THE LOGIC OF SENSE GIlles Deleuze TRANSLATED BY Mark Lester WI TJ-l
Chark'S Stival\'
EDITED BY
Constantin V. Boundas
THE ATHLONE PRESS
London
Contents
I'irsl I'uhli.,h",l in (;rcat Britain in '!l9O h)' Ttl\' Athlol'" l'r<-""s I I'ark Dn"'.lomion N\Vl1 7SG
e
Cop}'nghl t990 Columbu Uni\'ersit)' ~ Origin.lll~· publl~I.....,j .u Los"f"" Ju Srns C 1969 by Ln hlitiom .... Minmt. P,lIis
....,. _ _ OF .... ·poxa OF PURl UCC.'...
P!.ttonic distinction 1:M,twft'n Iimil....1 things .md !x'COming-mad-lnfinih,' idcntit}'-Alico."s adwnturcs or "("n'nts"
British Uhn')' Cauloguing in Publicltioo llit,J
Dekw.... (jilin. '915Th.. Iogk of S<'I1SC. t, ""'aning-Philosophical pcrsp«:th'cs I. Titl., II. Boundas. Constantine V,
[I.
1
Logiquc .Iu
S<'ns. J:rwhsh tH'.6S
Stoic distin('lion 1J{'l\n'("n 1)()(lio.-s or st.ltes of .lIT.lirs ami incorpon,.,l . ,IT.'cts or "'\'l'nts-Ck'a"agt' of till.' ,'allS.l1 rdation-I-lringing to til\' ~urfac('-DiS('O\'('r\" of th.· surfa...' in th(' \\ork of l-<,wis Carroll All nglil~ n"",·n ....!. No pan of this publicltion mot}' he rqxuo:lu.:...1. ston.-d 111 .. n'1.rIt·\,.j s\'Stem. or transrnittt'd. in an)' form or ~ .. n~ m,,·a~ .•·.....lrol'lic. ~hanicll. pholocoP)'lng or Olheruisc. \\lIhoul lho.' pnor Ik'mm,sm in \.-riting from the publisho.T,
I'rll1h~1
tn th., lInit...1 Stall's of America
8
,
.
9005471
-,
(
-I T
(A.-notation, manif"station, signification: th,,'ir n:l.ltions and drnllaril~' -Dol'S til(' proposition haw a fourth dinll,'n~ion?-S.'nSl" ('xpn'M,ion, .1nd {'n'nt-l)Ollhl\· natur(" of S('n~': till' ",'xpn'ssihl... " of till' proposition and til{' attrihute of th... slat.' of .In:,ir.~. insish'n,'I', .lml,·xtra-Iking
,.
BaYINI'II . . . . . Of
BUlli,'wlanguage, to I'at/to sp,.'ak-T\\o kinds of words-T\\o dinwntil{" proposition: IlI'notations and l'xpressions, cOllsumptions ami ~ellsl,-'l1w two S('rks ~i()n~ of
""" . . . . . 0' . . . . .
2.
Characteristics of till' paradoxi(' I'lI'nwnt-What dOl'S it mean for it to he nonS('nS<'; the two ligllrl'S of nonSl'nSl'-'l1lt: two forms of till' ahsunl (without signilication) which an' deriwli from it-co-prl.'SClln' of Sl'nSl' and nonSt'nSt,-St'nsl' as "(,ffl'ct" 1WB.nII . . . . Of .... PA.APOX
[ndl,linitl' prolifcration-Sh'rill' splittjng-N{'utralit~,or till' third statl~ of thl' l'SS\.'nn'-Absurd and imrK>S..,ibll' Objl'Cts
SIxnI . . . . ON ....·'IZ.TION
SIYDft"M MIIIU 0' IIOftIUC WORDS
42
S)'nlhl'sis of contraction all onl' series (collll(·I.'tion)-S)'nthesis of coordination of two S('ril'S (l'Onjunction)-S\'Ilthesis of disjunction or theramilication of scri('s: til{" probl('m of portmanteau words
Levi-Strauss' paradOlo:-Conditions of a structun'-T1U' roll' of singu 4 lariti{'S
TIl(' nature of good Sl'nM.' and thl' paradox-The natun' of common S('nse and the p,aradox-NonSl'nS(', scnM', and thl' organization of the SO-Gllll'li SC1.'Onda~' languagl' 1'hMI&H1H - . 0' ....
PItO"'-anc
S2
Singularitil's and l'wnts-Prohlem and CH·nt-H.I'l'T('atiw mathcmatin-Aleatory point and singular points
S.
Hull's of ordinary ganws-An extraordinary g,llllc-The two readings of tinw; Aion and Chronos-Mallannc
ICIacr• • MC AMt II.: unu GIRL
82
Antonin Artaud and L('wis Carroll-To l'at/to sp('ak and schizophrenk language-Schizophrenia and failure of the surface-The word-passion and its exploded literal values, the word4action and its inarticulate toni<.' values-Distinction Ix,tween the nonSl'nSl' of depth and the nonsense of the surface, till' prima~' ord('r, and till' sl'Condar)' organization of languagl'
fOUillllill1l - . Of
moe-.. CA'MAUn'
M
Incorporeal e\'l·nts.dfl-'C1S, their cause and quasi-causc-lmpa.ssibilit~' and gl'nesis-I-Iusscrl's th('()~'-Tlll' l'onditions of a !'Cal gl'llC'Sis: transn'ndcntal field without thl' I or a o..'ntl'r of individuation
'*,llill1l . . . . 0'
1'INI'H ....U Of TN' IDIAL OAMI
74
36
Saial forol and heterogclll'OuS s<.'ri('s-Tlwir constitution-TIll' point of l'OIwl'rgcnCl' of thl' s('ril's-LKan's paradox: til\' strangl' eleml'nt (I'rnpty place or OCClllhll1t without plan»-Tllt.' slwcp's shop
....". SIIUIS 0' ....
NON'.... 66
'.IM-Amnu
100
TIll' oottl('-Tlll' tran.s<.'('ndl'nt'al field cannot rl'tain the form of ronSl'iouslle-ss-lmpersonal and pn'-indi\'idual singularitil'S-Transn'ndl'lltal l-idd and slirfacl'-DiscOllrsl' of the indh'idual, diSt·ours(' of till' IXTson, dis('Ollrsl' without ground: Is tlU'n' a fourth lliscourSl.'?
SlXIUhTH ....U Of '"'
nanc 0Nf0L001CAL_'
109
(;l'lwsis of til(' individual: LI·i1miz-Conditioll of till' "(.'ompossihility" of J world or of till' l"On\'l'rgl'ncc of s('ril's (continuity)-Transfonna-
tion of tilt' 1'\'1'111 into prt,dkatt'-From til(' indh'idual to till' p{'rSOllI'CI"MlIll'o, prop{'rtil.'s, and d.1SSI'S
$IYUI'I"HNI'It . . . . Of
~
nanc LOGICAl • • ,....
• ••
The charactt'ristks of Chl'OllO,\ .lIld il.~ o\Trthrow by the Iwcoming of thl' dt'plhs-Aion and surf.lCt,-TIlt' organization which is t1('riwd from Aion ami its difft'rI'IW,'S from Chronos
Trallsition of til(' dimensions of tht, proposition-SI-'IlSl.' anti proposilion-Nt'lliralit)' of Sl'nSt.'-Surface and lining
.....IMWnf . . . . Of ~ .,....IMAGU Of .I.osa.....
'27
Philosoph)' and h,'ight-I'hilosoph~'and depth-A new t)'~ ofphilo:-.oplwr: tilt' Sloic-llc-rculL':s and the surfaces
' • •1=1111 . . . . Of tIUMc.
Probl('m of alogical incompatihilitit'S-Lt'ibniz-Posith'c distall('t" and alllnnatiw s)'nthcsis of tilt' dil'ojUlwtion-l:trmal r{'tum, Aion, .lnd straight line: a marl' h'rrihll' l.lhyrimh
Indi\'idllal and c\'«nt-Continuation of the ch'rnal return-The thret' significations of uni\'ocit\'
.~
from signilicalion to tl{'Signation-Stoicism and ZA'n-Classical dis<:oursc.:' and th{, indi\'idual, romantic discourse and tht· person: iron)'Groundlt'SS dis(.'ouf'S{·-The discourse of singulariti{'S: humour or Ihe "founh person singular"
-
"
'rWBiTY-SIXIII _ _ Of LUICI'IAOI
..,
What makes languagt· pos..'~ible-Recapitulation of the organi7...ation of Iangllagl~-Verband intinitiw
. . . . . .1" . . . . ON 1M "«MAL ............ note PM&OSOPIIY
'42
The two pol('S of moralit)': ph)'sit'al di\'ination of things and logical uS(' of rq)rL'St'ntation-Rcpres('ntation, usagc and l'xpn.-ssion-To umkrSI.llUl, to \\ ill. and to rcpn'sclll lIll' {"'t'm
Prohlem of till" d)"namic gcm'sis: from depth to surface-"Positions" an'ording 10 Mdani(' Klt'in-Schizoplm.'nia and dt'prl'SSion, depth and IWight, Simlll.lcrum and Idol-Firsl slep: from noise to the "oice
~-""'''''UOfIMIYDIT
lWWIfn'-11OIII1I _ _ OfAXUAUI'Y
, ...
.96
Thl' I'ternal truth of til(' cn:nt-A(,tualiz.llion and cOllnh'r-.letllalizalion: tilt" a('lor-Tlw two aspt'cts of death as {"'t'nt-The Ill('aning of "to \\ill till' l'n:nt"
TIlt' erogl'nolls zOlws-St'(.'oml Sh'p of tilt' dyn.lmic gt'nt'sis: fOml.llion of surfaces and t1wir coordin,llion-llllagl'-Natlire of till" ot'dipal {'omplt'x, roll,' of the gl'nitalzol1l'
~-NCOteAIUU-~CIIAI"AND VOLCANO
'IWINn'-HlNnI . . . . . -0000 INnNTiOHI AItII1'llYIIAaLY
, ..
TIlt' "\Tack up" (I:itzgt'rald)-TIll' t\\'o pnlC{'SSI'S and tilt' prublt'll1 of tlwir t1i,\tiIKtioll-AlnJllOli:-m and (kpressiw mani.l-llolllagt' 10 pSyl'ht,tl,'lia
,'iii
('ON 1 I N ' "
PU""SIIID
202
TIll,.' ol'dipa[ .lfhir in its t'1'lation with till' ('Ollstitutioll of the sllrface-
To l"I'sIOI"I' and to hring hal'k-C,lstration-Intt'ntion .1S.l l"alq~or\'CONTl'NT~
is
Third Sh-p of gl'rwsis: from Ihe ph~'skal surfact' to the nll'laphysical Sllrf.H'l' (till' dOllhk· S(Tt't'n) I. . . SlMULACItUM AND ANCIINT ....aoIOPIIY
I. PLATU AND 1'1110 SIMlIl.AL'HlIM
Phantasm and e\'ent-Phantasm, ('go. and singularilit's-I'hantasm. \'\'rl>, and language
nIIIrrY-..n _ _ Of 11IOUOMI'
ON""D.'
PlTK.-sOf . . . .
224
S\-rics and S('xualitks: connmiw SC'ries and erogenous zone. conjunctin' S<'rics and ("OOrxlination-Thirxl form of S<'xual S<'ries. disjunction and din'rgl'nn'-I'hantasm and resonan,·{"-St'xualit~, and language: til(' tlm"(' typl"S of series ami the rorn-sponding words- From \'oiet, to sp('('(:h
H.L"t.'alling Ill\' thrl"(' kinds of esotl'ric words in L('wis Carroll-Compart'll summaril"S of AI,et and Throuah rh... LookJlw-Glass-PsydlU.lnalysis and litt'ralun·. Il('urotk familial nowl and nowl-\Vork of arl
1M'II1T-rountt SDIU Of NIMART 0ItDD: AND ~ y OItOAHIZATIOH
20
Platonic dialectics: signilit'ation of division-TIll' selection of the suitof:i-Copit's and simulalTa-Characteristics of the simlilalTa-I-listo~' of repn.-sentation-To n'l't'rs.· Platonism: the modem work. of art and thl' n.'nnge of the simul,ll'ra-Manifl'st and latent content of the l'll'rnal return (Ni(,t7~'il'Il(' again:>1 I'lato)-Et('rnal rl'turn and simulation -~'Iodl"mit)'
217
I'hantasm. paS&lg('. and IX'ginning-The couple ami thought-~kta ph)'Sical surfan'-Orkntation in ps~Thic life. the mouth, and the hrain
,...-ry.~
253
2. I lICHI:"US AN[) TIll,
~IMlIl..AClUlM
266
The din'r.)C-Natuft' and nontouli:f.abl(' sum-Critique of Being, One. and \Vhole-DifTl'rl"nl aSpt'l'ts of till' prindple of causalit~'-Thl" two ligur<."S of method-TIlt' S\\t'rw ami the tht"OI'\' of time. True and false inhnit~'-Disturl>.1llCe of tilt' soul-Emanatio~ of the depth, simulacra of the surface. tht"Ologkal, orwiril', and erotic phantasms-Time and th(' unit of method-Origin of thl' false inlinit}, and of the disturbance of the 5Oul- aturalism and tht· critique of nwths
J. KLOSSQWSKI OR 1K)[)1"_'-LANGllAGI: 280 Tlw disjunetiw s~'lIogism from til(' point of \'kw of the bod)' and languagt'-Pornograph)' and tllC'olog),-Sct-ing and speaking-Kdlcc~ tions, ft'SOnances. and simulal-ra-Dl'nundation-Flcxion ofbodv and languagl'-Exchange and rl'Jx'lilion-Repl"tition and thl' simula'crum -Kole of frozen sccn("S-Tlw dilemma: bodk'Sl1anguag('-God and ,Antichrist: the two rcalms- Kanlian tlwor)' of til(' disjunctiw s),llogism -TIlt' roll' of GlXl-Transformalion of the tlwor\' in Klosso\\"skiThl' onkr of til\' Anlichrisl-lnh'llIion: inl<'nsit\' a,;d intl"llIionalil\'Thl" ('h'rnal rdurn as phantasm ' ,
239
4· MICHI·I T(JlII{NII,1{ AND TIll· WOI{I [) WITIIOLIT OTIU·.HS
I'vlldular struchln' of till' phantasm: resonance and forCl·d mO\'('m\'nt -From SIWt·(-h to Ih\' n-rh-End of tlu.' d)'namk' genesis-Primary ami ~\'t'Oll(lar)' rt'Pl't'ssion-Satirical, ironic, humorous X
l'ONTI N
r,
301
Rohinson, l'!('nll'llts.•1nd 1'n
,lilt! t'!cml'llts-ThC' thrt'l' nl\'anin~s of tilt' loss of the Other- From till' simulacrum to the phanta:.m-~Thl" Otlll'r and I>lTwrsion ~,
LOLA ANIl Till: {;R....CK-lIl'
121
Crack-up and 1l!.~n'(llt~·-ln:-1.IIl('t:.and tlwir objlx1.s-Tlw two Iwrt'(litlcs-I)('ath instinct anll instincts-TIlt' human beast-Tht' fantasiz{',d obj('("'I-T1w tr.tgic and tlw "pil'
Preface: From Lewis Carroll to the Stoics
_
335
work of U'\\ is Carroll hoU t'\"CI'~,thing r<'(luin'(l to pll'
t..'l..'11 tlw initiators of a 11,'\\ illlJ.gl' of till' philosoplwr which hrokt, a\\ol)' from tIlt'
1i1("
TRAN:-.I .'\TOR 'S NOTI: ar,' IlJJIl~'
I\hom I OWl' a l!("lt of gralilUllt' for till' ('IK"Otlragl'm"1lI prm'kll'(! during thl' tilll(' I I\a~ t"llgag,'(1 in tran~1.ltillg /J'9"i"t' Ju q-m Hut r would ,'sl)l"iall~' lib, to a{'kno\II,'(lgy Liulla Cogn,lto. I Itor I'JIU,llll., ~ugg".'lions Jnd (Titkisll1~, as I\dl as l1\'r UI1I\,ll"l'ring support, Ill,lh' l1\'r a~ d"M'rving of t.:n'dil as ,lll~'Olll' If)r till' app,',lrant·" of thi.~ pit,(."t, in I-.ngli"h. I I\ould Jih, 10 ,kdil-.lt,' till' Ir,ll1slalion 10 Iwr.
"111<'0'
.lIld
to
frknd~hip tlJ('~'
--M.l.
xii
(0:'\.111\" ..
xiii
pre-SOtT3Iics, Socratic philosoph~', and Platonism. This new illl3gl' i.~ aln·ad), dosel)' Iink('d to the par.ldoxil·.ll l'Onstitulion of tlw IIwor)' of ~\·ns\.. Thus to ('ach s('ries there corr"sl>Olld ligures which arc not onhhistorical hut topological and logi<'al as well. As on a purl' sllrfan', certain I>oints of one figure in a sail'S refer to til(" points of anotlwr ligun': an entire galax)' of problems with their corresponding die\'throws, stories, and places, a compkx plan': a "convoluted story." This hook is an atwmpt to d<'\'clop a logical and ps~"Chological no\·('1. In tlw aplX'ndixes \n' present (in' artic1('s which ha\"(' already lw('n published. While r"l)rinted Iwre in lllodili<'d fonn, their theme n'lllain~ ullchang<'d and develops certain point~ which an' but briefly toudwd on in tlw preceding series (each connection being indicated by means of a note). The articles are: I) "Ik\"crsing Platonism," Revue de ,l1iwp/lJ'sique e/ de A/orale, 1967; 2) "Lucretius and N.lturalism," E/IIde$ Phi/=phiques, 1961; 3) "Klossowski and Bodies-Languagl"" Critique. 196{; 4) "A Theory of lhe Other" (Michl'! Tournicr), Critique, 1967: ~) "Introduction to Zola's La Bele humaine," Ccrcle "r<"deux du Livre, 19£>7. We wish to thank the editors for having authorized tlwir reproduction.
xh'
I'HI,I';\<-,I,: I·RO,\! 11:\\'1\ CARHOI L TO Till'. \TOI<;\
THE LOGIC OF SENSE
First Series of Paradoxes of Pure Becoming
Abu and
Through lhe Loo£mS·Glass im'oln' a c3t(."g00' of ('cT)' special things: C\"CnLS. ~rc I:\'cnts. Wilen I sa)' "Alia.- Ix-comes larger," I mean that she becomes largt.. r than she was. 8)' the same loken, howe\'cr. she 1X't-"Onws smaller than sht' is now. Certainl)', she is not bigger and
smallt'T at the same time. She is larger now; sht· was smaller before. But it is at th(' sanw moment that one Ix."conws larger thall one was and smaller than one bccolll('S. This is the simuhancit ' of a OC"(:o in whosc.~ ('haraclcristic is to cludl' the P~Ilt. Insofar as it eludes the prt"5("nt, lxx:oming ocs not tol,'rall' the separation or the distinction of bcforc and after, or of 1).151 and futun', It I~nains to the essence of becoming to mon' and to pull in hoth directions at Oll{,('; Alice dO<'S not grow \\ ithout shrinking. and \'icc versa" (;()()(I S('nl'(' aflirms that in ,111 things t1u-rl' il' a determinable senSt' or dir('(-tion (stns): hut p,lradox is tluaflim1ation of both st'nscs or dirt'l·tions ;11 till' SMllt' tinh'. Plato invit('s us to distinguish Ix,t\\('\'11 two dimensions: (I) that of lirnih'd and Ilwasurcd things. of lixed (Iualit ies, Ill'rm:uwnt or temporary \\ hich always pn'suppOSt' pallst's ;md rests. tilt' tixing of presl'nts, and tIl(' assignation of slll*'Cts (for example, a partkular sllhj\'ct having a particular larg,'nl'ss or a parti('ular smallness at ,1 particular moment); ,1nd (2) a purl' IX'l"oming without nwasure, a \"nitahl(' b('(-oming-mad,
which never n~sts. It movcs in both directions at once. It alwavs l'ludl:s thl" pn's{'nt, causing fUIUr(' Jnd past, more and less, too mm'l; and not e!lough to coincide in the simultaneit~· of a rdx'J1ious matter. " '[ H Iott('r' IW\"t'r stops wlwre it is hut is Jlways going a point further, and the san1\' appli('s to 'colder,' wlwreas delinite (]tl.1lit)' is solllething that has stopped going on and is fixed;" " ... the younger bemming older than the older, the older becoming )'ounger than the younger-but th.. ,)' can Il{'\'er finally bemme so; if they did they would no longer Ix~ IX'mrning, but would be so." I We remgniz(: this Platonic dualism. It is not at all the dualism of th..., intelligible and the sensible, of Idea and malter, or of Ideas and !lodies. It is a man: profound and secret dualism hidden in sensible and material bodies themselvcs. It is a subtcrranean dualism between that which reeciws the action of the hlea andth;t which dudes this action. It is lot h, distinction twccl....t:heM;i"c1 and the cOI~~athcr lx'tween ('0 lies and simulacra. Pure becoming til(' unlimited is the n~r of the simulacrunLiusofar as i eludes the action of the Idea and inso ar as7~ltcsts both modeLand~copy al oncf.,.. L~niH'(1 things I~lx'neat the Ideas; bUI cven beneath things, is there not still this mad dement which sul~nd--OO:urs on th{· other side of the order that Ideas imposc and things n."{:cive? ,Sometimes Plato wond('rs whether this pure hecoming might not have a ver)' pt.~culiar rdation to language. This seems to be one of the principal meanings of til(' Cral),fus. Could this relation be, perhaps, essential to language. as in til(' case of a "flow" of speech, or a wild discourse whiel1 would incessantly slide o\"er its refl:rent, without eycr stopping? Or mi~t there not be two lang~ es ~nd two sorts..oL::.namcs.::....onc..<.!£iignatiog the p~and rests \tJ:lli;h f('cei\'e the actio~l of t1.M;...Jdca. the other expressing the. mO\'emeliliW?r rdx'l becomings?2 r further still, is it not pOSSible that there arc two distinct di~lsions internal to languagt' in g{'neral-one always con· u'al('d by the other, Yl't continuous[~' coming to tIl(' aid of, or subsisting under, the other? Tht.' paradox of this purl' hecoming, with its capacity to elude till' prl:sent, is thl: paradox of inlinite idt'ntity (the intinite identit~, of both dir....ctions or s(~nst~s at the sault' time-of futur(~ and past, of the day Iwfort· and thl' day after, of more and less, of two much and not (·!lough. of aeti\"(:' and passi\"(:', and of cause and cffel~t). It is languag(' which lixl's the limits (the Illom{·nt, for ...·xample, at which the t'xcess 1'110'1' :-.1,Rtl·S OI'l'AHAIHJXI'S 0 .. PURl· BECOMIN(;
begins), but it is Ianguag(' as well which transcends til{' limits and n'stores tlwm to the infinite 1'(llli\",IIO:/Wt' of all unlimited IX'coming ("A n'd-hot poker will burn vou if \
!'If{:-.T SI·.IUI,S IH I'ARAlJOXI·.S OF PUf{I, HI:COMtN(;
3
Second Series of Paradoxes of Surface Effects
propatil's, hut ratlll'r logical or dialect ivaI .\!trihute.... ~rhe~' art' not things or facts, Inll en'nt!'>, \\11' ("an not sa~' th,lt t1wy I'xist, hut rallwr th.lt tlwy subSIst or inlu'n:' Ihadng Ihis minimum of IX-ing "hich b appropriah' to that which i... nut .I thing, a nont'xi~ting t,ntit~'). The~' are not suhstanti\"l'S or Jdjn'ti\\'s hut n'rh~. Tlw~' an: Ill'itlwr agt'nts nor patit'nts. hut rt'Suhs of al'tions Jlld 1)J.'>sions. '11lt'~, an' "iml)J.'isiw" ,'ntitit'S-imIMssin' rt'Sull!'o. '111('\ art' not rhing pn'!'ot'nts, but inlinitin'S: till' unlimitl'tl Aion, til(' !>t'('oming \\ hidl di\'ides itsdf inlinitd)' in IMSt ,mel futun' and always dudt~ Ihe pn~·nt. 'I1ms ~ must Ix' graspI't1 t\\~" in two complt'lllt'Ilt.l~· though mutuJ.II~· t'xdusiw fashions. First. it must lx' ras 'tlcntird\' a... tilt' li\'ing preM'nt in Ixxlit'S which JCi'"'iild are actt't upon, St'C'OllC, it must )(' ras x'( t'ntin' \. as an entit\' illhnitd\~ dlvlslbj(, into I~st and futun', ~m into t 1(' im:o >orea t' cets \\ hich rL'Suh from ho(lil's, thdr a(:tions and tiwlr passIons. n~' t l\' pres('nt cxists in tinl(' ami gatlwrs togetlwr or ahsorhs the past and future. But onl), till' past ,lilt! futun' inlwn' ill tinl!' and
11(' Stoics also s1istinguish bet w('('n two kinds of things. Eirst, thefe..:!!l' Ixxlies with their tensions, ph)'skal qualitit..:s. aClion~ ami p.lssions. and til\' corresponding "stal('s of affairs." '!E('sc states of affairs, actions and. passions, are dctcnnim-d b)· the mixturl.--S of lxxlit..'S. At the limit. therl' is a unit)' of all hodies in virtue of a primon:lial Fi~ into which the)' IX'come absorlx"tl and from which the)' dndop aCt..-ording to their fl"spc.x1.in· tensions. Jht' only time of hodil'S and SUIt'S of affairs is thl' pr~ For Ill(' Ih-ing pn'St'l1t is the temporal cXh'nsion which an'oml);lnil'S the act, ("xpr<'SSl.'S ami rtl\..'asurt.'S th(· at1ion of the agent and thl' pas."ion of thc patiC'nt. But to the (k-gn'<" that t1u'rt.' is a unit)' of lxxli{"S among thcmst.·ln·s. to the d('gR-"(' that there is a unit}' of al'tin~ ami passi\'e prinCiples, a ('osmlc present cmbracl'S till' entin.' uni\'('~': onl~' Ixxlit'S ('xist in span', and only the pn-sent exists in time, Tlll'n:' arc no C.1USl.'S and dft"l,ts among IxxliNi. Rather, alllxxlil'S ,m' l·.lUSt'S-l·all~ in rdation to ('aeh other and for t'aeh other, In tht' sCOpt~ of the cosmic prt'st'nt, thc unity is ('all("(1 Destiny, Sn'und, alllx)(lit's an' caUSt'S in relation to ('aeh other. amlcause~ (',ll"h Dther-bul callSt'S of what1 'l1w)' an' causes of Ct'rtain things of an (,l1tirel~' dil1l.'n'llt nat urI'. Thl'st' ~!TI'CfS are not lx>t!ies. but, pror~erl)' ~Iw.lking, "inl'orIXln'al" I'ntitit's. Tlw~' an- not physit'al llualitit's and
...
-
\tllI'l1 the s(."i1lpd ("uts through tht' l1t'Sh, till' tir.,t hod~' produCt,s upon the !'o<'("Oncl not it nl'\\" proPl'rt~· hut .I IlI'W olttrilmh', th,lt of bdng cut. 11l1' all"bwt dot'S not t1C'Signaw an~' ...'al qU(l/II-, .... it i~, 10 Ilw ('Ontro1~', ollwa)"s t'xpn:~\("(1 h~' till' wrh. \\ Ilkh IlWJlb tliJI il is not .I heing, hut a \\a~' of lx-ing.... ·n.i~ \\J~' of !x-ing limls ils...lf sollll.'how .11 Iht· limil, .II til(' surfaC(" of being. til(' IIJIUrt" of which it is not aMt' 10 changc.·: it is. ill fal". nt.'ithcr active nor I),)~iw, for 1l.l..'iSh il~' would prt'SuPfX)St' a t'Orpon.·al nalure which undcrgot'S .111 oK·tion. It i.. purt·I~· anti simpl~' a n."Sult. Of" an t-£feet which is not to !x, d~ifit't.l among !x-ing.). ". (TIlt' Stoics tlistingubht'tll r,)dkall~' IWO plJIl<':<> of heillg. SOflll,thing tlut no (Kit' h...ul dorn.' bl-,fon.' tht'm: on the oue hJnd, !'Coli ami profound IX'ing, fon.'I·; 011 till' udlt'r, til(' pl.uI(' of filCh, \\ hkh fmlit.· UII tI\I.' ~urfJ.n· of bl'ing. Jfl(1 con~litutr .Ill I'ndkM rnultiplidt, of int'orpon.',ll I....mg". · ,
Yet, wh.lt is more intimate or ('sSt:'ntial to hotlks t1l.l11t'\·t'IllS SUdl as ,!!rtJ\\ing. lx'(."Ol1ling smalll'r, or Ix-ing ("ut? What do til\' Stoil's nwall \1 hl'n tlwy contrast the thickness of lxxlks with tilt's\" incorpon'al v\t'nts whidl would pla~' onl~' Oil thl' SUrl:ll't', likt, a mist onT the prairi,((-n'n In~ than ,1 mist, simT a mist is aftt'r all a Ix)(lv)? Mixturt's an' in l)()(JiI'~. and in till' dl'pth of lxxiiI'S: a ]x)(ly pt'lw~rat\"s anothl'r anti
\
c(){'xists with it in all of its fJ.lrts, like a drop of wine in til\' ol..'\"al1, or fire in iron, Om' I)()(I~' withdr,lws from another, likc liquid from a \"lSI.'. Mixtlln',~ in gl'm'ral dl.·tl.-'rmine thc quantitatin' and 'lualit,ltil.'l.' stah's of aO:lir..: till.' dinwllsions of an I.-'nsemble-the red of iron, till.' gn'l.'n of a tn'I.·, But what we mean by "to grow:' "to diminish," "to Iwconll.' n'd," "to heH)Illl.' gret'n," "to cut," and "to lx' cut." etc, is sonwthing I.'ntirl.'ly diffl.-·rl.-'Ilt, TlwS(' art' no longn states of affairs-mixtun's dl.'I.-'p insidl.' hodies-but im"O'l>oreal ewnts at the surfac<.' which arc the n'sults of thes<.' mixtures, The tre<.· "gr<'('ns." ".1 The genius of a philosophy must first lx' mea.<>uR'd b~' the new distribution which it impos<.'S on IX'ings and (."Onccpts. The Stoks are in the process of tracing out and of fomling a frontier where th('f(' had not lx'cn one I)('fol'(', I~ this St'ns(' the)' displace all refl<..'Ction. Th...· " .1In· in the process of bringing al>out. first, an entircl~' nc\\ dca\·agc....of till' causal relation. -Inc)' dism<.'mbcr this relation. C\'cn at th... risk of f('Creating a unity on each side. 'Incv refer causes to caus...'S and place a bond of causes bctwC'Cn them (dcstim·). 'In<.,\, refer effects to <.·ff...x u and !)()S(' certain bonds of eff<..'Cts bch\:...'Cn th~m. But thCSl..' two operations are not ao.."Omplish<.-d in th(' same manner. Incorporeal dfrt·ts arc ne\'Cr themsch'cs causes in relation to each other; rather, thc)' arc onl)' "quasi-cauSt..'S" following laws which pcrhaps <..'Xprcss in eal-h case the rclati\'C unity or mixture of bodk'S on which thc)' depend for their r...al causes, 'I1ms frrt"<.lom is pR'SCr\'cd in two complemental')' manners: onn~ in the int('riority of destin)' as a connection bclwC('n cauS(>S, and oncc more in the l'xteriority of ...' \'cnts as a bond of effects. for this reason the Stoics can OPI>O~' destin}' and 1lt..'C(~sit~·, I Thl' Epicumlns fornmlat,....d anotlll'r c1cavage of causalit)'. which also grounds fre..."<.lom. Thc)' cOllscn'e the homogencit~, of cause and l'ffect, but cut lip causalit)' according to atomic series whoS(' rcspecth'l' indqx'ndencl' is guarantl'ed b)' thl' dmamen-no longl'r d('stin)' without ll('Cessit)', but callsalit~, without dl'stin~" [n either casc, OIl"-' begins by splitting the calls.ll rl.'!atioll, instead of distinguishing t~'pt-'s of causality as Aristotle had done and Kant would do. And this split alwa)'s rl'fcrs us back to languag,,, dther to the existence of a declension of causes or, as we shall SI.'I.', to the \'XiSh'llI'e of a COII/1I9atioll of efli.·cts, This Ill'W dualism of !xxlil:s or statl'S of anairs and l'I1'el:ts or incorpon·al t'wnts I.'lltails an upheaval in philosophy, In Aristot[e, for I'Xf,
"'H:ONIl "1'1(11,, 01· 1't\l(AJ)(lXI·.S Of Slll(I·t\{'I·
1·I·H·("r~
ampk all categories arl' s.lid of Being; and difTl.'rence is pn'st'nt in Being, between sllbstann~ as till.' primal')' SI.-·!lSl' and the otlwr catl'gories which arc related to it as 3(.'Cidl'nts, For til(' Stoics, on the other hand, statL'S of affairs, quantities, and qualitil.'s arc no less IX'ings (or 1>Ollies) than substance is; the}' are a part of substancl', and in this sense thl')' arc contras1(.'(1 with an e,\'Ira-&·rfl.'l which (·onstitut<.'s til(' incorporeal as a nonexisting entity. 'I'll\' higill'st (t'nn dWT"l'fon' is not B<.'ing. but Somelhmg (aliqIJldj. insofar as it ,..ublolllnL'S Ix'ing and non-bdng, exist<.'nce and inlwr(·nct,.5 Mon.'Owr. IllI.' Stoics an: th(' l-irst to n'\'('rS(' Platonism and to bring about a radical ill\'ersion. for if 1>Ollil's with tht'ir states, ~I llualiti<-'S. and qU<1ntitil's, assunll.' all the ...-hara(:tl'l'istics of substanCl' and cause. cOI1\'erscl)', the characIl'I'istio; of till' Idea arc rl'i('gatt-d to thl' ! \other sid(', that is to this impas.~iI.·e t'xtra-lk-ing which is stl"rile, inefficacious. and on thc surfac<.· of things: Ill< I(/to/loool or rhe mcorporeal can 00 ( longer ~ onXfhing orller lhan an '4J«t," -Incse consequences are ...· xtremd)' im!>onant. In I'lato, an obscure debate was raging in th(· dl·pth of things. in the dcpth of the earth. bctwt.'Cn that which undergoc'S the action of the I~ca and that which eludes JPis action (cop'fes and simulacra). An ..."<..·ho of this d~bate rl".'SQnates when Socrau.'.S asks: is there an IcI<"a of e\'en'thing e\'cn of hdir, din, and mud-or rather is then' something which al~\'a)'s dnd obs~inatel~' t.'SClpt'S th(· Idea? In Plato. howe\'cr, this something is ne\'cr suffiCiently hidden, drin-n back, pushed dt."Cply into the depth of the bod~'. or drowll(.'d in thl' ocean, EI.-tlphmg 0011.' relUrns to lhe su1OCt, This is the rL'Sult of the Stoic operation: the unlimit...-d returns. Bccomingmad, bt.'Coming unlimit..."<.1 is no longer a ground which rumbles. It dimbs to the surfan' of things and becomes impassive. It is no longer a llul..>stion of simulacra whi...·h dudt, the ground and insinuate themseh-l'S l'\'c~'whcrc, but rather a qu('stion of ...ff('Cts which manift'st themscl\'l'S and act in thcir place. TheS(' an' 'ffeds in the causal sense, but also sonorous, optical, or linguistic '\'fft, -ts"-and e\'en less. or much 0101'1.'. since they an' no longer ('orpon'al ('ntities, but ratl1l'r foml till' entin' Idea, What was duding th... Id...<1 dimlwd up to thl.-· sllrfacl', that is. the illl.'Orporeal limit, and rcpn'sl'nts now all I>ossibie Ideall/)'. th... lalter heing striplx,d of its c.lusal and spiritual dlican, The Stoics discovered surfacl: cffl..·cts, Simulacra c('as... to Iw sllhtl'rran~'al1 n'IX'ls and make til<.' most of thl'ir t-ffl.-'clS (that is, what might hI..' called "phantasms," ~I:<":ONl>
SHUt·, 01·
I'AltAl>OXI'~
(n "'lll(I'ACI, I,H;I,CTS
7
~dl'l}t'mlt'nll~' of til(" Sioic Il'rminolog)·). TIlt' most conn'all'd Iwcollws
tile Illost Illanilt'st, All thl' old paradoxI~s of Ix'coming IllUSt again takt' shap... in a IlI'W ~'outhfulness-transmutation, BI'coming unlimih'd conws to be tilt.' ideational and incorporl'al I'wnt, with ,1.11 of its eharactnistic reversals Ix'twel'n futuH' .,nt! IlolSt, ,\l'tiH' and Ilolssin', cause and elTect, more ami I<~ss. too much ,mt! not l'nough, aln'ad)' ;lIulnot ret. The infinitely divisible en:nt is ,1I\\,,}"S bOfh (11 on(('. It is L'l<'rnally that which hJ.s just happt>ned and that \\ hich b .,hout to happen, but n<'\'er that whkh is happening (to nit too (k\'pl~' ami nol t'nough), The en·nt. heing itsdf impassin·. allows til\' acth·t· and til(' passi\"t' to Ix· inlC'rchang<:d mon° easily. sinct' it is neuller thl:' om' nor the other. but rather their common r('Sult (to cut-to 1'1\' cut). Conccrning tilt' cause and the clTt.'Ct. {'wnts. al"'a)'S on? ,:ff«ts. .trl· octh'r able to fonn among themscln..'S functions of quasi-cauSt-'S or rdations of quasi-causalit~, which are ,}Iwa~'s rl.'H'rsible (the wound and thl.' .5(..ar), 'J1\l' Stoics arc amateurs and inwntors of !>.lradoxl"S. It is nl'Cf-'SS.lry to rert'ad the astonishing portrait of Ch~'sippus gin'n in scn-ral l>.lges wriUt'n b)' Diogelws I......(·rtius. Perhaps th(· Stoics uSo.:.-.:! thf-' !>.lradox in a l'Ornpletd)' new malllU'r-both as an instrument for the anal~'sis of language and as a means of synthesizing ewnts. D,akCflcr is pn'Ciscl~' this sdcnce of incorporeal t'H'nt:> as they arl' expn.."SSl.xl in propositions. and of till' ('Ollll('("'tions lxtwL't'n e,'enL" as they are exprt"SSl..'(1 in relations oct\\'('Cn propositions. Diall"t1.ics is, im!l.,.."t.!. the an of C"onJufJOHon (.5('(' thl' rorifawha or S{'riL'S of e\'ents which depl.·1ll1 on one another). But it is the task of language both to establish limit:> and to go I)(')'ond them, Tha...fore languag<' includes t('nns which do nOI L1:'aSC to displan' t1wir ('xtl'nsion and which make possiblc a re\"t'rsal of the L'OIlIWl.1ion in a given Sl'ril's (thus too much and not l'nough, fl'\\' and man~')' TIll' l'wnt is cl)\'xknsiw with lX'coming. and Ix'coming is itself ccx'xh'nsiw with [ languagl'; till' Ilolradox is thlls essentially a "sorites." that is a St'riI'S of inh'rrogati\"c propositions which, following hecoming, proc\'t'd through ,'lItH'ssiw additions and rl.'lrcnchmcnts. Ewrything happl,'ns at tl\\' hound,lr~' Ill'twl'\'n things and propositions. Chrysippus taught: "If )'ou say sonwlhing, it pa,..s\'s through ),our lips; so, if you say "ch.lTiot." a chariot passl's through your lips," Ill're is a llS(' of par.,dox thl' only I'(jui\'all,'nts of which an' 10 IX' fOllnd in 7...<'n Buddhism on Oil\' hand and 111 I:nglish or American nOll5ell5e on Iht' otlwr. In OIl\' ('aSl" that whidl i:.
