Beyond Good and Evil · Chapter
Aphorism 160 explained
A brief aphorism reflecting on the psychological effect of sharing knowledge, suggesting that communication can diminish the personal value or passion one holds for that knowledge.
What happens
A brief aphorism reflecting on the psychological effect of sharing knowledge, suggesting that communication can diminish the personal value or passion one holds for that knowledge.
Free preview opens on this chapter — companions, themes, and character notes appear beside the text.
Narrative arc
Story tension across the book.
- Setup
- Escalation
- Breaking point
- Aftermath
- Closing
The passage reveals the Wanderer's ultimate psychological exhaustion with seeking truth, climaxing in his desp…
Full beat labels and climax notes unlock in the reader.
Follow the arc while readingThemes in this chapter
- Psychology as the Fundamental Science
The aphorism is a psychological insight into the inner life of the knower, examining how an act (communication) alters one's affective relationship to one's own thoughts.
Characters to notice
- The Narrator
Offers a psychological observation on the intimate relationship between a thinker and their knowledge, implying a loss that follows communication.
Key passages
“One no longer loves one’s knowledge sufficiently after one has communicated it.”
Sharing what you know can lessen your own passion for it.
Highlights a potential cost of communication for the intellectual, framing knowledge as something best kept in a state of personal, passionate possession.
