Date: Fri, 24 Apr 1998 17:59:25 -0700 (PDT)
From: callihan-AT-callihan.seanet.com (Steven E. Callihan)
Subject: Re: Fritz Watches Wizard of Oz One Time Too Many


Evan Leeson wrote:

>I also find this interesting. Of course, there appears to be a priorizing
>move in your description - religion pulls the strings on science. I'm
>interested to know whether others think Nietzsche ever claims this to be
>the case. More likely Nietzsche maintains religion AND official science (in
>it's many forms) combine and reinforce each other to serve the "spirit of
>revenge" predominant in modern society. [...]

Part of the background here is Nietzsche's attack on opposites: Faith and
Reason, thus, are not opposites, but two forms (although distinct forms) of
the same thing. There is no faith that at bottom does not conceal a
reasoning, just as there is no reasoning that is not at bottom a faith
(faith in the goodness of truth). Science and religion, thus, are only
opposed to each other in a surface sense--in its essence, science is the
logical consequence of religion carried to its ultimate end, just as
religion is a nascent science.

Nietzsche, for instance, speaks of the will to truth (reason) as possessing
as one of its potentialities its being as a concealed will to death (a will
to nothingness). Reason and science represent a danger (Heidegger's
technology?) in that they affirm that which is potentially hostile to life
(abstract truth), in that life is will to power (will to appearance,
illusion, deception, art).

Best,

Steve
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=A6 Steven E. Callihan            =A6 "It is the stillest words that bring  =A6
=A6                               =A6 on the storm. Thoughts that come on   =A6
=A6                               =A6 doves' feet guide the world."         =A6
=A6 URL: http://www.callihan.com/ =A6 -F. Nietzsche, Thus Spake Zarathustra,=A6
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