I
be,ns
most profound is the imnlt'di:1I1', in Ihl' odwr, Ihe immcdiah' is found in language. Paradox appl'ars a" .1 t!isruiss.,l of depth, a displa~' of eV('nts , at tilt' surfac~eploynwnt of 1.1I1guage along this limit. Humor is the art of the surface. which is oppo:wd 10 the old irony, the art of depths and heights. The Sophists ,md C~'nit's had already mad\' humor t a philosophical wl.'apon ag.liml Stx:ratit' irony; but with til(' Stoics. humor found its dialcctit·s. ill> dial\"t·tical prindpl.., or its natural plaC(' and its pun: phiiosophicall'Onn'pl. Lewis CJ.TTolI Glrrit's Ollt this 0l)('ration, inaugurated b~' the Stoics, or rather. he takes it up ag.'in. [n all hi.. works, Carroll cxamint-s the dilTl,'I'ence bctwf--en e\'ents, thing:». and stat...' S of alTairs. But the entire first half of Aha still St.'(,k... till' s('CTI.'t of events and of the becoming unlimited which the~' impl~" in the dt'pths of the earth, in dug out shafts and holes which pillngt' IX'lwath, an<1 in the mixture of bodi~ which interpo::netrate and C()('xist, As onc advances in the sto~'. howe\'er. the digging an(1 hiding gi\'es wa~' to a lateral sliding from right to I...ft and left to right. The animals below ground become sccoJl(la~" gh'ing \\';1)' to card.figureJ which han~ no thickm..-ss. One could sa~' that til(' old depth having Ix'l'n spread out bct';1m~ width. The becoming unlimited is maintainf--':! I'ntird)' within this ill\'~nt.'<:I width. "Depth" is no longt'r a compl('mt'nt, Only animals are dl.'t'p. and thc~' are not the nobll"St for that; the nobll"St are thl.' nat animals. Ewnts are like crystals, th('~' become J.ll(1 grow onl)' out of the edges, or on the roge. This is, ind('('(l. tht' first Sl"t'n·t of the stamnll.'rcr or of the left-handed IX'rson: no longer to sink, hut to slide the whole length in such a wa~' that the old d\"pth no longer l.'xists at all, having Ix't'n reduced to the opposite sid\.· of thc surface. By sliding,. onc passes to the other side, since the otht'r side is nothing hut tht' opposite direction. If there is nothing to M'e Ix'hind the curtain, it is 1'll'('auSl' (',·er)·thing is \'isiblt" or rather all possible scil'llce is along the l('ngth of the cunain. It suAlces to follow it f.lr enough, precisely ('nough, and sUlx'rlidall~' ellough. in or
.
~
~...,
depths, hut at thl: surfan.. , in till' faint incorport'al mist which l'SCJlx'S from hodit-'S, a film without \,oIUlllt' whk-h ('nvdops t1wm, a mirror which n.,lI<.'t.'ts thl:m, a c!wsshoOlrd on whk-h the)' arc organizNI an:orL'Conws green. She knows that the more the C\Tnts trawrse the entire, Ik'pthk'ss extension, the more the)' affect bod it'S which the)' cut and bruise, Later, the adulL.. are snapp<..'tl up b)' the ground, fall again, and, being too dt..'Cp, the)' no longer understand. Why do the sam(' Stoic examples continue to inspire Lewis CaIToll?-thc tn'e grlocns, the scalpel cuts, the battle will or will not take place... , It is in front of the trees that Alice loses her name. It is a tnoc which Humpt)' Dumpt)· addrCSS<."S without looking at AJice, Rt..'Citations announce battlcs, and C\'CI)'WhCTC there arc injuries and cuL... Hut are tht-'SC l'xamplL'S? Or rather, is it thl' case that e\"Cry e\'cnt is of this t)'pe-fon"St, battle and wound-,ll the more profound since" on:urs at thl' surface? The more it skins bodies, the more incorporeal it is. History t..:aches liS that sound ro.lds ha\"(' no foundation, and geography that only a thin la)'l'r of till' carth is fertile, This rcdiscon~r)' of the Stoic sage is not rcsl'rwd to the littl\' girl. IndC(."d, it is true that Lewis Carroll detcsL~ bo),s in general. They han' too much depth, and false depth at that, false wisdom, and animality, 111e mal(' bab)' in Alice is transfonncd into a pig, As a general rul<.', onl}' littJe girls understand Stoicism; the)' ha\'e thc sense of tht, c\'('nt and rdeas(' an inl"o'lXlrcal double. Hut it hapIX'ns sometimes that a litdl' bo~' is a stuttcn'r and Icft·handl'tl, and thus conquers st'nsc.' as the double sense or din'Ction of the surface. Carroll's hatn'tl of OO\'S is not attributabl(' to a L'gun in Alice, ami which contilHll'd in ThrouHh rhe l.ookin,q-Glau. TIlt' admirahlt' conelu. 10
~I'CONI) "1"UI,~ (ll-
"AKAllOXI'S 01·
~llKI'ACIo 1·1-I·1·('"r~
sian of the first part is to till' glor~' uf thl' East, frum which l"OnU's all that is gOOt.I. "the substann' of thing~ hop"-'t.1 for, and til{' existence of things not St.'Cn," Here e\Tn till' 1>.l~IT1l'tI'r lwitlll'r riSt.'S nor falls. but goes lengthwise, sidl'wa~·s. and giH'S a horizontal wl'ather. A strctching machine e\'en It'ngthens songs. And J-onunatus' pUTSC, prcsclltl"(l as a MObius strip, is madc of handkt'rd1it'fs sc.'wn m the lI-ronS wa.y, in sU(,h a manncr that its outer surfan' is ('ontinuous with its inner surface; it ('ll\'c1ops the entire world.•mel makt"S that which is inside lx- on thc out'sid\' and "in' \"t'TSa.t> In .~dll" fJlld Bruno, thc tl't.'hni
~t,lt(' of aITairs. It would
Third Series of the Proposition
fi'Jrtlll')' are fonnal partit'lIlar... (5/;wull.'r{) whk·h function as pUri' "des· il!ll.lto!1;" or. as BC!l\,cnist(' sa\'~. illlkxit·.lls (mdlCauurs). Tlwse fonnal i~ldt'.'l(i("als are: this, that. it, h~'n .. thaI', ~·t'stl.'rda)', now, ('te, Prop('r n.ll1ll'S arc also indl'xicals or dl·sign,ltorl>. hut tht'y han-" special imlx>rt,llKl' sincl' the)' alolll.' fonn prop... rl)' material singularitit-"s. Logicall)'. tll'notation has as its elt'nwnh .mll it~ l'ritl'rion til(' trul' and the fal.5('. "Tnl\''' signifies that a lil'llotation i!' t,ni.'Cti\'d\' fill"d Iw the state of .10:lirs or ~hat til(' ind~'xkdls ,m' "n'ali7.t'd" or' that the 'corn'ct image has h..~en scketL'lI. "TnU' in all l"lSt'S" signili~'S that the intinit\" of l"lrticular images assol'iabll' to nords is lill..'ll, without an)' scl~tion h,,_'ing neccssan'. "Fals..'" signilil's th.lt till' denotation is not tilled. either , as a rt'Suh of a dcfLX1 in th.., ~Il'(.·tl'd images OT as a rt'Sult of the radical impossibility of producing .ln image which Cln Ix- associated with words. A second relation of thl' proposition is often called "manifestation," It conl"l.'rns the relation of till' proposition to the person who speaks and l-"xpresses himself, Manift'Station thl'refOTe is presented as a stat('nll'nt of d~'Sircs and bdit'fs which correspond to the proposition. Desires and bdit-"fs arc causal infer-cnl'\_'S, oot aSliociations. Desire is the internal l';lusalit~, of an imagl' with 1'L'Spt-'(.'t to the existence of the object or the mrrt-:.ponding state of affairs, Corrdati\'(~I)'. Ix-Iil'f is tht· anticipation of this obj('(.,t or state of affairs insof.lr as iL" ('xistt'no' must }...~ produced hy an extl'mal causality. W(' should not l'Onclude from this that manifl'Station is Sl.'(.·oll(la~' in rdation to (Il·notation. Rather, it mak('S denotation possihll'. and inf('f"('nces fonn a s)'stematk unit), from which thl' as.wciations dlTiw. l-Iun1(' h.1<1 Sl.'('n thi!' dl'arlv~ in the association of cause and ~'ffl'l1.. it is "inft'l'('nl'e according ~o till' relation" which pn'l"t'(les till' rdation it:.df. The primac), of manift'st.ltion is conlirm('(1 hy linguistk analysis, which r('\·('al... that then' arl' in th(' proposition "manif1'1'otl'rs" likl' till' -"(>locial partidt,s I, \'Oll, tomorrow. alwan., dsl'\\hl'n', I'HT)·\dll'rc. l'tl', III till' .,anl\' wa;' that the proper n;m~-" is a pri\'ik1!l'd indk.ltor, "I" is tilt' b.1sic manifl'S!l'r. But it is not onlv til(' otlwr ~l.lllifl'st~'r1'o which dl'lwllIl on tilt' "I": all indic,ltor!'-.trl' r~-"lat~'(1 to 1 it ,b \\1,11. Jntlil';lIion, or dt'nutation, suhsunws the indi\'idu.ll stall'S of .1thir~, tl1l' p.lrtil"ular im,lgl's and tilt' singular designators; but manifl'sIt-r" heginning \\ith tIlt''' "I," l'llll.~titut:, tIll' dO~lain of till' pefs{}/wl, \\ hit-h fullction.....b til\' prindpll' of all 1}()1'osiblt' t1I'nnlation. i-=inall)', from
-
.C(WNe·n thcst· (-'\'cnt's-elTtx1.s and language. or <',·...·Il the possibility of language, thcIT' is an ("Sst'mial rdation. It is th,,' characteristic of ('wnLS to Ix' expressed or cxprt-ssibl..·. llttCn.-J or uttcrablt" in propositions which arc at least possibll-'. Tlwn.' an' man~' relations insid(· a proposition. Which is the best suitl'tlto sllrfact' dTt"Cts or ('\'enls? Man)' authors agn."(O in f{'«>gnizing thre..• distinct rdations \\ ithin tilt' proposition. '1111' first is caJlI"(1 denotation or indication: it is the rdation of till' proposition to an \'Xtcmal state of affairs Mmum). '111(' stall' of affairs is ",d,,',duuted; it indud(·s particular Ixxlit.-s. mixtuR'S of I)()(lil's. qualities. quantities, and relations. l:lt'llotation functions through till' assodation of the words thcmscln-"s with paTllcufar imagl.'s which QlWhl fO "n'pre~nt" the state of affairs. From all thl.' imag~-"s associate'd "ith a word-with a particular word in till' Prolx>sition-lH' must du)()Sl.' or s~'I('et those which l'OI'rcslxmd to the gi\'en whol". 'I'll(' d~'notatillg intuition is tllt'll l'''prl'sscd h~' tlU' fonn: "it is that," or "it is not that." TIlt' llm'stion uf knowing who.:thl.'r till' ass()('iatioll of words and imagl.'s is Ill'imitiw or dt'rin-d, Ilc("t'ssarv or arbitrary, C,ln not wt 1)(' fonlllll.l\t'd, "Vllat math'rs for tilt: n~oml'nt is tl~at certain 'words in tilt' proposition, or cl'rtain linguistic Ihlrtid(-"s, function in ,1I1l',lSl'S as ernl)t~' fonm for tIl\' .'l,ll,t·tioJl of illlagl's. al1d henc\' for till.' denotation of t'.wh
"
Ill' wrotl1! to In'.lt tlwlll as Ilnin'rsall'olll'{'pts,
-
I'Hllltl\IHII'O/·TlIl·I·IlOI·O .... I'l"ION
I~
denotation to manifestalion. a displaCt'llll'nt of logical \'alm's ()(TUrs \\ hich is n'pn'S<'nll'1l h~' the CogilO: no longer IhC' trm' alUl till' falS(', hut noracit\· and illusion. In his cdd)ratl.'.d anal)·sis of till' pil'Ct' of wax, for ('xampl~~, !:>,..M..... rtt·s is not at all looking for that which was dwelling in 11ll' wax-thi:. probl('m is not ('\"('n fommlatC(! in this (('xt; rathl'r, he shows hO\\ tilt' I, manifL'St in th(' Cogito, grounds till' judgmt'nt of tkllot,ltion In' whid, the wax is identified. W\, ought to n:st'n'(' til\' t('nn "signiticalion" for a third dimensioll of Iht' proposition. I-kr<" it is a question of till' rdation of thl' worel to Imll'cNOI or scnual concC'pts, and of syntactic connections to til(' implications of til<' conct'pt. From the standpoint of significatioii. \n' alwa)'s consider the clements of the proposition
TlIlRD 'I·RJI· .... 01· 'I'll"
I'IH)I'O~ITION
to lilt' ahsurd: that whieh is without signification or that which rna)' lx, ndtlwr true nor false.
'11l(' qlK'Stion of whether signification is in turn prima~' in relation manif<--station and denotation rL'quin.'S a complex response. For if illJ.nif('Station itself is prima~' in n·lation to denotation, if it is the foundation, it is so onl)' from a H'~' specific point of \'il'w. To borrow ,I classic di~tinction, we S;I~' that it is from the standpOint of sp<-'1.'ch (pmole), be It a speech that is silent. In the order of spl,tx:h, it is the I which hegins, and lx'gins ahsolutely, In this ordlT, tht'rcfore, tilt' I is primary, not only in rdation to all possible denotations which arc founded upon it, but also in rdation to the significations which it ('Il\t'lOpS. But pl'l..cisel~· from this standpOint, conceptual significations .Ut' neither \'alid nor deplo~'('(1 for themscln.'s; they arc only implk"ll (th~ug~ :ot ex~rcssetl) h)' the I, presenting itself as ha\'ing signification which IS Imm<-"lIlately undt'rstood and identk.... 1 to its own manifestation. This is wh)' Dt.'SCanes could contrast the definition of man as a rational animal with his detennination as Cogito; for the fonner demands an l'xplicit del'e1opment of the signilie
This primae)' of manif<'Station, not anI\' in relation to denotation but J.lso in relation to signification, must be ~nderstood within the domain of "sfX'1..'t:h" in which significations remain naturally implicit. It is onl), hen' that tht' I is primary in relation to concepts- in relation to the \\orld ~nd to God, But if another domain exists in which significations ~f'{·.\'ahd and dcwloped for themselws, Significations would be primar)' III It and would provide the l>'lSis of manifestation, This domain is precisely that of lonsuosc (Jall.9l1c), In it. a proposition is able to appear 0l:1~' ~ a premise or a ('(mdusi~n, Signifying concepts before manifesting a liubj('t--t, or e\'en before dt'notmg a state of affairs. It is from this point of \ i<-'w that signifiC(1 concepts, such as God or th(' world, an' alwa\'s pri'."a~' in rdation to tlw self as manifl'St('(1 person and to things ~ d\':'I~nakd obj{'Cts, Mon' gl'nerall~', Ikn\'l'nistC' has shO\\n that the rdatlon I~,'h\l'l'n thl' word (or ratlwr its OWI1 acoustic image) and the \onn'pt \\a~ alone ll('cesS3T)', and not arbitral'\'. Onl\' the rdation 1... ·1 \\'('\'n the w", [ . '.'[ . \ alll I ,Ill' cOllcept enloys a I1l'C(-'SSIl\' w \ich the other rdatlol1S do not ha\'l', The latter remain arhitrar\' in~far as W(' ('onsider I 1. I·', Ilwln dirn·tlv• and t .•.•. ...... ,11'... t 1(' ar lltran' on \' mSOlar as Wl' COlllwct tlwm IIIIKD ~l::.KI,",
,,
to this prilTlar~' rdation" Thus, the possihilit)' of l"all~ing ~l'lI"ticll~M
ima~('s ,1s_~(Jciatl"d with the word to \'ary, of substitllling
Imagc lor ano~l1l"r in lilt' lonn "this is not that, it's that:' l:an I",· n:pl,lim'd onl~' hv tlll" ('onstanc)' of the signified conn'pl. Similarl)', tlvsirl's would not li;rm all order of demands or t'\'('n of duties, distinct from J .~impll' llr~l'1ll'Y of needs, anti 1X'lkfs would not fonn an ordvr of infen'nn'S (Ii;tinc~ from simple opinions, if the words in which tlll'~' \\1'1".' mani+ !l:stt'd did not n'fer lirst to conn.:pts and conceptual implit"ations n'n· d....ing tlwse d.'sin's and bdicls signilicatin-. TI~e presupposed primal"~' of s~ignitication on'r denotation. howt'n'r, still raises a delicate problem. \Vlwn \n' sa)' "thercfort'," whl'n wc consid(:r a proposition as concluded, we make it thC" obit'("t of an assertion. Wt' set aside the premises and affinn it for itself, indqX'ndendy. We rclat(' it to til\' state of affairs which it denotes, indl'lll'ndentlv of the implications which constitute its signification. To do so, how~n'r, two conditions haw' to I)t,' tilled. It is lirst nL'Ccssary that tht' premis(>s be positc<.·s to a denoted state of affairs which we presuppos(', But thcn, e\"('n if we suppose that tht' pr<'mis($ A and B arc trw.::, we can onl), conclude from this the proposition in cluestion (let us call it Z)-wc can onl)" t!dach it from its premis('s Jnd allinn it for itself independently of the implication-by admitting that Z is, in turn, true if A and B are true. This amounts to a proposition, C, which remains within the order of impli+ cation, and is unable to escape it, sinn: il refl'rs to a proposition, D, which states that "Z is true if A, B, and Care trul' .. , ,.. and so on to infinity, This paradox, which lies at the heart of logic, and which had dedsive importance for tin' t'ntin' theory of symbolic implication and signification, is Lewis Carroll's paradox in til(' tTlebrat~'d tl'XI, "What the Tortoise Said to Achill('s.,,4 In short, Ihe conclusion can be dctadu,d from the prt'mis.::s, but only on till' condition that om' always adds other pn'mises from whid1 alonc tin' conclusion is not dl'tacllahl<-, This amounts to saying that signification is no.::wr homogt'IWOllS; or that the IWO signs "implit's" and "therefore" aro.:: <.'ompletdy hderogC"l<'oUS; or that implication m'\'er succecds in grounding d~'notation C'x("ept by giving itsdf a n,.ldy-made denotation, once in th(' prt'misl's and again in tlw conclusion. . From d('llotatioll to rnanili:.'station, tlll'n to signilication, hut also from In
TlllHll SI,H11,S 01' TtlE I'HOI'OSITION
OIl\'
~ignilicatioll to manifl'station and to d.'notation, we an' ('arried along a
ci~"dl', which is th(' circle of the propo.~ition. \.yIl('thC'r \\'I,' ought to 1)(' ("ontvnt with thcse thn'c dimensions of till' proposition, or wll('tlwr w(' should add aIour/h-lI"hich would />t' ~l'JlSl.'-is an economic or strategic question. It is not that Wl' must construct an a posh'riori model ("(lI'n:sponding to prt'\'ious dinwnsions, but ratht'r till' m()(leI itSi,lf must have til\' ,1ptitllde to function a priori from within, \wr(' it fon'l,d to introdu('e ,1 sllpplementan' dimension which, hl'<"aUSI' of its e\·alli'$C('llCo.::, could nol have Ix'en rC'c~lli'/l'd in t'xpericnc(' from outside. It is thus a (lul'.,linn Je Jure. and not :imply a
Ill'r.-df. h "'\Vlwn I 11M' a word: said lIumpt~' Dumpty. 'it nW.lIb just \\h.ll I (!lOO:-f,' it to nwan-Ill'ilhcr mor£" nor less.... TIll' <JUl·~tion i:. ... \\Im h b tn Ix' master-that's all.'" \V"-' ha\"(\ hO\\\'\"('r. 'l.'t'll Ih.lI lilt" urdl'T of bdil'(S ami dt'Sirl"S wa:- founck-d on 11ll' ordl'f of til<" ('onct'ptll,ll implil'ations of signification. ,mil that {'\'ell till' jdt-ntil\, of til<' !>l'lf \\ hieh sIx'aks, or S.l~·; "I," was guar,mtcl'd onl" h\' till' p•.;malll'lll't' of (,(·rtain signilil'ds (the t'OIlCqHs of God, th... \~'orid ... 1. The I is primar~' and sufficient in till' OTd('f of sp{"('Ch onl\' in:-oClf .1::. it I'lwdops signilicalions "hieh 1ll1l!>1 1)(· d"\dopcd for lh~m:,>d\l':- in Ih... oTd"'T of languagl' flanglN). If th{"S(· signili{·.ltions mllal)S('. or an.' not l'Slahlishl'tl in thl·Il1S~.'k('S. Ix'rsonal idl'ntit~· is lost, as AIiC(' l).linfull~' l'xl>crit'n('('s, in conditions \dlt'Tl' God, tilt' \\orld, and the sdf IX'('olllt' till' blurred dl.lra('t('rs of tilt' dr~alll of SO!lWOllt' who is poorly dl'tl'rmill{'ll. This is why dll' last rt'COurSl' st.'l'ms to Ilt' idenlifying Sl'nSI' with signifi{'ation. \V(, an' thm sent ba(-k to til(' circll' and It't"l back to Carroll'.ll llJ.radox, in \\ hich signiti('ation can llt'\'('r (·x('rdSt.' iL'i roll' of last foundation , sinn' it PTl"SuPPO!>t"S an irn'tlucibk' denotation. But IX'Thaps theTt' is a ,"CT\' g('Il('ral n'ason wh\' si~nifi(-'Hion fails and \\ h\· t!WT(' is a l'irt·ularit\· Ix,t:\"('cn ground ami grm;nd('(1. \Vhcll \\T ddil~l' signification as th~' ('ondition of truth. WI' gi\"t' it a charaCh'ristic which it ~har('s with Sl'nSI" and which is alrl'ady a dlaral'horistk of 1OS!'ihi'it~· for tilt' proposition to Ix: tnll'.' This possihilit~, is ''f)thing OtlWT than thl' form
.
"
IHlltl) " I l t l l " 01
1111 l'ltO!'(hl rio,\:
d.'lIot,ltlllll n'mains t'xh'nlal til till' Ort!l'r \\ hidl t'ontlition~ it, .lIlt! til(' trUt' ,lilt! till' falSt' remain inclill.'rt'nt to till' prindplt, \\ hi('h t!t.'t~nnhll's !Ill' po~~ihilit~ of tilt' Ollt', bv alloning it nlll~' to .llUlhi~t in itz. fOnlwr rt'!,ltiun tel tlU' other. One b: pt'rIX'tll,lll~' rl'feIT('(! from tilt' contlitiom..t1 to tilt' umdition, and al:.o frum tilt' nJlldition to till' ('onclitiOlwd, ~OT lilt, lontlitillll of truth to ,l\oitlthis d.-ft'CI, it ought to have an dt'mt.'nt •II It-. 01111, distinct from the for'lll of til(' ('onditiom·d, It ought to han' "ml<'lhm,q Il/lcomJirJooed l..ll>.lhl.' of a:.....lIring a n',ll gt,llt'l'is of denotation ,md of tilt' otllt'r dinlt'n!oion~ of tlU' propo:.itioll, 11ms tilt' ('omlition of tnlth \\(lllld lx' ddirwc.1 no longt'T .1... thl' fonn of l'Ollceptual po:-sihilit~" hut r.ltlwr as idcational malt'rial or ".lltratum," that is to Soly. no longt'T .b .. ignilil:ttion, but ratlWT as :-('n:'l', s..'nSl' i~ th~ fourth dinwll:.ioli of thl' prolXlsition. TIl(' Stoic.:s diSl'o\'ani it along with the ('wnt: St'IlS'.', Ih~ e"~/)rt'sJ;.'d .lnieul,lr image:-, Jx'n..onal Ix'lit{.;. and ulli\·('rsa.1 or general COIICl'pts, 'nll' Sloks ...lic! it all: ndthl'r \\onl nor bod~" ndtlwr M'mihJ t' rq>Tt'Sf'ntatiun nor ""1011<.11 r.-puwnwllOIl." Bctlt'r ~.... t, IX'rhaps :-t'rN' \\ould 1)(.' "neutral," ,lltogl'tlwr indill('Tt,nt to hoth llJ.rti<.'ular alltl gl'lll'ral, singular .lnl! uni~ I,'r",ll, lX'r~ollal Jnd impt.·rsonal. It \\ould 1)(" of an t'ntin'h- dill~'n'nt IMtun·. Hut i~ it IWt'.'s~ary to n'('ogniz{' such a slIppl.'nwlltar;' in:-tarl('e? (h' tllU~t \\ \' Ill( , Jt'.'( J managt' to gt.'t .long J \\ ith \\ hat \\(' .,In·ad~· han': .1.
..
11IJltl> ' l i t " , OJ '111" l'ltOI'(hl rio:....
19
\'t'rs)' is tah'll up ant.:\\' (Andr':- 11,,-' Nl'lIrd~atcali and Pierr(' d'Ailly against Rimini Brt'nt,lIlo and Russell against ~klllong). In truth, the "th'IUp' 10 makl' tilis fourth dilllL'llsiOIl ,·\·i{knt is a little like Carroll's Snark hUlll. Pcrh.,ps till.." dimension is tlw hunt itself. and sense is tlw Snark. It is
dillicult to respond to thost' who wish to be satislll·d with \\ord:.. things. imagl's. and ideas. For \w may not (,\'..:n say that st'n~' ,'xisls ,-,ather in things or in tlll' mind; it has neither phJsical nor nwnlal l'xish'IlCl', Shall \\'e at least sav that it is lIS(·ful, and that it is m:n·ss.1fJ
to admit it for its utilit,,? N~t ...· nn this. since it is cndO\H.'d "ilh an incfli<,';Kious. itnpassh·c. ;nd sterill' spk·ndor. This is wh)' "'t' s.lid that In Jacl \\1.: l'an ani)' infer it indirectl~·, on the basis of the circle wheT(' the ordinan.' dimensions of the proposition lead us. It is onl)' h~' hn'aking open the circle, as in the case of tht· ~. tobius strip, b)' unfolding and untwisting it, that the dimension of SCrlS(' appears for it'sdf, in its irn.'{ludbilit)" and also in its genetiC po\\"('r as it animatL'S an a priori intcmal model of the proposition. 10 The logic of sense is inspin'{l in its entiret)' by empiricism. Onl~' empiricism knows how to transcend the experiential dimensions of the \'isible without falling into Id('as, and how to track down, in\'oke, and (X'rhaps proc.luce a phantom at the limit of a lengthened or unfold('(l exp(·riencc. Husserl calls "u rasion" this ultimatc dimension, and he distinguishes . 11' . I it from denotation, manifL"Station, and dL'monst!:!!lon. St'nsc L'i t lat which is expressed. Hussc-r1. no k'SS than ~1t-inong, rctliscO\'cred thc living sour(.'CS of the Stoic inspiration. For ('xample, wqen Ilusserl refIL'CL'i on tht, "perceptual nocma," or the "SCIlS(" of perception," he at ona' distinguislu:s it from the physical object, from the psychological or "1in'(I," from mental representations and from logical concepts. He pn'j;('nts it as an impassive and incorporeal ('Iltit~" without ph)'sical or ml'lltal l'xistena', neither acting nor being act('(1 upon-a p"n' TL'Sult or purl' ..appearann·... Thl' real tree (the denorawm) can burn, lx' thc subject and obj('ct of actions, and enter into mixtures. This is not thc t"
Tlllllll .......lll· .... 01· Till' I'ROI'O .... IT10N
ohjl'l·ti\"l' unit), as till' inh'ntional (·OITI·latl· of till' an of peT<.'cption. Tlw I\Ot'IlM is not given in a pt.'rt.·l'ptiorl (nor in a Tt·(.'ollt'Clion or an image). It lI,lS an I'ntirdy diOi.:T<'1H St.ltll.'; \\ hich consists in nOf existing outside . tilt' pr'olx)sition which expn'sst's it-wlwtlwr the proposition is pn· n·ptual. or whether it is imaginati\l', f('ColIl'(·tin:, or rcprescmatin·. Wl' di~tingllish helw{'('n grrcn as a I>l'nsibll' color or (Iualit), and "to gre(.'n" ,11>.1 Ilol'mati('-l"olor or attrihu!t,. "Thi.' /fee areens"-is this not finall~' tlw "I'm(' of til(' color of lilt' tn'l'; .llltl is not "the tri:r areens" its global flll'aning? Is the noema '\Il\'thing morc than a purl' ('\'cnt-th(' trl'C oc(·urrt~lt.·l' (although Ilu.s..,~·rl (I~'" not slx'ak of it in this manner for tl'mlinological rea~ns)? And is that \\hkh 11(' L-alls "appearan<.'('" an~' thing moT(" than a surface I·Oi:i:t? lktW('('1\ the 1l(X'mata of the sam(' obj~-t, or {'vcn of diffl'f('nt ohj('('lS, complex tit'S arc de\·c10lx'(l. ana.logaus to those which the Stoic dial('('tic t'Stahlish("(1 hetwttn ('wnts. Could phenomenolog,\' 1Jt' this rigorous sdelKl' of surfacc effects? Let us consider the mmplt,x status of senS(' or of that which is l'Xprt'SSC.-d. On one hanel. it dOl'S not CXL<;t outside the proposition which exprcsst.'S it; what is ('xpn"SS('(l dCX"S not CXL<;t outside its cxpITSSion. -llris is wh~' we cannot 1\3~' that st'nse ('xists, but ratht.'r that it inheT<"S or subsists. On the othl'r hand, it dCX"S not rnerg(' at all with tilt' proposition. for it has an objt"(·tiw (obttcwl) which is quite distinct. What is exprl"SSC.-d has no n"S('mblancc whaL<;Q<'\'er to the expression. Sense is indt.'C'd aurihutCtI, but it is not at all the attribute of the propositionit is rather the attrihute of the thing or statl' of affairs. Tht"' attribute of the proposition is till' prL'(lkatt'-a qualitati\"(' prroicate like grt"Cn. for exam pic. It is attriblltro to tilt' sllhjt'Ct of the proposition. But tllt' attribute of till' thing is tilt' \Trb: to grl"('n, for example. or rather tht' cwnt expn'Sscd by this \·crh. [t is attrihut('(l to the thing denotNI b~' the suhjt'et, or to tht.' stat<' of affairs dt.'nott'd b)' the l'ntire proposition. Con\"t'rst·ly, this logkal attribuh' dQ('s not merg(' at all with the physical stall' of affairs. nor with a quality or rdation of this state. Th~' attrihutl' is not a heing ami dOl'S not (luali(v a Iwing; it is an l'xtra-lX'ing. "lireen" dl'signat<-s .1 qllalit~·, a mixtllrt, of things, a mixturl' of trt'l' and air \\ lUTe t'hloroph~'11 ('ol'xists with all tilt' part.~ of tilt' [caf. "To grt'l·n." on 11~1' contrar~', is not a (Iualit)· in till' thing, hut an attribute which i.~ said 01 tIlt' thing. This .ltlriblltt· dOl's not exist outside of th(' proposition \\ hich expn'ssl's it in dl'noting th.. thing. IIIT(' w(' return to ollr point of dt'llolrturt': sl'ns(' do\·.~ not I'xist outsid\· of till' ProlX>sition ... ,etc.
