Nietzsche’s Philosophy: Nihilism, Superman, and Western Critique
Nihilism is not merely a philosophical doctrine but a peculiar movement within the history of Western culture. It distinguishes between negative nihilism (following the ‘death of God,’ where there are no values or a supreme Almighty God; a denial of any inherent value) and positive nihilism (involving the revaluation of values and transmutation; an exaltation of the life force).
Stages of Nihilism
Nihilism progresses through three major stages:
Moment of Doubt
A consequence of the destruction of previously dominant values.
Moment of Reflection
Human beings distance themselves from Western culture and tradition.
Time of Reassessment
This brings a new perspective on being, reality, and even humanity itself.
Humanity is not an end in itself; it was once considered miserable, despising the earth and the body as mere means. Yet, humanity is a bridge between beast and the Übermensch (Superman). Far from being static or immobile, humanity is endowed with enormous creative capacity. Its will allows it to transcend all moral values to which it was subjected, leading to a new morality.
The Übermensch (Superman)
The Übermensch is profoundly concerned with life. His consciousness aligns with nature: what is good promotes life, and what is harmful is bad. The Übermensch affirms hierarchies among individuals, believing that absolute equality only leads to a moral ‘flock of slaves’.
The Übermensch lives true to the earth, embracing life as an experiment (a continuous creation and development of possibilities). They embrace the future. Their will to power (mastery) is a direct consequence of the desire to live. They embrace the concept of the eternal recurrence (due to a thirst for immortality, life is seen as a circle where events, though seemingly ending, repeat eternally). However, this concept can lead to a contempt for the present moment if one does not strive to make this life worth living.
Nietzsche’s Critique of Western Culture and Vitalism
Nietzsche critiques decadent Western culture, which he sees as opposed to life and natural instincts, determined instead to establish rationality. Nietzsche offers a profound critique of morality, metaphysics (in both its ontological and epistemological aspects), and the positive sciences.
Life is the core of his philosophy, and Nietzsche seeks to provide a new morality based on vital affirmation. He posits two fundamental impulses that constitute human reality: the Apollonian, which represents the values of reason and symbolizes the orderly, coherent, and rational; and the Dionysian, which embodies vital values and symbolizes the overflowing joy of living, disorder, and chaos. Classical Greek tragedy harmonized the Apollonian and Dionysian. However, with Socrates and Plato, Nietzsche argues, began the failure to balance these, as Apollonian values were imposed over Dionysian ones.
Critique of Traditional Morality
The main fault of traditional morality, for Nietzsche, is its anti-naturalness (it goes against life). It places the center of gravity of human existence not in this life, but in an ‘other world’ of ideas. This ‘other life’ creates a feeling of guilt and resentment towards earthly existence. Such morality is only possible if one imagines a transcendent being outside the world, who directs the history of humanity.
Nietzsche distinguishes two kinds of morality:
Morality of the Masters
Characteristic of the Übermensch, it embraces life and the will to power.
Morality of the Slaves
This involves the revaluation of values, emphasizing concepts like pain, humility, and pity.
For Nietzsche, the weak, through their ‘slave morality,’ have historically managed to impose their values on the strong. To overcome this decline in the West, the Übermensch must emerge, free from religious bondage and all Catholic dogmatism.
Critique of Positive Sciences and the Death of God
Nietzsche criticizes the positive sciences for attempting to mathematize reality and gain control over it. While this helps us to know things, it only establishes a quantitative relationship with them, missing deeper truths.
The traditional vision of God (as a transcendent and supreme universal law) was being replaced by new ideas. The ‘death of God’ is a metaphor expressing the demise of absolute, immutable truths. It signifies the death of the monotheistic God, the God of metaphysics.
For Nietzsche, the idea of God is what impedes humanity from becoming the Übermensch. God is seen as the great objection against life (life, for Nietzsche, truly begins where the ‘kingdom of God’ ends). By ‘killing’ God, humanity redeems the world. The Übermensch, then, takes the place of God.