Nietzsche’s Key Concepts
1. Dionysian and Apollonian
These concepts are derived from the Greek gods Apollo (god of the sun, a symbol of moderation, harmony, and serenity) and Dionysus (god of wine, a symbol of passion, sensuality, and the lust for life). Nietzsche viewed these as different facets of the human spirit. “Apollonian” refers to the harmonious, luminous, and serene, as opposed to the passionate, enthusiastic, and dark component represented by Dionysus.
These concepts represent two contradictory aspects of the human soul: the Dionysian spirit abandons itself to outbursts and impulses; the Apollonian spirit channels thought within the orderly, balanced, and harmonious. The Dionysian individual lives life passionately, as a game or adventure, engaging all five senses. The Apollonian individual, by contrast, leads a rational and orderly life.
2. Innocence of Becoming
Traditional philosophy often rejects the changing nature of things, pursuing an ideal of a higher, immutable reality. For Nietzsche, the “innocence of becoming” is the understanding of reality free from external legal orders. Law and order, imposed on a changing world, lead to its denial. Embracing evolution means accepting the world as it appears to us, rather than how reason dictates it should be. The innocence of becoming is a behavior beyond good and evil; it is the acceptance of change and appearances, rejecting the human vanity that seeks absolute truths and values. Only with the “death of God” can one live without absolutes, in the innocence of becoming.
3. Nihilism
Nihilism is a philosophical attitude that denies any inherent value to existence. Nietzsche’s concept of nihilism is complex:
- Nihilism as Decadence: Western culture is nihilistic because it directs its hopes towards something nonexistent (God), neglecting the reality of the senses. In Thus Spoke Zarathustra, this is represented by the camel, a symbol of resigned acceptance of burdens.
- Active Nihilism: This philosophy exposes dominant values as inventions. Nietzsche’s philosophy is nihilistic in this sense, proposing the destruction of existing values and their replacement with new ones (the “transvaluation of all values”). This nihilism is necessary for the emergence of a new morality and the “superman.” In Thus Spoke Zarathustra, this is represented by the lion (symbolizing aggressiveness and destructive capacity).
- Passive Nihilism: Passive nihilism believes in no values because it considers values possible only if God exists. This despair of life arises from the belief that life can only be grounded in something external, and that foundation does not exist.
4. Apparent World vs. Real World
Nietzsche criticized Platonism, which divides reality into two worlds: a real world (accessible through reason, immutable, and objective) and an apparent world (perceived by the senses, changing, and subjective). For Plato, the real world belongs to eternity and is associated with good and the soul, while the apparent world is associated with birth and death, evil, and the body. Nietzsche viewed Platonism as a product of language, seeking substances where there is only evolving life. Only those with low vitality believe in a transcendent world. Western culture invents a “real world” to find consolation in the face of the Dionysian world.
The artist’s preference for appearance over the “real world” does not align them with metaphysics or Christianity. The tragic artist embraces appearance by affirming the awfulness of life; they are Dionysian. In “How the ‘Real World’ at last Became a Fable,” Nietzsche argues that once the “real world” is lost, we are left with the apparent world, and must start anew.