Friedrich Nietzsche, Lecture 6: Amor Fati & the Eternal Recurrence

This video is about Nietzsche's idea of the Eternal Recurrence and its relation to Amor Fati, or love of life.

[RoseSantos-mpnj]

Hello, Professor Dodson! I just want to say that I am thoroughly enjoying your Nietzsche lectures! You are helping me develop a profound appreciation for possibly one of the most misunderstood philosophers in the history of philosophy. Thanks to your lectures, I have been making a lot of connections and associations in my readings of philosophy. You’re a rockstar!

[Syed_FAlam]

Hello, Professor Dodson!I want to tell you that your lectures are great source of inspiration and strength for me, i am from a deeply religious society where almost everything in life is an essence and learning of Islam. For the last three year you silently change almost every idea near and dear to me.
I am even translating your lectures in to Urdu which is my language and making videos on face book. Your work on NIETZSCHE, introduce me to NIETZSCHE and it is amazing.
Even at this difficult moment, you gave me a tool to accept and ultimately fight the adversity of life. Thank you again.

[prometheusrex]

"How much can you love the ride?"

Love it brother!

[ProfUAC]

Holy Snake! Your interpretation of the Eternal Recurrence blew me away. Certainly I did't open my floodgates during Zarathustra's reading and whole this idea appeared to me like something buddhist related to coming from death again and again. But your idea abou loving your own life and desire to live it and feel it eternaly is absolutly amazing and useful. Thank Prof

[laurenzbramlage]

Dear Dr. Dodson, I listen to your nietzsche lectures during my workout, they are very informative and superbly delivered. I am looking forward to read him again.

[jessicabsable]

Best explanation of the eternal return I"ve ever heard!! Thanks a lot from Brazil!!

[mjohnson]

Amor Fati
"Don't try to fight
What's not your fault
Let go, reach out
The choice is yours to find
Inside you've got
The light to guide
Your fate decides
The roads you're going to find
Relax, slow down
Let hope decide
Even though it's hard to forget
When you can't afford love
Chasing all your thoughts you know that
You'll be all right in time
Inside you've got
The light to guide
Your fate decides
The roads your going to find
Inside you've got
The light to guide
Your fate decides
The roads you're going to find"
Greene Ernest Weatherly

[lizzyborg]

Thank you so much for making Nietzsche finally (I’m 75!) not just comprehensible but likeable for me! Your videos are the best lectures on philosophy - or indeed on anything claiming to be educational - that I have seen! I love the way you have of elucidating difficult vocabulary so students don’t feel intimidated by the language used.

[Roksonish]

These lectures are extraordinary. Thank you for this.

[Kerim]

Great analogy with the rollercoaster 👌🏼.

[ludmilavsm]

Hey, Professor. Loved the class. The Buddhist does not demote this life experience and promote the nirvana in after life. In fact, the path to enlightenment is overcoming the perspective of life as suffering and engaging in life as it is (Buddhism prescribe understanding the 4 noble truths and following the noble eightfold path). This is so the case that the Bodhisattva vows are the representation of "withstanding the eternal recurrence", "eternal confirmation and seal". Also, nirvana is a state of the liberated mind, the mind as you stated "can live beautifully enough" with the pain and pleasure intact. Amor fati and Buddhism are so much alike.

[cloudhopper]

I wish everyone here a life they'd love to repeat eternally 💜

[weiyanghong]

Just want to say I stumbled across these videos while researching on this concept for writing an essay. You made it so simple for me to understand it and I recently started my addiction to philosophers thank you!

[justgermanpleasexcusemywri]

It's a shame the I found no German video about this topic, but still thank for the upload. Very interesting.

[ZeroStateReflex]

Man, grasping the implications of to what degree CAN you love your life, what could you stand? As opposed to DO you love your life, which luckily is transitory.

I don’t even know of that makes sense, lol. Great work, it’s cool you wore your buddies farm hat too!

[bphoenix]

Your lecture about the eternal recurrence is the best I have heard so far. Personally I am sure this is true because I had so many times in my life that i knew exactly what will happen in detail.. and it came true. Dejavue is another example of remembering what has happened so many times. When I was younger I always thought it is remembered from other lifes but no, it's this life and I am fine with it. Not that anyone can do anything about it anyway😊

[missranabella]

I’m at work listening to this and got randomly enlightened. What do I do now? 😂 great lecture!

[ShelobWatermelon]

Awesome lecture, and I love the tool reference.

[paklam]

Wonderfully presented, you make this hard subject fun of life and playful act like Nietzsche, and most of all, ease of understanding and joy to digest. You are the best of the best, no doubt.

[PhillipCollins-nx]

This was posted three years ago according to my YouTube. I love the Internet, it's awesome. Anyways, first let me thank you for your lecture. I look forward to watching them all. And secondly you mentioned Valhalla as a place one would not want to ascend if they truly embraced their life but isn't Valhalla another eternal recurrence? The Norse mythology of heaven was spent awakening in a long house with others who had crossed over then eating and drinking in celebration which concluded every night with fighting to the death only to be repeated again the next morning. I don't expect an answer back just wanted to comment and thank you again.