RICERCA ITALIANA     

The legacies of Schopenhauer and Nietzsche: archival
texts, digital editions, and libraries.

Università di Pisa

Abstract

The research project proposes a series of philological and philosophical objectives, which concern the restoration of the writings of two of Germany's most important Nineteenth century philosophers: Friedrich Nietzsche and Arthur Schopenhauer.
The work of the various research groups involved is rooted in a strong tradition of textual and critical analysis and approaches the two philosopher's writings both from a philological and a theoretical-interpretative point of view. Moreover, it is also a continuation of an ambitious project of revision, expansion, and completion of the critical editions of Nietzsche's and Schopenhauer's writings.
The research project will proceed along two principal lines – one, which will deal with the edition of the work and epistolary of Nietzsche, the other of which will undertake the publication (in Italian) of Schopenhauer's posthumous works and make all of Schopenhauer's writings available (in German) in electronic form. A third, transversal, line of research will turn its attention to the hermeneutic and theoretical connection between the first two lines of research and will explore the rapport between Nietzsche and Idealist Hegelian German philosophy.

The first line of research foresees mainly the continuation of the Italian and German publication of the Colli-Montinari edition and commentary of Nietzsche's posthumous materials (objective 1), and more specifically: the translation and publication of an extensive selection of Nietzsche's Basel lectures as well as research toward the preparation of the apparatus for the second section of the Colli-Montinari critical edition (KGW, de Gruyter), and for the three planned tomes of volume II of the Italian edition (objective 1a); the publication of volumes VIII-XV of the Frammenti Postumi (Beginning 1880-Autumn 1885), in the context of the new edition of all the Posthumous Fragments of Nietzsche (objective 1b). Secondly, it foresees the publication, of the fifth volume of the Italian edition of Nietzsche's Correspondences, based on the text established by Colli and Montinari (objective 2). Also planned is the collection of resource materials that were available to the philosopher and the electronic publication of this, what has been called by Montinari, "ideal library" (objective 3).

The second line of research foresees the completion of the new Italian edition of Schopenhauer's Posthumous Writings (of which volumes 1 and 3 have already been published by Adelphi), as well as the publication of single treatises from his Nachlaβ (objective 4). Moreover, the second line of research, in collaboration with other international research institutions, will get an electronic edition of the entire work of Arthur Schopenhauer (the edited as well as the posthumous work) in its original language underway. This electronic edition will fill some lacunae, which have been left in preceding editions of the philosopher's work (objective 5).

At last, the third, transversal, line of research (objective 6), foresees a connection on an interpretative as well as theoretical level begging already with the acquisition of new materials, which are at the center of the preceding research objectives. Specifically, the hermeneutic and theoretical connection between Nietzsche and Hegelian School will be investigated, thus tying the national research together. The research will take into account the absolutely central role Schopenhauer plays in the relationship between Nietzsche and Hegel, as he is the principal source through which Nietzsche enters into contact with the thought and heritage of Hegel. <<<

Principal Investigator

Giuliano CAMPIONI Università di PISA

Research Objectives

PRINCIPAL OBJECTIVES
The research project is divided into 6 individual objectives, divided along two principal lines:
1. the editions of Nietzsche's and Schopenhauer's writings
2. the contact and intersection of these two from an interpretative and theoretical point of view.

As far as the work on editions of the writings of Nietzsche are concerned, the research program proposed is the following:

