According to Nietzsche, there are three types of will.
The first type of will, the primal will, is the most important and fundamental to a human being, because it is the will of choice. In class, we drew a connection to the Buddhist belief that every individual, at some point, chose to be born. Unlike other religions and most people, who believe that we cannot recollect our birth, Buddhists believe that it is in our memory somewhere, and that we consciously made the choice for life. This therefore, is the most important type of will for our conscious, because it allows us to exist.
This "primal will" actually leads to the second type of will: a child's will. In simple terms, this is the will to survive. When a baby is born their emotions and sense perceptions dictate their behavior. For example, if a child senses hunger, they will cry until they are given food. In a similar manner, babies have a physical and developmental need for touch, because it comforts them, lets them know that they are loved, and does not isolate them...a baby cannot be isolated. I think it was Maddy who asked, "What motivates us? What will us to action in the world?" I've been thinking about these questions all day, and I think one aspect of the question that needs to be addressed is the fact that we acknowledge that we are being motivated. I don't necessarily know if this is true for everyone. Is this even true for me? I am determined and motivated to do well in school, live a happy, satisfying life, raise a family, and embrace every aspect of my existence, but is that a real will from within myself, or do I only want those things because I am told that that is the way to live? I don't particularly want to get into the concept of free will, but I definitely think it is applicable here. In reality, are we motivating ourselves? What is? In fact, what is reality? Mr. Summers said that "We either do or we do not," a very concise way of saying that we are given a choice (primal will) and then we must make a decision (a child's will). I think that a child's will is most tangible, because it is something instinctual and physically allows us to breathe and then contemplate the world. I want to be like a child again. Then, life is simple. Our only goal is to inhale and exhale the world.
The final will we talked about in class is the will to power. Nietzsche argues that this is essentially the driving force behind our existence. That this is why we live, rather than my previous proposition that we live to survive. The will to power is the will to embrace our passions, sensory pleasures, and desires, to further elevate us in this world. Everyone is seeking elevation. Maybe I am getting this confused with one of the other wills, but we talked a lot about Dionysus, the mythical Greek god of wine and the passions, so I think that the will to power is the will to gain position and status in the world (usually referring to superficial, temporary rewards, like money) and then maintain that power. We all want to be successful...but really, is that true!? I can't say that I agree...not completely anyway. To be quite honest, I need to think more about this before I write any more and bury myself in a hole of deep confusion...I sense that coming. :)
Main point I left class with: Nietzsche says that our consciousness is the by-product of our will.
Interesting class today. thanks -j
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