back to ideas for this text


Single Idea 2868

[from 'Beyond Good and Evil' by Friedrich Nietzsche, in 22. Metaethics / A. Ethics Foundations / 2. Source of Ethics / k. Ethics from nature ]

Full Idea

You Stoics want to "live according to nature"? Oh you noble Stoics, what fraudulent words! Nature is prodigal and indifferent beyond measure - how could you live by such indifference? Living is wanting to be other than nature.

Clarification

'Prodigal' here means overflowing with variety

Gist of Idea

Nature is totally indifferent, so you should try to be different from it, not live by it

Source

Friedrich Nietzsche (Beyond Good and Evil [1886], §009)

Book Reference

Nietzsche,Friedrich: 'Beyond Good and Evil', ed/tr. Hollingdale,R.J. [Penguin 1973], p.20


A Reaction

I think this is simply indicative of the slide from optimism to pessimism about nature in the intervening centuries. Stoics thought nature rational. See 'King Lear' for the transition.

Related Idea

Idea 3066 Nothing is evil which is according to nature [Aurelius]