Will to power by Friedrich Nietzsche

The question of life has been stuck to many of us. What makes a thing living and other non living.

Metaphysics is study that deals with the question of nature of reality. Many philosophers since ages have been interested in this field. But one of the metaphysical system has attained the position of dominance i.e. Doctrine of materialism.

This doctrine states that reality is ultimately material i.e. universe is composed of matter. It is the interaction of basic material units which result in all phenomenon.

So, the basic units of matter are devoid of life, then how do these units come together to produce living beings, which experience the world around them.

As presocratic philosophers never laid attention to the question of life. They were convinced it was result of divine source. But in recent decades, the development of science lead to the theory of atomisim. Which lead to the role of atom as the basic element of nature. Even after so many years, it did not answer the question of life.

But in 17th century, a philosopher name Alfred Whitehead gave attention to the fallacy of misplace concretism. He states that, errorneous assumption that one concept gives a accurate description of reality has lead to a huge problem. He says "concepts are just a an idea of reality" (example taken a pen in which we only consider the shape and it's use of writing.I.e.its basic elements) and abstraction which are not considered like colour, weight etc are left away. 

Materialistism he says lacks the elements of characteristics of reality. Which is essential to explain life. It is because materialists have falsely assumed that the concepts of the basic elements of the universe actually depict the elements as they exist in reality that they have fallen to vicitims of fallacy of misplaced concreteness. Here, materialism theory fails to explain life.

Like Whitehead,  Friedrich Nietzsche challenged the doctrine of materialism. Nietzsche propounded a new doctrine of own experience. He developed a alternative known as will to power which is similar to Whiteheads theory.

He states "In order to formulate an adequate metaphysical explanation of the universe, it is necessary to start from that which is most accessible to us I.e. our own experience"

Nietzsche wanted to understand the ultimate constitution of reality by analyzing it's own impulses, desires and passions as he believed that we could learn something about reality by analyzing ourselves. Since we are the elements in the universe which share the same essence, as the things we perceive we can learn something about these things by looking and analyzing into ourselves.

It is important not to interpret this idea as saying that the elements have consciousness or even that they perceive the world around them rather such a view postulates that they have a experiential aspect. A Inner will must be ascribed to it i.e. will to power. An insatiable desire to manifest power.

Nietzsche thus put forth a alternative view of nature which unlike materialism did not create a seemingly unbridgeable void between the living and non living. Thus, Reality is composed of entirely of elements which have inner will.

Further, Nietzsche states that any theory like his should not be taken as complete and concrete, but must be continuously questioned.