The Transvaluation of Values: Friedrich Nietzsche

Nietzsche claims that there are two types of morality exists - master-morality and slave-morality, the foremost found in the ruling class while the ruled posses the latter. Master-morality is where the master is the judge and creator of values - a morality that is self-glorification. Slave-morality refines the values of the masters with a filter of distrust while any virtues that remove or alleviate the pains of life are valued. Slave-morality is essentially the morality of utility. These two types of morality have led to the "famous antithesis of good and evil" where power and dangerousness are assumed to reside in evil. Slave-morality believes that the evil man arouses fear while master-morality believes that it is the good man who arouses fear, and actively does so. Master-morality looks at good vs. bad while slave-morality looks at good vs. evil. In slave-morality resentment plays a role in the creation of its values, creating hatred changing the master's idea of bad into evil.

Nietzsche believes that the more barbarian of man, the more noble, is the cause for greater creativity and intelligence, even though they prey on the weaker more civilized and moral people. The barbarian (noble) superiority is not just about their physical power but their psychical power, making a more complete man (and beasts). Slave-moralism values disapprove of creative egoism that is the core of master-moralism. This can be seen in how they value altruism, which devalues the person for the safety of another, showing the unimportance of the first individual.

Nietzsche then claims that the suppression of violence, mutual pain, and exploitation is a Will to the denial of life. Nietzsche claims that this is the principle, of denial of life, leads to "decay and dissolution."
Nietzsche claims that the definition of life is: stealing, injury, the strong beating the weak, suppression, bad experiences, incorporation, and exploitation. Those that survive become stronger and grow from the Will of Power - the essence of what life really is.

Nietzsche regards Christianity to be the most fatal and seductive lie ever created - he would have man attack it in open war. He believes that Christianity creates the "morality of paltry people." Paltry people destroy life. Judaism is no better. Both these faiths enable people to further weaken themselves. Nature is removed from morality when people are told to "love your enemies." God removes utility from morals. The origin of morality (nature) is removed by faith - the destruction of a natural (inborn?) morality.

Because of the destruction of the Will of Power and egoism by these faiths, they destroy the evolutionary power of people.

Nietzsche believes that moral philosophers also call for the destruction of life. He believes that philosophers who say people seek happiness are unwilling to answer the truth, power, because that would be an immoral answer. Moral philosophers call for virtues to reach happiness. Nietzsche claims that pleasure is a sensation of power - and if passions are excluded, you prevent the greatest sensations of power and therefore pleasure. For this reason Nietzsche says that consciousness is not the highest state supreme state of mind, but the opposite is - I presume he refers to the natural instinct of barbarianism within people.

Nietzsche promotes cruelty, which he says in rooted in our "high culture." In fact, he promotes anything horrible motives to human kind, as he believes that they help raise humanity - the exact opposite of all modern ideology.

Nietzsche believes that the philosophers of the future will better understand that appealing to people is not necessary and that all forms of human misery are necessary to promote. "Common Good" will not be sought, as common things have little value.

Nietzsche hopes there will be a transvaluation of values, so that the Will of Power will take prominence.


Discussion Questions/Comments

What does Nietzsche mean by the pathos of distance?

Does Nietzsche really mean "psychical power" or does he actually mean mental/intellectual power? In #4 he uses psychical alone - does he mean psychology now?

Can you explain Nietzsche's use of capital "Will"?

Is Nietzsche's definition of Utility his own or the same as Mill's or Sidgwick's?

By nature morality, does he mean natural or intuitive/inborn morality?

In #8 is Nietzsche talking about physical sensations when talking about "passions?"

Key Terms/Definitions

Juxtapose: place or deal with close together for contrasting effect
Antithesis: a person or thing that is the direct opposite of someone or something else
Pathos: Feelings
Altruism: the belief in or practice of disinterested and selfless concern for the well-being of others
Egoism: an ethical theory that treats self-interest as the foundation of morality
Emasculate: make weaker or less effective
Transvaluation: to alter someone's judgement or reactions

Appropriation: the action of taking something for one's own use, typically without the owners permission
Paltry: small or meager
Dialectics: the art of investigating or discussing the truth of opinions
Dogmatism: the tendency to lay down principles as incontrovertibly true, without consideration of evidence or the opinions of others

Link to Reading: https://ereserve.plu.edu/protected/phil/b125_nietzsche.pdf