Hegel Nietzsche and Kierkegaard (A
one-scene play)
Another one of those assignments you only find in a liberal arts
education...take three philosophers...toss them together in any given
situation and discuss aspects of their philosophies...enjoy.
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Scene 1: (A dark prison cell; Kierkegaard sits on the cold, damp floor in silence while Nietzsche paces the length of the prison cell. After a few moments, Hegel is let in by the prison guard – by the looks of his attire, he is obviously visiting the two philosophers) Nietzsche: (in a mocking tone) Come join us Hegel; we barely completed our last talk before the stench drove you away. Hegel: You two are still adamant in your beliefs I see (sighs) the court will not be pleased. How am I supposed to free you two from this solitary, sordid life if you simply choose to be here? Nietzsche: Solitary and sordid maybe, but I prefer this little cell of mine. It gives me great strength of will – and that will alone drives me forward. What little torture I feel due to my surroundings, I let off on you as rage – and so you see, I am the one that is free, not you. Perspectivism Hegel! You have lost yourself in the dreams of ‘pure reason and rationality’. The singular individual with all rationality and emotions and culture and history is one who is truly alone, yet happy in his subjective understanding of the whole. I stand here in this crummy prison cell you see, as a giant among men. Hegel: Ah my poor friend, you are right to a degree - nature is a great drive forward towards perfection in the human organism, and truly, as humans we attain perfection in individual consciousness, and with this stage of perfection there begins the return of nature to the Universal Spirit. But, there is so much more you do not understand in this greater flow of existence. Individual consciousness is merely the tip of the complete Universal Spirit. But in the narrow limits of individuality, the Spirit can never reach the fullness of rationality and freedom, which are the consummation of the entire process of the Spirit. To realize this ultimate end (the fullness of rationality and freedom), the subjective spirit (individual consciousness) must objectivate itself in many parts; i.e., it constructs the ethical world; a beautiful world just outside these walls where all men stand together and work together as a single unit representing the Universal spirit. If there is a will in an individual, it is a will to be one with the Universal Spirit (Kierkegaard’s eyes flutter open), which requires this laborious process of rationalization and unity among peoples. Kierkegaard: Hegel, your goal is honorable, but you do destroy the individual too much, and your means to achieving a connection with the Universal Spirit (whom I shall refer to as God) is well met but unrealistic. All this rationalization and objective thinking has turned you into a, ‘pencil pusher’ whose abstract, objective ideals deny the fact that you yourself are part of the human race, thus being unable to separate yourself from human experience when you examine it. I see you shaking your head; it is true I am in this individual prison cell, but in truth, I am transcending existence in my own humble way by being here. There are three levels to existence in my opinion – the mundane or pedestrian life which you now lead is the first state of the individual; it is hard to escape though people are sometimes found in this new, true individual existence; this being the second stage I see my friend Nietzsche in. There is however, a third form of individual being whom I see as the transcended individual. This state of individuality requires much blood sweat and tears. It takes the will Nietzsche spoke of, courage and great suffering, and very few have the guts for it. This suffering is inward suffering like labor pains, but it leads to the birth of one's self. Nietzsche: (aside) truly, suffering turned inwards is torturing the self. Kierkegaard is lost in a hopeless religious cause. Kierkegaard: I hear you Nietzsche and I wish you luck in your endeavor to live in individuality, infact, I am here with you; but unlike you, I seek that third stage of individual being. The stage which one can only reach through subjective thinking and simple faith, for without faith, the individual eventually enters a state of despair and unhappiness. (The prison guard enters) and now, farewell friend Hegel, you as an individual thinker, I applaud – your path I do not follow.
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