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Single Idea 23718

[filed under theme 23. Ethics / F. Existentialism / 1. Existentialism ]

Full Idea

Scientists …do not defend any belief more strongly than that the strong are free to be weak, and the birds of prey are free to be lambs: - in this way, they gain the right to make the birds of prey responsible for being birds of prey.

Gist of Idea

If we say birds of prey could become lambs, that makes them responsible for being birds of prey

Source

Friedrich Nietzsche (On the Genealogy of Morals [1887], I.§13)

Book Ref

Nietzsche,Friedrich: 'On the Genealogy of Morals', ed/tr. Diethe, Carol [CUP 1997], p.26

A Reaction

This is a flat rejection of the Sartrean idea that we can what sort of person we want to be. He cares about birds of prey, but also lambs can't become eagles. I would say that adolescents have a reasonable degree of choice about what they will become.

Related Idea

Idea 3844 Existentialism says man is whatever he makes of himself [Sartre]

The 27 ideas from 'On the Genealogy of Morals'

3793 We must question the very value of moral values [Nietzsche]
4407 Plato, Spinoza and Kant are very different, but united in their low estimation of pity [Nietzsche]
3259 Nietzsche rejects impersonal morality, and asserts the idea of living well [Nietzsche, by Nagel]
23715 Psychologists should be brave and proud, and prefer truth to desires, even when it is ugly [Nietzsche]
4408 The concept of 'good' was created by aristocrats to describe their own actions [Nietzsche]
4409 Only the decline of aristocratic morality led to concerns about "egoism" [Nietzsche]
4410 The truly great haters in world history have always been priests [Nietzsche]
23716 A strong rounded person soon forgets enemies, misfortunes, and even misdeeds [Nietzsche]
23717 Modern nihilism is now feeling tired of mankind [Nietzsche]
4411 It is a delusion to separate the man from the deed, like the flash from the lightning [Nietzsche]
23718 If we say birds of prey could become lambs, that makes them responsible for being birds of prey [Nietzsche]
2930 The main aim of philosophy must be to determine the order of rank among values [Nietzsche]
23719 Forgetfulness is a strong positive ability, not mental laziness [Nietzsche]
4414 Philosophers invented "free will" so that our virtues would be permanently interesting to the gods [Nietzsche]
4416 Basic justice is the negotiation of agreement among equals, and the imposition of agreement [Nietzsche]
4415 Guilt and obligation originated in the relationship of buying and selling, credit and debt [Nietzsche]
4417 Only that which has no history is definable [Nietzsche]
23720 Punishment makes people harder, more alienated, and hostile [Nietzsche]
20142 The state begins with brutal conquest of a disorganised people, not with a 'contract' [Nietzsche]
4418 A masterful and violent person need have nothing to do with contracts [Nietzsche]
23721 Old tribes always felt an obligation to the earlier generations, and the founders [Nietzsche]
20129 All animals strive for the ideal conditions to express their power, and hate any hindrances [Nietzsche]
4419 People who think in words are orators rather than thinkers, and think about facts instead of thinking facts [Nietzsche]
23722 Objectivity is not disinterestedness (impossible), but the ability to switch perspectives [Nietzsche]
4420 There is only 'perspective' seeing and knowing, and so the best objectivity is multiple points of view [Nietzsche]
4421 Philosophers have never asked why there is a will to truth in the first place [Nietzsche]
20143 Scientific knowledge is nothing without a prior philosophical 'faith' [Nietzsche]