Aldous Huxley an 'Emotion- and Term Paper

He introduced the concept of the "Superman" when he argued how this individual is not only the ideal human of modern society, but he is also the model individual, for he was able to transcend the boundaries that morality and religion had put on humanity.

Thus, for him, the "Superman" already existed during his time, though the feat of transcending and not believing in morality can well be under way to a rapidly rationalizing society. Morality for Nietzsche was a spiritual hindrance that prevents people from further pursuing their self-interests in life as they bring into consideration questions and issues about morality. The individual who is able to pursue his/her self-interest without any doubt or hesitation would be the only one who will achieve self-actualization in life, thus becoming the individual which he labeled as the "Superman."

Huxley's "Brave New World" showed a similar change in the order of society; only, the author depicted how modernism can lead to the development of an emotionless individual. While Huxley portrayed the emotionless society as the picture of the ideal or Utopia-like society, it was apparent that he did not approve of this kind of order, for it is emotions which truly define and distinguish humans from other animals.In sum, it is emotions that give meaning to humanity.

He illustrated the modern society as eternally pursuing an ideal social order, wherein equality in all aspects -- emotional, mental, and spiritual -- is present. The banishment of human feelings and emotions through the intake of "soma" a drug used by people that causes numbness of any feelings in a person ("a loss of individuality") and the production of humans through artificial fertilization and conditioning, as opposed to natural conception, birth, and learning ("the undoing of Mother Nature") were the illustrative examples that had been shown to reflect Huxley's negative notion of perfection of the human race with the dawn of modernism and increased rationalization. What he tried to argue in the novel was, as society became modernized and thoroughly rational, it also began detaching itself from anything associated with humanity's unique character, a character that contrasted greatly to the principles of empiricism and science: its ability to experience and feel emotions of any kind.

Works Cited

Huxley, a. E-text of "The Brave New World." Huxley.net Web site. 19 May 2005 http://www.huxley.net/bnw/one.html.

Nietzsche, F. Thus spoke Zarathustra. NY: Penguin Books......