Combining Texts

Ideas for 'works', 'Introducing the Philosophy of Mathematics' and 'The Gay (Joyful) Science'

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10 ideas

23. Ethics / C. Virtue Theory / 1. Virtue Theory / c. Particularism
2935 No two actions are the same [Nietzsche]
     Full Idea: There neither are nor can be actions which are the same.
     From: Friedrich Nietzsche (The Gay (Joyful) Science [1882], §335)
23. Ethics / C. Virtue Theory / 1. Virtue Theory / d. Virtue theory critique
20198 Many virtues are harmful traps, but that is why other people praise them [Nietzsche]
     Full Idea: Virtues like industriousness, obedience, chastity, filial piety and justice are usually harmful to those who possess them. When you have a real, whole virtue you are its victim. But your neighbour praises your virtue precisely on that account.
     From: Friedrich Nietzsche (The Gay (Joyful) Science [1882], §021)
     A reaction: This is the conspiracy theory of virtue. We want people to do menial or undesirable jobs, so we dress them up as wonderful virtues, and make people feel good for possessing them. There must be some truth in this.
23. Ethics / C. Virtue Theory / 3. Virtues / f. Compassion
4275 You cannot advocate joyful wisdom while rejecting pity, because the two are complementary [Scruton on Nietzsche]
     Full Idea: Pity and good cheer are complementary, ..so there is something contradictory in a philosophy that advocates joyful wisdom, while slandering pity as the enemy of the higher life.
     From: comment on Friedrich Nietzsche (The Gay (Joyful) Science [1882]) by Roger Scruton - Animal Rights and Wrongs p.35
     A reaction: A good objection to Nietzsche. He has a rather solipsistic view of joyful exuberance etc., and fails to realise how social such things must be. In that, Nietzsche was caught in the romantic tradition of Wordsworth and co.
23. Ethics / D. Deontological Ethics / 4. Categorical Imperative
2934 To see one's own judgement as a universal law is selfish [Nietzsche]
     Full Idea: It is selfish to experience one's own judgement as a universal law.
     From: Friedrich Nietzsche (The Gay (Joyful) Science [1882], §335)
23. Ethics / F. Existentialism / 1. Existentialism
24080 We should give style to our character - by applying an artistic plan to its strengths and weaknesses [Nietzsche]
     Full Idea: One thing is essential - 'giving style' to one's character. It is practised by the one who surveys everything that his nature offers in strengths and weaknesses, and subjects it to an artistic plan until each thing appears as art and reason.
     From: Friedrich Nietzsche (The Gay (Joyful) Science [1882], §290)
     A reaction: Clearly existentialist, in its proposal to change one's own character. I invite the reader to consider applying this to themselves - and I submit that it is an impossible project. Nice thought, though.
23. Ethics / F. Existentialism / 2. Nihilism
20125 The ethical teacher exists to give purpose to what happens necessarily and without purpose [Nietzsche]
     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.
     From: Friedrich Nietzsche (The Gay (Joyful) Science [1882], §001)
     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.
23. Ethics / F. Existentialism / 4. Boredom
9306 To ward off boredom at any cost is vulgar [Nietzsche]
     Full Idea: To ward off boredom at any cost is vulgar.
     From: Friedrich Nietzsche (The Gay (Joyful) Science [1882], §042)
     A reaction: Ignoring 'vulgar', this is a nice thought. Do affluent retired people now travel so much because they are terrified of boredom? What would they end up doing if they stayed at home and lived through the boredom to something else?
23. Ethics / F. Existentialism / 7. Existential Action
24079 The best life is the dangerous life [Nietzsche]
     Full Idea: The secret of harvesting the greatest fruitfulness and the greatest enjoyment from existence is: live dangerously!
     From: Friedrich Nietzsche (The Gay (Joyful) Science [1882], §283)
     A reaction: I treasured this quotation when I was 17, but failed to live up to it.
23. Ethics / F. Existentialism / 8. Eternal Recurrence
2936 Imagine if before each of your actions you had to accept repeating the action over and over again [Nietzsche]
     Full Idea: Suppose a demon were to say to you, "This life as you have lived it, you will have to live once more and innumerable times more". …Then the question in each thing, "Do you desire this once more and innumerable times more?" would lie across your actions.
     From: Friedrich Nietzsche (The Gay (Joyful) Science [1882], §341)
     A reaction: If you were stuck in nihilistic indifference, this thought might not be enough to rouse you from your torpor. If all possibilities in life are boring, repetition cannot pep it up, or make it any worse. But I still love this idea!
6842 Nietzsche says facing up to the eternal return of meaninglessness is the response to nihilism [Nietzsche, by Critchley]
     Full Idea: Nietzsche is overwhelmingly concerned with how to respond to nihilism, and he offers the concept of eternal return; the Overman is one who can affirm over and over that one is equal to meaninglessness, without turning to despair or idols.
     From: report of Friedrich Nietzsche (The Gay (Joyful) Science [1882], §342) by Simon Critchley - Interview with Baggini and Stangroom p.192
     A reaction: I agree with Critchley that this is not much of a recipe for ordinary people's lives, and I don't even find it very congenial for a tough-minded philosopher. We should make the best of the cards we are dealt, however feeble they may appear.