Atheist Intellectual Nietzsche Society driven by human will Literally worked self sick Wrote 20 books Helped forge the field on Anthropology Nietzsche Had a negative reaction to science and reason. Believed science and reason stifled the creativity of humans Focused on the natural human will and the need to allow it to express itself When you think of the human will what comes to your mind? How would you define it? How did Nietzsche define the human will? he seemed to think there are multiple human wills there is a devious will that represses an egotistical will in order to gain approval of others The devious will (Apollonian) = rational spirit that dominated Christianity The egotistical will (Dionysian) = a deeper force (primal) What did Nietzsche see as the relationship between the human will and one s conscience? The devious will prevails over Consciousness Do you agree? 1
Perhaps Nietzsche s view of the human will is a foreshadowing of Freud s: Id = egoistic will ego = devious will superego = conscience (repression of the ego will by devious will) Nietzsche believed that the human race should strive for the next level of humanity where an individual is freed from social and psychological repression, allowing for creativity and enhanced energy How might findings related to feral and isolated children be related to Nietzsche s understanding of the human will? How do we express the human will? Art, creativity Emotions Human action Brilliant ideas Attempts to dominate others How did the view of the human will differ between aristocrats and Christianity? What did aristocrats consider moral when considering the relationship between humans? Some human wills are meant to be dominated by others 2
What did Christians consider moral when considering the relationship between humans (they adopted the slave morality of the time)? Humility Obedience Self-abnegation Altruism Repression of self-expression Nietzsche believed it was the slave morality that came to be revered by society as the lower classes overcame the aristocrats. Why do you think Nietzsche attacked Christianity? Nietzsche believed the slave or altruistic or Christian view was an unhealthy repression of our true selves inhibiting creativity and happiness. This mentality (or morality) became a tool for some (e.g., priests, respected individuals) to dominate others Nietzsche believed that being altruistic is only fooling oneself and through repression inhibiting valuable creativity and energy. Do you agree? Nietzsche believed: one makes the world one s own by willing it, repressing nothing, asking revenge for nothing, pressing continuously onward into a future that is fated to be like the past. 3
Nietzsche had a significant influence on a variety of social sciences: sociology, psychology, philosophy, political science Do-Gooders, Evolutionists, Racists The term liberalism is used to describe those intellectuals who held a different view from conservatives of the day. Conservatives supported the rights of the aristocracy and king (i.e., supported tradition, ways of the past). Liberals used science to support their beliefs. Science brought the Enlightenment which revolted against traditional religion. Eventually the liberals split into two competing groups based on two differing perspectives: Belief in natural law (evolution, supply and demand) and Belief in social reform (utilitarianism) social evolutionists believed in a natural law that humans are the most advanced species due to their ability to communicate (i.e., make sense of symbols in the form of words) The concept of symbols and symbolic interaction inspired social theory development in the 1900s 4
Evolutionists equated society to the human body. Natural laws are the way in which God (or nature) had intended things to operate All restraints are unnatural (e.g., gov t regulations, unions) and should be opposed The social reformers (or utilitarian wing) recognized the many social ills of the day (poor working conditions in factories, child labor, poor health) and argued that government should intervene. How might the social reformers view social stratification (such as division of society by income level and education) differently from evolutionists? Do evolutionists view war as improving or inhibiting the human race? Beliefs in natural laws of supply and demand suggest government not interfere with market economy What are some reasons for and against this laisez-faire view? What is the difference between social theory and social reform? How are they related to one another? 5
Social theory identifies theories (i.e. possible explanations) for human behavior. Social reform applies theories for the betterment of society Contribution of Americans to Liberalism: No major contributors to social theory (except perhaps Sumner) The focus was on social problems For example, Hull House in Chicago ministered to immigrants and professional women. Graham Sumner an American most noteworthy for his development of the idea of mores of a society. Mores define what the society views as important Mores can make anything right American universities were moving from traditional curriculums to new specialties The first sociology department was established in 1892 at the University of Chicago Sociobiology: Would you say social reform hinders or enhances the accuracy of social science? --the systematic study of the biological basis of social behavior --examines the social behavior of animals as well as humans 6
Thank you. 7