CFA/CFP: Friedrich Nietzsche (1844-1900): Ways In and Out of the Labyrinth

Labyrinth: An International Journal for Philosophy, Value Theory and Sociocultural Hermeneutics is preparing a special issue on the occasion of the 180. anniversary of the birth of Friedrich Nietzsche (1844-1900) – one of the most controversial philosophers.

"One day my name will be associated with the memory of something tremendous — of a crisis like no other on earth, of the deepest collision of conscience, of a decision conjured up against everything that had been believed, demanded, sanctified until then. I'm not human, I 'm dynamite. — And with all this there is nothing in me from a religion founder — religions are mob affairs." This is how Nietzsche prophetically described the explosive force of his philosophical essays and aphorisms. He was not mistaken in this respect, for his critical thinking brought about the dawn of a new philosophical age and had also a decisive influence on the literature and the socio-political thought of the 20th century. While Nietzsche regarded himself as a "free spirit" (Freigeist), after his death he was ideologically used and abused by both, the right and the left, and often presented as a "nihilist," "anarchist" or even a "forerunner of fascism". Almost all leading philosophers of the 20th century have written on Nietzsche, and many of the core issues of his work are still relevant for the current epistemological, religious, axiological, ethical and sociopolitical debates.

Nietzsche's philosophy is of particular interest to Labyrinth, our journal, in that he portrayed modernity as a labyrinth of false virtues and "moral acid", and the modern human being as ill "from lazy peace, from cowardly compromise, from the whole virtuous uncleanliness of modern Yes and No." At the same time, he depicted the labyrinth as a testing room for the noble and the strong, the Übermensch, where he could develop his extraordinary capacities and find happiness. "The most spiritual human beings, as the strongest, find their happiness where others would find their destruction: in the labyrinth, in severity towards themselves and others, in attempting." Hence, the title "Ways In and Out of the Labyrinth" suggests, first, that Nietzsche not only criticized modernity, but also showed the ways to overcome it, and second, that his entire work can be seen as an effort in this direction.

Labyrinth seeks papers on new readings and discussions dealing with the main topics of Nietzsche's philosophy and its contemporary receptions, as for example:

·       The will to power and the revaluation of all values

·       Values, ideals, and the feelings of guilt

·       Nihilism as loss of sense and values

·       The Übermensch and the masses

·       Critique of the subject and deconstruction of identity

·       Truth, illusion, lie, and mistrust

·       Perspective and interpretation

·       Criticism of science and religion as closed systems

·       The idea of the "eternal return of the same"

·       "Master morality" and "slave morality"

·       Art as liberation and life design

·       Political perspectives of Nietzsche's philosophy

·       Nietzsche in the context of phenomenology and hermeneutics

·       Poststructuralist and postmodernist interpretations of Nietzsche

·       Nietzsche and Feminist Critique

Researchers working on Nietzsche are invited to submit a brief abstract until the 25 of February 2024 with a brief biographic information including name, academic affiliation, and main publications.

Authors who have already a finished unpublished paper are welcome to submit it within the abstract in order to help the peer review and the publishing process. Papers in their final form, i.e., proofread, formatted according to the journal guidelines and print ready, should be submitted no later than the 28 of July 2024. 

As a multilingual Journal Labyrinth accepts papers in English, French, and German. For more information about the journal policies and the submission's guidelines please visit: https://www.axiapublishers.com/ojs/index.php/labyrinth/AuthorGuidelines

All abstracts and papers should be sent to labyrinth [at] axiapublishers.com