← Autodidact Archive · Original Dissent · Gabrielle
Thread ID: 12521 | Posts: 4 | Started: 2004-02-25
2004-02-25 17:25 | User Profile
Friedrich Nietzsche By Gabrielle La Foote
Many people believe the mistaken theory that Friedrich Nietzsche was a genius; was he, or was he a womanizer with a history of mental problems, who eventually succumbed to them, and died a madman? Nietzsche was born on October 15, 1844, son of Karl Ludwig Nietzsche, who died approximately four years later, of a brain ailment. At 14-19, Friedrich Nietzsche attended Schulpforta, a first rate boarding school, where he met his life long friend, Paul Deussen, who would later become an Orientalist and historian of philosophy.
As a youth, Nietzsche led a small group, named Germania (which was a music and literature club), read the writings of Friedrich lderlin, Jean-Paul Richter, and David Strauss. After graduating, Nietzsche enrolled in the University of Bonn, as a theology and philology student; his interests seemed to gravitate to philology, which (then) centered around the study of biblical and classical texts. In 1865, he attended the University of Leipzig, where he established his academic reputation by having his various essays on Tehognis, Simonides and Aristotle published.
In the same year, Neitzsche discovered Arthur Schopenhauer's "The World as Will and Representation" in a bookstore; the "turbulent, atheistic vision of the world, and the extreme praise of music as an art form" expressed in the text strongly affected Nietzsche, and captured his imagination. A year later, he read F.A. Lange's newly-published "History of Materialism and Critique of its Present Significance". This work also attracted Neitzsche's interest, in its view that "metaphysical speculation is an expression of poetic illusion".
Although he was never in perfect health, his situation was worsened, when, in 1870, he served as a hospital attendant, where he witnessed the affects of the Franco-Prussian War first hand, and contracted diphtheria and dysentery, which led to painful health difficulties, which would afflict him for the rest of his life. In 1872, at the age of 28, Nietzsche published his first book, "The Birth Of Tragedy", in which he coalesced his studies of philology, his reading of Lange, his inspiration from Richard Wagner, and his frustration with the contemporary German culture.
In 1873, Nietzsche met Paul Deussen, who wrote "On the Origin of Moral Feelings" in 1877, while living in close company with Nietzsche. In 1876, he made an unsuccessful marriage proposal to Mathilde Trampedach; during this time, he completed "Unfashionable Observations" - a series of four studies on contemporary German Culture, which focused upon David Strauss (historian of religion and culture critic), historiography (and issues concerning it), Arthur Schopenhauer - the life-long friendless bachelor, who authored (among others) "The World as Will and Representation", "On the Will in Nature", "The Basis of Morality", and "Essays from the Parerga and Paralipomena", and whose theories were reminiscent of Buddhism - and, lastly Richard Wagner, as an inspiration for new cultural standards.
Shortly after this, Nietzsche would permanently lose Richard Wagner's friendship, because of his thinly veiled attack of him, in the book "Human, All-Too-Human", published in 1878. Nietzsche's ailing health forced him to resign his teaching position, in June, 1879. The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy states that, "From 1880 until his collapse in January 1889, Nietzsche led a wandering, gypsy-like existence as a 'stateless' person (having given up his German citizenship, and not having acquired Swiss citizenship)." During this time, Nietzsche fell in love with Lou Salom, who also rejected his marriage proposal; he also published many works, including "Daybreak"(1881), "The Gay Science" (1882), "Thus Spoke Zarathustra" (1883-85), "Beyond Good and Evil" (1886), "On the Genealogy of Morals" (1887), "The Case of Wagner" (1888) , "Twilight of the Idols" (1888) , "The Antichrist" (1888), "Ecce Homo" (1888) and "Nietzsche Contra Wagner" (1888) . In his autobiography, Nietzsche entitled the four sections "Why I Am So Wise", "Why I Am So Clever", "Why I Write Such Good Books", and "Why I am Destiny".
