Single Idea 7201

[catalogued under 22. Metaethics / B. Value / 1. Nature of Value / e. Means and ends]

Full Idea

Knowledge and wisdom have no value as such; nor does goodness: one must always first have a goal that confers value or disvalue on these qualities.

Gist of Idea

Knowledge, wisdom and goodness only have value relative to a goal

Source

Friedrich Nietzsche (Writings from Late Notebooks [1887], 11[122])

Book Reference

Nietzsche,Friedrich: 'Writings from the Late Notebooks', ed/tr. Bittner,Rüdiger [CUP 2003], p.225


A Reaction

So what goals should we have? Nietzsche talks about the 'enhancement of life', but what is that, and why should we want it? There may be an ecological cost to enhancing human life.