Well i have alot to reply to and i'm not very good at writing long posts ...
I guess I should remind you guys that unlike many phloisophers freddie's philosophy is much more gradniose and romantic and not so much as rational as people like russel or wittgenstein, so it's hard to say there is a "true" version of what the ubermench or any of his concepts.
Also never got my hands on the gay science but i sure hope to read "thus spoke zarathustra " soon.
with that in mind...
I pretty much agree with steph that the whole point on the experiment is just to see whether you are content with your life, according to Nietzsche the ubermensch must affirm this life which ties with his despise for plato and christianity on what he percives is their attempt to escape the world and it's suffering(to the metaphsyical realm and heaven respectively).
 Originally Posted by StephL
Ah - HeWhoShapes - did you see me cite this here
Actually no, learned about it here: Introduction to Nietzsche - YouTube (very good channel btw).
 Originally Posted by StephL
First off - and I don't want to spend hours on demonstrating it, well, depends on who asks how - but it's not Nietzsche's fault, that the Nazis found a liking to some of his concepts. While his lifetime, there were no Nazis yet of course. After his death, his sister and her husband, a Nazi, manipulated some of his work, and if I remember correctly, this could be identified and nullified. What is in my memory, is that he was not antisemitic at all, but Wagner was, by the way. I believe to have read a quote of Nietzsche's, where he actually condemns anti-Semitism. As said, if you wanted to roll that up in detail and depth, I might go ahead and put effort into it, like I did quite a long while back in order to convince somebody else - with sources and success. He was indeed quite misogynistic, though, no denying that - but it doesn't keep me off finding wisdom in what little I read of his, nor off admiring the beauty of his language, which I find to even shine through in translation.
I am aware the nazis borrowed from his concepts even though he wasn't an antisemite, just goes to show how people interpet him differenlty...
Also i'm not sure wagner was influenced by freddie but schophenhauer definately influenced him.
Not sure if he's misogynistic but he never really got along with women...
 Originally Posted by StephL
Here the full version of this demon-thought-experiment, including the last passage, which I view as pretty crucial to understanding his point
Damn i was looking for the full quote! thanks for that btw!
 Originally Posted by StephL
It's impossible to live all of your life in such a permanent awareness of purpose, that would indeed be "Über" - beyond the abilities of a human being - but you can view it as something to take a measure of yourself with, an ideal. Imagine how your life would be like, if you managed to hold yourself up to the standard of non-regrettability! It is a glorious idea, it also made me think of how easy it is to just let life drag you along with it sometimes, but how every single moment is indeed a chance to take the steering wheel and realize your potential, view your opportunities not as something to wait for, but as something to shape and build yourself.
that's pretty much the concept of the ubermensch for him, a person who has overcome ALL his flaws, makes the best out of life and affirms and savors it till the end!
 Originally Posted by ViIe
I don't agree with either option. The only person you should believe in is yourself. If you truly accept yourself then you'll realize loneliness is a delusion you yourself has created.
Well Nietzsche would really disagree with you on that, believing and accepting in your self is fine, but in a sense it almost seems like throwing in the towel. You must always improve your self!! never ending growth for Nietzsche is the only way one can perfect himself and come close to the ubermensch!
 Originally Posted by StephL
Going by the "provocative title", I suppose it's about "checking Nietzsche out", "feeling his pulse" - to try to understand him and come to an opinion, including coming to an understanding of the infamous "Übermensch" concept.
Would be nice to know, where in "Gay Science" this piece is located, and to see the connection to that term, of which HeWhoShapes talked in the OP.
I'm not familiar with this topic, actually, but what I definitively know, is that "Übermensch" is not meant as a certain sort of human, let alone defined by race, but it is a theoretical construct of an entity, who's capabilities exceed those of any and all human beings. So no actual human can possibly be an ÜM.
I'm interested myself, so when HWS comes back, it might be fascinating to look into this ÜM thing in some depth, I can't pull it out of my behind, what it means and entails just now, needed to read up on it. 
Well yeah, I did say this is only a very tiny part of his philospohy! I think I was trying to only give a bit of Nietzsche and hope you dilligently fill the rest!(which u definately did steph!)
 Originally Posted by ViIe
I am fairly certain Nietzsche is an atheist and I still think we're on the same page toward the latter. The conclusion I came to when reading HeWhoShapes post was also the same empowering and being content with your life. However, the thread intention is what I am trying to understand correctly. I presented another perspective this can be perceived as and I am trying to confirm this is not what he or others who agree meant when comprehending Nietzsche message. I just want to make sure HeWhoShapes interpret in people being empowered and content with their lives because of themselves and not anyone else interference. The original poster never explained exactly why this makes you the higher man in his opinion and this is why I am curious to know how he interpret this concept. I'm not sure if he thought if he put his opinion about it, it would somewhat ruin the thought experiment. But I am sure it wont always be comprehended in the same way.
Well, what makes a higher man is self improvement!(what fredrich called "self overcoming") the more you are aware of you human, all too human flaws and try to overcome them, you are becoming a higher man and getting closer to being the ubermensch!(although according to Nietzsche probably no one can be a true ubermensch).
The reason the latter choice makes you the higher man is that despite the suffering, misery and sadness you had(and will have) in your life, you still affirm it and think it was a good life, the point here is to look at your decisions not with regret but say"yeah, i'm glad i made those choices". THAT is life affirmation! that is Nietzsche's noble ideal!
 Originally Posted by ViIe
Perhaps you may be correct on how it is easier to understand Nietzsche and Zarathusta message in the German language than it is in English. Translations most often remove a person form of characteristics on their form of writing in to a more clear and yet misguided statement. Combine that with poetry with a concept like this and I am sure it can pave way toward confusion. I think this has been confirm since you have also pick up on this from reading the same phrases in different languages.
I think so too, I read that the english translations aren't always spot on, let's hope the hebrew ones are better!
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