-
TIll fll> "11(11'., 01· Till' l'flOI'OSITION
21
r
/
But thi:. i~ liCIt J. (in I.,. 11 j, r.ulll.'r th,' CO!..'Xistl'IWI' of I\\n :-.id'"l> \\ ilhollt thk·knl~. !>Ul h that \\,' I>.lSS from OIU' tn the otlwr b~' fnllo\\ ing their Ilongth. ~'Il"" r, />OIh ,n.. {·.tpres.nbk or the e.tpreSMd C?f rht P'OPOSli/illl, l1/ld IItt' e/l/"nW,' 0/ die' '/dr,' fd '!Dom. It turns on..: sitko Inward things and Oil" :-.id,' \(l\\.lrd propositions. But it t Ol"S not nwrgt' with tilt' prnp()~ilion \\ hidl ,·xpn.'X..... '!('IlSl' that it is an "{'\'l'llt": 1m /h .. condlllon 'hal Ihe Ch'm IS /101 c01!{ll..-d Inlh liS Sp""0-ftmporol Tta{,,,almn In a Slaft of ~ffa,rs, \V(' \\ ill not a~k tlwn'for(' \\ hat is til(' SCIlS(' of lin- ('\('nt: th,,' cn~nt is S(·IlSt· itsl,:lf. TIll' ,,'\('nt lx-longs ('ss('ntiatly to languagt'; it has an ('~I\tial rdationship 10 l.lIlguag(·, But l.lIlguag(· is what is said of things, Jean Galtl'gno ha:-. indel'd noted till' dil1i'n'!ll"(' 1)('1\\'("1'11 Carroll's :o.t()ri(~s and dassil'al fairv tales: in CarroW:-. work. ('\'('~1hing that takt·s place occurs in ami h~' owalls of lallguagL'; "il is oot a sto~' \\ hich Il(' tdls us. it is a diM'OUrst' \\hich hL' addresses to us. a diM'OUI":>ol,' in St'\"('ra! pk'Ct":>, ..... Ii It i:-. ind"'('(1 into this lIat \\orld of thl..' s('ns"'-"'\"('l1t, or of tin- expressibk'attrihuh'. that Carroll siluates his ('ntin' work, I-knce till..' ('olltwction bel\\'C('n the fanlastic \\ork signl.."X1 "Carroll" and til{' matlwmaticological \\ork :-.ign('(l "Dodgson," It St"'nlS dil1icult.to sa~', as h..... IX'('!l done, th.lt til{' fantastic work pfL'M'nts :o.impl~' til(' traps and diAicultil':. into \\hich \H' r.ll1 when we do not oh.....·r\"(' till' rult'S and la\\s fonnulated h)' the logi('al work. Not only IWI·allS..• man~' of til\' traps suhsist in the logical work itself. but also Ix·callSt· the distrihution S..'('I11:-' to be of an ('lltird~' diIT"'f('nt sort. It is sllrpri~ing to find that Carrol1':. ('ntire logical \\Ork i~ dir('ctl~' about sl!Jnificatlon, implications. and rondusions. ,md only indin'(·tl~' ahout St'llsc-pn'l'isd~" through til(' p.uadox('S which ...ignification dOl'S not n'soln'. or indt,(·t1 \\ hich it (Tl'aks, On tilt' ('ontrar~', til\' fantastic work is inmll'diatd~' cOllc"'rll\'d with $ell$e and .1ltadw:-. til\' I)()\\('r of 1)'1fadux din'(11~' to it. This mm.-:-.ponds \\('11 to til\' 1\\0 lota.h~ of St.-lN.'. 11(· fano and dl' jun'. a posh'rion and a priori. nlW h~ \\ hkh tlw l'ird... of till.' propo!>ition b if)(lif('(11~' inf,,·rrl"(l. thl' otlwr h~' \\ hit-h it is llladl' 10 .1Plx'.lr for itsdf. hy unfulding till' cird~· Jlong till' length of til\' Ilord('f hdw('~'n propositions and things,
Fourth Series of Dualities
Ill\' fi~1 important dllalit~· \\as that of ('auSL-'S and dT(·(,ts. of corporeal lhings and incorpor....ll I·n'ms. Hut insor.lr as ('\'cllts-cAt'cts do not "'xist oulsidl' Ih... propositions which ,,·xprl..·SS Ilwlll, this duality is prolong....d in Ill\' dualit~· of things ami proposition~. of Ixxli,,-":> and languagl'. This is tilt' l>UlIrn..' of lin- altematin.' \\hich rims through all the \\orks of Carroll: 10 l'al or to slx'ak, In 5..lfn.. ond BTltflO. thc ;Ilcrn,ltin" is l)('tw("("1\ "bits of Ihings" am! "hits of Shak..·sl>ean·... At Alin"s coronation dinner, ~·ou ... itlwr ~'al what is pn·St'nh'(l to ~·ou. or ~'Oll are prl'scnh'd to what ~'ou. (·at. To ('al and .10 I~. ~'ah'~l-this is the operational 1ll00Id of Ixxhl"':>, Ih,,· 1~'lx' of tht'lf nllxtllf(' III depth, their action and pa.<. tSion. and till' \\a~' in \\ hkh th('~' cOl'xisl \\ ilhin 01U' aoolh..'r. To slx'ak, Ihough. is III\' mOH'llwnt of Ihe ...urf,1l'..·.•1Ilt! of id....llional attribllh'S or inc()'1~'m'al I'wnls. \Vh,l( is mor.., s"'rious: 10 sp~'ak of fOOlI or to ,,'at \\ords? In Ill'r alinwntar~' oh..... ·~ ...ions. Ali('(' is on'ndU'lnl\'(llw nightman'~ of ah~rhing alltl lX'ing ah n"'ilt'(l ar;' .1!lOUt ~'(Iihll' h,Il, If \\~. Ilwn :.Ik·ak of food. l1(m ....111 \H' .Hoid ~Ix'aking III lront III lilt' IJlll' \dw i... to IX' .....·r\"('d .1.'1 flxxl? <':on:o.id,,·r. le)r ~'xal11pl~~ AI I \\,', hlund , 'r10 .III rrOil I 0 "t III'"IV OllS~', II 0\\ (,,111 \\ ... a\"old , , tilt' ' ('atme puddiIWtU\\h',1 ./ I J I ' < ~ ".1 \\ .. 1.1\1' X·t·1l pr'"X'me? I-urt l~'f ... tlll, spllh'll \\onl:.
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\H'n' allra( 11'(1 In til\' t1~'plh of Ixxlit....; tlw~' ma~' ,I
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IX' 'll,xolllp:mil·t! by
\'\'rllal hallucillillions, as in til{' case of malad,..,); \\ here Ianguagl' disorders an.' .1C{·ompanicd b)· lInn'stricl(~d orallwh:\\'ior k\'l'r\'thing hrought to the mouth, eating any object at all, gritting OlW'S tn.th'). "I'm :.un' tho~o: arc not the right words," sa),s Alie..:. summarizing til\' (,lh' of till' I}l,'rson who spl~ab of f<xxi. To cal wortls. hO\\l'\'l'r, b ~'X,Ktl\' till' 0Plx>sil(': in this case, WI' raist' lht' operation of bodi..,s up 10 till' ~lIrfac{' of Ianguag(" \Vc bring !)()(Ii('l; to the surface. a:-. WI' dl'flriw Ilwlll of their fonner depth, c,'cn if we place thc ('Illirc language through this challenge in a situation of risk. This time the disonh'rs an: of :-.urfacc; they arc lateral and spread out from right to kft. t I SlUltums has rcplan_-d the 9eifJ~; the phantasms of the surfan' haw "i- rt.-placed the halludnation of depth; dreams of accelerated gliding n··
t";
plan' the painful nightmare of burial and absorption. The idl'al Httlt, girl. incorporeal and anor<'Xic, and the idt'al little 00)'. stuttering and left-hantk-d. must di~ngage thcmsdn.'s from their real. '·oracious. gluttonous. or blundering imagcs. But this second duality-bodyl1anguagc. to cat/to speak-is not sufficient, \Ve haw St->..:n that although sense dOt-'S not exist outside of the proposition which expresses it. it is nen:rthclL-ss the attributl' of statl.'S of affairs and not tht> attribute of the proposition. The e,'ent subsists in language. but it hapP'""ns to things. Thin£.s and propositions arc less in a situation of radical duality and morc on tilt' two sides of a frontier repn'SCntl.'(! b)' sellSC. This frontier dOt-os not minglt' or rl'unit'e tht'm (for tht'rc is no morc monism here than dualism); it is rather sonlt'thing along the line of an articulation of tht'ir diffeR'nee Ixxl)'! languagt', Comparing tht, ("'cnt to a mist rising o\'Cr til(' prairie. WI,,muld sa\' , that this mist rises prt-''(.'iscl\'. at the frontit'r, at tht: jun('tun' of things and propositions. As a rcsult, thc dualit), is rcflt.'{·ted from hoth silk'S and in cach of the two tem1S. On the side of the thing, thert' art' physical qualities and real relations which mnstituh' tilt' statt: of affairs; tht'n' an' also ideational logical attributes which indicate incorport'al e\'('nts, And on til(' side of the proposition, there art' names and adjcctivl,-'s which denote the state of affairs; and also then' an' "crbs which e.lprei.S l'vents or logical attribut<:s, On 01\(' hand, thcre af(' singular proptT names, substanti,·es. and gem~ral adjectivcs which indicall' limits, pauses, rests, ami presences; on till' other, there arc \"t'rhs carrying on' with thelll becoming and its train of reversible e\'t'nts and intinih'l)' dividing their prt.'scllt into past and future. Humpty ~umpty 24
t'OllKTII
~l'l~ll'~
Ot·
l>llAL1TII·~
forn.fuJl~' distinguished IWI\H'I'!1
l\\()
~{lrts of words: "Tht.'~'\·e a tt'lllpt'r.
~onl\' of dWIll-particularly n'.-Il.~: tlu-y'rl' till.' prolldl,'st-adjl'ctin.'S
vou
t'.ll1
do ilI1)·thing with, hut nol H'rh.~-howt'\·('r, I can manage the
~,hole lot or them! Imp(·'lI'tr.lhilil~'l That's wh.lt / say." And when
IllImpty DUlllpt~' explains tIll.' U~I' of till' Olld word "irnp<-'nl'trabilit)'," hl' proddes a much too modt's! l,'xplanation ("I meant ... that wc'w h,ull'nough of that subjt1.,t"). In fact, impt'Ill'trabilit~· docs mt'an sonl{'thing cis.... J-1umpt~' Dump!~' oppo~'S tht, impassibilit~, of {'\"{'nts to till' a("lion~ ,md pas.'iions of botlil'~, till.' oon.conslimabll· natun> of scnSl' to tilt' t"tlible nature of thing~. till,' imp"'ll'trabilit~, of incorporeal (·ntitit.'s \\ ithout !hicknt.-ss to tilt.' mixturt'S and f('('iprocal pcnetrations of sub~tanccs, and the rt'Si~tanl'I' of thc surface to til{' softnt.'SS of depths-in short, the "pride" of n-rhs to till' complal'<'nl~' of substantin'S and adjt."'Cti\·cs. Impenetrabilit~· also mean~ the frontier bt'-twecn tht> twoand that the person situatC1! 011 the frontit'r. pf('('"iscl~' as Humpt~' ~)umpt~· is seated on his llaITO\\ wall, has ooth at his disposal. !x-ing the impent'trahk' master of tht., articulation of their dm~~rt'nc(' ("... howc, I'r, I can managt' the \\ hol{' lot of t1l<'m"). Hut thi!, is not .,·('t ~unicit'nt. Duality's . last word is not to be found in this retum to til(' h~'I)()t1l<'Sis of CrQf~l"lus. 'Ill<' dualit~, in the proposition is not lX'hH"('n t\\O sorts of namcs. namcs of stasis and namcs of bC1:oming, nal1lt-'S of suhstam'cs or qualitil'S and nanll'S of ('\"cn15; rather, it is 1X'!\\"l'Cfl two dim('nsions of th(, prol)()sition, that is, between dt.'notation and t.·xpn'Ssion, or betwt"('n the denotation of things and thc exprt'Ssion of ~flSC. It is likt• til{' two sides of a mirror, only what is on Oil(' sitl(' has no rl"St.'mblanl'c to what is on the other ("... all the rest was as diffl'l'l'nt as I)()ssihlt,,,). To IlaSS to the other side of the mirror is to pass from the rdation of denotation to tht, n'lation of cxprcssion-
I
\~ith~ut pausing at tilt' itlt('nncdiarit'S. namdy. at manifestation and \ '-S1gniIKation. It is to n'ad, a l'l.ogion Wht'rl' language no long('r has an)" rt'lati.on to th.lt ~\:h~d: it t1l't~ot('s" hut onl~' to that whid., it .l'Xprl'ss..'s. that IS, to Sl,'nSl.'. I hIS IS til(' fmal tl.splan·nwnt flf thl' dualJtv; It has now mOl l'd insidt' till.' proposit ion. . TIlt' Mou!w rl't'ounts that \\ hell tlw lords propOSl,'t! (0 otTer lilt' ll"l)\\n to \'Villi,lm tht'Conqueror, "tl... 'll"l"hbi~hl'P of C,lllll'rbun' fO\ln,11I ,ldl"is,lhlt'-,"-"!=ound ..-hat'>·· a~h'(1 th,· lhll·k.-"h,unll 1/." tht: MilUM' rq>li,'d r,ltlwr nossl\": . "of ("oursI' .'·Otl l-IIUt·., Ot·
l>llAIITll'~
21j
kilo" 1\ hal 'it' Ilwall".·'- "I kllml II hat 'il' IlWall,_ Ildl \',)()ugh. IIIit'll / lilld a Ihing." :-.lid tilt' I>u\k: "ii'" gl'Ilt'ra1J~' a frog. or a woml, 'l1w (Itw"tion i~, II hat Ilid th,' an. hhi"IMlJ) 11Il<.1?""
1
It i" d\·.\r thJ.I tilt' I)m·k l'mplo~'s and undt'n.tands "it" a:. ,1 Iknoting It'nu IiiI' .111 thing", J'tatl' of aO:,irs and possihll'
I OUN. 111'1 l U I ' 01 IHI \I ITII ,
(OIllI)(IIo,·t! of ObjCl:tS or of l.'mint'Inll- :'\InhoJic l'haral·ters, d"linl'd I", lllgilal .1Itrihut{'S. or sollll'linwl> hy' p.~rl'ntal nanws••111<1 IX'an'rlo ~f \'u'nb. n,'\\". Illl'SSag('lo. Of" z,.t'n~·. In tilt' I.'lmduswn of cadI H'ThI.', tlw t;,m!I'IWr dra\\10 a mdalwholil.' l>.Jth, lIonlel'('(l on both sidl'S In' hoth ...... 1'1..... ; ti,r Ihi" song, II(' II.'J.rn, i:oo it:. OIl n :.to~', 1II- thought he Solll ,m J-]qlh,lIlL 'ilIa! pr.ll'tin>
I It- thought he Solll an Alh.lIra-:. Tholl f1utten.-d round tht.- !.Imp; II" lookt.'ll again. and found it \las A
I"'nn~'-Postage-Slalllp,
"Y()u\!llI.'~1
1)(· g,'ttillg Iwnw.'· lit" ""it!: "'l1w nighls ar(' \','r~' damp!"
I It- thought he saw .m ArgUIllt'lIt '111.11 prowt.! hI' II as till' 1'01""; II.· lookt'll a.gain. an<.! fOUIKI il was A Hal' of Mottk(l Soap, "A fan so dr....d:· he fainth' said. "I:xlinguislll'l> all hork '!" i
IOUH.rlt'IN.II'OIIHIO\llTII,
27
fifth Series of Sense
Sense' is ncn.'r only one of til{' two tenns of the dualit)' which contrasts things and propositions. substantiws and \·(·rbs. tll'notations and cxprcs· sions; it is also the frontil·r. the cutting ('(!gc. or thl' articulation of the difference bt'tw("i.'n the two h'mlS. since it has at its disposal an impenetrability which is its own and within which it is rdll'Ctcd. ror till's(' n'asons. S('IlSC must be dl'\'d0rx-'tl for it's own sake in a m'w seril,.'S of paradoxl'S. \\'hid\ arc now internal.
The paradox,?! rcH'css, or C?{ ",JtjJnilc proJ!feW/lOIl. Wht'n I designate· son1\'thing. I always SlIPP0St: that the sense is llndcrstood•..;hat it is J.ln·ad~' then', As Bergson said, 01\(' docs not prex.'l'c
"
illlpoh'110' of the speak('r .1IId to thl" higill'st pO\\'l'r of language: m~' illlpoh·m."(' to state til(' S('nSl' of \\ hat I sa~·. to sa~' at the saml' timl' ~)nwthing and its meaning: but aiM> till" infinite I)()Wl'r of lan.suage to ~I""ak al)()ut words. In short, giwn a proposition \\hkh (il'notes a statl' of aA:lirs, olle mol)" alwa~'s tah' its :.l'IN.' as that which another proposition ,knotl'S. If we agn.'(' to think of ,\ proposition "5 a name, it would tlwn appl'ar th"t c\'er~' n.lIIll" whidl tknoh'S an objl.'i-·t mol)' itsdf lX'co!lle thl" ohject of a new nanw \\ hit-h d('noll's its scnse: III ref('rs to nl' which tknotl's thl' s('nse of n l ; 1\1 n'fcrs to Ill: etc. For ('ach one of its names, I,mguagt' must contain a nanw for thl' Sl'nSl' of this nanlt', This infinih' proliferation of verhal entities is known as Fregc'l> pa-;:-ae!ox, l Hut it is also Carroll's paradox. It appears in rigorous fonn on the oth('r side of the looking-glass. in the nlt.'1.,ting of AliC{' and th.., Knight, 1111' Knight annOUlU1'S the title of thl' song he is going to Sing: "-111t' namt' of the song is (-alJl'(l 'Haddock's f~m' "-"Oh, that's tlw name of tilt.' song, is it?" AJiCt' said, tf)'ing to (l."t,1 intl'festl"tl.-"No, )"Oll don't U1u!l'rstand." the Knight said, luoking ,1 little \"I'xed, "That's what thl' naml' of til(' song b wild The naml' rt'alJ~, is Tilt /t9~d A!J<'d ,lIan.' "-"'1111"n I ouglll to haH·....:Jitl·That's what tlwsong is caUt'lI'?" :\Ii('''' ("OITl'1.1'1"t11lt"N."If.-"No, \·ou oughtn't: Ih.u·s (juil~ anotlwr thing! 'Ill<" song is C"JlIl'1! 'lI'o)s and .If~ons·: 'but that's onl~' \\ hat it's col/td, ~·ou know!" - "Wl'll, \\ hat IS the song Iht'n?" said Alk(', \\ hn \\ as h~' this tifll(' n>mpletd~' !>t.\\ ildef('1I. - "I wa... coming to th.lt," th..· Knight said. "The song n'"lIy tJ ',i-SlllmB 00 0 Gal~·!.,," This passage l distinguishes a series of nominal entities, It dlX'S not gt'll('rate an infinitl' rt'gress but. pn'('isl'l)' in order to limit itself. procl.'(xls according to " COll\·l·ntionall)' finite progression. We must thl'refore start "t the l'ne! in order to restor(' the natural regress. I) euroll ....:J~'s: til(' song ,ea/~' is "A-sitting on a Gate." 'l1,e song itsdf is a proposition, a name (nd. "A-sitting on a Gate" is this name, the nanl(' \\hich il> tIlt' song and which appears as far back as the first stanza, 2) Hut. it b. not th.., nanl(' i!f the song, Ht.'ing itself a na!ll(', th.., song is d('Slgnah"t:! hy anoth..'r name. The S('cone! nanl(" (n l ) is ""Van and ~kans:' \\ hid1 fonns tilt' theme of til(' Sl'Cond. third, fourth, al;d fifth \t,Ulzas, "Wa~'s and Ml'ans" is thus til(' name whi(·h d..'signates tilt' song, ur I\'hm rllt' .WIl,l/ I.~ callc(l. J) But the '''al nanl(', Carroll adds, is "Thl' Aged ~\gt't~ Mall," who in fact apl""ars in tilt' t'ntif(' song, The denoting na!ll(' lt~'11 has a meaning which fonns a nl'W naml' (n)l. 4-) This third naml'
in iI., turn, hO\\\'\\'r, mmt l)t, dl':.ignah'd by a fourth. Thai b to :-"lY, till' Ilwaning of nl' n,lIllt'I~' n" mUl-l Iw designatl'{l b~' n~. TIl\' fourth IMIll\' is IIMI (he 11<1n11' 111 flu' lOllfI Ij ml/rd, nanwl~·. "Iladdoc'k's I:~('s." \\hit-h app....'n. in till.' ,ixth :.t,lIlza. TI1o.'n' .In· intl....:.. 1 in Carroll's dassilication four naml'S: tl1o.'r..' b th..· nanw of \\ h,lt thl' :oOng rl'all}' i.~; till' nam(' d"'noting this rt'alit~·, \\ hieh thus ,I,,·lluh':. Ih.., song or rl·prt-st·nts what tlw Mlng is call....:I; till' ,,,'n.'''' of thb nanlt', \\ hkh fonns a Ill'\\ O,lIlW or a Ilt'\\ n:alit),; anti tllt' n,UlW \\hi..·h ,Il'not,·:,> this r(·alit\'. , \\hich thus (knott's til(' st'nse of the n,lnw "If Ih... song. or n'pn'so..'ols whal Ih... naow tilt' !'ong is G111..,0.I. At thi:. point, s..·\·... ral n'marks an' nt:l"t'ssary. Fir!'t, Carroll has voluolarily limited hims..-lf. since Ill' dOl'S not Iak.' into account ..·.lCh particular stanZ,l. ami .~inc.., his progressiw prt'sl'IHation of tlw I-l'fit·s Iwnllits him 10 gh .., himso..,lf an arbitrar)' point of d"'partun': "lladtlock's E~·l'S." But it g04.·s \\ilhollt S..l~·ing that the M'ri...s , takt'n in its n-grt'Sl-iH' S(·nl-('. ma~' I'll.' (·xh'ml..'tllo infinih' in tilt' alternation of a n'al nanl(' and a name \\hi(:h dcsignah'S Ihis r('alit~·. It \\ ill 1)(' notl,(1, hO\wH'r, that Carroll's so.'ril'S is much mon° lumpl('x than \\ hat we ha\'l' jUlot indicatt'tl. Hitlwrto, in fact, the qu...stion was onl~' alxllIt a naml' \\hil'h, in dl'noting samt,thing. sends us O\('r to anotllt'r nam..' \\hich d... oolt's thl' prc\'ious naml"s scnSl.'. alUl on to inlinit~" In Carroll's dassification. this prcdso.' situation is n'pn'sl'l1tnl onl~' hy nl ami n~: Il-J is till' name whkh dl'noh's thl' SI'IlS'" of 1\1' But Carroll added two otlll'r n,lllll'S: a tirst nalllt'. Ix'callS'" it tn"lts til(' originally d"'llOh'd thing as l'lI.'ing itsdf a naill,' ttllt' song); and a third name, b('{:aus(' it Ir..'at." tilt' s,,'nSt' of thl' li,,'noting nanll' ilsdf ,1S a nam('. ind('j)('nd(·ntl~· of till' nanll' \\ hit-h is going to denote it in turn. Carroll fomls tlwrcfort' til(' rl'gres... \\ ith four nominal ..'ntitil'S \\hid, an.' displan'(l ad infinitum. That is to S..l~'. he ,1('('()mpo..'it'S (·a{·h I"'(lUp!('t and fn.......I.I'S it, in ortlc!'" to dra\\ from it a suppl('m('nta~' ("Quplt'!, \V..• shall Sl't' \\ h~'. Hut WI' {'an hI.' satisli('f.1 with a n.-gn.'Ss of 1\\0 alternating ternlS: the name whidl dl'nOll'S som(,thing and till' n,lTlll' \\11k-h 1i('notl'S till' M'IlS'" of this nanlt'. This t\\O-h'rnl IJt-gn'SS is t1w minimal l"fllldition of inddinite prolif,,'ralion. This simpl('r ..'xpn·s.,ion apP"'ars in a pa.~sagl· from 111Ie... in \\ hieh till' I)udlt'ss is always disl'owring thl' moral or' Ih... moralit~· which mUl'l h..· dr.1\\1l from l·\·..·n·thing-at 1.'ast from "'wn'thing on tilt' l"f)l1dition thai it I'll.' a proposition. I:or \\ hen Alin' do..·s· not ~I)l'ak. tlw I )lldlt'!>..~ i~ disarm.... I; "You'n' thinking "hoUI sonlt'thing, Ill~' .. It-ar. and that .Illak.. ,~
or
-
-
10
III
III ' I
Itll'"
(II "'1
N~t,
~'ou forg..'t 10 talk. I ('an't t...ll \·Otl jll~t \\hat tilt' moral of that is. hut I ,11.111 n'nwmlx'r in a bit." But ,~~ '0011 ,1S Alin' dO(·s sJx·ak, tIll' Dudwss j,.
hus~' finding morals:
"-Illt' g.llllt'·S going Ofl r.ullt'r /)t'I1o.·r \\," :olk' (Alin') Sdid, h~' \\a~' of kn"ping up lilt' {"OII\·..·rsation "" liul..· .-.. Tb "," Silid till.' Dudlt's$: "and th.., morlol of Illolt b, ·Oh. ·ti.~ Ion', 'ti" 10\ .., Ilul Illolk,... iiI(' world go round!' "-"Somdxxh ..,lit!." ..\ !in' \\hispt·T\.'(!. "th.u it'.. "nn..' b~' ""'')'I)(){I~' minding Iildr 0\\;1 hu..in.. ·."~! .. -"Ah wdl! II m"oln~ IIIU..lI tilt' sam,' Ihing," .'>.li..1 tilt' Dudlt':>.,.... '''lIld til(' Illor.ll of film b, ·Tolk..· l"lr,' of tilt' St.·11.'\t,'. olnd tilt' M>unds \\ ill lak,· (",1ft. of t1lt·lIlsd\"t's.' ..
In thi!' p;l.~sag(·. il is not a q'll':oitioll of asso....iation of idl'as. from on... ~ ..·ntenn' to anotller; rath...r. tilt' moral of l·a(.'h proposition ....onsi:oits of 'Ulotlu:r proposition \\hiclJ d,,·nott·s the S('nSl." of til(' first. Making Sl.'nSl' lilt' obJ('(1 of the nl'\\' proposition amounts to "taking l,tr..· of the S('nSt:., .. in such {'omlitions that ProlXJSitions prolifl'ratl' olml "the sounds take "'are of tlll'msch'l-s:' Thus. thl' IXJSsibilit~, of a profouml link b..~tw('('n tilt' lngit' of Sl'IlS(' and l'thks, morals or moralit\'. i.~ conhmwd
.
nit· parado.t cif sUfl/... dIl1slI1n.
or of dn
"
TI1('re is ind.."t.'f.1 a wa\' of "widing this infinit(· rcgn-ss. I~ is "to fix thc proFXJ.sition, to immobilrl.l' it. just long enough to ..'xtr,ll't from it its Sl.'nso.·-thl' thin film at til(' limit of things anti words. (Hl'nCl' Ih douhling up which we just " ob:oil'fwd in Carroll's work at "',lch stag... of tIlt' n'gress.) Hut is il til(' tI"'stiny of Sl.·nso.· Ihat this diml'nsion Ix' indislx·nSolbll'. or that \\'e do not knO\\ what to do \\ ith il ,1S soon as w..' attain it? \Vhat ha\'c w(' dOlll' imh·d, aside from disc.·ngaging a llt'utralu..l"f.1 douhll' of thl' proposition: .1 phantom. and a phantasm withoul thi('klll-SS? Is it b('t-.luSt:' the Sl'nS(' is ~·xl.)rl~St'(1 b~' a \'l'rh in the proposition that tho.' ......rh is expn'SSl'(1 in ils IIlhnith ..·. llanicipial. or inlt'rragati'" foml: Goo..l.to I'll.'; or thl' I'll.'ing"h.... of ~Iw sk~', or is th" sk~' bhlt'? SI·nSt· hring!' ahout tilt' sllspl'nsion ~f ~~)~h afllnnalion and nt"'gation. Is Ihb th..~ nw,lIling of the propoloition!' t ... ltl i:.." "1111' sk~' is blu..·.. ? As an altri!>uh' of SI,llt'l- of affairs. Sl'ns... is "':tr'l-I~'ing. It is nol of I'll.·ing; it is an ai/qUId \\ hieh b ,'ppropri.1h' 10 Ilnn -I){'lllg. r\s thai which i.~ ,'xpr,,·ss..,tI hy tilt' proposition. st'nst' d,){.s 1101 .. ·xis!. hUI inh.......,s or sllhsisl:oi in thl' proposition. 011,' of tilt' most I"I'nMl"k •llll I . pom . t ... n ," .," tOll' " IOJ.:I..' " IS " t'1..• sh'rt"'"It\' 0 f !'l'ns..·,..·\"t·nt: (Ink hodi,':' ,1<"t .1110.1 I-utli:r, not tilt' ilworpon'oll ,,·ntiti:·s. \\hil'h art· tIlt' nwr;' U/Urmwn.
