In Western philosophy, the concept of nature has been interpreted differently by different philosophers. Hobbes saw nature as a state of disorderly competition and emphasized the need for a civilized society, while Rousseau valued the purity of nature, criticizing civilization and calling for a return to nature. Nietzsche saw nature as abundant and vibrant, and argued that humans should realize that they are a part of nature, not separate from it, and that they should harmonize their bodies and reason. Their philosophies can be reinterpreted in many aspects of modern society.
In the West, “nature” has been an important concept, encompassing not only the objects referred to as nature, but also the states and qualities associated with them. The meaning given to the concept of nature has varied depending on the philosopher’s point of view. In the modern era, Hobbes and Rousseau built their philosophies around the concept of nature.
Hobbes argued that humans should be removed from the state of nature and live a stable life in a civilized society. This argument stemmed from his perception of nature as an uncontrolled and ruthless state of competition. In the face of constant war and civil strife, Hobbes came to realize the brutality and violence of human life in the state of nature: humans were forced to fight harsh battles in the state of nature, and in the process became selfish and self-interested in their own survival and gain, leading to violence. He argued that humans needed to escape this state of nature in order to live a more humane life, suggesting that individuals should give up their arbitrary rights to defend themselves and establish a state ruled by a monarch with absolute power.
Hobbes’ views were closely tied to the social and political conditions of his time. In the 17th century, England was going through a period of instability due to political turmoil and civil war. Hobbes believed that a strong centralized authority was necessary to overcome the state of nature and bring peace and stability to human life. His arguments also served as a rationale for absolute kingship.
Rousseau, on the other hand, argued that humans should leave civilization behind and return to nature to live a pure life. This argument stemmed from his view of nature as a beautiful countryside full of life. His view of nature came from his criticism of the civilization of his time. Rousseau negatively perceived civilization as a product of human desire and abhorred the decadent and hypocritical life in cities shaped by civilization. For this reason, he disparaged civilization as inferior to nature. He believed that humans, who had lived a healthy and peaceful life due to their sensitivity to the beauty of nature, had become decadent with the advent of civilization. Therefore, he considered humans who follow their sensitivity in nature as ideal humans.
Rousseau’s call for a return to nature is not just a rejection of civilization, but also has a deeper meaning of reclaiming human nature. He believed that humans could reclaim their innate sensitivity and morality from nature. His ideas emphasized the purity and naturalness of human nature in contrast to the European Enlightenment of the 18th century, and provided an important philosophical foundation for the modern environmental movement.
Nietzsche criticized Hobbes and Rousseau for using only human moral value judgments to define their concept of nature in order to define the direction of human life. He seeks to define nature itself, which precedes these moral value judgments. In Nietzsche’s view, everything in nature is in constant competition with other things to defend itself and increase its power. This may seem similar to Hobbes’s view. However, whereas Hobbes saw nature as impoverished by competition, Nietzsche saw it as energized and abundant. Nietzsche believes that morality has placed the highest value on human reason, making humans superior to other living beings. As a result, an anthropocentric mindset has become dominant, which has caused humans to reshape nature around their own interpretations and value judgments. In the process, humans have objectified nature as something separate from themselves, and the vitality of following our instincts as part of nature has been suppressed and diminished. Nietzsche argues that humans need to return to nature. This seems similar to Rousseau’s argument, but in Nietzsche’s view, Rousseau’s nature is only a glorified nature that humans, tired of civilized life, have given virtuous values to. For Nietzsche, returning to nature does not simply mean that humans leave civilization and move into nature, but that they realize that they are fundamentally a part of nature, and that they can recapture its overflowing vitality to elevate their lives.
Nietzsche’s reinterpretation of nature can be seen as a reaction to the growing estrangement of humans from nature due to industrialization and urbanization at the time. His ideas have become an important philosophical foundation for rethinking our relationship with nature in the modern world.
In order to elevate human life, Nietzsche rejected an anthropocentric way of thinking that emphasized reason alone and paid attention to the relatively neglected human body. Unlike anthropocentric thought, which saw the body as an obstacle to rational activity, Nietzsche valued the body as a clear manifestation of nature’s vitality. However, Nietzsche’s view does not deny the capacity for reason. Nietzsche rejects a dichotomous view of reason and the body and proposes a concept of ‘body’ that integrates reason and the body. Nietzsche mentions the importance of the body by stating that rational activity is impossible without the activity of the body. At the same time, by defining ‘body’ as ‘greater reason’ and reason, which is emphasized in anthropocentric thinking, as ‘lesser reason,’ Nietzsche emphasizes that ‘body’ is not just a concept limited to physical activity, but a larger concept that incorporates rational activity. Through this conception of the body, Nietzsche believes that we can overcome the bias of emphasizing rational activity to the exclusion of physical activity, and reconnect with the vitality of human physical activity as part of nature, leading to a more elevated human being.
Nietzsche’s ideas can be linked to many movements in modern society that emphasize a balance between body and mind. For example, the modern wellness movement and various philosophical and medical approaches that emphasize mind-body harmony are in line with Nietzsche’s ideas. The idea is that humans can regain their connection to nature and live healthier, more fulfilling lives through a balance of body and mind.
