Nietzsche's Philosophy: Morality, Hypocrisy, and the Death of God

Nietzsche's Critique of Hypocrisy and Morality

Hypocrisy of the Poor and Priests

Nietzsche's critique was fundamentally directed against hypocrisy. He observed the hypocrisy of the poor who claim wealth is bad, yet secretly aspire to it. Similarly, he criticized priests who preach chastity while, in his view, their underlying motives are often rooted in envy of those with power and influence.

Philosophical Dualism and Hidden Intentions

Philosophically, traditional morality has often justified a distinction between two worlds: ideas and matter, body and soul, noumena and phenomena (as seen in Plato, Descartes, and Kant). Nietzsche argued that people often harbor hidden intentions behind their actions, a form of hypocrisy he vehemently opposed.

Nietzsche on Traditional Morality

Traditional morality, according to Nietzsche, is unnatural because it opposes life itself. It establishes codes that run counter to natural instincts and is justified by an appeal to a transcendent realm.

Its Opposition to Life and Natural Instincts

Moral values, in this traditional view, find their justification in a different world—a world of God and ideas, which is considered their greatest merit. If we were to seek values within our own world, they would be natural. However, by inventing another world, these values cease to belong to nature; they are against it and become transcendent, not immanent.

Suppression of Desires and Instincts

Morality, therefore, is not based on human nature. Instead, moral values are founded on concepts alien to humanity and are, in fact, against human nature, leading to the suppression of our desires and and instincts.

Fear of Life as the Root of Transcendent Values

The underlying reason for these transcendent values, Nietzsche asserted, is a profound fear of life itself—a fear of truly living.

Theological Dualism and Hidden Intentions

Theologians, in their ordering of the world, prioritize the spiritual over the material. The very act of distinguishing between essence and existence, body and soul, is, for Nietzsche, imbued with intentionality: to subtly evaluate the first term as good and the second as bad.

Nietzsche on God and Redemption

The Categorical Distinction and Life

Nietzsche stated that “the simple life is infected by the categorical distinction.” He identified the “enemies of the soul” as:

• The World: Representing wealth and power.
• The Devil: Embodied by hatred, envy, and revenge.
• The Flesh: Signifying sensual pleasure.

He argued that obedience is directed towards everything that goes against what is natural.

Life Beyond the Kingdom of God

Nietzsche famously declared, “Life begins just where the kingdom of God [ends].”

God as an Obstacle to Life

For Nietzsche, God had, until then, been the greatest objection against life itself.

Denying God and Redeeming the World

By denying God, we deny responsibility before God, and this act, for Nietzsche, will redeem the world. The “death of God” will liberate humanity. When we cease to believe in God, we will be redeemed and saved from this profound error.

Reinterpreting Christian Redemption

Nietzsche gave a new meaning to the concept of Christian redemption. Traditionally, God incarnated in Jesus Christ and died on the cross to redeem mankind from sin, offering salvation.

The Death of God and Human Freedom

For Nietzsche, God dies in the consciousness of humankind. When this occurs, humanity will be redeemed and saved, able to live happily without the burden of moral law, religious dogma, and superstition. God must die in the consciousness of men (which is where God truly lives) so that they can live a fully human way, free from subjection to a higher being.