Philosophical Aphorisms: Critical Encounters with Heidegger and Nietzsche
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Philosophical Aphorisms: Critical Encounters with Heidegger and Nietzsche By Daniel Fidel Ferrer ©2004 Daniel Fidel Ferrer. All rights reserved. No part of this hook may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission. No part of this book may be stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means including electronic, electrostatic, magnetic tape, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise without the prior permission in writing of the publisher or author. Some brief cataloging. Ferrer, Daniel Fidel (1952- ) Philosophical Aphorisms: Critical Encounters with Heidegger and Nietzsche / Daniel Fidel Ferrer. Includes bibliographical references and index. 1. Ontology. 2. Metaphysics. 3. Philosophy, German. I. Ferrer, Daniel Fidel, 1952-. II. Nietzsche, Friedrich Wilhelm, 1844-1900. III. Heidegger, Martin, 1889-1976. 2 Dedication and Acknowledgements To my larger family: José Ferrer, Juana Espinosa Fradera Ferrer, Efrain Ferrer, Ernesto Bartoleme Ferrer, Gustie Ruth Lindstrom Ferrer, Ernesto Bartoleme Ferrer, Jr., Joseph and Helen Longrich Ferrer, Alice Amanda Ferrer, Dolores Juanita Ferrer, Louise (Reavis) Ferrer, Shobha Ferrer, Vandana Dayal, Ashmita Rita Ferrer, Marguerita Ruth Ferrer, Ernesto Jo Ferrer, Laurie and Daniel Large, and Scott Young. To Dr. Gupta and family. To Timothy Bagley. To Richard Pulaski and Harvey Williams. To Dr. Alfred Denker. To Dr. Holger Zaborowski. To Samara Anarbaeva, working with the German and English text. To Central Michigan University Libraries and staff. This text was started in the summer of 1974. 3 Table of Contents Acknowledgements …………………………………………………………… 3 Prelude Preface Introduction ….………………………………………………. 5 An Experiment with the Philosophical Aphorism ……………………………. 13 Aphorisms Martin Heidegger and the new other beginning (Anfang)……....... 93 Aphorisms: recent and new developments …………………………………… 126 Aphorisms: Heidegger on Zarathustra. ………………………………………. 193 Aphorisms on Martin Heidegger’s Nietzsche Encounter …………………….. 199 Martin Heidegger and Nietzsche’s Overman: Aphorisms on the Attack …….. 264 Martin Heidegger Contra Hegel – outlined …………………………………... 297 The relationship between Being and Time (1927) and Contributions to Philosophy (Vom Ereignis) (1936-1939) …………………… 302 Martin Heidegger as Interrogator ……………………………………………... 319 Conclusions …………………………………………………………………… 324 Literature and General References ……………………………………………. 325 4 Prelude Preface Introduction “…it is my ambition to say in ten sentences what everyone else says in a book – what everyone else does not say in a book.” Nietzsche. Twilight of the Idols, section ‘Skirmishes of an untimely man’ #51, 1888. Following Nietzsche’s methodology and ambition, I want to say in this “book” more than anyone else said anywhere at any time. The key insight was in ascertaining Nietzsche’s depth and understanding of the methodology of aphorisms. All of the great philosophers Plato, Aristotle, Descartes, Kant, Schelling, Hegel, Nietzsche, and Heidegger uniquely and creatively altered the very nature of philosophy through the fundamental and radical transformation of the essential nature of the philosophical methodology. I am going to try to follow their pathway in my own small approach. Nietzsche used different methodologies, but it was the aphorism that Nietzsche became the dedicated master. The aphorism has a long history from the early times, for example, Aphorism written in 400 BC by Hippocrates (460-377 BC) or the Latin writer Valerius Marcus Valerius (43 AD- 104 AD) on up to our age. Aphorisms or something close to them have been used in India (sutras) and perhaps China and Japan (koan) for a long time. Recently, in China the Quotations from Chairman Mao Tse-tung was printed in the 100s of millions. Supposedly, every adult in China was to have copy. Of course, some writers, philosophers, and thinkers are more self-conscious about using the aphorism as a methodology as opposed to selecting quotes or quips (I think of Bob Hope). In addition, we have ancient wall graffiti or the phenomena of car bumper-stickers as examples of the cultural aphorism. This writing project is not a question of scholarship or the kindred use of poetry. I have already learned to walk, run, dance, fly on earth, but I am also ready to go weightless. These writings are attempts to go from peak to peak in the whole process of self- education. Before I could ‘give’ anything to the educated, I must first educate myself and it is this process that is documented in these writings. These writings were not produced by first thinking everything through and then writing down the story and its explanation for some common average person (the ‘one’). This is not a book similar to a history lesson. The voyage on these seas was a different