1. The continuation of the Italian and German publication of the Colli-Montinari edition and commentary of Nietzsche's posthumous materials. Research Unit I
(Pisa) will work on this objective. The following are its two sub-objectives:
1a) The translation and publication of an extensive selection of Nietzsche's Basel lectures; research toward the preparation of the apparatus for the second section of the Colli-Montinari critical edition (KGW, de Gruyter), and for the three planned tomes of volume II of the Italian edition (Opere Adelphi).
1b) The publication of volumes VIII-XV of the Frammenti Postumi (1880-Autumn 1885), in the context of the new edition of all the Posthumous Fragments of Nietzsche. The Research Unit plans to publish the following volumes by the end of 2007: VII: Beginning 1880 – Autumn 1880; VIII: End 1880 – Spring/Autumn 1881; IX: Autumn 1881 – Summer 1882; X: July/August 1882 – Winter 1882-83; XI: Spring/Summer 1883 – Summer/Autumn 1883; XII: Autumn 1883 – Winter 1883-84; XIII: Spring 1884 – Summer/Autumn 1884; XIV: Summer/Autumn 1884 – April-June 1885; XV: May-July 1885 – Autumn 1885.

2. The publication, of the fifth and final two-book volume of the Italian edition of Nietzsche's Correspondences, based on the text established by Colli and Montinari (KGB, III/3 1885-1886: 116 letters and KGB, III/5 1887-1889: 477 letters) The volume will consist of two tomes (V/1 and V/2) and will comprise a total of 593 letters for about 900 pages of text. The preparation of this text entails a long research for the compilation of the scholarly commentary of the Italian edition, which will be divided into two tomes. These objectives will mainly be accomplished by Research Unit IV (Florence) in collaboration with Research Unit I (Pisa).

3. Work on the editions of Nietzsche's writings will allow us to expand the collection of resource materials that were available to the philosopher: this will create what has been called the "ideal library" by Montinari. The new edition of the Fragments foresees a final volume, which will collect all posthumous sources that have come to light, and these sources will also be made available by electronic means.

As far as the work on editions of the writings of Schopenhauer are concerned, the research program proposed is the following:


The continuation of the new Italian edition of Schopenhauer's Scritti postumi (Posthumous writings), of which volumes I and III have already been published by Adelphi. Research Unit II (Padua) will deal in particular with vol. 2: Confronti critici 1809-1818; vol. 4: Lezioni berlinesi 1820-1821, including: 1) Teoria dell'intero rappresentare, pensare e conoscere; 2) Metafisica della Natura; 3) Metafisica del Bello; 4) Metafisica dei costumi, vol. 5: I manoscritti rilegati 1830-1852, vol. 6: I manoscritti senili. - Glosse - La biblioteca di Schopenhauer. In addition to these, single treatises from the «Nachlaβ» will be published.

5. The realization, in collaboration with other international research institutions, of an electronic edition of the entire work of Arthur Schopenhauer, (the edited as well as the posthumous work) in its original language. The electronic edition has as its main goal the filling of some lacunae, which have been left in preceding editions of the philosopher's work. The objective has the following stages:
a) To digitalize and publish on-line all of Schopenhauer's manuscripts of the years 1804-1818, which are included in the volumes XIX-XXII and XXIV-XXIX of the posthumous work in Berlin,
b) To begin the transcription of Schopenhauer's notes, taken during his university years, which have never been published yet (volumes XIV-XXVII). The first notes shall be the ones taken during his courses of philosophy (Bouterwek, Schulze, Schleiermacher etc.).
c) To focus within the digitalized material the elements which permit the diplomatic transcription, and also the system of cross-references found by Schopenhauer, which has been only partially reproduced in the existing editions.
d) To individuate in the volumes of Schopenhauer's library (held in Schopenhauer's Archive in Frankfurt/Main) his annotations in order to digitalize them along with the texts they refer to. This way, these texts can be compared by means of the software in our possession with the other texts of Schopenhauer's posthumous work as well as with his published work.

