on Religion: Rhetorical Devices
In Twilight of the Idols Nietzsche discusses his views on Christianity, other philosophers, and authors of his time. Nietzsche’s main focus, however, is on Christianity and how its actions and views are means to an end. He uses eloquent diction that sometimes loses the reader (he makes up for his articulate word usage with elementary sentences which describe his views very efficiently) along with syntax which is very informal - for the time - to describe his views on subjects quite exquisitely. His logic is the logic which is always right; he never contradicts himself or makes a statement without support. Nietzsche’s use of rhetorical strategies [i.e. diction, syntax, and figures of speech] helps him to make his points and support them in a style which help him attain his underlying goal: to make the reader think.
Nietzsche uses an elevated level of diction to help him achieve his purpose, he uses Latin in many passages to make the reader look to the bottom of the page and thus think about what he is proposing. His combination of elevated diction along with deductive reasoning can sometimes lose the reader, but just as fast as the reader is lost Nietzsche offers forth a formula which helps the reader follow his thinking. Nietzsche believes that a person’s "virtue is the consequence of happiness," or that a person’s emotions are the product of their beliefs. Nietzsche’s uses consequence to mean something more like cause than effect. He interchanges monosyllabic and polysyllabic - in the form of metaphors - words in connotation to sometimes differ the reader from the beaten track of thinking. He believes in a set course "that he became ill, that he failed to resist the illness," for humans and that they cannot deter from it (this is very far left in a time of conservative Europeans, late 19th century). Even in his "formulas" Nietzsche’s meaning is not as straight forward as it seems. It seems that he believes that individuals genetically are means to an end, but this is more of a metaphor for humanity, or that humanity is their own means to an end.
Nietzsche use interesting syntax to evoke thought from his reader. His dependent clauses (in this excerpt, but not in others) relate back to the main clauses causing the reader to re-read the sentence or begin to formulate their own ideas (based upon what they just read).
and to deny that its meaning is not completely true in all senses is a
However, Nietzsche’s idea of the powerful forcing their will on common people resonates with me. It is something we see in our modern society, wealthy people seem to have a higher influence over the average American. Examples of powerful people controlling others are found in politics, economy, media, and religion. Common people are lead to think in certain ways that the powerful need them to. Nietzsche said that people will only be equal as long as they are equal in force and talent, people who have a higher social group are more influential in decisions because average people look to them for information. The thing I do not agree with Nietzsche on his view as Christianity as a weakness because religion is a main cause of people’s decision
Nietzsche’s dramatis personae “…is different than the actor of this drama” (Science 241). The preparatory human being is one who sees the world as Nietzsche does, and so his characterization is Nietzsche, and people who he sees stick out from the rest of society. The preparatory human being is one that is fit for the transition that Nietzsche sees the world around him going through. This is the destruction of the belief in God. Nietzsche proposes that the belief has receded and questions how people will be able to cope with this (Science 181). Mentioned, also, by Nietzsche in The Gay Science is his view that monotheism stifles and directs the individual towards a normative sense of mora...
Time after time it seems like people have tried to depict what our society true and often hidden image represents. One artist, Lauryn Hill, executed this topic exquisitely in her song “Mystery of Iniquity” produced in 2002. In this song she incorporates several verses from the bible n her lyrics to relate the underlying corruption of the law system on society and how it affects people. The first few lines of the song incorporate the same lyrics in the title where it states, “It's the mystery of Inequity, said it's the misery of inequity, said it's the history of inequity.” Here we see she uses these lines to introduce what she will essentially be discussing throughout the song as this expression is found in the book of 2 Thessalonians 2:7 in
When we talked about Nietzsche in class we discussed how a lot about the second essay, which is about Guilt and Punishment. Here are two quick overviews of what Nietzsche describes punishment and guilt as. Guilt is being accountable and responsible for the action you have done. You have guilt because you could have done something in the right direction instead. Nietzsche says that if free will is attached to accountability and responsibility then it cannot be connect with guilt. It is based off a debt that you have acquired and needs to be paid back. Punishment is dependent on the offender’s decision to act the way that they do. The reason this person deserves a punishment is because they have the ability to act differently off the start, they chose to act in the wrong and they have to take the punishment they get. Nietzsche says that if someone is not acting freely (accident, insanity, etc.) then they are seen as being exempt from punishment.
