back to ideas for this text


Single Idea 7196

[from 'Writings from Late Notebooks' by Friedrich Nietzsche, in 1. Philosophy / D. Nature of Philosophy / 7. Despair over Philosophy ]

Full Idea

The total value of the world is unevaluable, consequently philosophical pessimism is among the comical things.

Gist of Idea

Pessimism is laughable, because the world cannot be evaluated

Source

Friedrich Nietzsche (Writings from Late Notebooks [1887], 11[72])

Book Reference

Nietzsche,Friedrich: 'Writings from the Late Notebooks', ed/tr. Bittner,Rüdiger [CUP 2003], p.212


A Reaction

Nietzsche always has Schopenhauer in mind when he laughs at pessimism. Presumably, by the same token, optimism would be equally ridiculous. But how can Nietzsche's dynamic hopes for the future operate without optimism?