Hooey-clitus

so as you can see that was hooey. let me say some more coherent things about tha h-may-an.

so, heraclitus is known primarily for two things: the cliche "you can't step into the same river twice" and the aforementioned idea phanta rei, or everything flows. but there are also some other, quite gnomic sayings of his. the first which contradicts phanta rei, is "listen to my word, not to me" or something to that effect (i'm dogsitting, and don't have my heraclitus handy). this is the first appearance of what we've all come to know and love as "logos." it's a good thing, and, some have suggested, the first instance of writerly selfconsciousness in the western tradition - that is, separating the word (the written word) from the speaker. a kind of attempt at objectivity, again a concept that, as far as i can tell, contradicts phanta rei.

the other idea which makes me want to cling to the old crank is "nature loves to hide," as good a statement of resistance against the information of the senses as one is likely to get. plus, hiding is an important act to me personally, as a scorpionic, occasionally under a rock in the desert type.