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1 enealogyi s gray, meticulous, andpatientlydocumentary.
lt operates on a field of entangled and confused parchments,
ondocumentsthathaebeenscratchedoverandrecopiedmany
time
n ti basis, it i s obvious tht aul ee was wrong to
followthenglishtenencyindescribingthehistoryofmorality
in terms of a lineardevelopmentin reducing its entire histo
andgenesitoanexclsiveconcernforutility. eassmedthat
words had kept their meaning, that desires still pointed in a
single direction, and tat ideas retained their logic and he ig-
nored the fact that theworld ofspeech and desires has known
invaions, uggles, plundering, disguises, ploys. rom these
elements, however, genealogy retrieves an indipensable re
straint it must record the singularity ofeventsoutside of any
monotonousfinalityitmustseektheminthemostunpromisng
places, inwhtwetendtofeeliswithouthistoryinsentiments,
love, conscience, instincts it must be sensitive to their recur-
rence, notinorderto trace thegradualcurveoftheirevolution,
but to isolate the dilferent cenes where they engaged in dif-
ferent roles . inally, enealogy must define even those in-
stanceswhentheyareabsent,themomentwhentheyremained
nrealized lato, at yracuse, did notbecomeohammed
enealogy, conseguently, reguires patience and a knowl-
edgeofdetails, andit depends onavataccumulationofsorce
ThisessaytirstappearedinHcmmcgeecnHypc|||e[aris Fresses
niversitaires deFrance I97I), pp. I42 A|ong with 'Rponse au
cerc|ed pistmo|ogie whichbecae theintroductochapterof!|e
rc|cec|c c] Kncu|eJgc, this essay represents Foucau|t's attempt to
epain his reationship o those sources which are tudametatohis
deve|opment . Its importance, in terms of understanding Foucaut s
b ectives, canotbe eggerated Itisreproducedherebypermission
fFresse niversitaires deFrance
/6
N|e|zsc|c, Cenes|cg, H|s|c 7
materia Its cyclopean monuments are constucted lom
discreetandAp arentyinsignificanttruthsandaccordigto
goros metho they cannt be the product ol arge an
welmeaning rors. nshot, geneaogydemandsreentes s
eudition. eneaogy does not oppose itse t ohistory as the
olty ad prolond ga ol the philosopher might compare to
themoeikeperspectiveofthschoaronthectrary itre ects
themetahistorica depoymentofidea sinilicationsandindel
inite teeologies Itopposesitself to the seach lor origins.
Z I ietsche, we findtwo useof the word Utsprung. 1e
first is nstressed, and itis lund aternately ith other ers
such asn|s|e|ung, Hcr|un]|, A||un]|, Cc|ur|. In |c cncc|cgy
cs, for example, n|s|c|ug o Ursprng serves eguay
wel to denote the origin ofduty orguity conscience and in
the discussion togic andknowledge in I|cCcy Sc|cnc, their
originisindisciminatelyreferredtoas Ursprung, n|s|cung, or
Hcr|un]|
eoteruseol thewodi s stressed. noccasion,iesche
places te term in oppostion to another. inthe firstparagaph
olHumcn,A||IccHumcnthemiacuousginlunJcrursprung)
sought y metaphysics is set against the anayses ol historical
phiosophy, which poses estions |cr Hcr|un| unJ Ancng
Urspren is aso sed n an ironic and deceptive manner In
what,linstance, do we findthe orinal basis rsptung) ol
moraity, a foundation soughtfte sincelato` Indetestable,
narowinded concusions. PuJcnJ |g. r in a reated
context,wheeshoudweseekth riginofreigion Ursptung,
which chopenhauer ocated a paucua metaphsica sen-
timentoftheherealter Itbeongs,veysimpy, toaninention
r]|nJuog) , a seightolhand, an artfice Kuns|s|c|) , a secret
lormula in the ritas ol back magic, in the work ol the
Sc|cr|ns||cr
neol the mostsignilicanttextswithrespecttothe useol
a these terms andto the variations i nthe use of Ursprung i s
the prelace t o the Ccncc|cy. At the beginning of the txt, its
ob ective is delined as an eamination ol the origin ol mora
preconceptionsandthetemusedisHcrun| 1hen, ietsche
proceedsby retracing his pesonainvolvementwith this ues
o ru||cnJc||cJ
tion he recallsthe period when hecaigraphied philosophy,
when he uestioned if od must be held responsible for the
originofevil . enowfindsthisguestionamusingandproperly
characteriesit as a search lor Ursprung he will shortly use the
same term to sumarie aul ees activi) urther on, he
evokes the analyses that are characteristically ietzschean and
that begin with Humcn, A|| Tcc Humcn. ere, he speaks of
Hcr|un||ypc||cscn 1his use of the word Hcr|un]| canot be
arbitrary, since it sees to desgnate a number of texts, begin
ning with Humsn, A|| 100 Humcn, which deal with theorigin of
orty, asceticism, ustice, and punshment. d yet the word
usedinatheseworks had been Ursprung. twould seem that
at this point in the Ccncc|cgy ietsche wished to validate an
oppositionbetweenHcr|un]| and Ursprung thatdidnoteistten
yearsearlier. utimmediateyfollowingtheuseofthetwoterms
in a specilic sense, ietzsche reverts , in thefinalparagraphsol
the preface, toa usage that isneutra and euivalent .
hydoesietschechalenge the pursuitolthe origin Ur-
sprung) , at east on those occasions when he is truly a genea-
ogist` irst,becauseitisanattempttocapturetheeactessence
ofthings, theirpurestpossibilities, andtheircarelullyprotected
identitiesbecausethissearcassuestheexistenceolimmobie
formsthatprecedetheexternalworldolaccidentandsccession
This search is directed to that which was already there, the
image of a priordial truth lully adeguate to its nare, and it
necessitatestheremovaoleverymasktoultimatelydiscosean
originaidenti. owever, ilthe geneaogistrelusesto etend
is faith in metaphysics, il he listens t history, he linds that
there is something atogether diflerent behind things not a
timeless and essentia secret, but the secret that they have o
essenceorthattheiressencewaslabricatedina piecemeallas-
ionfromaienfors . xainingthehistoryofreason,hel earns
that it was born in an altogether reasonable fashionfro
chance devotion to truth and the precisio of scientific meth-
ods arose from the passion olscholars, theirreciprocalhatred,
thefanaicalandunendingdiscussios,andtheirspiritofcom
petitionthe personalconflicts thatslowlyforged theweapons
ol reason. urther, genealogical analysis shows that the con
cept ofliberty is a invention of the ruling classes and not
f
N/c|zsc|c, L?n00|0@, !5/0Q '
fundamentaltoman s nature oratthe root ol his attachmentto
being and trut. hat is lound at the historicabeginning of
things is not theinvioabeidentity oftheir origi itis the dis-
sension ofother things. It is disparity
istory asoteaches how to laugh at the somnities olte
rigin. 1he lofty ogin is nomore than a metahsicaleten-
sicn which arises fromthe beliefthat things are ost precios
andessential atthe mcmentofbirth e tendto tinkthat
thsisthemomentofthegreatestprfeon,whetheyemerged
dazzling from the hands ola creator r in the sadowesslight
olalirstmorning. 1heoriginalwasprecedesthall Itcomes
betorethebody, beloretheworldandtimeitisa ssociatedwith
the gods, and its story is always sngas a theogony uthis-
torical beginnings are owly. notin the sense ol dest or dis-
creet like the steps of a dove, but derisive and ionic, capable
ofundoingeveryinfatuation Wewishedtoawakenthefeeling
of man s sovereignty by showing his divine birth. this path is
nowforbidden, sinceamonkey standsattheentrance. an
originatedwithagrimaceoverhisltredeveopmentandar-
athustra himself is paguedby a mnkey who psalongbe-
hind him, pulingon his coattails.
1helinalpostuate ofthe originislinked to thelirst t

