Baubo, Truth, and Joyful Philology in Nietzsche's Die fröhliche Wissenschaft. (15th August 2020)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Tevebring, Frederika
• Is Part Of: German quarterly. Volume 93:Number 3(2020)
• Page Start: 359
• Page End: 373
• Publication Date: 2020-08-15
• Subjects: Nietzsche -- Baubo -- science -- philology -- truth; German language -- Study and teaching -- Periodicals; Letterkunde; Duits; Allemand (Langue) -- Étude et enseignement -- Périodiques; Littérature allemande -- Histoire et critique -- Périodiques; Enseignement; Allemand (Langue); Culture allemande; Littérature allemande; Périodique électronique (Descripteur de forme); Ressource Internet (Descripteur de forme); 430.7
• DOI: 10.1111/gequ.12145
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0016-8831

Abstract

Abstract : Towards the end of the introduction to the second edition of Die fröhliche Wissenschaft, Nietzsche suggests, "Vielleicht ist die Wahrheit ein Weib, das Gründe hat, ihre Gründe nicht sehen zu lassen? Vielleicht ist ihr Name, griechisch zu reden, Baubo?" German intellectual history had traditionally depicted truth as a veiled goddess. Nietzsche's assertion that the mythical Baubo, known for exposing herself to the goddess Demeter, could lend her name to truth is curious. By replacing the solemn goddess of truth with the joking Baubo, Nietzsche parodies conventional science's earnest uncovering of facts. In particular, he is targeting his own field: philology, the field that has given itself the task of uncovering and explaining precisely such ancient names as Baubo. This article unravels Nietzsche's associations around the name Baubo and argues that he makes this name the matrix for the new relationship to truth and knowledge introduced by Die fröhliche Wissenschaft .