Hermes III Volume 78
Unlocking the hidden patterns of knowledge - where science, art, and philosophy speak a common language
Hermes III: Translation is the third volume in Michel Serres's renowned Hermes series, an ambitious exploration of the deep interconnections among disparate fields of knowledge. While Hermes II: Interference traced the overlapping echoes of ideas across realms, Hermes III moves to translate the structural logics of one field - be it genetics, painting, or philosophy - into the language of another. Revealing how the humanities, science, and art share hidden combinatory architectures, Serres exposes the underlying unity of knowledge systems typically thought distinct.
Through an array of examples—from Monod's Chance and Necessity to works by Descartes, Leibniz, Comte, Turner, and Roumain—Serres shows how translation uncovers informational and mathematical patterns that shape both ancient and modern thought. This illuminating methodology leads Serres to issue a stark warning: when knowledge is detached from its guiding purpose, it becomes vulnerable to appropriation by destructive political forces.
Yet Serres's vision remains ultimately hopeful. By tracing knowledge systems back to their mythic and structural roots, Hermes III: Translation gestures toward more harmonious relationships between fields. A rare synthesis of philosophy, science, art, and literature, this work will engage readers interested in the interdependence of disciplines and the possibilities for a more unified, humane understanding of knowledge.
Michel Serres (1930–2019) was author of more than sixty books, including Biogea, Variations on the Body, and The Parasite (all available in translation from Minnesota). He was widely known for his poetic prose and interdisciplinary form of thought.
Randolph Burks is an independent scholar who has translated many works by Michel Serres, including Variations on the Body, Biogea, and Hermes II, all published by the University of Minnesota Press.