Nietzsche: Comprehensive Reference

Question 1

Cognizant

Answer 1

fully informed, conscious

Question 2

Drive

Answer 2

broad patterns of behavior rather than
particular instances of action.
- Drives are explanatorily prior to affects. The drive triggers affects that then incline the agent to perform particular actions
- drives also trigger particular thoughts,
patterns of attention, and evaluative outlooks
- drives do not exist as isolated tendencies, but are intertwined with many other drives.
- Nietzsche provides no definite list of
drives. Because when studied closely all drives are interconnected (like in chemistry, entities that interact, combine, and break up to form new complexes.

Question 3

Affect

Answer 3

Psychic states: desires, impulses, and emotion

Question 4

Decadence

Answer 4

“To choose instinctively what is harmful to oneself, to be enticed by “disinterested” motives, if virtually the formula for decadence.” Decadence is simply being against life; since instincts are the expression of life, being against them in equivalent to being against life. Decandents instinctively prefer what dissolves them, what makes the end come faster.

• Nietzsche described rationalism as decadent, because it is a method of doubt, rather than the affirmation possibility: i.e. In order to understand health, one must understand sickness
• Decadence describes a lack of moral and intellectual discipline that often leads to objective decline.
• Decadent societies usually have severe social and economic inequality.
• Decadent individuals are irresponsible, self-indulgent, and pretentious; rather than talented and hard-working.