Friedrich Nietzsche
The 19th century philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche gives prominent focus to what he terms "the Brotherhood of Assassins", in section 24 of On the Genealogy of Morality. Nietzsche's signature work is to attempt the transvaluation of values, that is, to transcend the inherited Jewish and Christian politics, psychology and ethics of ressentiment and guilt. Nietzsche points to the Assassins as anti-ascetic 'free spirits' who no longer believe in metaphysical truth.
Importantly, Nietzsche attacks the false spirits who are the host of self-describing "unbelievers" of modern times who claim to reject religious deception as scholars and philosophers and yet retain the traditional refusal to question the value of truth. Nietzsche compares genuine free spirits with the Assassins: "When the Christian crusaders in the Orient came across that invincible order of Assassins – that order of free spirits par excellence whose lowest order received, through some channel or other, a hint about that symbol and spell reserved for the uppermost echelons alone, as their secret: "nothing is true, everything is permitted". Now that was freedom of the spirit, with that, belief in truth itself was renounced."
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Famous quotes by friedrich nietzsche:
“We feign pity when we want to demonstrate our ascendancy over feelings of hostility: but usually in vain. Whenever we notice this, there is an accompanying surge in those hostile sensations.”
—Friedrich Nietzsche (1844–1900)
“And so let my proposition be understood and pondered: history can be borne only by strong personalities, weak ones are utterly extinguished by it.”
—Friedrich Nietzsche (1844–1900)
“Distrust everyone in whom the impulse to punish is powerful!”
—Friedrich Nietzsche (1844–1900)
“It was modesty that invented the word ‘philosopher’ in Greece and left the magnificent overweening presumption in calling oneself wise to the actors of the spirit—the modesty of such monsters of pride and sovereignty as Pythagoras, as Plato.”
—Friedrich Nietzsche (1844–1900)
“He who possesses greatness is cruel towards his secondary virtues and considerations.”
—Friedrich Nietzsche (1844–1900)