28. Friedrich Nietzsche on The Origins of Morality Pt.1 Unpacking Ideas

In this episode we unpack the first essay in German Existentialist Philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche's classic work "The Genealogy of Morals" from 1887.

This Essay Explores...


The Etymology of the words 'good', 'bad', and 'evil'
Nietzsche's Concepts of Master & Slave Morality
Which type of Morality is dominant in the Western world today

Links to Reading & Articles mentioned

On the Genealogy of Morals by Friedrich Nietzsche

The Vocation Lectures by Max Weber

Civilization and Its Discontents by Sigmund Freud

*note* reading is not required to enjoy this episode!

Host: Zach Stehura  ⁠⁠UnpackingIdeas.com⁠⁠

Guest: Samuel Le Coutour

Theme Music: ⁠⁠Polyenso



Time Stamps

00:00:00 Introduction

00:02:35 Challenges in Discussing this piece

00:04:49 Nuances in Nietzsche’s terminology 

00:07:15 Questions Nietzsche is Trying Answers

00:09:36 “We are Unknown, we Knowers of Ourselves to ourselves”

00:11:11 Moral Prejudices of his time

00:13:54 Etymology of the words ‘Good’ and ‘Bad’

00:17:15 Language as an Expression of Power

00:21:20 The Function of The Priest in Society 

00:23:54 Using Morality to Justify Domination 

00:27:29 The Invention of Free Will

00:32:30 The Slave Revolt in Morality 

00:36:14 Ressentiment

00:41:07 Nietzsche’s fear of Slave Morality 

00:45:30 Nietzsche’s Criticism of Master Morality

00:47:43 Nietzsche’s Solution 

00:49:18 The Battle Between Master & Slave Morality on the psychological level

00:55:49 The Battle Between Master & Slave Morality on the societal level

1:00:15 Secular manifestations of Slave Morality 

1:02:09 Wrapping up/Outro