Nietzsche's Attack to Absolutist Morality
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- Category: Politics: Moral Issues
- Date Submitted: 09/13/2011 06:48 PM
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How does Nietzsche’s general approach to morals attack the absolutist understanding of values/ethics?
The first essay ‘Good and Evil’, ‘Good and Bad’ centers on what Nietzsche calls “master morality” and “slave morality”. Master morality was developed by the free, healthy and strong. Slave morality was developed by those who are weak, enslaved and unhealthy. They call their master evil and called themselves good in contrast. With this distinction, Nietzsche went on to make a difference between a thing and its meaning. For him, we won’t be able to understand a thing if we assume that it has always held the same meaning. Thus, the meanings of things change over time. We must also take note that a thing has meaning because there is some will dominating it and bending it toward a certain interpretation. According to Nietzsche, then, a belief in an absolute truth is to give in to one particular meaning, one particular interpretation of a thing.
It is a fact that we consider morality as sacred because we assume that there is some superior being who imposed them to us. This is what Nietzsche attacks. He wants to have a new approach in dealing with morality. He questions the value of morality and to be consistent with the idea of the “Übermensch”, he does not align himself with any system of morals.
Nietzsche argues that our present system of morality is born out of resentment and hatred that was felt toward anything that was powerful, strong or healthy. As an example, Nietzsche gives the Judeo-Christian morality as a proponent of slave morality. Take a look at the Beatitudes in the gospel of Matthew 5:3-12 which is also called the Sermon on the Mount.
“Blessed are the poor in spirit for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are they that mourn for they shall be comforted. Blessed are the meek for they shall inherit the earth. Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst for they shall be filled.” (New International Version)
They clearly advocate weakness,...
The first essay ‘Good and Evil’, ‘Good and Bad’ centers on what Nietzsche calls “master morality” and “slave morality”. Master morality was developed by the free, healthy and strong. Slave morality was developed by those who are weak, enslaved and unhealthy. They call their master evil and called themselves good in contrast. With this distinction, Nietzsche went on to make a difference between a thing and its meaning. For him, we won’t be able to understand a thing if we assume that it has always held the same meaning. Thus, the meanings of things change over time. We must also take note that a thing has meaning because there is some will dominating it and bending it toward a certain interpretation. According to Nietzsche, then, a belief in an absolute truth is to give in to one particular meaning, one particular interpretation of a thing.
It is a fact that we consider morality as sacred because we assume that there is some superior being who imposed them to us. This is what Nietzsche attacks. He wants to have a new approach in dealing with morality. He questions the value of morality and to be consistent with the idea of the “Übermensch”, he does not align himself with any system of morals.
Nietzsche argues that our present system of morality is born out of resentment and hatred that was felt toward anything that was powerful, strong or healthy. As an example, Nietzsche gives the Judeo-Christian morality as a proponent of slave morality. Take a look at the Beatitudes in the gospel of Matthew 5:3-12 which is also called the Sermon on the Mount.
“Blessed are the poor in spirit for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are they that mourn for they shall be comforted. Blessed are the meek for they shall inherit the earth. Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst for they shall be filled.” (New International Version)
They clearly advocate weakness,...