A New Way of “Thinking” Consciousness: Nietzsche, Wittgenstein, and Neo-Materialism by Aloisia Mose
summary by @nietzscheswritings Aloisia Moser’s article re-examines the concept of consciousness by drawing on the works of Friedrich Nietzsche, Ludwig Wittgenstein, and contemporary neo-materialist thinkers to argue that traditional philosophy and theology have significantly overrated the importance of human self-awareness. Rather than viewing consciousness as a sovereign master of representation, Moser proposes a holistic view of interconnectedness where human existence is defined by shared practices and symbiotic relationships with both sentient and non-sentient beings. She introduces this shift through a metaphor of a moth infestation, noting that her eventual resolution to coexist with the insects reflects a transition from "biological warfare" to recognizing a shared "form of life". This perspective is echoed in the delirium of Aby Warburg, who treated moths as "little soul animals" (Seelentierchen), illustrating a relationship based on imagination an...