Q0450
“Would you have this life again? — Well then! Once more!” — Friedrich Nietzsche (The Gay Science §341)
Verified English quotation. Primary source: The Gay Science §341. Theme: affirmation.
English
Would you have this life again? — Well then! Once 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
Across 3 recurring voices here (notably Friedrich Nietzsche and Yunmen Wenyan), affirmation is framed through Philosophy of Will and Zen Buddhism. Some passages define affirmation; others warn how it fails; still others relocate it inside habit, community, or language. This passage enters that discussion through affirmation, life.
Concepts in this quote
- 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.
- Life
- Philosophy quotes about life ask what makes a life good, meaningful, or worth examining—questions that drive ethics, religion, and everyday decision.
How to cite this quotation
APA: Friedrich Nietzsche. (n.d.). Would you have this life again? — Well then! Once more! In Philosophy Blind Box. https://www.philosophydef.com/quotes/q0450
MLA: Friedrich Nietzsche. “Would you have this life again? — Well….” Philosophy Blind Box, https://www.philosophydef.com/quotes/q0450.
Chicago: Friedrich Nietzsche. “Would you have this life again? — Well….” Philosophy Blind Box. Accessed 2026. https://www.philosophydef.com/quotes/q0450.
Frequently asked questions
What is the source of the quotation “Would you have this life again? — Well…”?
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 affirmation?
Across 3 recurring voices here (notably Friedrich Nietzsche and Yunmen Wenyan), affirmation is framed through Philosophy of Will and Zen Buddhism. Some passages define affirmation; others warn how it fails; still others relocate it inside habit, community, or language. This passage enters that discussion through affirmation, life.