Nietzsche's Revaluation of All Values Essay Example
Nietzsche's Revaluation of All Values
In the nineteenth century, popular philosophy - particularly the Hegelian dialectic - professed that mankind was developing in an upward direction, becoming more angelic as it were. Man's moral laws were more advanced, as support for democracy and equal rights were beginning to become popular. However, Friedrich Nietzsche believed that mankind was entering a downward spiral towards complete decadence. Modern man, with its "advanced" morality, was, in truth, decaying on the inside. Claims of morality merely masked modern man's decay:
he is veiled behind moral formulas and concepts of decency . [not] to mask human malice and villainy . [but] it is precisely as tame animals that we are a shameful sight . The European disguises himself with morality because he has become a sick, sickly, crippled animal that has good reasons for being "tame". [GS 352]
Nietzsche believed this to be a form of nihilism because mankind valued precisely what was halting his advancement. With this in mind, Nietzsche began his bold movement towards the revaluation of all values.\
We need a critique of moral values, the value of these values should itself, for once, be examined . [What if] morality itself were to blame if man, as a species, never reached his highest potential power and splendour? [GM P 6]
In this essay I will first look at several reasons for the necessity of a revaluation of all values. Then I shall look at Nietzsche's conception of the "noble" and how through egoism, they can undertake the revaluation of all values.
Nietzsche's most famous statement is, without a doubt, that "God is dead" (GS 108/125, Z P 2, etc.). Through many years of being quoted, contemporary society seems to have lost the significance of such a profound statement. Perhaps the most frightening aspect of this statement is that "we have killed him - you and I. All of us are his murderers" (GS 125). It is important to remember that Nietzsche did not believe
In the nineteenth century, popular philosophy - particularly the Hegelian dialectic - professed that mankind was developing in an upward direction, becoming more angelic as it were. Man's moral laws were more advanced, as support for democracy and equal rights were beginning to become popular. However, Friedrich Nietzsche believed that mankind was entering a downward spiral towards complete decadence. Modern man, with its "advanced" morality, was, in truth, decaying on the inside. Claims of morality merely masked modern man's decay:
he is veiled behind moral formulas and concepts of decency . [not] to mask human malice and villainy . [but] it is precisely as tame animals that we are a shameful sight . The European disguises himself with morality because he has become a sick, sickly, crippled animal that has good reasons for being "tame". [GS 352]
Nietzsche believed this to be a form of nihilism because mankind valued precisely what was halting his advancement. With this in mind, Nietzsche began his bold movement towards the revaluation of all values.\
We need a critique of moral values, the value of these values should itself, for once, be examined . [What if] morality itself were to blame if man, as a species, never reached his highest potential power and splendour? [GM P 6]
In this essay I will first look at several reasons for the necessity of a revaluation of all values. Then I shall look at Nietzsche's conception of the "noble" and how through egoism, they can undertake the revaluation of all values.
Nietzsche's most famous statement is, without a doubt, that "God is dead" (GS 108/125, Z P 2, etc.). Through many years of being quoted, contemporary society seems to have lost the significance of such a profound statement. Perhaps the most frightening aspect of this statement is that "we have killed him - you and I. All of us are his murderers" (GS 125). It is important to remember that Nietzsche did not believe