Review Introduction to Existentialism Existence over essence Existence over essence –Rebellion against Plato and Rationalism –Human value as rational, knowing creatures Combination with Christianity Combination with Christianity –Rational universe — will of God –Science as offspring begins to rebel Reality meaningless, dead, irrational Reality meaningless, dead, irrational –Huge universe and human knowers peripheral

Humans as Peripheral Man in image of God Man in image of God –Capable of knowing rational law Moral and scientific Moral and scientific God is dead = Rationalism failed God is dead = Rationalism failed –Can not give meaning to our lives Awareness of a succession of myths Awareness of a succession of myths Seek solace in reason/God Seek solace in reason/God –Nietzsche tartets Descartes “ new ” rationalism Seeking to restore human guarantee of knowledge Seeking to restore human guarantee of knowledge Even allowing “brain in vat” evil demon fantasy Even allowing “brain in vat” evil demon fantasy

Questions Explain the Nietzsche’s contrast of a “master” and “slave” morality. Why does he say Christianity is a slave morality?

Cartesian "Radical" Skepticism Doubt everything — not from specific arguments, but general ones Doubt everything — not from specific arguments, but general ones –Main target: objects and other minds Strategy: prove something immune to evil demon doubt Strategy: prove something immune to evil demon doubt I think, therefore I exist I think, therefore I exist Even if I doubt, can't doubt that I'm thinking Even if I doubt, can't doubt that I'm thinking

Is Cogito Valid? Back to Parmenides Back to Parmenides –If a sentence is true then its subject term must denote something Any true sentence of the form "X Q's" entails "X exists" Any true sentence of the form "X Q's" entails "X exists" So, if the premise (I think) is true then it follows as a matter of form that I exist So, if the premise (I think) is true then it follows as a matter of form that I exist –"Santa Claus thinks" is false –Thought doesn't matter here  "Santa clause walks" is also false

Is Cogito Sound? Is the premise true? Is the premise true? Certainly! Whenever I think it Certainly! Whenever I think it Can we know it is true? Yes Can we know it is true? Yes –It is true –We believe it is true (When we think, we think we are thinking) (When we think, we think we are thinking) –We have good reason to believe it We are good judges of our own conscious states We are good judges of our own conscious states

Not enough! Paradox Analysis Must be immune from Demon Doubt! Must be immune from Demon Doubt! To think you do not think is a paradox To think you do not think is a paradox –Different from semantic (liar) or prescriptive (Shendao) paradoxes The meaning inconsistent with truth The meaning inconsistent with truth Conforming inconsistent with meaning Conforming inconsistent with meaning

Pragmatic (action) paradox What you say is inconsistent with the act of your saying it What you say is inconsistent with the act of your saying it "I cannot speak one word of English" "I cannot speak one word of English" The speech act of asserting is inconsistent with its truth The speech act of asserting is inconsistent with its truth –The thought act is inconsistent with the content of the thought 我不會 用中文 想。

Thinking Thoughts and Thinker Next step cannot reach outside thought Next step cannot reach outside thought –A way to get all rational truths back — prove God exists So ontological argument for God So ontological argument for God –Unique in following from definition alone

Ontological Argument St. Anselm model — easier and more famous St. Anselm model — easier and more famous Start with thought of god — a concept Start with thought of god — a concept –Can be thought of by a non-believer The non-believer contradicts himself The non-believer contradicts himself Not derived just from thinking Not derived just from thinking From the content (meaning/definition) of the thought From the content (meaning/definition) of the thought Definition of the ‘ god' concept: the perfect being Definition of the ‘ god' concept: the perfect being

Existence Perfect= df has all positive qualities completely Perfect= df has all positive qualities completely Qualities = predicates Qualities = predicates 'Exists' is a predicate 'Exists' is a predicate 'Exists' is positive 'Exists' is positive Not to predicate 'exists' of the being that has all positive qualities completely is a contradiction Not to predicate 'exists' of the being that has all positive qualities completely is a contradiction

So I am not deceived when I think clearly and distinctly

Analysis: Summary Argument really about two kinds of existence Argument really about two kinds of existence –In mind and reality But logic the same But logic the same –Existence is a positive valued predicate Quality or attribute of a substance Quality or attribute of a substance –Nutshell: not it’s not—issue isn’t positive Not a predicate—Hume and Kant (detail later) Not a predicate—Hume and Kant (detail later) Taken for granted by Nietzsche Taken for granted by Nietzsche

