Average Quote by Walter Kaufmann
“There is thus a certain plausibility to Nietzsche's doctrine, though it is dynamite. He maintains in effect that the gulf separating Plato from the average man is greater than the cleft between the average man and a chimpanzee.”
About This Quote
Source Book: Nietzsche: Philosopher, Psychologist, Antichrist by Walter Kaufmann, 1950
Nietzsche’s idea is powerful but dangerous, suggesting the gap between elite thought and ordinary people is larger than between humans and apes.
In simple terms: Nietzsche’s doctrine is powerful but dangerous.
Key Takeaway
Recognize the risk of extreme ideas.
Themes
philosophy
elitism
human nature
Mood
critical
provocative
Type
analytical
philosophical
When to use this quote
- academic debate
- political rhetoric
- social media discourse
Key Concepts
Nietzschean critique
danger of radical thought
Questions to Reflect On
- How does this view affect empathy towards others?
- Is it fair to equate intellectual gaps with biological ones?
A Different Perspective
Such comparisons can oversimplify complex differences.
![“[Nietzsche's doctrine of the eternal return] is what makes moments caught up in the immanence of return suddenly appear as ends. In every other system, don't forget, these moments are viewed as means: Every moral system proclaims that "each moment of life ought to be motivated." Return unmotivates…” quote by Georges Bataille](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/8cd/georges-bataille-3741_caught_nietzsche-s-doctrine-of-the-eternal-retu_1102748.jpg)
