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2 of 3 Premium Clicks used this month SUBSCRIBE Print + Online Subscriber Activation | Register x Forgot Password | Need an Account? subscribe | newsletter | deals Classifieds Jobs Autos Real Estate FEATURED » NEWS NOW Deer virus can cause foaming at the mouth ... Police reports, June 27-28 ... Hummel touts Ashland support ... Deer virus can cause foaming at the mouth ... Police reports, June 27-28 ... Hummel touts Ashland support ... INNER PEACE Inner Peace: Nietzsche on peace of mind Comment By Monica Tiffany DailyTidings.com By Monica Tiffany Posted Feb. 26, 2016 at 5:48 PM By Monica Tiffany Posted Feb. 26, 2016 at 5:48 PM » RELATED CONTENT • Inner Peace: Joy is infectious (Part I) » Social News The German philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche (1844-1900) encourages his readers — among other controversial things — to be egoists. In aphorism 95 of his "Human, All-Too-Human" (1878), one of his earliest works, Nietzsche considers egoism as the "morality of the mature individual." He opposes provocatively the teachings of most religions who advocate selflessness. Not always, but often, he reflects, actions of selflessness are nothing more than "pity-filled agitations." What does he mean? Nietzsche argues that it is time that we realize that only the complete person can really be of service. But the personality of most of us is not developed fully when we are asked to serve the state, the church, science and those in need. Serving others is a good thing, Nietzsche says, but we need to be concerned with what he calls becoming a complete person: "We all of us ... suffer from the all-too-little regard paid to the personal in us, it has been badly cultivated." Why should we care? Because we matter. Because we each of us have a beautiful potential that needs attention, which only we ourselves can give. For Nietzsche, who at the time he wrote this text was a still young professor of ancient languages and philosophy at the University of Basel, Switzerland, a deep understanding of history is crucial in the endeavor of becoming a complete person. He felt we must have a thorough knowledge of not only history and philosophy, but also science and politics, in order to see and understand the "vast desert of error and ignorance" that humanity has transgressed so far and to where a future humanity must not return (aphorism 292). History, whether on an individual or a social and political level, has a tendency to repeat itself, especially in its destructive aspects. If we do not understand the necessity of past developments, we will not be able to become the necessary link between the past and the future of humanity. It is clear, by his use of terminology, that Nietzsche is concerned to put his philosophical thought on a scientific basis and the development he has in mind is related to the models that are used in the natural sciences. How do we gain understanding and knowledge? A practical and basically stoic virtue Nietzsche recommends is caution (aphorism 291). An intelligent person, he says, will have reached his or her position in society relatively soon: she will be content with a "small office" or a moderate fortune that allows her to live a simple and relatively independent life. She will make sure to live in such a way that even major external changes, for example political upheaval, loss of material goods and so forth will not overthrow her life. All material things and entanglements should be of as little concern as possible in order for her to focus all her energy on contemplation and love of wisdom, which is another term for philosophy. Contemplation and love of wisdom, will bring about the cultivation of our selves that will allow us to become instrumental in shaping a future that is worthy of humanity. If we succeed to live and continually evolve in such a way, Nietzsche concludes, old age will reveal to us that we have spent our lives according to our human nature: as we reach the pinnacle of our lives we will reach the pinnacle of wisdom and there will be no occasion for regret or fear when we approach the "mists of death." Monica Tiffany, Ph.D., teaches Philosophy and Literature at the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI) in Ashland. She was born and taught in Switzerland. Her email is [email protected]. By Monica Tiffany DailyTidings.com By Monica Tiffany Posted Feb. 26, 2016 at 5:48 PM » Comment or view comments Reader Reaction » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. 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