Ideas from 'Ecce Homo' by Friedrich Nietzsche [1889], by Theme Structure

[found in 'On the Genealogy of Morals/ Ecce Homo' by Nietzsche,Friedrich (ed/tr Kaufmann,Walter) [Vintage 1969,67-23033 (Cong)]].

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1. Philosophy / D. Nature of Philosophy / 1. Philosophy
A warlike philosopher challenges problems to single combat
                        Full Idea: A warlike philosopher challenges problems to single combat.
                        From: Friedrich Nietzsche (Ecce Homo [1889], Wise §7)
                        A reaction: And what do pacifist philosophers do? It is a moot point whether philosophy is even possible without a streak of aggression. Otherwise you circle the problem, but don't confront it.
22. Metaethics / B. Value / 2. Values / i. Self-interest
The distinction between egoistic and non-egoistic acts is absurd
                        Full Idea: There are neither egoistic nor unegoistic actions: both concepts are psychologically nonsense.
                        From: Friedrich Nietzsche (Ecce Homo [1889], 4.5)
                        A reaction: Not quite true, but I like this observation. The idea that you could divide everyone's actions into these two groups is certainly nonsense. But some people are more altruistic than others!
22. Metaethics / C. The Good / 1. Goodness / i. Moral luck
A bad result distorts one's judgement about the virtue of what one has done
                        Full Idea: I should prefer to exclude the bad result, the consequences, from the question of value as a matter of principle. Faced with a bad result, one loses all too easily the right perspective for what one has done.
                        From: Friedrich Nietzsche (Ecce Homo [1889], Clever §1)
                        A reaction: If the perspective is easily lost, we should make more effort, not ignore consequences. The question is whether you could have foreseen or controlled the consequences.
23. Ethics / C. Virtue Theory / 3. Virtues / f. Compassion
The overcoming of pity I count among the noble virtues
                        Full Idea: The overcoming of pity I count among the noble virtues.
                        From: Friedrich Nietzsche (Ecce Homo [1889], Wise §4)
                        A reaction: Hm. I can just about see that there might be more important things than compassion for suffering, but I can't see any human activity that makes it worthwhile to trample on pity.
23. Ethics / F. Existentialism / 6. Authentic Self
To become what you are you must have no self-awareness
                        Full Idea: To become what one is, one must not have the faintest notion of what one is.
                        From: Friedrich Nietzsche (Ecce Homo [1889], II.9), quoted by Brian Leiter - Nietzsche On Morality 3 'fatalism'
                        A reaction: [Don't understand 'II.9'] Enigmatic but striking. As I understand it, Nietzsche thought that knowing what you are is virtually impossible, though he spent a lifetime studying himself. Would you recognise someone who had become what they are?
23. Ethics / F. Existentialism / 8. Eternal Recurrence
Eternal recurrence is the highest attainable affirmation
                        Full Idea: Eternal recurrence is the highest formula of affirmation that is at all attainable.
                        From: Friedrich Nietzsche (Ecce Homo [1889], III.Z-1?), quoted by Brian Leiter - Nietzsche On Morality
                        A reaction: Did Nietzsche have in mind an even higher formulation that was unattainable? The aim of eternal recurrence is to offer the highest possible ideal that remains rooted in the nature of ordinary life. It is a cut-down version of the Form of the Good.
25. Social Practice / E. Policies / 5. Education / c. Teaching
One repays a teacher badly if one remains only a pupil
                        Full Idea: One repays a teacher badly if one remains only a pupil.
                        From: Friedrich Nietzsche (Ecce Homo [1889], Fore)
28. God / C. Attitudes to God / 5. Atheism
I am not an atheist because of reasoning or evidence, but because of instinct
                        Full Idea: I have absolutely no knowledge of atheism as an outcome of reasoning, still less an event: with me it is obvious by instinct.
                        From: Friedrich Nietzsche (Ecce Homo [1889], 3.1)