This article considers aspects of Nietzsche's identification with the ancient Greek philosopher Epicurus, focusing in particular upon how Epicurus's antiteleology (his denial of an ultimate metaphysical principle) was significant for Nietzsche's views on religion and knowledge. I make a case for the claim that Nietzsche's practice of philosophy, specifically his perspectivism, was influenced by Epicurus's practice of multiple explanations, a form of scientific explanation rooted in ethics and antiteleology. In conclusion, I examine the ways in which Nietzsche's manner of reading Epicurus may cause us to revise our interpretations of not only the Greek thinker but also elements of Nietzsche's own identification with that thinker.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.