He used to stand on his soap-box [metaphorically] and tell us all what to think and believe in, when his own personal life was such a mess. Why does academia indulge in him?
2007-02-10 14:58:15 · 13 answers · asked by J K 2 in Arts & Humanities ➔ Philosophy
“You have your way. I have my way. As for the right way, the correct way, and the only way, it does not exist.”
Friedrich Nietzsche
2007-02-10 15:21:22 · answer #1 · answered by ••Mott•• 6 · 4⤊ 0⤋
Because by doing so we can discover the difference between what is superficial and what is genuine. Nietzsche's thought is so powerful in this regard, so frontal, that it is revelatory. For example, in this sad forum of the superficial, we see hints of genuine consideration in the comments of allegra, **Mott**, and Croa. On the other hand, the superficial comments (n b, Ronin, Restless) reveal awkward benightedness. The latter answerers are not likely capable of the genuine attention that Nietzsche requires.
Here is just one among many reasons we should take serious, genuine, attentive notice of Nietzsche: he gave up a brilliant future in philology to confront, to encounter face-to-face, the most fundamental questions. Is it coincidence that Socrates did something similar when he gave up his enquiries in natural science? ...Nietzsche treated Socrates' logoi very seriously, as if Socrates were a contemporary.
The question is made all the more tiresome by a callow reference to Nietzsche's personal life. It was a mess, was it? In summary, those who are incapable of Nietzsche will take no genuine notice of him, just as they will take no genuine notice of Socrates. For the capable, however, there is no indulgence, considering how it is already found out; the wasteland grows.
*Lily, last time I checked my answer was still here. Interesting...if the above question was about Rousseau, I would have enjoyed the challenge even more. Ha cha cha.
*Now that I've been pegged there's nothing left for me to do but board the UFO that dropped Lily off. The ignominy!
2007-02-11 13:01:51 · answer #2 · answered by Baron VonHiggins 7 · 1⤊ 1⤋
What are you talking about. Nietzsche is far less offensive than most everything that's ever been written (especially if it's been written recently).
Erm. You do realize that he didn't write for the Nazis, don't you. His sister married a Nazi, and after Nietzsche's death, the two allowed the Nazis to pick and choose parts from his works - taking them entirely out of context - and arrange them in their little war pamphlets.
Nietzsche was great. And studying Nietzsche - or anything else, whether it be porn or race relations or drug use - seriously for academic purposes and to contribute to a knowledge base is not "indulgent."
2007-02-10 23:25:42 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
There's no should about it. There's only choice. We have the choice to take notice, or not, of any belief, philosophy or opinion we want to - thank God. Nietzsche's private life has nothing to do with whether or not you appreciate what he had to say. His arguments can still be evaluated on an intellectual level. If his private life detracts from the strength of his message for you, then ok. It's your personal opinion and interesting too. But I guess acedemia "indulges" him because his arguments were so interesting, possibly due to their juxtaposition to his actual life. And we're still discussing them in the 21st century. That says something I think.
2007-02-11 15:45:12 · answer #4 · answered by astrokitty 2 · 2⤊ 0⤋
HOW REVEALING!
Notice that among the respondents, the only big Nietzsche fan (vonhiggins) can't resist categorizing the other respondents into superior and inferior groups. It certainly wasn't necessary for answering the question.
By assuming the role of The Decider, he reveals that he regards himself as an ubermensch.
And that's why we study Nietzsche: so we can recognize the impulse to fascism.
2007-02-11 17:47:31 · answer #5 · answered by Lily 2 · 2⤊ 0⤋
His personal life is only relevant to the extent that it gives us insights to his philosophy.
His concept of the ubermensch (superman) essentially means: Good = Whatever Makes Me Stronger. No God, no morals, no afterlife, and no compassion for the weak.
The Nazis used Nietzche's philosophy, or selected portions of it, to justify enslaving or eliminating "lower" races, subgroups, or individuals.
The Logic:
- if man is evolving from a primitive to a higher state (survival of the fittest),
- and if you are freed from moral restraints,
- why not speed up the evolutionary process?
Nietzsche is still relevant because his argument is seductive, and there will always be potential opportunities for embracing and exploiting his philosophy (or a derivative of it). Genetic engineering, abortion, and euthanasia leap immediately to mind. Or perhaps something more banal, such as policies governing health insurance coverage.
2007-02-11 00:37:46 · answer #6 · answered by Restless 3 · 2⤊ 1⤋
One could use the same argument for any philosopher.
Descartes spent half his life in bed.
Socrates had a thing for boys
etc etc
Edit: A serious Answer
I would say fashion.
in the 1900s Kant, Hegel, Marx and Engels were popular.
in the 1700s Aristotle was flavour of the month.
for me, Nietsche is on the periphery and pretty self indulgent.
Many mistakenly believe there is a strong assoiciation between Nietsche and Hitler and it is a study on many course just for that reason.
Personally i would rather re read Kierkegaard.
2007-02-10 23:02:37 · answer #7 · answered by n b 5 · 6⤊ 2⤋
His childhood abuse left him shame-based, warped and rigid. He clung to "what doesn't kill you makes you stronger" as a means of survival. I've worked with abuse victims that live disabled lives .. there are places where broken worlds don't get mended. Just one of his many flawed theories. Why would anyone chose shame-based rigidity and theorize along those lines? Because it's the known ... the familiar. Nietzsche was not alone in that, thus his appeal.
2007-02-11 02:57:00 · answer #8 · answered by ... 7 · 1⤊ 2⤋
Because he "pulled the curtain back" and showed his readers things that hadn't been put in print before.
I am not a fan of Nietzsche, just a fan of freedom of expression.
2007-02-10 23:09:11 · answer #9 · answered by Croa 6 · 3⤊ 1⤋
by going through the real 'mess' and acknowledging it, such creative people send a soothing message to those who think rn't in any mess, but actually r in a 'messier' condition.
And no-body has a blue print for others, even the genes in you donot contain that!
Still, that u're using this med and questioning like this is because of those messy people who ached to prevent others going messier.
all the best
DIVAS
deevas@hotmail.com
2007-02-10 23:52:11 · answer #10 · answered by Osama bin Laden 2 · 1⤊ 3⤋