Friedrich Wilhelm Nietzsche (15 October 1844 – 25 August 1900) was a German philologist, philosopher, poet, cultural critic, and composer who became one of the most influential modern thinkers. He began his career as a classical philologist, turning to philosophy early in his academic career. In 1869, aged 24, Nietzsche became the youngest professor to hold the Chair of Classical Philology at the University of Basel.

Nietzsche’s works and views have had a significant impact on modern intellectual history. Despite health problems that plagued him most of his life, he resigned from the university in 1879 and completed much of his core writing in the following decade. In 1889, aged 44, he suffered a collapse, resulting in a complete loss of his mental faculties, with paralysis and vascular dementia. He lived his remaining years under the care of his family until his death in 1900.

Nietzsche's work spans philosophical polemics, poetry, cultural criticism, and fiction, displaying a fondness for aphorism and irony. Prominent elements of his philosophy include his radical critique of truth in favor of perspectivism, a genealogical critique of religion and Christian morality, the aesthetic affirmation of life in response to the "death of God" and nihilism, and his concepts of the Übermensch and the eternal return.

His later works increasingly focused on the creative powers of the individual to overcome cultural and moral mores in pursuit of new values and aesthetic health. Nietzsche’s thoughts have influenced a wide range of topics, including art, philology, history, music, religion, and science, drawing inspiration from figures like Zoroaster, Arthur Schopenhauer, and Richard Wagner.

After his death, his sister Elisabeth edited his manuscripts to fit her German ultranationalist ideology, misleadingly associating his work with fascism and Nazism. However, 20th-century scholars like Walter Kaufmann defended Nietzsche against these interpretations, restoring his reputation. His ideas have profoundly impacted 20th and early 21st-century thinkers across philosophy and popular culture.