Nietzsche first essay summary

With the advent and success of Christianity, Nietzsche suggests, the reversal of the moral code became complete: what was once "good" became "evil" and what was once "bad" became "good." This section introduces the contrast between what Nietzsche calls elsewhere "master morality" and "slave morality."

Nietzsche says that British psychologists think, like he does, that people aren’t born with ingrained morals—they learn them. British psychologists think that selfless behavior is useful in early societies, so it becomes entrenched in conventional ideas about morality, but Nietzsche disagrees.

Its crowning achievement was the development of Christianity: Christian love, created by this burning hatred. Nietzsche sees Jesus as the ultimate embodiment of these Jewish ideals, and his crucifixion as the ultimate bait. All the opponents of the Jews might side with Jesus against them, thereby adopting his and their Judeo-Christian moral code.

Nietzsche’s “First Essay” focuses on the concepts of “good,” “bad,” and “evil.” Nietzsche says that British psychologists think, like he does, that people aren’t born with ingrained morals—they learn them.