Plato vs. Nietzsche: A Comparison of Their Philosophical Ideas
Plato vs. Nietzsche: A Comparison
Radical Opposition
Plato and Nietzsche represent a radical opposition, especially since Nietzsche developed his thinking in open opposition to Platonic philosophy. Nietzsche believed that Socrates and Plato perverted philosophical knowledge by dividing reality in two, rejecting the senses and physicality, prioritizing the abstract over the important, and disparaging the concrete and material.
Valuation of the Senses
The valuation of the senses differs significantly between the two philosophers. While Plato believed that the senses only grant access to reflections and shadows of reality, Nietzsche maintained that true knowledge comes exclusively from the senses. Plato’s contempt for the senses stemmed from the belief in the possibility of accessing rational knowledge. Conversely, Nietzsche’s contempt for the senses translated into a contempt for the world and a nihilistic worldview.
True Knowledge
Plato argued that true knowledge can only be achieved through reason and the exercise of dialectic at an abstract level. Nietzsche, on the other hand, viewed abstract reason as an empty exercise because abstractions only exist in the mind. He argued that we interact with the material world, not with abstractions.
Language and Reality
In the dialogue Cratylus, Plato demonstrated that ideas can be achieved through the exercise of language. He posited that language and reality share a common logical structure, implying that understanding language leads to understanding reality. Nietzsche countered that language, as we know it, carries inherent metaphysics and a specific conception of reality. He believed that language prioritizes the unchanging over the changing, promotes the idea of the real existence of abstract concepts, and devalues the concrete and real.
One World or Two?
Nietzsche rejected Plato’s division of reality into two worlds: the sensible and the world of ideas. He asserted that there is only one world, the material world we inhabit. Platonic ontology considers the true to be that which does not change, while Nietzsche, aligning with Heraclitus, viewed reality as changing, mutable, and dynamic, thus rejecting the idea of permanence.
The World of Ideas and Christianity
In Nietzschean terms, the world of ideas is an afterlife, an invented reality presented as true and used to judge the actual, material reality. This other world is akin to the “paradise” and the God of Christianity, which, according to Nietzsche, reworked Plato’s philosophy into a message for the poor.
Good and Evil
Nietzsche regarded good and evil not as moral criteria but as elements of power embedded in language. For Plato, the good, specifically the Idea of Good, was the center of his ontology and the enabler of both being and truth.
Social and Political Views
Both Plato and Nietzsche held critical views of democracy. Nietzsche expressed contempt for the working class and their political articulation, believing they sought to restrict the possibilities of those who had developed their skills. Plato believed that the masses were driven by base instincts and easily swayed by demagogues. He advocated for excluding the common people from government, while Nietzsche believed that society should be configured to benefit the elite, not the masses.
Nietzsche’s Enduring Influence
Language as a Construct
Much of twentieth-century philosophy is indebted to Nietzsche’s thought. He introduced the idea that language is not cognitively or ontologically neutral. Nietzsche argued that language conveys a constructed form of reality that does not necessarily correspond to actual reality.
Master Morality vs. Slave Morality
Nietzsche’s reflections on morality, particularly his concept of master morality versus slave morality, have resonated with many thinkers. Post-Nietzschean morality, according to this view, should not aim to impose a lesser scale of values but rather a higher scale of risks in life, rejecting the humility and seclusion of slave morality.
The Validity of Plato’s Thought
Enduring Importance
Throughout the history of philosophy, Plato’s figure and thought have been undeniably important. Alfred North Whitehead famously stated that all of Western philosophy is but a series of footnotes to Plato. Platonic schools existed from antiquity to the Renaissance. However, since the emergence of modern thought, Plato’s influence has waned.