Introduction
Friedrich Wilhelm Nietzsche (1844–1900) was a German philosopher who is quoted as often as he is misunderstood. He is well known for his ideas of the “superman” (Übermensch), the “will to power,” and the “eternal return of the same,” along with his many quotable passages, chief among them is the proclamation that “God is dead.” It would be incorrect, however, to reduce his work to these ideas or even to take them as emblematic of his philosophy. This is no place to engage in a debate over Nietzsche’s philosophical contributions and importance, but a few key (but by no means comprehensive) themes in Nietzsche’s thought will help to guide the reader through Nietzsche’s language of alimentation and digestion.
The theme of (1) “health” expresses Nietzsche’s positive valuation of practices and attitudes that affirm life and the power of individuals (“free spirits”) and cultures to grow and transform. Unhealthy individuals or cultures are weak, passive, and “decadent” in...
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Valgenti, R.T. (2014). Nietzsche and Food. In: Thompson, P., Kaplan, D. (eds) Encyclopedia of Food and Agricultural Ethics. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-007-6167-4_17-1
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