oin
being the site ol trth. From the vantage point ot an absolute
distance, free from the restraints of positive knowledge, the
originmakespossible a fiedolknowledge whos functionisto
recover it, but always in a flserecognitiondue 5 the ecesses
ofits own spech. 1heorigin lies at

a paceolinevitable oss,
the pointwherethe truth olthings corresponde tc a truthfu
discourse, the site of a lleeting articuation that discourse has
obscured and finally ost . It is a new cruelty 5 history that
compels a reversalolthis relationship and the abandcnmentof
adolescent gests behind the always recent, aaricicus, and
measured truth, it posits the ancient proliferation of errcrs
is no impossible to believe that in the rending of the veil ,
truh remains truthtul we have lived ong enogh not to be
taken in Truth is undoubtedly the sortoterror that cannct
be retuted because it washardenedinto anunalterable formin
the longbaking prccess ofhistory. oreover, thevery gues
tiontruth, therightitapprcpriatestorefuteerrorandoppcse
oJ ru|h 05&
tselftoaparance, the mannerinwhichitdevelopedinitially
made aailable o the wise, thenwihdrawn by menofpiety to
an unattai nable world where it was given the double role of
consolaionandimperative, finally reected as a useless notion,
superfluos and contradicted on all sides)does this not form
a history, te history of an error we call truth` 1ruth, and its
original reign, has had a history within history from whichwe
arebarelyeeginginthetimoftheshortesshadow, when
light no longer seems to flow trom the depths of the sky or to
arise from te first moments ofthe day.
Agenealoyofvalues,morali,asceticism,andknowledge
will never confuse itself with a guest for their origins, will
never neglect as inaccessible hevicissitdesofhistory. nthe
contrary, twll cultivate the deails and accidentshat accom-
pany evebeginning itwillbe scrupulusly attentive to their
petty malice it will await their emergence, once umasked, as
the face of he other. Wherever it is made to go, itwill notbe
reticentin excavating thedepths, inallowingmeforthese
elements to escap fom a labyrinth where no truth had ever
detainedthem. 1he enealogist needs history to dispel thechi-
meras ofthe origin, somewhatin he manner ofthe pious hi-
losopherwho needs a doctortoexorcisetheshadowofhissoul .
e must be able to recognize the events ofhistoy, its olts, its
surprises, its unsteady victories and unpalatabe defeatsthe
basis of all beginnins, atavisms, and heredities . Similarly, he
mustbeable todiagnoseheillnessesofthebody, its conditions
ot weakness and srength, its breakdowns and resistances, to
beina positiontoudge philosophicaldiscourse. istoy isthe
concrete bodota development, withits moments ofintensity,
itsapses, its exendedperiods offeverish agitaion is faining
spells and only a meaphysician would seekissoul in the dis
tant ideali of the origin.
J. ln|s|e|n and e|o[| are more exact han spog in
recording the true ob ective of genealogy and, while the are
ordinariltranslatedasorigin we mustatempttoreestablish
their properse.
c|[|isthe euivalentofstockorJesceo|iis he ancient
affiliationtoagroup, sustainedbythebondsofblood, radition,
f
l0/256h0, L0h000

, l5f0Q ' l
orsocialclass. 1heanaysis ofHcr|uo(| often ivles a onsd
eration of race or socal type ut th traits t attepts to
idetif are not the exclusivegenericcharacteristis of n nd
vidual, a sentment, oranidea, which permitustuailythem
as reek or nglish rather, it seeks the subtle, singulr,
and ubindvidual marks thatmight possibly intersect i nthem
toform network thats diffcult to nravel . ar lrom beinga
category of resemblance, this ogin alows the srtng ot o
different traits the ermans imagned that theyhdfinally
countedfor their compexitybsayingtheyossesseda double
soul theywerefooledbya smplecomputatio,rrather they
weresimplyyingtomastertheracaldisorderfrmwhihthey
had formed themselves. here the soul pretendsnicaon
ortheselffabcatesacoherentidentity, thegenelostsetsut
to study the begnnng

umberless beginnngs, wose fant


tracesandhintsofcoorarereadiyseenbyahistorcaleye he
analysis of descent permits the dissociauon of te self, ts rec
ognition and isplacements an empty syntheis, inberaing
profusion oflostevents.
An examination of descent alsopermts the dscoery un
derthuniueaspectofatraitoraconcept,oftheyriadevents
thrugh whicthanks to which, against whchthey were
formed. enealogy does not pretend to goback i ntime to re
store an unbroken continity that operates beyond the disper
sion of forgotten things, itsdutyis no to demonstrate thatthe
pst actively exists n the present, that it contines secret to
animatethepresent, having imposeda predeternedformon
allitsvicissitudes enealogy does not resemble theevoltion
ofa species and does notmapthedestin ofa pep|e nthe
contrary, to followthecomplexcorse ofdescent itoaintain
pasing events in their proper dispersion, it i to identiy the
accidents, the minte deviationsr conversel, the cmpete
reveralsthe errors the false appraisals, and the faulty cal
clation that gave birth to those things that conine to eist
andhavevalue for us itis to discoverthat tr

th rbeing des
not lie at the root of what we know and what weare but the
exteriorofaccidents. 1hsisundoubtedlwheeorigin
ofmoralifromthemomenttstopsbengpiosandc|un(|
ca neverbehas value as a criue
Z !ru|| 0n0 c|h00
erivingfosuch a source is a dangerouslegacy ln nu-
merous instances, ietzsche associates the ters Hcr|un| and
rlsc|s| . evetheless, weshouldnotbedeceiedintothinking
that this hetageis anacuisition, a possession that grows and
solidifiesrather, itisanunstableassemblageoffaults, tissures,
andeterogeneouslayersthatthreatenthefragileinheritorfrom
withinortromunderneat in usticeorinstabilityintheminds
ofcertain en, their disorder and lackof decorum arethefinal
conseuencesoftheirancestorsnuberlessogicalinaccuracies,
hastyconclusions, andsuperficiality. 1esearchfordescent
is not the erecting of foundaions on the contrary, it disturbs
what was previously considered immobie it fragments what
was thought unifid it shows the heterogeneity of what was
imagined consistentwithitself. Whatconvictions and, farore
decisively, whatknowledgecanresistit lfa genealogicaanal-
ysis ota scholarwere madeofonewho collectsfactsandcare
fullyaccountstorthemhisHcr|un| woulduicklydivulgethe
otticial papers of the scribe and the pleadings of te lawyer
their tatherin theirapparentlydisinterestedattention, in the
pure devotion to ob ectivity
inally, descent attaches itselt to the body lt inscribes
itself in the nervous system, in temperament, in the digestive
apparatus itappearsn taulty respiration in impopediets in
the debilitated and rostrate bodies of tose wose ancestors
coederrors. atheshaeonlyto stakeeftectstorcauses,
believe in the reality ot an afterlite, or maintain the vaue ot
eternaltruths,andthebodiesoftheirchildrenwillsuffer ow
ardice and ypocrisy, fortheirpart, are thesimple ottshoots ot
error not in a Socratic sense, not hat evi is te result of a
mistake, notbecause of a turning away from an original ruth,
butecause the bodymaintains, in lifeasin death, throug its
strength or weakness, the sanction ofevery truthand error, as
itsustains,inaninversemanner, theorigindescent Whydid
men invent the conteplative life` Why give a supreme value
to this torm of existence Why maintain the absolute truth of
those fictions which sustain it uring barbarous ages . . if
the strength ofanindividualdeclined, ifhefelthimselftiredor
sick, elanholy or satiated and, as a conseuence without
desire orappetite fora shorttime, he became relativelya better
N|e|zsc|e, Cnec|c, H/s|c
man, tat is, ess dangerous. is pessimistic ideas ony tae
form a words or reflections In this frame ofmind, he eite
became a thinker and prophet or used his imagination to feed
hissuperstitions 1hebodyandeerythingthattouchesit
diet, climate, and

