Nietzsche’s Philosophy: On Truth, Lies, and Morality
On Truth and Lies in a Nonmoral Sense
Nietzsche’s Separation of Truth and Falsehood
Nietzsche’s work attempts to separate the notions of truth and falsehood in a nonmoral sense. He explores the potential consequences of separating truth from moral judgments (i.e., something can be true regardless of whether it is good or bad). This text presents many of the leading ideas of his philosophy.
The Role of Philosophy
According to Nietzsche, philosophy should be a tool for uncovering truth and combating falsehood. It’s crucial to understand that:
- Everything is grounded in the facts of the physical world.
- True feelings of the human heart must be recognized.
Genealogy of Morals
Anti-Life Thinking in the 19th Century
Nietzsche observed that the thinking prevalent in the latter half of the 19th century seemed radically opposed to life. This included:
- Systematic suppression of the body.
- Repression of feelings and desires.
- Overvaluation of an alleged afterlife.
Nietzsche questioned how such a life-denying and ultimately false system of values could have been established.
Uncovering the Origins of Morality
Nietzsche used a genealogical approach (as seen in his work *On the Genealogy of Morality*) to study the historical development and imposition of moral values. He identified three main culprits:
- Moralists
- Socrates
- Plato’s metaphysics and religious leaders
Nietzsche contrasted these figures with Christ, metaphorically describing his own philosophy as a “philosophy with a hammer.”
Critique of Slave Morality
Two Types of Morality in Classical Greece
Nietzsche believed that two distinct types of morality coexisted in ancient Greece:
- Master Morality (Moral of the Hero): This morality identifies the human being with their body, embracing aristocratic values like strength, ambition, and willpower. It doesn’t concern itself with an afterlife. Its symbols include Achilles and Dionysus.
- Slave Morality: This morality distinguishes between body and soul, identifying the human with the latter. It embraces communal values like solidarity, modesty, and pacifism, and believes in the soul’s survival after death. Its symbol is Apollo.
The Influence of Classical Tragedy
Classical tragedy exemplified the fusion of these two moralities:
- The actors represented reason and balance (Apollo).
- The chorus embodied feelings and desires (Dionysus).
The gradual shift in emphasis towards the chorus symbolized the triumph of slave morality over master morality.
Socrates and the Rise of Slave Morality
Nietzsche attributed this shift to Socrates, who believed:
- The soul is the true human nature.
- The body is the prison of the soul.
- The soul is immortal.
- It is better to be the victim than the executioner.
Nietzsche viewed Socrates’ philosophy as life-denying and therefore morally wrong, as it led to the rejection of life as the supreme value.
Critique of Metaphysics
Plato’s Metaphysical Foundation for Slave Morality
Socrates’ ideas gained significant traction due to the metaphysical framework provided by Plato:
- Theory of Ideas: This theory posits the existence of two worlds, with the more important one being beyond our senses.
- Theory of Recollection: This theory explains the soul’s immortality as the reason for our ability to grasp abstract ideas.
Flaws in Platonic Metaphysics
Nietzsche identified two key flaws in Plato’s metaphysics:
- Obsession with Immutability: Plato viewed unchanging things as more real than those subject to change.
- Obsession with Abstract Concepts: Nietzsche saw abstract concepts as mere reflections of the concrete reality of the material world.
Nietzsche considered most philosophers to be following in Plato’s footsteps, perpetuating the philosophical basis for slave morality. Only Heraclitus, with his emphasis on constant change, escaped this criticism.
Criticism of Religion
Christianity as a Simplified Metaphysics
Nietzsche viewed Christianity as a simplified version of Plato’s metaphysics, accessible to the masses. He saw its falsity demonstrated by history, particularly since the Renaissance:
- During the Middle Ages, God was central to morality, politics, and science.
- Since the Renaissance, God’s influence has gradually diminished.
Nietzsche famously proclaimed, “God is dead and we have killed him,” highlighting the decline of religious belief in Western society.
Nihilism and the Superman
The Aftermath of God’s Death
The death of God leaves humanity without the moral support of slave morality, resulting in nihilism – a lack of belief and values. However, Nietzsche believed this state couldn’t last indefinitely.
A New Morality: The Superman and Eternal Recurrence
Nietzsche proposed a new morality centered on the concepts of the Superman and Eternal Recurrence:
- The Superman: Individuals should strive to become Supermen, embracing life and exercising their will to power without the constraints of slave morality.
- Eternal Recurrence: The Superman’s defining characteristic is the desire for eternal recurrence – a love for life so profound that they would willingly relive everything exactly as it happened, even knowing this desire would never be fulfilled.