l·lI·TIl
"lotll ... 01' ... I·N"'I
l'
re.!lults of action:-- ami p,l:--;.ioll:--. This parado)( may lx' call1'ti til(' Stoic!;' paradox. All lIu' \\.lY do\\n to Ilu~rl. lIu:rc n'SOunds thl' dedaration of a spll'mlid sterilit~ of till" l'xpn.'.SS(.'t1. coming to conlinn the status of till' 1lUl.'llla: "The ~Iratllm of ('xpression-and this constituh'S its Pl'{'lIIiarit)'-apal't from till' fact that it lends ('xpn'ssioll to all otlwr intl'lltionalitil's, is not producti\"e. Or if one pr('fers: its prodlll.:thit~·, its llol'm,ltil" Sl'n in', l'xhausts itself in e:rpressm,q." J !:xtractL't! from tilL' proposition. seilS(' is indep('ndt'm of it, ;>oinn' it sU-"lx'nds its aflinnation and n('gation, and is newnhclcss onl~· its e\',lIW:--l"L'nt double: Carroll's smile without the cat or flam(' \\ ithout a candle. TIll' two p.1radoxl's. that of intlnite regn'ss and that of st{'rik di\'ision, fonn till' two tenus of an alh'rnath·e: onc or the other. If the first forces us to combine the greatest power with the greatest impott:nc.:" the second imposes upon us a similar task. which we must later 011 fulfill: the task i<; to mmbine the sterilit), of scn..' iC in relation to the proposition from which it was e)(tractctl with its power of genesis in relation to the dimensions of the proposition. In an)' case, it seems that Carroll had 1x.'Cn acutd)' awan' of the fact that tht· two paradoxes fonn an ahernatiw, In A/iee, till' chara(.'1ers have onl}' two possible means of dr),ing themscln.'S after falling into thc pool of tears: either to listen to the Mousc's stol)'. the "d,:,·cst" storJ one could Ix· acquainted with, sinn' it isolates the Sl.'I\S4,· of a proposition in a ghostly "it": or to lx' launchcd into a Caucus Race. running around from one proposition to another. stopping wlll'n one wishes, without wimwrs or los('rs, in the circuit of infinit,· proliferation. At an)' rate, dry'nl'Ss is what shall la(('r on be named impenetrahilit~,. And the two paradoxes repn.'SCnt the <-"SSt'ntial fomls of stuttering. the <--horcic or clonic fonn of a convulsive cin.'ular proliferation, and the tetanic or tonie foml of a fitful immobiliz,ltion, As is said in "PoelO fit, mm Nas<JIur, " spasm or whiz-tlwsc an' Ihe two rules of the pOl'Ill,
cif rleulrall')', or cif ~nce's third estate, l1ll' second ~rado)( lll,(·l'SSarily ('atapults us into a third, For if sense as the double of th,' proposition is indiffcrenl to aflinnation and n''gation, if it is no mon' passi\'e than actin:, then no mode of tllt' proposition is ablt' to aff<-><--t it. Sl'nsl' is slrictl)' the same for propositions which an' opposed from thl' point of view of qual it)', quantit),. relation, or rnOtlality.. For all of tht,St., points of "il'\\" afT(~(.-t dt'notation and the (Ii\'crsc aspt.'.t.-'ts of it's act~aIi7..a-
The parado.~
P
I-II·TII
~I H.11"~
01-
~I::.N:loI·
tion or fulfillmcnt in a stalt' of alT.lirs, Hut t1wy do nOI afTl,,{'t ,'itlll'r St'nS(' or ('xpr('SSion. let us lake' lir:.1 qualit~'. affinnation and n<-gation: "t;0l-1 is" and "God is not" must hd\'t' Ihc samc St.'llSC. by \'irtu(' of the aUlonom~' of senSt.' in relatiull tu til\' l'xistenn' of the de"OWlilm. This was. in fact, in the fourtL'{'llth l'l'lltl"~', the fantastic 11<1f,ldox of Nicolas d'Autrl'court. the objL'Ct of reprohation: cOlJ/radtrlOr;a ad Inr;cem Idem s,snificalJ/..(
Let us uk... quantit),: dll nwn an' \\ hite, no man is \\ hite, soml' men an' not \\ hite ... , ; or relation: S('nSt.' must be the sam,' in the ('aSt' of im·crlil.' rd..tions, since thl' rdation with rL'gan.1 to scnSt.' is always l'stahlislwd in both dirct.:tions ,ll oncc, insofar as it caus('s all till' parado)(t's of lx'Coming-mad to appear yet again. St'nsc is alwa~'s a double sense and exdudes till' pos.<;ibilit): that there ma~ be a "good scnsc" in the rcldtion, Ennts an.' ne\'(~r cauSl-'S of one another. but rather enter the relations of quasi-causality. an unreal and ghostly ("ausalit),. endlessl), reappearing in the t\\"o S('nSt'S. It is neither at the same tinll'. nor in relation to th(' same thing, that I am ),ounger and older. but it is at the same time and b), the same relation that I Ix'come so.. I-I('nce the innunll'rable e)(ampl('s dotting Carroll's work. wher(' one finds that "cats cat bats" and "bats cat cats." '" sa\" what I mean" and "I mean what I sa)'." "I like what 1 get" and "I get what 1 like." and "I breathe when I slL'Cp" and "I sk'Cp when I breathc," ha\'c onc and the same sensc. ·nlis includes the linal (')(amplt.' of 5)'/1'.e and 8runo, in which Ihe red jewel carr)'ing the proposition "All will lo\'e S)'lvie" and the hllll' jewel carrying the proposition "S),h'ic will love all" art' two sides of one and thc saml,.· jewel. so that one can n('\'er be pref('rrcd c)(cept 10 Ifsetf follOWing the law of 1x.'COming (to chOOSl.· a thing from itself), let us finally uamine mOl-lalit),: how would tht"' possibilit),. the rl'ality. or thc n<."Ccssit)' of Ihe dcnotL'
·"·kll·s
(H
:loI-N~~t1·
B
lilt' ·'f.llet'" \dtholll .1tllrming tlw lU·(__t·Ss.1ry.~ \Vc must rather kol\\" this Pt'~fll.(__ tiH" ('\I'll if it flu-ailS rL>
110r ~l"ll. 110r nt'l't'ssar)'. yet fawd .... TIll' ewnt subsists in tilt' propo:.ition 1\ hidl \'xpresscs il and also happc.'lls to things at till' surfan' and oUI:.idt' of l)l...ing: this is, as \n' shall St,.'t', till' ·'falt.,I," It Iwhoows t1wn.fore tilt' c,'enl to 1'It, cit,,1 b~' Ihe proposition as (Ullin." hut it h..·lu)OH'S till' proposition no k~l> to cite th,' en.-nl as past. Ont' of c.lrroll's gt'llCral tt·dmiqu{'·s cOI\:-.bts of pn"smting the t'nont !II'let, pn'cist..ly l)I,x'ausc l've0·thing ()('('urs h)' wa~' of. and within. languagl·. It i~ prl'St:nh·d once in the proposition in which it subsists. and ,lg.lill in the state of affairs when' it nops up at the sllrfacl'. It is prest'nh'tl OIlLl' in thl' \'l;rsc of a song which n..lah's it to till' proposition, and again in till' surfan' l'ff<"Ct whi(·h n..lates it to bt·ings. to things. and stall'S of an'airs, (Thus the battlt·!)I,.. t\\l... ·n T"t't"d]{'tlum and l\\tx'(II("{I('('. or th.u 1)I,:t w(...· n till' lion and thl' unit-om. 'l1u' sam\." occurs in Sylue and Bruno. what' Carroll asks tllt~ rt'older to gUt'Ss whethrr he compos('tl the \"('rs('S of the gardl'lwr's song in aC('ordatl('I' with the l·\'l'otS. or thl' t'\'ents in at:l"ordann' with till' "t·rst·s.) But is it tleCl'ssa')' to rdatl' til<' ewnt III'In'. .~iIlCl' both ,111.' alwa\'s UI the same lillI''. sinel' the\' arl' two simultaneous facl'S of Ol\t' and (he sanl(' surfau·. whOSt, in~idl' and outside, their "ill.~istl'nn'" ami '·extra.hl'ing." , 1),1:.t and futurt', an' in an alwa\'s . re\'t·rsihll' continuitv? How n)ul,i \\t. summarizt' tilt'S(' p.1radoxt'S of Ill'utralit)', all of "hich displa)' S('ns<' ,lS unaffl'ctl'tl b)' the mex!es of till' proposition? 'l1ll' philosoplll'r A\'in'I1IM distingllislll'd thnT states of eSSl·l\t·I'; llnin'rsal in n·lation to til(' inh·llcl"t which thinks it ill genl'ral; and singular in rd.ttion to till' I>'lftit-ular things in "hich it is l'mhodil' 'Ill<' hr~t statl' of l'S.'>l·Jl(·I· is ('sS('n('l' .1S :.ignilil'll h~' the proposition. ill till' onllT or tlw l'lmcq)t and of l'onn'ptual implil",ltions. TIlt' sl'cond statl' of I'SSCIll'l' is .·S~l·!ln· as ,ksignatl't1 h). the proposition in tlw I>'ll'tinrlar things in "hidl it is ill\"ol\'l'<1. Hut till' third stah' of 1'S:.t·nl·I' is t'SM'nn' ,1:- :-~n:'l" \·:......·nl·t· ,,:. ,·xpn~St'lI-"h\a~':-. in this dn'Ill·:">.' (Unlmal wnw!]l) 14
1'11'lll'lltll'(J! '1""1
,mil this spl"ndid stt'rilih> or Ill'Ulr.llih, It i, indill"l'n'nt to til(' unin-n.al ,mil to thl' :.ingular, to tl~(' !l1'llI'r,ll ,lllli tn tlU' l>'lrticular, to tht' Ix'rs(>Ilal .1Ild totlwl"O <-"ctl\'(': it is "'llw indifli:n'nt to "Airmation and nvgatKlll. I'll'. In :-hnrt. it i~ indiffl·~nt to .Ill oppo~il<':-. This is so I)('('aus<' ,,11 of t1w.'l' opposih'S arl' but modI',' of till' proposition ('omidl'rt'd in its ..,·Iations of d('notation ;md signilit',ltin!l. and not tilt' traits of till' M'IlSI' \\hich it I'Xpn'ssl's, Is it. then. till' :-t,ltuS of till' purl' l'n'nt, or of till' Il1fUnI whidl ;'lccOmpanil'~ it, 10 :-unuount .Ill til<' oppositions in this lId)? Nl~itlll'r prh·.1tl· nor puhlil, llt'itlwr l'olll'ctht' nor indi\'idu.11 it b. man' tl'rrible .111<1 pO\\l'rful in thi:. nt'utralit}" to til<' l'xh'nt th.1t it I' .111 of thl'st' things at onn.. ? I h,' (lmadox if the ubsurd, or C?f rhe "npassrhle ObJUIS. From this paradox is d.'ri\'t'd yet another: thl' prolx)sitions which dl'signatl' ('omradil::ur)' ohjl'{·ts tlll'mst'!\'('S han' a :.t·nSl·. TIll'ir enotatim~ Iu)wt'\·t'r.. t''!.nnot at .1111)1,' fulfilk'lI:_llor do th,'~' h.1\'t' a ;ignilication, which "Quid ddifw till' t)VI: of possibilit~· for sudl.1 fllllillnlt'nt. TIll'~' .In' without signifi(:ation, th.ll is, thl"> are absurd. Nt"wrthd(,:-s. the\" h.1H' a St'nSt', and th(, two notions of 'absurdit)' and nOllSCI~ must ;lOt 1)(' ('onfuM'l1. Impossible o!Jjt·('ts-S most h"·.1utiful and brilliant l·ffl'l1S. If Wt' distinguish two sorts of IX'ings. tht' !)('ing of tilt' ft'al as thl' matter of lknotations and till.' I)('ing of tilt' po.,.~ihl(' as the form of significations. W(' mllst yet add this ('xtra-I)('ing \\ hidl dt,titles a minimum ('ommon to thl' real. til(' possihlt' and th.. "1l~lblt. For til<' prinl'ipll' of mntradil·tion b appli(·(1 to till' po:..~ihl.' ,mil to tilt' n·al. but flOl to tht' impo:..,ibll·: impo~ibll' t'ntitit':- an' "('xtral':\:i~h'nts," n'(lul-.'Ci to this minimum, ami in:.btillg a:. Ioudl in till' prc)po",ition.
11111l'lltll'Of "-":'1
Sixth Series on Serialization
Ill: paradox of inddinitt' regn'ss is till' one from whit,h all till' other p,lradoxcs arc dl'rind. Now, regn'ss has, nl'ccssarilv. a serial form: ('aeh denoting naml' has a seilS(' whkh must be d('notl~1 Iw another namt" . 111- I l l - ' Ill_ n.. ... If we ronsid{'r onh· th.. . SIK"C('ssiOIl of nanws. the M'nt'S brings about a s~'nth<'Sis of the hOm~(·nl'Olis. whereby each nanl(' is distinguish('tl from the Ol1e prl'Ccding it only b~' its rank. dl'gn't" or t~'pl'. In r.KI, in compliant{· with thl' theory of "t),pt·s." each name denoting tilt' sc'nsc of till' Ol1e prl'Cl>. \n' considc'f that \\ hit-h altcnlatcs in this sllcc('s.~ion, WI' S{'{' that ('ach nanw is takt'n hrst in tlw denotation which it brings about, and tl1<'n in til\' sensl' which it t'Xpn'ssl's, 1~I'ausl' it is this sl'nS{' whkh s{'rws as tht' denora/lon of til(' Dllll'r nanlt'. TIlt' ;ukantag(' of Cdrroll's pro("('(lurl' til'S pn'{'iSl..'ly in making appan'nt this diffcrcnc:e in naturt'. '111is tilm' \\'l' an' confrontl-d with a svnth,,'Sis of till' hl'terogem'Ous; lhe senolform IS nece$SOnlj' realized In fhe sl~ultanellY of (If lem/ /11'0 YfIi.'S, En'r)' uniCJlII' sl'ril's, whose homogl'nl'ous terms art' distitlguisl~.'d onl~' an.:onling to t~'I)(' or (kgr,'!.:, nec,'ssarily suhsunws undl'r it two ht,t,,'r02I'IWOuS sc"ri('s, eadl om' of which is constituh'(ll)\' tl'nn., of th,,' Sdml' typ" or dl-gn"t." although thesc" terms differ in,n.ltur~'
.
'"
from thOM' of thl' othl'r Sf.'rit"S (tht'~' l'an of l'OUTS{' diff('r also in ,k-grcc). TIll' Sl.,nal foml is thus t'S,<;(.:ntialh' multi-Iol'ridl. This is indl'(.'{1 tht' case in lIl.ltht'matks, where a St:rics n;nstnlch'{l in th(' \'icinity of a point is Ioignilicant only in rdation to anutlwr sl.:ril'S, constructed around anotll('r point, and converging with, or din'rging from, the first. Alice is the :-tor:. of an oral fes,es.J, but "rl'gTl's..," must lx' undt'rstood first in a lugical st'nse, as the s)'ntllt'sis of n.l!1lt"S. The homogeneous fonn of this :-~'ntl\{"Sis subsuml"S undt" it 1\\0 lll'h'rogenl'Olis serit"S of orality: to 1',It/to speak, consumabl" thingslt'xprcs.~ibk' senSl'S, Tht' St'r;al fonn'itsdf t1wn'fore rl'fers us to tIll' alrt'ad~' d('scrilx'(! p."adoxl's of duality and 10r('l"S us to addrl'SS tht'lll again from this nl'\\' point of "it,\\,. '11It'Sl' two het~roge,l('ous st.,it"S l'an, in fact, lx, d~temlinl-d in \'arious \\a~·s. \Vl' can consider a st'ril"S of l'wnl$ and a scrK"S of things in which tlll'St, ('\'cnts arc or arc not realized; or we can consider a serk'S of dmoting propositions and a sl'rks of denoted things; or a sl'rics of \'crbs Jnt! a series of adjt.'Cti\'l's and substantin:s; or a series of expres.~ions and ~'nS('S and a series of denotations and dellOfOla, Thl'S(' "anations arc unimportant, since the~' Tl'pn'Sl'nt sold~' dt.'grt.'t'S of frttdom in the org.mization of hetcrogt'lWous st'ries, The sam(' dualit\', we ha\'c St.'Cn, (X'curs ollfside. lX'twecn ('Wilts and statc,~ of affairs; al rh~ sugaC/!, belwcen propositions and dcnot('(! objt."Cts; and lnside til(' proposition bt'hn.'Cn expn'S.~ions and dcnOl.1tions. \Vhat is marc import'ant is that \\'(' can t'Onstnlct the two sen("S under an apl)3n'ntl~' homogcnt.'Ous fonn; in this GISt" we can considt'r two series of things or stall'S of affairs, two sl'rics of e\'('nl.~, two sait's of propositions or denotations, and two wries of senses or cxpn's.~ions, Is this to say that the constitution of M'ril's h. surrcndert-d to tht' arhitrar"? The law gO\'erning two simulta'nt'Ous st:rics is that tlIC)' 3rt' Ilen'r '-quaL One Tt'prt"St'nLS tlll'slsnifia, the otht'r tllt'slsn!fied, But thanks to our (l'nllinology, tlll'SC t\\O tenns aUluirc a particular meaning, Wt' call "! itst'!f: In a rt'Strained "'1,1"1', signili('(! is the conn'pt; in an t'xtcndcd St'nSt', signified is an~' tlllng which may IX' ddilll'(! on till' hasis of til(' distinction that a n'rtain .hPl'l't of ,'I'IlSI' l':.tablislws with this thing, 'I1ms, till' significr is primarily Ih" ('\('nt a... till' ideal logical attributt, of a state of affairs, anti the :,>IXTII ~IIUI';) UN ;)HUAt I/'ATlON
J7
si~nil;l.d b till' .,t,ltt· or all:1irs togt't1wr with its (Iualitit's ,md n'.ll n~.lIitl'l:--. Til\' :--ignilit'r i:-- also
Ill(' t'ntin: proposition. inMII:1r .1S it
illl'llI(II'~ ,Iinl\'minns (If dt'1lI1tation, manifl'station, and ~ignitil·.1ti(J11 in
tlw :--Iritt M'n:--,'. And tilt' signified is tilt' inI.'ril'S in om' of hlgar Allan Poc's storit-~. !-irst st'ries: the king \\ ho dOl'S not ~'t. tilt' compromising Il·tlt·r Tl'C\'iwc! h~' his wift'; tht' qUt't'n who is n·lit'\'t'tl to haw hiddc'n it so dl'\'erl~' b~' It'a\ ing it Ollt in the opl'n; the minist{'r who ~1"t'S c\"t'~·thing and tdb'S pos.."4.'S."ion of till' !eth'r. St'lund Sl.'ril'S: thl' IXl!in' who find nothing at till' minister's hotd; till' minislt'r who thought of tt'a\'ing till' I(,tler in Ihe open in ordt'r IX·Itl'T to hidl' it; Dupin \\ho S\.'C'S e\'('r~,thing and take'S hack IXlSS4.'Ssion of Ihe INh'r.' It is olwious that diIT...·n'nCl·s Ix·t\\"l'C'n !it'ril'S ma~' he mon' or Ies-o; gn'atn'T\' grl'at \t ith l'l'Ttain authors. or WT\' small with thOS4,' otlU'nl \\ ho int~xluCl' onk inlinih·simal. ami \"l't l'q;,alh' l'fh('adous, \"ariations, It is ,11~() nll\"iollS ~that :it'rit's rdation~-that ~\'hkh rl'1ah's till' signif~'ing ~I'rit's to thl' signifil'd and til(' signified to tilt' signif~'ing-ma~' he a~sun'd in til\' simpll'st fashion by tIll' continuation of a :
Itt I \ ON q
IUAII/.·\TION
~t'rial tt'dmi'lul's of an l'xt'lllpl,ll'y li)l'll1,lli.~rn. joy(.'\'. I()r I'samplt·. Sl't'urnl till' rl'lation 11I.'t\\'('I·1l tilt' ~il!llih'in~ sl'ril'S "Bloom" and tilt' ~ignitil'd st'Tks "UlysSt's," t!l,mb to ~lllllitipit. forms whidl indudl'd an .lrdl\'olog~· of narratin' modo. a ~~<~tl'm of ('orrl'spomll'nt't' IJot.'twt'l·n nurnlx'rs. a prodigiolls ('mplo~'lll"nt of I'sotl'ric' \lonls. a llll'thod of (Iut'~tioll .md anSWlT .md til\' I'~tablililllllt'nt of ('Urrl'nts of thought or llluitipk' trains of thought (C.1rroll'~ douhtl' thinking?). Ra\1l10nd RousM·l h.l.~t·d till' commUl;ic'ation of M'ril'~ on a phon~'matic' relation ("/;.·s hJnJ..·j Jll nell.' pillard," "I,·s NmJI's Ju Ilfl'" b,IJord" = hlp). and lilll'tl tip till' t1i1TI'T(·nct· with a maT\t'lnu~ ~lo~' in "hidl till' signi~\'ing st.'ries p links lip with the signilil"tl :.I'ril'S b: till' l'nigmatic "atun' of the ston' is ('mphasizl'tl in this gc'naal pru('t'1lun·. to ('xkllt that tht' Signified ~t'ril'S ma~' remain hiddl·n. 1 Roblx·-Grillt·t l'Stablishcc:1 his scrit'S of tlt·~('Tiptions of states of affairs ami rigorous designations with small dilTC'Tl·lln'S. Hc did it by hd\'ing tlll'm T('ml\'(' around thl~fll('S which. although lixl-'ll. arc ne\'l'rthdl'S.... suih'1l to almost impcn'q>tible modilication and displaccnll.'nt in l'ach S(·rit"S. Pil'Trt~ Klos.~wski relies on thl' pro~r name .. Ro!x-rtl·... n.-'rtainl~' not in orela to dt'Signate a charart...·T and manift'st its id(·ntit~'. but on till' {'olltra~'. in onkr to express a ··primar:' illtC'nsitJ." to dbtributl' dilTt·T(·nct· and to obtain the doubling up of two scrit.'S: til(' first. signif\·ing. which Tl·fers to "the husband " " IX'ing unable to imagilll' hili \\ ifI' otlll'n\ is(' than a.... surprising hCTS('lf as ~Iw \loultl allow hl'I"S(,lf to I'll.' surpriS4.'t!"; thl' St'Cond. signifil'll. which T('f"rs to the wifl' "rushing into initi.ltiws which ought to ('olwin("C hCT of IWT fr('l"tlom. whl'n till'S!' initiati\'I'S ('onlinn olliv the vision of ha 'p
;'w
.
Tlm'e l'har.lt'h·Tistil's, tllt'n.foTl·. pt.'nllit tilt' ~I)('cilicati()n of tilt' rdation and distrihutiol1 of sl'ries in gt·llt'r"l. First. tilt' tenns of ('a(·h s('ril's ,In' in jX'rlwtU.ll n·latiw displan'Tl1l'nt in rdation to thos,' of tl1l' other (tllll.,. tiw l·xal1lplt-. till' position (xu'pit'd h~' tilt' rninistl'T in POt"s two wrinj. Tlwr\' is an "SSI'llti,,1 !::lck of cOIT"SI)()f)dt'nCl', This shift or di.. . pl,wl'nlt'nt is not .1 disguisi' ('owring up or hiding till' n'st'mhlann's 01 MTit's through th" introduction uf st'('ondaT\' \'ariations in tllI'm. Thb \IX I Il \fIUI \ ON :"II'RIAI I/.ATION
~9
n,latin' dispbl'('nwnt i", on till' ('ontrary, tilt' primary \'ari,ltion \\ ilhout whi('h llt'itlwr sait':' "oule! opt'n up onto thl' oth('r. \Vi1l1out it. til(' lol'ri('S \(ould not nlllstitutc th('I11sdn'S through this douhling up, nor «ould dw\' rt·ft'r III OIl(' another through this ('ariation aIOlU'. '!1wn' is Ihus ,1 dn~lhk sliding of one seri<-'S m'('r or under th(, otlwr, "hich I'Ollstilutt':- hoth. in a I>l:qx'illal dist'quilihriuTn vis-a· vis eal'h other. S"('ond, this dis(."quilibrilllll nHI.~t itsdf Ill' orit'nll."d: olle of tIll' Iwo st'ries -tilt' OIW d('t('nllinent of til(' two S('ries, tilL' L'xn':-s of 111(' one o\'t'r the other, without Ilt'ing rcdudhlt' to an)' of th\' h'nn,~ of till' sail's or to any n,lation 11(,tw('('n thl'st' {('nns. The 1('1/"" in !';wan's l'Omn1l'!H,11)' on Edgar Allan P<x"s story, for ('xample, is (lne such cas\', Another I'xamplp is giwn by I..lean in his commentary on the Freudian l'aS(' stud~' of the \Volf l\ in a dlaos~l·osmos. In HoblX'-Grillet's writing, till' s{'ril's of designations, tl1(' more rigorous or rigorollsl~' dt'scripti\'(' the~' ht:'collw. tilt' more tht'~' l'OIwcrge on lilt' expn'Ssion or indeten11in{'(1 or owrd('t\'rmim'll obj('("'ts such as thl' t'raser, till' line coni, or the insc'("'t bite. An'Onling to Klossowski, til\' name "RoIX,'rtl'" t'xprt'SSCS an "intensit~·," that is, a difT('ft'nl",(, of intcnsit~" hefon' dL'Signating or manir('Sting an~' person. Wh,lt J.n' the l-haral"h'ristics of this p..l fadoxkal entity? It l'irculah."s wilhout t'ml in hoth sc'ries and, I()r this rt'ason, assurl'S their l'onHl111nil'atiOIl. II is a two-sidl'd ('ntil)', c'lluall)' pn'M'nt in till' signil)'ing ami Iht' signilit'Cl sl'ries, It is the mirror. Thus, it is at onn' word and thing, n.lI11(' and ohj('("'t, St'ns(' and denofalUm, ('xpn'S.<;ion ami designation, ('Ic It guarantct"S, thc'n'fon'. tht, l'OIl\'('rgl'nn' of the two Sl'ries whidi it tra\t'~'S, hut pn'(""iM'I~' on the' l'Ol1dition that it makt'S thl'm l'ndlt'ssl~' diterge. It has till' proPL'rt~' of Ix'ing ah\J.~·s displa.n'(l in relation to it:-I'lf. If til\' terms of ('adl seril'S an' rdati\'l'I~' displan'd, III rdell/Oll 10 on(' (/IIOIh"", it is primaril~' Ix'caus{' tlwy have in Iht'Il1SI,lws an (In.wIIJle plano; hut this ahso1l.lIe plaCl' is alw.l\'s t!l-ll'mlint'(llw tilt' lenllS' distanl'(' from thi;, dl'mt'nl whidi i:- a"(·a~'S'displan'(l. in tl;(' two s\'fil's, m rdal/
1/:><·1[. \Vc' must sa)' that the paradoxil'JI ,'ntil)' is l1en'r ,,1lL'rt,
look for it, and l'OIH'crsc.lv that we nt·\t'r lind it "lwIT' it is. As Lacan s.l\·s, II /",Is to obs.:T1~ IU pl(JC~ (e/le manqul' J S<J pl<xej." It also fails to obsen:e its lI"n identit)'. n..-scmbIJnn', equilihrium. and origin. \Vl' will not sa\', t1wn,fofl', of the two snic's it animal('s, that till' Ont' is original)' a,;d tIlt' other deri\'l'd, though tlw~' lwt,linl)' Illa)' be originar)' or derit'ed in l'I,btion to onc another, TIIL'\' e,m also IX' sun'cssi\"e in relation to onl' ,lIlotlwr, But t!w)' are strktl~' simultJncous in relation to the entit,· I", nwallS of which the)' comm~nicat('. '11)(')' are simultaneous without ~n:r Ix'ing ('<Jual. since the L'ruih' h;b two sidc'S, one of which is alwa,'s J.hS\.'nt rrom thc other. It lX'ilOOH'S it, therefore, to be in excess in till' one .series which it constitutt:'S as signir)'ing, and lacking in the other "hil'h it constitutes as signinc
,In fal1., there is no strangc'r clement than this double-hcade<1 thing \\'1Ih t\\'o lIne
~IXTIl "'Hl.JI·~ ON :-I-RIAII.lATION
41
SC\Tnth Series of Esoteric Words
Lewis Carroll ('xplared and \'stahlislll'd a sl'rial method in litLTatuH'. We 11n wilh slight lIl/l:mal diffcunccs being ffguhm:J by (J s!ran9 r ob/l'cl. In '»'/I'/r alld 8runo. for \·xampk·. till' ''lC<.'ilknl of a ~'ollng ('~'dist is displac(·d from one $('ril'S to thl' otlwr (dlaptl'f 23). 1I11doLlhtl:dl~" thl's{' two scrks arl-' Stlccl'ssin: in rl'1.ltiOll to 1'.ll"11 otlW(, yd sinlllltatwolis in rdation to tlw strangl' object-in this caSt" an l'ight-hamkd w.lleh with n'wrsing pin ,;hich 11<.'\"(,( follows time. On till' l'olllrar~', t.illll' follows it. It makes ("'('lll'S H'lUrrl in two ways. l'itlwr in a Iwcommglllad \\'hkh n'WfSl'S their s('
TIl\' I,lttt'r is .1 strang(' ohjt,,·t. tIi.~pl,wl'd ill rt'l,lIion to itst,lf. silll't, till' Ilt'witlt, is forcl'd to rUIl with .1 fain'\ ,'I\·iftllt'.~s in onkr to return it to him). Sn'ond, \,.!.: lind also in l'arroll\ \\ork /11'0 .'K:fII:S C!I . . It.~ms 11'1111 ,'/um IIllallal ,md a((cl"'aUd d!n;'r<,IJ(j" helll,'! "'HII/CIl{',1 by proPOSJlJOIll', or at IC'/5/ by ,(Jlllld." ,md onomal0l'oeia,~. This is lht' 1,11\' of thl' mirror as Carroll t1t'S<.Til)('s it: ", , , what ('ould !w St't'n from tht' old room W.1S (Iuitl' uninh'n'~ting, hut " all the rest W.1~ a~ din'('n'llt ,1S possibk," Tht' dn,.llll-rl'ali~\' ~t'ri,'s of S)'/ric and 8runo art' t'Ollstruch'd in ,l('('onlann: with this law l;f di"'rgl'nn,, with thl' splitting of char.WltTS from 0110.: seril.'S to allullwr ,111(1 their further splitting in 1.',1("h Ollt' of t1ll'Ill, In the prefan' to tilt' ~{'I'ull(1 part, Carroll pH'St'nts a dt'tail~,d table of SIaI,'S, 1>oth human and rair~" which guarant('t's tho.: CtllTt'sl>ond('ll("{' of tilt' two sl'ril.'s in each IMSS
f)"
+1
\..
TIll' t"SOteric words whidl an: dldraClaistic of Carroll. hO\wnor. IX'long to another t~'P'-·' Tlw~' 1lt.·long to a s~·nthl.-"'Sis of {"Ol'xbtt'IlCl' inh:lll/l·d to guaranll'c tilt' {'onjunction of two suit·s of Ill:tl'rogt'll('Olis propositions, or of dinwllsiolls of propositions. (This of caurSt' ;Illounts to the saUl(" thing. sinn' it is al\\'a~'s possiblt' to construl't til(' ProIX)silions of aile ~rk'S h~' making t1wm ('mho(l~' a particular dinwmion.) W" haw seen that the ix'S! l'x,unpl,' of this was the wONI "Snark"; it circulatl'S throughout the two 5l'rit,s of alimental)' and St'miologi('al orality. or throughout th...· two dinwlliiions of till' proposition-the dt'notati\'(:: and the cxpn·ssi\'(.', .~dll(, and Bruno olTl'rs other ('xamplt's as well: til(' Phlizz. a fruit without laSh', or the A7,Zigoom Pudding. This \'ariety of names com ('asil~' be l'xplainl"(l; not ontO of them is the word \\hich cin'ulates; rather. the\' an' names which d(·llOt(· this word ("what the word is called"). '111(' ~ircllbting word is of a diAl'rent naturt'; in principle. it is til(' empt), squart·, till' (:mpt)' shdf, the hlank word (Lewis Carroll occasionally ad\'iSl-~1 timid Ix'Opll' to I('an- n:rtain words hlank in their letters). 'Inis word th('n:'for(" is "called" b~' nam('S which indi{.O!tl' c\'anCSl-lmccs and displacements; til(' Snark is in\'isiblt·, and the Phlizz is almost an onomatopoeia for som(·thing \'anishing. Or again. the word is l'alled b)· names which arc quit<· ind(·t<'nninate: aliquid. it, that. thing. gadgl't, or "whadl3lnacallit." (Sl"l'. for (·xampk'. til(' if in the Mousc's sto,)' or the IhlnS in the Shet'p's shop,. Finally. til(' word has no name at all: it is rather nanwd b}' th(' cutin' "'frain of a song, \\hi(,h cirnllates throughout the stanzas and causes t1wm to eommllnit'atl'. Or. as it is the case with the Gardclll'r's song, the word is named hy the conclusion of l'aeh stanza which brings about tilt' communication Ix'· tWI't'n prt'misl's of t \\'0 diffl.'rent g('nrt.'S. Founh. WI'.find 9'1'Q/!Y rcJmifit'd ~"es bt-InS u9ulaud by ponmanucJu II'ords and constl/llfed if m:Cl'ssar)' rhroush !'SOtale words '?f ,he prt'uous kind, In fal·t. these portrnantl'au words arc t1wlllscl\'es I'soh'ric words of a new kind. They art.' dl'filU,(! h)' 1I1('ir function of contracting sl.·\·cral words ami of l'Il\'l'loping scn-ral St'nSt'S ("frumious" = fuming + furious). Thl' probl~'m, how('\'('r, is to kno\\" when portmant<'au words becomc ncc('S.~~·; lor OIl(" can alwa~'s find portmanteau words. and, giwn g()()(1 \\ ill or arbitraril1t'ss. almost all ('solt'ric words rna)' Ix' thus int(·rprl'h'd. But, in 1:1('t. the IXlftmankau word is groundl'(l or fonm'd onl\' if it coincidl's \\ ith a l>.lrticular function of ~n t'SOtail' word whid~ it suppoSt'(II~' tll·notl.'S. For ('sample. an ('SOterit' word with tilt' simplt, functtnn of ~1-"I'NTll "IIUI'~
01' I,~OTJ-Iu<,: WUIU)"
nllltraction within a singll' S(·ril.~ (I 'um,e) is not a p0rtmant('au word. A furtlwr l'xample may Ix· found in till.' famous "jablX'T\\ock\'," \\ here ,1 great .number of words sk(,teh (Jut a f,mtasti(' zoolog)' b~t do not neCl'~saflly fonn portmantl'au words: thus, for example, "to\'cs" (badgl·rs-hzaf(I.~-l"Ork.sCf('ws). "borogo\'I'»" (birds-buoys), "rubs" (grel'n pigs) ,lnd the "ab "outgrilX''' (hdIO\\ing-whistling-snl,(~L.ing).l In onc final t'xamplc, wc must point out that an ('SOt('ric word subsuming two ~l('tl'rogen('Olis scrit.'S is not nl,(·t'S.""ril~· a portmanh'au word, \V(· haw ,ust s(~'n that this dual flllwtion of subsumption was adc(luatd)' fulfill!.'ll hy words like "Phli"..z." "thing," ,uld "it." Newrthdcss, portmanh'au \\ords ma)' appear e\"l'n on th('S(' 1('\'l.ls. :'Snar~" is a portmanteau \\onl \\ hkh designah.'S a fantastic or composIt(· ammal, shark + snake. Hut it is a seconda~' or acc("SSO'1' portmant.l'au word. since its content (It:m:ur) docs not coincide as such with its llll~ction as an esoteric word. B~' its content. it f(·f....rs to a compositl' ammal, whereas, b), it's function, it (:onnotl'S two Iwt('rogelwolls St'ries. only on{' of which is about an animal, albeit ('Omposite; thc other is ahout an incorporeal St:'1lSt.'. It is not t1U'refor(' in ils "portmanteau" :ls l>cct that the word fulfills its function. On the othl'r hand. jabberwock IS undoubtedl)" a fantastic animal; but it is also a portmanteau word, \\hoSt., content, this tinw, coincides with it's function. In fan. Carroll suggl.'Sls that it is fomlt.'ll from "wocer" or "wocor." which mcans offspring or fruit. and "jablx'r," which CXpft'SSCS a \'oluble, animate<:l, or ('haltering discussion. It is thus as a portmantl'au word that "jabber. \\{)('k" eOlmott's two series analogous to tllo.~(' of "Snark." It connotes ,1 sl'ri('s of tht' animal or wg(·tabll· pro\'enanc{' of l'llible and d("llotablc ohj('('ts and a series of \'('rhal pro/if('ration of t'Xprcssible senS4.-'S. It is of ('OUts(' till' C.1SC that thl'S(· two St'ri,'S ma~' I>c conlloted othcT\\'isc. and tlMt th" portmanteau word d()('S not find in thcm the foundation of its Ill·n ·ss ity. The d('finition of the p0rtlllankau word, as l'ontral'ting S('\'n.ll words and l'nL'Ompassing sl'wral S('nSI'S, is tlwrcfof(' a n~ninal ddinitioll onl\, ~.
