James birx looks at some books on nietzsche friedrich nietzsche 18441900 has had an enormous influence on modern thought, particularly inspiring those individuals of mythical creativity and poetic vision in film, music, philosophy and literature. The concept has roots in ancient egypt, and was subsequently taken up by the pythagoreans and stoics. Eternal return, as a possible interpretation of the third river bank. Countless books on nietzsche are published in dozens of languages each year, linking him to every imaginable zone of life and culture. At the center of nietzsche s philosophy is the idea of eternal return the ultimate embrace of responsibility that comes from accepting the consequences, good or bad, of ones willful action. This book describes the work of judge baker in the boston juvenile court, including statistics of the court, an article by baker from. More than eighty years after his death, nietzsches writings and his career remain disquieting, disturbing, obscure. Somewhat surprisingly given its prominence in the interpretation of nietzsche s work, the motif of eternal recurrence occurs explicitly only a few times in his published books.
Jul 02, 2017 the idea of eternal recurrence is the logical outcome of a totally deterministic universe. The doctrine of eternal recurrence, the basic conception of thus spoke zarathustra, asks the question how well disposed would a person have to become to himself and to life to crave nothing more fervently than the infinite repetition, without alteration, of each and every moment. Nietzsches philosophy of the eternal recurrence of the. Eternal return also known as eternal recurrence is a concept which posits that the universe has been recurring, and will continue to recur in a selfsimilar form an infinite number of times. In this book lawrence hatab provides an accessible and provocative exploration of one of the bestknown and still most puzzling aspects of nietzsche s thought. The only version of the book published in nietzsches lifetime concludes with seven seals a hostile, mocking echo of the closing book of the bible, in. His most famous viewsthe will to power, the eternal recurrence, the ubermensch, the master moralityoften seem incomprehensible or, worse, repugnant. Nietzsches eternal recurrence, a litmus test for the. Nietzsche, eternal recurrence, and the horror of existence article in the journal of nietzsche studies 331. An interdisciplinary analysis 2009 is published by cambridge scholars press. A discussion on the subject of the eternal recurrence as proposed by friedrich nietzsche in his book thus spoke zarathustra, together with its. The gay science, 1882, 1887 a book containing the first instance of the death of god and eternal recurrence, and which represents nietzsches struggles with nihilism and the crystallization of his thought. Basically, nietzsche s idea of eternal recurrence is simply a hypothesis of what he introduced in his work.
Some recent interpreters doubt that nietzsche really. Eternal recurrence of the same events also known as eternal return is one of nietzsche s more notable ideas. Nietzsche s philosophy of the eternal recurrence of the same book. It is commonly called the doctrine of eternal recurrence, but it is less a doctrine i. The fact, however, that this discussion is only very tangentially related to eternal recurrence reignites the sense of the book as lacking organic unity.
Although nietzsche called eternal recurrence his most. Check out the new look and enjoy easier access to your favorite features. This author has also not found yet, any vedic reference on eternal recurrence. The idea of eternal recurrence is the logical outcome of a totally deterministic universe. Without this premise, we are free to see that nietzsche did indeed believe in the truth of cosmological eternal recurrence and considered this.
Nietzsches first published book, the birth of tragedy, appropriated. Other articles where eternal recurrence is discussed. Nov 02, 2008 the eternal recurrence is nietzsche s way for the self to generate its own gravitas in the absence of god. Nietzsche s philosophy of the eternal recurrence of the same. His careful examination of nietzsche s cosmological theory of the infinite repetition of a finite number of states of the world suggests the paradoxical consequences this.
The book offers a readable treatment of most of the core topics in nietzsche s philosophy, all discussed in the light of the consummating effect of eternal recurrence. Apr 08, 2014 look towards eternal recurrence to understand what actions, thoughts, beliefs, and behaviors to leave behind, and look towards the ubermensch to envision where you can push forward. Eternal return also known as eternal recurrence is a theory that the universe and all existence and energy has been recurring, and will continue to recur, in a selfsimilar form an infinite number of times across infinite time or space. One of nietzsches most famous ideas is that of eternal recurrence, which appears in the penultimate section of his book the gay science.
No one would really know or confirm if particular things or event shad already happened in the past and just recurring. In this chapter, i argue that simmels critique rests upon a premise that assumes the denial of nietzsche s doctrine. The book of ecclesiastes in the hebrew bible states. Nietzsche s zarathustra is described in karl lowiths book on nietzsche s philosophy of the eternal recurrence of the same 1978, 1997 as a parable in which all knowledge is merely human creativity responding to new ways of dying. Nietzsche, eternal recurrence, and the horror of existence. Feb 03, 2018 in this video, i explain the idea of eternal recurrence in nietzsche s philosophy. However there appears to have some unanswered questions related to exactness and liberation mokhsa. Eternal recurrenceor, more completely, the eternal recurrence of the sameis the idea that everything that has happened or will happen including ones own life has already occurred infinitely many times and will occur infinitely many more, without the slightest alteration in detail. Nietzsche celebrated this recurrence because of the power of belief in it to bring about a revaluation of values focused wholly on the value of ones.
