back to ideas for this text


Single Idea 14807

[from 'Human, All Too Human' by Friedrich Nietzsche, in 22. Metaethics / A. Ethics Foundations / 1. Nature of Ethics / g. Moral responsibility ]

Full Idea

The history of moral feelings is the history of an error, an error called 'responsibility', which in turn rests on an error called 'freedom of the will'.

Gist of Idea

The history of morality rests on an error called 'responsibility', which rests on an error called 'free will'

Source

Friedrich Nietzsche (Human, All Too Human [1878], 039)

Book Reference

Nietzsche,Friedrich: 'Human, All Too Human', ed/tr. Faber,Marion [Penguin 1994], p.43


A Reaction

I totally agree with this, though I think the term 'responsible' is useful in ethics, though only in the sense that the lightning was responsible for the thunder. Nietzsche appears to have anticipated Mackie's error theory about morality.