Shifting the Focus Away from Ourselves A less Anthropocentric view and the Concept of “Limit,” from Greek Culture to Nietzsche, through Copernicus and Darwin

Nietzsche asserted that “small men” are the product of a mystical-symbolic culture that makes them similar to gods and feel at the center of the Universe. Plato, on the other hand, believed that “even the smallest fragment that the petty man represents always has an intimate relationship with the cosmos.” Thus, Humanity is neither central to history nor nature but participates in the cosmos and is generated by it for the continuation of cosmic life.

This “decentering” characteristic of Greek culture, as opposed to the anthropocentric view that would emerge in later eras, allows us to embrace the concepts of “limit” and finiteness. Such ideas, intrinsic to Greek philosophy, prepare humanity to accept death as a part of life. Greek people mastered “the art of being mortal” and in literary works were referred to as “bròtos” (destined to die) or “ethos”, where the term “mortal” often replaced “human.” These were not simple lexical matters but reflected a deep awareness of living according to the “right measure”, an aspect rooted in daily life and culture. The concept of not overstepping one’s limits arises from a deep self-awareness, and an understanding of one’s role in the cosmos and one’s relationship with others, thereby avoiding dangers such as vanity.

The “small” man is tempted by vanity, placing himself at the center of everything. Conversely, the “mortal,” the Greek cultivated individual, is careful in not considering himself the only Sun but is prepared to acknowledge his limits and his connection to the community. There are three major “mortifications,” if we can call them that, which have struck at the centrality of humanity: theories that remove from egocentrism, pushing to recognize all limits.

The first mortification comes from Darwinian theory, which asserts that humanity is neither a child of God nor created in His image but is the product of evolution, a descendant of primates. This downscaling removes the divine nature of humanity, placing it in a different position relative to itself and the Universe. The second mortification comes from Copernicus, who, by moving the Earth (and humanity) from the center of the Universe, placed it within a planetary system. Finally, the third mortification comes from Freud and psychoanalysis: humanity is not even master of itself, as it is dominated by impulses and desires that limit its capacity for self-determination. Reasoning, so celebrated as distinguishing humans from animals, is “not master in its own house,” undermining the idea of superiority over the world.

However, this downscaling is beneficial. It brings humanity to confront its finiteness, to recognize its role concerning others and culture. A person aware of their mortality acts with caution and a sense of measure about the world and nature. In a contemporary age that celebrates consumption and pleasure, denying death as a concept even before it is a biological event, it is essential to reflect on these themes, not from pessimism or nihilism but to embrace the best of human intellectual creativity. Thus, we can rediscover values that allow us to step outside our ego and aspire to “great things” by using the principles inherited from Greek tradition