6. The last objective is the transversal aspect of the entire research, which is both interpretative and theoretical in nature. The single research units will conduct studies of a more philological nature. In addition, taking as a base the work on the Nietzsche and Schopenhauer editions, specific interpretative and theoretical studies will be carried out in order to highlight the philosophical results deriving from the uncovering of new materials or from new researches on already known texts. But above all Research Unit V (Bologna) will conduct the work that serves as a hermeneutical and theoretical connection between the two principal lines of national research. Taking into consideration the hermeneutical theories of "text" and "extra-text", the research is going to deal with the relationship existing between Nietzsche's philosophy and the Hegelian school. <<<

Timescale

24 months

National and international background

The research project has a series of six objectives, which are divided into two main categories, mainly philological in nature: one focuses on the work of Friedrich Nietzsche (objectives 1-3), the other on the works of Arthur Schopenhauer (objectives 4-5). The last objective combines the previous objectives in a theoretical-interpretative and hermeneutic prospective (objective 6).
Components of Unit I (Pisa) and Unit IV (Florence) form the research group dealing with the edition of the Work and Letters of F. Nietzsche (objectives 1-3) and take an active part in multiple national and international scientific initiatives relating to the publication of the critical Colli-Montinari edition of F. Nietzsche's work and correspondences (Werke, Kritische Gesamtausgabe, Berlin 1967 ff. [KGW] e Briefwechsel, Kritische Gesamtausgabe, Berlin 1975 ff. [KGB]). Main part of the work for the Colli-Montinari edition takes place in Weimar (where the Nachlaβ and Nietzsche's library are housed) and in Basel, where other important materials are located, but also requires research in other places (such as Berlin, Vienna, Rome, Pisa) and involves research in various locations (Berlin, Basel, Vienna, Rome, Pisa)
The main task of Unit I (Pisa) is the completion of the critical edition of the Werke/Opere (in particular the final section, which includes the philosophical writings and Nietzsche's lectures during his time in Basel), both for the German edition (published by de Gruyter) as well as for the parallel Italian edition (published by Adelphi). The main part of the work consists of defining the text, the collection of materials for the drafting of the critical apparatus for the second section of the Werke and the Opere. Under the coordination of G. Campioni and G. Most, many scholars, such as M. Carpitella, G. Ugolini and F. Fronterotta have been involved with this project.
Together with the edition of the Nietzsche's Basel writings and lectures, Adelphi is publishing a new revised Italian edition of Nietzsche's Posthumous Fragments 1869-1889. 20 volumes (plus one with criteria, concordances, index, summaries and a list of Nietzsche's readings as quoted in the Fragments) are planned, edited by G. Campioni. Volumes 1 (Frammenti postumi. Autunno1869–Aprile 1871) and 2 (Frammenti postumi. Inverno1870/71–Primavera 1872) have already been published in 2004. The next two volumes will be published in summer 2005, and volumes 5 and 6 are forthcoming by the end of 2005. At that point the two-year project (2003-2005) of the Pisa Unit – the preparation and publication of Nietzsche's Basel and posthumous writings (1869-79) – is going to be accomplished.
The Posthumous Fragments 1880-1885, which cover the years of Nietzsche's "maturity" in which he formulates some essential theories and deals with the essence of his pars construens philosophy, will make a major contribution to the understanding of. Nietzsche's later works (these are 6 volumes to be published by the end of 2007. See sect. "Targets"). Numerous recent studies have changed the critical approach toward the later Nietzsche, especially in regard to his sources and his considerations of his contemporary scene.

The Italian edition of the Correspondences of Friedrich Nietzsche has been conducted in light of the preceding research projects. Its conclusion – the two books of volume V – constitutes point 2 of the research project, which will be conducted by Units I (Pisa) and IV (Florence) and shall be described below.

