What Would Nietzsche Do? by Marcus Weeks

What Would Nietzsche Do? by Marcus Weeks

A new series of advice from the great philosophers on how to live an authentic life.

This book gives readers a peek into the minds of history's great thinkers, in this case, Friedrich Nietzsche and other philosophers that have considered life's most challenging dilemmas. The book asks these luminaries for their advice with the problems that threaten our contentment and beliefs and also provides a fascinating overview of the many branches of philosophical study.

The book has five sections of questions that any of us might ask and which, whether mundane or disturbing, do cause existential distress. Some examples are:

1. Relationships Should I tell my partner that I kissed someone at the office party I just found out that my dad is not my dad My partner is cheating on me -- what should I do My mother smacked me once -- it's all her fault

2. Self and identity Everyone thinks of me differently -- so who the hell am I Why shouldn't I do whatever I want How do I become one of the good guys Do I have to be a different person now that I'm a parent I'm nearly 50 -- now what

3. How to live Why should I be good How can I be happy Is it OK to hurt others on my way to a big promotion Should I buy a bigger TV

4. Art and aesthetics I think my partner is beautiful but my best friend doesn't agree What's artistic about a can of soup Should I enhance my looks with plastic surgery What's so beautiful about nature

5. Politics Why should I pay for someone else to get free healthcare Should I leave the toilet seat up or down I once got robbed, and now I'm too scared to walk the streets Why can't I decide who to vote for.

Life is not simple and it is certainly not without many ethical and moral challenges to which we respond sometimes with intellect and other times with emotion. It can all be a bit much. Now a reader need only turn to the question troubling them and Nietzsche, along with Aristotle, Hobbes, Schopenhauer and other great thinkers, will tell you what they think.

Marcus Weeks is a musician, author, and editor. Music: A Crash Course, DK's Children's Illustrated Encyclopedia, and 1,000 Creators of the Millennium are among the books he has written or coauthored. He is the keeper of the Stanhope Collection of Historical Keyboards and has produced a number of works on music. Julian Rushton is an emeritus music professor at Leeds University in England. He has also served as president of the Royal Musical Association and has taught at the University of East Anglia and the University of Cambridge. Mozart: An Incredible Life, Mozart in the Master Musicians series, and Classical Music: A Comprehensive History are among his works.