Professor Dirk Johnson and his family are spending the summer in the quaint university town of Nijmegen, Holland. With a summer research grant from Hampden-Sydney College, Professor Johnson is able to pursue research into the philosophy of Friedrich Nietzsche and its relationship to the science of Charles Darwin.
In recent years, the Catholic University of Nijmegen, founded in 1923, has developed into a center for Nietzsche studies in Northern Europe. Thanks to the efforts of Prof. Paul von Tongeren, professor of philosophy and chair of the Ethics Institute, the University has attracted a group of young Nietzsche scholars from various corners of Europe - scholars hail from Holland, Belgium, Germany, Italy as well as the US - to work together on the Nietzsche Research Group.
The Group's main objective is to compile a dictionary of Nietzsche's terms. It examines the chronology and shifting meanings of Nietzsche's terminology throughout his career. For example, concepts such as the "ermensch" and the "Will to Power" will be painstakingly researched, enabling future scholars to have an access to Nietzsche's philosophy based on a more precise and scientific understanding of his language. A German publisher has already agreed to publish the Dictionary in its entirety; the final product might encompass more than eight volumes! The first volume, covering the early letters, will appear shortly.
One of the great advantages of working here is participating in the Nietzsche Seminar, which meets once a month. Scholars from Nijmegen and other universities gather to discuss their projects and to get feedback from interested specialists. "For me, it has been an exciting opportunity to meet peers working in the field and to establish a collegial, scholarly network of individuals dedicated to Nietzsche. Recently, Prof. Tongeren asked me to introduce my project during the June meeting of the Seminar."
In the words of Professor Johnson, "The Dutch are very friendly and tolerant (important, with two kids!), and they are wonderfully polyglot: most speak perfect English, and many speak at least one other language (we're attempting to learn Dutch!). Nijmegen has some beautiful historical buildings dating back to the Middle Ages and the Renaissance, though much of the city center was destroyed during the Second World War (apparently, British flyers at night mistook the city for Cologne and dropped their bombs on the Dutch instead!). With the recent D-Day celebrations, World War II buffs might also find it interesting to know that the crucial Battle of Arnhem was fought just a few short miles from the town."
Summer 2004
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