Be careful, here, Amanda. I understand the sentiment, but there's a difference between saying that a person is consumed by evil (even possessed) and that they are not a person. The former says that they are abusing their soul and provides a possible route to redemption. That is the "universal dignity of man" in a Judeo-Christian sense. T…
Be careful, here, Amanda. I understand the sentiment, but there's a difference between saying that a person is consumed by evil (even possessed) and that they are not a person. The former says that they are abusing their soul and provides a possible route to redemption. That is the "universal dignity of man" in a Judeo-Christian sense. The latter divides the world into 2 classes of humans, one with a soul and one without, and thus forecloses the possibility of redemption for the latter. This is fundamentally Nietzschean since the only basis for the division is power.
Nietzsche is who got us into this mess. (Well, actually Bacon, Machiavelli, Hume, Mill, and Nietzsche, but he'll do to categorize the group.) Doubling down on Nietzsche isn't going to be the answer.
Be careful, here, Amanda. I understand the sentiment, but there's a difference between saying that a person is consumed by evil (even possessed) and that they are not a person. The former says that they are abusing their soul and provides a possible route to redemption. That is the "universal dignity of man" in a Judeo-Christian sense. The latter divides the world into 2 classes of humans, one with a soul and one without, and thus forecloses the possibility of redemption for the latter. This is fundamentally Nietzschean since the only basis for the division is power.
Nietzsche is who got us into this mess. (Well, actually Bacon, Machiavelli, Hume, Mill, and Nietzsche, but he'll do to categorize the group.) Doubling down on Nietzsche isn't going to be the answer.