Why did Nietzsche criticize Plato and Descartes?

Question

What were Nietzsche's objections of the traditional philosophy that Plato and Descartes talked about? Reading Nietzsche really got me confused on his views of them.

Answer 1

Nietzsche saw the philosophical bent started by Socrates and popularized by Plato as a kind of degeneration of the once-proud Athenians. He talks specifically about why this is in a section of "Twilight of the Idols" (link 1).

What you have to keep in mind is that Nietzsche believes that human passions are natural. They are a state of our being, as real and undeniable as the Sun or the Moon. For us they can be a source of great power and also a source of great weakness. Those people who would deny their passions and pretend they do not exist can, to him, only be the weakest of men who cannot reap the benefits and are jealous of those who do (link 2, also from Twilight, is a section about these 'anti-Nature' moralities).

It is in this kind of mold that Nietzsche casts Socrates and his followers. They are men who adored reason and argument and denied passions as valid. And to him, that is a REVERSAL of the proper order.

Which is not to say that Niezsche thinks reason has no place. He just does not see it as the way the universe is run. If you are trapped in a tiger cage, you cannot present a well-reasoned argument to a beast about why it should let you live. You must desire life more than the tiger does. It is WILL that uses reason as a tool... and without it reason is pointless.

Hope that helps!

Answer 2

This Site Might Help You.

RE:
Why did Nietzsche criticize Plato and Descartes?
What were Nietzsche's objections of the traditional philosophy that Plato and Descartes talked about? Reading Nietzsche really got me confused on his views of them.

Answer 3

Nietzsche And Plato

Answer 4

A bit advanced question in philosophy. Sorry.