Abstract

This thesis aims to elucidate Nietzsche’s idea of the social whole and how it is formed and structured. It is argued that Nietzsche’s perception of a naturalised humanity and his idea of translating man back into nature are oriented towards society as a well-integrated whole, in which different types live actively in accordance with their nature or respective physiological constitution. Such accordance is the repeated theme in his philosophy, and Nietzsche’s envisioned whole is where such accordance is realised. This theme is also central to his concept of decadence. Decadence refers to the deviation from one’s natural instincts or what one is, and the loss of the self. At a social level, it refers to the absence of the whole. The basis of the formation of the whole is the affective interpretation of the world. The whole can be formed when the interpretation is stable, shared, and not fragmented, and this stability can give rise to cultural unity. This cultural unity requires the social foundation to support it. As Nietzsche is concerned about European culture, he concerns himself deeply with European political unity. A unified Europe is the setting in which Nietzsche expects his envisioned social whole to be established to allow European culture to blossom. However, in examining his idea of culture and unity, we come to recognise its Eurocentric nature, which leads a society to form problematic relations with the rest of the world.