soiis theomaioftheHer|a]| hebody


manifets te stigmata olpasteperience andalsgivesriseto
desires faiings,anderrors. heseeementsmay oininaody
where they achieve a sudden epression, bt as often, their
encounter is an engagement in which theelface each other
where the body becomes the pretet of their insurmontabe
conlict
1he body is the inscribed surlaceo eents taed by lan-
guage nd dissoed by ideas, the ocs of a dis sociated self
adoptig the ilusio ol a substantial unity, and a vome in
erpea disintgration enealogy, asananaysi soldscent,
isthus situatedwthinthe articulaionofthebodand history.
ts task s to eposea bodytotayimprintedbyhistory and the
processolhistor s destruction ofthebod.
+ o||c|aog designates cergcocc, the moment of arising. t
stands s the principle and the singlar law ol an apparition
As it s wrong to search for descent in an uninterrupted conti
nui, shouldavoid thinking ofemergence asthe tinalterm
of a historica development, the e was not alas intended
forcontemplation,andpunishmenthashadotherpurposesthan
setting n eample 1hese developmets may appear as a cu-
mination, but they are merel the crrent episodes in a series
of sub gatons te ee initiallrespodedto the reuirements
of hunng and warfare, and punishment has been sub ected,
throughouti tshistory,toavarietyofneedrevege, ecding
an aggressor, compensating a victim, creatng fear. In paing
present needs atthe origin, the metaphysician would conince
usofanobscurepurposethatseeksitsreaizationathemoment
it arises eneaogy, howeer,

seeks to reestabis the various


system of subection notthe anicipator power ol meaning,
btthehazardouspay ofdominaons
mergence is alwas produce through a prticuar stage
of forces he anysis ol the n|s|e|ag mst elineate this
interacton, the struggetheseforceswage againsteach other or
d+ !ru|| cnJ Mc||cJ
against adverse circumstances, andtheattemptto avoiddegen-
eation and regain strength by dividing these forces against
themselves lt i sin thissense that theemergence ofa species
animal or human and its solidification are secured in an e-
tended battle againstconditions which are essentially and con-
stantly utavorable. ln tact, the species mustrealizeitselfas
a species as somethingharacterized by the durability, ni-
formity, and simplicity of its formwhich can prevail in the
perpetual struggle against outsiders or the uprising ol those it
oppressestrom within n the other hand, individual differ-
encesemergeatanotherstageoftherelationshipottorces, when
te species has become victorious and when it is no longer
treatened fro outside. ln this condition, we tind a struggle
of egoisms turned against each other, each burstingtorthin a
splinteing of torces and a general striving tor the sun and tor
te |ight 1here are a|so ties when torce contends againt
itselt, and not only in the intoxication otan abndance, which
allows it to divide itself, but at the moment when it weakens .
orce reacts againstits growing |asstude and gains strength, it
iposes |iits, inicts torments and mortitcations it asks
these actions as a higher orality and, in exchange, regains its
strength ln this anner, the ascetic idea| was born, i the
intinct ot a decadent life which . struggles tor its own ex-
istence This alsodescribesthe ovementin whichthe ef-
oration arose, precisely where the church was east corrupt
erman atholicis, in the siteenth century, retainedenough
strength to turn against itselt, to ortify its ownbody and his-
to, and to spiritualizeitselfintoa pure religion ofconscience
mergence is thus theentry ot torces i ti stheir eruption,
the leap from the wings to center stage, each in its youthful
strength Whatietzschecallsthen|s|c|ungs|crJ ofthe con-
cept ot goodness is not specifically the energy of the strong or
thereactionoftheweak, bupreciselythisscenewheretheyare
displayed superimposed or facetoface lt is othing but the
spacethatdividesthem, thevoidthroughwhichtheyechange
their threatening gestures and speeches s descent gualifies
the strength or weakness ot an instinct and its nscription on a
body, eergencedesignatesa place ofconfrontation, butnotas
a closed tield offeringthespectac|e ofa strugg|e aongeguals .
!c|Z5chc, Lcnc0/0_, !5|0Q ba
!HCI, S IC!ZSCHC OCmCDS!I!CS ID HIS DySIS C _CCd dDG
CVI, I! IS DCDQCC, QUIC OIS!DCC, WHICH GIC!CS IH!
!HC GCISIICS OC DC! DCCD_ !C CCmmCD SQCC. LCDSC-
QUCD!y DC CDC IS ICSQCDSIDC CI D CmCI_CDCC, C CDC CD
_CIy ID I!, SIDCC II WyS CCCUIS ID !DC ID!CIS!ICC.
ln SCDSC, CDy SID_C OIm is CVCI SI_CG ID HIS DCD-
QlCC, IHC CDOCSSy ICQC!CO play C OCmID!ICDS . 1heOC-
IDIICD C CCI!ID mCD CVCI C!HCIS lCaOS to !HC OICICD!IIICD
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ImQCSI!CD C a OuIIICD DCI ID!IIDSIC IC !HCm CCCUDI CI the
CII_ID C lC_Ic. JHIS IC!CDSHIQ C OCmIDIICD IS DC more a
relationship !HdD the place where it occurs is place DG,
precisel for this reason, it S fixed, !HICu_HCU! its hiStCryg ID
rituals, in meticulous procedures that impose ihtS dDO CI
_tiCDS t lt establishes marks C lS CWCI and engraes me-
ories CDt_S dDO CVCDWI!HIDCOICS. lt makes itselfaccountable
for OCDlS dDO _IVCS rise to the universe of rules, hIchIS Dy DC
meansesigned!C temperviolence, u IdHCI !C S!ISy it. C
lCwiD_ traditional beiefs, it would C SC to think tha total
war exausts itself in its own contradictions D CDOS Dy re-
DCuDcIH_VICDCCdDOSUDmII!ID_!Ccivillaws D!HCcCD!IaIy_
the law is a calculated aDO ICCD!CSS QCaUrC, OCi_h! in thC
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IIVCS ! UDIVCIS ICCIQICCI!y, WHCIC !HC IUC C W IDy IC-
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C IuCS DG !HUS QICCCCdS ICm OCmID!ICD !C GCID!ICD.
JH0 D!UIC C HCSC IuCS dlCWS VICCDCC CDCDICCO C
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strong to dCmIDIC those ID QCWCI. UCS IC Cmy ID IH0m
d ro|| 0n0 c||00
sees, iolentandunfinalized,theareimperscnaandcanbe
bet tcany purpose The successescfhistcr be|ongtc thcse
whcarecapablecfseizingtheseru|es,tcreplaethcsewhohad
usedthem, tcdiguisethemselvesscastcpervertthem, invert
theimeaning, andredirectthemagainstthosewhohadinitially
imosed them, contrc|ling this comple mechanis, the wil|
make ittuncticnscastoovercometheruersthrcughtheirown
rules
The isoaticotditterentpointsoemergencedoesnoton
torm to the sucessive ontigurations ot an idential meaning,
rather, theyresu|ttrcm sustitutions, dispaceents, disguised
ouests, and sstematireversas tinterpretationwere the
scw eposure ct the meaning hdden in an origin, then ony
metaphsicsou|dinterpretthedeeopentothumani ut
interpretaticn is the violentor surreptitiousappopriation ot
a system ot rues, whihin itselthas no essential eaning, n
crerto impcsea diretion, toenditto anewwill,tctorceits
parcipationin a ditterent game, and tc sub|et it to seondary
les, thenthedevecpmentcthumaniisa seriesofinterpre-
tations. Thero|eotgeneaogyistorecorditshistcthehistcry
otmoras, ideal s, and metaphsia|concepts, thehistorctthe
ccnept of liberty or of the ascetic |ife, as they stand tor the
emergence ct dltterent interpretations, they ust be made tc
appearasevents on the stage cthistorical prccess.
ow can we detine the re|ationship between genealcgy,
seenastheeainaticnofHcr|un]| andn|s|c|uog, adhistory
thetraticnsense We cculd, otccurse,eaeietzsches
e|ebrated apcstrcphes against histor, but we will put these
aside tcr the moment and onsider those instanes when he
coneiesotgenealcgyas|r|||c|c|s|cr|c, oritsmcrefreuent
haracterization as historical spirt or sense n fac,
ietzshesriticism,beginningwiththe seond ofthe o||mc|y
Mcc|||cos, a|as questioned the fcrm cf histor that rein
troduces and a|was assumes a suprahistoria perspective a
history whcsefunctionistcccmpcsethetinallyreduceddiver-
sity ottime into a totalit tull|cseduponitselt ahistorythat
alwasencuragessub ectivereccgnitionsan attributesa torm
ct reccniliaon to all the displaeens ct the past, a history
050 0 5
whoseperspectiveonal |thatprecedesitimpliestheendottime,
acompleteddeveopmet. Thehistoria shistoyindsitssp-
portoutside oftimeand pretends tobaseits udgments on a
apocalypticob ectivity. Thisisonlypossible, however,becase
otitseliefinetern|truth, theimmortalityotthesoul, andthe
naturofconsciousnessasalwaysidenticaltoiselt. nce the
historcal sense is mastered by a suprahistorica| perspective,
metaphysicscanbendittoitsownpurpose, and, byaignigit
tothedemandsotob ectivescience,itcanimposeitsowngyp
tianis n the other hand, the historical sense can eade
metaphysics anbecome d priieged instrumet ot geeaogy
ltitreusesthecertaityotabsoutes iventhis, corresponds
totheacuit ota g|acethatdisnguishes, separates, and dis-
perse, that is capable ot liberating divergence and margia|
elementsthe kid ot dissociang iew thatis capae ot de-
composngitselt, capableotshatteringtheunitotman sbeig
through which it was tought that he cou|d eend his sover

