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Cameron Halling
Elena Cuffari
19th Century Philosophy
Word Count: 2204
A Delusional Reality

I set out on the following premise, which I propose to be self-evident: existence demands that

an entity act within the confines of its nature—which means, within the conditions of its ability to act.

In other words, entities exist and they exist only by means of the specific traits which perpetuate their

life. For most living beings, it is impossible to identify the values which are necessary for its own life

qua its essential nature. However, as rational animals, human beings possess the cognitive capacity

which allows for the identification/integration of the defining characteristics and values which make

human life possible. Thus, I can define 'human nature' as the aspects of humanity which are necessary

to live as a human being i.e. as a rational/thinking organism. Throughout the history of philosophy,

many thinkers have attempted to define the code of values which human beings ought to seek; however

philosophic tradition has shunned the concept of 'human nature' as indefinable/irrelevant. Nonetheless,

appeals to 'human nature' seek to bring to light the necessity of individuals to act, think, and feel in a

certain way. For Friedrich Nietzsche, there exists two mutually affirming/conflicting elements of

human nature from which life can be understood. Human nature, especially for Nietzsche, also

encompasses necessary delusions which seek to aid individuals in dealing with reality. Through his

analysis of Tragedy, Nietzsche seeks to establish a dialectical relationship between the rational/self-

controlled and the irrational/passionate—and these two aspects of human nature exist as a

manifestation of the necessary delusions, e.g. art and religion, which human beings use to cope with the

harshness of existence. Furthermore, Nietzsche's critique of Christianity rests upon its non-life

affirming attitude; however his acceptance of delusions necessarily conflicts with his abhorrence of

Christianity. In order to understand Nietzsche's characterization of Tragedy and Christianity, I will

begin by defining both within the context of Nietzsche's philosophic framework. I will then explicate
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further on the role of delusions in human life, and how such delusions are detrimental to

epistemology/morality.

Tragedy, in a general sense, represents a form of art which acknowledges the

saddening/harsh/inevitable aspects of the human condition. For Nietzsche specifically, art is a form of

delusion which humans need not only for expression of personal values, but as a means to cope with

existence. Essential to art are two elements of human nature which define existence and create all

modes of life/expression. As he writes, “art owes its continuous evolution to the Apollonian-Dionysiac

duality, even as the propagation of the species depends on the duality of the sexes, their constant

conflicts and periodic acts of reconciliation” (The Birth of Tragedy, 451). The Apollonian-Dionysian

duality represents the two mutually affirming/conflicting aspects of human nature—the former being

rational, orderly, and self-controlled whereas the latter is irrational/instinctual, disorderly, and

passionate. Although I agree that this distinction does adequately grasp the two variances in human

nature—rationality and irrationality—I take issue with Nietzsche's portrayal of Apollo (who supposedly

represents rationality and logic). Nietzsche writes that “Apollo himself may be regarded as the

marvelous divine image of the principium individuationis, whose looks and gestures radiate the full

delight, wisdom, and beauty of 'illusion'” (453). To say that the principle/beginning of individuals is

embodied in a character of 'illusion' is to say that the principle of human existence begins with one's

denial of reality. In other words, I do not think to equate wisdom/rationality with illusions in that any

form of delusion represents a distortion/faking of reality which necessarily conflicts with one's ability

to live. Nietzsche's framework serves the purpose of establishing delusions as necessary/implicit

within the concept of human nature; all of which stems from his disregard for the conception of

objective truth.

Nietzsche writes that “only through forgetfulness could human beings every entertain the

illusion that they possess truth...if they will not content themselves with truth in the form of tautology,
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i.e. with empty husks, they will forever exchange illusions for truth” (On Truth and Lying in a Non-

Moral Sense, 143-144). Because human beings cannot comprehend truth, they must resort to illusions

as their means of understanding/engaging reality. Thus, the Apollonian who constantly seeks

knowledge/truth can only find human delusions in its place, whereas the Dionysian who dreadfully

denies an orderly/understandable existence takes solace in delusional thinking. As Nietzsche writes,

