PHI 3377 Lecture Notes - Lecture 3: Arthur Schopenhauer, Asceticism, Metanarrative
30 Nov 2013
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The concept of will how will manifests itself in us. The underlying principle of reality a conflictual, aggressive, blind force. The ultimate drive of every being the will to power to grow stronger, increase, stronger than self-preservation. Our beliefs are based off our drives, desires, etc. Something we believe is rational and reasonable actually have a non-rational basis. Leads to nietzsche skepticism about knowledge beliefs should not be based on motives. For schopenhauer, the fact that we are will is not a good thing escape through aesthetics. For nietzsche, yes, life is will to power, but it"s not a bad thing something from which we should want to escape, it"s affirming the way that it is. Rejects escape routes through ascetic contemplation and asceticism. Different evaluation and understanding of art, beauty, and asceticism than. Beauty heightens our sensibilities, desires, etc. makes living more bearable, makes us want to live. Beauty is an illusion pro-illusion that enhances life.
