34th Annual Student Research Conference
Nietzsche and Vedanta: Examining the Academic Origins of Nazism
Joshua M. Glor
Dr. Dereck Daschke, Faculty Mentor
The presentation will examine the origins of fascist thought in both the European study of Vedanta, and the philosophical work of Freidrich Nietzsche, explore their connection, and argue that the two served as foundational for the spiritual aspects of Nazi ideology. The primary argument in this presentation will be that the legitimate academic study of ancient Persia and Iran and the Indo-European peoples was weaponized to serve as a critique of the modern world, and that Nietzsche is the most powerful example of a European thinker who used an idealized Ancient East in such a way. The presentation will specifically discuss Thus Spoke Zarathustra and the Nazi expedition to Tibet as two central examples of the aforementioned academic weaponisation in Europe prior to and during the Nazi rise to power.
Keywords: Fascism, Philosophy, Vedanta, India, Persia, Tibet, Nietzsche
Topic(s):Philosophy & Religion
Presentation Type: Asynchronous Virtual Oral Presentation
Session: 16-3
Location: https://flipgrid.com/a8b68415
Time: 0:00