Nietzsche’s “The Problem Of Socrates”

This article aims to research Nietzsche’s “The Problem of Socrates”. The source of this problem lies in Nietzsche’s first book “The Birth of Tragedy” in which Nietzsche regards Socrates as a scientific rationalist. In the other book “Twilight of the Idols” Nietzsche particularly lists “The Problem of Socrates” and expounds this issue. Many researchers often take over a conclusion of this criticism without concerning about the inner meaning of this criticism. Werner J.Dannhauser’s famous research of this issue “Nietzsche’s view of Socrates” merely summarizes some text work which Nietzsche indicates the plain surface other than the fundamental aspect of the problem. Meanwhile, Dannhauser also has a number of complaints about Nietzsche’s criticism towards Socrates. He does not consider that Nietzsche has clarified the logic behind Socrates as a rationalist, and he discovers that Nietzsche fails to notice there is distinction between the past and his present “rational” concept.So the purpose of this paper is to: 1) Improve Nietzsche’s “The Problem of Socrates”in a way of revaluation of all values and look at the analysis to define what kind of this problem is; 2) Explain Dannhauser ’s confusion; 3) Review the complex relationship between Nietzsche and Socrates; 4) Reveal their philosophical teachings.The reason for the revaluation of all values is due to the fact that Nietzsche considers “Zarathustra” is a positive work, after which the work are all negative criticism, and these negative and offensive speeches all belong to “revaluation of all values” as part of its work. Nietzsche regards himself as a kind of experiment or demonstration, calling for reactions from future philosophers. So “Twilight of the Idols”, “On the genealogy of Morality” or “Antichrist” or “Beyond Good and Evil”and other works are all presented from such a “revaluation” perspective. Nietzsche battles against the whole tradition, “Twilight of the Idols” directly points to Socrates and Plato serving as the representative of Greece- Roman tradition, and “Antichrist”directed Hebrew- Christian tradition. Western civilization has laid two traditions which Nietzsche strongly questioned. In this sense, Nietzsche’s “The Problem of Socrates” is not simply a critique against individual idols, but requires an in-depth foundation of a cultural basis.Nietzsche utilizes “instinct” to oppose Socrates “rationality”. The concept of“instinct” needs to be further clarified in Nietzsche’s book. If we merely saw“instinct” as the original impulse, then we would end up overlooking both Nietzsche’s view of enlightenment(Bildung) and the fact one could become what one is, we oversimplify him as a naturalist. Natural “instinct” is also contrary to Nietzsche’s deep understanding of “first nature” and “second nature”. Therefore, the“instinct” must acquire the ability to include the enlightenment into their“unconsciousness”. The daimonion of Socrates well responds Nietzsche’s two levels of understanding for “instinct”, which also leads us to Nietzsche’s "Socrates". So that daimonion is an access to this issue.In this sense, Socrates’ rational “understanding” opposes to Nietzsche’s instinctive “art”; Nietzsche has been advocating “art” and opposing to “recognition”.Until Nietzsche is aware of the fact Wagner’s “art” thrives contemporarily, he reveals his deeply concealed profound “decadent”. And that forces Nietzsche to break free from his experience of Wagner and re-examine the things he once loved. Thus,“Philosopher- Recognition- Socrates” and “Musician- Art- Wagner” becomes integral sides of “decadent”. Nietzsche considers that the two sides also have a“moral tendency”, but “morality” is not a simple evaluation, it actually contains a more profound “psychological” type which creates a great culture on the basis of this evaluation.From this perspective, Nietzsche’s "Genealogy" is to explore the morality,essentially to trace the occurrence of anthropology. On this basis, Socrates not only initiates the origins of creative culture, but represents a sign of weakening of our human kind. In addition, we analyze Socrates from Nietzsche’s perspective, we also need to realize Socrates complex image in classical texts, then return to examine Nietzsche’s viewpoints. Nietzsche and Socrates link in some way, we notice thatSocrates and Nietzsche both have a very similar striking appearance of being ironic.They urge people to engage in serious work in an ironic way.Finally, we push this entanglement into expounding their core teachings,namely, relations between “eros” and “will to power”. Socrates and Nietzsche, as two references during both ancient and modern times, have distinctive similarities.They both like arguing and criticizing, but not being skeptics; their philosophy contains inspiring teachings rather than instilling knowledge. We can even say that they are to teach us “How will you live your life”. In this sense, the study of Nietzsche’s “The Problem of Socrates” actually goes back to the fundamental teachings of philosophy.