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 Drawing on GT, the late prefaces he wrote around 1886 (GT, MA, M, FW), the fifth book of FW, and unpublished notes, it reconstructs the several meanings that Nietzsche attributes to ‘pessimism’.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
Since as far back antiquity, philosophers have been inquiring into the nature of conflict. One of the most prominent ideas to have dominated this inquiry is that conflict represents an undesirable... Show moreSince as far back antiquity, philosophers have been inquiring into the nature of conflict. One of the most prominent ideas to have dominated this inquiry is that conflict represents an undesirable part of life, one that stands opposed to the ideals of harmony, co-operation and consensus. Nietzsche, however, rejects this position, proffering various arguments for why we ought to positively value conflict. Yet Nietzsche’s stance is by no means unambigious. Commentators sharply disagree regarding the specific form of conflict to which his endorsement refers. His “hard” readers present him as a warmonger, who predominantly advocates unmeasured, destructive types of struggle (e.g. war). Conversely, Nietzsche’s “soft” readers claim that he exclusively promotes a measured, agonal mode of struggle modelled on the non-violent contests (or agons) that pervaded ancient Greek culture. I contend that both of these readings are one-sided and require modification. Indeed, the thesis that this dissertation defends is that Nietzsche promotes both measured and unmeasured struggle in an entirely coherent manner. I further argue that commentators have neglected the most significant form of conflict in Nietzsche’s thought, which is characterised by a combination of measured and unmeasured conflict. This species of struggle is analogous to the biological process of digestion, which simultaneously involves 1) a measured struggle to incorporate that which is deemed serviceable to the organism, and 2) an unmeasured struggle to eliminate material deemed redundant or harmful. This dualistic struggle is what I term organisational conflict on account of the fact that both incorporation and exclusion form part of a single overarching impetus to establish healthy organisation. Show less
