Compare and contrast the four great errors - Essay Example

Nietzsche’s Four Great Errors vs. Chomsky’s Necessary Illusions The “four great errors” talk about the major errors that human beings constantly commit in this world. The basic proposition of this philosophical belief is that humans have the tendency to misinterpret the reality of things and events (“The Four”). This incorrect interpretation often creates various illusions which are used by the people to illustrate or explain the world in a more convenient way. The first error pertains to the process of mistaking the effect and the cause.

One may incorrectly view a situation as the effect instead of being the cause or vice versa (“The Four”). Incorrectly treating an event as the cause or the effect could obviously worsen a problem. It could not help someone to solve his or her dilemma in life. The proper solution to the problem could not be discovered due to this mistake. The second error refers to false causality. In this error, people tend to invent ideas to explain their actions (“The Four”). They do not want an event left unexplained or to remain a mystery.

In other words, humans tend to provide reasons for their actions if possible. The third of the four great errors is the imaginary causes error. In this error, people formulate ideas which are far from the truth just to overcome their fear of the unknown (“The Four”). They always want to control a situation. As compared with the third error, this one has no basis. It is simply a product of one’s imagination. The last error is called by Nietzsche as the free will error. It is his contention that this concept is an illusion, suggested for the purpose of guilt imposition and punishment (“The Four”).

On the other hand, Chomsky’s “necessary illusions” involve the illusionary ideas that the media offers to the public specifically in the United States. He believes that these illusions are sometimes needed to prevent an excess of democracy to happen (Chomsky 2). There is excess of democracy if the people are able to express their ideas through the media in a way that it does not bring good anymore to the society as a whole. Stated otherwise, an excess of public opinion occurs which can destroy a political system.

Chomsky also says that propagandas usually distort a public issue (Chomsky 12). It can also distract the people from considering the real issue or the major issue. As a result, controversies become more complicated and confusion is created. This situation prevents real or true democracy from becoming effective. Analytically, Nietzsche adopts an approach which is philosophical to explain an illusion as used by the people. His approach is more focused on developing ideas. He offers the concept on four great errors to justify the process that human beings apply to explain a certain phenomenon.

By being philosophical, Nietzsche explains events in a rational way. In such case, he relates the “four great errors” to the deeper ideas of morality and religion. Basically, the errors are used by him to justify the various illusions. It is to be contended that Nietzsche wanted the people to stop exemplifying the four great errors as they are in direct contrast to people’s existence. In comparison, Chomsky uses the political approach to elaborate the idea on illusion. He includes the concept of media and democracy to explain it.

According to him, the media is an effective tool to make an illusion. It has the ability to manipulate the public through the illusions that it creates. Works Cited Chomsky, Noam. Necessary Illusions: Thought Control in Democratic Societies. Massachusetts: South End Press, 1989. Print. “The Four Great Errors.” American Nehilist Underground Society. American Nehilist Underground Society, 11 Nov. 2007. Web. 28 Mar. 2011. .