The Surface Revealed
July 21, 2021 DOI: 10.1093/oso/9780198803287.003.0005 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Theoretical or philosophical paper |
|---|---|
| Key points | Argues that Nietzsche's notion of consciousness, especially in aphorism 354 of The Gay Science, corresponds to reflective consciousness: the capacity for verbally articulated thought, marked by reflexivity, dependence on language and communication, and a higher-order nature. On this account, reflective consciousness emerges as a by-product of linguistic communication, and the chapter links its emergence to that of mind-reading capacities. |
Abstract
Abstract This chapter works out some of the key features of the notion of consciousness usually discussed by Nietzsche (most notably, in aphorism 354 of The Gay Science). Given such features (which include reflexivity, dependence on language and communication, and higher-order nature), it is argued that this notion of consciousness corresponds to reflective consciousness, i.e. the capacity for verbally articulated thought, the emergence of which is ultimately explained as a by-product of linguistic communication. The chapter shows how Nietzsche’s picture of reflective consciousness develops from Daybreak to Gay Science. Finally, it explores the link that Nietzsche draws between the emergence of consciousness and that of mind-reading capacities.