Nietzsche's
Untimely Meditations are primarily writings of
cultural criticism and are not as thematically broad as Nietzsche's later, consistently philosophical works. However, he approaches the subject from different angles. Thus, when he deals with the possibilities of historical science, he addresses the topics of
philosophy of history and
philosophy of science. On the other hand, by relating history to (human) life, he also engages in a kind of
anthropology. The text is written within the framework of these four subjects. Several interpreters have pointed out that Nietzsche's term
Historie in particular is not clearly defined in the text, but fluctuates between the meanings of '
history' (
res gestae, the actual events), '
historiography' (
historia rerum gestarum, the narration of events) and 'historical science'. This should be borne in mind when Nietzsche's terminology is used in the following. After an introduction in which Nietzsche shares his personal motivation for writing the book, the first chapter examines the origin of "history". The animal lives only in the present - with a modest degree of
happiness - and is therefore unhistorical. Humans, in contrast, have the ability to remember. This enables them to create culture. On the other hand, individual memories and collective records are always a burden. Once this burden becomes too great, the capacity of a person or people to survive is inhibited. In Nietzsche's eyes, history is therefore both a necessity and a threat. The second and third chapters deal with three functions that history has. "Monumental" history drives people to great deeds, "antiquarian" history preserves their collective identity, and "critical history" eliminates harmful memories. However, all three functions could turn pathological, which is why they must be in balance with one another. This categorization by Nietzsche is probably the best-known content of the text and has been taken up and interpreted in many ways. In chapters 4–8, Nietzsche describes how an over-saturation with history can be hostile to life and culture. Nietzsche's attacks are always aimed at his contemporaries, especially in Germany, but also claim a general philosophical background. He diagnoses five "diseases" of the present, which are said to be caused by the incorrect use of history: firstly, a disturbed German identity, secondly, a lack of a sense of justice, thirdly, a lack of maturity, fourthly, a view of oneself as an epigone and fifthly, a pathological cynicism. The ninth chapter also belongs thematically to Nietzsche's criticism of the present. It includes a critique of
Eduard von Hartmann's work
Philosophy of the Unconscious, which was successful at the time. In the tenth and ultimate chapter, Nietzsche finally presents the cure for what he sees as a sick present: The powers of the unhistorical and "super-historical" - he mentions art and religion - would have to be promoted in order to finally arrive at a "true education" instead of one-sided, scientific "erudition." At the very end of the piece, he presents the Greeks as a model for German cultural rejuvenation, writing: “The Greeks learned gradually to organize chaos by reflecting on themselves in accordance with the Delphic teaching, that is, by reflecting on their genuine needs, and letting their sham needs die out ... Thus the Greek concept of culture ... will be unveiled to him, the concept of culture as a new and improved nature, without inside and outside, without dissemination and convention, of culture as the accord of life, thought, appearing and willing." == Reception ==