Nietzsche on How Place Affects Ideas

Hey everyone. Uh, I've come to Senzingu, a Pureland monastery to interview one of the great living Pureland Buddhist masters. Can't wait for you guys to see that interview. Um, but I wanted to use this uh, beautiful scenery to reflect on

that interview. Um, but I wanted to use this uh, beautiful scenery to reflect on a new mode of traveling and studying that I become addicted to, which is traveling to the places uh, where ideas were formed. And so I wanted to talk a

bit about what I find so appealing about this idea, but also share an opportunity fully funded for you to do so. Uh starting this summer, it's a fullyear MA by a new college called Rston. Uh last year I did the summer part of the

program myself. Uh we traveled across Greece and parts of Turkey and we read

program myself. Uh we traveled across Greece and parts of Turkey and we read the classics uh a lot of the times where they were written and formed and it was an ancient Greek intensive as well. So, if you're interested in that, it's

again, it's fully funded. I'm not taking a single dime other than my absolute love of the program to spread the word. Uh partially because there is no revenue because it's fully funded by generous philanthropists. Uh and you can apply at

the link uh below. Uh I believe the first deadline is December 18th.

Anyways, um so this mode of studying combines traveling to the places where ideas are formed. And you might wonder why is that important? Shouldn't ideas

stand on their own ground? And maybe I'll just share two examples where my reading of a text got so much deeper having traveled there. And all of this was inspired by my journey with rston uh which is probably the best trip of my

life so far. Um the first one was over the summer I went to Florence. I rented

a place where Machaveli uh lived when he was uh chancellor and general and second chancellor and general secretary of the Florentine Republic. And then I rented a

place reading discourses in Prince and Art of War and uh Florentine histories where he was in exile and breathing the air of Florence also watching the Medici TV show as well

brought me into the kind of political cultural environment that he was reacting to. And I I'll never forget going to his place of exile, which still

reacting to. And I I'll never forget going to his place of exile, which still stands today. And in his garden, it was it was about uh I think 30 minute drive

stands today. And in his garden, it was it was about uh I think 30 minute drive south of Florence. You could still briefly make out the Duomo, the huge the

huge dome right in Florence. And that was so poetic because I I realized the torture that as a patriot Machaveli must have been feeling every day being able

to wake up and see his Florence. but not being able to do anything and that added such a deeper understanding to his uh to his works and his writings and his

ideas. Um the other example right after that I went to essay which is part of

ideas. Um the other example right after that I went to essay which is part of the French Riviera where Nietze wrote I believe the third part of his Darathustra and that the textual insights there was even more astounding.

Why? because it was this mountain path that Nichzo would hike when he was running the third part over and over again. And what is that the third part of Darutra about? It's about going up and down mountains that connect to the

sea. So all of his verticality and that movement suddenly made sense. Okay. And

sea. So all of his verticality and that movement suddenly made sense. Okay. And

in fact, Nietz himself and we're getting to the theory of why this kind of travel is important. Nichze himself emphasizes that ideas are embodied. Now the most

is important. Nichze himself emphasizes that ideas are embodied. Now the most famous the most infamous Nichian way of this embodiment is uh the kind of

psychological critique right the ad hominon Socrates liked ideas because he was ugly but that's only one way in which ideas are embodied that they're formed through through psychology if you read niche closely he also believes that

ideas are embodied because of the climate and this is something he emphasizes a lot with certain German and especially Greek thinkers that you have to understand the Mediterranean climate it uh and and where ideas were produced

in order to understand the ideas themselves and that was validated when I was reading Darustra uh hiking the Aza path that NZ hiked. So

um and I think this is what you will get from traveling with Rston because I remember we were studying the ideas of Pythagoras in the cave where Pythagoras allegedly were teaching his students. We were at the place where Agenmon came

home allegedly and got killed by Cletimestra. And of course, we went to the the rebuilt Stoa where the Stoics started their school and the academy or

what's left of the academy. And just being there will give you a much better sense of why the ideas are formed. And I'll just give you one example. Greece

is where the western notion of liberty has been formed. But it it wasn't obvious until I went there maybe why this notion of liberty was formed.

Compared to like let's say China's broad plains which an army could easily traffic through as it has me multiple times. Greece was composed of these different island states mountainous regions that made such a unification

difficult to begin with. Right? And so you can you can see how the geography itself trended towards a notion of liberty. Obviously we don't want to fall into the extreme of like geographical determinism but I think Nze is right when he says we

need to understand the place where an idea comes from uh and not just the ad homin not just the person in order to understand uh the full picture of what's

going on and after this experience uh of going to rston I stumbled upon um just to make sure that I I wasn't crazy or at least I wasn't alone in my craziness I

stumbled upon on Cicero's defibis and in book five Cicero in the word of of uh his friends that he puts in his dialogues um basically emphasizes exact point. So I'm going to read to you uh the the Definibus I think it's chapter 5

point. So I'm going to read to you uh the the Definibus I think it's chapter 5 in the beginning. So the context here is that Piso is is speaking first. He's

with his friends and they much like as you are going to experience Edward Rston were walking near the uh remnants of the academy in uh in Athens. This is Piso.

When we see the places where we are told that the notables of the past spent their time, it is far more moving than when we hear about their achievements or read their writings. I don't think I'm going to go that far, but I I see his

point. This is how I'm affected right now. I think of Plato, who they say was

point. This is how I'm affected right now. I think of Plato, who they say was the first philosopher to have regularly held discussions here. Those little

gardens just nearby not only bring Plato to mind, but actually seemed to make him appear before my eyes. Here come Spucus, Xenocrates, and his pupil PMO, who sat

on that very seat that we can see over there. Even when I look at our own Senate House, I often think of Cypio, Ko, Leas, and above all my grandfather.

Such is the evocative power that locations possess. No wonder the training of memory is based on them. This is also quite a modern idea, right? Memory palaces.

That is quite true, Piso, said Quintis. While on my way here just now, I could not help noticing the famous site of Colonus, and it brought Sophocles who lived there before my eyes. As you know, I feel great admiration and love for

him. In fact, a still more ancient vision moved me, bringing to mind Edipus

him. In fact, a still more ancient vision moved me, bringing to mind Edipus arriving there and asking in those wonderfully tender verses, "What place is this?" An idol vision, no doubt, but still it moved me. Okay, third

is this?" An idol vision, no doubt, but still it moved me. Okay, third

interlocutor. As for me, remarked Pmponius, "My devotion to Epicurus incurs your constant attacks, and I do spend a lot of time with Fedrris, whom you know to be my dearest friend in Epicurus's garden, which we just pass.

But I follow the old proverb, remember the living. Still, I could hardly forget Epicurus, even if I wanted to. The members of our Epicuran family have his likeness not only in paintings, but even engraved on their cups and rings. Uh,

I'll end this short musing by just saying I really hope that you get a chance to explore how much deeper a location is going to add to your study

of text. Um, and Rston is a fantastic opportunity to do so fully funded. So, I

of text. Um, and Rston is a fantastic opportunity to do so fully funded. So, I

hope you bet you give that uh give that a shot.