Derek O’Connell, the philosophy academic advisor will be giving a presentation, “The Death of God and the Birth Of Meaning: Nietzsche’s Testament,” at 7 p.m. Thursday, November 19, at the Normal Public Library in the Community Room.
“God is dead!” Nietzsche’s madman says to atheists in The Gay Science. “And we have killed him!” As an atheist himself, you’d expect Nietzsche to be delighted. But he is far from it, and he things others should be concerned as well.
To understand why, O’Connell will discuss Nietzsche’s views on the history of Western religion, science and what Nietzsche calls “the will to truth.” For Nietzsche, the scientific devotion to truth has a secret religious element, one that threatens the West with nihilism. In light of the importance of modern science, does the madman’s message speak to us today?”
