In 1966 Time Magazine published this cover for all the world to see. The boldness of the lettering set against a black background remarkably parallels the intent of the author of those three little words, Friedrich Nietzsche. I want to explain what he meant by that infamous statement and, more importantly, explain how pluralism has proven him to be correct.

His statement is very easy to understand in broad strokes, so please don’t be turned back from this post because you think Nietzsche to be too smart or inscrutable for you to comprehend. I assure you, in this post, the most arduous task set before either you, as the reader, or myself, as the writer, will be for me to spell his name correctly (or at least consistently). Knowing this man and his philosophy will give you a deeper understanding of the world around you.

So let’s start by getting to know Nietzsche.

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Does our study of the universe point to a creator? The Cosmological argument answers that modern astronomy, which posits the Big Bang Theory as the explanation of the beginning of the universe, does indeed point to a creator. Astrophysics at the highest level has long since accepted that the universe is expanding, and this expansion points to an initial time at which the universe began. The cosmological argument takes this information and applies it to classical philosophical arguments dating back to Plato. The history of this argument and the ways it has changed throughout the history of philosophy will aid in understanding its importance today.

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Of the four classical arguments for the existence of God, the ontological argument is the most questioned and least understood. Ontology is the study of the nature of being, or existence. According to definition, the ontological argument is an argument for God’s existence based upon the nature of his existence. Within the bounds of the ontological argument, in order to understand the nature of God’s existence, you must simply define your concept of God.

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