Nietzsche's declaration that "God is dead" in The Gay Science was more tragic than triumphal. The philosopher was acutely aware of the existential vacuum that would be created by the decline of religion in the west and sought to find a solution. His solution came in the form of what he called the superman (übermensch) who would create new values to replace the old law tables of Judeo-Christian religion.

In this episode, Dr Martin Ruehl of Cambridge University returns to discuss the meaning of Nietzsche's superman in both theory and practice, looking at Nietzsche's work through the prism of history, ideology, and religion.