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NietzscheandSartreNietzscheonTeleologyNietzsche’sCritiqueofChristianitySartreonHumanNatureThickvs.ThinConceptionsofNatureNietzsche•Nietzshe,PlatoandAristotle•Naturalvs.SupernaturalValues•Nietzsche’sCritiqueofFaith,Hope&Love•AnEvaluationofNietzsche’sCritiqueNietzsche,PlatoandAristotleTeleologyinNietzsche•Nietzsche,likePlatoandAristotle,hasateleologicalconceptionofhumannature.•Thefinalcause,naturalend=acompletelife,livedaccordingtoinstinct&naturalwisdomEvidencesofteleology1.Contrastbetweenhealthandsickness,advancinglifeanddecadence.–Appliedtoourmental,spirituallife,aswellastoordinaryphysiology.–ComparePlato'suseofthesamemetaphorintheGorgias.2.Humanlifeisguidedbyinstincts,drives,whosepurposeistomoveustowardacomplete,fullyhumanexistence.NietzscheontheClassicalVirtues•ThewordvirtueinGreek(arete)andLatinhasameaningthatisn'tlimitedtomorality.Anykindofstrengthorcompetency(likeintelligence,wit,strength,endurance)wouldcountasavirtue.•Moralvirtuesarethosevirtuesthatconcernone'scharacter,one'scapacityforrationalchoiceandaction.SevencardinalvirtuesNatural:–Courage–Temperance(self-control,moderation)–Practicalwisdom(prudence)–JusticeSupernatural:–Faith–Hope–Love(charity)Nietzsche’sAttitude•Nietzschesaysnothingagainstthenaturalvirtues.Infact,herepeatedlyaffirmsthem.–Example:N.'sattitudetowardmarriage(p.104).Theessenceofmarriageistheindissolublebondbetweenman&woman.•Hisattackisrestrictedtothesupernatural(Christian)virtues.Faith,Hope&Charity•Faith=unreason,dogmatism•Hope=other-worldiness,denialofsenses,body•Love=equality,pity,rejectionofdistinction,hierarchy&authorityFaith•N.seesthedisciplineoffaithasbeingdestructiveofreason&science.•Trainsustobelievethingswecannotverifyorunderstand.•Thescientificmindisbasedindoubt,inindependencefromtraditionandauthority.Hope•Thehopeforeternallifecausesadevaluationofthislife.•Necessarilyresultsinhostilitytopleasure,especiallysexualpleasure.•Thefictionofeternallifeisrootedinahatredoftheactualworld.ConsequencesofOtherworldinessHealthandearthlylifearedenied,denigrated:–Denyyourself–Takeupyourcross–Crucifythefleshanditsdesires–Ifyoureyeoffendsyou,pluckitoutLove•Unconditional,universalloveobliteratesalldistinctions.Nullifiesallprinciplesofselectivity:integrity,intelligence,manliness,pride,beautyandliberalityofheart•Thisleadstothepoliticalidealsofdemocracyandequality,bywhichthestrongarehobbledbythemasses.Pity•Pityenablestheweakandsicklytosurvive,andmakestheirweaknesscontagious.TheconceptofpowerinNietzsche•Notsimplyidenticaltopoliticalpower,orthedominationofothers•ComparethetreatmentoftruepowerinPlato'sGorgiasandinBoethius.•Power=thecapacitytolivewell.Powervs.PoliticalPower•Politicalpowerisneithernecessarynorsufficientforpower:•Notnecessary:acreativelonercanbepowerful,eventhoughpolitics,sociallifeareavoided.•Notsufficient:apoliticianwhorulesbybeinginoffensive,likeable,demogoguiccanbelackingintruepower.PowerinPolitics•However,powercanbeexercisedinthepoliticalsphere.•Whenitis,thepowerfulhumanwillberealistic,cunning,masterful,authoritative.•LikeMachiavelli'sidealprince.EvaluationofNietzsche'sCritique•G.K.Chesterton:Christianvaluesareattackedforoppositereasons.•E.g.,Nietzschevs.post-modernmulticulturalist.ContrastingCritiquesNietzscheMulticulturalistEffeminate,emasculatingSexist,patriarchalDestroysdistinctionsElitist,anti-egalitarianDestroyshierarchiesSustainshierarchyFavorspoor,weakFavorsrich,strongIrrationalLogocentric,worshipsreasonFaith•Christianshavebeenextremerationalists,extremeirrationalists,andeverythinginbetween.•Rationalism:Aquinas,Leibniz•Thosewhoemphasizethetensionsbetweenfaithandreason:–Tertullian,Luther,Kierkegaard.Faithvs.Reason•EveninTertullian&Luther,reasonisencouragedasgoodinitself,badonlywheninconflictwithfaith.•Kierkegaard:faithpresupposesavigorous,activereason,anddoesnotdamageit.Hope&ThisWorld•Again,wefindabroadspectrum.•Someextremeasceticism:desertfathersinEgypt.•Forthemostpart:moderation.•Example:theSongofSongs,apoeticcelebrationofphysicalloveinBible.Doeshopeforeternitynecessarilydevaluethislife?•Kierkegaardarguedthattheoppositeistrue.•Thedoublemovementoffaith:firstawayfromthisworld,andthenbacktoit.•EverythingwedotakesoninfinitesignificancebecausedonecoramDei(inthepresenceof,andforthegloryof,God).Eternityvs.EternalRecurrence•Withouthopeforeternity,thisworldbecomesmeaningless,insignificant.•Nietzscherecognizedthisproblem,andtriedtocopewithitthroughhismythofeternalrecurrence.•Everythingthathappenswillhappenoverandoveragaininfinitelyoften.So,youractionstakeoninfinitesignificance.ProblemforEternalRecurrence•But--thepathnottakennowwillpresumablybetakeninfinitelyoftenalso--soeverythingisleveledout.•Itdoesn’tmatterwhichpathIchoosethistime--theywillallbechoseninfinitelyoften.Love&Inequality•MainstreamChristiantheologyseekstomaintainbothanultimateequalityandaprovisional,this-worldlyinequality.•Allhumansareofequal(infinite)value,butwehaveunequalfunctionsandstatusinthisworld.Slavery&Christianity•Thisiswhyslaverywasadifficultanddisputedquestion.•Haditbeenreadilyjustifiedandaccepted,thepost