Document Type : Research Paper
Authors
1 Assistant Professor, Institute of Cultural and Social Studies of the Ministry of Science, Research and Technology
2 MA in Art Research, , University of Science and Culture, Tehran
Abstract
Some of the Iranian commentators, expert in Nietzsche's philosophy, identified his philosophy with Iranian mysticism. Such identification is fundamentally flawed and contradicts Nietzsche's ontological principles and moral values. Nietzsche's thought is pregnant from the epic universal values, not the mystical patterns. Understanding of Nietzsche's Philosophy is possible with the help of Shahnameh and Iliad not mysticism. The reason of this fundamental error lies in the fact that these Iranian commentators fail to distinguish the subtle differences between mysticism and epic, and this failure, has led to their mixing Nietzsche's thought with the Iranian mysticism. Epic and mysticism are related in the differences not the similarities. Although there could be some similarities between the mystical worldview and that of epic, they are merely outward and superficial. In effect, in the matter of epistemic, moral and ontological principles, epic contradicts mysticism. At the best, mysticism can be considered to be the negative correspondence of epic and called “Negative Epic”. Nietzsche's thought has been affected to a greater extent by the Greek culture than and prior to the Iranian traditions. Nietzche's symbolic recourse to Zoroaster cannot be a cogent basis for these commentators' claim. Moreover, Nietzche's grasp of Zoroastrian worldview is so much blurred and incomplete. He appreciates the Greek culture not the Iranian traditions. Therefore, autonomy, voluntarism, appreciation of life and denunciation of passivity are the set of values and principles associating Nietzsche's philosophy with epic. These are exactly the principles disregarded and even denied in mystical thought. In other words, Nietzsche's philosophy can be considered the rebirth of the epic in the sphere of philosophical thought.
Keywords
- Eco, Umberto (1990): The Limits of Interpretation, Indiana, Indiana University Press.
- Kaufmann, Walter (1974): Nietzsche, Philosophy, Psychologist, Antichrist, New Jersey, Princeton University Press.
- Kaufmann, Walter: (1974a): introduction to: Friedrich Nietzsche: The Gay Science, translated by Walter Kaufmann, New York, Vintage Books.
- Nietzsche, Friedrich (1974): The Gay Science: With a Prelude in Rhymes and an Appendix of Songs, translated with commentary by Walter Kaufmann, New York, Vintage Books.
- Nietzsche, Friedrich (2007): The Birth of Tragedy and Other Writings, translated by Ronald Speirs, edited by Raymond Geuss and Ronald Speirs, Cambridge and New York, Cambridge University Press.
- Nietzsche, Friedrich (2007a): Ecce homo, how to become what you are, translated with an introduction and notes by Duncan Large, Oxfordand and New York, Oxford University Press.
- Ricoeur, Paul (1970): Freud and Philosophy, An Essay on Interpretation, translated by Denis Savage, New Haven and London, Yale University Press
)
Send comment about this article