eigtto the evets of hispast.


istoricaleaningbecomesadimensionot|||c|c|s|cr|c
to the extent that it places within a process development
everythingconsideredimmortali man e blieve that teel-
ingsaeimmutab|e,buteversetiment,particular|ytheoblest
andmostdisinterested, hasa histo e be|iee in the du|
constancyofinsal|ifeanimanethati tcouestoexet
isforceidiscriiatelyithepresentasitdidithe past t
a know|edge of history easi|y disintegrates this uity, depicts
itswaeringcourse, |ocatesitsmomets ofstregthandweak
ness, ad definesits oscil|atigreign. t eai|yseesthe slow
elaboratio ot instts and those movemets here, i trn
ing upo themse|ves they e|ent|ess|y set abot their se|
desctio ebe|ieve,inayevent, tat theodyobeysthe
exclusie |aws ofphysio|ogy and that it espes the inenc
othistoy, butthis too isfalse he body is modedby a great
may distinct regimes it i s broken down by the rhyths of
work,rest, andhodays,itispoisonedyfoodoraues,tough
eatig habits or moral laws, it cosucts resistaces tte
tive history ditters rom tradioal history in being witout
constants. othinginmanotevenhisbodyis sfficient|y
stabletoserveasthebasisforse|frecognitionororunderstand
oo 1l 0 Mc||ad
ing other men. he traditional devices for constcting a com-
prehensiveewofhistoryandforretracingthepastasapatient
and continuous development must be systematicall disman
tled ecessaril, we must dismiss those tendencies that en-
courage the consoing pla of recognitions nowedge, even
unerthebnnerothistory, doesnotdependonrediscovery,
and it emphaticaly excludes the redi scovery of orselves .
istorbecomes effectivet othedegree thati t introducesdis-
continityintoorverybeingasitdividesouremotions, dram
atiesourinstincts, multiples ourbodyandsetsitagainstitself.
ffective history deprives the self of the reassuring stability
ofife and nature, and itwill not permit itself tobetransported
by a voiceless obstinacytowarda miennialending. twill up-
root its traditional foundations and relentlessly disrupt its pre-
tended continuit. 1his isbecause knowledge is not made for
understanding, itis made forcutting
From these observations, wecangrasp the particular traits
ofstocameagasietzscheuderstooditthesensewch
opposes u!r/|!c|c !5|0r!c to traditional histo. he former
transposes the relationship ordinarily established beteen the
eruption ofan event and necessary continuity. An entire his-
torical tradition [theological or rationalistic) aims at dissolving
the singular event into an idea continutyas a teleoogical
movement or a natural process ffective histo, however,
deals with eventsin terms oftheir mostunigue characteristics,
theirmostacuteanifestations . Anevent,conseguetly, isnot
a decision, a treaty, a reign, or a battle, but the reersa of a
relationship of forces, the usurpation ofpower, the appropria-
tion ofa vocabularyturnedagainstthosewhohadonceusedit,
a feebledominationthat poisons itseltasitgrowslax, theentry
of a masked other. 1he forces operatin in history are not
controledby destiny orregultivemechanisms, butrespondto
haphaadconcts. ey do notmanest the successive fos
of a primordial ntention and their attraction is not that of a
concusion, for they always appear through the singular ran-
domness of events The inverse of the hristan world, spun
entirelby a dvne spider, and different from theworldofthe
reeks, divided betweentherealmofwllandthe reatcosmic
foly the world of effective history knows onl one kingdom,
|c|zs|c, Ccncc|c, H|s|c oJ
wltcutprcvldencecrlnal cause,wherethereis ol thelrcn
hand ctneCeSSltyShklngthedlcebcctchance. LDnceS
nOt simply the drawlng ct lcts, but ralslng the stakes ln evey
atempttcmasterchancethrcughthewllltopcwer and giving
setctherlskotanevengreaterchance. he wdwekDCw
ls nctthis utimately simple ccntlguratlcn whereCVCD!S are re
dued!Caccenatetheiressentiatalts thelrtiDl mening, cr
thelrlnitlal and lnal VUC D theccntay, lt i s pctsicn
Oentangledevents itappearsasamarvelcusmot|ey, Qrc-
CUDG and !C!lly meDlD_U, this is OCCUSC Il DC_D and
cntnuesitssecretelS!CnCe!DICU_DaDCS!CCtItSDGphan
!SmS. e want hlstorlans !C CCDm CUt DlIC lD! the
pesentrests UQCD QtCCUDG ID!CD!ICDS DG ImmulDC DCCCSSI-
!ICS !!DC UCDISlCtIC SCDSC CCDIImS CUtCXS!CDCC mCD_
CCUD!CSSCSlCVCD!S,WI!DCU!DGmtKCIQCIDCrCtereDCe.
CC!IVC DISlCIy CD SC IDVCt! tDe re|tICDShlQ thattrdl
lICD IS!CI, ID I!S GCQCDGCDCC D mC!pDSIcs, CS!DISDCS
DIWCCn QtCXImI! DG GIS!DCC. JDC llCt IS _VCD !O on
lCuQIICD C GIS!DCCS DG DeI_DtS- !DC DCDCSl QCtIOGS, !D
DI_DCS!CImS, !DCmCS!DSClIGCS,!DCQUtCS!IUIVIUUI!ICS.
! CCCmQISDCS !DIS Dy C!D_ S DCt S QCSSIDlC, QlCID_ I!SC
l !DC CC! c lts mCUDlID QCKS, ! !DC tISK C GCQUD_ !D
uCUS QCtSQCCVC CC_S CCUVC DISlCIy, OD l CCt DDG,
SDCtlCDS IlS VISID !C !DCSC !DlD_s DCtCSl !C I!DC DOGy, lD
DCCUS SS!Cm, ntrlton, GI_SUCD, DG CDCt_ICS I! UDCtlDS
!DC QCtICGS C GCCGCDCC, DG iI! CDCCS UQOD Ol CQCCS
Il ISWI!D !DCSUSQICICDDCl vndltveDUl] CyOUSClDdID
DtDtCUS DG SDmCU CCDUSICD. t DS nc CI C lcCKID_
GCWD, SC CD_ S I IS UDGCtS!CCG !Dl I! CCKS rm DCVC DU
descens !C SCIZC lDC VtICUS QCtSQCC!IVCS, ! GISCCSC disper
sonsDG GICtCDCCS, !C leavethlngsundlsrbeln !DCIt cw
dlmenslcn and lntenslty. ! reveses !DC SUCQ!I!ICUS QIC!ICC
o DIS!CDS, !DC QtC!CDSICD !C eamlne !DID_S urthest rc
themselves, the grovellng manneln whlch theyQQch thls
prcmsing dlstance like the mClQDySICIDS WDC proclalm the
elstence ctan atterllte, sltuated ! diSlDCe rom IDIS WCtG
as QICmSC C theirreward . ectiveDlS!c sudles whI IS
CCSCS!, DU! ID D DQt dlspcssesslcn, sc S to sele lt !
S!DCC D apprcach SII tcthatctadcctorwh|ccksclcsey
U Iru| cnJMc|cJ
who punges to make a diagnosis and to state its difference)
