Abstract

In my dissertation I examine the adequacy of the standard view of the relationship between Plato and Nietzsche that locates the two on opposite sides of the philosophical spectrum. I argue that this characterization grossly misrepresents not only Plato's thought but also Nietzsche's own perception of Plato and by extension the significance of Plato for Nietzsche's own project. It is my thesis that upon careful examination of Plato's dialogues, that is, by paying close attention to the dramatic aspects in addition to the arguments, significant affinities between Plato and Nietzsche begin to emerge. While I am in no way claiming that Plato may be read as a proto-Nietzschean, I do argue that an interpretation sensitive to these dramatic aspects reveals a thinker who was not in the end a radical body/soul dualist nor a proponent of "otherworldly" ideals. Furthermore, I argue that Nietzsche's relationship to Plato is not as straightforward as even his own proclamations might suggest. Upon close analysis of all of Nietzsche's references to Plato throughout his published work, we discover that his view of Plato is highly complex and multi-faceted and in no way wholly polemical. My research is significant for several reasons. First, because dealing with the question of how one ought to read Plato leads to a reinterpretation of key Platonic teachings, my research will contribute to Plato scholarship. Second, because Nietzsche's critique of Plato has influenced the way in which many contemporary continental thinkers approach Plato, and because this critique relies upon the orthodox reading of Plato, my dissertation will modify how we view Plato's position within the history of philosophy. Last, because Plato appears to occupy a central position in Nietzsche's thought, a careful examination of Nietzsche's critique of Plato furthers our understanding of Nietzsche himself