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Nietzsche on Truth and Power University of Calgary PRISM: University of Calgary's Digital Repository Graduate Studies Legacy Theses 1999 To love a tainted world: Nietzsche on truth and power Roach, Robert Roach, R. (1999). To love a tainted world: Nietzsche on truth and power (Unpublished master's thesis). University of Calgary, Calgary, AB. doi:10.11575/PRISM/17950 http://hdl.handle.net/1880/25267 master thesis University of Calgary graduate students retain copyright ownership and moral rights for their thesis. You may use this material in any way that is permitted by the Copyright Act or through licensing that has been assigned to the document. For uses that are not allowable under copyright legislation or licensing, you are required to seek permission. Downloaded from PRISM: https://prism.ucalgary.ca UNIVERSITY OF CALGARY To Love a Tainted World: Nietzsche on Truth and Power by Robert Roach A THESIS SUBMl7TED TO THE FACULTY OF GRADUATE STUDIES IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF MASTER OF ARTS DEPARTMENT OF POLITICAL SCIENCE CALGARY, ALBERTA OCTOBER, t 999 O Robert Roach 1999 National Library Biblioth&que nationale du Canada Acquisitions and Acquisitions et Bibliographic Services sewices bibliographiques 395 Wellington Street 395. rue Wellington OtEawaON KtAON4 Ottawa ON Kt A ON4 Canada Canada The author has granted a non- L'auteur a accorde une licence non exclusive licence allowing the exclusive permettant a la National L&rary of Canada to Bibliotheque nationale du Canada de reproduce, loan, distriiute or sell reproduire, prEter, di~mbuerou copies of this thesis in microform, vendre des copies de cette these sous paper or electronic formats. la forme de microfiche/£ih, de reproduction sur papier ou sur format electronique. The author retains ownership of the L'auteur conserve la propriete du copyright in this thesis. Neither the droit d'auteur qui protege cette these. thesis nor substantial extracts from it Ni la these ni des extraits substantiels may be printed or otherwise de ceue-ci ne doivent 5eimprimes reproduced without the author's ou autrement reproduits sans son permission. autorisation. Abstract This thesis examines Friedrich Nietzsche's statements about truth and argues that he posits a coherent and consistent theory of truth that forms a central component of his philosophy. Nietzsche uses several definitions of truth and, once this is understood, the contradictions that seem to characterize his epistemological statements disappear. According to Nietzsche, there is no true world and no absolute Truths that can tell us what is right and wrong, good and bad. This is the truth about Truth and forms the ultimate conclusion of Nietzsche's epistemology. In the absence of absolute Truths, Nietzsche argues that we must determine values on our own grounds and overcome our need for absolute Truth. Nietzsche cites the culture of the pre-Socratic Greeks as a healthy response to the truth about Truth. The thesis also examines an alternative response to the truth about Truth evident in the thought of Michel Foucault. iii Acknowledgements First and foremost, I would like to thank Dr. Shadia Drury for her guidance, encouragement, and patience. In addition to dedicating this thesis to my mom and dad, I would like to thank them for always looking out for my best interests. I would like to extend a giant thank you to my good friends and second family: Shawn Henry, Tamara Henry, Todd Hirsch, Darko Kulas, and Desiree Lopez. I am particularly grateful to my close friend Kathy Gieck for helping me keep things in perspective and for putting up with me all these years. I am also extremely grateful to Lon Hausegger for her empathy and friendship and to Dr. Stan Drabek for not giving up on me. To Carolyn, Ella, Judi, and Valerie: thanks for all your advice and support; I would be a lesser person if I had missed the opportunity to get to know you. Thanks to the following fellow travelers for making my journey both easier and significantly more interesting: Ian Brodie, Faron Ellis, Dominique Fournier, John von Heyking, Mebs Kanji, Shawn MacWha, Tom Musk, Marco NavarroGenie, Troy Riddell, and Kent Schroeder. Thanks are due to Dr. Roger Gibbins and the Canada West Foundation for giving me the time off to finish what I started. I would also like to thank all my friends at the Canada West Foundation - especially Jason Azmier, Susan McFarlane, and Lori Zaremba. Finally, I am indebted to two Dionysian artists for enabling me to see farther than I would have otherwise: Bob Dylan and Jim Morrison- iv Dedication This thesis is dedicated to my parents - Boyd and Betty Roach - for their love and support. Table of Contents .. Approval Page .................................................................................................... ...11 Abstract ..................................................................... ....,., ................................ 