Nietzsche and Heidegger's Perspective on Plato and Thales: An Exploration

Introduction

When discussing the great thinkers of classical philosophy, the names of Plato and Thales often come up. However, what these philosophers thought of Plato and Thales is a subject of keen interest for students of philosophy. Nietzsche and Heidegger, two towering figures in modern philosophy, offered nuanced and often critical perspectives on these ancient predecessors. This essay delves into their thoughts while also questioning the significance of such pronouncements in the grand scheme of philosophical inquiry.

Nietzsche's Begrudging Respect and Criticism

Nietzsche and Plato

For Friedrich Nietzsche, the German philosopher of the late 19th century, the relationship between Plato and Christianity was inherent and fraught. Nietzsche saw Plato as a pivotal figure in the development of Western metaphysics, but one who lent his ideas to the construction of a moral framework that he later detested.

According to Nietzsche, Plato was a thinker who believed in absolutes, ideal forms, and a world of ideas that preceded the material world. This, in turn, laid the groundwork for a Christian worldview that elevated the abstract and the spiritual over the material and the corporeal. Nietzsche's criticism of Plato, therefore, was deeply rooted in his desire to break free from this metaphysical heritage and to promote a more primal and Dionysian form of existence.

Nietzsche's View of Thales

While Nietzsche's primary focus in his philosophical works was on Plato, he also paid significant attention to Thales, the pre-Socratic philosopher who is often credited as the first Western thinker to propose a naturalistic explanation for the world. In Nietzsche's eyes, Thales was a pioneer in the struggle against mythology and superstition. However, Nietzsche's respect for Thales' naturalistic tendencies was often overshadowed by his broader criticism of what he saw as the overarching metaphysical inclination of the Western philosophical tradition.

Heidegger's Deconstructionist Approach

Heidegger and Plato

Unlike Nietzsche, Martin Heidegger, a 20th-century philosopher, took a more deconstructive stance towards Plato's works. Heidegger saw Plato as a pivotal figure in the development of Western metaphysics. For Heidegger, Plato's emphasis on the concept of essence (;ε?ναι) or being (;πο?ο?) marked a significant shift in the way we think about existence and reality. Heidegger believed that Plato and, by extension, Western philosophy, had unintentionally created a metaphysical framework that obscured the true nature of being.

Heidegger's primary critique of Plato was his focus on abstract concepts and the separation between -being (;ο?σ?α) and the existential (;ο?σ?α). Heidegger argued that Plato's emphasis on these ideas led to a misunderstanding of the human experience, which is inherently temporal and situated.

Heidegger's View of Thales

Heidegger also viewed Thales as a precursor to his own thinking. Thales, the first Greek philosopher, is known for his early attempt to explain the world in naturalistic terms rather than through mythological explanations. Heidegger saw in Thales' insights a beginning of a more thoughtful and rational approach to understanding the world, in stark contrast to the prevailing narratives of his time. However, he was quick to point out that Thales' ideas were still limited by the metaphysical framework that developed in the succeeding centuries.

Relevance and Significance

The Grand Scheme

Nietzsche's and Heidegger's views on Plato and Thales, while insightful, are often seen as esoteric and of limited practical relevance in contemporary discourse. Nietzsche once famously described Plato's ideas as a "fart in a hurricane," emphasizing that the grand pronouncements of philosophers like Plato are often overshadowed by the relentless force of historical and philosophical development.

Similarly, Heidegger's deconstruction of Plato's metaphysical framework is rooted in a tradition of philosophical inquiry that seeks to uncover the limitations of prevailing systems of thought. While this activity is crucial for the advancement of philosophy, it is often dismissed as a mere academic exercise, as Nietzsche suggests, and not a matter of immediate, practical importance.

Conclusion

In conclusion, while Nietzsche and Heidegger offered profound insights into the philosophies of Plato and Thales, their perspectives also serve as a reminder that the process of philosophical inquiry is a continuous one, and that even the most significant ideas can be overshadowed by the broader currents of historical and metaphysical development. The questions they raise about the nature of being, the role of metaphysics, and the importance of naturalistic thinking continue to resonate, but they are best understood within the context of a larger philosophical tradition.