Mistorica sense has more in common with medicine than phi-
osophy, and it should notsurprise us thatietsche occasion
y employs the pase storicayand physiologicay, sce
among the phiosopher s idiosyncracies is a complete denial of
the body. 1scludes, aswe, the absence ofstocal sense,
a hatred for the idea of development, gyptianism, the obsti-
nate placing ofconcusions atthebeginning, ofmakingast
things first Mistory has a moreimportanttask than tobe a
handmaiden to phiosophy, to recount the necessary birth of
truth and values it shoud become a differential knowledge of
energies and failings, heights and degenerations, poisons and
antdotes ts task s tobecome a curaive science.
1he finaltraitoteffectivehistory is its atfirmation ofknowl-
edgeasperspective istorianstakeunusualpains toerasethe
elements in their work which reveal their grounding in a par-
ticuar time and pace, their preferences in a controversythe
unavoidable obstacles of their passion. ietsche s version of
historical sense is explicit in its perspective and acknowledges
its system ofin ustice. lts perception is santed, being a delib-
erate appraisal, affirmation, ornegation,itreaches thelingering
and poisonous traces in order to prescribe the bestantidote. lt
isnotgiventoadiscreeteffacementbeforetheob ectsitobserves
and does not submit itsef to their processes, nor does it seek
laws, since it gives egual weight to its own sight and to its
ob ects 1hrough thishistorical sense, knowledgeisallowedto
create its own genealogy in the act of cognition, and u||||:|c
H|s|cr|c composesageneaogyofhistoryastheverticalproection
ofits position.
ln this context, ietsche links historica sense to the his-
torian shisto 1heyshareabeginningthatissimilarlyimpure
and confused, share the same sign in which the symptoms of
sickness can be recognied as wel as the seed of an exguisite
flower. 1hey arose simultaneously to folow their sparate
ways, but our task is to trace their common genealogy
1he descentHcrkun|) ofthe historianisuneguivocal heis
of humble birth. A characteristic of history is to be without
choice. it encourages thorough understanding and excudes
|0|7Sth0, L0h00|0_, |S!0Q
.
J
QuI!!IVC ] uG_mCDI SCDSI!VIIy ! l IHID_S WI!HCU! dIS-
!IDCIIC, CCmQICDCDSVC VICWCXCudID_ ICICDCCS . C!HD_
mUS! CSCQC I! DU, mCIC ImQCI!D!y, DCIHID_ mUS! DC CX-
CuGCU. IS!CIIDS I_uC ID! !DIS QICVCS !DCII !C! DG GICIC-
!ICD. !CI l, WD! II_D! DVC IHCy ! ImQCSC !DCII !S!CS Dd
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ID !DC QS! JDCII mIS!KC IS !C CXDIOI! !C!l lCK C IS!C, IDC
DG Cl CIUGCDSS !D! OCCmCS SmU_ ID IDC QICSCDCC C !DC
lClICS!ClCmCD!S DG IDGS S!ISC!IDIDICGuCID_!DCu !C SI2C
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SCICD CI !DC SCCIClS IH! ClI!!lC CVCIylDID_ DSC CUIICI!y.
Dl I S !DC SOUICC C DIS!OIy ! CCmCS ICm IDC QlCDS C
WDCmSI! UGICSSCU JOlDC QlCDS DU!SUISCUISCSlICD_ly
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ID!UCDS DU !IDSCIm IDC _IDGCUI DIS!Iy ID!C QCl-
DCSS, CI, DG mISCIIUDC. JDC DISICIIDSDCCSy _OCSDCK
!C OCIICS
JDIS UCm_O_UCIy, C COUISC, mUS! DC mSCG ! mUS!
HGC I! SD_UlI mlICC UDGCI !HC ClCK C uDIVCISlS. !DC
GCm_C_UC IS CDlI_CG IC IDVCKC !IU!D, lWS C CSSCDCCS, DG
C!CID DCCCSSI, !DC HIS!CIID uUSI IDVCKC CO]CIIIy, !DC C-
CuICyCC!S, DG!HCQCImDCDCCC!HCQS!. JDCGCu_C_UC
dCDICS!DC DCGy!CSCCuIC!DC SCVCICI_D!y O !ImCCSS IUC, DG
IHCDISCIID CCCSDSQICQCI IDdIVIGuI!y SC !H!C!DCISmy
CD!CI IHC S!_C Dd ICCIm !HC OWD SQCCCD. C IS dIVIGCU
_IDSl HImSCl CICCG IC SCDCC DIS QICCICDCCS G CVCICCC
HIS GISlS!C, !C DlUI DIS CD QCISQCC!IC DG ICCC I! I!H !DC
IC!IOD C UDIVCIS _CCmC!Iy, !O mImIC UCH ID CdCI !C CD!I
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WCIld WHCIC DC HS CCDQUCICG DIS IDGIVIGU WIl HC CCuCS
V t| c 0
a guide to the inevitable law ofa superiorwill Mavingcurbed
te demands ot his individua will in his knowledge, he will
disclose the form of an eternal will in his ob ect of study. he
ob ectivity of historians inverts the relationsips of will and
knowledge and it is, in the same stroke, a necessa belief in
providence, in fina causes andteeologythebeliefs thatplace
tehistorianinthefamiyofascetics. lcan tstandtheseustful
eunuchs ofhistory, all the seductions ofan asceticdeal can t
stand these blanched tombs producing life or those red and
indifferentbeingswhodressupinthepartofwisdomandadopt
an ob ective pointofviw
The /n|s|cnung of history is found in nineteenthcentury
urope the and ofinterminglings and bastardy, the period of
te manofmture Wehavebecomebarbarianswithrespect
to those rare moments of high civilization cities in ruin and
enigmatic monuments are spreadoutbeforeus we stop before
gaping walls, weaskwhatgods inhabitedtheseemptytempes
reat epochs lacked this curiosity, lacked our excessive defer
ence, they ignored their predecessors the cassical period ig-
nored Shakespeare he decadence of urope presents an
immense spectace whilestrongerperiodsrefrained fromsuch
exhibitions),andteatureofthissceneistorepresentatheater,
lackingmonumentsofourownmakin, whicproperly belong
to us, we live among crowded scenes. utthereis more. u-
ropeans no longer know themseves, they ignore their mixed
ancestries and seek a proper roe heylack individuaity. We
canbegin to understand the spontaneous historica bent ofthe
nineteenth century. the anemia ofits forces and those mixtures
thateffacedallitsindividualtraitsproducedthesameresultsas
themortificatiosofasceticism,itsinabiitytocreate, itsabsence
ofartisticworksanditsneedtoreyonpastachievementsforced
it to adopt the base curiosi ofpebs
lf this fully represents the genealogy ofhistory, howcould
itbecome, inits own right, a geneaogicla

