Friedrich Nietzsche

Friedrich Nietzsche (1844-1900) was a German philosopher best known for his works "Thus Spoke Zarathustra" (1883-1885) and "Beyond Good and Evil" (1886). His writings explored themes of existentialism, the will to power, and the death of God. In "The Birth of Tragedy" (1872), Nietzsche examined the dichotomy between Apollonian and Dionysian forces in art and culture. He was a professor of philology at the University of Basel from 1869 to 1879 before health issues forced his retirement. Nietzsche's aphoristic style and critique of traditional European morality set him apart from his contemporaries. He spent his final years in mental decline, passing away in 1900.