Nietzsche Beyond Good and Evil: Scope of Philosophy

Motivational Analysis

'most of a philosophers conscious thinking is secretly guided and channelled into particular tracks by his instincts'
values are 'psychological demands for the preservation of a particular kind of life'

'all animals strive instinctively for an optimum combinaion of favourable conditions which allow them to expend all their energy and echieve their maximum feeling of power'
different types of people are drawn to different types of life
different values support different ways of life
on basis of these interpretations of values people come to hold dif phil views

Philosophy and Values

moral aims of a philosophy are the seed from which the whole theory grows
philosophers seek resons to support their pre-existing commitment to 'a rarefied and abstract version of their hearts desire'
'How are synthetic a priori judgements possible?'
Kant says such judgements are possible because we have a faculty that makes them possible - flawed theory
should look at a persons values for an explanation of why they hold these beliefs
Hume and Nietzsche both argue theres no rational explanation of many of our beliefs - try to find source of these beliefs outside/beyond reason
Hume - imagination and principle of 'Custom'
Nietzsche - motivation and the bewitchment of language
philosophy isnt driven by a will to truth
philosophy interprets the world in terms of the philosophers values
stoics - we should live accoring to nature - they interpret nature by their own values

Philosophers' values: the 'ascetic ideal' and the 'will to truth'

if philosophical beliefs rest on values - values are expresions of power - philosophica beliefs are an indirect expression of power
philosophy requires lifestyle of contemplation and ascetism
ascetism - self discipline and refusal to indulge bodily desires
philosophers find it difficult if surrounded by culture of action and values that support these activites
protect their lifestyle by arguing there are transcendent values of the mind that are greater than values of the body and world of action
they max their feeling of power over themselves (ascetism) and others
philosophy is wrong to think its an expression of will to truth as other values come into play
discovery of truth at any cost involves a guiding value thats an expression of the ascetic ideal - elevates mind over body & expresses will to bear the cost of truth
what is the value of truth? why do we prefer truth to untruth?
we dont but we say we do - hold truth to be of value even if we dont always act according to that value
paradox - nietzsche wants to know the truth about the will to truth
will to truth originates in self-deception
it presents itself as driven only by the value of truth but its part of a set of balues that seek to protect conditions in which certain types of people can live the kind of life that maxs their feeling of power

Get Revising