Christian Skepsis: The Dialogue with Gracián in the Nietzschean Positivist Period

Abstract

This paper focuses on the reception of Baltasar Gracián into Nietzsche’s thought and, concretely, on the Nietzschean characterization of the Aragonese Jesuit as a Christian skeptic. Firstly, we will explore the mark that the Spanish Golden Age left in Nietzsche’s thought. Secondly, we will focus on the formal or stylistic legacy which we can find on Nietzsche’s works of his positivist period, a mark that is proved because Nietzsche read Shopenhauer’s translation of the Oráculo manual, by Gracián. Finally, the paper aims to analyze the relationship between the Nietzschean interpretation of Gracián and the configuration of several essential concepts of Nietzsche’s Philosophy of the Morning, for instance, gay science or free spirit.