<':onmwllting on tbe first stanza of"Jahllt'T\\'()('k~'," Humpt~' Dumpt\' ulTt'fS a.!l portmantl'au words til(' nord!' "slith~'" (= lith('.slinw.a(.th'~) rnllns~'" (= lhmsy.misl'rabll·), etl'. I!ere our dt~Kolllfort m('fe~.!les, \VC M',' dl'arl~' in {'aeh ('asl' that th('ft· arc S('\'l'ral contracted words .lIld '('lb"S; but thes<' ('k~mcnts aI'" ca.~ily organiz('(1 into a single St'ries in unl('( to ('ompoSt' a glohaJ St.·nM·. \Ve do not tll....n·foft· S(~. hO\\ the 4\
portm.lIlh';Hl \\lml (.111 I", di,tingui:.hl'll from a :.implt' nmtr,ll, tion or from a '\ nthl',i, Ill' nllllll't-tiu' :-u('("{'ssion. \V., ('an, of COUrl'I', inlrodul't, .1 :-n:ullti 'I'ril":-; l'.lrroll himM.-lf ,'xplains that the inh.-rprl'ti\l' po:-"ihilitit':- .lrl' inhlllh', I'or ,'xamplt-. \\1' ma~' hring "Jahllt'n\ock~'" hKk into tilt' M IWI1l.l of tilt' <';,lrdelwr's song. with tIl(' two st:rie:o. of d,'nnlahle uhjl'l'b it'dihll' .lIlimals), anti of ohi('('ts l,",'aring Sl'nSl' (s~'mholil or fUllctioll.ll beings of tll(' "b.lnk ('mplo~"'t"" "stamp." or "dilig,'nn'" t~·I)t". IW ('\I'n tlll' "at:lion of the railwa~'" I~Tll" as in till' Snark), Thus. un mil' h.lIld. it is po:'$ihk to inh'rprl't till' I'ml of tlu,' first stanz.l in tlw nunn,'r of Ilumpty Dumpt~: grt,("11 pigs (wlhs), far from honw (momt" = from hOl1ll'). 1>1:,110\\ ing-\\ histling-slUv/ing (oUl.'l"brn.q): hut it i:also IXh~ibl(' to interpn.·t as follO\\s: tax('s, pn.-f•.-renti,l! rah'l' (r(l/h = ratr + rather), far from Ilwir point of t!"'I>'lrtllrl'. Wl'r(' prohibiti\"t' (our,qra~), But, along Ihis rouh' ••my s('rial interprl'tation m.l~' hI' ,K('''-'I)tl'tl, and it is not thC'r,'fon' dl'.lr how tlw portmanteau word is distingllisll"-'tl from a conjum:ti\'l' s\,ntlwsb, of nx'xist<'nn" or from an~' l'SOt('ri<.' \\onl whats<X"n'r assuring th,' n)Ordination of two or morl' hd('rog.'n('011S :.eril'S. 'l1lt~ solution to this probl('m is gh'C'll h~' Carroll in Illl' prl'fat:l' to "'he
Hunr/ll,q
'!f Ihe Snark:
SupP(l~il1g that, wlll'll Pistol \IHI'r"d th(' \I'('II-I.:.nown words-"Undl'r which kin~, Ikl.oni,m? Spt.'ak or IIi,'!,' Ju:.tio' Shallo\\ l1<1d fdt (','rtain lhat it "as
t'ith':'r \\lilIian1 or Rkhan-L hut Iw(1 not 1"'1'11 ahl.., to ~,t1I,' "hit-h. 1'0 that Ill' 1101 possibly sa~' ('ithl'r Ilanw Ix,fon' tll(' other, ('an it h(' doul.I<'t1 thai. ralht'r than oIit,. Ill' would han' gil:'lx'tl OUI "RiI, hi-lin!"
l"Ouid
tilt' r.lnliht'ation of thl' sl'ri.'S intn I\hkh it is in!>tTt..'tI, This is the n'aSOl1 \\ 11\ it Ill'\,'r ('xists alOll\', It lx't. kon:- 10 utlwr portmanh'au
\\onl~
\\hidl
I'n·~-t'(I,' or follow it. ami \\hidl "ho\\ tllat .'\'(.~. :-I.'rit'S is aln'ady r.llnili,'d in prindpl,' and still funha r.lIlliti.lhl,'. Midlt'l Hutor l'.lid it \\1,11: "I'ach of Ihl'S(' \\'on!.' Ian .let ol:- a :-\\it('h, .lnll we c.ln mO,"I' trom 0111' 10 anotll('r h~' nll'.lll~ of many p.lssag('s; hl'lU'I' tllt' idl'a of .1 book \\ hich docs not silllpl~' n:ll'r,ltl' mit' stor~'. hut .1 w!Jol.. oo'an of 'turin,,"· Thus WI' lllay no\\ .\I1:-I\\'r tilt' (IU('stion 1>OSl'd at thl' outst't, \\'11t'1l tilt' t'SOIl'rit· \\onl fWKtinn:. not onh' to connotl' or l'oonlinalt' 1\\0 h,,{t,rog("WOUS s...ri,'l' hut tn introduo' (lisjul1ctions in th., so,'ril'S. tlll'll til(' portman{('all \\onl i:- 1ll't·.'S.'W~, or 1U'C.'Ssarily foundt't:l. In this \.1:-,,, Ill(' l'SOtCriC word itso"lf is "nam..'t:'" or dl'noh'tl b~' a portmal1lt'all \\on!. TIlt' l'Sotcric word in g_'llI'r.ll r1.:fl'rs al onn' to til(' empfy ~lwre .mll to th.. occlIl>''lnt without pla(.... , But. in Carroll's work, WI' must di:-tinguish thTl-'C sorts of I'sotaic words: co/llwC/ln.9 ll"ords, which Ix.-rfoml a s~·nth.'Sis of sut'('('SSion o\('r a singl,' s,·ri..' S and Ix'ar upon th.. ,~Ilahi(' d('mellts of a proposition or .l SUl"c:l'ssion of prol>ositions in unln to extract from thl'm tlwir coml>ositl' so,'nS<' ("conn.."'<."tion"); (lfcufoll".'IIt·ards, whkh p"rfonn a :o.ynthesis of nx.'xis{('nc(' and coordinalion IWh\'l't'll two Iw!t'rog('lwoUS s('rit's ,md \\ hich din,(·tly and OIl once IW:lr UpOI1 tht.' r('sp{'{·tiw s('nsl's of tlwse s{'ri..:s ("conjunction"); and J"fullcm'l' or portrnanll'au words. which plTform Jn in!;nitl' rami/it'ation ul' lo,'xisting Sl.'ri('S amllx.'Jr at onn' ulxm words Jml Sl'nsc:·s. or s~'lJabic .mel M'llliological dt'llwnts ("disjullt'lK>n"). TIl(' ramif~'ing function or Ilw tlbjlllu'tin' s\"l1tlu'Sis ofTen; th.' f('al dr/inition of th..• portmantt'au \\lInl. It'n'
It St.'t'l1lS t1wn thai the p0rtmantt'au \\ort! is grolllul('ti upon a stri(·t disjum:ti\'t' s~'ntlll'sis. Far from Ix'ing confronti'd \\lth a panit'lll"r ('aSI', W1.: dist'owr till' law of til(' lXlrtmantt'.l(1 "unl in g('Il,'r"l, pro\'id('d thai we diSt'nga1!." eat'h lilll(' till' disjullt'tion \\ hich llla~' han' IXTn hicldt'll. Thus. for~ "fnlllliou:." (fuming + furious): "If your thoughts indilll' l'wr M) little to\\ar\.'1\\('('n fuming,-.md-furiou:- nn (;IW h.lIld .lnll furious-and-fuming on till.' nlhl'r. In Ihis :o.,'nM', tilt' function of tilt' portmOlnh'au word alw,1\'s l'on:o.i:o.t:- in ... 1 \1" 111'1 KII ... 01 I 'OTI Kle WOKn .....(.7
buhth Series of
"
Structure
Levi-Strauss has indk.lh'(l .1 paradox in till' fonn of an .mtinomy. whkh is similar to LK,ln's paradox: two st.'ries IX'ing gi\'t'll. OIl<' sign if"ing and the otlwr signilil,(1, till' first pn"Sl.'nts an cxct-'s.s and the latter ; la~k. H\' Ilwans of this ('Xl'('SS and this lack. th l ' scri('S Tl,fl'r to ('aeh other in '(·h.'rnal dist'(luilihrium and in pl'rp('tllal displal1..'ml·nt. As the hl'ro of Cosmos sa,·s. tlwr... an' ah\ap too man~' Signifying signs. '111C primonlial signifier is of till' ordef of languagl" In whatcn:r m
.
This p..u adox might l>t, nanwd I{ohinson's paradox. It is olwious that Rohinson, on his desert island, could r<'COlbLrtlt'! an anal~lI(' of sodL"t\' only b)' giving himSC'lr. all at onn', all til(' nIles and la~'s which ar~' reciprocatl)' irnplicatlXl, t'\"(.'n wh('n th(')' still h,1\"e no obj«-ts" -nlt' L"on
49
"/I"
Il.:J
IJ. This i:- J \ Jlu" "in itM·lf void of Sl'nSl' Jnd thus su:-nvtibk of
tJkin~ 011 ,lIl\" :-,'11."". Ilho:-<' llni{lue fum·tion would I",· (0 lill tht' gap 1",.I\I;....n Ioigniti..r .mt! ...ignitil·d." "It is ,I s~'lllholit' I'alm' ",·rn. tlMt is. a :-ign Ill"rki~g till' 1lt'l.·..losit~' of a symholil' contl'nt Suppll'mt'lltar~' to that 11)lidl alr..at!~ dl.1l'gt'S tilt' signifil'tl, but ahle to tak<· an~' \'alul' II hatS()· •.\t'r. nn the cundition that it bdong to till' ,waila!>I" rt.'M·rYt· .. .'. It is Ilt'n·......an· to UlukrstJ.nd that tilt' t\\O senl'S are markl'tl, om' In- l·xn.-s.... th.. ;lthl:r In' lack. and that th(' two dl·tl·mlin.ltions an' intt'~changt'll "ithout "\T~ waching l'quilihrium. What is in ('Xl't-'SS in tilt' signif~ing M'ril'~ is lit('ral1~' an C'mpty :>quart.· and an ah\'a~'s displan'l.l placl' without ,In oc.·("ul)J,nt. \Vhat is lad;,ing in the signili('(1 st'ril'S is a supl'rnumera~' ami non~situat("d ginn-an unknown. an oc·l·ul>.lnt without ... pl.l(,(·. or l>(JIlwthing always displacl·d. Thl'S(' arc two sidl'S of till' same thingtwo Ulleven sides-hv Illl'ans of which th~' st.'ril'S communkat{· without losing thl'ir ,Iiff{·f(·nn:. It is tlw adn'nturl' in tilt' Shl...·p·S SllOP or tilt' stor), that till' esotl'rk \\onl narrah'S. 'Wt' ma~'. Ix.'rhaps. d,'h'rmint' cert,lin minimal ('onditions I0..' detcnnillt'd as "sillnifving" and Ilw ;ltlwr as "signilil'd" (a singl(' series Ilc\,("r sullin's to fon~, a'" stnlctun·). 2) tal'll ~f tllt'Se sl'rks is constituh'l.l IJ\' tenns \\ hkh exisl onl\' through 11ll' rt,lations the\' maintain with OI;C anolher, To tllL'SI' rd;tions. ;;r rathl'r 10 tilt' l'al~l's of thl:-'SC rdations. t1ll'r(' correspond wry parti"-''lIlar l'\'l·ntS. that is, slngtlJanua \\ hich an- assignable within till' stnJctur1'. TIll' situation is n-n' similar to that of difT('n'ntial calculus. \\1U'n' till' distributions of singular points corn'Slxmd to til(" ...alm'S of difT('n'ntial rdatiolls,! RJr {'xampl(·. tht.' difTl'f('ntial fl.·lations among pholl('Ill{'S assign singulantil'S \\ ithin languagl'. in the "\ idnit~·" of whi{'h til(' sonoritil'S and signifil·a. tions charal·tl'risti(' of till' 1.1I1guage art' ,,-·on:-tituh'll. t\·'ofl'OH·r. it Sl'l'ms that til(' singularitil'S attach~1 ~o a St.·rit'S dl't,'mlinl' in a {·ompl!.'x malllwr til(' tt'mlS of till' otlll'r Sl'Ti('s. In any {'as<'. a stnKtUf(' indmks 1\\0 distributions of singul"r points ('orn'spontling to 11ll' haloe snit·s. And for this rl'ason. il is impn'dse to OppOSl' structun' ,lilt! en-nt: till' :-.tructurl' indudt·s a n'gish'r' of ideal ('re11/1, that is. an l'min' hlSfa,y inhornal to il (I(lr \·x,lll~plt'. if th,' s,'rit's indudt' "charal't,'rs," il is a hislory \\ hid\ ,'Onnt'l·t:- all till' singular points corr"slxmding to tht' po...iti;ms of tl1I' charactt'rs rdatin' l~ 0Ill' another in IIU' 1\10 :owrit's). ~) TIll' 1\\0 hl'h'rogyrwou:- M'nes conwrgl' IO\lolTd .1 paradoxil·all'lt·~llt·nt. I l ( i l l i l l 'd ItJl ' I l l 'Il(UCrUl(1
\\ hkh is t1wir "difi""rl'mia(or.'· Thb ilo till' prindpl\' of thl' elllission of _illgularili,·s. This dl'nwnt hdong:- ltl no ....·ril·...; or ratlwr. it Iwlongli 10 1J.0lh :-.I.'rit's 011 onn' and IWH'r (·:·.1!>'·1o to ('in-ulah' throughout Ih,'~' It 11.1" tlll'n·forl· till' proPt'rt~· of ahq~~ I""ing displan'(l in n:lation to ilst·lf. of "Ill.'ing ...1)St·nt from its 0\\1l plan·... it:- (1\\11 id,·ntit~·. ils 0\\11 f'{'S('mhl.mn.'. and its own ''quilibriulll. It .1Pllt·... o. in one of tht' St'ril'S as ...n ,·'\:l·t~<;. but onl~' on tht' comlitiun Ihat it \lould .1Pllt·,lf al IllI' S.lml· time III Ilw otht'r as a lack. Rut if il b in I'Xl"l-s.s in lilt' om'. it is so onho as an \'mpI\, squan'; and if il b 1.llkinll in IllI' ollll'r. il is so OIi\· as a ,upl';'lllml'rary' pa\\n or ,In O{TUpar;t \\itllOlIt ... ,,-·omp...nmt.·nt. It is hath I\unl and objt'(·t at onn': t~)lni( \\onl and t'xolnk objt'l.·t. II has Ihl' fUllction of arti,·ul.1tinll thl' 1\\0 snit·!'> to one anotllt'r of r..fll'l·ting them in Ollt' anol!lI'r. of l~,aking lIwm communicah·. l:ot.'~ist. ,mil I'l(.' ramil-ied. Again. il has till' fun(·tion of joining lilt' singularitil's \\hid, correspond 10 thl' hlo sl'ril's in a "(anglt'd tal(~" of ass;;ring till' IMssag{' from 0Ill' distrihulion of :-.ingularitil's to tilt' IlI'Xt. In short. il ha.~ Ihe function of hringing ahout Ih~ dislrihutinn of singular points; of dl'll'nnining as signif)'ing till' ."I'ril·s in whkh it aplx'us in t'XCl'SS, and. .1.' signih('(1, Ihe SI'Tit-.~ in \\hich it appears ('orrl'laliwlv as lacking and. ,1ho\'(: all, of assuring till' I",·!'>towal of St.'IlSt' in hOill signif)'ing and ..ignihNI scril·S. For seilS'-' is nOI 10 IX' confuSl'(! 1\ ith significalion; it is r,ltlll'r Ilhat i.~ anrilnlll"l.l in such a wav (hat it dl'tI'~,in('s both til(' .. ignililT and lilt' signilit-d as such. We ca;l l'Ondudt· from this thai Ihere 1:-. 110 stnJctun' withoul Sl.Ti,·s, \\ ithout n'lations 1>o..·lwl.-'(·n thl' temlS of '''Kh s,-,ries. or without :-ingular points I.-urr('Slxmding to Ihl.-'SC rduions. But aIlO\'l' all, \\'(' {'an (·ondud,· Ihat then' is no slruetuf'{' withoul Ihc t'mplY squan·. whidl mah·!'> ,-,wry·thing function.
~l'ril's cXh'nding in a dl'lcrmilll"(l din'<:tion right up to the vicinit\' of
Ninth Series of the Problematic
What is an iclongs to anoth('r dinwnsion than that of denotation, manifcstation, or signification, It is ('Sselltiall)' prc-indi\'idual, non-per· sonal, and a-mnceptual. It is quite in
amY
p
anotlwr singularit~·. In this sc.'IlS(', not onl)' an' tlll'rl' scv('ral divergent M'ri('l' in a structure, but ('a<'h M'ril'S is itSC'lf constitut('(J b\' SC'\'('ral l'Oi\\'erg('~lt ~llb-scrj('S, If W(' ('xaminr til\' singulariti('S rorrt'S~nding to till" t\\O Important basic st'rks, \\t' .'it't.' that the)' 3n' distinguish('(I, in "oth CJ..'>l'S, by their distrihution. From on... to the otha, <'crtain singular poinls disapp('ar or an' di\"ilkd, or umkrgo a changl' of nature and function, The moment that !Ill' two series rl'sonate ami commllnic,ltl' \\\' pal's from one distribution to anotlwr, TIll' momt'llt th'lt till' s\'ri('~ ,ln' traWI'Sl-'(1 by the paradoxical ag"'Ill, singularities are displac("(I, n:'(listrihutl'll, transfomlcd into on(' anal her, and <'hang(' St'ts, If th{' singulariti('S arc \Tritablc ("'ents, t1w~' communi<-'ah' in ont" and the same Ewnt \\ hidl ('mllcssl)' rcdistributt'S th{'m, whik' their transformations foml a hmoI'). I'Cgu~' dearl)· saw Ihat history and ('\'('Ilt \\"('re inseparable fmm those singular points: "E\'('nt..~ ha\'(' critical points just as tcmperatur(' has critical points-points of fusion, congelation, boiling, cond('nsation, coagulation, and crystallization. And ('wn within till' ('wnt thefe are ,~tat('s of surfeit which are precipitated, cr)'stallized, and det('nnined olll~' by th... intnxluction of a fragmenl of the future e\'ent. ,,1 P{-gu)' \\as able, as wcll, to inn'nt an {'mil'(' language, among the most pathological and al-'Sthetic that one might dr<,'am of. in order to ('''plain hO\\ a singularit~' is prolong('(1 in a line of oruinan' points, but also how it lx-gins again in another singularit~" how it 'redistributes itself in another sct (two 1'('1X'litions, a bad onl' and a gO(K1 one, one that ('n('hains and th{' other thaI sa\'es). EWllts art' ideal. Navalis sometimes sap that ther{' arc two courses of eH'nts, OIW of them ideal, the other real and illllx'rfl'(,t-for \'xample, ideal Protestanism and n'al Lutheranism. J 'n1e distinction howl'\'('r is not bt,twl..'l'n two sort's of {"'('nlS; rather, it is between th{' e\'l'nt \\hich is ideal b~' nature, and its spatia-tt'mporal reali.. .a tion in a stal<' of atTain;. 'nl\' distinction is bctw<.'Cn t'n"m and ocCldem. Ewnts ar{' id('a. .tiona l singularitil.'S which communicate in onl' and the same 1:-,\'('01. rh~'~. h3.\·(' t1wrcforc an ('l('mal truth, and t1wir timt~ is n("'l'r th{' pn'S('nt \\ hwh n'alizl's tlwm and mah'S them exist. Ratlwr, it is the unlimited :'\ion, till' InfinitiH' in which the)' suhsist and insist. l:-,n'nt.~ are til<' ani). h!{',lliti('s"To 'f ·t· 1'1'1 . - IS " I"lr.~t am I 'roremost to remo\'c l'SS('IlCl'S , re\' (S .. OI11slll ,1nll to sub.'titutl' ('n'nts in their plan', as jets of singularities, A douhle NINTII :>1::11.11,,,
Till:: I'ROHII',\IATIC
"
hattl,' ha~ lilt' ohjl'{"tiH' to th\\.lrt .111 dogmatic l'onfusion ht'\\\\'\'ll l'wnt and l·~~·nn.. and al~) ,'\t'n .'lllpirki:.1 confu:.ion Ill't\\I,<'1I "H'nl and JCdll.'Il1.
TIll' 1ll()(1.· of till" l'u'nl i:- lilt' prohll·m,ltit'. On(' nUl"t not .. ,}~ that Illl'rl" art' prubkm"llit· I'u'llb. hut that l'u'lllS l)l'ar l·xdll:.i\l'l~ upon prohlt·ms and tld-illl' tlwiT nmdition:-. In thl' Ix-autiful pag"" in It hidl Iw 0ppo~':'> tlw ,lwOrt'm,ltl' nmH'ptioll of gl'OITwtry to till' prohkm.llil.:. till" Nt'Hpl'lIonil' philo.'>oplll"r Prodll:> "dim's til(' problem h~' nWJlIS of till' H'IlIS which conw to allt,l'! .l logi(',,1 subj''<1 matter (M'l"tions, ablations, .-.djunctions. dc), ,dwnw" tilt' t1won'l1l d,'als with lilt' propt'nil's It hidl an~ til-II11,'cd from "Ill \'SSI'IWt':' Tlw ('n'llI h~' ilsdf is prohll'lllatk and prohk'mati/ing. A probl\'m is determined onl)' h)· thl' ~illgular poinl~ which t'xpn':o,.., its "'onditiolls, \Vt' do not :o.a)' that till' prohll'm is then·by n'SOh l'(l: on til<" cnntr.lI;,'. it is ohnions wOlJd haw no ';."5('. TIll' probll'lllati{' is hoth .\11 ohjl·eti\{' l".lh'gor)' of klltl\\ It·dgl' and a Ix'rfl"!-'tl)' ohil'ctin' kind of IX·ing. "I'rohIt·l1lJ.til·'' Illl.llitil'S pn·t.:isd)' tlw idl"ll objt·,,·ti\'itivs. K,llll \\.1.~ \\ ithout douht Ill\' lirsl to .ll"l"l'Pt till" prohlt-mati,,' not as .1 11l'ding Ulll'I'I'Llint)' hUI :I.' thl' W'r)' ohjl'et of till' [dl'a, ami t1wrdw as an indil>lwl1:o.ahlthori/on of ,lllth,lt (K'cur., or .1PIJol'.lr:o.. H-
""1""111 " ' U I ' O I
rllll'ItOIOIMAllt
TIll' 1"\,Ialiol) Iwtwe(-'n matllt'lIlatin, ,Illd m;1ll Illa\' Ihus lx' ('onCl'in'(! in ,1 lll'\\ wa~': thl' question I:. nol Ihat of cllI.lIlti(\,ing or nwasuring human prop<'ni('S. hut ratht'r, 011 till' om' haml, Ihat of problt'matizing hum,m ('\"('nts, and, 011 thl' OIlll'r, that of t1l'\'doping as \'.lrious Illlllla~ I" t'nL~ tilt' ("ondition... of 3 prohlt'm. 'Ilw rt'('n'ation..11 m.ltht'matiC"s of \\hi,,'h Carroll dreamt ofl"i'rs thi", douhlr aspt'Cl. TIlt' liNt appt'an; pn'I il>l'I~' in a text t'ntit!('(1 "A Tanglt-d T..1le.... lhis sto~' is {'olllj)()S('(1 of k/lOB \\ hielt, in {'aeh caSt', surround the singul..1ritit's {'orn'Spontling 10 ..1 prohlt-m: characlen; incanl.ltl' tlll'!'I' singul..1riti('s and an' displan'd or n',lrrangt'd from on{' problem 10 illlOtlll'r, until the\' lind t'ach otlll'r ,lg,lin in the tt'nth knot, (·..1ught in till' lwtwork of tlll'i; kinship rdalions. TIll' Mousl"s iI, which lIst,d to rd"(-r t'itlll'r 10 consllmahl\, Ohjl'cts or to ,'xprl'ssiblt' S{'nSl'S, is now rt'pl.Jn·d b)' dara, whidl r,,'f{'r sOllletimes 10 'lliment.1r)' gifts, and sonll'tinll's to giwlls or prohk'lll ronditions, 'Illl' ..t,("OIul, .lml mon' profound, atl{'mpt appt"ars in The ~rnamj(j l:?f a Par.
,,-de ... t\\O lillt'l'i might m.\"l' bt."'11 ob..'nl,(! \\emling t1l('ir \\i1~' ok.TOSS a plJlll' "up,'r1idl.'S. '111(' elder of thl.' 1\\0 !l,lll h~· long pr.u.'tit't' .ll"quin.'(1 d .... art, so l),Iinful 10 yuung and impull>iH' lod. of I~'ing ('\l'nl~' b(,twt'l..·n his ('xtn.'n1t' point...; hUI lilt' ~'oungt'r, in Iwr girlbh imp':tuosit~', \\Jo:. t'HT longing to diwrg'" .ulll htTOlllt' . 1 h)l,,:rhol,l or SOlllt' sUl:h romantk ,1nll boundl{'Ss cur't'. , , , FaIt' ,llld till' illlt'r\'l'ning sup.:rlidl's h,u[ hitlwrto kl'pt tlwm
-
,
\\It' ~hotltd not 5('1..' in this paSs,lgt' J simpk' aJlI'gor)' or 3 malllll'r of ..1llIhropolllorphizing matlll'lllatics, Nor should WI' St.'\.' till'S{' It'mlt'nl"it's in tilt' cl'!t'hratt'd !>.lssagt: from ~1/l"/e and 8runo. "onc{' a {·oincicll'IU"t.' \\3:0. t.Jking a walk with a Jitt/t' a{"t."idt'nt, and thl'Y nwt an {'xpl..1llation, .. ," \\I1ll'n C..1rroll slx'aks of a l)Jraltdogram \\ hi{'h longs for exlt'rioT ,ll)~II·:o. ami complains ..1t nOI IX'ill~ ahlt· to 1)0,' inSt'ril)('(1 in a {'in-Il' or of .1 ~ ur\(' \\ hi{'h SUlTl'J"S from "S{,{':'tioll!> anti ..1hl.ltion~" that it h~ ht'l'U Ion I,d to tllllll'rgO, Oil(' mll~t ft'nwmlx'r r..1tlll'r th.lt p~~'dlOlogi{'al ,lilt! 11101',11 dl.lr,WhTS ,ln' also 1ll.1t!I' of pn'-pt·rMln.ll sin~lliaritit's, and th.lt th,'ir li't"ling.~ 01' t1wir palhos an' <'un:otituh,d in tl~' ridnitv of tlll'St' .. ingll~'ll·iti\'.,,: sl'nsitin' crisis point.., turning points, hoiling poi'!lts, knot.~, '1~ld 10)·1...... I\dlat Carroll {",llls plm" lJIwcr or ",gh/ "",gt'r, for {'xamplt'). t Mroll\ 1\\0 Ii ill'S 1'\IJh· 1\\11 r{'SOIl.lting st.-rit's; and their lontfino:. t'\'okt'
...
~
~
'I1'ITll'tltll'OI·'lllII'ROHII,\\-\TIl'
H
distributions of singularity. merging ilnd !x-ing rcdistrihuti'd in til(' currcnt of a tangled t'lk. As Carroll said, "(pllain superficiality is till.' char,H':H'r of ,1 Sp~'l'(:h, in which all)' two points being taken, thl' srx:ah;r '. found to lil' wholly• with reganl to those two points.,,6 In The DYlJamies IS of (I ['am-de c.lrroll oullines a theory of series and of dcgn'l's or powcrs ~f partidt's arrangcd in thest' series ("!.SD, a filllrrion ifsum ralw: ... ").
We
C,ll1
speak of
('\'COIS
only in the
conlcxt
aT th-C prohll.:1ll whose
conditions they dCll'nl1inc. W" call speak of e,"ents onl), as singularities dq)lo)'<,d in a' problematic field, in the vicinit)' of which dll' solutions an.' organized. This is wh)' an ('ntirl' method of problems and solutions travcrses Carroll's work. constituting the scientific language of events Jnd their r(·alizations. Now, if the distributions of singularities curre· sponJing to each series fonn fields of problems, how arc we to charac· tcrize the paradoxical element which runs through the series, makes them resonate, communicate, and branch out, and which exercises command ovcr all th t repetitions. transfonnations, and redistributions? This dement IllUSt itself l:w defined as the locus of a question. The problem is detemlined by sin9uJar points corrcsponding to the series, but the qlleslioll is det('nnined b), an a/Mfo')' poinl corresponding to the empt), S<juare or mohile element. The metamorphoses or rl,.--distributions of singularities foml a histor)'; each combination and each distribution is an {'vent. Hut til{' paradoxical instance is thl' Event in which all e\'cnts communicate and arc distributed. It is lhe Unique e\"cnt, and all other. {'vcnts arc its bits and pieces. Llter on. James Jo)'ce will be able to give sense to a method of questions and answers which doubles that of prohlems-th~ Inquisitor)' which grounds the Problematic. The question is developed in problems, and lhe problems arc enveloped in a fundamental question. And just as solutions do not suppress problems, but on the contrar), discover in them the subsisting conditions without which thc)' would han' no Sl'nse, answers do not at all suppn'ss, nor do the)' saturate, lhe question, which Ix~rsists in all of the answers. There is t1wrcfore an aspect in which problems remain withollt a solution, and til{' question without an answer. It is in this sense that prohll'm and (IUl'stion d('signate ideational objcctivities and havc th~'ir own being, (1 mi/limum C![bei/l8 (sC{' the "answcrl('ss riddles" of l\lice). 'We ha\'e already seen how esoteric words wcre l'ss('ntiall)' tied to them. On one hand, the portmantl'au words are inseparable from a problem which is deplo),l'd in the ramified sl·ries. This prohlem docs not at all express a
suhjl'ctiH' utlo:rtaint)', but. on til\' contr",y, il expr('ss~'s tilt' obj('ctiv(' ('(luilihriulll of a mind situated in front of the horizon of what happens or ,11'Iw.lTs: Is it Richard or \Villiam? I.~ it fuming-furious or furiousfuming? [n eaell case, there is ,1 distrihution of singularities. On the otlll'r hane!' blank words, or, ratlwr. words dc'noting tIl{' blank word arl' insqlarahle from a <ju('stion which is enveloped and displaced throughout the series. It belongs to this dt'1ll1'111 whidl is .llwa~'s ahsl'nt from its prop,'r plan" propc'r Ti.'sl·mhlanlT, and prolx'r identit), to he the Ohjl'l"t of a fundamentJI qm'stion whieh is displaccd along with it: what i.~ Ihl' Snark? what is the Phlizz? what is It «(a)? Being the refrain of a sung, whoSl' \'('rses form lilt' man)' s('ries through whidl the dt'llll'nt l'irelllah's, l:wing the magic word, in whose ('aSI' all the nanll'S Iw which it is "catled" do not fill in till' "blank," till' paradoxical insta"nce has prl'dsel~' tllis singular Ix'ing. lhis "objc,(·tiv('," which cOl"C'slxmds to the CJul'stion as such, and c.'orresponds without C'\Tr ans\\"('fing. it.
>
{f>
NINTH SI,Rlh~ OI'TIII·.I'KOliLI,MATIC
NINTll "HUI'~ eH Till· I'JUIIII I',\IATIC
f)7
dl~tint"t. beh
Tenth Series of the
Ideal Game
Not only dOt"S u'wis Carroll inwllt ganu'S. or transfoml the n.lt'S of known games (tennis. C'rlXl\J('I). but hl' inmkt'S a sort of ideal gamt' whost· nwaning and function an' at lirst glance diAicult to asSl.-'Ss: for t·x'lmplt,. thl' l"alll':lls-rao... ill IIlIft.. in whid, Olll' IJI..'gins wlwn onL' wislll~ ami stops at will; and till' ~Toclul'l match in whid, lhl' halls ak Iwdgl'hogs. tlw O1"II\,{s pink tlJ.mingos, and till' loops soldias who l·ndlt·s.~k displ.1Cl· tlwmsl'ln's from OIl\' ('nil of til(" g.lIllt' to till' otln-r.
·11U'.~· g:1TlWS han' the
following in commun:
tlwy I;;J.\(· .1 gn"J! tlt'al of
1110\"('111<'l1t. tlll'\' S/..'("m to han' 110 prt'Cist· full'S, and tl1('\" . pl'mlit Iwither
.
winner nor 1{)S('r. \V{' Jfl' not ·'a<:qUJinh'1.!" with such ganll's \\ hit·h S('1.'m to contradict th{'"'M,ln'S, -l1w ganu'S with \\ hich \H' art' anluainh'nd to a l'l'rtain numlx'r of prilKiplt'S, \\hkh ma~' makt' thl' ohjl'\1 of a t1U'o~'. -(nis tlll'o~' appli('s ('quail" to gamt'S of skill and to gaml's of dwll'l.'; onl), till' naturl' of thl' rull-s din~,rs. I) It is nl'n'ssar~' that in ('\'('ry e.1St· .1 S('t of ruks pn't'xists til\' pl.,~'ing of til(' gamt', and, "Iwn Ollf..· plays, this S('t t.lkl'.~ on a c,ltl~{)ril'al \'alw,.'; 2) tll('S(' rult's dt'h'rmim' h~votl\\'st'S which dh'it!t- and apportion d,alll'l', that is, h~'potlwst's of loss or g.,in (what h,'plwns if .. ,I; JI tilt'S<' Il\'potllt'~t·s or"alli:!t' tilt' pla\·inl!. of till' g.lIllt' al'I'm'ding tn J plur"lit~, ti thro\\~. \d~('h art' rt'aH,: ,,,;d num,:ril·.,ll~·
OIl(' of tlwlll hrin\!" "hoUl .1 tixt·tl distrihution l'orr('spnntlinl! to on.. I·a.....· or another. (I-~I'n ,d1\'n tht' , g.lInt' is IM~I'd on a sinull' • 0 threl\\. this thro\\ is good onl\' 1"'t·.lU~t' of till' tixI't1 distrihution \\hidl It hring~ ahout and IX'l'au~: of ib nUllwrk.lI Il.lrtil'ularit~·); 4) tilt' l'un~'(IUt·Ilt·"~ of til(' thn)\\~ r.mgt· OH'r the alh'n1atiH' ",'ictor... or t1..1~'.lI." '111(' d,araeh'ristics of nO~ll.,1 gaml'~ an' t1l('r('(ort' the pn'\:xi~t Ill!! l.'h'gorkal nllt-s. thl' distrihutlng hYIX>t111'Sl'S, tilt' tiXl'l' of aeli,'it,.. lahor. or moralit~'. whost' ('arieaturt' or ('ountt·rtlart they an\ and ",hOSt.., dt'uU'ntii till'\' intt'£rat(, in a Ill'W unlt-r. Wlwthcr it lx' P.lS('al';oo, gamhling man or L.t.ihniz~s (-Il('Ss-pla~'ing GOlI. til(' game is C'xplicitl~· lak('n as a moc:ld onl~' h("'t.dUS4.' it has implil'it rnotlds \\ hkh arl' not gam('S; til(' moral modd of tilt' Gooc:l or til(' l:k'St, tilt' t'("()IlOmiC' moc:ld of QUS4.'S and dft"'t.1.S, or of mt'ans and ends. It is not ('nough to 0ppOSl' a "major" gaul(' to thl' minor gaml~ of man. nor a t1h'ine gam\..' to tilt' human game; it is nl'l'l'ssa~' to imagine otlwr prindpl('s. l'wn thosC' which apl>l'ar inapplicahll" by means of \\ hidl the ganw would IJel'Olllt' pur". I) Tht'rt' an' no prt'existing rull-s, t':tt'h mon' inwnl!' its own rules; it 1X':trs upon its own rull·. 2) Far from di\ iding ami apportioning (,hann' in a n'aH" distinct number of throws, all Ihmw!' aAinn chann' and ('ndl('ssl\' ramif\' it with ('aeh throw. ~) 'l1w throws tlwIT'for<' arl' not rt'al1\' ~r num~ricaH\' distinct, Thl'\' arc (lualitati\"('I~' distinct. but dr(' til(' qu;litatin' fom1s o'f a single cast ,~'hil'h i!> ontologil'all~' Ont'. bell thro\\ is itself a seri('S. but m a WllC much {mailer fhan 1M mmlmum of continuous. thinkable tinw; and. to this st'rial minimum. a distribution of singularitil'S l'orn'SJX>nds, I J--..ach thm\\ ('mits ,ingul.lr points-tilt' points on tilt' din', for l"xampll'. Hut tllt~ St't of thro\\~ i~ indudt'll in the aleaton' point, a uni{lut' t'a.~t "hich is t·mlll"s.~I\' d"pl.ln·d throughout all s,·rit·s: m a 1I1ll.. yri:(I/l'r fllt/ll Ihi: ma.nmlllll ttll1tinllnll.~. thinkahlt' tinl\'. Thl'St' throws ar,' SlIlT('ssi\'(, in rdalion t(1 °11\' .motlwr. ~·t·t .~imllitarwous in n·l.lIion to this point \Vhil'h alw.ws t h,~ngt.~ tilt' rult', or coordinatt·s ami rarnilil's tilt' ('()rn'~I)()llding SI.'ri;'s .h II in~inuah'~ dl.llw,' ()("('f till' t'ntin' It'ngth of t'at'h st'rit·S. The uniqm'
(;r
11':0/'111 ~Iltll' (II' Till Illl/t1 (;/tM ..
