Volume I.4 in the Critical Edition marks the start of the publication of Nietzsche's posthumous notes from his student days. With the exception of the notes published in Section II, the whole of Nietzsche's hitherto unpublished philosophical and philological writings are presented as a whole in Section II.

The present work documents Nietzsche's development in his grappling with questions from philosophy and philology. The texts contained in Volume I.4 contain a wealth of notes, drafts, plans and treatises. In addition, important biographical notes are published here for the first time.