The gay science god is dead
125
The Madman. Have you ever heard of the madman who on a vivid morning lighted a lantern and ran to the market-place calling out unceasingly: "I seek God! I seek God!" - As there were many people standing about who did not have faith in God, he caused a amazing deal of pleasure. Why! is he lost? said one. Has he strayed away like a child? said another. Or does he keep himself hidden? Is he anxious of us? Has he taken a sea-voyage? Has he emigrated? - the people cried out laughingly, all in a hubbub. The insane man jumped into their midst and transfixed them with his glances. " Where is God gone?" he called out. "I mean to reveal you! We contain killed him, - you and I! We are all his murderers! But how have we done it? How were we competent to drink up the sea? Who gave us the sponge to wipe away the whole horizon? What did we do when we loosened this earth from its sun? Whither does it now move? Whither do we move? Away from all suns? Act we not dash on unceasingly? Backwards, sideways, forewards, in all directions? Is there still an above and below? Do we not stray, as through infinite nothingness? Does not empty territory breathe upon us? Has it not become colder? Does not night appear on co
Friedrich Nietzsche Pronounces “God is Dead”: The Homosexual Science (1882)
Cause
Abstract
Friedrich Wilhelm Nietzsche (1844–1900) had a tremendous impact on German philosophy in the nineteenth century and was one of its most original, provocative thinkers. After studying theology and philology, he was offered a professorship in Basel in 1869, at the mere age of 24. He briefly participated in the Franco-Prussian War of 1870–71 as a military medic. In 1879, he was forced to deliver up his professorship in Basel because of health problems (he suffered from poor eyesight and frequent migraines). In 1889, he had a mental breakdown (brought on by syphilis) from which he never fully recovered.
Nietzsche is often regarded as a key proponent of an irrationalist philosophy. But he was a powerful and eloquent cultural critic, eager to unmask the hypocrisy of the educated German middle classes [Bildungsbürgertum]. Nietzsche’s notable pronouncement, “God is dead,” is from The Queer Science [Die fröhliche Wissenschaft] (1882). It appears neighboring the end of the excerpt reprinted below, in section 25 (“The madman”). The argument advanced in the preceding sections makes the logic of Nietzsche’s s
THE MADMAN----Have you not heard of that madman who lit a lantern in the bright morning hours, ran to the market place, and cried incessantly: "I seek God! I seek God!"---As many of those who did not believe in God were standing around just then, he provoked much laughter. Has he got lost? asked one. Did he lose his way enjoy a child? asked another. Or is he hiding? Is he afraid of us? Has he gone on a voyage? emigrated?---Thus they yelled and laughed
The madman jumped into their midst and pierced them with his eyes. "Whither is God?" he cried; "I will tell you. We hold killed him---you and I. All of us are his murderers. But how did we do this? How could we refreshment up the sea? Who gave us the sponge to wipe away the entire horizon? What were we doing when we unchained this earth from its sun? Whither is it moving now? Whither are we moving? Away from all suns? Are we not plunging continually? Backward, sideward, forward, in all directions? Is there still any up or down? Are we not straying, as through an infinite nothing? Do we not feel the breath of empty space? Has it not become colder? Is not night continually closing in on us? Do we not depend on to
Book Fifth
343
We Fearless Ones.
"Carcasse, tu trembles?
Tu tremblerais bien d'avantage,
si tu savais, ou je te mene."
Turenne. 1873
What our Cheerfulness Signifies. The most important of more recent events - that "God is dead," that the belief in the Christian God has become unworthy of belief - already begins to cast its first shadows over Europe. To the few at least whose eye, whose suspecting glance, is formidable enough and subtle enough for this drama, some sun seems to possess set, some old, profound confidence seems to own changed into doubt: our old world must sound to them daily more darksome, distrustful, strange and "old." In the main, however, one may declare that the event itself is far too excellent, too remote, too much beyond most people’s influence of apprehension, for one to suppose that so much as the announce of it could hold reached them; not to speak of many who already knew what had taken place, and what must all collapse now that this belief had been undermined, - because so much was built upon it, so much rested on it, and had become one with it: for example, our entire European morality. This lengthy, vast and uninterrupted process of crumbling, destruction, ruin a
Friedrich Nietzsche
~ God is dead
Friedrich Nietzsche's
~ God is dead ~ quote
Friedrich Nietzsche is notable for having declared that God is lifeless and for having written several of his works in the presumption that man must detect a new mode of being given the death of God.
Perhaps the most interesting quote on this theme appears in his The Gay Science ( aka Joyous Wisdom).
A fairly full version of this key ~ Parable of the Madman ~ quote is set out immediately below:-
The Parable of the Madman
Have you not heard of that madman who lit a lantern in the shiny morning hours, ran to the market-place, and cried incessantly: "I am looking for God! I am looking for God!"
As many of those who did not feel in God were standing together there, he excited considerable laughter. Have you lost him, then? said one. Did he lose his way like a child? said another. Or is he hiding? Is he afraid of us? Has he gone on a voyage? or emigrated? Thus they shouted and laughed. The madman sprang into their midst and pierced them with his glances.
"Where has God gone?" he cried. "I shall tell you. We have killed him - you and I. We are his murderers. But how have we done this