On the Genealogy of Morals

#doc/book #philosophy/nietzsche

Overview

"The three essays which constitute this genealogy are, as regards expression, aspiration, and the art of the unexpected, perhaps the most curious things that have ever been written." - Nietzsche (Ecce Homo)

On The Genealogy of Morals is made up of three essays, all of which question and critique the value of our moral judgments based on a genealogical method whereby Nietzsche examines the origins and meanings of our different moral concepts.

The Title

The title, "On the Genealogy of Morals," suggests Nietzsche aims to explore the concept of morality through a historical genealogical lens, since, genealogy, is literally, the study of family history and lineage. [1]

The sub-title "A Polemic"

It is important to note that the full title of the text is "On the Genealogy of Morals: A Polemic"
Often overlooked, the sub-title "Polemic" gives us a clue as to how Nietzsche intends to share his thoughts in the text. Instead of playing the role of a objective, and perhaps disinterested, scientist; Nietzsche instead aims to "attack" his opponents.

A polemic, by definition, is a controversial argument that strongly supports a position or attacks a opposing position.

Initially, this may seem as a unusual approach, since most philosophers try to reason from eternal principles, rather than contingent historical factors. For example, Descartes used his Cartesian Method of Doubt to find eternal truths, Kant sought a priori judgment, and Schopenhauer contemplated the eternal will. Nietzsche's goal is to explore why we have come to believe in the things that we do, and whether we should continue to do so. [2] He believes by revaluating these beliefs, we could demolish the moralities of old, and create a new morality; this process is called the Transvaluation of all Values, and is considered a very important Nietzschen concept.

Nietzsche's views on Christianity

Many of Nietzsche works are highly critical of Christianity, especially his later works like Twilight and The Antichrist. Although, I do believe reading through Nietzsche's views on Christianity are an important step in understanding Nietzsche as a whole, I do think that is a journey everyone should take on their own.

I consider Nietzsche very easy to misunderstand, and although in most cases it is okay to include his beliefs after consulting multiple different interpretations; when it comes to certain sensitive topics; I will opt to exclude his views (at least from the online version of the vault), until I have formed a better understanding of the views of both Nietzsche and those he criticizes.

#TODO look more into each essay individually, and make individual notes.

"Good And Evil", "Good And Bad"

essays the psychology of Christianity; the birth of Christianity out of the spirit of resentment, not, as is supposed, out of "Spirit,"-in all its essentials, a counter-movement, the great insurrection against the dominion of noble values." - Nietzsche (Ecce Homo)
Beyond Good and Evil

The concepts discussed in this chapter are probably familiar to those who have read Beyond Good and Evil. The Genealogy is is many ways an extended explanation of some of the points covered in BGE.

The first essay deals with the origin of "Good" and "Evil." Unlike many other philosophers, who believe in objective moral truths, Nietzsche considers working with history to be a more realistic approach rather than relying on these metaphysical aspirations.[3]

Nietzsche believes that in the beginning there was no morality in the conventional sense of the word; people considered only whether actions were beneficial or detrimental. Soon, the nobility or the aristocracy designated their actions as good, hence, affirming their own mode of existence. In this age, the "strong" were "good" and the "good" were "strong."

"...the judgement "good* did not originate among those to whom goodness was shown. Much rather has it been the good themselves, that is, the aristocratic, the powerful, the high-stationed, the high-minded, who have felt that they themselves were good, and that their actions were good, that is to say of the first order, in contradistinction to all the low, the low-minded, the vulgar, and the plebian. It was out of this pathos of distance that they first arrogated the right to create values for their own profit, and to coin the names of such values." - Nietzsche (On the Genealogy of Morals, First Essay)

Nietzsche presents a narrative in which mankind progressed from a pre-moral stage to a moral stage. In other words, Nietzsche believes that in the beginning there was no morality in the conventional sense of the word; people simply did things without moral judgement, considering only whether there actions would be beneficial or detrimental. Things were not "Good" or "Evil."

However, the powerful in this pre-moral stage, the nobility or the aristocracy, designated things as good

The powerful in this age designated things as good

This first essay contrasts what Nietzsche calls Master Morality and Slave Morality
Master morality was developed by the strong, healthy, and free, who saw their own happiness as good and named it thus. By contrast, they saw those who were weak, unhealthy, and enslaved as "bad," since their weakness was undesirable.
On the other hand, the "slaves," feeling oppressed by the wealthy (and happy), called the masters "evil," and called themselves "good" by contrast.

"Guilt," "Bad Conscience," and the like

Nietzsche traces the origins of concepts such as guilt and punishment, showing that originally they were not based on any sense of moral transgression. Rather, guilt simply meant that a debt was owed and punishment was simply the form of securing repayment.
Only with the rise of slave morality, did these moral concepts gain their present meanings. Nietzsche identifies bad conscience as our tendency to see ourselves as sinners, and locates its origins in the need that came with the development of society to inhibit our animal instincts for aggression and cruelty and to turn them inward upon ourselves.

What is the meaning of Ascetic Ideals?

This, third, essay confronts Asceticism. The powerful and paradoxical force that dominates contemporary life. Nietzsche sees it as the expression of a weak, sick will. Unable to cope with the struggle against itself, the sick will see its animal instincts, its earthly nature, as vile, sinful

  1. Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6PUx4cOfFcI ↩︎

  2. Specifically in the European western philosophical tradition ↩︎

  3. Earlier philosophers basing their definition of "good" on good itself, might be considered circular reasoning, which when combined with a longer chain of propositions could have been, and may well continue to be, used to enforce and induce public "morality" - a way to convince the majority to maintain(or neglect) the status quo. ↩︎