Combining Philosophers

Ideas for H.Putnam/P.Oppenheim, Friedrich Nietzsche and Keith T. Maslin

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4 ideas

24. Political Theory / A. Basis of a State / 1. A People / a. Human distinctiveness
Man is above all a judging animal [Nietzsche]
     Full Idea: Man is above all a judging animal.
     From: Friedrich Nietzsche (Writings from Late Notebooks [1887], 04[8])
     A reaction: This seems awfully close to Aristotle's supposed claim that we are the 'rational animal' (though see Idea 6559). To me it implies that if judging is our proper function, then judging well is our highest virtue. The highest good for man is understanding.
24. Political Theory / A. Basis of a State / 1. A People / c. A unified people
An enduring people needs its own individual values [Nietzsche]
     Full Idea: No people could live without evaluating; but if it wishes to maintain itself it must not evaluate as its neighbour evaluates.
     From: Friedrich Nietzsche (Thus Spake Zarathustra [1884], 1.16)
     A reaction: Political philosophers say plenty about a 'people', but little about what unifies them, or about what keeps one people distinct from another. Most people's are proud of their local values.
Old tribes always felt an obligation to the earlier generations, and the founders [Nietzsche]
     Full Idea: Within the original tribal association the living generation always acknowledged a legal obligation towards the earlier generation, and in particular towards the earliest.
     From: Friedrich Nietzsche (On the Genealogy of Morals [1887], II.§19)
     A reaction: This is still a factor in modern politics, though the people remember are either military heroes or the great figures of a particular political movement. We remember the big artists and personalities, but don't feel obligated to them.
24. Political Theory / A. Basis of a State / 3. Natural Values / c. Natural rights
If self-defence is moral, then so are most expressions of 'immoral' egoism [Nietzsche]
     Full Idea: If we accept self-defense as moral, then we must also accept nearly all expressions of so-called immoral egoism.
     From: Friedrich Nietzsche (Human, All Too Human [1878], 104)
     A reaction: I find this idea rather disconcerting, because I have always thought that the clearest possible 'natural right' was that of self-defence - but this implication (if it be so) had never struck me. Hm.