Q0074
“This life as you now live it and have lived it, you…” — Friedrich Nietzsche (The Gay Science §341)
Verified English quotation. Primary source: The Gay Science §341. Theme: choice.
English
This life as you now live it and have lived it, you will have to live once more and innumerable times more…
Source and attribution
The archive attributes this English wording to The Gay Science §341 and files it under Philosophy of Will. That locator distinguishes the passage from loose internet attributions: readers can return to the named work or section to check translation, surrounding argument, and edition-specific wording.
About Friedrich Nietzsche
Friedrich Nietzsche (1844–1900) was a German classical philologist who became a radical critic of morality, metaphysics, and modern culture. Appointed professor at Basel at twenty-four, he resigned from ill health and wrote in solitude across Switzerland, Italy, and Germany.
How to read this passage
Free will, decision theory, and existential choice all ask how choosing is possible and what makes a choice one’s own. This passage enters that discussion through choice, affirmation.
Concepts in this quote
- Choice
- Choice is the hinge of agency: selecting among options under reasons, constraints, and uncertainty.
- Affirmation
- Affirmation appears in this archive as a live philosophical concern—not a slogan. These verified English passages show how thinkers treat affirmation as a problem of judgment, practice, or explanation.
How to cite this quotation
APA: Friedrich Nietzsche. (n.d.). This life as you now live it and have lived it, you will have to live once more and innumerable times more… In Philosophy Blind Box. https://www.philosophydef.com/quotes/q0074
MLA: Friedrich Nietzsche. “This life as you now live it and….” Philosophy Blind Box, https://www.philosophydef.com/quotes/q0074.
Chicago: Friedrich Nietzsche. “This life as you now live it and….” Philosophy Blind Box. Accessed 2026. https://www.philosophydef.com/quotes/q0074.
Frequently asked questions
What is the source of the quotation “This life as you now live it and…”?
The passage is attributed to Friedrich Nietzsche, The Gay Science §341. The archive attributes this English wording to The Gay Science §341 and files it under Philosophy of Will. That locator distinguishes the passage from loose internet attributions: readers can return to the named work or section to check translation, surrounding argument, and edition-specific wording.
What does Friedrich Nietzsche mean by choice?
Free will, decision theory, and existential choice all ask how choosing is possible and what makes a choice one’s own. This passage enters that discussion through choice, affirmation.