Combining Texts

Ideas for 'A Future for Presentism', 'Making Mind Matter More' and 'Writings from Late Notebooks'

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2 ideas

24. Political Theory / A. Basis of a State / 1. A People / a. Human distinctiveness
Man is above all a judging animal [Nietzsche]
     Full Idea: Man is above all a judging animal.
     From: Friedrich Nietzsche (Writings from Late Notebooks [1887], 04[8])
     A reaction: This seems awfully close to Aristotle's supposed claim that we are the 'rational animal' (though see Idea 6559). To me it implies that if judging is our proper function, then judging well is our highest virtue. The highest good for man is understanding.
24. Political Theory / C. Ruling a State / 4. Changing the State / a. Centralisation
The upholding of the military state is needed to maintain the strong human type [Nietzsche]
     Full Idea: The upholding of the military state is the ultimate means to either adopt or keep hold of the great tradition respecting the highest human type, the strong type.
     From: Friedrich Nietzsche (Writings from Late Notebooks [1887], 11[407])
     A reaction: I do find this kind of thing disappointing, after Nietzsche's wonderful deconstruction of traditional value systems. Is a killing field the only place where human strength can be exhibited? What's the point of human strength if it is displayed in killing?