The Will to Power

The opposite views, according to the most accepted notions, are indeed common views; and if one does not stand firmly and bravely on one’s legs, one has nothing to give, and it is perfectly useless to stretch out one’s hand either to protect or to support others. . . .

Result: The belief in the categories of reason2 is the cause of Nihilism—we have measured the worth of the world according to categories which can only be applied to a purely fictitious world.

What has actually happened? The feeling of worthlessness was realised when it was understood that neither the notion of “Purpose,” nor that of “Unity,” nor that of “Truth,” could be made to interpret the general character of existence. Nothing is achieved or obtained thereby; the unity which intervenes in the multiplicity of events is entirely lacking: the character of existence is not “true,” it is false; there is certainly no longer any reason to believe in a real world. In short, the categories, “Purpose,” “Unity,” “Being,” by means of which we had lent some worth to life, we have once more divorced from it—and the world now appears worthless to us. . . .