back to ideas for this text


Single Idea 20125

[from 'The Gay (Joyful) Science' by Friedrich Nietzsche, in 23. Ethics / F. Existentialism / 2. Nihilism ]

Full Idea

That what happens necessarily, spontaneously and without any purpose, may henceforth appear to be done for some purpose, and strike man as rational and an ultimate commandment, the ethical teacher comes on stage, as teacher of the purpose of existence.

Gist of Idea

The ethical teacher exists to give purpose to what happens necessarily and without purpose

Source

Friedrich Nietzsche (The Gay (Joyful) Science [1882], §001)

Book Reference

Nietzsche,Friedrich: 'The Gay Science', ed/tr. Kaufmann,Walter [Vintage 1974], p.75


A Reaction

This doesn't look like much of a solution to the problem of nihilism, unless the teacher plants an idea in us which endures and grows. Nietzsche's 'eternal recurrence' was supposed to be just such an idea.