Nietzsche on the Knowledge of the Sufferer: A Contribution to the Philosophy of the Emotions

Although the passions are important to Nietzsche, it is surprising extent which topic covered so little, and often superficially one might add, in literature on him. In his writings we find thought-provoking treatments of a whole panoply or emotions, including fear, hope, love, joy, pride, vanity, shame, sympathy, compassion, guilt, melancholy, soon.1 note from 1880 Nietzsche indicates importance have for him by observing that without world reduced simply ‘quantity line law nonsense’ (KSA 9:7 [226]).2 These all things that, if this existed, would rigidify life turn into something strictly mechanical, automatic, predictable, regular, even boring.