Friedrich Nietzsche By: Hannah C. Marion AKA The ‘Stache Expert

Info to Know About… NIETZSCHE!  Born on October 15, 1844 in Röcken bei Lützen, Germany  FUN FACT …His nickname was Fritz  He attended the Schulpforta boarding school from ages  He went to the University of Bonn in 1864 where he would ultimately lose all faith in Christianity

NIHILISM a. an extreme form of skepticism: the denial of all real existence or the possibility of an objective basis for truth. b. nothingness or nonexistence. (Dictionary.com)

NIETZSCHE the NIHILIST  First philosopher to truly question Western culture’s view on morality and human existence  He believed that there was no such thing as a universal set of morals  There is no moral truth, only moral interpretation  He believed that people have morals based on their culture and psychology

Sense Perception and… NIETZSCHE!  The only known truths are those we know directly from our senses  Reason is what ruins human perception of the world This is because it deceives the declaration of our senses The only real world is that which we can experience through our senses

NIETZSCHE vs. Plato The Ultimate SHOWDOWN! NIETZSCHE  Senses constitute truth  Reason gets in the way of truth  Morals are different for every individual  Plato  One cannot trust their senses for truth  Truth can only be found through reasoning  There are universal morals

Influences  During the late 1800’s his work was commonly linked to anarchism  During World War I, Nietzsche’s book, Thus Spoke Zarathustra was given out as a gift to soldiers His works helped to promote militarism in Germany  Nietzsche influenced both the Nazis and the Fascists

QUESTION TIME!  Why do you think the Nazis and the Fascists read Nietzsche’s works?

QUESTION TIME!  What influence do you think Nietzsche’s work had on the Fascists and the Nazis and their ideas?

Philosophy of NIETZSCHE!  He loved creativity and the art stemming from it He focused his philosophy around that creativity  “God is dead!” He was fervently against religion “Christianity is the religion of the slaves and weaklings.”

Philosophy of NIETZSCHE!  He had a more romanticist view on perception as opposed to the ancient Greeks  He thought that feelings of guiltiness happen only because of Christian morality  He believed that power motivated the actions of the people

Perspectivism  “There is no absolute, ‘God's eye’ standpoint from which one can survey everything that is.” (Stanford)

Übermensch  Translates to Superman  The Superman (Utopia of man) has overcome his instincts and does not refuse them  He can express his feelings fully because he has overcome his instincts

What Did Old Fritzy Have To Say?  All credibility, all good conscience, all evidence of truth come only from the senses.  All things are subject to interpretation whichever interpretation prevails at a given time is a function of power and not truth.  All truly great thoughts are conceived by walking.  Morality is the herd-instinct in the individual.  Nothing is beautiful, only the human individual is beautiful.  Plato was a bore.

Last Thought… "A man without a moustache is a man without a soul.“ -Confucius

Works Cited  Curry, Bill The Perspectives of Nietzsche. University of Pittsburgh. Web. 9 Feb  Friedrich Immanuel Nietzsche. California State University Dominguez Hills. Web. 9 Feb  Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy. Stanford University, 15 Mar Web. 9 Feb  Dictionary.com. Ask, Web. 15 Feb