Nietzsche on Why Some Theories Refuse to Die

Aphorisms from Nietzsche’s Beyond Good and Evil #16

I would like to continue commenting on aphorisms from Beyond Good and Evil (1886). We continue reading the first chapter of this book: “Prejudices of Philosophers.”

As a reminder, you can find the previous posts on the following page: Nietzsche.

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It is certainly not the least charm of a theory that it is refutable; it is precisely thereby that it attracts the more subtle minds. It seems that the hundred-times-refuted theory of the “free will” owes its persistence to this charm alone; some one is always appearing who feels himself strong enough to refute it. (Nietzsche, Beyond Good and Evil, trans. Helen Zimmern, The Project Gutenberg, 2003)

Nietzsche points out that one interesting aspect of philosophical theories is that their openness to refutation can make them more appealing. Theories that can be contested attract individuals who wish to test their ideas and demonstrate their intellectual ability. These theories persist not because they are true, but because they keep debate alive. Their weaknesses do not end discussion; they sustain it.

Nietzsche uses the concept of free will as an example. Despite the fact that many philosophers have argued against it and claimed to have refuted the idea, free will keeps coming back. Nietzsche suggests that this is not because the idea is convincing but rather because it provides something to argue against. Thus, the theory of free will is not a resolved issue, but rather a recurring question.

From this, we might say that philosophy is less about finding final answers and more about sustaining meaningful disagreement.

This idea has parallels in the philosophy of science:

• Karl Popper argued that a good theory is one that can be tested and possibly disproven. Refutability gives a theory its strength.

• Thomas Kuhn also showed that flawed theories can survive for long periods until a better one comes along.

• Paul Feyerabend encouraged the coexistence of competing viewpoints, seeing disagreement as essential to intellectual progress.

So, in short: Nietzsche sees the value of a theory not in how true it is, but in how long it keeps us thinking.

Some theories endure not because they persuade, but because they refuse to go away.

To be continued…

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Just for fun, here’s a YouTube video about Nietzsche’s life. I will not comment on it. It is a presentation for the general public, so it has its limitations. But, if you want to know the man behind the philosopher, I recommend watching it.