Ethical and Political Dimensions of the Concept of the "Pathos of Distance" in Nietzsche's Philosophy

Abstract

In this article I elucidate the meaning of the concept of the “pathos of distance” and its ethical and political implications, while highlighting its meaning and coherence with the whole of Nietzsche’s thinking. The fundamental thesis is that the pathos of distance, as a basic characteristic of the noble ideal, shows how a concept denoting political superiority in Nietzsche’s philosophy resolves itself into the idea of the superiority of the soul. The reflection is framed within the Nietzschean critique of culture, politics and education, and the will to reform the dominant values of society, including those that shape subjectivity and individuality. The different dimensions of the pathos of distance are studied as a hierarchical articulation, as a principle of individuality, as part of the Great Politics and as an element of his thinking regardind breeding (Züchtung) humanity.