Friedrich Nietzsche (1844-1900) was a German philosopher, cultural critic, and poet whose ideas had a profound influence on 20th-century Western philosophy. Nietzsche's main ideas include: God is dead, superman, will supreme power, eternal reincarnation, subjective truth, moral turn, etc. These core theories are described and interpreted in detail below.
1.God is dead: Nietzsche declared that "God is dead" in works such as "The Other Side of Good and Evil" and "Thus Said Zarathustra". This is not a discussion of the existence of God, but rather the fact that traditional religious and moral values can no longer meet the spiritual needs of modern people, and that human beings need to re-examine and establish new values. According to Nietzsche, the emphasis on compassion and care for the weak actually weakens the vitality of human beings and leads to the prevalence of "slave morality".
2.Superman: Nietzsche proposed the concept of superman, arguing that superman is a new value and life goal. Supermen have strong vitality and creativity, they bravely face reality and pursue individual self-realization and value creation. Nietzsche believed that human beings should strive to become superhuman, get rid of the shackles of traditional morality, and realize the value of their own lives.
3.Will to power: Another core theory of Nietzsche is "will to power". He believes that all life in the world is in pursuit of power, which is the essence of life. The power of the will is an instinctive drive of life that gives living beings the power to conquer, dominate, and create. Nietzsche emphasized that human beings should conform to this instinct of life and pursue their own rights and growth.
4.Eternal Reincarnation: Nietzsche proposed the idea of eternal reincarnation, arguing that the universe and life are an eternal cycle of processes. He believes that humanity should accept and cherish this eternal cycle as a celebration of life. Nietzsche encouraged people to face the hardships and challenges of life bravely and create their own destiny with a positive attitude.
5.Subjective Truth: Nietzsche's view of truth is highly subjective. He believes that truth does not exist objectively, but is an illusion created by human beings for the sake of survival and development. As a result, different individuals and cultures may have different views of truth. Nietzsche rejects the notion of absolute truth and emphasizes the plurality and relativity of truth.
6.The Moral Turn: Nietzsche critiqued the traditional concept of morality and proposed the "moral turn". He believes that the traditional concept of morality, which emphasizes sympathy and pity for the weak, is actually a kind of suppression of vitality. Nietzsche advocated the establishment of a new moral concept, emphasizing the freedom, creativity and vitality of the individual in order to achieve human self-transcendence.
In short, Nietzsche's philosophical thought is a challenge and subversion of traditional values, and he advocates the establishment of a new kind of values that emphasize the freedom, creativity and vitality of the individual. His ideas had a profound influence on later philosophical schools such as existentialism and postmodernism.
Nietzsche's philosophy advocates the self-realization and freedom of the individual, and he opposes the shackles of traditional morality and encourages people to pursue the creation of self-worth. His philosophical ideas have a strong enthusiasm for life and have had a profound impact on human outlook on life and values. His philosophical ideas also had an influence on later disciplines such as psychology, sociology, and literature.
However, there is also some controversy over Nietzsche's philosophy. Some critics argue that Nietzsche's philosophical claims are too radical and can lead to moral relativism and confusion of values. In addition, Nietzsche's philosophical ideas have also been misunderstood and abused by some extremists, such as Nazism.
Overall, Nietzsche was a thoughtful philosopher whose philosophical ideas had far-reaching influence. His philosophy advocates the challenge and subversion of traditional values, and he encourages people to pursue the creation of self-worth and achieve self-transcendence. Although there is some controversy about Nietzsche's philosophy, his philosophical ideas still have a profound influence on modern philosophy and the social sciences.