1. 6.11.2007 (1) A Sociology of Modernity Introduction III: The Birth of Modern Thought – the Other Modernity OR: ‘The Problem of Evil‘ Prof. Dr. Joost van Loon Institut für Soziologie, LMU Nottingham Trent University, U.K.

2. Outline (i)Recapturing the journey so far (ii)Introducing ‘Radical Evil’ (iii)Max Weber and Rationalization (iv)Romanticism – a second modernity? (v)Nietzsche’s Philosophy (vi)Appropriations of Nietzsche (vii)The Darkest Side of Modernity: The Holocaust

3. Recapturing journey so far 1.Modernity is a word used to describe (a) a historical period; (b) a type of society; (c) a way of thinking 2.The historical origins of modernity can be traced back to a number of events that happened in a relatively short period in medieval Europe and that marked the end of European feudalism. 3.The Protestant Revolution entailed a radical break with medieval Catholicism, instigating (a) the separation of reason from faith, (b) an individualization of the relation ship between mortals and God and (c) a secularization of religion. 4.Kant, Hegel and Marx provided the philosophical groundwork for some key modern ideas such as reason, progress and freedom (emancipation) and above all the idea that humans can change society and organize it according to their own will (man over God, nature and fate).

4. Kant: Radical Evil Essay: ‘Religion within the Limits of Reason Alone’. In a logical system where reason and faith are not mystically connected (and institutionally authorized), we are solely dependent on an arbitrary, individual will, which – by the very nature of concupiscence (the propensity to sin), thus harbors a radical evil. This is an expression of liberal angst: if humans were free to do what they please, what can be done to stop them from hurting each other? (Hobbes’s basic thesis on the Leviathan) Nietzsche: the concept of radical evil betrays Kant’s bad faith.

5. Max Weber

6. Weber Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism Entzauberung der Welt - disenchantment (a reverse Harry Potter) Dominance of rationality Bureaucracy

7. The Rise of Romanticism Against the idea that reason grants mastery Creativity rather than productivity Spirit rather than mind Subjectivity rather than objectivity Pessimism rather than optimism Tribal rather than universal

8. Friedrich Nietzsche (1844-1900)

9. Friedrich Nietzsche Writes in the context of an Emergent Romanticism and Nationalism Rather than ‘reason’ driving history, Nietzsche stressed it was the Will to Power Critique of ‘Enlightened’ Philosophy as a ‘hypocrisy of denial’ and ‘mediocratic’ (Herd Mentality) Critique of emancipatory politics as infused by Slave Morality ‘ethos of suspicion’: there is no universal grounding of morality Nihilism: history does not have a `grand destiny´

10. The Will to Power section 514 (p. 365): Eine Moral, eine durch lange Erfahrung und Prüfung erprobte bewiesene Lebensweise kommt zuletzt als Gesetz zum Bewußtsein, als dominierend … und damit tritt die ganze Gruppe verwanderter Werte und Zustände in sie hinein: sie wird ehrwürdig, unangreifbar, heilig, wahrhaft; es gehört zu ihrer Entwicklung, daß ihre Herkunft vergessen wird… Es ist ein Zeichen, daß sie Herr geworden ist… freely translated as A morality, a tried and tested and proven way of life, finally enters into conscience as Law, as dominating… and with it engages the entire collection of values and conditions of the group; it becomes honourable, untouchable, holy, truthful ; it belongs to its development, that its origin is being forgotten… It is a sign that it has become ‘Lord’

11. Friedrich Nietzsche Writes in the context of an Emergent Romanticism and Nationalism Rather than ‘reason’ driving history, Nietzsche stressed it was the Will to Power Critique of ‘Enlightened’ Philosophy as a ‘hypocrisy of denial’ and ‘mediocratic’ (Herd Mentality) Critique of emancipatory politics as infused by Slave Morality ‘ethos of suspicion’: there is no universal grounding of morality Nihilism: history does not have a `grand destiny´

12. Appropriations of Nietzsche His work used by Nazis who failed to see the critical irony of, for example, his concept of the Übermensch Disliked by left-wing radicals because he exposed their inherent slave morality Liked by critical philosophy (e.g. Bataille, Debord, Deleuze, Foucault) because he abandoned universalism Nihilism: dominant ethos of postmodernity Re-ignites a concern over the question of evil

13. Zygmunt Bauman

14. Bauman: Modernity and the Holocaust ideal typical’ modern event and organization: –The precise and perfectly programmed coordination of biological and medical science, bio-chemical technology, engineering, logistics, management and propaganda. –The extermination of Jews was carefully planned in population- administration, the logistics transport, the appropriation of science and technology, the setting into work of the death machine, and the use of images and ideas for propaganda purposes –The role of radio – disembodied tribal drum (McLuhan, 1964).

15. Why? The separation from action and consequences (just doing one’s job, just following orders) – Eichman (see Hannah Arendt) Fascism is within us - Deleuze & Guattari (1977) – it is a neurotic disorder caused by capitalism and modernity, justified by psychoanalysis and driven by a will to power and to know