Phronimon Volume 3 Number 1 (2001)

Permanent URI for this collectionhttp://hdl.handle.net/2263/11438

Contents
Berges, S.	Plato, Nietzsche, and sublimation
Botha, C.	Nietzche and Evolutionary Theory
Du Plessis, L.	An optimistic Nietzsche: from laying blame to saying yes
Evangeliou, C.	Socrates as a problem for Nietzsche
Gericke, J.D.	The role of Phaos in Nietzsche, Heraclitus and Plato
Maniatis, Y.N.	The paradox of morality in Nietzsche
Papatheophilou, A.	"Dionysian Feast with Nietzsche"
Rauche, G.	The relevance of Nietzsche's thought to the problem of authentic existence - with special reference to the birth of tragedy from the spirit of music
Reedy, J.	The birth of tragedy, a Nietzschean Aetiological myth
Roodt, V.	Nietzsche: history as memento vivere
Van Tongeren, P.	Nietzschen's revaluation of the Cardinal Virtues: the case of Sophrosyne

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Now showing 1 - 11 of 11

Socrates as a problem for Nietzsche
(South African Society for Greek Philosophy and the Humanities, 2001) South African Society for Greek Philosophy and the Humanities; Evangeliou, Christos
There is a tragic element in the respective fates of these two men of genius, Socrates (446-399BC) and Nietzsche (1844-1900), that connects them and keeps them in the memories of sympathetic students of philosophy, in spite of the distance of time separating their earthly existence, their major temperamental differences, their distinct methods of expression as teachers and thinkers, and the many bad things the one has written about the other. For they were misunderstood and mistreated by their contemporaries, while they were alive; and only after their tragic deaths were they recognized and honoured as significant turning points in the history of European thought and culture, perceived now as heroes and martyrs of the spirit, the human spirit in its titanic and repeated attempts to liberate itself from the fetters of common customs and stupidity in order to live in accordance with the demands of human dignity understood differently by each, but felt deeply in their sensitive souls, and expressed exceptionally in their self fashioned lives.
An optimistic Nietzsche : from laying blame to saying yes
(South African Society for Greek Philosophy and the Humanities, 2001) South African Society for Greek Philosophy and the Humanities; Du Plessis, Louis
The writings of the philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche speak in countless voices about innumerable questions of life. In this paper a very tentative perspective is provided on a few phenomena related to human wisdom. After introducing Nietzsche's style, some of his comments on the function of knowledge are explored. The emphasis falls on the usefulness of insights, on intellectual arrangement and on historical consciousness. Moving from this, Nietzsche's critical approach to morality is highlighted, with tentative answers to questions on the nature of moral judgements, the difference between good and evil, modern moralities as being anti-natural, and negative moralistic inclinations to judge, to complain, to find guilt and to lay blame. In contrast to the previous exposition of moralism, the third section deals with Nietzsche's positive approach to rationality, the scientific method and truthfulness, and stresses the overcoming of passions and guilt feelings under the influence of increasing insight. It is argued that a genuine philosopher does not judge others indiscriminately, does not blame circumstances, but takes his stand beyond good and evil. He is spiritually strong enough for every kind of understanding, comprehending and approving. It is pointed out that, for Nietzsche, one of the crucial questions is to see whether the human race could transform itself from a moral to wise mankind, from laying blame to saying yes to life.
"Dionysian feast with Nietzsche"
(South African Society for Greek Philosophy and the Humanities, 2001) South African Society for Greek Philosophy and the Humanities; Papatheophilou, A.
The play "Dionysian feast with Nietzsche" is the second part of the trilogy "Nietzsche, the philosopher and his times". The play attempts to give to the audience some of the main ideas of Nietzsche's philosophy, these being the rejection of the Western moral values of his time, his ideas on education, the concept of the 'Overman' and eternal recurrence. A look at the man himself in a period of his life where he was undergoing emotional transformations (elation and finally rejection) is presented as a series of conversations with his friend and confidant Heinrich Kosehtz alias Peter Cast, which are based on records from his letters. Threaded through the play is the theme of the Oionysian and Apollonian nature of man and the influence of the above not only to the artistic expression of ancient Greeks in the form of the performing arts but also on himself.
Nietzsche's revaluation of the cardinal virtues: the case of Sophrosyne
(South African Society for Greek Philosophy and the Humanities, 2001) South African Society for Greek Philosophy and the Humanities; Van Tongeren, Paul
Peter Geach is reported to have said that temperance is far from being an interesting subject, but "rather a humdrum common sense matter". I hope to show that his opinion proves that he did not know the early history of the concept, nor what Nietzsche did on it. My subject will therefore be 'temperance', or 'sophrosyne' or in Nietzsche's language: measure.
Nietzsche and evolutionary theory
(South African Society for Greek Philosophy and the Humanities, 2001) South African Society for Greek Philosophy and the Humanities; Botha, Catherine Frances
