Dr. Houlgate's study of Hegel and Nietzsche evaluates and compares their work by focusing on their common criticism of the metaphysical tradition. Both philosophers criticise metaphysics for operating with conceptual oppositions such as being/becoming and egoism/altruism; but they suggest different alternatives to such metaphysical distinctions. Houlgate demonstrates that Nietzsche's critique of metaphysics relies on the distinctions of Life and Thought, a distinction which itself constitutes a metaphysical duality of the kind Nietzsche attacks. By comparison Hegel is shown to provide a more profound critique of metaphysical oppositions through his philosophy of the dialectic, which understands such alleged oppositions as constitutive components or 'moments' of the dynamic development of thought.