The History of an Error
1.
The true world—attainable for the sage, the pious, the virtuous man; he lives
in it, he is it.
(The oldest form of the idea, relatively sensible, simple, and persuasive. A circumlocution for the sentence, "I, Plato, am the truth.")
2.
The true world—unattainable for now, but promised for the sage, the pious, the
virtuous man ("for the sinner who repents").
(Progress of the idea: it becomes more subtle, insidious, incomprehensible—it becomes female, it becomes Christian ...)
3.
The true world—unattainable, indemonstrable, unpromisable; but the very
thought of it—a consolation, an obligation, an imperative.
(At bottom, the old sun, but seen through mist and skepticism. The idea has become elusive, pale, Nordic, Königsbergian.)
4.
The true world—unattainable? At any rate, unattained. And being unattained,
also unknown. Consequently, not consoling, redeeming, or obligating: how
could something unknown obligate us? ...
(Gray morning. The first yawn of reason. The cockcrow of positivism.)
5.
The "true" world—an idea which is no longer good for anything, not
even obligating—an idea which has become useless and superfluous—consequently,
a refuted idea: let us abolish it!
(Bright day; breakfast; return of bon sens and cheerfulness; Plato's embarrassed blush; pandemonium of all free spirits.)
6.
We have abolished the true world: what world has remained? the apparent one
perhaps? ... But no! With the true world we have also abolished the apparent
one!
(Noon; moment of the briefest shadow; end of the longest error; high point of
humanity; INCIPIT ZARATHUSTRA.)
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