In my dissertation I attempt to answer one question: What is the precise nature of Nietzsche’s view of Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle? I answer this question over four chapters. Each chapter is a self-contained essay that explores the contours of Nietzsche’s ambivalence toward these figures. In Chapter I I show how Nietzsche’s ambivalence toward Socrates is a manifestation of Nietzsche’s ambivalence toward reason. In Chapter II I argue that Nietzsche’s ambivalence toward Plato culminates in four features of Plato’s philosophy: (1) his political philosophy, (2) his metaphysics and epistemology, and (3) his dramatic style. In Chapter III I argue that there are four areas of inquiry that help clarify Nietzsche’s ambivalence toward Aristotle: (1) philosophical methods, (2) ethics, (3) free will, and (4) Greek tragedy. Despite Nietzsche’s attack on Aristotle for misunderstanding the nature of Greek tragedy, I show that Nietzsche owes multiple debts of gratitude for what he seemingly gleaned from the Macedonian philosopher. Finally, in Chapter IV, despite Nietzsche’s objections, I show that the classical Greek philosophers are just as responsible, if not more responsible, than their archaic predecessors for Nietzsche’s intellectual development through a comparative analysis of Nietzsche’s engagement with Plato and Heraclitus.
","abstract_html":"<p>In my dissertation I attempt to answer one question: What is the precise nature of Nietzsche’s view of Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle? I answer this question over four chapters. Each chapter is a self-contained essay that explores the contours of Nietzsche’s ambivalence toward these figures. In Chapter I I show how Nietzsche’s ambivalence toward Socrates is a manifestation of Nietzsche’s ambivalence toward reason. In Chapter II I argue that Nietzsche’s ambivalence toward Plato culminates in four features of Plato’s philosophy: (1) his political philosophy, (2) his metaphysics and epistemology, and (3) his dramatic style. In Chapter III I argue that there are four areas of inquiry that help clarify Nietzsche’s ambivalence toward Aristotle: (1) philosophical methods, (2) ethics, (3) free will, and (4) Greek tragedy. Despite Nietzsche’s attack on Aristotle for misunderstanding the nature of Greek tragedy, I show that Nietzsche owes multiple debts of gratitude for what he seemingly gleaned from the Macedonian philosopher. Finally, in Chapter IV, despite Nietzsche’s objections, I show that the classical Greek philosophers are just as responsible, if not more responsible, than their archaic predecessors for Nietzsche’s intellectual development through a comparative analysis of Nietzsche’s engagement with Plato and Heraclitus.</p>","abstract_has_math":false,"creators":["Evans, Daw-Nay N.R., Jr."],"institution":null,"degree_name":null,"degree_level":"Dissertation","degree_discipline":"Philosophy","degree_department":null,"school":null,"contributors":[],"advisors":[],"committee_chairs":[],"committee_members":[],"year":2012,"date_issued":"2012-06-01T07:00:00Z","date_published":"2012-06-01T07:00:00Z","updated_at":"2026-07-24T02:03:52Z","subjects":["Nietzsche. Socrates","Plato","Aristotle","Heraclitus"],"languages":[],"rights":[],"rights_urls":[],"identifier_entries":[]},"links":{"outbound_url":"https://via.library.depaul.edu/etd/118","outbound_label":"Repository record","outbound_source":"dc:identifier"},"metadata_groups":[{"id":"people","label":"People","entries":[{"key":"dc:creator","label":"Author","values":["Evans, Daw-Nay N.R., Jr."]}]},{"id":"academic_context","label":"Academic Context","entries":[{"key":"dc:date.available","label":"Dc Date Available","values":["2019-01-10T08:00:00Z"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_discipline","label":"Discipline","values":["Philosophy"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_level","label":"Degree Level","values":["Dissertation"]}]},{"id":"subjects_keywords","label":"Subjects and Keywords","entries":[{"key":"dc:subject","label":"Dc Subject","values":["Nietzsche. Socrates","Plato","Aristotle","Heraclitus"]}]},{"id":"identifiers","label":"Identifiers","entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier","label":"Identifier","values":["https://via.library.depaul.edu/etd/118"]}]},{"id":"additional","label":"Additional Metadata","entries":[{"key":"dc:description.abstract","label":"Abstract","values":["In my dissertation I attempt to answer one question: What is the precise nature of Nietzsche’s view of Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle? I answer this question over four chapters. Each chapter is a self-contained essay that explores the contours of Nietzsche’s ambivalence toward these figures. In Chapter I I show how Nietzsche’s ambivalence toward Socrates is a manifestation of Nietzsche’s ambivalence toward reason. In Chapter II I argue that Nietzsche’s ambivalence toward Plato culminates in four features of Plato’s philosophy: (1) his political philosophy, (2) his metaphysics and epistemology, and (3) his dramatic style. In Chapter III I argue that there are four areas of inquiry that help clarify Nietzsche’s ambivalence toward Aristotle: (1) philosophical methods, (2) ethics, (3) free will, and (4) Greek tragedy. Despite Nietzsche’s attack on Aristotle for misunderstanding the nature of Greek tragedy, I show that Nietzsche owes multiple debts of gratitude for what he seemingly gleaned from the Macedonian philosopher. Finally, in Chapter IV, despite Nietzsche’s objections, I show that the classical Greek philosophers are just as responsible, if not more responsible, than their archaic predecessors for Nietzsche’s intellectual development through a comparative analysis of Nietzsche’s engagement with Plato and Heraclitus.
"]},{"key":"dc:title","label":"Title","values":["Nietzsche and classical greek philosophy: Essays on Socrates, Plato, Aristotle, and Heraclitus"]}]}],"canonical_facts":{"dc:creator":["Evans, Daw-Nay N.R., Jr."],"dc:date.available":["2019-01-10T08:00:00Z"],"dc:description.abstract":["In my dissertation I attempt to answer one question: What is the precise nature of Nietzsche’s view of Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle? I answer this question over four chapters. Each chapter is a self-contained essay that explores the contours of Nietzsche’s ambivalence toward these figures. In Chapter I I show how Nietzsche’s ambivalence toward Socrates is a manifestation of Nietzsche’s ambivalence toward reason. In Chapter II I argue that Nietzsche’s ambivalence toward Plato culminates in four features of Plato’s philosophy: (1) his political philosophy, (2) his metaphysics and epistemology, and (3) his dramatic style. In Chapter III I argue that there are four areas of inquiry that help clarify Nietzsche’s ambivalence toward Aristotle: (1) philosophical methods, (2) ethics, (3) free will, and (4) Greek tragedy. Despite Nietzsche’s attack on Aristotle for misunderstanding the nature of Greek tragedy, I show that Nietzsche owes multiple debts of gratitude for what he seemingly gleaned from the Macedonian philosopher. Finally, in Chapter IV, despite Nietzsche’s objections, I show that the classical Greek philosophers are just as responsible, if not more responsible, than their archaic predecessors for Nietzsche’s intellectual development through a comparative analysis of Nietzsche’s engagement with Plato and Heraclitus.
"],"dc:identifier":["https://via.library.depaul.edu/etd/118"],"dc:subject":["Nietzsche. Socrates","Plato","Aristotle","Heraclitus"],"dc:title":["Nietzsche and classical greek philosophy: Essays on Socrates, Plato, Aristotle, and Heraclitus"],"thesis:degree_discipline":["Philosophy"],"thesis:degree_level":["Dissertation"]},"updated_at":"2026-07-24T02:03:52Z"}