Nietzsche’s Genealogy: Is it a proper philosophical method?

Abstract

The goal of this thesis is to analyze Nietzsche’s genealogy and in doing so try to answer whether or not it can be seen as a proper philosophical method. I’ve done this by extensive study of Nietzsche’s works and secondary literature found on Nietzsche’s work, as well as literature about the criteria for a philosophical method. A schematic four step plan for genealogy is given in the first chapter: (1) What is the form of the belief or value you want to investigate? (2) Does this form occur in historical sources? (3) Why do people now and did people then hold on to this belief or value? (4) How can you explain the difference, if there is any, between the two reasons why these values were held? In line with Collingwood and Williamson I’ve set up a list of constraints in the second chapter regarding the goodness of a philosophical method. Constraints such as semantics, logic, common sense, findings of other disciplines etc. Not all these constraints have to be met by a philosophical method for it to be a good philosophical method. In the third and final chapter I’ve tested genealogy against the list of constraints and found that it was disciplined by some of the constrained, but crucially missed the constraint of simplicity and precision. This meant that I came to the conclusion that genealogy cannot be used as a method to produce conclusive answers, but rather as a method to produce insights into the origins and history of our beliefs and values.