Nietzsche’s Philosophy: Decline, Morality, and the Will to Power
Nietzsche’s Critique of Western Philosophy
Friedrich Nietzsche argued that Western European civilization is in steady decline, primarily due to the failure to establish reason for life’s fundamental aspects. He viewed it as a dogmatic society fundamentally opposed to life and the instincts, attempting to impose rationality at all costs.
Nietzsche took the perfect man of Greek tragedy as his prototype, considering that this figure achieved the perfect synthesis between the Apollonian (related to order and form) and the Dionysian (related to irrationality and instincts). In this ideal culture, the Apollonian served the Dionysian, maintaining a perfect correlation. However, this perfect synthesis was broken and postponed in Western culture, leading society to sink into increasing decay.
The Socratic-Platonic Error
The first step in this destructive process was taken by Socrates and Plato. They began to discuss morals and spirit, creating the absolute breaks that undermined the original synthesis. They proposed the practice of virtue, order, and mastery of the passions as the path to happiness.
For Nietzsche, this was the first error and the initial step towards decline. This error paved the way for Christianity, which imposes a morality derived from God, not from life itself. Christianity is seen as the most significant expression of hatred towards life, predicting that the poor and the humble are good, while the rich and powerful are damned.
The Death of God and Modern Substitutes
With the Enlightenment, the “Death of God” began. However, this situation was not exploited to create a new table of values. Instead, the control of instincts continued, now enforced by the power of scientific reason and utilitarianism. Thus, God was replaced by the state and scientific reason.
Historical and Philosophical Context
The era in which the German philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche (1844–1900) lived was marked by the height of nationalism in Europe. He spent most of his life in Germany, Italy, and Switzerland, countries with which he was closely linked.
The Dynamic 19th Century
Historically, the 19th century was dynamic, active, and creative, characterized by numerous discoveries that established the dominance of science and technology. However, the final years of the century presented a profound crisis of certainty regarding spiritual and social matters. This crisis prompted a search for something firm to believe in and a response to the great cultural questions of the time.
The early 19th century marked the beginning of the Era of Science, driven by rising scientific creativity. During this period, several influential philosophical theses arose, including:
- Positivism
- Utilitarianism
- Marxism
These movements shared a common feature: suspicion and denunciation. This included:
- Suspicion of the capitalist system.
- Religious suspicion.
- Suspicion of inherent human goodness.
- Suspicion of traditional Western values.
Opposition to Rationalism: Vitalism and Historicism
In opposition to Positivism and the Hegelian system, two philosophical currents emerged: Historicism and Vitalism. Both argued that the artist is endowed with an ability to understand reality that the scientist lacks, and they excluded reason as the necessary element to explain nature. Nietzsche is considered the most important vitalist, building upon the ideas of Arthur Schopenhauer.
Nietzsche’s Life and Works
Although born into a modest family, Nietzsche’s life was marked by a brilliant academic career. He was appointed professor of classical philology at the University of Basel, where he worked for several years. In 1876, he began a series of trips across Europe, but in 1888, he suffered a mental collapse that led to madness.
His most important works include:
- The Birth of Tragedy
- Twilight of the Idols
- Thus Spake Zarathustra
- The Gay Science
- Beyond Good and Evil
Legacy and Influence
Nietzschean thought remained influential throughout the 20th century. During the Nazi regime, his ideas were manipulated and misused to support their theories. It was only after World War II that many philosophers attempted to rescue his thought from the taint of Nazism. His philosophy also significantly influenced Existentialism, one of the most relevant streams of the 20th century. Today, his theories of the Übermensch (Superman) and the Death of God remain widely discussed and relevant.