Nietzsche and Sociology

Book excerpt: Nietzsche and Sociology: Prophet of Affirmation is about Friedrich Nietzsche’s sociological reading of modern industrial society. Nietzsche is often identified as a philosopher but his uniquely sociological theories and ideas have been disregarded and unacknowledged in the social sciences. This work examines the reasons why Nietzsche has been ignored in sociological literature despite the evidence that most classical and modern sociological thinkers have been profoundly influenced by him. This book argues that the discipline of sociology would benefit by seriously considering the sociological elements in Nietzsche’s prolific work as a way of reevaluating not only the tradition of sociology, but also the sociology of tradition. His major contributions on rethinking traditional sociological theories and concepts in terms of their moral origins make it impossible for the social sciences to continue overlooking Nietzsche as a critical sociological thinker. His conception of non-economic power has become progressively more salient. Given the current juncture of humanity on the brink, Nietzsche’s affirmative philosophy of life is a breath of fresh air. He remains an intellectual force to be reckoned with and may just be the remedy to our present civilizational malaise.