Single Idea 4414

[catalogued under 16. Persons / F. Free Will / 5. Against Free Will]

Full Idea

The philosophers invented "free will" - absolute human spontaneity in good and evil - to furnish a right to the idea that the interest of the gods in man, in human virtue, could never be exhausted.

Gist of Idea

Philosophers invented "free will" so that our virtues would be permanently interesting to the gods

Source

Friedrich Nietzsche (On the Genealogy of Morals [1887], II.§07)

Book Reference

Nietzsche,Friedrich: 'On the Genealogy of Morals/ Ecce Homo', ed/tr. Kaufmann,Walter [Vintage 1969], p.69


A Reaction

Wonderfully outrageous suggestion! If we had true metaphysical 'absolute' free will, we would be much more interesting, and have a much higher status in the cosmos. Nietzsche is probably right.