“there are epochs in which the man of reason and the man of intuition stand side by side, the one

fearful of intuition, the other filled with scorn for abstraction, the latter as unreasonable as the former is

inartistic...however all the expressions of a life lived thus are accompanied by pretence, by the denial of

neediness, by the metaphorical visions, and indeed generally by the immediacy of deception” (152-

153). The Apollonian-Dionysian dialectic inevitably leads to the conclusion that human existence

thrives on self-delusion and deception. Does this mean that dishonesty/illusion become necessary

values to human morality? Is it certain that truth is non-objective and can adequately be replaced by

irrational delusions and whims? I certainly think that Nietzsche is arguing for life-affirming values—to

which delusions/illusions do not even come close. However, I think Nietzsche is trying re-evaluate

certain aspects of the human condition/nature which constitute one's existence as a ratione animale—

and in that sense I believe that he succeeds. Nonetheless, Nietzsche's assertion of the importance of

delusions only undermines his overall philosophic framework. Out of all delusions possible to the

human imagination, of which art and religion are common examples, Nietzsche makes specific mention

of Christianity and its anti-life attitude.

Tragedy and Christianity are linked by their common attribute: delusion. Whereas Tragedy

represents artistic expression in the form of delusional understandings/justifications of a harsh

existence, Christianity represents a moral delusion which establishes an inversion of the basic human

instinct for self-preservation. Nietzsche's focus on instinct stands as a primary critique of Christianity,

as he writes that “morality, including the Christian, was a misunderstanding...rationality at any price;
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life, bright, cold cautious, conscious, without instinct, in opposition to instincts...was a mere disease,

another disease, and by no means a return to 'virtue,' to 'health,' to happiness” (Twilight of the Idols,

484). For Nietzsche, a counter-instinctual view of life/morality represents a distortion of the proper

way in which human beings ought to live (a necessary distortion?). Because Christianity praises the

values of self-sacrifice and need, it insults one's basic instinct for self-preservation. Furthermore,

Nietzsche asserts that Christianity, and its conception of God, represents an “enemy of life” by means

of its anti-natural/anti-instinctual essence. As Nietzsche writes, “Every naturalism in morality—that is,

every healthy morality—is dominated by an instinct for life...anti-natural morality...turns, conversely,

against the instincts of life: it is a condemnation of these instincts...When it says, “God looks at the

heart,” it says No to both the lowest and the highest desires of life, and posits God as the enemy of life”

(Twilight of the Idols, 489). Christianity, and the morality thereof, distorts instinctual drives and denies

a basic principle of existence; yet would Nietzsche argue that this delusion is necessary element of

human nature? He argues that “it follows that even that anti-natural morality which conceives of God

as the counter-concept and condemnation of life is only a value judgment of life...” (490). In essence,

Nietzsche claims that Christianity and morality came about as a side-effect of societal value judgments

—implying that a negative judgment of life took place throughout human history. Although value

judgments are necessarily implicit in the concept of human nature, it is absurd to assume that delusions

are implicit as a result—judgments of reality are necessary, delusion of reality is epistemological

suicide.

Epistemology begins with concept-formation and ends with a consistent/rational/objective

understanding of reality. To form concepts, an individual must sensuously experience reality—and that

experience must necessarily be grounded in actual/physical existence. One does not sense a leaf and

thereby fully possess the concept 'leaf'; for understanding requires a process of volitional consciousness

wherein an individual begins to identify the defining characteristics of the objects he/she perceives and
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then integrate those traits into the overall concept in his/her mind. This process demands an existential

reality and it also requires that one rationally perceive that reality—a denial of reality represents a

denial of epistemological necessities i.e. existence, consciousness, and identity. A delusion is a denial

of reality for the purposes of acknowledging a lie; there is no necessity or reasoning that can ever

justify delusion's role in human life. Just as a delusion in epistemology prevents a meaningful process

from taking place, moral delusions destroy the value of human life through its denial of reality.

