Nietzsche and Embodiment: Discerning Bodies and Non-dualism (SUNY series in Contemporary Continental Philosophy)

Examines the significance of Nietzsche’s writings for contemporary debates about embodiment.In Nietzsche and Embodiment Kristen Brown reveals the smartness of bodies, challenging the traditional view in the West that bodies are separate from and morally inferior to minds. Drawing inspiration from Nietzsche, Brown vividly describes why the interdependence of mind and body matters, both in Nietzsche’s writings and for contemporary debates (non-dualism theory, Merleau-Ponty criticism, and metaphor studies), activities (spinal cord research and fasting), and specific human experiences (menses, trauma, and guilt). Brown’s theories about the dynamic relationship between body and mind provide new possibilities for self-understanding and experience.“I applaud the author’s successful attempts to connect philosophy to the quotidian. From her account of her fasting friend, Doug, to the more extensive discussions of curry and (pre)menses, Brown connects abstract philosophy to life—which to my mind is exactly what Nietzsche is trying to do.” — Brian Domino, Miami University“This work is not only important for its nuanced interpretations of Heraclitus, Nietzsche, and Merleau-Ponty, but also for its insights into the problem of how interpretation arises. It will be read for both its exegesis and its original insights.” — James J. Winchester, author of Nietzsche’s Aesthetic Turn: Reading Nietzsche after Heidegger, Deleuze, DerridaKristen Brown is Associate Professor of Philosophy at Millsaps College. Read more