It has gradually become clear to me what every great philosophy has hitherto been: a confession on the part of its author and a kind of involuntary memoir; moreover, that the moral (or immoral) intentions in every philosophy have every time constituted the real germ of life out of which the entire plant has grown. To explain how a philosopher’s most remote metaphysical assertions have actually been arrived at, it is always well (and wise) to ask oneself first: what morality does this (does he –) aim at? I accordingly do not believe a ‘drive to knowledge’ to be the father of philosophy but that
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CHATGPT
In this passage, Friedrich Nietzsche is expressing several interrelated ideas about the nature of philosophy and philosophers. Here's a breakdown of the central themes:
1. **Philosophy as Confession**: Nietzsche begins by suggesting that every great philosophy is essentially a personal confession of its author. Rather than being objective, neutral quests for truth, philosophical systems are deeply personal and reveal the inner workings, biases, and inclinations of their creators.
2. **Moral Intentions as the Core**: He claims that the moral or immoral intentions behind every philosophy are its true driving force. These intentions are the seed from which the entire philosophical system grows.
3. **The Drive to Knowledge**: Nietzsche challenges the notion that the primary impulse behind philosophy is a pure "drive to knowledge". Instead, he suggests that this drive to knowledge is secondary, a tool used by other, more foundational drives.
4. **The Tyranny of Drives**: He believes that every fundamental drive within a human being is inherently tyrannical. Each drive seeks dominance and expresses itself as if it's the most important aspect of human existence. These drives aren't just passive inclinations; they actively "philosophize", meaning they shape the way individuals understand and interpret the world.
5. **Philosophers are Not Impersonal**: Nietzsche concludes that there is nothing impersonal about a philosopher. The values, beliefs, and ideas they promote in their work provide insight into their inner hierarchy of drives. In other words, the philosophies they develop are reflective of their personal values and the dominance of certain drives over others.
In essence, Nietzsche is arguing that philosophy is not a detached, objective enterprise. It's deeply personal and reveals as much about the philosopher as it does about the nature of truth or reality. Philosophies are shaped by the dominant drives of their creators, making them subjective expressions rather than objective truths.