By With his concepts of superman and eternal recurrence, among others, Friedrich Nietzsche proposed a thought that was destructive of tradition. He expounded a vitalism that highlighted the instinctive character and power of human beings.
Talking about Nietzsche’s philosophy (1844-1900) implies replicating a thought considered one of the most provocative and disruptive in history. This is because he questioned years of philosophical production, claiming that this discipline has always sought universal concepts, which are only fictions invented by humans.
In this way, we are faced with a critical doctrine without equal, often considered as a “hammer philosophy.” In other words, it was a destructive reflection on all previous theories. For this reason, his works have had a great influence, as we will see in this article.
What was Nietzsche’s thought?
Friedrich Nietzsche ‘s ideology is often considered to be irrational vitalism. The strong criticism that this German made of the philosophical reflections of his time deserves this label. According to him, modernity is excessively rational .
Thanks to the development of the exact sciences and positivism, rationality was established as a guide for thought, science and technology. This led to progress and industrial, commercial and scientific development.
However, Nietzsche understands that life cannot be reduced to pure rationality, but rather that there are forces that escape from it. This is known as vitalism, since the emphasis of reflection is placed on life and the forces present in it.
Through the concept of will to power , he understands life as a constant force or vital impulse that seeks to preserve itself and overcome the weak. This, of course, escapes reason and is rather a character present in life itself. Therefore, not everything can be reduced to rationality, because there is this impulse to live that transcends rational limits.
Objective of this theory
All this thinking had as its main objective a profound critique of the philosophy and science of his time. Along these lines, he contrasted two conceptions in relation to life. In one of them, this German intellectual characterizes life as authentic due to its creative, poetic and passionate character.
The other was the rational life guided by knowledge, science and morality . The latter was attacked in each of Nietzsche’s works, considering reason as the main enemy of life.
Main ideas of Nietzsche’s philosophy
This general framework of Nietzsche’s ideology can be better understood if we take into account its fundamental concepts. They are present in his different works, such as Thus Spoke Zarathustra (1883) , Beyond Good and Evil (1886) and Genealogy of Morals (1887). Let us look at them.
Will to power
The will refers to the psychological life of the individual, that is, it comprises the set of his sensations, instincts, emotions, passions and thoughts. This complex that constitutes human life always seeks to overcome other wills, hence its character of power.
In this sense, the vital force in all individuals is also considered as a movement. That is, the will to power drives the development and evolution of life.
In this way, actions are understood as a constant struggle of forces that resist each other to achieve ever greater power, according to an article in the magazine Nómadas .
Transmutation of values
Nietzsche’s doctrine is known as a theory of values. It is the human being who makes an assessment of the things that express his will to power. Consequently, the individual is the creator of the values that govern life in society, he is the one who says what is good and what is bad.
The author’s criticism is that society’s values are the product of humanity corrupted by the ideal of rationality and the veneration of false idols. Instead, he proposes that these values be broken and overcome because they oppose the evolution of life.
Superman
Once a human being transcends the values of his time, he is in a position to create new ones. Man then becomes a superman, free from the chains that prevented him from creating new values. Thus, the individual no longer follows the old definitions of good and evil, but is governed by his own rules.
This is supported by his famous phrase “God is dead”, that is, the old Christian values have been destroyed. So, without a reference or authority that decides or defines what is good and what is bad, it is up to the individual to delimit new values to which to adhere.
Eternal return
If life is a constant becoming, the product of the will to power, how can we reconcile the human desire for eternity? This philosopher from Germany offers us his concept of eternal return to explain that the events of the world will repeat themselves over and over again for eternity.
According to the International Journal of Philosophy Daimon , eternity is for Nietzsche an infinite succession of moments. In this sense, we can understand that eternity exists, because the becoming and movement of the will to power will always be present as long as life exists.
Contributions of Nietzsche’s philosophy
This theory represented a radical shift in relation to the way of doing and conceiving philosophical reflection. It is an approach that questioned the predominant place of thought and reason. Its contributions were important for the development of existentialism , postmodern philosophy and morality.
Friedrich Nietzsche did not consider himself an existentialist. However, his emphasis on subjectivity and the creation of values influenced Jean-Paul Sartre , Martin Heidegger and Albert Camus . This can be seen in his questioning of objective and universal truth as an individual and fictional construction.
On the other hand, it had a notable impact on authors such as Michel Foucault , Jacques Derrida and Gilles Deleuze, all of whom questioned power structures and established knowledge.
Based on this, the concept of will to power proposed by the German was reinterpreted as a force present in all human relations and epistemological systems.
The truth is that, from this approach, the prevailing moral principles were successfully exposed. And not only was morality questioned, but also the rigid concepts provided by the language inspired by the idealist current. Instead, the thinker placed the human being at the centre as the builder of his own moral principles.
How can this approach be applied today?
In the world we live in, there is a constant struggle between our individual desires and the mandates we must fulfill in order to remain in society. With this as a basis, Nietzschean philosophy can serve to rescue our own voice and live according to the personal convictions we have. This is in order to reduce the external pressure we may feel.
Likewise, this theory invites us to let ourselves be carried away by our creative life force. It is not only about creating our own moral values , but also about anything we set ourselves as an objective. Thus, leaving reason aside a little, it is possible to awaken the creative spirit and apply it in any area of life.
Furthermore, Nietzsche’s criticism of the philosophical field of his time created a vision that put meaning back at the center of the discussion. This means that it is worth asking ourselves frequently what our purpose and the meaning of our existence is.
And combining the general thought of this German, we will realize that we are free to forge our life experience without being carried away by external impositions.
A thought that revolutionized the discipline
There is no doubt that Friedrich Nietzsche’s thought was revolutionary. First of all, he distanced himself from the currents of the time, strongly criticizing German idealism. According to him, philosophy became too rationalist, leaving the vitality of the human being in oblivion.
Secondly, his innovative concepts generated the necessary impetus to change the direction of philosophical thought. In this line, the issue was not so much focused on theorizing how the subject knows, but on highlighting the particularities of its existence.
Finally, recovering Nietzschean philosophy helps us not only to better understand its author, but also to think about his ideology today. It can help us to rescue the authenticity, passions and impulses that make us human.