{')
cast is a (:hans, ('adl throl' of which is a fragment. l:..lch throw 0lx'rates a distribution of singularitil's, a constellation. Hut instt'ad of dividing a dOSl.d span' Ix.'t\H·l·n fi,H'(1 n'sults which corn'Spond to hypotheses, th(· mohil(' f('sults an' distrihuk"tl in the open SllaCC of the uniqu(' and undh·ide.1 cast. This is a nomadIC' and non-S('(lentary dlSl"bu/lon, wherdn ...wh S\'sh'm of singularitil'S L"Ommunicates and rcsonak'S with til(' othl'rs, Ix:ing at once implicatlod by the others and implicating tlll.:m in thc most imPortant cast. It is the game of problems and of the qUl"Stion, no longl..·r the ganll' of thl' catl..'gorkal and the hypotht:tical. 4) Such a game-without milos, with neither winner nor loser, \\ ithout responsibility, a game of innocel11..·c, a caucus·racc, in ",hkh skill and chann' art: no longer distinguishable-St.'Cms to han' no n'alit)'. lksidl'S. it would amllsc no one. Certainly. it is not till' game pla)'L'd b)' Pas<:al's gambler, nor b~' Leibniz's God. What cheating is tht.'rt, in Pascal's moralizing wager! \Vhat a bad move is there in l.xibniz's l'Conomic combination! This is not at all the world as a work of art. TIll' id('al ganll' of which we speak cannot be pla)'ed by either man or God. It can only Ix' thought as nonsense. But precisely for this reason. it is til(' reality of thought itself and the unconscious of pure thought. Each thought fonns a series in a time which is smaller than the minimum of consciousl)' thinkable continuous time. Eadt thought l'mits a distribution of Singularities. All of thl"SC thoughts communicate in one long thought, l'ausing all the forms or figures of the nomadic ,distribution to corrcspond to its own displan'n'lCnt. e\·e~'where insin· uating chance and ramifying each thought, linking the "onc(' and for all" to "cach time" for the sake of "all titl'lt-'... For only thought finds it possiblc /0 C!ffirm 011 chance and fa mall' chana In/O an ~rmalJon. If one trit."S to play this gamt' ot!l<'r than in thought, nothing happens: and if 01'lC tril'S to produCt, a n"Sult other than the work of art, nothing is pr<)(IUl·lxl.. This game is res(.'I"\·('(1 then for thought ami art. In it there is nothing but \'ictorks for thOSl' who know how to pla~', that is, how to aflinn and ramif~' chanct.'. instl'ad of di\·iding it In order 10 dominate it, m order 10 waga, m order /0 win. This ganll'. whit:h l'an only exist in thought and which has no other result than the work of art, is also that by which thought and art arc rl'al and disturhing rl'ality, morality, and tilt' l'nmom)' of the wol'ld. In gallll's with which Wl' an' familiar, dlatu.'e is fixl·d at certain points. Till'st· arl' thl' I)(lints at whidl indq)('lltknt causal sl'ri('s cn.l'oun-
I
bo
TI·NTII :-1·11.11·, 01, Till· IDb\1 <.; .... ,\\1.
h'r one anot!1<:r (for example, till' rot.1tion of lilt' rouk-ttl' and thl' rolling ball). Onc(' till' l'ncountl'r is madt', til(' mixed S('ries follow a sin!!I(' track, protl'Cl('d from .111\' nl'\\' illh'rft·!"l'nn'. If a plan'r sml('('n ilct:omplislu"tl, how('wr. othcr than Im'athc a little man' chann' into the game? This is how J. L Horgl'S t1t'M'"rihc,'s tlU' B.1bvlonian lotta\': "
"
if !Ill' Ioltt'~' is an intell.'>ilic.'aIKm of challCt', .l 1:N,'rioc.lic infu.'>ion of I..·haos illiO tilt.· C&.inlOS. would it not I"" ll.-sirahle for chant.'1..' to intcrwn.., OIl all stal!("S of til<' lout''':''· and not m.... rd~· ill !Ill' drawing? Is il not ridil'ulous for ch.l'~cC to dit·t.lte the death of sonx'OlIc \\ hik til<.' drl·umst.lnn.'S of his ..INth-its silent n't_.,'rn' or publicity, thl' tinw limit of OIl(' hour or Oil,' I..,(,lItu~·-should n'main imlllune to hal..lrd? .. [II rcalit~·, Ihf number rif dra"'m8$ 1$ m.fimll'. ,\'0 dfCl5101l 15.final, 01/ d/l·er!Jf 111/0 OIMr$. Thf Ignoranr 5UPPOS< /hOI on Irpmlf' number of
rif lime: !11 rftl/II)', II $1!Oiu5/001 11m,' bf il!fimulj as is til(' ('.lSI' in tht' famous p<1rable of tht' Tortoisl' ,lilt! I-Ian,.l
dr
Tht' fundamental qucstion wilh which this l('xt Ican's liS is this: what is this time which nc(,J not be in/-inite but only "infinitd~' sul)(li\'isiblc"? It is the Aion. W(' ha\'e S(.'Cn that past, preS('nt, and future were not :,1'""""1 all thR"(' parts of a singk' teml)()ralit~" but that tl1(')' rather fom1l'd two readings of tinlt', ('ach onl' of which is completl' and excludl'S the other: on all(' hanel, tht, always limited prt'Sl"nt, which measurt.'S the action of Ixxlics as cauSt-'S an<1 the statl' of their mixtures in depth (Chronos): on thl' othl'r, tht, l'$SCl1liall~' unlimited llast and future, which gat!wr inc.urporeal ewnts. at the surfaa', as effects (Aion). The grl'atnl'SS of Stoic thought is to show at onn' the nl'Ccssit~, of these two f('adings and thdr reciprocal cxdusion. Someume5 it will be said that only the prest:'!lt exists; that it absorbs or contracts in itself til(' llast and lhl' future, and that. from COntral'lion to t"Ontraction, with t'wr gn'atl'r dl'l>th, it rt'at·hes tl1l' limits of till' t'ntirt' L1niwf"S(' and !lITonws a living l'osmic present. It sunict,s in this case to proceed atTnrdin!! to thl' nrdt'r of till' d('contradions, in onla thJt th l' Uni\'('rsl' IlI'gin .1g;in and that all its pn'sl'nts lx' rl'ston'd. Thus thl' time of till' /" pr\'wllt is .1Iwa\'s a Iimitt·t1 hut infinite time; intlnitt, Ix,t-'lusl' C\'dical, .1nirnating a ph~'.~ical l'tanal r~turn as tht' ~('(urn of tlw Same: and a ( llloral l·tl'rnal Wisdom as till' \\'Isdom nf till' C
hund. it II ill Ill' :-.lid tlMt onl~' til\' 1'..1:>1 ami (Ullin' .~lIhsi~t. thaI tlw~' ~ul)(Ii\'idv "Jeh prn"nl, .ld inlinitllm. howner stllJlI it ma~' he, :-In·telling it OUI UH'r thdr t'lllpt~·lilll'. TIll' compkmcntarity I)f 1>'1:>1 Jlld (ullin' .11;,war.- t1wll (It·.lrl~': ".wh pn'S('nt is dh-jc!l-t! inlo past JIlII futurt,. ad Infinitum. ()r r.ltlwr. ~uch tinw il> llot inlinih', Ioinn' it lll'\('r ('emw:- h;H"k Upllll it!'o,·lf; it i" unlimit<'(1, a purl" straight li,w tilt" two t'xtrt'l11itit~ tlf "hidl t·lldlt-l>.... I~· t1i:-.talwt' tlwm:-....·hes from "Jeh mha Jnd hnlllllt' (1.·krn'(l illlU 11ll" 1),1$1 Jnd tlw futlln', b thl'n' not in lilt" Aion .1 l.l"~Tinth \ton dilli.T,·nt from lh.lI of Chrono:.-d laln-rinth man' h'TTihk :-till. \\ hidl (ummand:- ufIOfher ch'mal n-tum Jml ;notllt'r l'thi,' (an "thic of Hli.'("ls)? Let us think again of BOl1!t·'~ \\onh,: "1 kno\\ of ol Gn't·k
-
-
lolh~Tinth whil'h is a singk Mraight Jill<', , , , TIll' Ill'Xt tinw
I kill ~'ou ,
I promist, ~'ou till' lahyrinth Ill.ld\' of tilt' singll' ~traight li~w \\ hich i:. ,lIl\ISlle.lnl "II I t'n'ra,~tlllg, I'" \ In the DIU' cast'. till' pn'sl'nt b "\'t'r~,thing: till' past ,lIld future indi('ate onl)' till' n'l,ltin- difl""n'IKI' lx-t\\l'I'n two pn'sl'nts, Om' of tlll'SI' has a smalk-r ('xh'nsion, whill' till' other h,ls a (·OlHr,u.:tion Iwaring lIpon a gn'att'r ('xtl'llsion, In tilt' utlwr l'ase, till' pn'sl'nt is nothing: it is a pun' matl1t:matical installt. a Ix-ing of n',lson which ('xpn'ss{'s til(' past and the fUlun' into which it is dh idl'd, Hridl~', Ihac arc 111'0 limes, one which
4
(
IS composed onlj'
'?f Inlerlockmf/
Pft'St'IIfS: Iht' olhu IS cOllswmtl' Jl.'composeJ mro
r!onf/aIeJ puSts anJIuwfl.'s, Tlwrt· art· t\\O lillll'S. one of \\hk-h is alwa~'s
ddinitl'. aeti\'(' or pa:-sin-: the otlwr is l'temall~' Inliniti\'l' and etemall~' lll'lItral. OIl(' is c~'dkal. me.l:.lIrt'S till' mon-ment of 1)(Xlit'S ami depends on thl' maHa \\hit-h limil~ ami tills it out; til(' otllt'r is a purl' straight lint, at th,' surfaa', im:orporl·al. unlimitl'
h2
'II N'11t .,1 lUI ., 01 '1'111
L.
Illh\l GAM I
~.
Jmt ;l:. tl,.. pn'S\'nt llleasures tI,.. h'llIpOr,ll n'aliz,ltion or tl,.. I'\'l'ntth,lt i~, its irKamation in tilt' dt'pt" (If ,It'ting Ix)(Ii,'s and its incof"}Xlr,ltioll in a ~t,lh' (If affairs-thl' I'Wlll in (Urn. in it:. impas:;ihilil~' allli imp..1l"lrahilit~" has no pn'S('nt. It ralhl'r rl'tr,'al~ and advano:'S in two t1in'(,tions at ann.. b,'ing till' !)(''l)t'tual olljn:t of a douhll" qu<-stion: \\'IMt b going to happt'n? What has just ll.lpl)t·IlNI? 'l1w agonizing ,1~1)(,..t of till.' pun.' t'WIlt i:. that it is ah\a~·s and at the sam,' tinw' ..unwthing which has ju:.t hapl)t'Ill'(1 and sollwthing about to hapIX'n; IIt'H'r sonwthing which is hapl)('ning. -1111' x, with n'Spt-'t:t to \\ hieh 0Ill' f,'t,I:- that If just happl'lll'(I, is thl' ohject of tht' "110\'..11.1"; and the f \\hich is always alXlut to haplx'n, is th(' ohj(~"t of tilt' "tale" ("(011/("'). TIll' pUrt' cvcnt is both tall' amlnowlla, newr an aetualit\,. It is in this :.,'nS(' that t'\'l'nts arc SI.'IIlS, • SOIlll'tilllt'S the Stoics sa)' that :;igns are always pr('St'nt, that they art' of pn'sellt things, Olll' cannot so)' of SOlllt'OIW Illortall~' \\'OlllUII'(1 that he has 1)(.'('11 wOllndl·d and that Iw will dit" but that he IS ha\'ing hl'l'n WOlIl1(hl (if cst apllIl hIt:,ui), and that Iw IS dlll' to dil' ft/ est del'ClIll mOll",), This pn'st:nt dOt's not contradict lh.. Aion: on til(' t:ontrar)', it is the pn'St'nt as hdng of n'ason which is suhdi\'idl'd ad infinitum into ~onll'thing that has just happ(·ncd ami something that is going to haplx'll, alwa~'s lIying in IXlth din'Ctions at 011('('. Thc otlll'r presellt, till' li\'ing prl'st'nt, happ('llS and brings ,lhout thl' t'\'c'nl. But till' nent 1I00ll'thdl'sS retains an l'h'rnal truth lllxlll till' line of thl' Awn, which tlh id..~ it ('krnall)' into a proximat(' IM.st and an immin('nt future, -11,(' Aiun 1'fl(III'SSI~' sulxli,'idl':' till' ('n-Ilt an(1 pusht'S awa~' past a.~ wdl as futun .. \\ ithout ('n'r n'mll'ring tht'm less UfJ!:I'nt, TIll' I'Wllt is that no OIll' l'wr "it-s. but has ah\.l~·~ just dil'(! or is ~I\\ays going to die. in tht' 1'lIlpt~' pn"M'!lt of the Aion, tholt is, ill l'tcrnity. As Il<.' \\as clt-scrihing a murtll'r such that it had to Ix' mimt'(l-pur(" idealit\'-Mallarnl\.~s.lid: "I !l'rl' ackandng, that' rt'nlt'illlwring, to the fUlllrl': to th.. past, lIndl'r tilt' lab,t' .lpl)t'arancl' of till' pr,'S('nt-in SUI..!) a malllwr the !\'Iiml' pro11'1'(1:>., \\ ho:>.1.' ganw is Iimih'(l to a plTlx'tll,ll .lllu"ion, \\ ithuut Ilf"(',lkmg till' mirmr,"~ blCh ""t'nt is till' sm,llll'st tinlt', :-.malla than tilt' 11linill1ulll of cuntinuous thinkablt' tinw, !k.'I',H1S1· it is di\'idt'tl into prOXima'" 1'."'1 and illllllim'nt future. But it is al:-on llw longest tinlt'. longlT thall till' nl.lXilllllln of nmtillllOU,~ thinkahl l' tillit', IwcausI' it is t'ndll'~~J~' Mlhdi\ idt'd h~' thl· Aion ",hidl n'mllTS it ,'clual to its own lllllirnih'd lirlt', Ixt Il~ 1I1ltlt-r~talld Ih,ll t',ll'h l'\'I'nt in tlw Aion is sm,lllt'r ~igns
I I " III .,IHI1., (11'1111 11>1 Al
t;AMI·
6J
/
than tli", smalk'st SUIKlidsiun of Chronos; but it is also grcau'r than the gn.'at,,"St di\'isor of Chronos, namcl~', till' entire c~Tk.. '111rough its unlimih'(l sulxli\ bion in both tlin'ctions at once, t'ach t'wnt nms along the ('IHirl' Aion and IX'1-'Om<-"S l'Ol.'xtensi\'c to its straight lint' in both din'1-·tiotls, Do \w t1wn sens(' the approach of an e~ernal rl'turn no longl'T ha\'ing anything to do with the C)'de, or inde<-'{I of tlU' l'ntranc(' to a labyrinth, all the more terrible since it is the labyrinth of the unitlUl' line, straight and without thicklwss? The Aion is til(' straight line trace:'(1 h)' the alt'atory point. The singular points of cach ewnt an' distributCt"1 o\'er this line, always in relation to the aleatoT)' point which sulxli\'idcs them ad infinitum, and it ('auses them to communical(' with ..:ach otll('r, as it extends and str('tch("S t1wm out o\'er the entire line, Each t·\'t'nt is ad<-'k." '111is IXlOk has its IW? tabl~
64
T1'NTII ''''ltll'~ 01' Till, IDI;"I (0",\11'
J
(till' lirst and last pag<-"S on a singll' foldt'li slu'('I); iL~ Illultipl..: inl..:rnal
~l'ri('S l'ndow<-od with singularilil'S (mobil,.. intnchangl'able pagt"S, t"On~Idlations-problt'ms);
its two-~it!l'd straight lill{' whit'h refit-us and ramilil"S til{' series ("cl'ntral pllrit~·," "an l'<juation under god Janus"), .mll O\'t'T Ihis line Ihe aleatoT)' point l'mlll'ssly displacl'd, apf)('aring as an empty squarl' on onl' sit!l' and as ,1 SUlll'TIlul1leral)' object on thc otlwr (hymn and drama. or "a hit p.. il·.~t, a bit darKer"; or ag.lin, a IaccllIl'red pil,('(' of furniture made of pig,'onholcs and til{' hal without a shelf, as til\' architl'<-10nic c1ement'i of t1w book), Now, insid..: til{' four. a little 100 daboratc, fragrnmts of the Kook of Mallannl', something in his thought rl'SOnak'S whi<.'h \'agudy ('(>IlfOmlS to Carroll's seri<.'S. One fragment develops Ihe doublt, scril-'s: things or propositions, to eat or to sp('ak, to «'<.,<1 or to be present..:d, to cat the inviting lady or to answ..:r thl' invitation. A second fragment releases the "firm and benc\'olent neutralit),,, of the word, a lll'lltrality of sense in relation to the proposition and also of Ihe order cxp"-'SSt.-d in relation to tltl' ~rson who hears it. Another Fragment displavs in two intertwined female figuTl."S the uniquc line of the Ewnt whi~·h. being always in disequilibrium: presents one of its sides as the sense of propositions and the other as the attribute of staks of affairs. And finally, anothcr fragml.'nl shows the 'lleatory point which is displaced Q\'er the line, the point of '9ilUr, or of the dice-throll'. doubly indicated by an old man who has di<--d of hungcr and b)' an infant bom of SfX.'cch-"for d),ing of hunger gi\'(~s him the right 10 bl-gin anew, , , ," 5
TI-NTII ~1,H.llo~ 01- Till; IIH"1 GAMI,
60,
~l'l'," \Nortl=x ill" S\'ries hut ,11 till'
Elen'll th Series of Nonsense
tinll', thillg=x in anoll1('r ~l'ries; perhaps (W(' shall SI'~' thi" 1,1It'r) it i., rll'(·I'l>s.,r~' loL.,dd to tlw Aion \'t'l .1 third asp"-'Ct. ,)(:tiOIi = x. in,of.lr .b til\' :-'l'ril's resonate and COlll4 mUllicatl' and fonn a "t"ngl('{! 1,'Iv." "Sn.uk" is all llnlll'.lfd-of nan1\". hUI it is also an in\'isibl v n:on:-.tl'l'. It n,ri'rs to a fonnid.1hk .lCtion, till' hunl, at til(' I'lld of \\ hkh thl' hunh'r is dissipal('d alltlloS('s his idl'lltit\', "Jilhl>l'n\'lx'k" is :1Il llnllt'anl401 1l.1Illl'. ,1 fantastic I)(.'ast. hUI i1lso tl~t' ohjl'I-·t of a fom1idabl(· .U·tiOIi (lr of a gn'at munier, Thl' blank word is d('signah'tl In ':Mlh'ril' \\onls in gl'lll'ral (it. thing. L ~nark, ('te), -111<'> furu1inn of tilt' i'lank word. or of t1:l' I'solnic wonL.. uf til"-' firsl onler. is to coonlinatt' 1/11' t 1\ 0 IWh'rogell('Ous Sl..'ril'S. l:.soll'ric I\ords. in tum. ma)' also bo.' d,·:-.ignah'{l b~' portmanteau words. words of the SC'l:ond order. 1\ hOM' fUIl(1ion is to ramif\' th(' st'rks. Two diIT,,-·rt·nt figun~ cOITt-'Spond to tlU'~' two P()\\lTS. fiaure: thl' paradoxical dem~nt is at onct· \\onl and thing, In other words, both Ih(· blank word d<.>noting it ami till' l'sutl'riC \\onl d,'noting the blank wonl haw tht' function to exprl'SS IIU' thin~, It is a word that denotes l:xactl\' \\hat it exprCSSt-'S and t'xprt'SSl.'l> \\hd; it denotl'S. It (·xpT"{"S.'it'S its deflO{a~ /lim and dl'Signat<'S its o\\n S(·I"lSt'. It S.l\'S MJIll"-'thing. but at th,,-' sanll' tinw it S.l'·S , the seilS<' of \\ hat it .s.J\'S: . it ~\'s . its own ;ns(" It is t1ll'n'fon' mmpll'ldy abnomlal, Wl' kl\O\\ Ihat til"-' nom1al law gon:ming all nanu.'S endowed with M'nS(' is pn'eiSl.'h' that their st'nse mal' be dl'llOted onl~' b~' anolher !lanK' (u 1 - n1- n; ",), '!1ll' name sa;'ing its own M'nS(' (-an onl~' IX' nonsense (N n), Nonsense:' is of a pil'Cl' with the wonl "nonSl'nSl·... and the \\onl "nonSl'nst'" is of a pil"('l' with words which han' no Sl·nse. thaI is, \\ ith till: connntional words that we use to dt'nul<' it. Second .fis"U: till' ponm.lIl1l·au wonl is itself the prinl'iplt' of an allt'rnativl' the two tl'nns of whkh it fonns (frumious = fuming-and. furious or furious-and-fuming), Ell'h \'inual l>an of sud1 a wo~d d,,nOh's till' M'nS(' of till: other or exprL'l>sl'S till' otlll'r l>art which in turn d"nolt's it. L11l(It'r till" sanll' form, the ,'ntirl' \\onl s.ws its ol,n SI'IlSl' ,md is. for this rl·ason. nonM'IlM'. Indt'l,tI, thl' second nomlal law gmlTning nanws t'ndowl'd "ith Sl'ns" is thaI t1wir Sl'nSl' can not d('h'rl1lill~' an alll'rnalin' into whil'll till'\' thcmsdn's t'nll'r. NOnl'l'llli" thus has two silks, Oil" corn'sJ)()Ilding I~ tilt' rq~n's.~i\'e sVllth,'sis, till' otlwr In tilt' disjullclil't' ,~yntlwsis, '" L , Om' ('ould ObjVl't that ,111 of Ihis nll'.lII~ nothing, [t is a h.ld pl.,~, on \Iord" tn MIPIXISf,' that nonSt'ns,' "xprvss,'s its own M'nSl' smn', hv :.,1l1ll'
";rsr
us summarize til(' dlaral1..-ristil'S of this paradoxical (~I('m{'nt or perpetuum mob./e. Its fUIKtion is to tran"r'S{' th(' hetl'rogt'm"ous Sol'nt'S, to luordinatl" t1wm. to makt' them n-sonat{' and ronn'rgl', hut also to ramify 1I!l'rn and to introducC' into l',u'h one of t1wm muhipll' disjUlw. lions. II is both won.1 = x .uul thing = x. Sinn> it IX'longs simlllt'anl'OlIsl~' to bOlh S('ril"S. it has two sidl'S. Hut thl' sitll"S aR' IWH'r balanCt"tI, joinl'tl togt.'t1ll'r. or ll.lirL'(1 ofT. b('cauSl,' til(' IMradoxica! t'!"mt'!lt is always in diSl"Cluilihrium in rdation to itsdr. To an'Ollll1 for this ('orrdation ami this dissymml·t~· Wl' madl' liSt' of a llulllh...'r of dualities: il is at onn' ('Xl'l'SS and Iat'k, l'mpt~· sa1lt without a plan'. "lIo.11ing signilier" and t1o.1ted sigllilil'{l. I'soh'ric word .md I'xokrk thing. whi~' \\~nl .mil blad:. ohjl'l·t. This is win' it is l'onstantl" I.'{'i,'s is Iwn' inappropriatt·. R,ltlwr, \\'(' an' I:,n'd with till' t\\'o di,~s~'nlllwtrical haln's of "n ullimate instancI', Likt,,,1St\ from Sn:tll,~ I-,mpiril'us 11'1' ll'arn that Ih,,-' Sloics had .11 tlll'ir disp0l'al a word ~Il'ifll)\'d of 1l11',lIling, "11111 Uri, .. and that thl'Y "Illplo~'ed il in a doublel \\ ilh th(' {'orn'latl' ",\kIllJIJI'Uls." I "For Blituri was a Skin,lapl'()S, ~()ll
Lt"
-
I J J VI N III ' I It I I· ... (II' NUN~I·N~I
tll'linition, it has nOIll', Hut this ohjl~t:tion is unfounded. TIU' pla~' on wonls would ')0.' to ~l~' lhat nousellSl' has a sellse. the Sl'nSt' being pn"(-iSl'I~' that it ha:o.n't an~'. This is not our h~'pothl'Sis at all. Wlll'n W(' assunw that nonSl'llSl' says il'i own S('llse, we wish to indkau', on til(' ('ontrarv, that se.'nSl' and nonsense.' han' a spl'Citic rdation whidl l'an not t:op~' tI;at of til(' true and false.', that is, whkh can not lx' (.·om·<"lwd liimpl~' on til(' hasis of a rdation of cxclusion. This is indl'('d til\' most gl'll('ral I'rohlcm of the logic of Sl'Ilsc.': what would he tht, purl>OSt' of rising from the domain of truth to til(' domain of sense, if it \\'I'n' onl), to lind 'X'twt'('n Sl'I1Sl' and nonsenlil' a wlation analogous to that of til(' trut' and the falS('? Wt' have alr('ad~' S('{'n that it is futile to go from til(' l'Omlition('(! to tht' condition ill ordl'r to think of the condition in thl' imagt' of the mnditioncd as the simple form of possibilit~,. 'Ill(' t:onoint of view of signifil-ation, to classt.'S or properties of diff('J"('nt "types." ha)' prop<'rty must belong 10 a typt' higher than the propt'rtit'S or individuals o\"er which it preSides. and e~ class must bdong to a t}'IX' higher than tll(' objects which it mntains, It lollows that a class cannot IX' a m("llllwr of itself, nor ma)' it contain Ill('mbcrs of dint'rent types. Likl'wist', acmnlillg to tllt' disjuncti\'{' law, a determination of signifil'.:nion statL'S that the properl~' or th(' tern, in rl'lat.ion fog
'·II,Vl:.NTll ~1'RJI,~ (H NUN~I'N~I'
to which a das.~ifieation is made cannot Iwlong to an~' of the groups of tilt' sam(' t}'IX' which arc c1as.~ilil'1l in rdation to it. An e1l'ment cannot Ill,' part of the sub-sets which il deh'rn,ines, nor a part of the set whos!'" l,'xist("nl'c it prcsuppos<.'S. 'I1ms, two fonns of the absurd corrt'Spond to tl1I' two figul't-'S of nonsense. and tht,S('" fornls arc ddlnl't:l as "striplx-d of :o.ignilication" and as constituting £X1rooo,res: a sct whil'h is includ('(1 in it:o,df as a member; the member diViding the set whi<.·h it presuppos('S -thl' sct of all sets, ami the "harbcr of tilt' rl-giment." 'I"\(' absurd then is sometin)('s a confusion of formal lewis in tilt' r('gressiw s)'ntlu:sis, sonwtlm('s a \'icious l'lrd(, in tilt' disjunctiw s)·nthl..'Sis,l The interest of tilt' dctcnninatiol1l; of Signification lies in the fact that the)' engend('r tilt' principles of non-contradiction and thl,' <'Xcluded middle. instead of t1u'St.' prinCiples being gin'n ready-made. The paradoxL'S themS('I\'L'S l'nal" th(" genesis of contradiction and inclusion in the propositions strippt-'d of signification. Pt'rhaps we should cm'isagt, from this point of \'it'W Ct.'rtain Stoic conceptions concerning the connection of propositions. For when the Stoics displa)' so much intt'I't-'St in hypothetical propositions of thc sort "if it is day, it is light," or "if this woman has milk, she has giwn birth," commentators arc ccrtainl~' right to ret'all that th(' qu('stion here is not about a rdation of ph)'sical mnsequence or of causalit), in the modem S('ns<" of the wonl. Hut thl')' are perhaps \\ rong to S('t' in them a simple logical t..-onS("quem.-.:' in thc fonn of identit~', Thl' Stoil'S uS\.'(1 to number till' nll'mbers of thc h~'pothelkdl proposition: we can mnsid('r "!)l.'ing day" or "having given birth" as :'oignif~'ing propt~rties of a higher t~'I)(' than thOSt' o\'er which they preside ("Iwing light," "haVing milk"), The link betwcen propositions cannot 1.1,' reduced either to an analytic identit), or to an empirical synthesis; rather it Ix'iongs t'O the domain of signification-so that contradiction Illa~' lx' t'ngcllderl-d, not in th(' relation of a teml to its opposite. but in the rdation of a tcnn to tilt' olher t('nn, Gi\'('n the transformation of the hypothetical to the conjullctiH', "if it is da~', it is light" impli('S that it i!o not pOSSible that it be day and not light. Pernal:tS this is the casc.', ')l,'{'auSt.-' "Ix'ing da~'" would haw to lx' an dement of a set which it \\ould pn'SlippoSt.· and would ha\"(' to Ix'iong to OIl\.' of the groups d'hsilit:d in n'lation to it. No It'ss thall the dett'rminatioll of signitication, nons('nse l'naets a JOIIl/l/on of Sl'nsr. But it dot'S so in an t'ntir<'!v different mannl'r, From the point of \'it'\\ of St'nse, tilt' regn.'ssiw 101\\ -' no longer n'lah'S til(' names 1"
I'VI'NTII '''·IUI':o. 01' NON~I:.N~I·
6<)
of diA.:rl"nl d~,£n·t·!o til ll,}:.:..·~ or prup••·rtit·s. hut ratlwr di:.trihuh':,> them in a ht'h'nl£t~lt'f1u:, "'rk,, of 1'\'I'nIS. Tht"Sl.' S('nt'S art" undtluhh"1:lh' d"h'nnim'c1 :IIW ,j, "i~lIifving. th,' otlwr a... "ignilicd. But til(' t1i!>trihutio;l of !'i('IlSt' in·l'.wh nil; uf t1~'m is t·ntird~· ~ltlt'pt'nd"'l11 of t1w prt"(·iS4.· rd,ltioll of :-ignilic.llinn. This is .d1\", as Wt' h.l\'{' S('('n. a h'rm d"loid of sjunilil"atinn
;1~lq}t'nd{'nl
~h.l.S nOlll'tlll'I"ss
a :>t';':'<\ ,lilt! til\' seIlS,' or
tilt'
"\t'nl is
of all 11ll' Illotlalitit's alT'·I·ting (:lasS('s and prolx'rtil's. Iwing rwutr,ll in rdation to ,111 of t1U-sl.' char.Kh'rbtics. TIlt' ewnl difl~·rs in
n.lturt' from prOplTtil'S
and das..w". Tha! It hkh has a S<'1ls(' ha" 31100 ,}
l'ignilil'ation. hut for n'asons \\hkh .H'(· (liOl'n'nl from it... h;1\'ing a lot'nSl'. ~'Illit' is thus inSl'l>Jrahlc from a 11('\\ kiml of parado:\(l'S "hich mark till' pn'SeTlI'e of nonseTlse within St'nM', just as the prcl'l'tling paradoxes lllarkL'tllhe presence of nonSI'nSt' wilhin signilication, This time, Wt' an' ronfrontt"t! with paradoxt~ of suhdivision ad inlinillllll am! ,1]SO with paradoxes of the dislribution of singularitil's, Insid{' Ihe S('rit's, cach h'nn has St'nSt' onl~' h~' \'irtm' of it.s position rclatiw to ('\T':' otht~r tem1. Hut this relatiw position itSt'lf d"lx'nds on the ahsolutl' position of t'adl h'rn1 rclatiw to th(' instann' = x. Tlw lattl'r is dt'tcmlint't! as nonst'nst' and drculah'S t'ncllessl~' throughout till' Sl'ril'S, St'nst' is al'tuall~' produced h~' this circulation as St'IlSt' which aO~'('ts hoth til(" signifier and the signilil'd, In shorl, SI'I1St' is alwa~'s an t;IJCCI. It is 1101 an eO('I't lllt'n'l)' in the t:ausal sensl'; it is also an t'Il~'ct in the St'lls(' of an "opticall'O('(·t" or a "sound effect," or, t'\'cn hettt'r, a SUrf,K(' ('fTl'<"t. a position efTt'l·t, ami a languag<' cfTt'Ct. SUl,h an t'fTt'l"1 is not at all an aplx'aranc(' or an illusion. It is a j>rotluct which spreads out owr. or ('xtt,ntls itsdf tht, It'ngth of. th(' surfan'; it is stril:t1~, co-pnosent to, ancll'()('xtensh'(' With. its own l"lUS(', and de\('nnillt'S Ihis l'aUSt' as an immillt'nt t:aUSt', inSl:parahl(· from its t'O'et:ts, pun' nihil or ,~, outsidt' of til(" t'flCl'ts th('Ill.~t'ln:s. Sudl t'lli'I,ts, or such a product, han' uSllall~' h('('11 dl'signated hy a proper or a singular n.lInt', A prop('r nalll(' can lx' cOllsidl'rt,d fully as a ~ign onl~' to til<' t'xh'nt that it n'ftn to all ('O'Ct,t of this kind, Thus, ph~'si("S sp('aks of th(, "K('h-in ('O't'l't:' of tilt' "St'i.. bc:ck ('O't'<1." of lilt' "u'('man d)i'l,t:' ('tc. M('llil"il\t' dt'signatt'S dist'ast's b~' the nam('S of the doctors \\ hu Wl'rt' ahlt' to dahoratl' tilt' lists of Ilwir S~'lllptoms, follow. ing this path, lilt' disnw('ry nf St'nSt' as an inroqxm'al ('l1i'<") , Iwing Jlways prodUlVtl h~' tilt' drnJlation of tilt' t,ll'rnt'nt = x in thl' erit's of It'rms \\ hidl it tra\"t'l'Ses, rnll~t I>t' namt't! tilt' "Ch':'ssipus t,lli'I,t" or Ihe "Carroll t'lTt'("t," 70
I
I I
VI
NT" " R I I '01·
"':Or-:'I
j\!"
