Friedrich Nietzsche vs Voltaire

Nietzsche published the first part of his philosophical novel Thus Spoke Zarathustra, introducing the concepts of the

Nietzsche published a critique of traditional philosophy, morality, and religion, arguing for a 'revaluation of all values.' He attacked dogmatism, advocated for a 'master morality,' and explored the will to power as a fundamental driving force in human life.

Nietzsche published a genealogical critique of moral concepts, tracing the origins of 'good' and 'evil' to the power dynamics between master and slave moralities. He argued that Christian morality is a 'slave morality' that suppresses human vitality and creativity.

Nietzsche suffered a mental breakdown in Turin, reportedly embracing a horse being beaten by its owner. He was diagnosed with syphilitic paralysis and spent his remaining years under the care of his mother and sister, unable to write or communicate coherently.

After a quarrel with the nobleman Chevalier de Rohan, Voltaire was imprisoned in the Bastille and then exiled to England. His three-year stay exposed him to English empiricism, constitutional monarchy, and religious toleration, profoundly shaping his philosophical and political views.

Voltaire published letters praising English religious toleration, constitutional monarchy, and scientific progress, implicitly criticizing French absolutism and Catholicism. The book was condemned in France and burned, forcing Voltaire to flee Paris. It helped spread Enlightenment ideas across Europe.

Voltaire published his satirical novel Candide, criticizing Leibnizian optimism and organized religion through the misadventures of its protagonist. The work became a landmark of Enlightenment literature, attacking philosophical optimism, religious hypocrisy, and social injustice with wit and irony.

Voltaire campaigned to overturn the wrongful execution of Jean Calas, a Protestant merchant tortured and executed for allegedly murdering his son to prevent his conversion to Catholicism. Voltaire's writings, including his Treatise on Tolerance, led to Calas's posthumous exoneration in 1765.