Nietzsche And Naturalism

Most researchers acknowledge that Nietzsche is well informed of contemporary sciences,and that he values scientific methods and results to a large extent.But at the same time,they prefer to cite Nietzsche’s criticisms against sciences,especially those against mechanism and Darwinism,in order to argue that his philosophy is not in any sense continuous with scientific methods or results,and thus cannot be construed as methodological or ontological naturalism.However,in this thesis,I illustrate the urge to determine to what exact extent Nietzsche values scientific methods and results.And I claim that Nietzsche is a thorough naturalist,in spite of his silence on the scientific resources he resorts to.Firstly,I claim Nietzsche is an ontological naturalist.I propose that the two core principles of Nietzsche’s will-to-power ontology,namely the dynamic principle and the subjective principle,are respectively continuous with the dynamism theory of physics by the Italian mathematical physicist Boscovich,and the internal struggle theory of organisms by German biologist Wilhelm Roux,as well as the assimilation theory of organisms by the less known German biologist William Henry Rolph.Secondly,I claim that Nietzsche is also an epistemological naturalist.I demonstrate that Nietzsche refutes against epistemological rationalism,affirms sensory experiences in acquiring and verifying knowledge,and adopts epistemological sensualist,empiricist,positivist,as well as naturalist stances.Besides,I argue that Nietzsche’s criticisms against scientists and their claim for objectivity are based on his perspectivism,which further is based on his physiological and functionalistic understanding of human consciousness.And Nietzsche tends his perspectivism not to undermine human cognition,let alone his own naturalizing project,but to propose a naturalized form and standard of human knowledge.Thus I argue Nietzsche shares affinity with Quine and his naturalized epistemology rather than the postmodernists.Apart from Nietzsche’s ontological and epistemological naturalist stances,I also formulate a dynamic and embodied description of Nietzsche’s major physio-psychological categories,including the drive,the affect,the need and the subject.As the core categories of Nietzsche’s will-to-power ontology,they provide the basis for Nietzsche’s dynamic,embodied,naturalistic re-account of human cognition,morality,art,and so on.