The Antichrist

Nietzsche accuses the Protestant theological tradition in Germany of being the primary impediment to Hyperborean thought in the country. He attacks Germany’s then-popular Tübingen School as well as German philosophers’ love of Immanuel Kant. He accuses Kant of being nothing more than another member of Germany’s theological tradition and ultimately detrimental to German philosophy.

Nietzsche continues his attack on Kant, accusing him of being a moralist. He decries the pursuit of morality in itself and takes particular issue with Kant proclaiming a moral arc for humankind, while also failing to credit humankind for forging this arc.

Nietzsche disagrees with Kant’s division of human action between “reason” and “morality” as he regards the latter as a surrender to “beautiful feelings” that corrupt reason and truth (22).

He accuses priests (and philosophers whom he believes are spiritual successors to priests) of relying on these beautiful feelings to define truth for them, rather than applying proper critique.