Nietzsche's Critique of Religion, Science, and Language

The Critique of Christianity

Nietzsche criticizes the Christian religion, arguing that all religion is born of fear, anguish, and needs—the importance felt by the man himself. Therefore, no religion has ever contained any truth. It represents an inability to accept one's own destiny. Christianity constructs an ideal world in which the fostered values involve the herd mentality. Religion involves the alienation of man. Through an unprecedented critique of the Enlightenment, Nietzsche interprets Christianity as a vulgar morality which comes from God. He seeks to reverse anti-Christian values through new assessments, considering Christianity as the mortal enemy of man's higher nature. Anti-Christianity is the transmutation of all values that has lasted millennia. Thus, the transmutation of values is not merely anti-Christian but anti-Platonic.

The Critique of Science

Nietzsche also criticizes science, stating that it follows guidelines set by moral standards aiming to achieve absolute knowledge and total natural laws. It aspires to a knowledge of universal validity. The critical spirit is how metaphysical ideals manifest, where one sees the need for universality against the tragic conception of the world. This approach is always anti-Dionysian, believing in logic as the ultimate value. Science is characterized by understanding and dominating; however, it is superficial and never achieves the great questions of life, as these lie in its depths. Nevertheless, Nietzsche proposes an authentic conception of science, which creates a society of free spirits.

The Critique of Language

Nietzsche claims there is no way to remove the belief in "the world" as long as we accept logical-rational language. Language is often thought to have the power to build facts or phenomena with a maximum degree of fidelity. Nietzsche sharply criticizes this conception and references his own vision regarding the origin of language. He says words originated as metaphors, as expressions of appearances. Language is linked to an instinctive need to create new ways to express one's experience. In concepts, a double transposition has occurred:

• The first is the transposition of an exposure to a mental nerve.
• The second is the transposition of that mental image into a verbal sound.

One of the most important consequences is that the human being cannot achieve the truth. Only one language can "live," and that is artistic language.

Constructive Alternative: Nihilism

Nihilism comes from the word nihil, meaning "nothing." In the will to power, Nietzsche provides a description stating that nihilism is the loss of validity of the supreme values.