Nietzsche's critique of Plato and Christianity
Essay No. 1:
Write an essay on one of the thinkers covered in the unit so far (i.e. weeks 2-6).
Essay question: Assess the major contributions of your chosen thinker to our understanding of the human condition.
Due Date: 16/9/13
Number of Words: 2,150
“God is dead. God remains dead. And we have killed him. Yet his shadow still looms. How shall we comfort ourselves, the murderers of all murderers?” (Nietzsche, 1882, 1887, s. 125).This is one of many renowned and influential quotes devised by the prolific German philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche. A lover of Greek myths and a philologist by trade, Nietzsche expounded his controversial philosophy with an iron fist criticizing Platonism, Christianity and other popular forms of thought as anesthetising and suppressing the instinctual, impulsive energies of man. Nietzsche was the original non-conformist and true ‘punk’ amongst his peers and predecessors. He pounded upon the door of reason and provoked us to think and question like no other. This essay will argue that Nietzsche’s critique of Christianity and Platonism created advancements in our understanding of the human condition because it propels us to challenge and question the status quo and it encourages us to strongly consider primal and instinctual forces as a path to creativity and higher living. It will also show that Nietzsche taught the world to accept and embrace suffering as natural and inevitable and that only by personally overcoming hardship and turmoil will we become better and stronger beings.
“I condemn Christianity, I bring against the Christian Church the most terrible charge any prosecutor has ever uttered. To me it is the extremist thinkable form of corruption,” expounded the vociferously atheist Friedrich Nietzsche (The Anti-Christ 1888, p.62). Nietzsche conspired against Christianity, its ideals and teachings and saw nothing but a religion of nihilism, pity and values which were not only
Write an essay on one of the thinkers covered in the unit so far (i.e. weeks 2-6).
Essay question: Assess the major contributions of your chosen thinker to our understanding of the human condition.
Due Date: 16/9/13
Number of Words: 2,150
“God is dead. God remains dead. And we have killed him. Yet his shadow still looms. How shall we comfort ourselves, the murderers of all murderers?” (Nietzsche, 1882, 1887, s. 125).This is one of many renowned and influential quotes devised by the prolific German philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche. A lover of Greek myths and a philologist by trade, Nietzsche expounded his controversial philosophy with an iron fist criticizing Platonism, Christianity and other popular forms of thought as anesthetising and suppressing the instinctual, impulsive energies of man. Nietzsche was the original non-conformist and true ‘punk’ amongst his peers and predecessors. He pounded upon the door of reason and provoked us to think and question like no other. This essay will argue that Nietzsche’s critique of Christianity and Platonism created advancements in our understanding of the human condition because it propels us to challenge and question the status quo and it encourages us to strongly consider primal and instinctual forces as a path to creativity and higher living. It will also show that Nietzsche taught the world to accept and embrace suffering as natural and inevitable and that only by personally overcoming hardship and turmoil will we become better and stronger beings.
“I condemn Christianity, I bring against the Christian Church the most terrible charge any prosecutor has ever uttered. To me it is the extremist thinkable form of corruption,” expounded the vociferously atheist Friedrich Nietzsche (The Anti-Christ 1888, p.62). Nietzsche conspired against Christianity, its ideals and teachings and saw nothing but a religion of nihilism, pity and values which were not only
Bibliography: Homer, The Iliad. Translated by Robert Fagles, Bath, 1990. Nietzsche, F Nietzsche. F, Human, all too Human, 1878. (Translated by R.J. Hollingdale, 1996. Nietzsche, F. The Anti-Christ, 1888. (In: 'The Portable Nietzsche ', translated by Walter Kaufmann, New York, 1977). Nietzsche, F. The Birth of Tragedy, 1872. (In: 'The Portable Nietzsche ', translated by Walter Kaufmann, New York, 1977) Nietzsche, F Nietzsche, F. The Genealogy of Morals, 1887. (In: 'Basic Writings of Nietzsche ', translated by Walter Kaufmann, New York, 2000) Nietzsche, F Nietzsche, F. Twilight of the Idols, 1888. (Translated by R. J. Hollingdale. New York, 1977) Omonia Vinieris, Nietzsche’s Will to Power, 2002 The Apostle Matthew. The Sermon on the Mount, The Bible, New International Version, Matthew 5:3. Sourced from Alain De Botton, The Consolations of Philosophy, England, 2000.