Nietzsche's Interpretation Of Socrates Research Paper

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Topic #3: Critically examine Nietzsche’s interpretation, in Gay Science 340, of the last words of Socrates, with reference to Plato’s Phaedo. Give evidence for or against Nietzsche’s claim and include a few other passages from Nietzsche on Socrates and Plato. What are the strengths and weaknesses of Nietzsche’s position, based on Plato’s portrayal? Do you agree or disagree and why?
Socrates—in his dying words—spoke, "Crito, we owe a cock to Asclepius; make this offering to him and do not forget. " Nietzsche, in his interpretation of this last words, seems to loath them. "This ridiculous and terrible last word, "he refers to it. Nietzsche starts by expressing his admiration for Socrates. He says, "I admire the courage and wisdom, in everything …show more content…

But I believe this is a misuse of the word. As a defender of earthly life and humanity, it is understandable that Nietzsche would despise pessimism, yet Socrates' behavior, as far as I see it, does not qualify to be characterized as one. The dictionary definition of pessimism is "a tendency to see the worst aspect of things or believe that the worst will happen; a lack of hope or confidence in the future." Yet what is less pessimist than to believe there is life even beyond what human beings believe to be the worst that can happen to oneself, death? Nietzsche says this about Socrates: "He had merely kept a cheerful mien while concealing all his life long his ultimate judgment, his inmost feeling. " But Socrates never concealed his inmost feeling about the body or the soul. This statement, thus, loses merit in that regard. Nietzsche's claim is that Socrates fell his own standard in the face of death, but it seems like Nietzsche is targeting not at that last words as they were no secret. Socrates clearly presents his belief that life is a "practice for dying and death ". He believes death is a liberation from the imprisonment of the …show more content…

According to Socrates, we live to die. And according to Nietzsche, we live for pleasure. The latter reflect the contemporary view on life but the former is not forgotten. With an increased trend in depression in the contemporary society, the purpose of life has become a question for many. I don’t believe pleasure is an answer to life, if there ever is. Socrates' explanation for life, where we are born to die and we die to be born again, relates to the eternal recurrence by Nietzsche. This eternal loop according to Socrates seems to me a cruel joke by the gods. What god would make a soul suffer (live) again and again? How many times would that soul have to prove itself to join the gods for eternity? For if immortality of the soul is true and our souls return from the underworld and go back to it in an unending cycle, why would the gods deserve to be worshipped for inflicting such suffering on the

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