, Research Paper

The experiential philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche believed that humanity nedded to

be overcome. He viewed worlds as weak animals and slaves to the Christian

faith. In The Will to Power, Nietzsche asserts the poer of the overman & # 8211 ; a

animal beyond Christian good and evil & # 8211 ; to replace the inactive adult male. To

understand the book, it is first necessary to understand what Nietzsche means by

& # 8216 ; The Will to Power & # 8217 ; . Denneson describes this as a & # 8216 ; psychological presupposition & # 8217 ;

which assumes “ that worlds are ever trying to bring down their volitions

upon others ” ( Denneson, 1 ) . When sing the usage of the term & # 8216 ; ubermensch & # 8217 ;

or & # 8216 ; overman & # 8217 ; in this work, it is besides necessary to understand precisely what

Nietzsche means by this term. This is seen by many as the manner in which he refers

to a & # 8217 ; superhuman & # 8217 ; . In the past, many comparings wre made between Nietzsche & # 8217 ; s

overman and the Nazi thought of the superior race. However, this has been

re-evaluated by many bookmans, and the comparing is no longer seen in the same

visible radiation. The overman is seen as the following measure up from normal worlds ; this animal

could even be interpreted as the following measure up the evolutionary ladder. The

overman is non isolated to merely this work ; we see Nietzsche talk about this

animal in other plants such as Thus Spoke Zarathustra and The Antichrist. The

thought is non new, but at best, it is still controversial ( Cross, 1 ) . The Will to

Power, which consequences from these two books, contains assorted metaphors and

generalisations which display contradictions and tensenesss ( Harman, 2 ) . The

doctrines which underlie all of Nietzsche & # 8217 ; s composing are themselves

contradictory ; they both celebrate and embrace the humanity of adult male, whilst

keeping it in disdain and dissing it at the same clip ( Cross, 7 ) . The construct

oof the overman appears to be a contradiction in itself, reflecting the positions

that Nietzsche himself expresses about the human status. The animal is

duality, seeing himself as superior and a maestro of his environment, but

at the same time he hates his human ego, seeing his failings and defects. In this

mode of representation, one must oppugn if this animal could of all time go a

world. Cross argues that the overmanis a contradiction in footings of being

which can non be resolved due to the restraints which Nietzsche applies to this

conjectural animal. Cross provinces, “ this animal can merely win in

contradicting himself, and, in kernel, can ne’er truly exist at all. ” Nietzsche

has the position that world as it exists is a disease of a & # 8217 ; sickness & # 8217 ; which is

destructing itself, reflecting the porr nature of a modern adult male and his deficiency of

pro-activism, being seen as a strictly inactive animal unalbe to arise and specify

his life. Nietzsche farther argues that the inactive reaction of the happenings

in society are the consequence of the Christian faith ( Cross, 2 ) . Nietzche & # 8217 ; s view

of adult male & # 8217 ; s & # 8217 ; sickness & # 8217 ; reveals itself really strongly in The Antichrist, but The Will

to Power besides displays his position. This book reflects Nietzsche & # 8217 ; s belief that all

animals, whatever they are, have a demand and a demand to follow bids

of some kind. The freedom of the overman is that the single despises what he

is and has been, and in this is able to larn to command himself. However, this

is a hard and suicidal procedure. The perceptual experience of the comand over

power is an interesting one ; it is non the consecutive forward significance of control

over others, but besides the control over one & # 8217 ; s self. In The Will to Power,

Nietzsche sees those who look to better themselves as looking to the & # 8216 ; will to

truth & # 8217 ; . However, he argues that in making this, they are non truly seeking new

values, but that htey are seeking to happen a manner of conveying all work forces under the

same codification of understanding. In consequence, they are conveying them all farther to the

failings for which he blames Christianity. Nietzsche says he believes that a

adult male who acts out of indolence, or does non move for the same ground is bad, and

this inactive stance allows the failings of society to go more entrenched

and accepted, this going of a self-fu

lfilling prophecy– the more it happens,

the more it will do its continuance. The inactive adult male does non expose

obeisance to himself, but to society. The overman is obedient to himself,

arguably hte hardest type of obeisance. Therefore, the will to power is the

power to put one & # 8217 ; s ain values and one & # 8217 ; s ain ends. The power is hence non

any type of physical beast force, but a strong and digesting self-government.

This shows the duality that Nietzsche puts frontward & # 8211 ; for how can a adult male full of

self-loathing and illness, aware of his ain failings, of all time go this self-determanist

animal, yet still cognizant of his mistakes ( Cross, 7 ) ? Nietzsche argues that the

accomplish this, a adult male must be free of the failings of society ; he must non be

edge by the convention that the strong have to assist the weak. This convention

merely leads both parties to go even weaker. Nietzsche believes that the lone

manner of get the better ofing this illness in society is for the following evolutionary measure to

be taken & # 8211 ; the weak be left to their ain devices, whilst the strongest develop

themselves. In consequence, this is a representation of the endurance of the fittest

theory. This reflects his position that the current evolutionary procedure has been

halted by adult male & # 8217 ; s failing, and that it can merely be restarted and the overman be

attained by drastic steps ( Cross, 10 ) . However for adult male to alter, he must

privation to alter. See how he treats his fellow adult male with disdain. Yet, even in his

ain authorship, this is a contradiction ; “ One can heighten merely those work forces whom

does non handle with disdain ; moral disdain causes greater indignity and injury

than any offense ” ( Nietzsche, 393 ) . For this to be seen as possible, we must

accept that the rule motive behind adult male is non one of mere endurance, but

that is is one of improvement. The cost of self-imparement must non be at the

disbursal of the weak. Arguably, it is an amorist position, which shows the grounds

why so many bookmans see Nietzsche & # 8217 ; s questionalbe ( Cross, 2 ) . One may reason that

if the overman represents entire obeisance to oneself and non to others, this

alteration would announce the terminal of the province. There would no longer be any demand for

the province because there would non be a function for it to play. However even in this

contradiction, a degree of stableness must be reached in the single overman.

However, Nietzsche besides argues that it is stableness which has finally lead to

the stagnancy which is presently the place of adult male. In stableness, there will

be no motion frontward and no evolutionary advancement ( Cross, 6 ) . In a concluding

idea sing the procedure and accomplishment of this overman statur, one can

clearly see a difference in the province of head in accomplishing it. The overman will

non likely be satisfied in his place. The end of the normal adult male, embodied by

the multitudes, is that of pleasance. In this regard, Nietzsche argues with many

other philosophers. However, this is different from the end and wages which

the overman receives. This Nietzsche sees the attainment of joy, yet with

different result. Nietzsche views joy as being tinged with hurting, in this manner

enabling the thought of joy to be appreciated in its entirety. The whole thought of a

& # 8217 ; demigod, & # 8217 ; or overman has been seen many clip through doctrine, but in the

instance of Nietzsche, it is a self-negating thought, and the theory would non work as

it advocates to many imitations and a neglect for the societal demands of adult male. The

credence of this theory would be to ignore many of the societal demands and the

manner in which society works. This theory advocates an abandoment of the current

society in favor of entire self-government and obeisance to the ego. However

in sing this, the most basic message sing the book The Will to Power

must be that this was non written straight by Nietzsche. It is a aggregation of

notes and observations, which are non finished or refined ( Cross, 1 ) . Here, we

are in danger of misinterpreting his message, and the best and most complete manner

to rectify this defect is to read his other books, which do show a concluding and

polished position, instead than the unfinished unsmooth lineation.