In 2004, volume IV of the Italian edition of Nietzsche's Correspondence (Epistolario 1880-1884, edited by G. Campioni, Adelphi 2004) was published. It presents a critical apparatus different from that of the German edition (which on account of its references, notes, and explanations is the most exhaustive available to scholars today) and presents correspondences that have come to light after the publication of the KGB. Müller-Buck (Pisa Unit) has in the meantime completed the critical apparatus to Nietzsche's last letters for the German edition (Bd. 7/3: Nachbericht zur dritten Abteilung: Briefe von und an Friedrich Nietzsche Januar 1887-Januar 1889, 2004), while the apparatus criticus for the letters from 1885 to1887 is edited by N. Miller (Bd. 7/2: Nachbericht zur dritten Abteilung: Briefe von und an Friedrich Nietzsche Januar 1885-Dezember 1886, 2003). These are the bases on which the editors (G. Campioni, R. Müller-Buck, V. Vivarelli) of the last two volumes (V/1 e V/2) of the Italian edition – to be published by Adelphi in October 2006 – are orienting themselves. V. Vivarelli has worked on the translations since 1885 and together with Giuliano Campioni has gotten the work for the critical apparatus underway.
The main instrument of research and support used by the scholars of units I and IV involved in the research on Nietzsche is the Centro Interdipartimentale "Colli-Montinari" di studi su Nietzsche (www.centronietzsche.net), a now consolidated scientific research structure for Nietzsche studies. Originally a project of the University of Lecce, the Center has turned into an Interuniversity research center (Pisa, Padua, Lecce). Its task is the continuing development of the editions of Nietzsche's and Schopenhauer's works as well as the historical and philological research and interpretation of those authors' thought.


The research project for the second research team (Padua Unit II and Pisa Unit III), which deals with the manuscript and electronic editions of Schopenhauer's edited and posthumous writings, shall be described below.

The Schopenhauer-Archiv in Frankfurt and the Staatsbibliothek Berlin houses several important posthumous writings and the rest of the private library of Schopenhauer. The German standard edition of Schopenhauer's posthumous writings by Arthur Hübscher (Der handschriftliche Nachlaβ, 6 vols., Kramer: Frankfurt, 1966-1975) is it is not complete. For quite a while there has been the need for a new edition of Schopenhauer's posthumous writings, based on the previous edition, which will include the texts excluded or not considered by Hübscher, such as the so-called Orientalia and the classes at the University of Berlin. F. Volpi has planned and presented to the Adelphi Publishing House a project for a new edition and an Italian translation of Schopenhauer's Scritti postumi, which has been accepted and already in part been published (vols. 1 and 3 of the 6 planned).

Again, it must be underlined how important it is for specialists in the field to have a new and complete edition of Schopenhauer's posthumous works which will finish the task undertaken by A. Hübscher's edition (for a more detailed description of the history of the editions of Schopenhauer's texts, please look at General Outline of Model B pertaining to Research Unit III, Pisa). One of the main problems of A. Hübscher's edition is its incompletion. Hübscher does not present all manuscripts from the 1830-52 and also deletes annotations, which can be found in almost literally all of Schopenhauer's published work. Also deleted are quotes from other authors, written down by Schopenhauer, which he was in the habit of doing. Hübscher's decision must be criticized, and it is particularly unfortunate in that it makes it impossible to know who the natural scientists were which interested Schopenhauer greatly at that time. Even worse is the situation concerning the manuscripts preceding the first edition of the Welt (objective 5 is planning to intervene on this point). Hübscher cut entire transcriptions and editions of notes which Schopenhauer had written during his years as a student at the universities of Göttingen and Berlin, having professors such as Blumenbach, Schrader, Klaproth, Schulze, Bouterwek, Schleiermacher, Fichte, Wolf, etc.. The only exceptions are the notes of Fichte's lessons, which were all published by Hübscher. These notes constitute the greatest part of Schopenhauer's first production (2,336 pages of manuscripts). These notes have been accurately preserved and ordered by Schopenhauer himself, who continued to use them even during his later years. They represent an indispensable source in order to reconstruct exactly the evolution of his thought. More than this, they are also a valuable piece of documentation about the state of teaching certain disciplines in two "strategic" German universities of the time.
Working on Schopenhauer's manuscripts, it is easy to notice his rich and detailed system of cross-references, which joins the single texts among themselves. This was certainly done in order to prepare the literary final elaboration. Further, the system of cross-references provides an original reading key, which leads readers through conceptual intersections and fusions unto the systematic structure of Schopenhauer's philosophy. This system has to be restored and underlined, which Hübscher's edition fails to do. A further problem in his edition comes to light in the fifth volume. Hübscher selected and collected Schopenhauer's' notes, written by him on the edges of the pages of his books (held by the Schopenhauer Archiv in Frankurt/Main) with great care. The copious notes are sometimes the only and most valuable documents of some aspects of the evolution of Schopenhauer's thought on, for instance, Oupnek'hat, or source of Latin translation and commentary of Anquetil Duperron's Persian Upanishad. This book is full of many literary elaborate notes, which had been written in different periods of time. They constitute the most important source of Schopenhauer's thoughts on oriental philosophies and religions. Hübscher's way of reproducing only Shopenhauer's notes, though, with just a mention of the text they refer to (the only method allowed by a traditional edition on paper), deprives these notes of their contexts and makes them hard to interpret. Further, his method does not include all the signs and back-references, which allow us to individuate exactly which parts of the texts had been particularly interesting for Schopenhauer.
Out of all these considerations it results indispensable that not only a new edition, which takes up where earlier work has left off (but also includes preceding efforts), corrects the lacunae and restitutes the richness of Schopenhauer's material until now neglected or arbitrarily selected be published. But, more pressing, it also points out the need of new technologies to share the wealth and patrimony of the multiform richness of this material in an adequate manner. Pisa Unit III, under Research Objective 5, will deal with this task.