In Husyman's Against Nature, the main/only character indulges his fancies at the expense of his

own life as a result of his endless delusions of/contempt for reality. Des Esseintes, ravaged by his

hatred for his fellow human beings and his love of purely sensuous experiences, lives in a condition of

self-induced solitude wherein he may entertain his purely selfish/superficial desires. His behavior

stems from his delusional view of existence, humanity, and art—he loves the base and grotesque

because it does not mask the harshness of reality and he decries any attempt to portray existence

otherwise. In Des Esseintes' appreciatition of Latin, Husyman notes what attracts Esseintes to the

language, “he lost nothing of his interest in the Latin language now that it was rotten through and

through and hung like a decaying carcase, losing its limbs, oozing pus, barely keeping, in the general

corruption of its body, a few sound parts, which the Christians removed in order to preserve them in the

pickling brine of their new idiom” (35). Esseintes takes delusion to its horrible extreme, wherein an

individual becomes so hateful toward existence that he/she begins to act in defiance of life itself. That

which is beautiful and full of life becomes disgusting whereas the morbid and contrite become

valuable. A negative view of life leads an individual to believe that reality and nature are

obsolete/irrelevant. As Esseintes says, “Nature has had her day; she has finally and utterly exhausted

the patience of sensitive observers by the revolting uniformity of her landscapes and skyscapes” (22).

The final end which delusion achieves is an individual's utter denial of reality as unnecessary—which

creates a belief that “the imagination could provide a more-than-adequate substitute for the vulgar
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reality of actual experience” (21). Thus delusion attains its final end—reality exists in opposition to the

individual and the individual exists in opposition to his/her self. Esseintes' deplorable behavior

becomes progressively worse and, with his health declining as a result, the only conclusion to be drawn

is that too much delusional knowledge may prohibit self-preserving action and a meaningful life.

If art—purposive expression due to individual value judgments—is a delusion to help us cope

with a bitter existence, then art is not life-affirming but life-denying. If Christianity is a delusion set to

explicate the values necessary to live a moral life in the eyes of God, then Christianity preaches the

values of anti-life and anti-morality. If morality is a delusion serving as pretense for an objective

understanding of how we ought to live, then morality is a guise for some individuals to hold power

over others. If delusion is necessary to cope with existence then existence is meaningless and suicide is

the only rational option. The product of delusion—the end result which it accomplishes—is

metaphysical, epistemological, and moral deterioration into nothingness. Delusions can create non-

entities because a delusional entity denies nature and its own existence; and because no living being

may exist in contradiction to its nature, that entity ceases to exist. For example, a flower which

abridges its roots from growth and prevents itself from absorbing sunlight would die because it

neglected its essential nature. Likewise, a man who refuses to accept that he must find or create

nourishment to survive can only expect death as an outcome Nietzsche's assertion for an instinctual-

bound morality is his way of arguing for an understanding of human nature—human nature as the

essential values necessary to exist qua rational animal. And I believe that his account for delusion in

art/morality/epistemology is merely meant as a critique of the times in which he lived; a mere

manifestation of his contempt for idleness, Christian dominated ethics, and over-indulgent behaviors at

the expense of self-preserving action.

Through Tragedy and Christianity, Nietzsche set to show that progression through time does not

necessarily mean a progression in knowledge, intelligence, and culture. In contrast to his

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contemporaries, Nietzsche sought to establish the essential values of human existence in order to bring

out the best in humanity. His reliance on nature, instincts, and power show that he understood the

primacy of the existence, the necessities demanded by nature, and the ability for individuals to control

his/her own lives. Through his dialectical understanding of human nature and the delusions of

art/Christianity, I have traced through two important themes in Nietzsche which are very valuable to a

rational understanding of life. Although as a coping mechanism delusions can serve an individual's

best interests, delusions may also represent an anti-life conception that can erode the value of one's life.

As expressed in Against Nature, delusions/exorbitance destroy value for the sake of vice, erroneously

inverting an individual's values toward death. Delusions are life-denying, counter-instinctual, and

irrationally motivated—meaning that a delusional reality is absolute death...a slow and painful death

indeed.
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Works Cited

Baird, Forrest E., and Walter Arnold. Kaufmann. Nineteenth-century Philosophy. Upper Saddle River,

N.J.: Prentice Hall, 2003. Print.

Huysmans, J. -K. Against Nature. Baltimore: Penguin, 1959. Print.

Nietzsche, Friedrich Wilhelm, Raymond Geuss, and Ronald Speirs. The Birth of Tragedy and Other

Writings. Cambridge, U.K.: Cambridge UP, 1999. Print.