Nietzsche's Morality Nietzsche Friedrich Nietzsche Has Been

Nietzsche's Morality Nietzsche Friedrich Nietzsche has been a leading mind regarding the concept of morality, which he attacks due to the subject of human nature. Morality is a matter subjected to two different aspects: "noble" or "master" morality, and "slave" morality. Here, the concept of "good" and "bad" become redefined value systems between the master and the slave. It is also in this idea of anti-morality that Nietzsche prescribes the parable of the birds of prey vs.

The lambs, as well as explains the re-sentiment (ressentiment) that the slaves have over the master. Nietzsche stresses that human nature brings about the idea of "will to power," where the values of "good" and "evil" are thereby relative to the particular group, whether it be master or slave. In his views, the master morality is an "affirmation of life," a "life-enhancing" morality that characterizes morality as being that of the strong-willed (Lewis, 2009). Master morality is weighs the "good" and "bad" through the effects or the consequences of said actions.

The master looks upon the "noble" or beneficial qualities as "good," whereas the master looks upon non-beneficial or "un-noble" qualities as "bad." "The good are those powerful enough to respond naturally and in kind to an action done to them" (Morrison, 2003). On the other hand, the slave morality is the complete opposite of master morality; it is the "life-denying morality," the "grumbling of resentment and weakness" (Lewis, 2009).

Slave morality looks upon "good" and "bad" in through the use of intentions and the benefit that aims to provide for the "greater good." The slave seeks to judge his or her moral code through the positive effect an action or quality has upon the community. "The weak gain power by corrupting the strong into believing that the causes of slavery are 'evil', as are he qualities they originally could not choose because of their weakness" (Leiter, 2011).

This distinct difference is stressed in the fact that the slaves are harboring a ressentiment upon the master. The master exemplifies noble characteristics, putting morality upon the "powerful" or "strong." Conclusively, the master views the "weak" as "bad"; thus the slave is in turn both bad and weak. Angered by this obvious feeling of superiority upon the master, the slave "revalues" what was the master's moral values.

Because the slave cannot directly take away from the master morality, the slave in turn chooses to "villainize" the opppressors -- or the master. The slave "whose gaze resents virtues of the powerful" therefore forms the "morality of the herd animal" (Lewis, 2009). Nietzsche's parable of the birds of prey and the lambs illustrate this master and slave morality vividly. In the parable, the birds of prey believe themselves to be powerful, whereas their natural inferiors are those of the lambs below, weak and meek and considered meat.

The lambs, clearly infuriated by this superior belief held by the birds -- or the masters -- cannot do anything to seek vengeance upon this very idea of master morality; in-so-doing, the lambs retaliate by reforming their own moral values of good and evil. To counter the birds' superiority over the lambs, the lambs villanize the birds, stating that because the birds sought to oppress.