> I consider Nietzche to have been an "incredibly brilliant genius"
>but he died miserable, without friends, and insane. This was probably
>because he cut himself off from the rest of humanity too much. His
>"reevaluation of all values" seems to have taken a huge toll on his
>nervous system.
Having major brain damage from terminal syphilis might have had more to do
with it. Britannnica: `Informed opinion favours the diagnosis of an
atypical general paralysis, which would indicate tertiary syphilis.' Of
course, there are some (like Thomas Mann) who thought that syphilis helped
charge up the ole neurons a treat. (Thomas M. Disch adapted this conceit in
his brilliant novel CAMP CONCENTRATION.)
Damien Broderick