Fragments of Truth: The Tension Between Rhetoric and Science in Nietzsche’s Work

Introduction Few philosophers have influenced discussions on language as profoundly as the author of Thus Spoke Zarathustra . Nietzsche’s reflections on meaning, metaphor, and truth continue to shape contemporary debates. Many interpret his work as destabilizing traditional notions of knowledge, an approach that has made him a key figure in postmodern thought. Thinkers like Derrida and Foucault have drawn heavily from his critiques, emphasizing the constructed nature of reality and the limits of linguistic representation. At the same time, opponents of postmodernism have engaged with Nietzsche’s work, often arguing that he foresaw the perils of radical relativism. These contrasting interpretations, however, risk overlooking his intellectual roots. Rather than being an isolated revolutionary, he was deeply immersed in 19th-century debates on language, philology, and cognition. His work stands at the crossroads of two major traditions: the rhetorical and literary tradition, whi...