As of now, my final paper will be about Schopenhauer’s Nietzsche’s philosophy. I will mainly be focusing on the contrast between the denial and the affirmation of life. Debating whether to talk about Stoicism or not depending on how well it will actually fit into the paper. I aim to discuss the two main stances and then apply them in the context of living as a college student (e.g. dealing with stress and classes). I am still considering how I would be going to put together my ideas into a final paper but below is what I think I will generally touch upon within the essay:
1. ORIGINAL ARGUMENTATIVE CONTRIBUTION (TENTATIVE THESIS): The difference that lies between animals and humans and what makes us so unique is the freedom of choice. Choice is what defines humanity, being both freeing but also existing as a burden. On one hand, the denial of life in escaping desire and suffering shies away choice. On the other hand, to embrace both the pleasure and suffering in their fullest is to truly be human.
2. MATERIAL APPLICATION: Nietzsche recommends in his book The Gay Science to “live life like an artist.” I will be looking to explore what that could mean for us college students to do so. In the paper I will discuss what it might look like for us to create ourselves and live fully even in the face of adversity. This will become an exhibit for the affirmation of life. Consider more exhibitions.
3. CONTEMPORARY INTERLOCUTOR: I will mainly be discussing Schopenhauer’s philosophy and using Nietzsche to both supplement the explanation of Schopenhauer’s work but also to argue against it. While I intend to agree with some of Schopenhauer’s ideas and argue against some of his other ideas, I will mainly attempt to actually agree with him but essentially offer a different potential interpretation.
4. DIVERGING PERSPECTIVE: A different perspective could be something like stoicism or the rejection of the will of life. I will both attempt to argue for these perspectives but also amend my main argument to account for objections to claims that I will make.