Para além da morte de Deus e de suas sombras, ou Nietzsche e a questão do ateísmo

Abstract

What is the importance of philosophically discussing atheism based on Nietzsche's writings? Is it correct to characterize Nietzsche's philosophy as atheistic? Renowned for being the herald of the death of God and a severe critic of Christianity, why does Nietzsche also criticize the atheists of his time? Furthermore, what is the significance of the possibility, raised in Thus Spoke Zarathustra, of believing in a God who knows how to dance? These questions are addressed in the present study through an examination of the philosopher's entire reflective journey, from dawn to dusk, to understand how the theme emerges and develops within the author's work. The first chapter explores Nietzsche's pre-philosophical period, with an emphasis on his religious upbringing, philological education in his youth, and his ultimate interest in philosophy. The following chapter focuses on Nietzsche's early philosophical texts and his exaltation of Greek polytheism as a religious manifestation that, through artistic influence, promotes the affirmation of existence in all its aspects. These factors lead the philosopher to criticize both the religiosity and scientism of his time. The third chapter delves into Nietzsche's intermediate writings to highlight his attacks on the ecumenical Christian God, as well as the principles related to both its doctrine and practice. For the German philosopher, it is necessary to break the bond that connects man and his finitude with the eternal and transcendent God. Thus, the announcement of the death of God emerges with the purpose of inserting humanity into another conception and relationship with existence. Deicide leads Nietzsche to engage with the atheists of his time, aiming to expose that they perpetuate concepts and values derived from the ancient divinity, acting as shadows of God, and thus, continuing to preserve, tighten, and crystallize the vital dynamics. The fourth chapter exposes the radicalization of Nietzsche's criticism in his final writings towards the Christian God and its inherent relationship with the moral sphere. Understanding the critical content as it emerges in these texts is essential to comprehend how Nietzsche philosophically dismantles the principles of monotheism, as well as its offspring and shadows that persist in the human horizon through moral imperatives and belief in truth. The last chapter deals with the image of the dancing God through which Nietzsche, via Zarathustra, opens the possibility of belief as the overcoming of Christian monotheism and its shadows. The image of the dancing God expresses and affirms, through strength and flexibility, the vital dynamics as a continuous process of destruction and creation.