Nietzsche’s Critique of Philosophy, Morality, and Science
“The future is, being becomes.”
M. Sensible: Change, variety, individuality.
M. Ideas: Immutability, unity, universality, knowable, Intel.
Critique of Philosophers
Nietzsche criticizes dogmatic philosophers. He argues that critical philosophy, based on Platonism, introduced two durable and dangerous misconceptions: the “pure spirit” (soul) and the “idea of good.” Both have led to a denial of what he considered the “truth” of being, distancing human beings from life. Nietzsche’s criticism of philosophers can be seen in three directions:
Criticism of Morality
Nietzsche refers to morality as “contra-nature,” opposing life by establishing laws against its instincts. Platonic-Christian morality condemns these instincts, placing the moral center of gravity in the “afterlife,” the “world of ideas.” His criticism is embodied in the idea of a moral world order, a symptom of decadence (Nihilism (denial of all that preaches a higher end without a verifiable explanation)). Christianity becomes a “metaphysics of the hangman” – even if you are free, misbehaving leads to divine punishment. The moral order is justified by the concept of God. For Nietzsche, the best moral is the exaltation of life in its development from the perspective of the future.
Criticism of Traditional Metaphysics
Nietzsche argues that traditional metaphysics rests on a fundamental error: the belief in the antithesis of values. Philosophers have believed that the most valuable things are different from terrestrial origin, which is ephemeral. Higher values derive from God, “another world;” therefore, they have invented this “other world.” His critique is divided into two parts:
- Ontological: Considering the self as something fixed and stable. Nietzsche argues that to possess the truth about being, a distinction is made between the “real” (which we know nothing about) and the “apparent” (the world we perceive, deemed unreal). This separation is a negative judgment, placing more weight on the intelligible world than the sensible world. This ontology stems from philosophers’ prejudices (fear of death, etc.).
- Epistemological: Dealing with the definition of knowledge and philosophical problems surrounding the theory of knowledge. Nietzsche believes concepts are used to express a multitude of things that are never identical. Every word becomes a “concept” when it fails to serve the living “original” to which it owes its origin. Truth is a set of generalizations, hopes that custom has imposed. Nietzsche prioritizes learning the language of reality and makes the usual fixed. He questions whether we are being tricked by language.
Criticism of Science
Nietzsche focuses on the idea of the mathematization of reality. The mathematical model of nature is based on quantity and tends toward homogenization, reducing everything to a number. He considers this a serious mistake.