NIETZSCHE: Will to Power Explained (all parts)

This video is a deep-dive explanation of one of the most notorious concepts in Western philosophy: Nietzsche's Will to Power. What is the philosophical background, how did it evolve throughout Nietzsche's intellectual career, and how can we look at the concept today?

The first part serves as an introduction of sorts. We’ll go over Nietzsche’s intellectual background, most importantly the influence of Schopenhauer and Darwinism. We will also look at the question of interpretation: is the Will to Power a metaphysical principle or simply a human drive or emotion?

In the second part we go over Nietzsche's entire body of published work and trace how the concept of the Will to Power evolved throughout Nietzsche's intellectual career and philosophy.
We see how Nietzsche first thinks about power in The Joyful Science but how the term was first coined in Thus Spoke Zarathustra, and how it gradually becomes an all-encompassing force by the time we get to works such as Beyond Good and Evil, Twilight of the Idols and The Anti-Christ. We will see how the main question in this series, "is the Will to Power a metaphysical force or a materialist or psychological drive?" is not so simple to answer.

WATCH our in-depth video on the Will to Power in Beyond Good and Evil here:

In the third and final part of our series on Friedrich Nietzsche's concept of the Will to Power, we look at a modern interpretation (Bernard Reginster's The Affirmation of Life: Nietzsche on Overcoming Nihilism from 2006) to finally settle the question of whether or not the Will to power is a metaphysical concept or not -- turns out we have to take a middle road and figure out what exactly Nietzsche means by "power"...

Timestamps:
00:00 Part 1
07:10 Part 2
20:14 Part 3

[WeltgeistYT]

We hope you guys enjoyed this series. It's been a long time in the making. Stay tuned for more Nietzsche, coming soon.

[deryasefer]

“Well-meaning, helpful, good-natured attitudes of mind have not come to be honored on account of their usefulness, but because they are states of richer souls that are capable of bestowing and have their value in the feeling of the plenitude of life.”

― Friedrich Nietzsche, The Will to Power

[aman]

Man what you have in your mind, this is way way beyond the masses, but, salute to your depth of understanding and outstanding.

[a.wenger]

So much free gold! You spoil us Weltgeist!

[suhailhamid]

Very nice. One of the manifestations of Will to Power for every individual is to exercise the Will to Power to overcome one's own Will to Power...

[areskraftfahrzeuge]

It's a blessing to have you in this generation

[mkmd]

For the first time, Nietzsche made sense to my dull mind.
This is an excellent explanation. Thank you.

[gmalexander]

All of your videos are exceptionally good.

[isaacbarratt]

The book 'Will to Power' is definately worth making a video for; his chapter about art is particularly interesting

[satnamo]

Self—mastery is das ultimate form of power—
Power itself.

I am that which wants to master my self.

[lucaspossato]

I think it is perfectly coherent to see the will to power as a materialistic explanation of reality functioning. It is still metaphysics, but it doesn't have to turn to another world.

[ninoslavkrizic]

Excellent video. Thank you for this.
I have an objection to Reginster's solution being treated as a middle road between will to power as a metaphysical concept and as a materialist explanation of human drive. Mainly because in Reginster's view it is posited as overcoming resistance in relation to the desired outcome. Arguably, desires can be reasonably ascribed to animate objects (plants, animals and humans) thus this explanation is closer to materialist view. It leaves aside inanimate objects (rocks, rivers, planets) since their "desired" outcomes are determined. So on this view Nietzsche's Will to Power is limited and not as overarching as Schopenhauer's Will to Life. Thus, I would say, it stands closer to Darwinian worldview.

[peterbranagan]

Thank you so much for this most excellent content.

[CrazyLinguiniLegs]

I would like to see you cover “The Will to Power”. Regardless of it being edited by Nietzsche’s sister, it contains a lot of gems worth reading and pondering.

[sureshn]

Thank you for this most wonderful summary of Nietzsche's will to power and also how it contrasts with Schopenhauer. This debate between Nietzsche and Schopenhauer exactly parallels the debate in Indian philosphy between Krishna and Buddha. Though interestingly the chronology is opposite where Krishna came first before Buddha. Krishna teaches in the famous Bhagavad Gita to Arjuna who wants to withdraw from a war (which symbolizes the battle of life) out of false compassion that it's a wrong impulse, instead one has to engage in the war with full energy and the very battle to win (and not the eventual result) is the essence of life itself. This is called karma yoga. Buddha came later and espoused the ascetic ideal of total desirelessness, to withdraw from the battle of life as it is only suffering. And very interestingly, the downfall of Indian civilization began with the ascent of the Buddhist view. It is no wonder if Nietzsche called Schopenhauer the Western Buddhist. Nietszchean view on the contrary is the essence of karma yoga, the most powerful, life-affirming view that achieving (and not achievement) is the purpose of life.

[nowhereman]

This is definitely the most thorough explanation of The Will to Power that I've found on YouTube. Thanks.

[memeful]

To me, it sounds like the question presented in this brilliant analysis, is not "either or", but "and", depending on which perception discussed. It's a complete concept in itself, and also in all discussed.
Also, my take of his will to power, is perhaps similar to will to autonomy, both physically but more so metaphysically. And he even seemed to go that extra mile to create (not just observe) "resistance" (as I often found from within) in order to fully utilise that "will", but without bounds of Descartes' "I " getting in the way.
On that note, I realised he's more hopeful than I first read him nearly 30 years ago, to the credits of your analysis.
Nietzsche is truly a pro in exploring human (perhaps uber?) potential. Sky is the limit, as they say. I'm forever grateful for such rare gift to humanity. And your sharing. xxx

[frankchilds]

Please share more of the Will to Power put together by his sister 🙏.

[NietzscheAcademy]

Great Explanation! Love the in depth analysis! Just tried to sum it up under 60 seconds today on my channel, but boi was that a task! Nietzsche is too briliiatnt to fit in just one minute. Great video man!

[lucasmoreira]

Very clear. The best constructed video about this topic.
Thank you very much. Have a great day.