AUlhors n'ft'rrt'(! 10 as "~tructur,llist~" h~' rt't't'nt pr.lclin· ma~' ha\"(' no t'S.'>('ntial point in common otllt'r than thi.,,: :.t'nSt', rt'£,anl('tl not at all .'I" aplx'ararWt' but as surfaCt' 1'01'1 t .'Inti I>osition t'fTt'Ct, ;lld produCt'll b~' tilt' drculation of till' ('mpt~· MIU.lrt· in tilt' strul'1ura] Sot'rit,s (th(· pl.l('t' of tilt' dumm~', the plan' of till' king, tIlt' hlind spot, lilt' lItld.ting signifier, tht' \'alut' d('gn"t' Zl"rtl, till' oll--~I"Ct' or "h.~t'nt C,llISt', ('tl·,). StnKturalbm, \,hetlwr consciousl\' or' not, t'l~t'hralt's nt'\\ filldinc.~ of a Stok ,lilt! l'arrollian inspiratia'n. SlnKtun' i~ in faci a rnadlim' for Ihe prtxlm·tion of inc0'l>ort'al SC"1lS(' (sJ:mdapsos). Hut \\ ht'll structuralism shows in this rn.ll1l1t'r that S('IlSt' is protlUI't't! b~ llonsc.'nst' and its lli:rpt'tual displan'Jllt'nt, and that it is horn of tilt' rt~pt.'l·ti\"t' IXl... ition of demt'llts \\ hkh Mt' not by tht.'m.'iCI\"l'S "siglli~\'ing," Wt' should not at allcompart~ it \\ ith \\ hat was called the philosophy of the ahsurd: Carroll, ~'t'S; Carnus, no. This is so hecause, for tilt' philosophy of lilt' ahsurd, nonsenSt' is what is nppos('d to St'nS(' in a simplt' rdation with it, so that lilt' .lhsurd is ,Ih\a~'s ddilll'd b~' a ddil'i('n('~' (If Sl'IlSt' and a lad.. (t1ll'rt' is not ('nough of it . , .), from the I>oint of \'it'\\ of stnlt:turt', on tll(, contru\" thtTt' is al"a~'s too much Sl'IlSC: an t'Xet'SS produCt"t1 and O\'('r-pn~Jul'('l1 h~' nonSC"llSt' as a lack of itself. Ja.kob~on ddines a phont'm(' zero, ha\'ing no phol\t,ticall)' detennined valut', Iw its opposition to tilt' absence o{ fhe ('''ouem!: rather than to till' phonl"mt' itsl,lf. Likt'\\'ist', nOlllil'nSt' dOt'S not h,I\'(' an)' p.lrticular St'IISt\ but is oplx)St'd to tilt' ahSt'Ill'I' of St'nSt' ralllt'r tlMn to tilt' S('IlSt' thai it prodU('I'~ ill l'xl'loss-without t'\('r maintaining \\ ith its prOlluct tht, ~ill1plt, relation of t'xdusion to which some 1)('Opl~ \\Huld likt' to rt-duCt' tht·lll. I NOllsellst, b that which ha...'i no sellse, and th,}t "hidl, as such .1Ild as it t'naos tht' donation of scns<-, ~ opposed to tilt' ahSl'net' of SC"IlSt', This is \\h,lt \\(' must understand Il\' "nonsen$("," In the linal an'll)'sis. Ihe illlponanl'e of structuralism in philosoph~" and for all thought, is that it tliSplal'l'S frontil'rs. When tilt' l'mpl\.lsis ..hili"tI from failing I-sSt'nC('S It) tilt' notion of Mo.'nst', the philosophil'al tlh iding lillt' st't'mt'tl to hc ('stahlb,h('I1 I)('t\\(,.:n thoSt, \\ 110 ]ink('tllot'I1M' It, a nt'\\ tran-"Cl'nd('Il("t', a nc\\ a\ atar of (;011 and a tran..fonnt'tlllt'a\ t'll. ,11It1 thoM.' \\ho found M'n~' in man .ultl his all\"ss, a IW\\I\· t'xca\,llt'tl dqllh ,mtl 1I111It'rgrountl. Nt,\\ th~'(}I()gi,lIl~ of ,). mi~l\' ~h' '(the ~k\' of "o','lIig~hc..rg), ,md Ill'\\ IHnnal1i~ls tl~t' C,ll t'ms, spra;lg u'pon tilt' ,\o'lage 111 til\' l1,llll,' of tilt' (;otl-man or tilt' Mal1-~OtI ,11\ the ~t'lTd of ,~t'nSI'. \'1Il1t'lirnt'~ it \\,b tlinil'ult It) ~Ii lingui~h I)(,t~\l't'n tht'lll. But \\hat Il)(I.l\, n'ndt'r, tilt' tli"linl tiun imptl ihlt.~ is, lin.1 ,lilt! fon'mo~t, our {'urn'n't
or
III \ I "':TII .. I RII"
01
\0"':'11\'1
7'
r.)tigul' with thi.~ intt'rmin;\hll' disl.:oUrSl', in which olle womkrs wlwthcr it is th.. ass which 1()J.d~ man or man who loads tlU' ass and himself. Mon'O\'l'T. \\"t' ha\'(' til\" impression of a pure COllnt<'T-SI,'IlSl.' imposed on so.'IlSt': for. in ,1Il~' ""'St" he.wenl), or suhtt:rrancan. sellSC is pn'ScI\H·d as i'riIK'iplt-, R,'S{'Tmir. R('S('TW. Origin. As hcawnl~' Principle. it is said to hI,' fundanU'ntall~' forgotten and noiled or, as suhtclTi'Il1('an prindplC'. it i... Solid 10 be d,"Cply ('Tast-"d. di\"l·rtl"
neither man nor (;<x.!; singlilaritil's ",hil'h an' Iwithl'r general nor indiddllal, Ilt.'illwr personal nor 1I1lh ersal. All of this is trawl'S...· " by circuI.ltiolls, (.'('llOes, and ('WllL~ which prochllT mon° seilS\." morl' fn'Cdom. and morl' strength than man h,ls ("\Tr t1r(';;lllwd of, or <";00 l'\"Cr con 4 n·iH....I. Today's task is to make till' ('mpt~· square circulatt· and to make pn'-indi\-idual and nonpl'rsDnal singularitks s(>l'ak-in short. to produn' St.'nSl·_
on-aning. in cithcr a God \o. hich was 110t well enough understood. or in a man not fully fathonu-'(-1. It is thus pleasing that there rl'SOunds tl)(la~' til(' Ill'\\'S that sellS(' is 11('\'t'r a prineipl.., or an origin. but that it is pnxlucro_ It is not sonwthing to diSt"Q,-er. to rL'Storc, and to rL'-emplo~'; it is sonwthing to prod un' b}' a new m.ll'hi,w~'_ It belongs to no height or depth. but rather to a surfaCl' effect. IX'ing inseparable from till' surfact· which is its prolx'r dillll'nsion_ It is not that st'nse I.leks depth or height. but rather Ihat IWight and dt'pth lad.. surface. that thc~- lack sensC'. or have it onl), by virtue of an '\,ncxl" which pn'suppoSl'S sense. We no longer ask oursch'('s whl·tln-r the "original'}' meaning" of religion is to Ix· found in a G()(I lX'travt·d hv Ilwn. or in a mall alil'nah'{l in thl' imagl' of GCKI. We do not, for l'xampll', S{'C'k in NiN7_~che a prophet of n'n'rsal or transcendence. If tllt'rc is an author for whom the death of GCKI or the free fall of tht.· asn.. tic ideal has no importance so long as it is compensated by till' falSt.· dt'pth of tht· human. by bad faith and (('wnllmem. it is indlx"(l lit.'r/..schl'. He pursues his disco\'erics elsewhere. in the aphorism and tht.· poem (wht.'re nt.·itht.·r God nor man slX'ak). in machines for the production of sense and for tht· sllrw}- of th(' surface_ Nietzsche cstablishl'S the effct."ti\"e ilk'al game. \\ft.' do not Sl-'t.,k in Freud an explorl'r of human depth and origina~' S(.. nSt.·. hut ratlwr the pn:xli4 gious discowrer of tht· machin.... ry· of the lIn....onsdous b~· means of whk-II St.'nse is pnxlucffi always as a function of nonSt.'nse." And how ('ould we not feci that Ollt frt."t-'l:lom and strength residt·. nol in the di\'ine unin'rsal nor in th... human personality. but in tht·S(, Singularities \\hich ar... marl' us than we oursd\"l's ar(', more di\'irw tharth...· gods.•1S Ilw)' animate (·oru·rl·tdy IxX'm and aphorism. pl·mlam'nt.f('\"ollltion ami partial action? What is bureaucratic in tlll'st.' fantastic machines which an' Iwoples and I)(wms? II suniCt,s that \\'(' dissipate oursdn's a link·. that \\"l' Ill.' .1hl(· to Ill.' at thl' surface, that \\"1' stn·tdl our skin like a drum, in ortilT that till' "great politks'" Ill'gin_ An \'mpt~- S
... I'VI-NTII ' I lUI '01'
NON"'''N~I-
H I-VI:.NTII 'I-RII-l<> 01- NONSI,NSI,
13
Twdfth Series of the Paradox
!Ion b .lppfil"lhll' to tht' real .mel tilt' po......ihll'. hut not to tilt' impo...sihle lrorn "hidl it dl'rin"S. that i... to I),lratloxt·... or r,ltlwr ttl "hat polradox(·... rq)(l·.....·nt. '11l\' paradox,,,, of ... Igllililalioll an' t"SM'ntial1~' that of tilt' ,,""ormol >ef (\\hkh is indutl,.. I.l'" a lllt'ml>t'r or "hkh inducil'S mt'mlx'n, 01 ditli.·n·nt t~·!x'S) and tholt of tl1l' rd,,'/ t'11'f1I('nf (\\hidl fonns part of .l "I·t \\hoSt· C:'xistl'lln' il pn·...uppo...I·... ami hdongs to \\\0 ... lIb-St·ts \\I.il·h .t t1t'!t·nnirws). The paradox\·... of ",(·n"'I' an' t'ssl'nlially thai of tilt' \lIh.:/Jll5lon (Id "ymllum ("h\,l~"" past-fllwn' .lIld m'n'r pn·sl·nt). and that of tilt' flOmud,c dlSlrJbtlflO" (t1i...trihllting in .111 opl'n Sp.KI' instead of di..trihllting a dos('d span',. Tlw~' .lh\a~·s h.Wt' thl' char.Kh·rislic:- of going in hoth difl'("tions at onn', ,md of rt'IUII'ring idl'nlilicalion impo~...ihlt-, a~ tllt'~· t'mphasizl' som(·timl·~ til(' li"'t. MlIllt.'linlt'S till' M'Coml. of tIWM' I·ni...,:ts. This is Ihe caS(' \\ith Alin"'" doubl(' atin-Illllrt,-tlll' Ix,("ollling. m.ld and thl' losl name. I'aratlox is oppost.,<1 10 cIoto. in both a,slx'("ts of cIofCJ, namd~" good M'nse:' and l'ommon St..·nSl·. No\\. gooasl, illsofar as il ddilU's the origin of .ln inl!i\'idua] sysh'm, wherl'as Ihl' kast dilTl'rcnlialC:"<:! aplX'olni ,1" futllre amll'nd. '111is onll'r of lime, from thl' P.lst to thl' futlln·. is t1H11'< l'Stablislll.'(1 in rdalion to thc:' prl'SL'IlI, thaI is. in rdoltion 10 a dl'lt'rmined phase of lin1l' dlosl'n within till' parti('ular system undt'r l oll...ideral ion. <.joo<1 Sl'nSl' tlll'l'\'!on: is gin:n till' condition under which it fullills its function, which is t'sS('ntiall~' to foro:St~. It is cll'ar Ihal loft·...ight would be impossibl{' in till' otlll'r dirc:'ction, Ihat is. if om' \\1'111 lrorn till' !l'ast diITerentialt'(! 10 Ihl' most diIT(,(C:'lltiatl'(l-for l·xamplt·, if h·mp...,atllrL'S whidl \\('rt' al tirst inc:liM'('mibl{' \\l'n' to go on dilli·r• t·ntiatinu tht'mSt,h-('S. This is wlw good M·nSt· rt..liS<"O\t·rL't1 itSl..·lf in Ihe (lJnh'xt~)f tlwml(xlynolmks. At its point of origin. though. good seilS(' t !.lim... kin...hil) \\ ilh till' higllt'st 1110d(·ls. Good S,'IISl' i... '·...St·ntiallv . distrihutil t'; "nn Oil\' hand and on till' other hantl" is its forl11u!.l. But tIlt' t1i...trihtllion which it puts into motion is .u'nJrnplislll't1 in I t lllditions \\ hidl plan' dilfl'r"lln' .It tilt' IX'ginning anti in\"olH' it in a lontmH\'d 11111\I'nll'nt \\hkh is SUPIX1St't1 to saturat\', l'(I".lliz(', annul,
.
cannot gt't rid of paradoxt's b)' sa~'illg that lhc~' art" mon- \\"orth~' of Couroll's work than tllt',- art' of tilt' Prm.lradox("S h~' sa~'ing thaI tilt' barlx'r of til{" rlJ~inwnt d()('S not t·x:i.~I. any mort' than tht· .lhnonn.ll S('t ('xish.. Fur pa';..dOX''S. on tht" IUl\lran", il~lwn' ill langu.lgl', ~ ~ ami tilt' \\hok prohll'l11 is to kll(m ,dwtlll'r l.mguagt· \\Quld l)l,' ahll' to fum'tion without bringing about till' insish'nCt' of sIKh ('ntlti,':'>. Nor nlllid IV\' sa)' Ihal l>..lradoxcs gil t' a ral:~l' imagt' of thought. irnprul)'lhk .llltl llSI'!l'ssly complil·atl'd. OIl\' would han- to 1)0.' too "simpk" to hdi,'w that thought is a simple Jct, dt'U lInto itself, .lIlt! nol pUlling
We
--
.
into play all til\" I)(HU'ni of till' unconsdou..., or all til\' I>o\u'ni of non."~·nSl..· in tilt' un~"Onsciolis. Paradoxl'S an' rl't'n'ational onl" \d1l'1l tilt'\' . . •In· l'unsidl'rl'tl as illitiatin'S of thought. TIll'\' an.' not rtTf"{'ational "lwll tllt'~, an' l·onsilll'n..! a... "tht· Pa...sion "'01' thought." or as di.'o(·O\ l'ring \\ h.lt l'all only Ill' thought, \\hat ,',Ill only Ix' spokt'n, t11'... pitt· tilt' fa,·t that it i... hoth inl'n:lhll' and unthinbhlt'-a mental Void, tI\ Aion. I-in.llh·, \\(' ,',mnot irwokt· tilt' nmtradktor\' l'haral'h'" of till' insin~.ltl·d t·ntiti,·s, nor ,','" \\t. S.l\" that thl' h.lrlwr ('annOI 1ll'lon~ to tlw rq!:inwllt. Thl' li)rn' of p.ll"ldoxl'; is that th,'~' ,lrl' not "untradk~ry;tlll'~' ;'lthl'r ,1110\\ U." to Iw prl'M'nt .n tilt' gt·Il\·... i:o. tilt' nllltr.ltliction. TIU' prilll'iplt' of (ontr.~dil·.
or
.
r WII
...,.11 .. 1 Itll ... OJ- Till l'AltAIHIX
H
and ('ollllx'nsatt' it. "11,1... b imk..·d Ill\' meaning of such phrasc:'S .h "from things to til(' primnrdi.11 lin.·... or "from worlds (indi\'idual sn.ll'ms) to God~" Sm,h a disuihutioll, implil"(l h}' good sense, is dcfim.'(1 pn-c-iS('I~' as a tilH·d or ~l'lklltar~' distribution. The ,,'SS('IlSl' of gOOtI St.'nSl' is to gino itSt'lf a singlllarit~" In order (Q stretch it out owr tlw whol,' linl' of ordillar~' and regular points which dqx·ml on it, hut which alw ,}\Trt and dilute it. Good sen.~ is ahogl·thcr combustino and digestiH-, It is
agricultural. inSC:'I>arahl(' from tht.· agrarian problem, the l';tahlh.hmcnt of (·ndnsun·s. and the dealings of middl<, dasSl"S the llJ.rts of" hich are supposed to halance ami to regulah' one anothlT. '11l(' steam \'ngirw and till' lin-stock. hut also propcrlies and dasSl's, art' the li\'ing sourn's of good sense, not only as facts which spring up in a particular pt'riod, but as t'temal ard1l't~'P('S, This is not a n1l'rt' Ilwtaphor; it tiC'S tQgl,ther all the senS("S of till' tenns "propl'nil"S" and "(:Iasses," The s~'st<'matic charact't:ristK"S of g()()(! seilS(" art' thus the following: it afliml~ a singl(' din'(:tion; it dt'tenninl's this din'("tion to go from tht, most to till' least difTen'nti,ltcd, from the singular to the rt'gul.1r, and from the n'lllarkahl(' to the ordinar~'; it ori('nts the arrow of timc from past to futun', a('conling to this detcmlination; it assigns to the pl"('S('nt a dir<'Cting role in this orientation; it J"('fl(!t.'rs possibl(' th('rdw the funetion of prt'vision; and it Sdl"Cts the S('(k·nta~' t}'lx of distril;ution in \\ hich all of the precl'ding charaetl'ristics an' brought togl'thl'r. Good senSt' plays a capilal roll.' in th(' detl'mlination of signifie,ltion, but pla),s no rok' in the donation of s('ns(', This i.~ hecause good M'nSt' always conws s('COnd, 0111(1 Ix'CauSl.' till' S('(I('nta~' distribution which it ('nacts prcsUppOSl."S another distribution, just as the problem of endoSUR"S prcsupposC'S first a fr~, 0pcll('(I, and unlimitL'(1 span'-the sid(' of a hill or knoll, Is it then l'nough to say that thl' paradox follows a direction otlwr than that of good st'nse, and that it g()('s from tlw It'ast to the most diOcrentialt'd, through a whim that might onl~' 1)1,' a nwnt,ll diversion? To r<'Jx'at soml' famous exam piC'S, it is n'rtain that if temlx'ratun' gcx."S on (lifTl'f('ntiating itsc'lf, or if \'i'i('osity gOl"S on accdt'rating itsdf, onl' could no longa ..fort'Sl"1,.·... But "Iw not? It is not Ix'C3.uSl' things would he happening in till' other Sl'I\Sl: or din:ction, "111e otlll'r dirl'Ction would still clleompass a 1Illi(IUt' St'l\se, (j~1 S('nst' is not COlllt'llt with determining the particular din·(·tion of tlu!uni(lu(' s(·nSl'. It first dctt'mlilles til(' principl(' of a uniqul.' senS(' or dirL'(·tion in g('lll'ral, rt'ady to show thai this principle, onn.' gin'n, forn's u~ to ]6
1 ""IoII·TII ~1,1l11'" 01· Till· I'AIlAl)OX
l'hoos(' one dirL'C"tion over the otlll'T. Tlw 1X>\\"l'r of tht' paradox tlu:n'fort' is not all in follOWing till' otlwr dirl'(.·tioll, but rather in showing that :.('nSl· alwa~'s takt-'S on both S('llSt.'S at 01\(.." (', or follows two dirl..,,<--tions ,11 till' S,UlW time. Thl' opposite of goexl senS(" is not the otlll'r dirl'Ction (q:m), for this din'Ction is onl~' a H'CTl.'atioll for till' mind, its amusing initiative, But thl' j>.lradox as passion rncals that on... l'annot S(·!>.ll'iltt' 1\\0 din:'(.-tions. that a uniqut' M'nsc:' (",1nnot IX' t."Stablishet:l-ncitlll'r a uniqu(' Sl'nse for serious Ihought and work, nor an im'eTSC S("llst' for Tt'('n'ations and minor gam(':>, If \'islusity wcnt on accelerating itst'lf, it \\ould e1iminatc the reasons Ix'hind n'st in all unpredictable sense. "Whidl way. which way?" asks Alit-(·, The question ha.~ no answer, sinn' it is the characterislic of SI'IlS(' not to ha\'l' any dirl.'Ction or "good M'nSl·." Rather, sense always g()('S to lX>th dirl..'ctions at once, in the infinitcl~' subdi\,jdcd and c1ongatt..'(II>.lst-future. Thl' ph~'sicist lkJltzmann l'xplained that the arrow of timl', mo\'ing from past to future, functions olll~' In indi\'idual worlds or s~'stems, and in rdation to a pn..'SCllt dt·tl'nnincd within such s\'stems: "':or the entire uni\'l'rse, the two , din'Ctions of time arc thus impossible 10 distinguish, and the same:' holds for space; t1ll're is Iwither alX>H' nor hdow" (that is, theT<.· is nl'itht'T Iwight nor depth). I Here we T<.'(liSL"O\'er the opposition Ix-twccn Aion and Chrollos, Chronos is the present which alone exists, It mah"S of till' past and future its two orkntl.'(1 dimensions, so that 011(' goes always from the past to thl' futurt'-blll only to till' dcgrl..'C that pTL"SCnts follow one another inside partial worlds or partial s)'stcms. Aioll is the pa~t-ftltllre, which in an infinitl' slllxJi\'ision of the abstract moment l'I)dll'ssl~' d('COmpost-"S itsc'lf in both e:lirections at ona.' alld fOrt'ver :.icll~tl.-ps til(' presellt, For no prt'St"nt can Ix- fixt.-d in a Universe which is taken to be thl' s~'stem of all systl'ms, or the abnonnal sct, To the oril'ntl..·d line of the:' pn'SC'nt, which "rL'gularizt>S" in an indh'idual system \'.1(,11 singular point which it tak('s in, the line of Aion is opposed. This IiII(' I('aps from OIU' pn'-indh'idual Singularity to another and rccon'rs tlWIll all. l'adl one of tlll'm within til(' others. It rccm'('rs all the S\"SIl'ms a~ il follm\s the fie:ur("S of till' nomadil' distribution wherl'illl'ad; ('Wilt i~ ,llrl',}(I~' l>.lst ~'('t in till..' future, at onn' morl..' and k':o,s, alwa\'s thl' da\'. hl.'foTt, and Illl' dav aft('r, insidl' tlU' sulxlivision whkh makes'tl1l'1ll ('Ol11lllunk'ah: with Olll' anolher. In \"(lIllnlOll sense, "Sl'nSl'" is no longer said of a dircclion, hut of all organ. It il> call('(1 "('olllmon," h...'t.-aUM' it is an organ, a function, a
ami
.
TWIII'TIl '\1 KIl:.3 01· Till- I'AIlAUUX
17
facullY of idl'ntlli(,lIioli tll.lI bring:. diwr..it~, in gt',wral to h':,lr upon till' foml of tilt' ~mw. <. 'UIllIllOIi S4.'nl>4.· idl'lllilil"S 'lIld n"<"O£niz~,:-, no ll~ lh..m good :'l'nl>l' liln'l>....~. :'luhj~Ttiwl~,. ('ommon l>('nsc,' sul;unU':. under itsdf tilt' \arioll~ f.lulhk:. of the soul. or till' difTl'n'nti,lh'd 0~,1Il:' of till' hody ...lilt! hring:. th..m 10.1'I('ar upon a unit~' whit'h is ("lpal;II' of :.a~·ing "I." Orl\' .lnll tilt' SJllll' sdl p.'rcl'in·s. illlagilws. reml'mlx·rs. kllo\\." de.; UIl<' .lnd th., !«lllll' sdf hrl'ath("S. Sll...·llS. ~\alb. and eat.s. ' .. I,mgu.lge do~'l> nol s....·m IXJssibll' withoul this slIhj('("t which I'Xprt"SSt"S alld ~Ial~i I~'"h itl',df in it, and \\ hich S,l,':' \\ hat it dOl'S, Ohjt'cti\'('h·. ulmrnon "\·n,,.' :.ullSllllu'S unc'!.:.·r itsdf till' giwn di\ .·n;it\" and rdatl:s il 10 till' 1II1it~· Of.1 p'lrtinll,lr fm'lll of ohil·l·t~or .m inlli\"id;,alizl'd fonn 01'.1 world, It is till' sanw nhj('ct which I Sl't'. .'nwll. t,lstt:. or touch; it is the same ohi.·('t which I pc.'r('(·i\'('. illlagilll'. ami rt·nwml'l(:r. ,,; and. it is till' salll<' \\orld that I hn'alht" walk. am a\\akl' or ....skt.·p in. as I mow from OIU' objl't't to al10tlwr following thl..· I...ws of a dl'temliTll..'d s\"sh·m. H.·n' again. Ianguagl' dOl'S not s('('m possihle olltsidt: of tht·St' idl'~litit':. which il d.'signatl'S, Thl' t'omplellwntarity of tilt' t\\'o forn's of good .~t'Il:;(· and ('ommon M'nS(' art· dearl)· s{'t'n. G()(x! S('nSl' (,(lllid not tix"all\' 1)I.~inlling. end. or tlirt'(,tion. it could not dislrihute am' diwn;it\". if it :Iid n~t tranSl.·('Iu! itsdf toward an inst...nn· ('apablc of ~datill~ th(· diH'J'"S(' 10 Ihl' fonn of a suhj("C't's idt'ntit~" or to Ih<-· foml of an oI~j<-"(1.·s or a world's penn,lIll'ncc, \\hi~'h onl' aSSUlllt·s 10 hc.. prcS(·llt from I)!,'ginning to t'm!' Curwl'rSt.·I", this loml of id.'lltity within ('olllmon St.·nSt' would rl..·main I'mpt)' if il did not transn'nd itsdf toward an instanc(' ('apahle of dl'h'mlining it hy me,U1S of ... ll.lrtit-u1ar diH'rsit~" \\hich \\ould IX'gin Iwn·. ('nd Ilwn·. ant! which onf" would suppose to last as long as it is nl,(·('S..<;.a~- to a.~urt.· tlw t"("lu...li....ation of its p,lrts, It is nl'{'tOSs;)r\' that qllalit~' Ix' at om'c" stoppt"(! ... nd nll'aSurN!. ,ltlrihuh"(l ,lIld id(·ntilfed. [n this cOlllplcnll'ntaril~' of g()()(1 S('nSl' and ('Ollllllon St·IlSt.·. Ilw alli..mct. I)(·t\\"l·l·n Ihe st'lt: the world. and Gotl is st·abl-<..;Ot! IWing tlll' tina1 Ollt('(lIlll' of din'('tions and tilt' .~lIprenw principle of idl·n~itil-s. '11Il' paradox Ihen·fort· is tilt' simultalh'Otis rewrsal of good St.·nSt· and common M'nSl': on onl..' hantl. it "'Plwars in tht' guiS4.· or ~Il(' two simultil1l('OUS S4.'n"l·S or din"(:tio!ls of 11ll' Ix"Coming-lllad ,md thl' unfnn·St."t·ahl(·; on till' otlll'r hand, il app.:ars as tlw I1OIlSl'nse anIle lost idl'ntitv ,md till' unn·l·tJgnizabl.·, Alil"t' is til\' OIl\' \\ho alwa\'s l!.()('S in Iwo di~\'cli(lns at olin': \Vond.'rlJnd l·Sil.ts in an .1Iwa\'s suhlli~ id~'d clouhle din'ction. Ali('(' is al)o(l tht' Olll' \\ho 10M':' till' it!l'nti",. \\/wtllt'r Iwr n\\l1 or tilt' itll'nti,,·
"
1\\·lt,'llt"'I"II ... ()"TIIII'A"AI)()X
of thing:. .md till' \\orld. In .~dll(" lJnd 8rullO, hli~'lalld i:. UPIXlst'tl 10 1111' l'lIlllmlln.l'l"n·. Alin' suhmit:. 10 (.lIld f,lil" al) all til(' tto:.ts of nunmon "·n,,.·: tilt' It'st of Sl'lf-eonsl'lousm's" ,)1> .m organ-"\VllU .ue )"ou,''' said th.. {·.l!t·rpitl... r; tilt' k'St of tilt' p.:rn·ption of ,ln ohje<-'I ,lS .1 tt'st of n·cngnition-the \lOOtls \\ hii'll i:. :.tripp.:t1 00- all id\·ntilil'illion; tilt' h'st of nWlllory as rl'cit... lion- .. It is \\rung from IX'ginning 10 l'nd": tilt' h'l>l of t1w dream as unitt, of till' \\orld-\\Iwrein l'''ell indi,'idual ,,:.h·1ll t·oml..'S undOlw to till' ht'ndil of a UniH'f"S(' in \\hil'h Olll' is ,1'1\\,1\':' . ..Ill l·ll·ment in sonW(lIll' dSt·\ dn·,)m-"... .\'ou'n' onh'. OIW of Ill\' things in his drt'alll. You kllO\\ H'r~' well ~'ou·rt· not n·al." Ilow l'ould t\lin' haw any common l'l'rlSl' Il·ft, sint'(· she no longa had go(xl M·ns.·? l..anguag(" in any caSl', .~l·t·IllS imIXlssibll·. having no l'Uhjl'l't which l·spr.·ss(·s or manifests itsdf in it. no Objl'(-I 10 (It-note. no daw's ,md no propertil'S 10 signify according to a lixl'tl onlt-r, It is Iwn·. hO\\"('\'l'r, Ihal thl' gift of Illl.'aning OlTUrs. in this rl,£ion \\hich pn'Ct'l!t"S all gOOtI S('nSl' a~l(1 .111 common St.'rISC, For Iwre, ~'ith til\' IMssion of the p...rados, Iangllagl' attains its highest power. Ik~'ond good Sl'nSl·. Carroll's doubks rl..·pn·sl·1lI the two Sl'nses 01' t\\"o dirl'l..'tiolls of tilt' Ix'('Oming.mad, L(·t us look tirsl at Ih(' douhlc-t of Ihe Hatl('r and tilt' .\larch Ilart.' in },IKe: (·...eh om' of Ilwlll lin'S in all(' dir{"("tion. but tilt' 1\\0 dirl'('t:ions arc inSt'!>arabl('; ('a('h dinxtion subdi\"idt'S itsdf into tilt' otlwr. to Ihe poinl that both an' found in l·itlll.'r. T\\"o are ne('('ssar\' for IX'ing Illad: olle is alwa)'s Illad In /emdem. TIlt' I'lalter and till' I-Iar~ \\I'nt Illad togl·tht:r til(' da\' tllt'y "nllrrdl'rl'tl tinw," th,lI is. the da\' "" , till'\"/ d\':'lro~·t·t1lhe nwasun'. sUpprt'Sst'tl tilt' 1l.1USl."S and Ihe rest's which relate qllalit~, to ~m{'thing fiXlod. -Ill(' I-Ialh'r and till' 1-1.11'(' kil1l't! tilt· pn'Sl'nt \\ hidl no long.·r sUI'\'in'S 1)('hH~n Ilwlll ('xn'pt in Ihe slt"('py imagt' of till' DonnotlSl'. their torturc<1 coml>anion. But also thi:. prt':>t'llt 110 longl·r "uhsists t'SCt'pt in tilt' 'lbstrat1 monwlll• .11 tl'a linlt'. IX'ing inddinit\'I~' :'>uhdi\'isihl(' into p,lst and futun', 'I'll{' n'sult is thaI th(')' 1111\\ dungl' pl...el'S 1·IlIIlI"S..sl~'. tllt'~· an:' ah\a~'s I... t(, and l·arl~·. in Ix)\h dlret lion... at onn·. hut Ill'\l'r on timt', On Ihe otlwr :.id{· of till' lookin~ ~las." tilt' Ilan' and thc..· I latter ... n· takt'n up "'gain in till' 1\\0 ml."S.......ngl.~. lillI' going am! tilt' otlwr coming. Olll' warching ,md tlw otlwr hringing 11.1\ k, Oil till' Il..lsi:. or tilt' t\\O :;inHrlt,lIll'ou.~ direclion:. of tilt' Aion, I l\l·l·dlnl.,\· ,mil '!'\\t·l·dkdum t('slif\, 10 tilt' indist'(·rnibilit\· of the two din·dion,..lllt! 10 till' inlinite slllx'!idsion of tlw t\\O s.:nsl's in {'ach ll.rq tion. OH'r tilt' hifurcating roult· IXlinting In their hmlM', Rut. just 'I WI I 1,'111 ... 1 "II· ... tH' Till
I'''KAI)OX
79
as til(' doublt's n.'Il(kr illlpossibJl' any Iimil of IX'l"oming, .lIlY lixing of quality, and IIlUs ,]n~' t'xl'rdsl' of good s..:nSt" Humpty Dumpty is 1'0)',]1 simplicit~" tilt' ,\'I.lsh'r of words. the Giver of S{'IlSC, Hl~ dl'stroy'" th(' eXl'n'hl' of I,:0O1l11on S('nse, ,]s Iw distrihuh'S (lifTerences in ~u<-'h a mal1llt'r that no fixro (Iuality and no I11l'asurt."lI time are brought to beaT upon a1l id('ntifiahlc- or rt.....-ognizablc objl''(:t. I-IUl11pt~' Dumpty (whose \\,list and lwck, tie and IX'h, are indis<'cmihl{·) lacks common M'nS{' as nUK" ...... he lacks diff('f(·ntiatl'(1 organs; Il{' is uni(lud)' mad{' of shifting .. nd "diSl'onn'rting" singularitil'S, I-IUl11pt~' Dumpt)' will not n'mgniz{' Alin:, for l'Jch of Alk{"s singularitk'S Sl't'ms to him assimilah'd in til{' ordinary arrangement of an organ «'}'{" nose, mouth) and to IlI.'long to tl1(' Coml1lonplac{' of an all too n·glll.u fan.. arrangl'd just likl' I'wr)'ollc (·Ist,'s, In thc singularity of paradox('S. nothing lxogins or ends, t'\'cr)'thing pnx:t..'l·ds at onCt' in til{' dir('ction of both past and future. As Humpty Dumpt~· sa~'s, it is alwa~'s !XlS."ibk· to prl'\'ent that \\'1..' grow In tandem, Onl' docs not grow without til(' other shrinking, '111('1'(' is nothing astonishing in til(' fact that til(' llaradox is the f~rn' of the unconscious: it ocrun. alwa~'s in the Slla('(' Ill·t\\l"l~n O'entre-Jelu) consdousneSSl'S, col1traf)' to good S<'IlSC or, IX'hind the back of consctoUSnt'SS, ('ontral) to common S{'I1S{'. To tht' (Itll'Stion as to wht'n one l)('Comes bald, or when thal' is a pile, Ch~'sippus' answcr used to be that w(' would he beth'r 01T to stop counting. that \\'{' could l'wn go to sl('('P' Wl' l'ould think later on, Carm'adl's dOl's not secm to umkrstand this f('.~ponse H'r)' well and Ill' objects that, at Chr~'sippliS' reawakl'ning, ('\'('rything will Ix-gin anl'\\' and till' sanl(' question will IX' raised. Chrysipplls anSWl'rs man' l'xplicitly: 01U' ('an always managc III /andem. slOWing till' horses whell till' slope beconws stl'l'!X'r, or t!c-r'H'asing with Ol1l' hand whil(' increasing \\ ith the otlwr,l ror if it is a qu{'Stion of knowing "wi1\' at this mOll1l'nt rathl'r than at another" "wi\\' water l'hangl'S"" its st~t(' of <Jualit~' at 0° centigra(!l-." the qlll~tion i~ poorl)' statcd insofar as 0° is considl'f('t"! as an oTclina~' point on the th('nnometcI'. Hut if it is collsidcrt.'(1, on the contra~'. as a singular point. it is in.'\t:parahle from til(' ('WIlt Ol'l'lIrring at that point, al\\"a~'s lX'ing Zl:ro in rt·lation to its realization on the line or onlinar)' points, alwa~'s forth* coming and alr('ad~' pasSl,(1. /' W\' lllay IIll'rt:Jon' propOSl' a tahle or tlll' dneJoplllent of language at till' SUrl:ll'l' and of tht' donation of Sl'nSI' at the fronti,,'r, h..'{\Wl·n propo~itions ,mil things, Such a tablt, rq)r"M-'nb ,111 organiz.ltion which
-
So
T\\'l I I·TlI :-HUI' ClI, 'lilt· ....UtAno;.:
j" s,lid 10 I....· st'l'ondar~' and propl'r 10 languag'·. It is anilllatl,d by till' p.lT,uloxical d\'llll'nt or al('ator~ point to which \H' haw gin'n \'arious duuhl" n.ll11l'S, To introouC(' thi.. . \,It'l1lt'nt ,]s nmning through thl' t\\O ,,'rks at 1111' lourfal"l·. or as tracilll:!. 1",'t\H','!1 th.., t\\O lo..'rit-s till' straight IIII\' of tilt' Aion. amounts to tI;l' s.llll"· thing. It j" nOlbl'llSl', ami it tldllll':> tht' two \'l'rhal ligun.. . of nonst:·nst·. Hut. prt'('iS('lv Ix'('aust' null,..t'I1M· has an inh'mal "I~d origill,l! rdation to St.·ns..·. this !;"'radoxical "I,'m,'nt lx'Stows St.'nSl' lIpon tilt' h'mlS of eal·h !>I'Til'S, TIl\' rdati\'l' pusitions of thl'Sc h'nns in rl'l.ltinn to one anotlwr dqx'nd on tlll'ir ",lh:<'qul,ntiv Ix' :.uhmittt-'(! to th('Sl' l'onditions, in a It·rtiarv organization \\ hidl \\ ill ~datl' thl'm to tilt' 1;1\\:> of possible intlicatton; ami manif,'S~ t,nioll:> (good M'I1M', common s..:nSl'), °111i:. prl'SI,'mation of a total dq}lo~ nWllt at tilt' surf,'Il'1.' is Ill'l't'ss,lrily affl'l'tl'cl, ,]t l'.ldl Ilf tlw!>\' point... b~' an "\tn'Ill,' .mel Ix:rsi.. . h·nt fragilit~·.