Poststructuralist thinkers tend to emphasise Nietzsche's critical relationship to science, as a result of their scepticism towards scientific discourse in general. Their interpretation of Nietzsche in this regard is justified, in that much of Nietzsche's work is aimed at exposing scientific objectivity as an illusion. In addition to this, Nietzsche takes a consistently derogatory view of Darwin throughout his work. Yet, some thinkers maintain that Nietzsche 's relation to science in general, and to Darwin in particular is far more complex than this. In this paper, I examine Nietzsche's relationship to evolutionary theory in detail. I also analyse the plausibility of Dennett's views regarding this relationship, and whether Dennett's claim that evolutionarily oriented philosophers and psychologists have much to learn from Nietzsche is warranted.
Nietzsche: history as memento vivere
(South African Society for Greek Philosophy and the Humanities, 2001) South African Society for Greek Philosophy and the Humanities; Roodt, V.
No abstract available.
Plato, Nietzsche and sublimation
(South African Society for Greek Philosophy and the Humanities, 2001) South African Society for Greek Philosophy and the Humanities; Berges, S.
In this paper I aim to refute the claim that Plato and Nietzsche are at opposite poles regarding the treatment of the non-rational elements of the soul, and argue that, instead, they share a complex and psychologically rich view of the role of reason towards the appetites and the emotions. My argument makes use of the Freudian distinction between sublimation, i.e. the re-channelling of certain undesirable appetitive and emotional forces towards more beneficial ends, and repression. I show that both Plato and Nietzsche argue in favour of sublimation and against repression of the non-rational elements of the soul.
The birth of tragedy, a Nietzschean aetiological myth
(South African Society for Greek Philosophy and the Humanities, 2001) South African Society for Greek Philosophy and the Humanities; Reedy, J.
Classicists, philosophers, literary critics and various other scholars have long been interested in the origin and nature of tragedy. Among English speaking scholars A.W. Pickard-Cambridge, Sir William Ridgeway, Gilbert Murray, T.B.L. Webster and G.F. Else come to mind. Else has pointed out that what all these theorists, with the exception of himself, have in common is the assumption that tragedy evolved from "some pre-existing source" such as "dithyramb, satyrikon, vegetation rituals, initiation rites, hero-cult, lamentations for the dead" and so forth. Following Else we can sort these speculators into three camps: (I) those who, following Aristotle, believe tragedy evolved from the dithyramb, a choral recitation in honor of Dionysus, (2) those who derive tragedy from "other orgiastic or mystery rituals" similar to the cult of Dionysus, and (3) those who see "the cult of the dead" i.e. hero-cults as the source of tragedy. Else himself is unique in thinking that tragedy did not evolve from any pre-tragic literary form or ritual. Rather, he contends, it was invented in two creative acts by Thespis and Aeschylus. The purpose of this paper is to place Nielzsche's first book The Birth of Tragedy Out of the Spirit of Music (Hereafter BT) in the context of these speculations about the origin of tragedy and to assess its value.
The relevance of Nietzsche's thought to the problem of authentic existence - with special reference to the birth of tragedy from the spirit of music
(South African Society for Greek Philosophy and the Humanities, 2001) South African Society for Greek Philosophy and the Humanities; Rauche, G.A.
In discussing the relevance of Nietzsche's thought to human existence, we shall not concentrate so much on Nietzsche's wellknown influence on theory, on the theories of thinkers such as Freud, Jung, Heidegger and those of contemporary poststructuralism (deconstructivism). We shall rather focus on the practice of human life-experience in Nietzsche's time and thereafter.
The paradox of morality in Nietzsche
(South African Society for Greek Philosophy and the Humanities, 2001) South African Society for Greek Philosophy and the Humanities; Maniatis, Y.N.
In this essay I would like to investigate the phenomenon of the paradox that one finds when is dealing with the thought of Nietzsche on morality. Such a penetrating research into the realm of morality presupposes a tolerant body and mind, because the feeling after the wonder that one feels when is firstly confronted with the paradox of morality, is the greatest disgust for whatever has been spread and dominated with the name of morality over humanity for the last two thousand years. Of course, the solution of the enigmatic phenomenon of the paradox of morality comes with the known Nietzschean perspective of amorality, which comes as liberator from the moral illusion and its disgust, and as restorer of the unified healthy naturalness of things.
The role of Phaos in Nietzsche, Heraclitus and Plato
(South African Society for Greek Philosophy and the Humanities, 2001) South African Society for Greek Philosophy and the Humanities; Gericke, J.D. (John Daniel)
The general purpose of this paper is to discuss various ways in which the contemporary philosophical issues of nihilism and relativism are related to pre-Socratic and Socratic and Platonic thought. Although Heidegger recontoured nihilism's horizons with his emphasis on man's dwelling and revealing functions, the nihilistic perspective continues to cast its shadow. Nihilism, being a position of deep political significance that is derived philosophically, demands a philosophical approach; yet even serious efforts to come to terms with relativism and nihilism, of the sort Max Weber attempted, for example, fail to analyse in sufficient depth their classical roots.

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