If 19th Century philosophy takes its cue from Hegel, 20th Century philosophy begins with Nietzsche. Ever the historian, Nietzsche tears into the Platonic/Christian tradition, clearing the way for a new vision of humanity. Nietzsche declares the death of God, calls for a new form of morality, and asserts the individual's will to power. Western philosophy takes an important turn with Nietzsche, a turn which he - no doubt - would say is for the better.
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Just to say this first I am not trying to put down Nietzsche’s ideas because I find them intriguing and from a different perspective. Nietzsche’s ideas though seem to come from a hateful person. He insults females, Russians, and any religious person. He seems to be a sexist and a racist and just a man who does not like life. It is no wonder why Nietzsche declares God is dead. God stands for something that is happy, while Nietzsche seems very bitter and hateful. He says that the morals we have are not he morals we should have, and declares that instincts should be held higher than they are. Although this man seems to be hateful which I don’t like, he does propose a break from the past and to stir up the world we live in. This I do agree with. Some things get too settled and then it is hard to question, which is philosophy. I like his ideas but someone should have given him a hug.
This may seem controversial but Nietzsche's ideas come to me as very utilitarian and make a lot of sense. His ideas on work are interesting because he says that work is something that has allowed us to set small goals and be satisfied with them. Instead, we should be using our mental capacity to improve and broaden the human race. human beings work because they seek security and are afraid of everything individual.
What he wrote on the death of God was even more interesting to me. Mainly because it got me thinking deeply about what would really happen if one day God died. What would happen to morality and virtue, places of worship, young children who no longer have a fear of hell in order to keep them in line. Where would people get their sense of good. After all good is just a label we place on things that pleasure us but with the death of religion, who is going to place these labels? humans are simply too indecisive and insatiable to place their own labels. But like the madman, this idea is simply too young to sprout any solutions.
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