the philosopher as lover

*as for the Nazis, who never called in those days, once incarcerated with the torture instruments in sight, like Saint Augustine, I can always convince them with an argument, praise be to God.   

there are predecessors in the field of what's called critical theory, most notably Nietzsche, who hoped to restore the balance between science and spirituality and certainly made a lot of progress, but just as we now can spot bozons, where once appeared only protons electrons and neutrons, so also what appears through the lenses of my predecessors is relatively crude and leading down many blind alleys refuted at the new level of resolution, and meanwhile in focusing on the wave versus particle, yin versus yang, we arrive at something like the original particle.  The misogyny of Nietzsche demanded constant belligerent divisiveness, which I have no issue with if it can ascend to an aggressive flamingo or tango rather than simply fling off the partner.  Never trust a prophet who cannot dance, he says -- meaning for him dance alone on the top of the mountain.  Then later, one arm waving free silhouetted by the sea.  C'est une type de vie. But not the pinnacle for me.   Indeed another monomaniacal monism. The greatest art, the greatest life, is not born of the greatest love of all, according Whitney Houston, but of love of another.  Dante of Beatrice. Jesus of Lazarus, for whom he wept tears -- a love strong enough to raise him from the dead.  and arguably of Mary Magdalene, whom, according to early texts, he kissed on the lips, or of humanity, which he divinized in claiming to live in its lowliest.  The last shall be first.  The dependent the most independent. The prophet as lover.   Those willing and able to be hurt the strongest and greatest, Venus the goddess of love, protector of Italy thwarting the manly Athena. Long may Venus reign. Aphrodite, goddess of beauty requiring someone to gaze on her.  The higher god of art deposing that of philosophy as mercy trumps justice.   But I must not imitate the rival to defeat it.   I must teach it how to dance not just with itself, but with me.