Babanov A.V. Nietzsche and Shestov: Denial of Will and Apology of Will

Abstract: The article is devoted to the detection of distinction of philosophical concepts of Nietzsche and Shestov. Nietzsche's and Shestov's philosophies are compared through the prism of ideas of philosophy of Nietzsche: will to power and nihilism. These ideas are fixed in the form of polar concepts, i.e. the concepts that present the two opposite points of view. So, the main thesis of Shestov's philosophy about the faith that cancels the evil previously committed seems comparable to the negative sense of these polar concepts. In the final part of the article Nietzsche's philosophy in general is comprehended through Shestov's ideas. The author sees the key to understnading the philosophy of both philosophers in thei concept of will. Special attention is paid to the analysis of the conflict between will and the past which is differently resolved by Nietzsche and Shestov. Ethics of generosity of Nietzsche and ethics of boldness of Shestov – this is how the author offers to characterize the two philosophical projects on overcoming of the powerlessness of will in relation to the necessary past. The main method of research used by the author is the comparative analysis. The author compares Nietzsche's and Shestov's philosophy involving interpretations of their ideas by Vladimir Bibikhin, Hannah Arendt and Gilles Deleuze. The novelty of the research consists in the original analysis of distinction of the two ways of thinking as they ae presented in Nietzsche's and Shestov's concepts. The distinction between reasoning and will based on Hannah Arendt's ideas correlates with the opposite understanding of the subject by Nitsshche  and Shestov. In Nietzsche's philosophy the will acts as a nigilistic concept in essence, i.e. denying self-sufficiency of life and the world in general. Overcoming nihilism of will and its powerlessness to change the past Nietzsche refuses from will in favor of a complete contemplation/acceptance of identity of and the world. Shestov's philosophy, on the contrary, presents the apology of will that through faith finds the power over the past and the world in general. The obvious antagonism shown during comparison of the two philosophers helps to better highlight the thought of each philosopher.

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