Review: The Will to PowerReview: The Will to Power

• Ontological argument invalidOntological argument invalid– Informal argument analogy testInformal argument analogy test– Grammatical trick—like I thinkGrammatical trick—like I thinkI exist.I exist.

• Critical of desperate attempts at meaningCritical of desperate attempts at meaning– Need reality to declare us importantNeed reality to declare us important

• Grasping at grammatical strawsGrasping at grammatical straws• Reality/original a myth—really willing powerReality/original a myth—really willing power

• Gradual dismantling of rationalism Gradual dismantling of rationalism – Hume skeptical about science (cause)Hume skeptical about science (cause)– Abandon proofs of God (Hume/Kant)Abandon proofs of God (Hume/Kant)

Real world HistoryReal world History

• Kant rationalist attemptKant rationalist attempt– Mind filters noumenal realityMind filters noumenal realityphenomenalphenomenal– Noumenal for rational obligation onlyNoumenal for rational obligation only

• Positivism= no value, pure sciencePositivism= no value, pure science

• Nietzsche resting point joyful self-creationNietzsche resting point joyful self-creation– No real/apparent distinction (Greek Idols)No real/apparent distinction (Greek Idols)– No deeper reality but sheer will to powerNo deeper reality but sheer will to power

• Create your own value and live by itCreate your own value and live by it

QuestionsQuestions

Explain the Buddhist paradox of Explain the Buddhist paradox of desire. What is the Mahayana desire. What is the Mahayana

solution? solution?

Christianity and BuddhismChristianity and Buddhism

• A paradigm of slave moralityA paradigm of slave morality– Not refuted, but sick! Self-hating negative Not refuted, but sick! Self-hating negative

resentmentresentment• All All don'tdon'ts, evil, sin, sinners (invented by Jews!)s, evil, sin, sinners (invented by Jews!)• This world, natural man as contrast with GodThis world, natural man as contrast with God

– A form of self-hate—hate the natural self/sinnerA form of self-hate—hate the natural self/sinner– Stems from Socrates’ mind/body valuesStems from Socrates’ mind/body values

LyingLying

• Heaven a contradictionHeaven a contradiction– No – a form of hatred of lifeNo – a form of hatred of life

• Desire for "the other life" = desire for deathDesire for "the other life" = desire for death

– Create a myth in our own imageCreate a myth in our own image• Attribute all power to him—powerlessness tAttribute all power to him—powerlessness to ourseo ourselveslves

• Sin a deceptive form of self-hateSin a deceptive form of self-hate– Doctrine of original sin a double bindDoctrine of original sin a double bind

– Protestant "grace" and predestinProtestant "grace" and predestinatioationn• Hate yourself & ideology of powerlHate yourself & ideology of powerlessnessessness• Moralizes enslavement – we deserve our sufferingMoralizes enslavement – we deserve our suffering

– So do nothing about itSo do nothing about it

Christ and ChristianityChrist and Christianity

• Culprit is St. PaulCulprit is St. Paul– Actually a Roman—inheritors of the idols of SocratesActually a Roman—inheritors of the idols of Socrates– Mind more valuable than body Mind more valuable than body

• Hatred of body and instinctsHatred of body and instincts

• Celibacy of priests, sex as evilCelibacy of priests, sex as evil

• Christ himself a divine mysticChrist himself a divine mystic– Declared himself GodDeclared himself God– Re-evaluated valuesRe-evaluated values– Spontaneous self-assertion—we should Spontaneous self-assertion—we should all be like all be like

thatthat• Christ was the last ChristianChrist was the last Christian

Buddhism a Kindred Buddhism a Kindred ReligionReligion

• Same mind/body structureSame mind/body structure– Skepticism of existenceSkepticism of existence– ‘‘Truth’ ‘reason’, ‘ideas’, & transcendent realityTruth’ ‘reason’, ‘ideas’, & transcendent reality

• Nihilistic, decadent power denyingNihilistic, decadent power denying– Renunciation religion: Nirvana and life (samsara)Renunciation religion: Nirvana and life (samsara)– Samsara is suffering. Get rid of desireSamsara is suffering. Get rid of desire

• But I don't want to malign it with But I don't want to malign it with Christianity…Christianity…– Honest – I seek to die and stay deadHonest – I seek to die and stay dead

• Reincarnation frameworkReincarnation framework

– Positivist – no value judgmentPositivist – no value judgment• ““Life is suffering” v “We are all sinners”Life is suffering” v “We are all sinners”

Not PowerlessNot Powerless

• We can achieve the religious goal by We can achieve the religious goal by our own effortsour own efforts– We can die and stay deadWe can die and stay dead

• No promises and keeps them!No promises and keeps them!

– No supernatural intervention—no No supernatural intervention—no supernatural role at allsupernatural role at all• Buddha just a model who found the pathBuddha just a model who found the path

• Hygiene, diet, cheerfulnessHygiene, diet, cheerfulness– Attributed to climate and age of cultureAttributed to climate and age of culture

Philosophical self-deceptionPhilosophical self-deception

• First "tricks of grammar" analysisFirst "tricks of grammar" analysis– Invent reality out of languageInvent reality out of language

• Grammar and logicGrammar and logic– Subject term must refer (exist)Subject term must refer (exist)

• Hence soul and God—agent and objectHence soul and God—agent and object– Hegel and reason discovering itself—Reason=worldHegel and reason discovering itself—Reason=world– All truth in SubjectAll truth in SubjectPredicate formPredicate form

» Summarize in a single truth GodSummarize in a single truth Godworldworld

• Cogito and ontological argumentCogito and ontological argument

• "Can't get rid of God because we still "Can't get rid of God because we still believe in grammar!"believe in grammar!"

India and Indo-EuropeanIndia and Indo-European• Return to first idea "invasion" of ChinaReturn to first idea "invasion" of China

• Indian Upanishads and Hindu orthodoxy. Indian Upanishads and Hindu orthodoxy. Brahman and GreeksBrahman and Greeks– Striking parallelsStriking parallels

• Mind-body, reason, logic, truth permanence beliefMind-body, reason, logic, truth permanence belief• Phenomenalism-idealism: sensible world an Phenomenalism-idealism: sensible world an

illusionillusion

Buddhism Buddhism

• Heresy within HinduismHeresy within Hinduism– Rejects the soul/egoRejects the soul/ego– Nirvana as extinctionNirvana as extinction

Four noble truths:Four noble truths:

• Life is sufferingLife is suffering– Nietzsche likes the directness, honestyNietzsche likes the directness, honesty

• Suffering is caused by desireSuffering is caused by desire– The shared "nihilistic" themeThe shared "nihilistic" theme

• Desire elimination is the way to eliminate Desire elimination is the way to eliminate sufferingsuffering– Can do something (??)Can do something (??)

• Eightfold path is the way to eliminate Eightfold path is the way to eliminate desiredesire– Hygiene diet attitudeHygiene diet attitude

NirvanaNirvana

• No more rebirths = no more sufferingNo more rebirths = no more suffering– Escape from samsara—cycle of livesEscape from samsara—cycle of lives