Ja-Sagen! Iconoclastic Perspectives in Metaphysics From That of a Frog to the Little Boy on the Asteroid

It is in the position where one stands that the world reveals itself. All of humanity exists within the species' taxonomy, yet each individual creates a unique set of experiences within their kind. Some forces are beyond our control, but our views, impressions, beliefs, and sense of reality are shaped by perspectives that belong solely to us as individuals. Friedrich Nietzsche's Beyond Good and Evil (Nietzsche, 2020) is a masterpiece of iconoclastic thought, expanding philosophy's broad wings to examine its individual components closely. Similarly, The Little Prince (Saint-Exupéry, 1943) by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry presents a story of iconoclasm from a different angle. This paper will argue that while Nietzsche dismantles the values and paradigms of his own time, his observations come from the same viewpoint as those he criticizes. This viewpoint, known as ‘the frog perspective,’ is a concept Nietzsche adopts from contemporary painters of his time (Nietzsche, 2020, p. 10) in his critique of philosophers' prejudices. This low-lying perspective can be attributed to a fixed point in place and time, leading to a narrow scope of understanding. In contrast, Saint-Exupéry’s multi-dynamic perspective illustrates a cosmic journey from naivete to knowledge and its subsequent rebirth. I will also explore Nietzsche’s systematic ‘will to change,’ serving as an agent of doubt, alongside Saint-Exupéry’s ‘will to dream,’ which reveals truth through subconscious revelation. Both methods aim to uncover a deeper understanding of truth.