Comments on: Science and Parasites: Michel Serres and the Unification of Human and Natural Sciences http://fractalontology.wordpress.com/2007/11/14/science-and-parasites-michel-serres-and-the-unification-of-human-and-natural-sciences/ refracting theory: politics, cybernetics, philosophy Thu, 07 Jan 2010 13:04:27 +0000 http://wordpress.com/ hourly 1 By: taylor27 http://fractalontology.wordpress.com/2007/11/14/science-and-parasites-michel-serres-and-the-unification-of-human-and-natural-sciences/#comment-484 taylor27 Thu, 15 Nov 2007 06:22:57 +0000 http://fractalontology.wordpress.com/2007/11/14/science-and-parasites-michel-serres-and-the-unification-of-human-and-natural-sciences/#comment-484 I draw circles around me and sacred boundaries; fewer and fewer men climb with me on ever higher mountains: I am building a mountain range out of ever more sacred mountains. But wherever you may climb with me, O my brothers, see to it that no parasite climbs with you. Parasites: creeping, cringing worms which would batten on your secret sores. And this is their art, that they find where climbing souls are weary; in your grief and discouragement, in your tender parts, they build their nauseating nests. Where the strong are weak and the noble all-too-soft--there they build their nauseating nests: the parasites live where the great have little secret sores. What is the highest species of all being and what is the lowest? The parasite is the lowest species; but whoever is of the highest species will nourish the most parasites. For the soul that has the longest ladder and reaches down deepest--how should the most parasites not sit on that? The most comprehensive soul, which can run and stray and roam farthest within itself; the most necessary soul, which out of sheer joy plunges itself into chance; the soul which, having being, dives into becoming; the soul which has, but wants to want and will; the soul which flees itself and catches up with itself in the widest circles; the wisest soul, which folly exhorts most sweetly; the soul which loves itself most, in which all things have their sweep and countersweep and ebb and flood--oh, how should the highest soul not have the worst parasites? (Thus Spoke Zarathustra, "On Old and New Tablets," Section 19). I draw circles around me and sacred boundaries; fewer and fewer men climb with me on ever higher mountains: I am building a mountain range out of ever more sacred mountains. But wherever you may climb with me, O my brothers, see to it that no parasite climbs with you. Parasites: creeping, cringing worms which would batten on your secret sores. And this is their art, that they find where climbing souls are weary; in your grief and discouragement, in your tender parts, they build their nauseating nests. Where the strong are weak and the noble all-too-soft–there they build their nauseating nests: the parasites live where the great have little secret sores.

What is the highest species of all being and what is the lowest? The parasite is the lowest species; but whoever is of the highest species will nourish the most parasites. For the soul that has the longest ladder and reaches down deepest–how should the most parasites not sit on that? The most comprehensive soul, which can run and stray and roam farthest within itself; the most necessary soul, which out of sheer joy plunges itself into chance; the soul which, having being, dives into becoming; the soul which has, but wants to want and will; the soul which flees itself and catches up with itself in the widest circles; the wisest soul, which folly exhorts most sweetly; the soul which loves itself most, in which all things have their sweep and countersweep and ebb and flood–oh, how should the highest soul not have the worst parasites? (Thus Spoke Zarathustra, “On Old and New Tablets,” Section 19).

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