Fyodor Dostoevsky and Friedrich Nietzsche: power/weakness
This article deals with Dostoevsky’s (1821-1881) controversial concept of love and its relation to that of Nietzsche (1844-1900). Despite many parallels, Dostoevsky’s thought on love can be viewed as a criticism, avant la letter, of Nietzsche’s claim to having unmasked the Christian idea of neighbou...
| Published in: | International journal of philosophy and theology |
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| Main Author: | |
| Format: | Electronic/Print Article |
| Language: | English |
| Check availability: | HBZ Gateway |
| Journals Online & Print: | Drawer...
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| Fernleihe: | Fernleihe für die Fachinformationsdienste |
| Published: |
Taylor & Francis
[2017]
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| In: |
International journal of philosophy and theology
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| Standardized Subjects / Keyword chains: | B
Dostoevskij, Fëdor Michajlovič 1821-1881
/ Nietzsche, Friedrich 1844-1900
/ Love
/ Jesus Christus
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| IxTheo Classification: | CB Christian life; spirituality KAH Church history 1648-1913; modern history NBF Christology NCB Personal ethics VA Philosophy |
| Online Access: |
Volltext (doi) |
| Summary: | This article deals with Dostoevsky’s (1821-1881) controversial concept of love and its relation to that of Nietzsche (1844-1900). Despite many parallels, Dostoevsky’s thought on love can be viewed as a criticism, avant la letter, of Nietzsche’s claim to having unmasked the Christian idea of neighbour-love "for God’s sake" as an illusion. Yet, in addition to neighbour-love, Dostoevsky also entertains the idea of "furthest love" (a phrase used both by Dostoevsky and by Nietzsche’s Zarathustra), love for the Übermensch of the future. The article examines Dostoevsky’s experiments with love’s different forms and argues that the question underlying these explorations is whether Christian love can positively impact the world or whether it is doomed to be ineffectual, even destructive. It is argued that, while Dostoevsky’s novels often expose love’s fallibility and even its impotence, they nonetheless manifest the quest for a love capable of redeeming the world. It is shown how Dostoevsky considered one’s understanding of love to hinge on anthropological views, such as belief in the immortality of the soul or the degree of human freedom and responsibility; and how the reality and practice of love, in turn, influences both who we are and understand ourselves to be. |
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| ISSN: | 2169-2327 |
| Contains: | Enthalten in: International journal of philosophy and theology
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| Persistent identifiers: | DOI: 10.1080/21692327.2016.1249015 |