alysis Whydidit
not continue as a form of demogogic or religious knowledge
Mow coud it cange roles on the same stage` nly by being
seized, dominated, and urned against its birth. And itis this
movemet which properly describes the specific nature of the
/n|s|cnng: itis notthe unavoidabe conclusion ofa ong prep
|e|zsc|e, Cenec|c, Hs|c
dId!ICD, DU! SCCDC WHCIC CICCS IC IISKCU ID DC CDDCC
CCDICn!!ICDS, WDCIC !HCy CmCI_C !IIUmQDD!, WDCIC !DC CD
dlSC DC CCDISC!CU. JHC CCUS C CCI_CDCC C C!QDSICS
WS SUCly F!DCDD UCmC_C_uCIy, lHC VUl_I SQ! C CCI!S
dDU HIS DCIC ID ImmCI!I!y, DU l!C CCUl DdV SCCU IHS
CCI!I QHIlCSCQHy !C !UID I! _IDS! I!SCl. DUUD!CUl DC
WSC!CD!CuQ!CU!CUCSC,OU!HISUCC!lICSIDI!SCDSCCIC
JHC QIDCu WS SImI ID !DC DIDClCCD!H CCDUty lC VCIU
UCID_ I !DC QCQUlISCCCISmCHISCIIDS WDdl l!C OI
CCI!CS. DIS DIS!CIIC dI! SDCUlU DC! DC CUDUG CD QD-
CSCQD C DIS!Cty, Du! UISmD!CG, DC_IDDID_ WIlD !DC !DID_S
I! QICUuCCU, I! IS DCCCSSIy !C mS!CI DIS!CIy SC dS !C !UID I! lC
_CDCdlO_ICl uSCS, !D! S, S!IIC!y D!Il!CDIC QuICSCS. Dly
IHCD Wll !DC HIS!CIICl SCDSC ICC I!SCl ICm !HC UmDUS C
SUQIDIS!CIIC DIS!C.
JH HIS!CIICl SCDSC VCS IISC !C !HICC USCS!Hd! CQQCSC DU
CCIICSCDU !C !DC !DICC d!CDIC mCUI!ICS CHIS!y. HC IIS!
S QICUIC, UIICC!CU _IDS! IC!y, DU CQQCSCS lDC !HCuC C
DIS!CIydSICuIDISCCDCCCIICCC_D!ICD,!HCSCCCDUISUISSCCI!IVC,
OICC!CO d_IDS! IUCD!I!y, dDU CQCSCS DIS!CIy _IVCD S CD!I-
HuIy C ICICSCD!!IVC C d !IUI!CD, !DC !HIIU IS SCIIICIl, UI-
CC!CU d_IDS! !IU!D, dDU CQQCSCS HIS!CIy S KDCWlCU_C. HCy
mQy d USC CDIS!CIy !Hd! SCVCIS IS CCDDCCUCD mCmCIy, !S
mC!dQySIC dDU dn!HICQCC_ICd mCUC , DU CCDS!IuC!S
CCuD!CImCmCIy !IDSCIm!ICD C HIS!CIy ID! !C!dly UI-
CICD! CIm C !ImC.
IIS!, !DC QICUIC dDU dICICd uSC. JHC HIS!CD CCIS IHS
CCDuSCUDUDCDymCUSuICQCD, WHCDClC_CtKDCWSDI-
SC CI D! DdmC HCSHCUlGdUC!, !DC QCSSIDIlI! !CIDIIVC
GCD!I!ICS, uCIC IDUIVIUulIZCG DU SuDS!D!I !D DS CWD.
u! !DC mD WIlD DIS!CICl SCDSC WIl SCC !H! !HIS SUDS!I!U!ICD
S SImQy UIS_UISC. IS!CIIdS SuQQICU !HC CVClU!ICD WI!D
CmD QIClC!yCS, ICmD!ICISm WI!D KDI_H! S dI, DU !HC
d_DCIID CIdWS _IVCD!HC SWCIU C CImDHCIQHCm-
CIl QIQS !D! QCID! !C CUI CWD uDIClI!y. C OC KCQ! IDC
ICmVDCI!ID_ !DCSC IClI_ICDS, ICm _CID_ !C ytCU!D!C CCm-
mCuCId!C DCW !CIC, !DCy WCIC ICC, S WCll, !C DC !IDS-
CCU!C S!ICC!VCDUCISCCmQ!yIUCDU!ICS. DCCWHIS!CD,
J1
.
rI cnMc||ad
the genelogist, will kow what to make of this masguerade
Mewill ot be too serious to en oy it on thecontrary, he wil
ush the masguerade to its limit and prepare the greatcarnival
oftimehere masksareconstantlyreappearing olongerthe
identification of our faint individuality with the solid identities
ofthepat,butourunrealizationthroughtheexcessivechoice
ofideneFreerickofMohenstaufen,aes,esus,ionysus,
and possibly arathustra. aking upthese masks, revitalizing
the buffoonery ofhistory, we adoptanidentity whose unreaity
surpasses that ofod, who started the charade. erhaps, we
can discovera realm where originality is again possible as par-
odists of history andbuffoonsofod nthis, werecognize
teparoicdoubleofwhatthesecondoftheUn||mc|y McJ||c||cns
called monumental history d history given to reestablisng
thehigh points ofhistoricaldevelopmentandtheirmaintenance
ina perpetualpresence,givenotherecoveryofworks, actions,
andcreationsthroughthemonogramoftheirpersonalesence.
utin , ietzsche accusedthishistory, one totally devoted
to veneration, of barring access to the actual intensities and
creationsoflife. heparodyofhislasttextsservestoemphasize
thatmonumentalhistory isitselfa parody. enealogyishis-
tory i n the form ofa concerted carnival .
he second use of history is the systematic dissociation of
identity his is necessar because this rather weak identi
which we attempt to support and to unify under a mask, isin
itself only a parody. it is plural countl ess spits dispute its
possession numeroussystemsintersectandcompete he study
ofhistorymakesone happy,unlikethemetaphysicians,topos-
sess in oneself notan immortal soulbut many mort ones.
And in each of these sous, history will notdiscovera forgotten
identity, eager to be reborn, but a compex system of distinct
and multipleelements, unabletobe masteredby the powersf
synthesis. tisa signofsuperiorculturetomaintain, ina fully
consciousway, certainphasesofitsevolutionwhichlessermen
pass through witho