Although no one knows what caused it - scholars still argue whether it was a syphilitic infection (as his doctors in Basel and Jena diagnosed), the use of chloral hydrate (a drug Nietzsche used as a sedative), or an inherited brain disease - on January 3, 1889, Nietzsche experienced a mental break down, from which he never recovered his full senses. In the morning of January 3rd, Friedrich Nietzsche witnessed a coachman whipping his horse, in the Piazza Carlo Alberto; throwing his arms around the horse's neck, he collapsed, never to regain his sanity.
During his life, the majority of people who embraced Nietzsche's teachings were artists and musicians, and did not live in the English-speaking world; it was not until the 1960's, amongst college students (who were, at the time, rejecting the west, and western heritage), that Nietzsche gained substantial notoriety in the English speaking world. In summary, we can conclude that, while brilliant in many respects, Friedrich Nietzsche rejected the heritage of the white/western/Christian world, and embraced the Oriental/eastern/mystical teachings.
Nietzsche clearly expressed his disdain for Christianity, morals, and western culture in his writings, as well as his extreme feeling of self-importance and his conceit; perhaps this was an effect of his disturbed mental state. Or perhaps his disturbed mental state was due to the confusion of his ideas, and the fact that he turned his back on his own culture.
2004-02-25 23:30 | User Profile
The confusion resides within the mind of the reader. There exists the mistaken belief that by merely reading words understanding will follow.
It requires the somewhat unusual concept of thought. Some can - some cannot.
It is a common but unhealthy habit to criticize something one fails to understand.
Regards.
2004-02-26 05:22 | User Profile
Gabrielle,
Being pro-Morality and pro-Wagner I cannot call myself a fan of Friedrich Nietzsche. Yes, He was a genius, but in the end a loony one. His philosophy was confusion; odd and mixed and I am not sue one could ever come up with a "Nietzschean philosophy." His mental break drown was most likely due to a brain tumor. He could never seem to make up his mind. He ranted about the evil and greatness of the same things, Jews and Wagner come to mind. In his fight with Wagner; I side with Wagner.
I did greatly enjoy the "The Birth Of Tragedy." But did like the other thing of his I read for the most part. And did say many thing that make good quotes like: "Large government schools will give the same quality of education as large government run kitchens do food."
2004-03-14 20:11 | User Profile
[QUOTE=Gabrielle]Friedrich Nietzsche By Gabrielle La Foote
Many people believe the mistaken theory that Friedrich Nietzsche was a genius; was he, or was he a womanizer with a history of mental problems, who eventually succumbed to them, and died a madman? Nietzsche was born on October 15, 1844, son of Karl Ludwig Nietzsche, who died approximately four years later, of a brain ailment. At 14-19, Friedrich Nietzsche attended Schulpforta, a first rate boarding school, where he met his life long friend, Paul Deussen, who would later become an Orientalist and historian of philosophy.
As a youth, Nietzsche led a small group, named Germania (which was a music and literature club), read the writings of Friedrich lderlin, Jean-Paul Richter, and David Strauss. After graduating, Nietzsche enrolled in the University of Bonn, as a theology and philology student; his interests seemed to gravitate to philology, which (then) centered around the study of biblical and classical texts. In 1865, he attended the University of Leipzig, where he established his academic reputation by having his various essays on Tehognis, Simonides and Aristotle published.
In the same year, Neitzsche discovered Arthur Schopenhauer's "The World as Will and Representation" in a bookstore; the "turbulent, atheistic vision of the world, and the extreme praise of music as an art form" expressed in the text strongly affected Nietzsche, and captured his imagination. A year later, he read F.A. Lange's newly-published "History of Materialism and Critique of its Present Significance". This work also attracted Neitzsche's interest, in its view that "metaphysical speculation is an expression of poetic illusion".
