Nietzsche, Evolution and Eugenics: A Consideration of a Debate in China
Nietzsche, evolution and eugenics have been the subject of intense debate in academic circles for some time. This article attempts to clarify a debate that has taken place in China and, on this basis, to reconsider the following question: Should Nietzsche be regarded as a pioneer of eugenics? Was h...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | Spanish |
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Universidad Pedagógica y Tecnológica de Colombia
2025-06-01
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| Series: | Cuestiones de Filosofía |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://revistas.uptc.edu.co/index.php/cuestiones_filosofia/article/view/19275 |
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| Summary: | Nietzsche, evolution and eugenics have been the subject of intense debate in academic circles for some time. This article attempts to clarify a debate
that has taken place in China and, on this basis, to reconsider the following question: Should Nietzsche be regarded as a pioneer of eugenics? Was he responsible for the practice of eugenics that spread worldwide in the first half of the 20th century? Although Nietzsche adopted certain evolutionary and eugenics concepts in his writings, he never intended to endorse eugenics perse; rather, he aimed to assimilate these ideas into his life-affirming philosophy. By incorporating Darwinian “selection theory”, he developed the concept of the “Übermensch” in response to the perceived degeneration of life. Notably, Nietzsche’s solution emphasizes spiritual transformation through “a revaluation of values”, which is distinctly different from the biologically
deterministic notions of racial improvement.
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| ISSN: | 0123-5095 2389-9441 |