Who Is Right About Ethics of Power Relationships, Hegel or Nietzsche?
Hegel and Nietzsche’s outlook on the master slave relationship is a bit similar but ultimately extremely different. Personally I don’t feel too strongly about either philosopher but if I had to choose I would agree with Hegel. The master slave relationship that Hegel describes is one where the master and slave are constantly competing against one another but eventually need each other in the end for both of them to survive. Nietzsche argues that the master slave morality is divided into two fundamental types of morality. The “Master Morality” weighs actions on a scale ranging from “good to bad consequences” while on a different spectrum the “Slave Morality” weighs actions on a scale from “good or evil intentions”.
Nietzsche believes that his master-slave morality implements the basis of all critical explanation or interpretation of Western thought. According to Nietzsche’s master-slave morality, “Slave Morality” values kindness, humility, and sympathy. Unlike “Master Morality” that values pride, strength, and nobility. This is somewhat similar to Hegel’s interpretation of the Master-Slave relationship due to the way each of the philosophers portray the master and slaves way of thinking. On the other hand, Hegel does not support universal morality unlike Nietzsche. Nietzsche is more open to a different perspective on freedom of one’s self. Hegel believes the master and the slave each play a certain role within society and they will forever be stuck within that role.
Nietzsche defines the master morality as a morality for those who are “strong willed”. The master morality’s scale ranging from good or bad states that good is everything that is helpful and bad is what is harmful. Nietzsche believes the only way to know “what is good” is the result of actions through its consequences. Nietzsche quotes "The value or non-value of an action was derived from its consequences" but ultimately, "There are no moral phenomena at all, only moral interpretations of
Nietzsche believes that his master-slave morality implements the basis of all critical explanation or interpretation of Western thought. According to Nietzsche’s master-slave morality, “Slave Morality” values kindness, humility, and sympathy. Unlike “Master Morality” that values pride, strength, and nobility. This is somewhat similar to Hegel’s interpretation of the Master-Slave relationship due to the way each of the philosophers portray the master and slaves way of thinking. On the other hand, Hegel does not support universal morality unlike Nietzsche. Nietzsche is more open to a different perspective on freedom of one’s self. Hegel believes the master and the slave each play a certain role within society and they will forever be stuck within that role.
Nietzsche defines the master morality as a morality for those who are “strong willed”. The master morality’s scale ranging from good or bad states that good is everything that is helpful and bad is what is harmful. Nietzsche believes the only way to know “what is good” is the result of actions through its consequences. Nietzsche quotes "The value or non-value of an action was derived from its consequences" but ultimately, "There are no moral phenomena at all, only moral interpretations of