In this first of three sessions in our seminar, we will be focusing upon the Preface and Essay/Treatise 1 of Nietzsche's Genealogy of Morals. We'll also discuss the place of this work in Nietzsche's larger body of work, and what "genealogy" means as a mode of engaging in philosophy.

I will be presenting the key ideas and development from this section of the work during the session. These include:

• The Genealogy in context of Nietzsche’s works
• Genealogy’s meaning in terms of philosophical method
• Nietzsche’s framing of the problem motivating the work
• The problem of the ethics of pity
• Approaches to the history of Ethics
• Mistaken views of “English psychologists
• The original valuation of Good vs Bad
• The priestly aristocracy and humanity as “interesting creature”
• The slave revolt in morality and the valuation Evil vs Good
• Metaphysics of will-to-power
• The dynamic of ressentiment
• Conflict between valuations of good vs bad and evil vs good
  

You do not have to have read the text previously, though of course, that may be helpful for understanding some of the key ideas that are worked out in them.

We will have plenty of time for Q&A and discussion during this session. You should feel free to ask questions at any point during the seminar, and you can use your microphone or the chat to do so.