
The Experience of Wonder - Philosophy as Conversation Chapter 3
From The Philosophy Channel by Robbert Veen
March 5, 2026 · 37 min
About this episode
This episode explores the concept of wonder in philosophy, contrasting the will to truth with Nietzsche's ideas on the will to power and the implications of nihilism.
Wonder is the fundamental experience of philosophy insofar as it is a will to truth. We want to understand and know the world as it is in itself—kath'auto—and not merely as it appears to us in our use of things. Truth and utility are distinct. Nietzsche objected to this in the 19th century. The foundation of this truth—God, the Absolute—has now disappeared. The Christian faith has become unbelievable. But then it also becomes clear that it is not the will to truth that determines our humanity, but the search for the lie that promotes our existence—understood as a will to power. But is Nietzsche right? First, nihilism, which we have come to call postmodernity, has emerged against his own intention. Second, his rejection of the will to truth nevertheless presupposes a pretense of expressing the truth of our existence. Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-philosophy-channel--4573240/support . "Dare to use your own reason" - Immanuel Kant
People in this episode
Host: Robbert Veen
Topics covered
- wonder
- philosophy
- truth
- nihilism
- postmodernity
- will to power
Keywords
- wonder
- philosophy
- truth
- Nietzsche
- nihilism
- postmodernity
- will to power
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