Can you explain nietzsches concept of eternal recurrence. Although the works in this nietzsche collection are based on earl. Dr srernglass has performed an excellent and reverential service to issac newton. Nietzsche s view on eternal return is similar to that of hume. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. The theory is found in indian philosophy and in ancient egypt as well as judaic wisdom literature. This site is like a library, use search box in the widget to get ebook that you want. The eternal recurrence of the same is a provocation to thought rather than a mystery underlying it. Although nietzsche called eternal recurrence his most fundamental idea, most interpreters have found it problematic or needful of redescription in other terms. Embedded in it is an urgent exhortation to calibrate our actions in such a way as to make their consequences bearable, livable with, in a.
This spectacle motivated nietzsche to work on the possibility of eternal recurrence or eternal return. May 07, 2017 the eternal recurrence is basically the theory that there is infinite time and a finite number of events, and eventually the events will recur again and again infinitely, hence the name eternal recurrence. Now i want to return to the objection that nietzsches existential test requires us to affirm the morally repugnant and, is therefore, itself a morally repugnant conception. Why is nietzsches eternal recurrence so depressing. Eternal recurrence in the oxford handbook of nietzsche. Though nietzsche briefly touches on eternal recurrence a few more times in other works, the quotes given above are the most fundamental, and stand out like two supporting pillars of the doctrine. This article shows that nietzsches published presentations endorse the cosmological truth of eternal recurrence and that they indicate how belief in this truth can. As joel and clementine renew their relationship despite its likelihood of repeating earlier problems, they become an affirmation of nietzsches embrace of eternal recurrence. Eternal return aka eternal recurrence is a theory that. The book offers a readable treatment of most of the core topics in nietzsches philosophy, all discussed in the light of the consummating effect of eternal recurrence.
Eternal recurrence in the journal of humanistic psychology, april 2011. For nietzsche, eternal recurrence was a substitute, indulgent fantasy a desperate appeal for. The eternal recurrence of the same chapter 1 the death. Nietzsche is known today as a precursor to existentialism, poststructuralism and postmodernism. The title character, named after the founder of the old persian religion, does at first seem to speak on behalf of the sacred teaching of a new, godless theology of eternal recurrence. Related filed under episodes tagged with eternal recurrence, nietzche, philosophy, ubermensch. Much of the work deals with ideas such as the eternal recurrence of the same, the parable on the. It is by no means an original idea, with variants of eternal recurrence appearing in both egyptian and mayan mythology, and in the work of kierkegaard. The eternal recurrence of the same heidegger, martin on. Click download or read online button to get nietzsche the eternal recurrence of the same book now. Rick roderick on nietzsche and the eternal recurrence full length duration. Hatab argues that eternal recurrence can and should be read literally, in just the way nietzsche described it in the texts.
Mar 22, 2018 the eternal return as a scientific theory is the idea that all events and experiences in the universe will be repeated again and again for all eternity. To adapt an image from gilles deleuzes 1962 book on nietzsche, the thought of eternal return is an arrow shot by nature that another thinker picks up where it has fallen so that he can shoot it somewhere else deleuze, ix. In the passage, nietzsche seems to seriously entertain the. I want to read a first nietzsche book, which one you. Since then, lowiths book has continued to gain recognition as one of the key texts in the german nietzsche reception, as well as a remarkable effort to reclaim the.
Should you have any questions, feel free to leave a comment. If everything is caused, then, after every causal possibility has worked itself out, then the whole thing begins again, since there is no other option. This is nietzsche s doctrine of eternal recurrence, as depicted in the gay science and thus spoke zarathustra. Coming to terms with eternal recurrence 9780415967587. Nietzsche, heidegger and the eternal return 31 recurrence of the same i 19.
