The Will to Power and Human Desire: An Exploration of Man's Driving Forces
A Pillar Page by Henry Montgomery
Summary: The concept of the will and desire has captivated philosophers for millennia, serving as a fundamental lens through which to understand Man's nature, motivations, and the very fabric of Good and Evil. From ancient Greek notions of purposeful striving to Christian doctrines of divine and free will, and finally to modern radical re-evaluations, the idea of an innate driving force within humanity has evolved dramatically. This pillar page delves into the philosophical journey of these concepts, culminating in a focused examination of Nietzsche's "Will to Power" and its profound implications for understanding all human desire as a manifestation of this underlying force of growth, overcoming, and self-creation.
I. The Ancient Roots of Will and Desire: Early Conceptions of Man's Inner Life
Long before the coining of "Will to Power," philosophers grappled with the internal springs of human action. The ancients understood Man as a creature driven by both reason and passion, perpetually navigating the tension between them.
Plato's Chariot and the Tripartite Soul: Early Conceptions of Inner Conflict
In Plato's Phaedrus, the human soul is famously depicted as a charioteer (reason) guiding two winged horses: one noble (spirit/honor) and one ignoble (appetite/desire). This vivid metaphor illustrates the inherent conflict within Man – the rational faculty striving to direct powerful, often unruly, desires. For Plato, the will, though not explicitly named as such, is the charioteer's effort to steer towards the Forms, towards truth and Good. Unchecked desire leads to chaos and injustice, both within the individual and the polis.
Aristotle on Telos and Eudaimonia: The Will Directed Towards Flourishing
Aristotle, in works like the Nicomachean Ethics, offers a more teleological view. He posits that all things, including Man, have a telos – an ultimate end or purpose. For humans, this end is eudaimonia, often translated as flourishing or living well. Human desire, guided by practical reason, is naturally directed towards this ultimate Good. The will, in this context, is the deliberative choice to act in accordance with virtue, thereby actualizing one's potential and achieving the Good. The struggle, then, is not against desire itself, but against misdirected desire that fails to align with Man's true nature and purpose.
II. The Christian Perspective: Divine Will and Human Freedom
With the advent of Christian thought, the concept of will gained new dimensions, deeply intertwined with notions of divine command, sin, and redemption.
Augustine's Confessions: The Struggle of the Will and the Nature of Sin
Saint Augustine's Confessions provides an intensely personal account of the will's struggle. He grapples with the paradox of the will: knowing the Good yet choosing Evil. For Augustine, the human will is inherently free, a gift from God, but it is also fallen due to original sin. This fallen will is prone to desire temporal pleasures over eternal Good, leading to moral failing. The journey of salvation, therefore, becomes a reorientation of the will towards God's Will through divine grace. This introduces a profound internal conflict, where Man's own will can be an adversary.
Aquinas and Natural Law: Aligning Human Will with Divine Purpose
Thomas Aquinas, synthesizing Aristotelian philosophy with Christian theology in his Summa Theologica, further develops the concept of will. He distinguishes between the will as a rational appetite (intellectual desire) and the sensory appetites. For Aquinas, the intellect presents the Good to the will, which then chooses. The ultimate Good is God, and human will is naturally inclined towards this Good. Evil arises when the will chooses a lesser, apparent good over the true Good. Natural Law, as discerned by human reason, serves as a guide for the will to align Man's actions with divine purpose, thereby achieving true flourishing.
III. Modernity's Unveiling: The Will as a Primary Force
The Enlightenment and subsequent philosophical movements began to shift focus from divine dictates to the inherent forces within Man himself, often seeing the will as a primary, sometimes even irrational, driver.
From Hobbes to Rousseau: The Social Contract and the Will of Man
In the modern era, the will took on political significance. Thomas Hobbes, in Leviathan, posited Man in a state of nature driven by self-preservation and the desire for power, leading to a "war of all against all." The will to escape this chaos leads individuals to form a social contract. Jean-Jacques Rousseau, in The Social Contract, introduced the concept of the "general will," arguing that true freedom lies in obeying laws that one has prescribed for oneself as part of a collective. Here, the will of the individual and the collective will become central to constructing society and defining Good and Evil within a civic framework.
Schopenhauer's Blind Will: A Precursor to Power
Arthur Schopenhauer, a pivotal figure in the transition to more radical views of the will, presented a universe driven by a singular, irrational, ceaseless "Will to Live" in The World as Will and Representation. This cosmic Will manifests in all phenomena, from gravity to human desire. For Schopenhauer, human will is not free but a mere expression of this blind, striving force, leading to an endless cycle of desire and suffering. This pessimistic view profoundly influenced later thinkers, paving the way for a re-evaluation of the will as a fundamental, perhaps amoral, force.
(Image: A detailed, allegorical painting depicting a struggle between various human figures. One figure, representing reason, attempts to guide or restrain several other figures embodying strong emotions and desires – ambition, lust, fear, and creativity – all striving in different directions. In the background, a chaotic but vibrant landscape suggests potential for both destruction and monumental achievement.)
IV. Nietzsche and the "Will to Power": A Radical Reinterpretation
Friedrich Nietzsche's concept of the "Will to Power" stands as one of the most provocative and misunderstood ideas in philosophy. It represents a culmination and radical reinterpretation of centuries of thought on will and desire.
Beyond Good and Evil: Re-evaluating Man's Drives
Nietzsche, particularly in Thus Spoke Zarathustra and Beyond Good and Evil, challenges traditional moral frameworks that often condemn desire and the assertion of will. He argues that the "Will to Power" is not merely the desire for domination over others, but a fundamental drive inherent in all life – a drive to grow, overcome, affirm, and create. It is the instinct for freedom, for becoming stronger, for self-overcoming. Man, for Nietzsche, is a creature constantly striving to transcend himself. The traditional categories of Good and Evil, he argues, are often expressions of a slave morality, designed to suppress the powerful, life-affirming will in favor of herd conformity.
The Affirmation of Life: Overcoming and Self-Creation
For Nietzsche, the "Will to Power" is the ultimate explanatory principle for all organic and inorganic processes. It is the drive towards mastery, not necessarily over others, but primarily over oneself and one's environment. It manifests as creativity, learning, physical exertion, artistic expression, and the pursuit of knowledge. It is the will to impose form upon chaos, to create values, and to affirm life in all its complexity and suffering. The highest expression of the "Will to Power" is the Übermensch (Overman), who creates his own values and lives authentically, continually overcoming limitations.
Manifestations of the Will to Power
| Aspect of Human Desire | Connection to Will to Power |
|---|
📹 Related Video: What is Philosophy?
Video by: The School of Life
💡 Want different videos? Search YouTube for: "The Will to Power and Human Desire philosophy"