An Interpretation of Nietzsche’s Thought Translated by Benjamin Paloff The Flame of Eternity provides a new interpretation of Nietzsche’s philosophy and his concepts of eternity and time to which his reflections on human life are inextricably linked to. Nietzsche argues that humanity has long regarded the impermanence of our life as an illness in need of curing. It is this “pathology” that Nietzsche called nihilism. Arguing that this insight lies at the core of Nietzsche’s philosophy as a whole, Michalski maintains that many of Nietzsche’s main ideas–including his views on love, morality, the will to power, the Death of God, and the myth of the eternal return–take on new meaning and significance when viewed through the prism of eternity.
“This remarkable book is an attempt to understand that most enigmatic of philosophers, Friedrich Nietzsche. It reads for us the central notions of Nietzsche’s work, culminating in the Eternal Return of the Same. The special illuminating power of Michalski’s interpretation comes not just from his reading Nietzsche in the context of the philosophical tradition, but even more in his placing it in constant comparison to Nietzsche’s foil and reference point, the Christ of the Bible. Most strikingly of all, Michalski helps us to grasp Nietzsche by exploring with insight and feeling the dimensions of human experience which this philosopher strove to lay open for us.” Charles Taylor, author of The Secular Age
“There are many books on Nietzsche. Some of them are distinguished by their learning and analytical power, some by their beauty. Very rarely can we find a book that combines both: learning and beauty. We see this unusual virtue in Michalski’s book.” Leszek Kołakowski, author of Main Currents of Marxism
“This is an excellent and original interpretation of Nietzsche’s philosophy as a whole, as well as a remarkable piece of scholarship and argumentative skill. Michalski has managed to achieve the happy balance that all of us professional philosophers strive for: he has succeeded in writing a philosophical book that has a lot to say to scholars and Nietzsche experts as well as to the general educated public. This is a rare feat indeed.” Piotr Hoffman, University of Nevada, Reno
The book was published in the Polish original Płomień wieczności. Eseje o myślach Fryderyka Nietzschego by Znak in 2007.
Other translations are La flamme de l'eternité. Essairs sur la pensée de Friedrich Nietzsche, published by Éditions Zofia de Lannurien in 2013, and the Russian "Пламень вечности. Девять эссе о мысли Фридриха Ницше" published by Издательство Московского университета in 2012.
In 2022 the first German edition was published by Verlag Karl Alber with the title Flamme der Ewigkeit
