will to power

philosophy

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July 15, 2026

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The "will to power" is a central concept in the philosophy of Friedrich Nietzsche. It describes a fundamental drive in living beings to grow, expand, and assert their power. This drive is not necessarily about overt domination but rather about self-perfection and the exercise of creative strength.12

Nietzsche used this concept to analyze traditional Western values in religion, morality, and philosophy, suggesting that many of these values stemmed from a "will to power" that was declining or unhealthy. He contrasted "master morality," which affirms power and nobility, with "slave morality," which arises from resentment and values humility and pity. The "will to power" can also refer to a more general desire to influence or control others.12

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Friedrich Nietzsche
Nietzsche’s mature philosophy
…life itself with the “will to power,” that is, with an instinct for growth and durability. That concept provides yet another way of interpreting the ascetic ideal, since it is Nietzsche’s contention “that all the supreme values of mankind lack this will—that values which are symptomatic of decline, nihilistic…
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…life itself with the “will to power,” that is, with an instinct for growth and durability. That concept provides yet another way of interpreting the ascetic ideal, since it is Nietzsche’s contention “that all the supreme values of mankind lack this will—that values which are symptomatic of decline, nihilistic…
Read More