Friedrich Nietzsche was a German philosopher who disputed the foundations of Christianity and morality. He believed that there is only one Christian, and that Christian died on the cross many years ago. He strongly believed in life, happiness, creativity, philosophy, the realities of life and the world where we live in. (Reno, 2006) Nietzsche was very critical of the idea of objective truth.
He believes that people should never think of a single way in considering a matter because this makes us inflexible in our way of thinking.When one has a healthy mind, he recognizes that there are many different ways, and not only one way of considering a matter. Therefore, it is emphasized that there is no single truth but many. Nietzsche always pointed out that everything in the world is unstable, and that there is no such thing as a “fixed being”.
Things and people are always changing and moving from one place to another. In the same manner, ideas, knowledge, and truth change, and so does everything else. This implies that the world is not made up of facts, but rather of wills. The “will to power” is significant in these changes.
Nietzsche has also always believed that what we call the human soul or ego should be considered a fiction. This means that what we call “I” comprises a random of competing wills which continually struggles to overcome one another. Given this, Nietzsche looks at any point of view, be it religious, philosophical or scientific as “life denying”, if it in any way takes reality as fixed and objective. This is because change, according to him, is a fixed aspect of life, and he recognizes that a truly life-affirming belief is one that embraces change as the only thing that is constant in this world.Many interpreters of Nietzsche argue with his interpretation of truth. Some believe that the definition of truth cannot be singled out as Nietzsche has defined it.
They believe that there is no single and precise perspective on truth. Truth, as many believe, is dependent on the matter that it defines, and the person who defines it. Just as we cannot give a full definition of a tiger by only looking at its skin, we cannot get a full detail of what it does look like not unless we look at it from several standpoints. Also, the definition of the tiger will be different according to the person who is defining it.One can describe the tiger’s skin as orange, and another can say it’s yellow from where he stands. Nietzsche’s criticism about the truth is the same as his view of moral ideas.
He dislikes both their claims as absolute. Plato’s philosophical view emphasizes that what is true is unchanging and eternal. It is independent of one’s perspective and opinion about the matter at hand. This truth applies to everything notwithstanding its history, and as much as to everyone regardless of their culture, race, birth, language or individuality.This means that Plato wanted to point out that his definition of truth is universal and objective.
Nietzsche disagrees with this and believes that this idea of the truth is in itself a fiction; it is a falsification of the fact that the world we live in is diverse and every-changing. William James Beliefs and Perspective of the “Truth” William James was a thinker and philosopher who had a deep passion for philosophy. James also hinted his religious concerns in many essays. He made very significant philosophical contributions during the last decades of his life.He presented his systematical views about knowledge, reality, truth, religion and philosophy. James applied all his convictions and analyses to his religious beliefs.
He believed that a person’s salvation depends on his belief and faith in God prior to any proof that God exists. Oftentimes, he applied all his analysis according to what God has said and what he believed God has done. Outside his religious domain, he lived his life in a wide range of secular human life. Rather than trying to handle the complexity, James sought not only to understand, but to live positively within Christianity.James also looked at faith as a very important factor in Christianity. For instance, when you are climbing a mountain and you were in a situation where the escape is only by means of a dangerous leap.
When you try to condition your feet that you can make it, you are bound to do that accomplishment. Mistrust yourself and think of what people say about maybes, and you will tremble, hesitate, and roll into the abyss. (Ivie, 2006) William James was a moralist by nature. He took joy at seeing people around him happy. His perspective of the truth is that it is relative, dependent and personal.He stated in one of his books that the truth to an idea is dependent and relative on its effects upon the lives of people.
It is in this way that truth should be judged. Truth is not about the theory behind something, but rather the matters of its output. An idea then becomes true when it helps someone get into satisfactory relations with his experiences. Truth then is not innate in an idea.
Truth is what happens to an idea once people act upon it. Therefore, for James, stated truth is a function. Nietzsche Versus JamesAccording to the Merriam-Webster’s Dictionary truth is defined as “the state of being the case; the body of real things, events, and facts; a transcendent fundamental or spiritual reality; a judgment, proposition, or idea that is true or accepted as true. ” Both definitions of truth by Nietzsche and James have very good points. While it can be true that the definition of truth, as Nietzsche has defined it, should be according to perspective, it can also be true that truth should be dependent on the person defining it, basing his definition on his experience or the outputs that this definition has done in his life.
It is very important to examine these two points of view. While others might agree that truth is dependent on the human being’s perception, others also remain firm that truth is absolute and universal (Casey, 1997). James and Nietzsche were opposites when it came to religious beliefs. Throughout Nietzsche’s life, he wrote scathingly about arguing and opposing Christianity.
In his works, particularly in The Antichrist, he blatantly wrote about Christianity and how it ruins a healthy life.He looked for every possible attempt to oppose and prove that the doctrines of Christianity lead to a healthy living. For instance, he pointed out that the concept of sin results to our being ashamed of our instincts and sexuality, faith discourages the value of curiosity and skepticism and pity emphasizes that people should value weakness. Furthermore, Nietzsche believed that Christianity is based on the promise of life after death, which results to Christians devaluating our life on earth in favor of the beyond. Because of this, Nietzsche looks at Christianity as the hated enemy of life.James, on the other hand, values God more than anything.
He values the Christian doctrine. His motivations were complex, but at the end of his lines his interests were all religious. James persistently argued on he claims of scientists and absolutists. He believed that the world cannot be interpreted and expressed categorically, but rather only hypothetically. He believed that truth is absolute yet the world is in a constant change.
The world is always open to modification, and yet the real essence of it, remains.