t thouht. heinitia resultis thatwecan


understand those who resemble us as completely determine
systemsand asrepresentativeofdiverse cultures, thatis to say,
as necessary and capable of modification. And in return, we
areabletoseparatethephasesofourownevolutionandconsider
|e|zsc|e, Cenec|c, H|s|c J
!HCm IDOIVIGuy. JDC QuIQCSC C HIS!CI _uIGCG D _C
DCC_y,IS DC!!CGISCCVCI!DCICClSCCuIIOCD!Ily,Dl!CCCum
I!SC !C !S GISSIQ!ICD. ! GCCS DC! SCC !C GCIDC CuI uDIUC
!HICSHCO CCmCI_CDCC, lDCHmCDG!CWDICDmClQDySICIDS
QICmISC IC!uID, I!SCCKS !mKCVISIDCClDCSCGISCCD!ID
I!ICS !HICICSSuS . FDUuIID HIS!CIy, CCCIGID_ !C !HC
||meyM:J||c||cns, QuISUCS CQQCSI!C_CS. ! SCCKS !HCCDUCS
C SCI, D_u_C, DG uIDD IC ID WHICHI QICSCD! IS ICClCU,
Dd, D CulIV!ID_ ID GCIC!C mDDCI!HlWDICDCXIS!CG OI
!ImC, I! !IICS !C CCDSCIVC CI QCS!C!y !HC CCDdI!ICDS UDGCI
WHICH C WCIC DCID. JHIS !yQC C HIS!C WS CD] CC!CG lC
ID IHCMeJ||c||cnsDCCuSCI!!CDGCG!CDCCKCIC!IVIIDSuQQCI!
CIHC WS CIGCI!y. CmCWHI!CIDG ICU IDHmc
A|!cc IC!ZSCDC ICCCDSIGCIS !C !SK C!DC D!IUI
ID, Du! WI!H D !C_C!HCI GICICDI CmQHSIS _CDClC_y ID
!S CWD I_H! _IVCS SC IC QuCSlICDSCCDCCIDID_ CuI DlIVC DG,
D!IVC D_u_C, CI !HC WS lH! _CVCID uS, I!S ID!CD!ICD I S lC
ICVC !C C!CIC_CDCCuS SySlCmS WHICH, mSKCU D !HC SC,
IDHIDII IHC CIm!CD C Dy CIm C IGCD!.
JH !HIIG uSC C HIS!CIy IS !HC SCICC C IC SuD] CC! C
KDCWCO_C. D QQCIDCC, CI IIHCI, CCCIGID_ !C lDC mSK I!
DCIS, IS!CIIC CCDSCICUSDCSS IS DCu!I, GCVCId C QSSICDS,
DG CCmI!!CG SCCy !C lIu!H. u! I Il CXmIDCS I!SC DU ,
mCIC _CDCIly, I! ID!CIIC_!CS !HC VIICuS CImS C SCICD!IIC
CCDSCICSDCSS ID I!S HIS!CI, Il IDGS !Hl !HCSC CImS DO
!IDSCIm!ICDS IC SQCC!S C !H WI !C KDCWCG_C IDSlIDC!,
QSSIC, !HCIDQuISI!CI S GCVClICD, CIuC SuD!Cl, DG mIC !
GISCCVCIS lHC VICCDCC C QCSI!ICD !H! SICS _IDSllHCSCWHC
IC HQQy ID !HCII I_DCIDCC, _IDS! !HC CCC!IC IuSICDS Dy
WHICH umDI QIC!CClS I!SC, QCSI!ICD l! CDCCUI_CS !C
GD_CISCCSCICHDGGCI_DlSIDGISluIDID_GISCOVCIICS. JC
HIS!CIIC DySIS C !DIS IDCICuS WI !C KDCCG_C ICVCS
!H! KDCWCG_C ICSlS uQCD ID]uS!CC !Hl !HCC IS DC I_D!,
DC!CVCDID!HCC!CKDCWID_, !C!Iu!HCICuDG!ICDCIlIu!H
DG!H!!DCIDS!IDC!CIKDCWCG_C ISmIICUS SCuC!HID_muI
dCICuS, CQQCSCG !C !HC HQQIDCSS C mDKIDG . VCD ID !HC
_IC! CXQDGCG CIm I! SSUmCS ICG, !HC WI !C DCWCG_C
dCCS C! CHICVC uDIVCIS u!H, mD IS DC! _IVCD D CXC!
DG SCCDC S!CIy C DIuIC. D !H CCD!IIy, I! CCSCCSSy
JO !u|| and Mc||cJ
mltipiestherisks, createsdangersineveryareaitbreaksdown
illsor defenses itdissolves theunity ofthe sub ect, itreleases
thse elements ofitself that are devoted to its subversion and
destruction owledge does not slowlydetach itselffromits
empiricalroots, theinitialneedsfromwhichitarose, tobecome
pure specation sub ect only to