process. Every rock I turned up and/or went around is in here. All the steps and jumps are in here. Sometimes where I fell down is all part of the process and these up-jumps from the ground are also somehow found ‘in’ these writings. Stumbling is perhaps the rule in attempts at genuine philosophical thinking. The nature of philosophical thinking should reveal itself here because I have tried to be at the “roots” (in the very soil) of thought. Remember what the Austrian philosopher Ludwig Wittgenstein (1889-1951) remarked in the Preface to his Philosophical Investigations (circa 1949), “The best that I could write would never be more than philosophical remarks; my thoughts were soon crippled if I tried to force them on in any single direction against their 5 natural inclination. -- And this was, of course, connected with the very nature of the investigation.” I have tried to follow these instructions and not to ‘force’ my thoughts into some direction or to somehow help the reader understand these writings. If a reader does not understand my aphorisms is that my fault, the reader’s, the grammar, the language, or just a simple lack of depth? Some of these aphorisms are written in blood and the reader may get bloody reading and unpacking these aphorisms. Sometimes, you have to break eggs. You may see the Nietzschean hammer breaking the eggs. Well, so be it – so much for eggs. Dangerous thoughts may revolt and break things. Aphorisms may unfurl and leap off the page and attack you – do not sit down and take it – use your gray matter and attack back. Aphorisms may be like a snake or spider or big cat crouched and waiting to leap on your back in the dark when you least expect (reach up and bite you). On the other hand, were you expecting the hidden dragon? Nietzsche said, “I no longer pay regard to readers: how could I write for readers? ... But I take note, for me.” (KSA XII, p. 450, KGW VIII-2, p. 114, MGW XIV, 373f.). How do I write for you – the reader? Let us be clear on who writes and who reads the text. This is not an explaination of some old dry, historical philosopher. This is my living thought. I have tried to pack them up as well as I could. We have grown accustomed to having everything done for ‘us’, so that no thinking is required. Well, not this time; you have to engage in philosophical thinking when reading these writings (or, so I hope). This so called “book” is not like a normal book that is nicely wrapped up and made easy for you. I make no pretense of offering anything ‘great’ in these writings, but perhaps as you unriddle your own thoughts, it may all be ‘worth it’ for you to read these writings; on the other hand, you may not ‘gain’ anything but actually ‘lose’ something as you read these aphorisms. Perhaps it is something you should ‘lose’. This so called “book” is not designed to help you understanding Heidegger or Nietzsche – perhaps all books that do attempt that are indeed a real folly of a concept. Be careful, since honesty governs any good strategic reading. After reading these aphorisms, you and I may both be at a loss for words, thoughts, and deeds. As Ludwig Feuerbach said, there is more to life than just interpreting the world, since the trick is to change the world. Maybe we just need to change a few minds. What is important is beyond the simple details. While it is in some sense undeniable that we are what we ‘read’, on the other hand, we make the “text” disappear under our interpretation, since the ‘understanding’ is limited as a type of thinking, as a type of methodology for philosophical thought. Will the incessant noise in your head alarm you? Or are you just another complacent reader of philosophy? Are you looking for the rational foundation of truth as if Descartes, Leibniz, and Kant were still alive and well? Keep looking. Wisdom can be put on a platter and given to the MTV crowd and everyone will go home happy (bête noire). Confronting the popular with philosophy always meets with mixed or shall we tell the truth – with bad results. The greatest good (athondon and summum bonum) and the absolute idea are not given here. Values should all be twisted out and left behind with metaphysics. 6 This articulation of philosophical writing is only for the faithful (semper fidelis). As a consequence, perhaps you can leave right now, since these peaks are very high and you may not yet be ready for such high altitudes. 8000 meter peaks are not for everyone as we shall see. Pondering the profound is not for everyone on every day, since some days are to live the unexamined life. As Nietzsche once suggested you must hear all of this with your third ear and only then will you ‘hear’ or ‘see’ it right. Is all of this “my philosophy” – perhaps not!! Yes and no. You can try to unriddle the riddle or perhaps it will unriddle you in the knot of philosophizing. I am talking to ‘you’ the “reader” or perhaps you did not ‘hear’ this right.