111 Acknowledgements .................................. ....................................................... iv Dedication .....................................* ...L...... v Table of Contents ..................................... ...................................................... vi.. Abbreviations ................... ....... ..... ..................... .......................................... VII INTRODUCTION: WHAT IS TRUTH?............................................................... I The Problem ..........................................................................................7 The Truth is Dead! Long Uve the Truth! .............................. ............. 13 CHAPTER ONE: PARADISE UNMADE ........................................................ 17 The True World: History of an Error ..................................................... 18 Nietzsche's Penpectivism................... .... ....................................... 25 Nie&schets Atheism ..............................................................................27 The Truth About Truth .......................................................... 28 Becoming as Truth ............................................................................... 32 The Horizon of Our Knowledge ..................... .. ............................... 36 CHAPTER TWO: REDEMPTION THROUGH ILLUSION ................................. 42 The Ancient Greeks and Truth ......................., ..........*..*..*..*..................43 Tragic Knowledge ................................................................................. 51 Nietzsche Contra Socrates .................................................................... 57 CHAPTER THREE: BEYOND GOOD AND BAD? NIETZSCHE AND FOUCAULT ON TRUTH AND POWER .......... ,., ....... ., .......*........*.....*.61 The Zero-Degree of the Sign ..................................... ........................ 63 Teacher and Student...*.. ................................. 65 The Purpose of Genealogy ........... ..... ............................................. 67 The Role of Illusion ................................................................................ 71 The Oveman Versus the Nonman ... .................................................. ... 75 ........,.I..... Anti-Power ...............LC..........,.I..... .................. 77 CONCLUSION: FOUR PATHS .............................~.......................................... 85 BIBLIOGRAPHY .............................................................................................. 90 Abbreviations Works by Friedrich Nietzsche References to Nietzsche's works are identified by an abbreviated version of the title followed by the section and/or aphorism number. The letter P is used to indicate a preface written by Nietzsche (this includes "Zarathustra's Prologue" to Thus Spoke Zarathustra). Where possible, I have included references to Nietzsche's texts in the body of the thesis. In cases where there are several references, I have placed the information in a footnote. AC The Anti-Christ (translated by Walter Kaufmann) ASC "Attempt at a SeFCriticisml' (translated by Walter Kaufmann) BGE Beyond Good and Evil: Prelude to a Philosophy of the Future (translated by Walter Kaufmann) The Birth of Tmgedy (translated by Walter Kaufmann) The Case of Wagner(trans1ated by Walter Kaufmann) Daybreak: Thoughts on the Prejudices of Morality (translated by R.J . Hollingdale) Ecce Homo: How One Becomes What One is (translated by Walter Kaufmann) On the Genealogy of Morals: A Pole& (translated by Walter Kaufmann) The Gay Science (translated by Walter Kaufmann) vii HAH Human, Ail Too Hm:A Book for Free Spirits - all references are to Volume I unless otherwise noted (translated by R.J. Hollingdale) OTL "On Truth and Lies in a Nonmoral Sense" (translated by Daniel Breazeale) TI Twilight of the Idols or How to Philosophize with a Hammer (translated by Walter Kaufmann) UM Untimely Meditations (translated by R.J . Hollingdale) WP The Will to Power (translated by Walter Kaufmann) Z Thus Spoke Zarathustra: A Book for All and None (translated by Walter Kaufmann) Works by Michel Foucault References to works by Michel Foucault are identified by an abbreviated version of the title followed by the page number. HS The Histow of Sexuality: Volume 1: An Introduction NGH "Nietzsche, Genealogy, History" PK Power/Knowledge: Selected lntervie ws and Other Writings 1972-1977 WIE "What is Enlightenment" viii INTRODUCTION: WHAT IS TRUTH? Can you give yourself your own evil and your own good and hang your own will over yourself as a law? Can you be your own judge and avenger of
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