the demands of reason, its de-


velopment i s not tied to the constution and affirmation of a
free subect rather, it creates a progressive enslavement to its
instinctive violence. Where religions once demanded the sac-
rifice of bodies, knowledge now calls for experimentation on
ourselves, calls us to the sacrifice ofthe subect ofknowledge.
1hedesireforknowledgehasbeentransformedamongusinto
a passion which fears no sacrifice, which fears nothing but its
own extinction t maybe that mankindwill eventually perish
frm this passion for knowledge lfnotthroughpassion, then
through weakness. We must be prepared to state our choice.
do we wish humanity to end in fire and light or to end on the
sands We should now replace the two great probems of
nineteenthcentury philosophy, passedonbyichte and Megel
[the reciprocal basis of truth and lierty and the possibility of
absolute knowedge), with the theme that to perish through
absoluteknowledgemaywelformapartofthebasisofbeing.
1his does not mean, in terms of a critica procedure, that the
will to truthisimitedby theintrinsicfinitudeofcognition, but
that it loses all sense oflimitations and all claim to tthin its
unavoidabe sacrifice of the subect oknowedge. lt may be
thatthereremainsoneprodigiousideawhichmightbemadeto
prevail over every otheraspiraon, whichmightovercomethe
most victorious. theideaofhmanitsacrificingitsef. ltseems
indisputable thatf this new consteation appeaed on the ho
rion, only the desirefortruth, withitsenormousprergatives,
coulddirectandsustainsucha sacrifice. Forto knowledge, no
sacrifice is too great. f course, this problem has never been
posed
1he|n|!mc|y c0! |0|!0n5 discussedthecrticaluseofhistory.
i tsusttreatmentofthepast,i tsdecisive cutngoftheroots, its
re ection of traditional attitudes of reverence, its lberaion of
man by presenting him with other oriins than those n which
he prefers to see himself ietsche however, reproachedcrit
N|e|sc|e, Cenec|cgy, H|s|cry J
icalhistofordetachingusfromeveryreasourceandfor sac-
rificing theverymovement ofife to the eclusive concern for
truth. oehatter asehave seen, ietzscheecosiders
this line thought he had at first refused, but directs it t
altogethe differentends lt isno longer a uestion of udging
the pastinthe name ofa truththatonlywe can possess inthe
present,utofriskingthedestruction ofte sub ectwho seeks
knowledeintheendlessdeploymentofthewilltoowledge
n a sense, genealogy rerns to the three mdalities of
history thatietzscherecognizedi n. ltreturns tothemi n
spite ofte ob ections thatietzsche raised i ntheame ofthe
affirmative and creative powersofife uttheyare metamor
phosed the veneration ofmonumentsbecomes pardy, the re-
spect foranciet continuities becomes systematic dissociation
thectigeofthe in ustices ofthepastby a truthheldby men
inthepresentbecomesthedestructionofthemanwhmaintains
knolede bythe in ustice properto the il to knedge.
(lJy
' Ld . ee W. Mietzsche' sFretaceton||eCenec|cgyc]crc|sBB) ,
i n 8csic ri|ings c] Nie|zsc|e ed. and trans. Walter amann e
ork odernibra, I 9B), sec. 4, 7.
F. W. Mitzsche, !|eCcySc|enceIBB2), ans. Walteralann Me
ork Rando House, I974), no 7

F. W. Mietzsche, Humcn, A|| !cc Humcn IB7B, Mew ork ordon


Fress, I97), no. J.
Mietzsche, Cenec|cgy I, sec. , B.
Mietzsche, CcyScience, nos. I IO JOO.
" F. W Mietzsche, !|e Dcn c] Dcy IBBI, Mew ork Cordon Fess,
I9Z4) , no. IO2 (d . Pudenc cr|gc is shametul origin. )
Mietzsce c cience, nos I5I J5J, also Dcun, no 2, Cenec|c, I,
sec I 4, F Mietzsche, he Four Creat rrors in u||g|| c] ||e
lJc|s IBB) in |c Pc|c||c |e|zsc|c, ed. and rans Wa|tr aufann
Mew or ikingFress, I94), se 7. (J c|ucrz|n||cri sa black
magician. )
Faul Re stetwasentitled rsprungderMcrc||sc|en LpnJungen.
ru||oJc||cJ
mcn A|| cc Humcn, aphorism 92 was ent|ed rsprung Jc
recn||ge||
I0
n te main body ot the Ccncc|cgy, rsprung and Hcr|unp| are used
iercangeab|y in numerus instanes sec. 2 II sec. B, I I , I2, I G,
I ) .
' Mietzsche, Dcun, no. 2J.
' Mietzsche, Humcn A||!ccHmcn, no J4.
F. Mietzsche,!|chcnJcrcrcnJH|sS|cJc[IBBO),inCcmp|c|chcr|s
e or Cordon Fress, I97), no. 9.
' LJ . A wide range ol ey terms, loundi nFoucau|t s !|cArc|ccc|cgy
c]Kncu|edge, are re|ated to this theme ol disparit the concepts ol
series, discontinui, division, and dillerence. l the scmc is lound in
the rea| and movement otthe dia|ectics, the J|scrc|epresentsitsell
as an evet in thewor|dofchance.
Mietzsche, lcnJerer, no. J
` Mietzsche, , no. 49.
I 7
F. W. Mietzsche, N|e|zsc|eccn|rc lcgner [ IBBB), in Pcr|c||eNic|zsc|c
I8
Mietzsche, Ccy Sc|ence, nos . I IO, 2G5.
` ietsche, ow the Te Wor|d ina||y ecame a Fab|e, !u|||g||
c]lJc|s
?0
or eamp|e, on race, see Mietsche s Ccy Sc|ence, n. IJ5, 8cycnJ
ccJ cnd Li| [ IBB) in 8cs| lr|||ngs, nos 2O, 22, 244, Ccncc|cgy I
sec. 5 on socia| tpe see Ccy Scence, nos. J49 8cycnJCccJcnJ i|,
no 2GO
21
ietsche 8cycnJCccJcnJ |, no 2.
ietsche, Ccncc|cgy, III sec 7 The c||uo| t tee|ings o
depression.
23
ietsce, Reason in hi|ospy, 1i|ig||c]Jc|s
24
Mietzsche, Dcun, no 247.
Miezsche, CySc|ence, nos J49.
26
i d.
2 7
Mietzsche, Dcun, no. 42.
28
Mietzsche, 8cycnJ CccJcnJ L||, no. 2G2
N|esc|e, Cenec|c His|cp J
'' Nietzsche, Ccncc|cgy, lII, no. IJ.
MClzschC, Ccy Sc|ence no I4B. It s a| soo an aneia of tei|
!al onemusl llIDU!C lDC Ln|s|e|bng ofuddhsm and stant

.
MiC!zscRC, Ccnec|cgy, I, sec. 2.
' Metzsche, 8eycnd CccJ cndL0l|, Do. 20, SCC a|so Ccnec|0gy, I I sec
2.
Mietzsche, hcnderer, no. 9.
Metzsche, Ccy Sc|ence, no .
elZsce, Ccncc|cgy, II, no. .
Metzsche, Ccncc|og, Frelace, sec. Z, andI, se 2 8eycd ccd cnJ
t||, no. 224.
Mtzsce, Ccy bclentc, no
d.
Metzsche, Ccncc|cgy, II, sCct 2.
Metzsce, Dcun, no. 3O.
*' Metzsche, Ccncc|cgy, I, . 2.
` Metzsche, Humcn A| | !cc Hucn, no. o
` C!zschC, !u|||g||c] n. 4
Metsche, Reason n Fhi|osophy 1ui||_|| c]Jc|s, nos. , 4.
MCtzsche, hcnderer, no. bb (J Tis conCepUOD uder|es th
taskofFoucau|t sMcdnes5 cnJC|i|ic|icnand!|c8ir||c]||eC/|n!c even
though l S notfoundasa consciousforu|aonUD! |e Arc|ccc|cgy
aj Kncu|cgc
ClZSCHC, Ccy ciencc,DO. JJZ
C!ZSCHC, Ccncc|cgy, III, SCC. 2o
C!ZsChC, 8eycndCccJcnJ L0!|, no. 223.
' Me!zsChe, 0nJ0r0r [ LQDODS DG wXCG D!!CmCHl5) , o IZ
CtzsChe, Humcn A| | !cc umcn, no. 2Z1.
F. . etzsche, Ln|/me|yMcJ||c||cns 8Z3-), D Cc|e|ecrs, II,
no. J.
JJ ru| cnc Mc||cd
Cf M etzschesDcun, nos. 429,4J2,CcySc|cncc,no JJJ,8cycndCccJ
nd t||, nos 229O.
d he Frenc phrasetcu|c|r-sctc|r meansboththewi|| to know|
edge and know|edge as reenge.
Mietsce, Dcun, no.
mi.
Mietsche, 8cycnd Cccd cnd t||, no. J9.
Mietzsche, Dcun, no. 45.

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