PHIL304: Existentialism

4a. Analyze the main existentialist themes in Nietzsche's philosophy

• What are the main existential themes in Nietzsche's philosophy?
• How does Nietzsche criticize the history of philosophy?

Friedrich Nietzsche (1844–1900) was an unapologetic critic of culture, society, religion, and philosophical dogma, which made him stand out from other philosophers throughout history. Nietzsche criticized the tendency of Western philosophy to be universalistic and rational. He explored existential themes involving truth, authenticity, subjectivity, and freedom.
 
​​According to Nietzsche, there is no such thing as universal truth – in his pursuit of truth, he values suspicion and skepticism over rationalism. His focus is on subjective individuality and the dangers of being absorbed into the herd and losing "freedom", and rejecting all of the usual crutches people lean on to escape responsibility. Personal experience and acting on one's own convictions lead to truth. Individuals must be strong enough to create meaning for themselves, unlike the common herd whose sense of purpose and meaning lies entirely in conformity to rules; the great people are those who "re-evaluate all values".
 
To review, see Friedrich Nietzsche and Nietzsche's Life and Works.
 

4b. Explain Nietzsche's critique of metaphysics

• What is Nietzsche's view about human reason?
• What is Nietzsche's criticism of metaphysics?
• How does Nietzsche's view of rationality relate to religious belief?

Nietzsche believed his philosophical predecessors were wrong to place so much faith in human reason. Their trust involved an implicit and explicit belief that knowledge is universal, or the same, at all times and places, for everyone. He believed that studying metaphysics, a branch of philosophy concerned with the nature of reality that grapples with abstract concepts, such as substance, God, and mind, did not focus enough on understanding our fundamental life struggles and the human drive to endure. In other words, traditional metaphysics lacked existential concerns.
 
Nietzsche was also concerned that the history of metaphysics describes a history of rationalizing theological, particularly Christian, dogma. He argued that using philosophical principles to justify and support religious belief was illogical.
 
To review, see Nietzsche and the Crisis in Philosophy and The Life of Friedrich Nietzsche.
 

4c. Summarize Nietzsche's idea of power

• How does Nietzsche use his story about the camel, the lion, and the child as an allegory to show how individuals can propel themselves beyond nihilism to a flourishing life that can realize the will to power?
• What does Nietzsche mean by a will to power?
• What does Nietzsche mean by the noble soul?

Nietzsche believes that human nature has a will to live, a constant striving to advance, a motion that both creates and destroys. He argues that the death of God results in nihilism, but there are three metamorphoses in his book Thus Spoke Zarathustra that demonstrates this will to live and flourish. Human beings can transform themselves from a camel (an obedient soul that carries and comes to resent its burdens) to a lion (a free spirit who is free from the past, tradition, and authority), to a child (who wills its own will, knows the joy of life, and enjoys the innocence of perpetual creation). This spiritual transformation characterizes Nietzsche's vision of a flourishing life.
 
Nietzsche's will to power refers to the human desire to assert domination or mastery over others, oneself, or the environment. The will to power Nietzsche describes can be beneficial or hurtful and describes a certain ambition, endeavor to achieve, or striving for excellence. For example, a philosopher or scientist directs their will to power to find the truth, an artist channels a will to create, and a businessman works to become rich.
 
In The Gay Science (1882), Nietzsche wrote that a noble soul has reverence for itself. He writes:

To review, see Self-Surpassing and The Will to Power.
 

4d. Describe Nietzsche's theory of morality

• What role do Apollo and Dionysus play in Nietzsche's thinking about morality?
• What is master and slave morality?
• What is the Übermensch (the Overman)?

According to Nietzsche, Apollo and Dionysus represent conflicting creative powers and principles of creation: the continuous dialectic, or logical discussion, of creation versus destruction. Apollonian creation is rational, while Dionysian creation (Bacchanalian creation) revels in the sensuous feeling which destroys rationality. They represent two oppositional powers, two kinds of contrasting art, that conflict in human life. Insofar as Greek tragedy envisions this conflict, affirming life in the face of individual destruction, Nietzsche sees a way for us to live: life becomes art. Hence, we "have our greatest dignity in our meaning as works of art".
 
The history of this process is the Overman (Übermensch) who creates values and lives life as a work of art: creation in the face of destruction. When he creates values, the Overman expresses himself. This individual contrasts with the person who accepts traditional ideas about reality and the good life, such as the Christian. This individual has goodness and values all wrong.
 
What is good, what is valuable, is not self-sacrifice for the greater good or doing one's duty for the sake of a moral principle. Rather, "good" is "the noble, the powerful, the superior, and the high-minded". In short, what is good, what is rightfully valued, is the morality of the "master". This is the individual who affirms life; the "slave" who exhibits traditional values denies it.
 
To review, see On Truth and Lies in a Nonmoral Sense, Nietzsche's Übermensch, and On the Genealogy of Morals.
 

4e. Explain Nietzsche's theory of eternal recurrence

• How does Nietzsche characterize the possibility of eternal recurrence or an endless life loop?

Imagine reliving every moment of your life for eternity. Nietzche, in this thought experiment or contemplation, encourages us to consider eternal recurrence, or "the greatest weight", because it forces us to confront how we live our lives in every moment. Nietzsche encouraged his readers to find inspiration to affirm life rather than wallow in timidity and regret. This concept of eternal return is of considerable existential import.
 
To review, see The Gay Science, God Is Dead and We Have Killed Him, Søren Kierkegaard and Friedrich Nietzsche, and The Gay Science.
 

Unit 4 Vocabulary

Be sure you understand these terms as you study for the final exam. Try to think of the reason why each term is included.

• Apollonian creation
• Dionysian creation
• dogma
• eternal recurrence
• Friedrich Nietzsche
• metaphysics
• noble soul
• Overman (Übermensch)
• Thus Spoke Zarathustra
• will to power