Rereading Nietzsche: The crisis and postmodernism


Livan H. F.

The Crisis: Future Prospects on Politics, Culture and Governance, Ankara, Türkiye, 16 - 20 Temmuz 2018, ss.90

  • Yayın Türü: Bildiri / Özet Bildiri
  • Basıldığı Şehir: Ankara
  • Basıldığı Ülke: Türkiye
  • Sayfa Sayıları: ss.90
  • Hacettepe Üniversitesi Adresli: Evet

Özet

Nietzsche, with his well-known phrase “God is dead!”, assesses the end times of the metaphysical tradition by presenting a non-historical reading of the concept of crisis. According to Nietzsche, the crisis of Western philosophy implies an ongoing turmoil of thought, value, and life since Plato. Nietzsche's reading of crisis toward life is not pessimistic. Instead, it means an effort to overcome metaphysics itself. The crucial point, at this point, is the affirmation of the argument which implies that being is composed of pluralities of perspectives and is heading towards an "Overman."

 

According to Nietzsche, no ethics can be universal, and the "free spirit" must strive to create its ethical values. Therefore, it is essential to act according to the values that are not universalized, idealized on both the ethical and political levels. This notion effectuates one of the most common critiques of Western metaphysics raised by postmodernism. The critique of the binary oppositions of Western metaphysical tradition, moralism, and modernity also reflects the effects of Nietzsche's thought among postmodern literature either in its Deleuzian (becoming, difference and Eternal Recurrence) or Derridean (deconstruction) interpretations. Conceptually based on the central discussions in Nietzsche's thought such as perspectivism, nihilism, affirmation of life, becoming, "Eternal Recurrence" and "the Overman”, this study aims to interpret the problematic relation between truth and crisis in contemporary political philosophy.