Re: Question about reading Nietzche and philology

Jim,

A quote I suspect you know, from Anatole France's *The Garden of Epicurus*:

"Polyphilos: It was just a reverie. I was thinking of how the
Metaphysicians, when they make a language for themselves, are like knife-grinders, who
instead of knives and scissors, should put medals and coins to the grindstone to
efface the exergue, the value and the head. When they have worked away till
nothing is visible in their crown-pieces, neither King Edward, the Emperor
William, nor the Republic, they say, 'These pieces have nothing either English,
German or French about them; we have freed them from all limits of time and space;
they are not worth five shillings any more; they are of an inestimable value,
and their exchange value is extended indefinitely.' They are right in
speaking thus. By this needy knife-grinder's activity words are changed from a
physical to a metaphysical acceptation. It is obvious that they lose in the
process; what they gain by it is not so immediately apparent."

For a detailed and, in my opinion, crucial reading of this passage and this
numismatic history of catachresis as an inevitable and vital part of the
philosophical process, your student might want to read "White Mythology." I suspect
they already have. :)

But all this talk of value and exchange and worth still troubles me.

I'll add only this.

Unless it's a riddle about a Romantic poet or you're writing a classified ad,
I'm not sure there's a compelling reason to ask, "What's a word's worth?"

Bye for now,

--John

-
* Unsubscribing? Mail majordomo@roughdraft.org with the message
* UNSUBSCRIBE BANANAFISH
Received on Sun Dec 14 11:01:43 2003