The transversal objective of the program (Objective 6), which will tie the two preceding research programs together in a theoretical-interpretative and hermeneutic sense, shall be described below.

Work on the critical Colli-Montinari edition has reawaked a substantial reconsideration of interest in Nietzsche and German philosophy. Considering the philosophical context in which Nietzsche is but one ring, the first ring in that chain must be considered the philosophy of Arthur Schopenhauer, under whose intellectual influence Nietzsche writes at least until 1878, excluding Umano, troppo umano. Schopenhauer's influence is evident in texts such as the Geburt der Tragödie (1872) and Unzeitgemäβe Betrachtungen (1873-1876). Particularly in this last work, the text Nietzsche refers to is not so much Schopenhauer's fundamental Welt, but his short pamphlet on the Universitätsphilosophie, in which Schopenhauer deals with the figure of the philosopher in society and in the state as treated already by G.W.F. Hegel. Nietzsche's anti-Hegelian rhetoric filters clearly through this text of Schopenhauer and explicitly takes up certain arguments already presented in the pamphlet. It is at this point, therefore, that one must also pose the specific question of Nietzsche's rapport with Hegel and the Hegelian school. This meanwhile poses a serious philological and hermeneutic problem. It is a known fact that Nietzsche had a scarce direct knowledge of Hegel's text – but he was an avid reader of the texts of Hegel's students (K. Fischer, B. Bauer, possibly M. Stirner, certainly L. Feuerbach, whose thoughts also formed the young Wagner). An essential contribution in this philosophical context is that of K. Löwith, who in From Hegel to Nietzsche (1941) who points out incarnations of the absolutist spirit of modern Europe in the writings of the of the so-called "leftist Hegel critics" – that "revolutionary fracture" which ties it to Nietzsche's philosophy. Nietzsche's position on metaphysics can be understood in this light. That Nietzsche was to be understood as the last exponent of the metaphysical tradition is the well-known thesis of Martin Heidegger. More recently, this thesis has been looked at again under various aspects: in Germany, for example, by Wolfgang Müller-Lauter. An essential contribution to this thought has been made by the French reception of above all Michel Foucault and Gilles Deleuze, who has underlined the specificity of the Nietzschian concept of genealogy in contraposition of the Hegelian conception of History. <<<