Educação como experimentação de si: uma reflexão à luz do pensamento de Nietzsche

Abstract

This work aims to reflect on education taking as reference the philosophy of Friedrich Nietzsche. The theme was submitted to an interpretative analysis in the light of the philosopher's writings, especially the ones of the intermediate and mature period, prioritizing the works published during his life. Two elements were placed as the basis for the analysis: first, the conception of education that Nietzsche left implicit in his texts; Secondly, the way in which he came to this conception from his experiments which allowed the gradual construction of his philosophy. If that experimentation has played a central role in this process, our hypothesis was that experiences (Erfähungen) and living (Erlebnisse) are formative; they enable man to become what he is. We then, intended to call attention to the fact that experimentation, as it was carried out by Nietzsche, admits to be considered as an educational proposal. As a first step, we should understand the relation between education and morality, as well as its unfolding through feelings and concepts inside tradition. Then, following the paths traced by Nietzsche, especially about the problematization of morality, we have studied what the philosopher calls ‘master and slave morality’. To understand the criterion of evaluation of both typologies we considered crucial to analyze the concept of ‘will to power’, understanding it as a game of antagonistic forces that look for more power. Secondly, we analyzed the concepts of experience and living by relating the terms as synonyms and distinguishing them from the experimental meaning of scientific knowledge. It is also presented the way Nietzsche, from his experiences and living, became a philosopher, from the experience with his teacher educator, Schopenhauer, and his experience as a free spirit as reported in the intermediary writings. At this point, we point out the important aspects for the formation of oneself, the way in which, from the experimentation of self and life, one can construct and invent himself. Finally, we reflect on the dramatic course of Zarathustra, central character of the work ‘Thus spoke Zarathustra’. To do so, we took the reading keyword of the formation novel, in which the dramatic hero, in his trajectory and with his experiences and living, educates himself and, in this process, becomes an educator. Describing Zarathustra's trials, we pointed out a formative process to become what he is, the announcer of the beyond-man, and the master of the eternal return. Considering the formative experiences of Zarathustra, we can see that formation is a process that is full of conflicts and uncertainties, but it is also a way to construct oneself. It is a dynamic process in which becoming what we are always demand being handled continually.