The Reports of God's Death Are a Bit Premature
Arguing the death of God is a debate that will last until eternity. Regardless of exploration or religious zeal there are far too many human viewpoints leaning towards the idea of and the strong need for faith. Believing in God for some is as natural as walking upright and it would seem that through such unquestionable faith God would somehow still be alive. But perhaps He is only surviving with the help of life support.
For example, it would be difficult to tell a passionate Fundamentalist Christian that God was not alive in his or her heart. Therefore, Nietzche's claim of God's demise would fall on deaf ears, for he or she would, in a sense, be keeping God alive with their faith. However, for the sake of Nietzche's favorite subject and perspectivists everywhere, suppose God has in fact died. According to the "madman" we are all responsible (Kaufman 126), but how did it happen and what do we do to solve the problem? Even more curious, is it a problem? So there they are, like some sort of bad movie, standing around with a body lying on the floor. It is nighttime and the classic storm is occurring outside complete with pouring rain, thunder and lightning. Those present stare at the figure in disbelief. Some, however, are not surprised. Others shake their heads at the inevitability of it all. A few cry, but what is on all of their minds is this: who is it?! His death has left him slightly disfigured, not in a morbid sense, but just enough to make him hard to identify, not only for who he is, but what place he held in all of their lives. There is no question that he once held a position of great power and esteem, and that he once had a profound effect on generatio...
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... the first time ever, we as humans hold God's fate in the balance. Perhaps this is not only Nietzche'sperspective, perhaps this is truth. We are all, in fact, responsible for His survival. But like Mark Twain's famous quote about himself, the reports of God's death are a bit premature.
Works Cited
Kaufman, Gordon D., God the Problem Cambridge: Harvard University Press, 1973.
Nietzxche, Friedrich. The Gay Science: With a Prelude in Rhymes and an Appendix of Songs New York: Vintage Books, 1974.
Beyond Good and Evil: Prelude to a Philosophy of the Future New York: Vintage Books, 1989.
Soloman, Robert C. and Kathleen M. Higgens. Reading Nietzsche . New York: Oxford University Press, 1988.
Spinoza, Baruch. The Collected Works of Spinoza Edited and translated by Edwin Curley. Vol. 1, The Ethics Princeton: The Princeton University Press, 1985.
Kreeft, Peter. (1988).“The Problem of Evil.” Chapter 7 in Fundamentals of the Faith. San Francisco: Ignatius Press.
As I continued to chat with my pastor that day, I really sensed the hurt in his eyes – the anger that comes from an unsolvable injustice, the tiredness of a problem. “What’s wrong?” I finally asked, “Having a bad day?” Sensing that I was truly concerned, he let the truth be told. “I talked with a woman today whose baby died suddenly of unknown causes. As we worked through her grief, she talked about how numerous friends and family, even a religious leader had patted her on the back, shook their heads and said, ‘It was God’s will.’ I find few things worse to say to a grieving parent. Saying nothing at all would be of more help.” It was obvious from our conversation that he had an understanding greater than I about God’s will, and his insight created in me a curiosity and desire to learn more.
Nietzsche, Friedrich, and Walter Kaufmann. The Gay Science: With a Prelude in Rhymes and an Appendix of Songs : Translated, with Commentary by Walter Kaufmann. New York: Random, 1974. Print.
Leiter, Brian. “Nietzsche’s Moral and Political Philosophy.” Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy. Metaphysics Research Lab, CSLI, Stanford University, 26 August 2004.
Friedrich Nietzsche, The Will to Power, trans. Walter Kaufmann and R. J. Hollingdale, ed. Walter Kaufmann (New York: Random House, 1967).
P. 38-39, Friedrich Nietzsche, “Beyond Good and Evil” Cambridge Texts in the History of Philosophy, translated by Judith Norman, Cambridge University Press, 2002
Golding has a rather pessimistic view of humanity having selfishness, impulsiveness and violence within, shown in his dark yet allegorical novel Lord of the Flies. Throughout the novel, the boys show great self-concern, act rashly, and pummel beasts, boys and bacon. The delicate facade of society is easily toppled by man's true beastly nature.
Nietzsche demonstrates how the world and its human inhabitants are more productive when left to its own intentions. Even though “God is Dead”, science has served as religion’s substitute, in which Nietzsche can only describe as the “Error of errors” (Nietzsche 301). Ultimately, Nietzsche advocates for the rule of chaos, since it separates from humanity’s need for certainty and truth that arises from science and religion. The importance of such unpredictable events nurtures the freedom of spirit of the individual as he relishes in the uncertainty and the spontaneous elements of new infinite. In such independence, there is hope that the individual can create his own destiny in such that we now possess the capacity to claim our own interpretations in a world we are undeniably a part of.
Madigan, P. The Modern Project to Rigor: Descartes to Nietzsche. Landham: UP of America, 1986.
Wyatt, C. (2010). Friedrich Nietzsche. In Tameri Guide for Writers. Retrieved December 6, 2010, from http://www.tameri.com/csw/exist/nietzsche.shtml
Madigan, P. The Modern Project to Rigor: Descartes to Nietzsche. Landham: UP of America, 1986.
Rocca, MC 2008, Spinoza: The Routledge Philosopher Series, London: Routledge. Scruton, R 1999, Spinoza. London: Orion. Woolhouse, RS 1993,Descartes, Spinoza, Leibniz: the Concept of Substance in 17th Century Metaphysics, London: Routledge.
On Truth and Lies in a Nonmoral Sense, Nietzsche. United States of America: Bedford/St.Martin's, 2001. 1171-1179. Print
Nietzsche’s Genealogy of Morals can be assessed in regards to the three essays that it is broken up into. Each essay derives the significance of our moral concepts by observing
Part 1: Choose one or two of the Spinoza´s Fourth Part of Ethics and explain the sense of the proposition. Add to your explanation an example and finally your own critical assessment of Spinoza 's position.