Full Idea
The inventive force that thought up categories was working in the service of needs - security, quick comprehensibility using signs and sounds, means of abbreviation - 'substance', 'subject', 'being' etc are not metaphysical truths.
Gist of Idea
Categories are not metaphysical truths, but inventions in the service of needs
Source
Friedrich Nietzsche (Writings from Late Notebooks [1887], 06[11])
Book Reference
Nietzsche,Friedrich: 'Writings from the Late Notebooks', ed/tr. Bittner,Rüdiger [CUP 2003], p.124
A Reaction
This is a relativism going right to the heart of thinking and planting bombs. And yet we happily translate Confucius, and they can translate Aristotle. I bet the aliens could translate and understand our philosophy. How, without similar categories?