Johns hopkins university press, 1972 cosmology 4 pages. The eternal return, suffering, and the affirmation. Feb 07, 2016 nietzsche s the eternal recurrence thomas leroy. This long overdue english translation of karl lowiths magisterial study is a major event in nietzsche scholarship in the angloamerican intellectual world. Nietzsches philosophy of the eternal recurrence of the same by lowith, karl and a great selection of related books, art and collectibles available now at. Nietzsche s ideal is the person who has the strength and courage for this universal affirmation. For lowith, the centerpiece of nietzsches thought is the doctrine of eternal recurrence, a notion which lowith, unlike heidegger, deems incompatible with the will to power. Buy nietzsches philosophy of the eternal recurrence of the same by lowith, karl isbn. The only version of the book published in nietzsche s lifetime concludes with seven seals a hostile, mocking echo of the closing book of the bible, in which. Countless books on nietzsche are published in dozens of languages each year, linking him to every imaginable zone of. This life, as you now live it and have lived it, you will have to live once more and innumerable times more. The concept of eternal recurrence, the idea that with infinite time and a finite number of events, will recur again. Yet he remains a thinker of singular importance, a great opponent of hegel.
This is how nietzsches eternal recurrence seems to become correct. My philosophy brings the triumphant idea of which all other modes of thought will ultimately perish. The only version of the book published in nietzsches lifetime concludes with. Arguments against eternal return philosophy stack exchange. What, if some day or night, a demon were to steal after you into your loneliest loneliness and say to you. I see no reason to associate eternal recurrence with depression. The films ending leaves it open to debate as to whether their relationship will play out the same way the second time or whether, perhaps, the cycle will continue ad. Eternal return is a theory that the universe and all existence and energy has been recurring. One of nietzsche s most famous ideas is that of eternal recurrence, which appears in the penultimate section of his book the gay science. One notable exception is found in the work of friedrich nietzsche 18441900, a 19thcentury german thinker who was known for his unconventional approach to philosophy. Many think that nietzsche was a dark nihilist who inspired hitlers third reich.
Nietzsche and the struggle against nihilism spiked. It is clear that cohle recounts this idea in a pessimistic manner. In other words, eternal recurrence is the idea that our lives will be repeated endlessly. Nietzsches philosophy of the eternal recurrence of the same. The eternal recurrence of the same hardcover march 1, 1985 by martin heidegger author visit amazons martin heidegger page. His careful examination of nietzsches cosmological theory of the infinite repetition of a finite number of states of the world suggests the paradoxical consequences this.
Persian religion, does at first seem to speak on behalf of the sacred teaching of a new, godless theology of eternal recurrence. The eternal recurrence of the same by martin heidegger 1984, hardcover at the best online prices at ebay. However, there is a section dedicated to the idea in the will to power, a collection of notes published by nietzsches sister elizabeth in 1901. Nietzsche, friedrich internet encyclopedia of philosophy.
Nietzsches eternal recurrence prompts us to ask ourselves, who is this thinking, feeling, person that experiences pain and pleasure that i call me. Eternal return also known as eternal recurrence is a theory that the universe and all existence and energy has been recurring, and will continue to recur, in a selfsimilar form an infinite number of times across infinite time or space the theory is found in indian philosophy and in ancient egypt as well as judaic wisdom literature ecclesiastes and was subsequently taken up by the. The challenge of eternal recurrence issue 93 philosophy now. Having read my book, gorfu contra nietzsche, 1 some had commented that a very important dimension of nietzsche s philosophy had been left out. Nietzsche s myth of eternal recurrence nietzsche s theory of eternal recurrence can prove to be perplexing to some because of the questions it raises. The eternal recurrence of the same as want to read. The title derived from a work that nietzsche himself had considered writing. For many atheists, such a thing doesnt need doing and represents a form of nostalgia for.
Oddly enough, eternal recurrence doesnt figure too prominently into any of the works nietzsche published after thus spoke zarathustra. Mencken produced the first book on nietzsche in english in 1907, the philosophy of friedrich nietzsche, and in 1910 a book of translated paragraphs from nietzsche, increasing knowledge of his philosophy in the united states. Find all the books, read about the author, and more. How does eternal sunshine of the spotless mind illustrate. Its initial publication was extraordinary in itselfa dissident interpretation, written by a jew, appearing in national socialist germany in 1935. Can you explain nietzsches concept of eternal recurrence eternal return. He has supplied the reasoning to support nietzsche s contention that the cosmos is eternal, has exited, and will. Everything we have done or will do we will do over and over and over againforever. What has been will be again, what has been done will be. Whoever neglects to think the thought of eternal recurrence together with will to power, as what is to be thought genuinely and philosophically, cannot adequately grasp the metaphysical content of the doctrine of will to power in its full scope i. And some even said that eternal recurrence was such a crucial part of nietzsche, 2 and central to his entire philosophy that without some discussion of the topic. Dr odwyer also examined this topic in nietzsches challenge. The title of the book refers to the provencal expression, gai saber, or the gay science of writing poetry.
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