Umwerthung in Action

Abstract:The crowning project of Nietzsche's career was to be an "Umwerthung aller Werthe," typically translated as a "revaluation of all values." But what would such a revaluation consist in? One answer current in the literature is that a revaluation of values is a principled philosophical reconsideration of certain regnant values, in light of some overarching value that serves as a standard. Power, it is in particular often claimed, is the centerpiece of Nietzsche's mature ethical vision and the anchor of his revaluation of values. This article suggests an alternative answer, according to which Umwerthung is not just about assessment; its goal is to secure change in dominant values. Engineering that change, in turn, is not simply about following the dictates of a guiding philosophical principle to a rationally warranted conclusion. It is also about altering attitudes, by rational as well as by arational means. After presenting and defending this conception of Umwerthung, this article explores a corollary of it, concerning the role of rhetoric in Nietzsche's work.