Thomas McCormack Essays (789 words) - Philosophy,

Thomas McCormack Professor Jamison Philosophy 201-792 20 October 2017 Test 2 - Essay question 1: "What value might there be in Nietzsche's philosophy?" Friedrich Nietzsche was a very important forerunner of the existentialism movement, which challenged the core foundations of religions such as Christianity and more or less traditional morality. For a number of years, he suffered intense pain and poor health, eventually falling victim to severe mental health issues. Much of his works, remain controversial even today and are still open to interpretation that conflicts. Ideas that he wrote about garnered him much praise and almost as many enemies but, despite this; there is significant value in his ideas as he has inspired important figures across all walks of cultural life, not only in philosophy. Nietzsche was a proponent and founder of what he called "Selbstberwindung" or self-overcoming. This is a process by which, a great-souled person or "Ubermensch" (roughly translates to superman) can rise above their own circumstances or difficulties to embrace whatever it is that life may throw at them. He wanted his work to teach us, as he put it: "How to become who you really are." In achieving this, there are four main thoughts from which Nietzsche recommended to achieve Selbstberwindung. The first of these recommendations is to "Own up to envy." Historically, it was taught in many religions such as Christianity, that to be envious was shameful. As if your envious feelings are an indication of evil. We then feel the need to hide these feelings from ourselves and others. Nietzsche however, maintained that there is nothing wrong with actual feeling of envy, so long as we use it as a guide to achieve what we really want. He said that every person that we may feel envious over should be seen as an indication as to what we could one day become. Now, this isn't saying that we will always get what we want in life, but rather, that we must face up to our own true desires, put up a heroic effort in achieving them, and only then may we mourn failure with solemn dignity. For this is the way of the Ubermensch. One of his more extreme recommendations came in the form of "Don't be a Christian." He received heavy criticism over his views on Christianity - for example, he wrote: In the entire New Testament, there is only one-person worth respecting: Pilate, the Roman Governor." A very extreme statement, but it's true target was much subtler and interesting. Nietzsche resented Christianity. He thought that it was keeping people from realizing their own envy, protecting them. Christianity was born out of the late Roman Empire, from weak lower classed people who'd lacked the gall really go out and grab a hold of their desires, while also turning their own cowardice into virtue. He viewed the religion as hypocritical, in that it denounced what people truly desired but were maybe too weak in soul to go after, yet praise what they already had but maybe didn't actually want or admire for themselves. Sexlessness became "purity", weakness became "goodness", submission became "obedience", and not bei ng able to take revenge turned into "forgiveness." Another recommendation that does have a tremendous amount of merit to it: "Never drink alcohol." This idea went back to the heart of his philosophy, and he said "There have been two great narcotics in European history: Christianity and alcohol." In his view, both numbed us of our pain. He was obsessed with the awkward truth that getting things of value done, hurts! Probably one of Nietzsche's most famous, yet controversial remarks: "God is Dead", was despite his resentment toward Christianity, not a cheer that the end of belief was a good thing. He believed that while Christianity was numbing and hypocritical, it was also beneficial in the sense that it helped us cope with the struggles of life. The gap that was left by religion, Nietzsche believed, should be filled with culture. Things like art, music, literature, and philosophy. While Friedrich Nietzsche was indeed a very controversial figure even to this day, the recommendations he teaches are so invaluable and introspective while being alarmingly true. He doesn't sugar-coat things and tells it like it is. In