Extended Essays 2021

Government by AI

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Nietzsche makes credible description of the Apollo and Dionysus split but to avoid inclining

to either side, two improvements can be made. First, the value of knowledge and pursuit of

knowledge should be recognized. As Santayana discussed, truth has no intrinsic value if

nobody cared about it for its own sake, “but some men do care.” 22 Plato did not prosper the

craze of knowledge and it permeated Western philosophy before and after Plato. There is

objectively and consistent drive for knowledge, that is non-utilitarian for Nietzsche himself

realizes “What do you know in advance about the character of existence to be able to decide

whether the greater advantage is on the side of the unconditionally distrustful or of the

unconditiona lly trustful?” 23

Nietzsche also claims that prioritizing faith Platonically place everything else, possessions,

money or relations, on a second place, hence is great sacrifice. Nietzsche therefore conclude

t he desire or “will to truth” stands despite its utility and sacrifices, which hints of its intrinsic

value. Hence, we must recognize the intrinsic value in the desire for truth or for the Apollonian

form, not as Nietzsche claimed it in BT to be---meaningless veil solely purposed for the

embellishment of the horrible nature.

Through recognizing that, the second point of improvement follows. What is desirable is

neither the rational good nor the aesthetic good, it is the alternation between the two. Both the

rational good and aesthetic good is desirable and this desire all have intrinsic value and are

unwanted with the annihilation of the other. What repeated occurred in history is that when one

side of the coin dominated the society for too long, people would automatically seek alternation,

for balance and for the continuation of changes.

22 Santayana, The German Mind . 23 Nietzsche. 1882. The Gay Science .

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