Single Idea 7174

[catalogued under 7. Existence / E. Categories / 5. Category Anti-Realism]

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?