Existential Angst Suspended over nothingness, nausea, and alienation Suspended over nothingness, nausea, and alienation –Strength to face a bottomless abyss –Cf. Zhuangzi's view of a similar realization Existentialist realism Existentialist realism –No way to get ethics without blind assertion –Rests on sheer will — will to power

Philosophical Revolution Reject metaphysical grounds for moral ones Reject metaphysical grounds for moral ones A genealogy of morals A genealogy of morals –Slave morality: Reaction against the hated--define as "evil," "sin" Reaction against the hated--define as "evil," "sin" Resentment morality--what it is against Resentment morality--what it is against

Master Morality Affirmation of things promoting life Affirmation of things promoting life Define good, not evil Define good, not evil –Then just failure to fulfill Beyond "good and evil" to "good and bad" Beyond "good and evil" to "good and bad" Control, choose your own meaning in life Control, choose your own meaning in life Life promoting, affirming, active, vs. Reaction, nihilist resentment Life promoting, affirming, active, vs. Reaction, nihilist resentment

Reality and Power Everything is interpretation — no original Everything is interpretation — no original –My Zhuangzi –Interpretations are not getting closer to reality Only power conferring stories Only power conferring stories Science as another myth Science as another myth

The Real World Is a Myth Plato (the sun) attainable to the wise Plato (the sun) attainable to the wise Christianity (A woman! A promise) Christianity (A woman! A promise) Kant (a skeptical possibility) source of obligation Kant (a skeptical possibility) source of obligation Positivism (value unknowable, so meaningless) Positivism (value unknowable, so meaningless) Nietzsche (abandon real/apparent distinction) Nietzsche (abandon real/apparent distinction)

Christianity and Buddhism A paradigm of slave morality A paradigm of slave morality –Not refuted, but sick! Self-hating negative resentment All don'ts, evil, sin, sinners All don'ts, evil, sin, sinners This world, natural man as contrast with God This world, natural man as contrast with God –A form of self-hate –Stems from Socrates ’ mind/body values Double-bind: original sin Double-bind: original sin –Protestant "grace" and predestination –Hate yourself and ideology of powerlessness

Lying Heaven a contradiction Heaven a contradiction –No – a form of hatred of life Desire for "the other life" = desire for death Desire for "the other life" = desire for death –Create a myth in our own image Attribute all power to him — powerlessness to ourselves Attribute all power to him — powerlessness to ourselves Sin a deceptive form of self-hate Sin a deceptive form of self-hate –Doctrine of original sin –Moralizes enslavement – we deserve our suffering So don't do anything about it So don't do anything about it

Christ and Christianity Culprit is St. Paul Culprit is St. Paul –Actually a Roman — inheritors of the idols of Socrates –Body over mind Hatred of body and instincts Hatred of body and instincts Celibacy of priests, sex as evil Celibacy of priests, sex as evil Christ himself a divine mystic Christ himself a divine mystic –Declared himself God –Re-evaluated values –Spontaneous self-assertion — we should all be like that Christ was the last Christian Christ was the last Christian

Buddhism a Kindred Religion Same mind/body structure Same mind/body structure –Skepticism of existence – ‘ Truth ’ ‘ reason ’, ‘ ideas ’ transcendent reality Nihilistic, decadent power denying Nihilistic, decadent power denying –Renunciation religion: Nirvana and life (samsara) –Samsara is suffering. Get rid of desire But doesn't want to malign it with Christianity But doesn't want to malign it with Christianity –Honest – I seek to die and stay dead Reincarnation framework Reincarnation framework –Positivist – no value judgment “ Life is suffering ” v “ We are all sinners ” “ Life is suffering ” v “ We are all sinners ”

Not Powerless We can achieve the religious goal by our own efforts We can achieve the religious goal by our own efforts –We can die and stay dead No promises and keeps them! No promises and keeps them! –No supernatural intervention — no supernatural role at all Buddha just a model who found the path Buddha just a model who found the path Hygiene, diet, cheerfulness Hygiene, diet, cheerfulness –Attributed to climate and age of culture