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