The secret of modern coexistence is already hidden in the name of Switzerland, the Swiss Confederation, says Prof. Dr. Peter Sloterdijk in conversation with Dr. René Scheu, managing director of the IWP and himself a philosopher. A Swiss Confederation is essentially a gathering of adult and free citizens who meet in a clearing to discuss forms of coexistence. Switzerland did not actually emerge as a cultural nation like most other nation states in Europe, but is anchored in the tradition of the medieval idea of ​​assembly. According to Sloterdijk, one symbolically places one's own fate in the hands of the other party with an oath. This creates a different idea of ​​sovereignty than in the other nation states in Europe. Peter Sloterdijk explains in the video why this type of sovereignty is not a myth, but is still as relevant today as ever. Website: https://www.iwp.swiss/ Linkedin: / iwp-swiss #PeterSloterdijk #Switzerland #Confederation #Founding of a State #Oath #Oath #History #Philosophy #Nietzsche #Helvetism #Europe #EU #DirectDemocracy #Sovereignty Content The most interesting Helvetism in philosophy can be found in Nietzsche's statement: "I am not a human being, I am dynamite." Because dynamite is Switzerland's contribution, so to speak, to modern transportation. So he doesn't say that he is blowing the world up, but "I am dynamite" means for him that I cannot move mountains, but I can drill through mountains. In such a way that you come out the other side with increased traffic capacity. Because "I am dynamite," I open the road to the south. That is how you have to translate it. Peter, what does the word "Confederation" sound like to you? What is a Confederation? What is special about the Swiss situation is that the Swiss already carry the secret of state formation in their name. Many other modern-type nations either still call themselves an empire, or have a historical name, such as "France" or "Brittany". Or the United States of America, they call themselves states, or they call themselves republics. But when I say state, or republic, I have not yet given away the secret of how people live together within this corporate structure. The Swiss are more generous in this respect. And they call themselves what they live. That means that a Confederation is not primarily a nation. It can take the form of a republic, it could also call itself a democracy. That would be, however, or it could also call itself a federal republic, or something like that, as other political entities do. But the word "Confederation" describes a completely different process. You see a gathering, usually of adults, but perhaps also with their family members, and they stand in a large clearing, facing each other, and promise each other to develop forms of coexistence with each other. This is a completely outrageous fact. Now, what exactly is the meaning of the oath? The fact that this is documented in the form of an oath is also of great importance because in the past people could pledge their entire person with the oath, so to speak. Today in court people swear oaths, or perjure themselves, as the case may be. But in medieval culture, and also in the time when Switzerland was founded, it was from the medieval idea of ​​gatherings that swearing became so important because swearing is also something that takes on enormous significance when a vassal is sworn in as a lord, because he pledges his life, his existence, so to speak, in the oath. Which, by the way, also has a theological implication. According to traditional theological understanding, anyone who breaks the oath has gone over to Satan's camp. That means that the devil does not have to come for them, but rather they have voluntarily joined Satan's camp. In short, swearing is so important as a political act because the Swiss constitution, and also the Swiss country's name, this confederation, expresses this oath of allegiance. Other political entities do this, but never with the same explicitness. So we still have something like confirmations in religious traditions, but proper citizen ordinations or something like that do not usually take place in western nations. At the age of 18, you are more or less automatically granted, or awarded, or at least attributed, political maturity. Regardless of whether the person's personal condition is sufficient for this. From the Swiss perspective, things look different.