Ethos, pathos, and logos assist Jonathan Edward in “Sinners of the Hands of an Angry God” gain the trust of his audience. These rhetorical devices helped Edwards persuade the unconverted to become a child of Christ. Edwards employed ethos to allow his audience to see he understands their situation. Pathos assisted Edwards frighten his audience into thinking about God 's wrath. Pathos also let the audience understand what they would go through if they did not commit to being converted. Edwards executed logos to make his audience want to change themselves. Edwards exerted rhetorical devices to try and convert members of his sermon to accept Jesus Christ. Persuading Edwards’ congregation was much easier with the manipulation of rhetorical devices. That is why rhetorical appeals are so successful. Jonathan Edwards successfully persuaded the unconverted into believing him. Rhetorical devices helped him create the audience to understand Heaven is better than Hell. This informed his audience on the effects of their sinning. Edwards had an outstanding outcome and if he would not have employed many different rhetorical devices his outcome would not be as
When one considers the extensive degree to which modern philosophy has invested in scrutinizing the subject of morality, the default reaction would perhaps be one of amenable acceptance. After all, the significance of morality is obvious, and questions such as what constitutes as moral and how exactly does one become moral have been matters of contention for maybe longer than philosophy has even existed. It can be said therefore, that philosophy is steadfast in its fascination with everything morality. It is also precisely this almost fanatic obsession with morality that Nietzsche is so critical of. This is not to say the he would reject the importance or even the necessity of morality altogether. He is concerned however, that
The aim of this paper is to provide a detailed explanation on Nietzsche’s concept of eternal recurrence, and then proceeds to determine whether such a concept results in the betterment of a free spirit’s life, or whether this is not the case. Before determining whether the concept has a positive outcome or not, it is important to provide a detailed...
By looking at one of Nietzsche’s specific postulations of perspectivism, we can get a better idea of precisely how this term applies to his philosophy and how it relates to the “tru...
“Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God” Rhetorical Analysis “Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God” by Jonathan Edwards uses imagery and symbolism to persuade the audience to become more devout Christians by channeling fear and emphasizing religious values. Jonathan Edwards was a Puritan minister who preached during the time of the Great Awakening in America. During this period of religious revival, Edwards wanted people to return to the devout ways of the early Puritans in America. The spirit of the revival led Edwards to believe that sinners would enter hell. Edwards’ sermon was primarily addressed to sinners for the purpose of alerting them about their sins and inspiring them to take action to become more devoted to God.
Many people know the Christian God as happy, forgiving, and accepting of others. In the Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God, Jonathan Edwards’ sermon completely shocks and scares people by claiming that the Christian God is the only God, and if you weren’t to believe in him, you would burn in Hell and be destroyed. The tone of this piece in the eyes of Edwards is dedicated, passionate, and pro-Christian God. Edward achieves his purpose by using metaphors, repetition, personification, and visual imagery numerously throughout the sermon.
Rhetoric is the art of effective speaking or writing, and persuasion. Most people use rhetoric numerous of times in their everyday life without their concern or knowing.
Nietzsche’s arguments favor the individual’s power against conformity within the context of religious ideals, in addition to the objection to religion being used by authoritative figures as a form of
Nietzsche’s central message is “the basic drive of all living things is not a struggle to survive, but a struggle for power …” (p.530). Meaning that organisms don’t just struggle for basic necessities, but for power and domain over others. Once they gather and complete their basic necessities, they subsequently focus on achieving their desire for power. When the organism then achieves this power he voluntarily uses it to compete, annihilate the competition, expand their territory, and reproduce. “If organisms were struggling merely to survive, then once food and security have been attained the struggle would cease and organisms would go into stasis” (p.350-5351). This quotation shows Nietzsche’s demonstration about humans’ urge for power, and why it motivates human behaviors. There fore as humans are not just satisfied whit having the basic amenities they sometimes have to risk all just to obtaining more power. Nietzsche’s point can clearly be classified as existentialist, because it talks about how man is after power that he can use with free will to determine his own development. Humans chase power for the sole purpose of using it with free will, and by doing so they construct their own future. The quotation “w...
Nietzsche evaluates the world in terms of how it really is. He recognizes that people are inherently different and frames his philosophy accordingly. This, his philosophical paradigm is superior in terms of its realism. Furthering that argument, Nietzsche also shows that he wants to preserve societal advancement. Nietzsche was primarily concerned what society would stagnate if we settled for mediocrity. While his philosophy may be somewhat elitist, it mandates societal advancement because it allows the elites to rise to the top and push society forward. There is link to Christianity. Societies cannot push forward with this notion of God. Christianity, with its conception of transcendent, omnipotent, omniscient and a just God, denies and negates too much that is valuable in this world. There was a direct link to Christianity and how there was a real manifestation of the will to power and that certain individuals have revealed themselves. He accounts for his own ethics. Nietzsche accounts for all people in society and provides all people the equal opportunity to maximize their own power. While power differences are inevitable based upon individual differences, all people have the same opportunity to Will to Power. This creates the basis of his ethics as