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4551 | Great self-examination is to become conscious of oneself not as an individual, but as mankind [Nietzsche] |
Full Idea: Tremendous self-examination: becoming conscious of oneself, not as an individual but as mankind. | |
From: Friedrich Nietzsche (The Will to Power (notebooks) [1888], §575) | |
A reaction: A lovely thought, which illustrates the fact that it is hard to be introspective without bringing an agenda to the process. |
4527 | Perhaps we are not single subjects, but a multiplicity of 'cells', interacting to create thought [Nietzsche] |
Full Idea: The assumption of one single subject is perhaps unnecessary; perhaps we are a multiplicity of subjects, whose interaction and struggle is the basis of our thought and consciousness, an aristocracy of 'cells' in which dominion resides equally. | |
From: Friedrich Nietzsche (The Will to Power (notebooks) [1888], §490) | |
A reaction: A nice combination of Humean scepticism, and an anticipation of the modularity of mind. Was Nietzsche thinking about evolution? It goes with his doubts about reason (if we are run by a committee). |