Stockholm Philosophy Study Group

Political theorist, philosopher, and feminist thinker Hannah Arendt's book On Violence explores the nature, causes, and significance of violence in the second half of the twentieth century. In this classic work, Hannah Arendt puts her theories about violence into historical perspective, examining the relationships between war and politics, violence and power. Questioning the nature of violent behavior, she argues against Mao Zedong's dictum "power grows out of the barrel of a gun," proposing instead that "power and violence are opposites; where one rules absolutely, the other is absent." As wars and strongmen gain ground across the world, Arendt's writing is more relevant to us than ever.

Thus Spoke Zarathustra, published in the 1880s, is Nietzsche’s most famous and most unusual work. Blending poetry, parable, and sermon-like speeches, the book explores themes such as self-overcoming, the creation of personal meaning, the idea of the “Übermensch” (often translated as “overman” or “superman”), and the famous proclamation that “God is dead.”

In the book Nietzsche argues that the meaning of existence is not to be found in religious pieties or meek submission, but in an all-powerful life force: passionate, chaotic and free. By leaving God behind, Nietzsche enters us all into a new and modern age where each of us must find our own meaning.

We will read the book across 2 meetups, this first meetup will focus on part 1 and 2 of Thus Spoke Zarathustra, so to the end of chapter 44. The book can be found online via the link below. Please note however that the translation is from the early 1900s, so getting a more modern translation from your library or bookshop may give you an easier reading experience.
https://www.aliceandbooks.com/book/thus-spake-zarathustra/friedrich-nietzsche/269

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Stockholm Philosophy Study group is a group for thoughtful discussion on philosophical topics. Everyone is welcome regardless of previous philosophical experience, but we would like everyone you to read the text ahead of time as the conversation will revolve around it. This is a space were we learn from and listen to each other, our focus is on deliberation, not debate. If we are a large group, remember to leave room for everybody's voices to be heard. We read all sorts of philosophical texts, some are easier and some are difficult. If you don't understand everything, don't worry, we will make sense of it together.