Nietzsche And Historicism

This thesis is to research into Nietzsche's real opinions on historicism which reflected in his early work The Use and Abuse of History and elements of historicism reflected in late Nietzsche's thoughts,in order to discuss how early Nietzsche's opinions on Historicism transformed into elements of Historicism on late Nietzsche's thoughts.On Chapter One I mainly discuss the thought background of Nietzsche's opinions on History——German Historicism.On Section One I try to discover a definition of Historicism.After my in-depth discussion,I divided the concept of Historicism into two different concepts.One is Historicism which emphasizes particularity and diversity,another is Historism which combines with metaphysics and emphasizes logics and inevitability.And the origins of two different kinds of Historicism are discussed.On Section Two I discuss how this two kinds of Historicism concepts reflected in the concrete Historians' history theories.Lanke,Burkhardt and Droysen are mentioned as representative Historians.In conclusion,historical research was transforming to directions of life philosophy and congnitive science.And Niezche's opinions on Historicism is the result of historical research transforming to life philosophy.On Chapter Two I mainly analyze Nietzsche's early work The Use and Abuse of History.On Section One I analyze Nietzsche's respective opinions which reflected on The Use and Abuse of History on Historicism and Historism.On Section Two I analyze Nietzsche's view of history reflected in The Use and Abuse of History which is based on life philosophy.Besides,I point out that Nietzsche criticize history science on account of his concern of German Nation.Because of he imagine German Nation as a living entity,he think that history Science would harm the inner life energy of German Nation.Nietzsche's opinions of life philosophy reflected an omen of aesthetic shift.On Section Three,firstly,I point out that Nietzsche's critique of historicism was closely related to his oppose to Hegel.Secondly,I analyze the similarities and differences that Nietzsche and Hegel have on view of history.Thirdly,I conclude that the ultimate difference between Nietzsche and Hegel is that Hegel consider history as meaningful and reasonable while Nietzsche consider history in itself is irrational.On Chapter Three I mainly discuss the genealogy of Nietzsche.Genealogy is regarded as a thought achievement of the development of early Nietzsche's view of history,which has the elements of Historicism.On Section One I analyze the elements of Historicism contain in the genealogy of Nietzsche and the difference between the genealogy of Nietzsche and Historism.Nietzsche uses the difference orders of value of genealogy to object to the tendency that Historism has to equal all different value.On Section Two I show two different explanation to the genealogy of Nietzsche.One is Leo Straus' explanation.Straus regarded Niezasche as the spiritual descendant of Plato.He thought Nietzsche try to return to classical value by Historicism.Another explanation was put forward by Foucault.Foucault thought that Nietzsche's Historicism created the view of post-modern existing nowadays.On Section Three I give the explanation of how early Nietzsche's view of History transform to the genealogy of Nietzsche.I think the genealogy of Nietzsche is Nietzsche's attempt to create new value scale that has Historism meaning.