_Solution_: Greek philosophers stand upon the same fundamental fact of their inner experiences as Socrates does; five feet from excess, from anarchy and from dissolution--all decadent men. They regard him as a doctor: Logic as will to power, as will to control self, as will to "happiness." The wildness and anarchy of Socrates' instincts is a _sign of decadence_, as is also the superfœtation of logic and clear reasoning in him. Both are abnormities, each belongs to the other. Criticism. Decadence reveals itself in this concern about "happiness" (_i.e._ about the "salvation of the soul"; _i.e. to feel that one's condition is a danger_). Its fanatical interest in "happiness" shows the pathological condition of the subconscious self: it was a vital interest. The _alternative_ which faced them all was: to be reasonable or to perish. The morality of Greek philosophers shows that they felt they were in danger. 434. _Why everything resolved itself into mummery.--_Rudimentary psychology, which only considered the _conscious_ lapses of men (as causes), which regarded "consciousness" as an attribute of the soul, and which sought a will behind every action (_i.e._ an intention), could only answer "_Happiness_" to the question: "_What does man desire?_" (it was impossible to answer "Power," because that would have been _immoral)_;--consequently behind all men's actions there is the intention of attaining to happiness by means of them. Secondly: if man as a matter of fact does not attain to happiness, why is it? Because he mistakes the means thereto.--_What is the unfailing means of acquiring happiness?_ Answer: _virtue._--Why virtue? Because virtue is supreme rationalness, and rationalness makes mistakes in the choice of means impossible: virtue in the form of _reason_ is the way to happiness. Dialectics is the constant occupation of virtue, because it does away with passion and intellectual cloudiness. As a matter of fact, man does _not_ desire "happiness." Pleasure is a sensation of power: if the passions are excluded, those states of the mind are also excluded which afford the greatest sensation of power and therefore of pleasure. The highest rationalism is a state of cool clearness, which is very far from being able to bring about that feeling of power which every kind of _exaltation_ involves.... The ancient philosophers combat everything that intoxicates and exalts--everything that impairs the perfect coolness and impartiality of the mind.... They were consistent with their first false principle: that consciousness was the _highest,_ the _supreme_ state of mind, the prerequisite of perfection--whereas the reverse is true....