Friedrich Nietzsche strongly opposes the Socratic way of thinking. Socrates wanted to eliminate all remnants of myth and tragedy in modern culture and replace it with an age of reason where the theoretical man has the most power. The theoretical man wishes to reveal all of the world’s secrets before him because he is following Socrates’ belief that “knowledge is virtue”. Nietzsche opposes this idea for two reasons: the elimination of myth and tragedy from the world will make us unfulfilled as a society, and the theoretical man will never be truly satisfied and will suffer from depression for his entire life.
The theoretical man finds pleasure in the discovery of new things. According to Nietzsche, “The theoretical man enjoys and finds satisfaction …show more content…
He says that the illusion that thought has the power “not only of knowing being but even of correcting it … accompanies science as an instinct and leads science again and again to its limits at which it must turn into art--which is really the aim of this mechanism” (BT, §15, 95-96). Nietzsche sees Socratic science as a wasted effort. Nicholas Burbules, a professor at the University of Illinois, writes about Nietzsche’s problem with scientific thinking. According to Burbules, Nietzsche’s problem with the followers of Socrates is that they assume that there is more value to knowing than not knowing (1). They assume that our society can only advance once we can understand the world through a truly objective lens (Burbules 1). The theoretical man believes that only through ultimate knowledge can our suffering end; but, as already mentioned, Nietzsche sees the quest for ultimate knowledge as one of disappointment and depression. Instead of through science, Nietzsche believes that the advancement of society can only be achieved through myth and fulfilling one’s innermost desires. He disagrees with the belief that the world is fully intelligible, and thinks that those who believe this are only denying themselves of their body’s true needs. In addition, Nietzsche despises the theoretical man’s beliefs because they deny the existence of …show more content…
The theoretical man desires power, which according to Socrates can only be obtained through knowledge. In Nietzsche’s view, the theoretical man is a coward because he lacks the courage to figure out what would be fulfilling to him and instead pursues a fantasy in which he is already powerful and thus fulfilled. This is the kind of fantasy that drives men to become dictators who falsely promise their people that by following them, the world will be a much better place for everyone. Nietzsche fears the world that is ruled by dictators because it represents anti-progress. Socrates wanted to create a form of thinking that was based on reality instead of belief, and he wanted to enforce this way of thinking on his people by forcing them to be obedient to a philosopher king. This idea of an all-powerful ruler that forces his people to follow a certain way of thinking is no different than the dictators that Nietzsche so deeply feared would destroy humanity. Nietzsche praises the artist because he is obedient only to his own inspirations and is therefore allowing himself to grow into a better human being. On the other hand, those who follow the theoretical man are weak and cowardly because they would rather be obedient to a dictator than to make sense of their own needs and try to live based on those
The theoretical man finds pleasure in the discovery of new things. According to Nietzsche, “The theoretical man enjoys and finds satisfaction …show more content…
He says that the illusion that thought has the power “not only of knowing being but even of correcting it … accompanies science as an instinct and leads science again and again to its limits at which it must turn into art--which is really the aim of this mechanism” (BT, §15, 95-96). Nietzsche sees Socratic science as a wasted effort. Nicholas Burbules, a professor at the University of Illinois, writes about Nietzsche’s problem with scientific thinking. According to Burbules, Nietzsche’s problem with the followers of Socrates is that they assume that there is more value to knowing than not knowing (1). They assume that our society can only advance once we can understand the world through a truly objective lens (Burbules 1). The theoretical man believes that only through ultimate knowledge can our suffering end; but, as already mentioned, Nietzsche sees the quest for ultimate knowledge as one of disappointment and depression. Instead of through science, Nietzsche believes that the advancement of society can only be achieved through myth and fulfilling one’s innermost desires. He disagrees with the belief that the world is fully intelligible, and thinks that those who believe this are only denying themselves of their body’s true needs. In addition, Nietzsche despises the theoretical man’s beliefs because they deny the existence of …show more content…
The theoretical man desires power, which according to Socrates can only be obtained through knowledge. In Nietzsche’s view, the theoretical man is a coward because he lacks the courage to figure out what would be fulfilling to him and instead pursues a fantasy in which he is already powerful and thus fulfilled. This is the kind of fantasy that drives men to become dictators who falsely promise their people that by following them, the world will be a much better place for everyone. Nietzsche fears the world that is ruled by dictators because it represents anti-progress. Socrates wanted to create a form of thinking that was based on reality instead of belief, and he wanted to enforce this way of thinking on his people by forcing them to be obedient to a philosopher king. This idea of an all-powerful ruler that forces his people to follow a certain way of thinking is no different than the dictators that Nietzsche so deeply feared would destroy humanity. Nietzsche praises the artist because he is obedient only to his own inspirations and is therefore allowing himself to grow into a better human being. On the other hand, those who follow the theoretical man are weak and cowardly because they would rather be obedient to a dictator than to make sense of their own needs and try to live based on those