-44

Response #8, Entry #9

Apr 4 Beyond Good and Evil, secs. 45-185

Response #9, Entry #10

Apr 11 Beyond Good and Evil, secs. 186-213

Response #10, Entry #11

Apr 18 Beyond Good and Evil, secs. 214-256

Response #11, Entry #12

Apr 25 Beyond Good and Evil, secs. 257-296

Response #12, Entry #13

May 2 The Antichrist

Response #13, Entry #14