OIga Plümacher (1839-1895), a defender of the work of Eduard von Hartmann, took part in the pessimistic controversy of the mid-nineteenth century after the death of Agnes Taubert. She published three books and one article, of which Pessimism in the Past and Present (1883) is one of the most important books for understanding the controversy, as it shows exceptional clarity in setting out Hartmann's theses and those of his adversaries. Nietzsche owned a copy of his main work, which was riddled with underlining. From the notes he added to certain paragraphs we know that some passages in the Genealogy of Morals (1887) are direct references to Plümacher's book. The translation offered to the reader here is an extract from this book, in which the philosopher traces the pessimistic mood of Buddhism, Greek polytheism and Judaism. A study that, although for her, is not a finished research work...read more
