In this essay, I offer a novel interpretation of Rilke’s first elegy of Duino from the perspective of the homelessness of humanity. Starting with his distinction between angels, animals and humans,... Show moreIn this essay, I offer a novel interpretation of Rilke’s first elegy of Duino from the perspective of the homelessness of humanity. Starting with his distinction between angels, animals and humans, we discover that human life is characterized by the boundary situation between life and death, which renders us feeling homeless in the world. Today, God no longer functions as a stable point of reference, as the one who could alleviate this existential homelessness. Even though we are not always aware of our homelessness, our relationship with the world, characterized by an urge to control the variables of life, attests to it. The emptiness we experience must be fully acknowledged and lived through to determine whether an attitude of radical receptivity to life as a whole, encompassing both life and death, can help us find a home in the world. This human fate is challenging to bear, and perhaps finding a home will ultimately prove to be a futile endeavor. This raises the disquieting question: is being human worthwhile? In contrast to the timeless angelic universe, human life feels limited and inferior. Nevertheless, Rilke does not negate our lifeworld, but instead emphasizes the beauty of this singular existence, derived from the incredible fact that in this transitory life, the eternal shines. Show less
The debate on free will is dominated by the discussion between compatibilists and incompatibilists. The central intuition of the incompatibilist is that the future must be open; on the other hand,... Show moreThe debate on free will is dominated by the discussion between compatibilists and incompatibilists. The central intuition of the incompatibilist is that the future must be open; on the other hand, for the compatibilist it makes no difference to free will whether or not the laws of nature are deterministic. This paper argues that we can hold the incompatiblist and compatibilist intuitions together with the doctrine of free will, on the condition that we deny the seemingly evident claim that determinism implies a closed future. In order to deny this claim, I develop a new version of presentism that I call causal presentism. The causal presentist holds that only the present exists, and that statements about the past and the future are statements about what the present causally implies. Within this framework, the open future and determinism are compatible so long as we are willing to accept that our present choices determine not just the future, but also the past. I discuss several counterarguments that can be brought against this idea, showing that they lack force. In doing so, I demonstrate that causal presentism is worthy of further development. Show less
This paper examines the development of Nietzsche’s thought on pessimism in the light of his own reflections. Drawing on GT, the late prefaces he wrote around 1886 (GT, MA, M, FW), the fifth book of... Show moreThis paper examines the development of Nietzsche’s thought on pessimism in the light of his own reflections. Drawing on GT, the late prefaces he wrote around 1886 (GT, MA, M, FW), the fifth book of FW, and unpublished notes, it reconstructs the several meanings that Nietzsche attributes to ‘pessimism’. It focuses on the complex relation between ‘romantic’ and ‘Dionysian’ pessimism. It is shown that these two forms of pessimism are rooted in Nietzsche’s ambivalent metaphysical pessimism in GT, which is influenced by Schopenhauer and the tragic Greeks. This approach is distinguished from the later Nietzsche who attempts to redefine his struggle with pessimism in order to ‘forget’ the metaphysical background, and to understand pessimism as a symptom of historical and psychological conditions. Nietzsche consequently understands his own thought as a continuation of Schopenhauer’s critique of the Christian worldview, which leads to the problem of nihilism. Nietzsche attempts to show how it is possible to overcome romantic pessimism and European morality, if he also suffers the consequences of nihilism. In order to tackle this problem, Nietzsche formulates a dynamic of self-overcoming which needs both strength and weakness, health and sickness. Show less
Anecdotes play an important role in ancient Chinese philosophical writings. This essay offers a close reading of one anecdote in the Mencius, one of the most influential Confucian texts. This... Show moreAnecdotes play an important role in ancient Chinese philosophical writings. This essay offers a close reading of one anecdote in the Mencius, one of the most influential Confucian texts. This reading provides insight into what it means, according to Mencius, to be a morally superior human being. The goal of this essay is to provide insight into the ethical and political philosophy of Mencius and, more broadly, to provide a guideline for reading Chinese philosophical writings in an attentive and receptive manner. Show less
