Variations on the Body

2012
Author:

Michel Serres
Translated by Randolph Burks
Distributed for Univocal Publishing

Renowned philosopher Michel Serres finds the origins of knowledge in the movement of the body

World-renowned philosopher, Michel Serres writes a text in praise of the body and movement, in praise of teachers of physical education, coaches, mountain guides, athletes, dancers, mimes, clowns, artisans, and artists. Variations on the Body describes the variations, the admirable metamorphoses that the body can accomplish.

World-renowned philosopher, Michel Serres writes a text in praise of the body and movement, in praise of teachers of physical education, coaches, mountain guides, athletes, dancers, mimes, clowns, artisans, and artists. This work describes the variations, the admirable metamorphoses that the body can accomplish. While animals lack such a variety of gestures, postures, and movements, the fluidity of the human body mimics the leisure of living beings and things; what’s more, it creates signs. Already here, within its movements and metamorphoses, the mind is born. The five senses are not the only source of knowledge: it emerges, in large part, from the imitations the plasticity of the body allows. In it, with it, by it knowledge begins.

Michel Serres is one of the rare contemporary philosophers to propose an open vision of the world founded on an alliance between the humanities and science.

Randolph Burks is a Michel Serres scholar and translator.

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