Introduction

Arguably Søren Kierkegaard and Friedrich Nietzsche are the two most significant moral philosophers of the nineteenth century, their works showing a remarkably trenchant and penetrating awareness of key ethical issues, while demonstrating a stylistic flair that is rare in philosophical writing.

Analysis

Angier argues that, despite the perceived stylistic opacity of these thinkers, their work does admit of comparison and rigorous analytic scrutiny which in turn yields new and significant insights into their philosophy.

Thesis

In this book, Angier expounds the view that Kierkegaard both anticipated, and subjected to detailed critique, Nietzsche's central arguments in moral philosophy, exposing the weaknesses of what were to become the core Nietzschean positions and realizing the powerful attraction for people that these ideas would have.

Conclusion

Angier brings this critique to our modern attention and defends the prefigured Kierkegaardian critique of Nietzsche.