Long needed update.

As the months progressed onwards, I find myself within the last month and a half of my thesis year. It was meant to be due in this Friday, but a number of circumstances have come up: my supervisor is still overseas, fell ill with chest infection in remote Ireland, have had very little feedback, but... still we struggle onwards.

On May 11th I finally presented my thesis to the philosophy lecturers and guests. It went surprisingly well, and I was very proud of myself. And let me tell you - walking out of that Seminar was incredible. The week before I was to present, my doubts hit severe critical level, but after an emotion email to Paul and fellow philosophy friends, I pulled up out of my self-doubts and continued to work hard on my presentation summary.



I spoke for 40 minutes, outlining my thesis argument, providing support for my quest to define Nietzsche's individual over the course of his early, middle and late works. The Q+A went well also, I obtained some valuable questions that need to be attended to and got the much needed confidence boost.

July 1st is the due date - and I think I will reach it. Despite the personal and communication difficulties, I finally see hope for handing this thesis in at a level I feel is worthy of an Honours degree. Well, I am hoping, at least. :)

The final title and abstract:

Individuality - its conception, development and meaning within Friedrich Nietzsche's work.

Abstract -

Nietzsche's rejection of ideas such as religious affirmation, the transcendental ego and Hinterwelter (world-behind) led him to develop a concept of the individual that is based on an internal source of joy, life-history, meaningfulness and interconnectivity with other beings in the phenomenal world. Nietzsche understood a personal perspective of individuality as a result of the processes of perspectivism, creativity and self-affirmation that provides the foundation for one's own uniqueness amongst all other individuals. I will be exploring each of these concepts as they appear throughout Nietzsche's collected works and how they help to transform the initial concept defined within The Birth of Tragedy. By exploring this early beginning and continuing with his middle and late works I wish to provide a detailed understanding of his concept of individuality as it develops away from his early Schopenhauerian influences and into a unique philosophy of the individual. I wish to show that this philosophy supports a foundation for his major well-known doctrines of the Eternal Recurrence and Will to Power and how those concepts in turn define the individual that gives them meaning.

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To share my favourite quote so far that I found the most beautiful and elegant description of his concept;

“In our heart we all know quite well that, being unique, we will be in the world only once and that no imaginable chance will for a second time gather together into a unity so strangely variegated an assortment as we are.” – Nietzsche, Schopenhauer as Educator, [UM, III ,1]

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Let us see how these last 6 weeks go...

Finishing off Chapter One

As the title suggests, I think I am nearing a completed draft of Chapter One. After meeting with Paul in Fremantle, we spoke briefly about how this chapter should be done... and we've concluded with the idea that Schopenhauer, while important, should only be granted a very brief mention. The arguments and connections made by Nuno Nabais in the paper The Individual and Individuality in Nietzsche suggests that this connection is an important one, however, it is uncertain of the level of influence Schopenhauer exactly had over Nietzsche regarding the ideas of individuality. While an intriguing argument, I will only introduce briefly the idea...

However, after a database search last night, I found a paper by Walter Sokel entitled On the Dionysian in Nietzsche, which seems to suggest the connection as well. So perhaps this idea is more prevalent than once thought, especially the idea of an all encompassing unity that provides comfort to the individual.

So... that is where I am right now. I like the idea, and I think it is a great introduction and starting point for the thesis. I should finish off Chapter One in a number of days! :)

While out in Fremantle, we went second hand book shopping. Paul wanted me to find some Nietzsche translations by Walter Kaufmann, and we were in luck! I purchased The Will to Power and The Birth of Tragedy (two major books I've been drawing upon). I have been relying on cheap $3 translation of the BoT for study/reading/throwing so it is nice to finalise my studies on the book with a Kaufmann translation.

Summer days of difficult focus.

So... I have about 1400 words down for the chapter...

I am finding it difficult to write... I think it is because I am too harsh a critic with every sentence I try to structure. Nothing seems right.

Usually foolish ramblings during early AM hours produce some sort of usable content... but here it just seems like I am a child scribbling about a topic that is too great for her to handle.

Who knew writing a philosophy thesis could be so hard...

But... as much as I have my doubts, I just cannot see myself not finishing this. I will not let my supervisor be disappointed in me... it just feels like something that would never happen. So.... the means to my end in 6 months will happen... somehow.

It's easier to work in cooler weather. The heat waves of Summer are awful.. I am considering spending the future hot days in the Seville Grove library, but it is a shame it is not open in the evenings.

Regarding my thesis chapter, I am finding it difficult connecting the ideas of Schopenhauer and Nietzsche together. Perhaps there is just a big picture I am missing when I read the Birth of Tragedy. Then again... it is a complex read that any sort of interpretation is bound to be questioned.