Although he was never in perfect health, his situation was worsened, when, in 1870, he served as a hospital attendant, where he witnessed the affects of the Franco-Prussian War first hand, and contracted diphtheria and dysentery, which led to painful health difficulties, which would afflict him for the rest of his life. In 1872, at the age of 28, Nietzsche published his first book, "The Birth Of Tragedy", in which he coalesced his studies of philology, his reading of Lange, his inspiration from Richard Wagner, and his frustration with the contemporary German culture.
In 1873, Nietzsche met Paul Deussen, who wrote "On the Origin of Moral Feelings" in 1877, while living in close company with Nietzsche. In 1876, he made an unsuccessful marriage proposal to Mathilde Trampedach; during this time, he completed "Unfashionable Observations" - a series of four studies on contemporary German Culture, which focused upon David Strauss (historian of religion and culture critic), historiography (and issues concerning it), Arthur Schopenhauer - the life-long friendless bachelor, who authored (among others) "The World as Will and Representation", "On the Will in Nature", "The Basis of Morality", and "Essays from the Parerga and Paralipomena", and whose theories were reminiscent of Buddhism - and, lastly Richard Wagner, as an inspiration for new cultural standards.
Shortly after this, Nietzsche would permanently lose Richard Wagner's friendship, because of his thinly veiled attack of him, in the book "Human, All-Too-Human", published in 1878. Nietzsche's ailing health forced him to resign his teaching position, in June, 1879. The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy states that, "From 1880 until his collapse in January 1889, Nietzsche led a wandering, gypsy-like existence as a 'stateless' person (having given up his German citizenship, and not having acquired Swiss citizenship)." During this time, Nietzsche fell in love with Lou Salom, who also rejected his marriage proposal; he also published many works, including "Daybreak"(1881), "The Gay Science" (1882), "Thus Spoke Zarathustra" (1883-85), "Beyond Good and Evil" (1886), "On the Genealogy of Morals" (1887), "The Case of Wagner" (1888) , "Twilight of the Idols" (1888) , "The Antichrist" (1888), "Ecce Homo" (1888) and "Nietzsche Contra Wagner" (1888) . In his autobiography, Nietzsche entitled the four sections "Why I Am So Wise", "Why I Am So Clever", "Why I Write Such Good Books", and "Why I am Destiny".
Although no one knows what caused it - scholars still argue whether it was a syphilitic infection (as his doctors in Basel and Jena diagnosed), the use of chloral hydrate (a drug Nietzsche used as a sedative), or an inherited brain disease - on January 3, 1889, Nietzsche experienced a mental break down, from which he never recovered his full senses. In the morning of January 3rd, Friedrich Nietzsche witnessed a coachman whipping his horse, in the Piazza Carlo Alberto; throwing his arms around the horse's neck, he collapsed, never to regain his sanity.
During his life, the majority of people who embraced Nietzsche's teachings were artists and musicians, and did not live in the English-speaking world; it was not until the 1960's, amongst college students (who were, at the time, rejecting the west, and western heritage), that Nietzsche gained substantial notoriety in the English speaking world. In summary, we can conclude that, while brilliant in many respects, Friedrich Nietzsche rejected the heritage of the white/western/Christian world, and embraced the Oriental/eastern/mystical teachings.
Nietzsche clearly expressed his disdain for Christianity, morals, and western culture in his writings, as well as his extreme feeling of self-importance and his conceit; perhaps this was an effect of his disturbed mental state. Or perhaps his disturbed mental state was due to the confusion of his ideas, and the fact that he turned his back on his own culture.[/QUOTE]
[COLOR=Navy]This has to be one of the most biased posts I have seen in a long time. Why do you take the stance that just because someone rejects the claims of Christianity, itself an imported "eastern" religion that this must ergo be the result of his health problems? This is an illogical conclusion with no basis in sound fact. Why does rejecting the claims of Christianity imply that he "turned his back on his own culture"? I repeat Christianity is an imported religion. [/COLOR]