Single Idea 20129

[catalogued under 22. Metaethics / A. Ethics Foundations / 2. Source of Ethics / g. Will to power]

Full Idea

Every animal instinctively strives for an optimum of favourable conditions under which it can expend all its strength and achieve its maximal feeling of power; every animal abhors ...every hindrance that obstructs this path to the optimum.

Gist of Idea

All animals strive for the ideal conditions to express their power, and hate any hindrances

Source

Friedrich Nietzsche (On the Genealogy of Morals [1887], III.§07)

Book Reference

Nietzsche,Friedrich: 'On the Genealogy of Morals/ Ecce Homo', ed/tr. Kaufmann,Walter [Vintage 1969], p.107


A Reaction

This became the lynchpin of Nietzsche's account of the source of values. It is a highly naturalistic view, fitting it into evolutionary theory (thought running deeper than that), so I have a lot of sympathy with the view.