Nietzsche

NietzscheEric LencioniMelinda Sherwood

Biography: Early Life• Born October 15, 1844• Son of Lutheran pastor

– Died; from madness (1849)• Raised by females, in a

pious German Lutheran home

• Rebelled against Christianity– Studied classical

philosophy

Biography: Mid-Life • Age 25: Became a professor at

the University of Basel in Switzerland

• Served as a medical orderly for the Prussian army in the Franco-Prussian War– Contracted dysentery and

diphtheria• Fell in love with Lou Andreas-

Salome– He was rejected by her

• Wrote Thus Spoke Zarathustra, to take the place of the son he would never have

Biography: Late Life• January 1889: Nietzsche was

found on a street in Turin, Italy weeping and embracing a horse, having suffered a mental breakdown

• Forced to retire due to mental illness. – First, he lived in an asylum– Later, he was trusted into his

family’s care• Died on August 25, 1900

Influences

• Historically: France was involved in the Franco-Prussian War

• Treaty of Versailles was signed– Inspired him to finish

Birth of Tragedy

Influences

• Arthur Schopenhauer– German philosopher

who believed life was worthless

– An extreme pessimist– Believed humans

controlled by “blind will”

Main tenets: Who are we?

• According to Nietzsche:– What makes us human is the Will to Power. • That humans naturally seek more power, or more truth.

Therefore we make up false truths about ourselves. However our Will to Power ultimately dominates over religion, thus “God is dead”. • Example: Nietzsche says this Will to Power takes over

everything, so a philanthropist who gives their life to donating their time and money to other, would secretly want to be the person to give the most time and money for recognition.

What gives purpose?

• Humans are naturally inclined to gain power• Life gains meaning through the human will to

power• Good is something that enhances the feeling

of power and happiness is the feeling that power is increasing

Components of consciousness?

• We are consciousness of all the decisions we make and how they affect the world around us

• Nietzsche advises humans not to help each other. Stay away from the poor and the weak because they can only distract from the ultimate quest to power.

What is identity?

• Our identity depends on which path we choose: – SLAVE MORALITY: By not accepting the death of God,

we are in denial, and according to Nietzsche weak. Conform to the masses, live with the herd and follow others out of weakness.

– MASTER MORALITY: Those who accept the death of God and move on to nihilism are on their way to becoming an overman. Accept their Will to Power and create their own values in attempt to identify and diversify themselves, is mentally self sufficient.

Are we predetermined or free?

• Humans are all free• There is no god nor is there an afterlife– As such humans should only worry about here and

now. Focusing on a god or any such other worldly force would be a waste of time.

– We must not waste our time with worrying about an afterlife. Instead, become powerful human beings.

Are we inherently good or evil?

• Perspectivism: Believed morality was subjective, right and wrong is not universal.

• However, according to Nietzsche, we are in between animals and the Superman, but run by our animal instinct. – This could be seen as us on the rope between

good and evil, naturally evil however striving for what is ultimately good.

Analysis

• “Man is a rope, fastened between animal and Superman – a rope over an abyss.” (pg. 43, Thus Spoke Zarathustra)

Analysis

“But when Zarathustra was alone, he spoke thus to his heart: ‘Could it be possible! This old saint has not yet heard in his forest that God is dead!’” (pg. 41)

Analysis

• “a living thing seeks above all to discharge its strength – life itself is will to power, self preservation is only one of the indirect and most frequent results thereof” (Nietzsche 22)

Analysis• “’Free of will’ – is that the

expression for the complex state of delight of the person exercising volition, who commands and at the same time identifies himself with the executor of that order – who as such enjoys also the triumph over obstacles but thinks within himself that it was really his own ill that overcame them” (26)

Questions

• If we feel sympathy for the weak and poor, does that make us weak? Is it right to ignore the weak and focus on our own lives?

• What do you think of Nietzsche’s statement “God is dead”? Do you think it is a true statement, has society outgrown God, does this idea still apply today?

Works Cited

Cuddy, Luke. "Friedrich Nietzsche (1844-1900 C.e.)." Web. 04 Dec. 2010.

Liukkonen, Petri. “Friedrich Nietzsche 1844-1900.” Ed. Ari Pesonen. 2008. Web. 10 November 2010.

Stone, Thomas Ryan. “Nietzsche and Nihilism.” Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy. Ed. Edward N. Zalta. <http://plato.stanford.edu/>. The Metaphysics Research Lab, (2010): n.p. Web. 8 November 2010.

Nietzsche, Friedrich. “Beyond Good and Evil.” “The Antichrist.” A Nietzsche Compendium. Ed.David Taffel. New York: Barnes & Noble, Inc., 2008. 22-30. 385-97. Print.

Nietzsche, Friedrich. “Thus Spoke Tharathustra.” Ed. David Taffel. New York: Barnes & Noble, Inc.,2008. Print.

Pojman, Louis P. "Friedrich Nietzsche." Who Are We?: Theories of Human Nature. Oxford: Oxford UP, 2005. Print.

Wicks, Robert, "Friedrich Nietzsche", The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy (Summer 2010 Edition), Edward N. Zalta (ed.), Web.