Monday, February 11, 2013

Genius, Morality, Theology

According to Kant, in #50 of the Critique of Judgment, Taste, the source of judgments of Beauty, "consists in disciplining genius".  It does so with the "morally good . . . in view" (#59).  Entailed in that Moral Good is a "moral theology". (#86).  Now, Nietzsche's system can be understood as inverting that hierarchy--its fundamental principle is a creative process, such as Genius, in terms of which Kantian Moral Theology is not merely derived, but is a degenerate mode.  But, within Kant's system itself, Genius is ascribed to Spirit, which is posited as identical to Reason.  Hence, not only does Nietzsche present a derivation of that Moral Theology that is an alternative the one that Kant offers, it suggests a conflict within Kant's doctrine, i. e. the generative principle of Pure Practical Reason vs. the totalizing deontological Highest Good of the doctrine, and even a usurpation of the former by the latter.

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