.
I WI t VIII'" KII· ... 01 '1 HI
l'AKAIHIX
SI
madman ma)' carr)' along with him an imllll'nSl' 1}Q\.·ti('al work, in a din'cl rdation to til\" IXK't that Iw "\lS and which Ill" dOl'S not l'('aSl' to 1)0,', But lhis does not at all justi(v till' grot('SlIU(' trinity of (·hiM. poet, 'llld madman, \Vith all till' foret' of .ldmiration and wIn-ration, we must II(' atkntiw to the sliding "hidl I"l,\('"ls a profound ..lifT..'n'ncl' underl\'ing tlu'S(" crude simil,lrit~s. \V... must he aU('nth'.., to til\' wn' difTere;lt fUlKtions and ah)'SSl.'S of nonSl'nSl', and to till' hl,terogendt~· or portmanh'au words, which do not authorizt· th..· groul)ing togl,ther of those who innollt or l'wn thOS(' who use them. A littl..ogirlma~' sing "Plmpame<JiIf~"; .m artist ma~' "Titl' "frumious"; and a schizophreni(' rna}' unt'r "per-",x'ndicacc." l But we han' no n'ason to Ix-licw that the problem is th... sanw in all of thest· caSl."S and the n'Sults roughl)' analogous. One could nol seriousl)' confuS<" Bal>ars song with Artaud's howls-breaths (ens;;Qlll'es), "Ratara ratara ratara Alara tatara rana Otara Olara katara, , , Wt' may add that the mistake mad..: by logicians, whl'll thc)' speak of nonSl'nse, is that they oAer laborioll.~I~' constructl'd, ..:maciatcd examples fitting the lll'l,(!S of tlwir delllonstration. as if th..:y had nevcr heard a littlo.: girl sing, a grl'at 1)O('t r..:citt', or a schizophrenic speak, There is a po\'l'rt~' of so-called logical ('xamplcs (t-xccpt in Russell. who was always inspir..:d by Lewis Carroll), Hut here still till' wcakncs... of the logician dOl'S not authorizt' us to reconstruct a trinity against him, On the contrary, the probk'm is a clinical problt'm. lhat is, a problem of sliding from one organization to anothl'r. or a problem of the fonnation of a progrt"Ssi\'l' and creatin- (Iisorganization. It is also a problem of criticism, that is. of the dl'tl'rn1ination of diITert'ntial levels at which nonscflS(' d,angl'S SharK", the portmantl'au word undergOl'S a change of nature, and thl.' entire languagt' chall2cs dimension. enldc similarities ;'t their"'trap. We would like to considt'r two texts in "hi"'h th("S(" traps of sirnilaritl' can be found, CK('asionallv Antonin Artaud (·onfronts Lewis Carroll: "first in a transcription of th~ Humpt~' l>t1rnpt~' o.:pisoc:k'; and again in a leHt'r. written from the as,",um at l{od(~.I., in which Ill' pasSl"S judgment on Carroll. As \w r('ad ~hl' lirst 't.ulla of "Iahll\'n\'ock~·." such .1S Arlaud n'ntll'n; it, 1\1' haw thl' impn'~"illn that til\' two opt.'ning \TrSl'S still corn'slxmd to l'.lrroll's I.Tih'ria 'lIld nmforrn to tho.: rult·s of translation 2('IWralh' Iwld Ill' Carroll's oll1('r hc'nch ~ranslators. I'arisot and Brunil~, But ·Ilt'ginnil~g with til{" last \\ord ot til\' sl'('oml linl" from thl' third 11Ilt' onward, a slidin2 is IwodlH..','d, and I'\'o.:n a lTI\lti\'t" .....'ntral nltlapS(', catl...ing tiS to I;' in ,I
Thirteenth Series of the Schizophrenic and the Little Girl
Nothing is mon' fragil(' than till' surfan'. [s not this s('Condary organization threatcnl'f! by a monsh'r en:n more awesome than til(' Jabbcrwock~'-by a fomlil'ss, fathoml(>:iS nonsenSt'. very diffeTem from what \W pn'\'iollsl~' cncounh'r('tl in th... two figurt-s still illlll'n'm in sells('? At fir-it, the thn'a! is imlx·rcl·ptihll'. but a fcw steps suffin' to make us aw,lre of an (·nlargl.'d CTc\'k"t'; till' whole organization of the surface has alr('ad~' llisapfX'an'fl. m"crturm'(l in a lerrihll" primonJial order. Nonscnsc no longn gin'S sellS<', for it has consunlt."·d (·wrything. Wl' might h,1\'c thought at hrst that \W W('rl' inside th(' same t'!('nwnt. or in a neighboring deilwilt. But wc S('t' now that we han:" changl'tl e!l'IlWnts. that we have cnll'red a sturn1, \V(O might ho1\'e thought to lx' still among little girls and (·hildr..on, hut \no an' already in an irnown.ihllo madlwss, \Vl' might han- 1",:li..owt! to 1)(' at thl, lall-ost l'(lgl' of lihorary n"S('ardlo at the point of the highL"St ill\'(Ontion of languages and \\ords; \no an' alrcad~' I3n'd h~' til(" agitalions of a ('on\'ulsi\'l'life, ill th..o night of a pathological lTt\ltion aITe(:ting 1)()(lio..'s, It is for this reason that 11ll" obsen'('r Illust lx' ,lIlt'min": it is hanll~' Kn'ptablt', under till" pn't..'xt of I)()rtmanll'au wunk fur l'xampll', to run tog..,ther a ehild's tlllr;:.vf':" rh~'nll"s, p(wtit· l'xlX'rinwllt.,tioIlS, and I'xp.:rienees of madm'ss, A gn'at IXl('t Illa~' \\Titl' in a din'l't rdation to tlw child that shl' was and till' ehildn'll slw lo\'('s;
TlllkTH NTH ''''Itll'~ 0 .. Till- 'oCIlIi,OI'lIIHN1C
1
81
allotlwr Ilorid and in all .. nlin·I~· difl~·r.. nt bngll,lge.! \Vith horror. \nn.t"o<Jni'/" il I·.l.~il\": il i~ dlt' klllgllagl' of Sdlizophn·niJ. 1:\'l'1l till' port, . ll1all~I ..1U \Iortl~ ~l' ..rn to function difl~'r{'ntl)', IX'ing l'aught up in s)'n(,0PI'~ ,wd Iwing o\"t·r1o,l(kd with gutlur,lls. We measure OIl till' sanll' 1110llwnt til<' distance s..:parating Carroll's Ianguagl' and Art,Hld's IJnl..:ual!\·-tlw lornwr ('mittl'd at till' sur[KI', ,Il(' blt..:r earn-d inlo the ;ll'p~h of hodies. \VI' meaSUl"(' the difference I)('t\\"e('n tlll'ir rl'spn·tiw prohlt-ms. WI' arc thus abk 10 ackno\\"ledgl' till' full impact of tilt' dl·c1,lrations lll.ltl" h)' Artaud in his I"tter from RodI Y
/.:
I han' not produn'll ,1 trall.~l.ltioll of "J.lhll('r\\'o("k~'." I tri,·d 10 tral1slJIt· .1 fragnll'llt of it. hut it hon'l! nl\". [ r1\'\'('r likell this PO\'Ill, which .ll\\'.l~·s .~trllck nl\" as an an~·etl'll infantilism.... I do nor Irk<- ptXm5 or lon.'1u':('n horn from it, sllwlls • hJdly. T11I'1"I' .m· in "Jahl)('n\"()("ky" p.l».o;.lg"-~ of k("alit~·, hut it is til<' Il'I·.I1it~- of .m I~nglish s!lob, who t"\lrl~ tilt' OhSn'!ll' \\ ithin hims..lf lik\' ringl<'ls of h,lir ilTOun,'j a l"urlillg iroll. It is tilt' I\ork of ,1 nMIl \\"110 .lb· \\"(·ii-.md this lll.lk,·s itSt·lf It·lt ·in his writing. I ~
Summing this up, WI' could SJ~' that Arlatrll considers Lewis Carroll a pt'l'\'l'rt. a link p..:rn'rt, \\"ho holds onto tilt' t'st.lhlishnwnt of a surface lilnguilge, ilnd who has not ldt the rl'al problelll of .1 languag(' in ,kpth -nal11('ly. tilt' schizophn'nic prohl('rn of sufft'ring. of de.lth. and of life, Tn Art.1\ul. Carroll's gilll1l'S s{'cm pUt'rile, his food 100 \\"orldly, and 1'\"Cn his f\'(·il1lt)· h~'p(X"riticill and too wdl-hred. Leal"ing Artaud'~ gt'nius Ix·hind. It't u~ r:onsid('r anotlwr (('xl whose Ilt'Jut\· an~l dt'nsit\' n~main dinica1. 4 In Louis Wolf.~on·s hook, tilt' pason \\"ho ;',-fl'r~ to hil~lSt'Il' as the pJlieot or ,hI' Sdlizophr('hi~'stll(knt of l.lIlgU.1gl'S" t'xlwril'IKI's the l'xis(,'IWt' amI disjurll'tion of t\\"o Sl'ries of
or.llity: tht' dU.llity of things/\\onk ,·omurnplionslexpn·ssions. or ,'011l>urn.1bk ohi,~(·tslcxpressibl,· ProIX)sition.~. Thi.~ dllillity lx·t\\"l....·n 10 ear .md to sp..·ak may he cn'n mon' l'iOlt'l1dy t'xpn'ss('d in the duality 1lt"1\\l·t·n to I)OJ/ro ('or and to sill/ito _'pcak. But ill particubr. this duality is Ir.m.~portcd to, and is n·'·O\·..·n,d in, a duality of t\\"o sorts of \\"ords, propositions, or t\\"o kinds of langu,lgl': nilmcl)·. tilt' 1110tl1\'r tongm" hlglish. which is l'ssl'otially .llirnt'ntar)· and "XtTl'!lWntal: and fon·ign 1.1I1guagl·s, which an' t·ss(·ntiall~· expn'ssi\"c, and which Ih\' patil'llt slriws \0 a("(luir('. The motlwr threilh'ns him in two cqlli\'a1cnt \\'a~'s and kt'I'pS him from making progn'ss in thl's,' bnguagl's, Sonll'tinll's shl' hrillldishes Ilt'fon' him tcmpting but indig('stihle f()(xl. scaled in carlS; sometimes sIll' pounces on him ill ordl'r to spcak ilbruptly in English Ix'fore ho.: has 11.1d lime to cover his cars, I-It' wJrds oil' this threat with a nllml>t.·r of t·\"t·r mon' rdined pron~llln's. First, Ill' ('ats Iikt' a glutton, crams himself full of food, and stomps 011 tilt' cannisters whil\' repeating l'ndkssl), SOllle foreign \\"ords. At a decl>t.'r le\'(·I. he ensures a reson.10ce octwecn thl' t\\"o s('ri(~s and a con\"crsion from ol1e to till' other, as he translates I:ngli~h words into fon.'ign \\"ord~ al'l'ording to their phonetiC c1ellll'nts (l'OnSollilnts bt'ing the lllost important). "Tn'("" lor cxamplc. is con\"('rh'd ilS a result of the R which recurs in til(' hench word "t.·(.·oming D. This already ('omplex proct."tlure is rl'pbet'd b)' a more genl'raliz('d OIl<'. as S()()fl as the patient has tilt' idl'a of noking a l111mlx'r of associations: '\'arl~'." whos(' l'onsonants I{ .mll L IXlsl' partit:ularly ddit:all' problems, is translorl11l'd into \'ari()ll~ a"Stx:iatl"tl Fr":l1ch lonllions: "surR-l.e-c!wmf'," "de 00111I(' hculk" ·'mmmaL..·l/lclI/." "0 Ja fX,Roil-." 'acl"oRcr L'cspace, " or cn'n into an ('solcric Jlld tinional \\"ord of Gl'rlllan COIlSOl1am·(·. "url/ch." (Olll' rl'calls that Ib)'molld Roussel, ill the tedmiqu('s 11t' in\"('ntt·d in order to constitllh' alld to ('011\"('rt seril's within the French bnguage, distinguishes a pril11Jry. r"strined proccdure and a sl'condar~', gl·lll'ralizl.:d pnx:t'llun' 11.1-'1'0.1 on associations.) It is often tht' ('as(' th.1t sonll' rl'hl'1liolls words r\".,isl all of tht's(' prtJC('dllrcs. gi\,ing ris(' to insun~'rahll' paradoxl's. Thus. "IJdit·s," for ,·xJmplt'. which appli{'s to only half of the hum.1n population. carl Ill' tral1scrilwd onh' hI' tilt' (;I'rman "/"111/(''' or till' Hussian "'ow/'. " which. 011 thl' nllltra~)'. ~It'signatt· the totalit), of humankind. 111'rl' .lg.lin, OlW'S lirst impr('ssion is (hal then' is a l"t'rt.lin n'sl'mTHllt'l"I'I'NTII :-'I·I(II·~ (II· TIll· :-.CIlIZ()J'JII(I·NIC
8{
blalw\' Iwlw('I'n all of this and til\' Carrol!ian St'rics" In C.lrroll's works as "dl. till' h.lsic oral dtlalit~, (to I'at/to sl:H.."ak) is sometinws displat.'('d anti p.ls:,>\'s Ix,tw{."('n two kin(ls or two diml'llsions of propositions" Some o"u-r times it hardens and IX'i."Onws "to 1>.1~'/to speak," or "('x(T\'m('nt/ bnguagl'" (AliC(' has to buy ,111 (-gg in th(' Shcep's shop, and Ilumpt~" Dumpty 1>.1~'S his words; as for f\,(.1ssiol1s" Ilut tht: r('sult has a \'('r)' difTt:T('nt nature than tht: t.'O'1Xlreal cauSC'" It is for this n'ason that S{"llst", as an ('fTl'Ct, bdng alwa~'s at th(" surfan" T(·f(·rs to a quasi-('auSl.: which is itSC'lf incorporeal" This is th(' alwa~'s mobil(' nonscnSl', which is l'xpr{''SSl.'f1 in esot("ric and in p0Ttmant("au words. and whi('h distribult~ sense.' on both sides sirnuham'Ousl~" All of this forms tilt' surfan' organization upon whi("h Carroll's work pla~'l' a mirror-lik<.· ("Ot'Ct, Artaud said that this is onh- surface" Th(' Tl'\'dation whkh l'nlin'nl'fl Artaud's genius is known to any schizophrenk, who lin's it as wdl in his or Iwr own maillwr. For him, there is flor, there is 110 101li/er, on) SIl~rO(f. I [ow could Carroll not strikl' him as an allt'ell'd little girl, protl'clt'd from all dt"'p problems? TIlt' tirsl Sl'hizoplm'nk t:\'idl'Jl('c is that the surfan' has :.ptit 0lwn, Things 'lIld propositions ha\"e no longe.r an~'
..
S6
THIKTI"I'NTII "!-KII .. OJ" Till' "ClII":Ol'lllthNIC
frontilT 1)('I\\I'I'n them, pn'(·i:.\·I~' IW\'ausI' 1)()(lit's han' no surfac(', The tilt' schizopllTt'llic hod~" is that it is a sort of body:.it'w, Fn'ud ('mphasizctl thb aptitlllk of til(' Sdlizophn'nic to ~rasp the :'>url:U1.' and the skin as if tll{'~" \\I'rl' punt'tun'i.l b~' an infinil(' n~mbt'r of lilt II' holC'S" S The conSl'qU('nn' of thi... i:. thdt the ('ntirl,IJOd... i'i no lon~l'r all~1.hing but depth-it carrit's along dnd snaps up l'wr...thin~ into tllis gJ.ping dt'plh which n'prl'SC.'nts a fundamental in\"OJutiol~" h~r'\"thing is hod~' and coTJ>OTt'al. En'n'thin\l is a lllixturl' of bodies. and i~sidl' ~hl' hOlly, inlt'rlocking and pe;wtr,l;ion. Artallli said Ihat (·wry1.hing is ph~'s ie.l!: "W(· haw in our hack full wrtl'llra\" tral1slixNl b~' the nail of pain, \\ hich through walking, thl: 1'l1ort of lifting wl'ights, and the rl'sistam'(' to ll'tting go, bl'come cannislt'rs h~' Iwing Ill'stt'd in on(' anotlwr,"1> A tn·('. a ("olumn. a flower, or a callt' grow inl'id(, the l)()(!)'; other l)()lli('s ,lh\a~'s IX'lwtratl' our bod)' ami l"(X'xist with its l>.1rts, b·e~·thing is reall\'. a can-('annClI focxl and ('XlTI'ment. As thert: is no surface th l' insidt' and til(' outside, the (.untainer and the containN.I, no longer han' a pn"CiSC' limit; the)' plung(' into J. uni\"crsal depth or tum in the ('irdc of a pTl'SC.'nt which gt:ts to lx' morl' contracted as it is filled. Hellt.'(' the st."hizophrl'nk' mannl'r of Ii\"ing thl' t.untradiction: either in the d<.,<,p Ilssurt: which trawrs('s thl~ bod~'. or in th{· fragnwnt{'d pans which I'neas(' onl' anothcr and spin aholli. Bod~'-sil'\"("' fragmelllt.'fl I)()(!)'. and dissociatell Ixxly-these an' the thn'C primar~' dimensions of the ~dlizophrcnil' body, In this collapsl' of the surfan', thl' entin' world loses its meaning. [t maintains pahaps a certain IXlWt'r of denotation, hut this is cxpcrienc('d as empty. It maintains a l'crtain IXlwer of manifestation. but this is ,'xpai('ncl'll as indiffcTt'nt. And it maintains a certain signification. l'xpai('n('('(1 as "false." Nt'venhdl'Ss, thl' word los<.'S its SCIlS(", that is. ib I)()\\('r to draw togethcr or to express an incorpon'al t:fTcct distint.1. from the at'tions and passions of till' 1)()(lv. and an idt'ational ("\'l'nt distin{·t from it-<; present realizdtion. Ewry' ~'n-nt Lo; n'alizt'fl, lx, it in a halJul"in.lto~' fonn. E\"t:ry' wonl is ph~'sit'al, alUl imnwtliatd~' afTects til(' hod~'. Thl' pr(X"L'flun' is this: a \\ont, ort('n of an alinwntan" natun', aplll.'ar:. in ("apit.ll I("th'rs, printed as in a collag\' whidl frl'tv/~I'S it anti ~trips it of il.<; St'nSt'. But the moment that the l;inl1ed-dowll word 10SI'S Ib Sl'nSI', il hursts into pivn's; it is dl'comlXlsed into s)'lIal>lcs, lethTs, ~nd .lhon' all inlo nmsonants which a("t diTt'l,tly on tilt' hod~" pt'nl'tratl ng .111d hrui:.ing it. \V(' haw aln'ad\' M'en thai this \\as till' case for til(' . prim.l~· aSpt·l."t of
.
-
1/l11t"11'I'NTII "I·KII" O!- Till" ",Cllr,,:ol'IIRI'NI<:
8]
M'hiYophn'nit- :.tudt'nt (If Ianguagt's. 'l1w mOlllt'nt that tilt' lllJIt'rnal languagt' ilo lotripp.otl of ib St.'nSt.'. its phO~fK de~ms Ix'("ol1u' singularly wo:.mling, TI1I' \\onl no long..'r t'XpreSSol'S an attributt.' of till' Iot,lU' of aff.lirs: it: frJgm"'nts nwrg'" with unlx',lfahlt· sonorous Oli~' .lml to the dq)th of 1'IOl1i('s, One is thus !le\'('r sun' that tilt' idt'al fluids of an organism without p,lrts dQl.'s Ilot ('arr~' parasitic worms, fragnwnts of organs, solid food. and {'xcrem..ntJI rcsidu.,. In f.lct, it is C('rtain that th.. m,lldi('t,llt forn':, m.lkt' dTt'('tin' uS{' of lIuitis ,lIltl insufllatiqns in 11IIltTH'NTlI 'I lUI·' 01 Till· :-CllIL.OI'l!ltl,NIC
ordt'r tn introduce bits of pa".,ioll into tilt' I)() ('orruph'(l onl~' b~' tilt' atllt'r pol,' from \\ hidl it ..'arumt be St'IMr.lh'(l. TIlt' f.wt. though. is th,lt it rt'pn'St'nts tht' .wtiH' pOll' and tilt' stolt.· of p.'rft''''' mixtuTt,. Tht' latb'r is oppoSl'(1 to tilt' ,'ncasings and bn,bings of till' imp.'rf.,..,t Illixtun's which r"'PTt'S{'nt tilt' p"s.."i\'(' pole. In Sl-hizophrl'lIi.l, then' is a way of li\"ing tht' Stoic distinction hetwe{'n two corporl'al rnixtllrt'S: tilt' partial mixtllrt' whkh .lll.'rs tlw IxxI)., and tilt' tot,ll .llld liquid mixtun' \\hidl It'aws th.. 1'IOl1" inta..1. In tht.' fluid d{'lllt'nt, ur in tb.. insufllat{'(! lit of an at"ti\t· mixtun' \\ Ilit..-h is likt.' the "principle of the:'M,'a," in opposition to tht.' pas:.i\(· mixtuTt-s of tht' <'Il('aSt'{IIl Illlmpt~· Dllmpt~"s POt'lll ahollt tilt' .WJ and th<, fish into ,1 pOt'1ll ahout the problem of obcdicn"'t' and l'ommand. What ddincs this second l.lnguagl' and this method of action, pr.lc. ti.. 'all~', is its consonantal. glltturJl, .lnd aspir.ltt'<.! owrloads, its apostropln'S and internal acccnl.'i, il~ hreath!'> .lnd its scansions, .lnd il.'i nuxlulation which r<>placcs .lll s~'lIabi<' or ('wn litt'ral \·alu.'S. It is a siJll word "d..,ero" (,"tn't''') th.. studt'lll of l.anguagt· is o\"t.'rio~·{'d at tilt' t'xbh'nl'e of.l plural lunn duel')"a-\\hOSl' internal apoMroph,,' M."t'1l\1'llat'llizt', and st'l tilt' word a/lam\' so th.lt th.. \\ord Ill,'('OIllI'S tilt' action of .l I)()(I~' \\ithout p.lrts. in:.h'ad of I)('ing tilt' pa:."ion of a TIlIKTII r>.TII "!-KII" 01· 1111 "CIIIL.Ol'llltl·NIC
8'}
fr.1gnwnh,d organi.,rn, TIlt' t,lsk is that of transfonning tllt' word into a fusion of ('onslll1anb-fmion through tlw use of soft .,igns ami of consonants \\·hieh cannot I"" d('ColllpDSt"tl. \Vithin this langu.lge, onl' ('.111 .llwa\'s lind \\onl:. which would 1)(' ('<{ui\'alent to lXlrtlll,lIlt('au \\onls. I;~r ",ou,shr" ami "TOUO'She.·· Artaud himself indkalt"S "ruer," ..'ou...... ",ome," "riSk" or ",ome a rlsler." To this list, \\l' ..:ould add "Rou"f£uC'," Ihat ~x'lion of R()(I(~1. in which Artaud was at thl' lime, Lih,\\ is:'' wht'n Iw sa~'s "Uk 'hofIS, " with an intemal apostropllt'. hc imli('atcs "ukhase," "hare," and "abrutl," and adds "a noctumal jolt 1)('m..1th I-kcah' which m{'alLS th.· pigs of the 11100n thro\\ n off Ill(' straight path." As soon as Ihc \\ord appears, how(,"cr, as a portmanleau word. its structure ami the commenta~' attachtxl to it p.'rsuade us of th{' prest'nce of sollll'thing \'c~' difTen'nt. Artaud's "Cho,e Uk'haus" an' nOI t."tluivalent to till' lost pigs, to Carroll's "moille ralhs," or to Parisot's ",·erchonsIoll','1l1s." The)' do nOI compete with them on the sam(' plane, The)' do not sel.:ure til(' ramificalion of series on tlw basis of sens('. On the contrary, the)' ('nact a chain of associations bet\H't'n tonic and consonantal dcment~, in a f('gion of inf,a-sens(', according 10 a fluid and burning prindpk which absorbs ami n'absorbs dT('ctin-ly til(' sensc.' as soon as it is !'n)(!uced: Uk'halis (or tin' lost pigs of til{' moon) is K'I-I (cahor = jolt), 'KT (Il()(:turnal), and J-1'KT (H.'cat('), Tht' dualit)' of the schizophrt'nic word has not I)('('n adequatcl)' no\(-'d: it t-"Omprises til(' passK:m-word, whidl ..'xplodt.'s into wounding phonell( \·alu<."S, and tht.' action-word. whidl wdds inarticulate /OnlC \'alm's. Th1.:-"S(' two words an' d"'\'e10JX'<1 in n'btion to til(' dualit~, of th<, bod~'. fragm<"llted bexl)' and body without organs. The~' n'f,,'r to two theaters, th{' theater of t{'rror or passion and the theatt.'r of (,nlelt)', which i!J b\' its ('SS('nn' a(1h'e, Th<.'~' refl'r to two t~·p<'S of nonsellSC, passin' ami actin': th.., nonS('Il'>'.' of the word dc\'oid of sellse, which is d..'Cornpo'>'.'t1 into phonetic demcnts; and thl' nonSl'nS(' of tonic de· m..'nt~, whidl fonn a \\onl incapa!>!..' of Iwing d..'t.·ompoS(,d and no less d"'\'oid of scns<', lien' (,\'C~·thing haplx'ns, a(·ts and is act.."tl upon, IX'llt'ath sc.::nst' and far from tilt' surface, SUb-S('llSl:, a-s('ns<.', Unrersmnthis Illust Ix: distinguislwd from the nonS<'ns(' of the surfan·. At:cording to Iiolderlin, languagc in its two asr)l,:cts is "a sign Cll1pt~' of m(';ming." f\!though a sign, it is a sign whidl m,,'rgl's with an .It'tion or a passion of tilt' hoth·. III This is whv it st'ellls l'ntirdy insufliciellt to sa\' that '}O
T111KTH'N"11 "HOI" 01· '1'111, "ell 11.:01'11 IU NIC
~,,'hizophr<.'nic
languag,· is ddined by an I'ndl,'ss and I>..lnic.strickell
~lidillg of till' Signifying S('rit'~ toward til\' signili("tl ~'ries. In fact, ,hu.'
10llser a'!)' sl'fIes 01 utI; tlw 1\\0 s('rit'S ha\"e disappean'tl. NOIlS('nse h,h (·I'aSt."t1 to gh'", senS(' 10 tilt' surfan'; it ahsorbs and ('ngulfs all S('nsc', hOlh on the side of the signifi,,'r and on th<.' sid(' of the signifil'd, Artaud 1>J~'s Ihal Being. which is nonSt'nst', has tc('lh. In tilt' surfa('(' organization \\hidl we called S<.''(:omla~', ph~'skal botli<."S and sonorous words arc ;,t·I).lral{'t.! and articulat{"tl at onn' hy an incorporeal frontkr. This fronti..-r is senS(', T('pn"St.·nting, on all(' sidt" the pure "cxpressed" of \\or
TltlkT ...·NTH :-.1,Kl!':-' 01, Till· :-.CIlII.:OI'IIKI,NIC
')1
corpon'al linl' of tilt' Aioll ha.' nothing to do with till' oppo.,itinn of polt-:- in til\' ph~'"i\ ..\l p"l':-t'llt of bodies. En-n portmanh'au \\onl:- haw function:- \\hid1 .lrc t'c"npll'tdy hC'h'rogt'm'ous, Orl(' IllJ\' lind ,1 :-c'hizoid "position" in the child, Ix'forl' th" child has ri~'n to th:' ,'lIrfal't' or ('onth, Thi~ clOt'S not makl' it ,lI1\' It'S!' ahominable' or al\llO~'ing to mix C,\,(,~·thing togl,tlwr-tht' dlild:s nmqw'St of the surfan', till' <'oUaps<' of til(' surfan' in till' :-c:hil.Ophrc.·nic. or tlw mash'~' of surfan'S in til(: p<'rson ealll'C:1. for t'xampll'. "p<'n'('rt." \Vc.' can alwa~'s makl' of Carroll's "ork a sort of :-chil'opluc.'nic talc, Soml' impnldt'llt English ps~'Choonal~'st.~ han- in fact dorw so: the\' noh' Alin:'s tdc.'Scol)l,'-hcxly. its foldings ami its unfoldings, her manift's; ,llinwntarl', and lat!'nt c.'xnem('ntal, obSt'ssions; the hits whkh dcsignah' mors:'ls of food as w<:ll as "dloice morsds," thl' l'ollagc-s ani .. has two wa~'s of deceit ing itsdf: b~' belie\'· ing to han: discO\·('rc.'(1 idc'ntieal materials. that Ollt' .:an ill{'\'itdbl~' find t'\'c'rn\lwrt'. or hI' b"'it'\'ing to han- discowrt"! analogous fomls whit'h ('rt'a;c' faist, diff(·~t'nn'S. Thus, tilt' dinic'al ps~Thi,1tric aSI)l,'("t and the litt'ran' critical asp('('t af(' botch(..1 simliltall('Ousl~'. Stnlctllralism is right to rais'(, tlw point that fonn and mattIT haH' a Sl.·OlW only in the original and irn'(llIcihll' structure!> in which the:~' an' organi7.c.'c:I, Ps~'dlOanalysis mmt haw gC'c:IOll'trical dinll'nsionii, Iwfort, Iwing concl'rn('d with historical am'edotc's, '-:or lifl', and c'WIl sexuality, lil's within tilt' org,lIlization and orit'lltation of tllt'St' dinlt'niiions. Iw:fon' Iwing found in gl'lwratiw math'r or l'ngvntll'n·d form. Ps\'dlOanal\'sis cannot ('unlt'nt ilSdf with till' (ksignatil:n of C',lSt'S, tilt' Illa'nifestati(;n of hi:-lOril's. or till' signil;c,ltion of :'omplt'xt'~' Jl,~)'dl()'lI\al~'sis is the psyeh()'lI\al~'si:- of St'IlSl'; It is
gl'(12r'lphical before: it is historkal. It distinguislws dilfert'nt countril's. ~\rt~ud i:- ndthl.:r Carroll nor AliCt" CMroll i; not Artaud. c.lrroll is not \'\t'll Alin'. Artaud thrusts Ih" chrld intn ,111 t-xtrt'nwl~' \'iolcnt ahl'rnatiw, an .llh'rnatin' of ("Orl>oreal actioll ,md pas.~ion, \\ hich confonns to tilt' l \ \ ( ) langllag<-s in dc·ptll. btlwr tilt' child is not l>om, that is, dOl'S Ilot I\'all' til(' foldings of his or Iwr future' spinal corcl on'r whic'h hc-r p.are:nts fomicatc' (a re'n'n.t' :-uiddd, or silt' CTt'ale'S a lIuid, glorious, and 1IJI1lI>o~';mt bod~' \\ ithollt organ,' and \\ ithout pare'nts (like those Art01ull lallc'(l his "daughters" ~'l't to I'll' horn). Carroll, on till' (Ulllra~', a\\aib Ih.' chIld. in a milnner confonning to lIis Ianguagl' of incorporl'al st'nst·: Ill' \tails at thl' point and at til<' IllC)llll'nt in witit'll tilt' l"hild has left 11)(' dq>ths of the maternal Ixxly and has yc·t to diSl.uwr thc.' dq>th of hcr O\\n lxxh'. This is the bril'f surfan' mOl1wnt in whit'h the' littlt~ girl ~kirts the'surface of the wah'r, like Alice in thl' pool of Ill'r own tc'~rs. Thl'St, are different rt'gions, dificrl'nt and Unrd,lh'll dim<'llsiollS. \Vl' nla~' 1X'lic\'e that the surf,lee h,lS its monsters, thl' Snark and the Jabbc:rwock, its tcrrors and its nuclties, which, although not of the dt'pths. haw claws just till' same and ean snap onl.: up latl'rall~', or ('wn lll.lkt' us fall back into the ab}'ss which we bdic'wd we had dispdk'(I, I:or all that, Carroll and Artaud do not c'ncounter 011(' another; 0111\' the c'omnll'ntator l11a)' change dimensions, and that is his great weakncss, the sign that lit' inhabits 110 dimension 011 all, Wc.' would not gh'e a page of Artaud for all of Carroll. Artaud is alom' in ha\'ing been an absolute dq>th in litel'J.ture', and in having disco\'('rl-c:J a l'itill boc..Iy and the prodigious language of this lxxlv. As he sal's. he tliSCO\'erro them through SUITCri~lg.~I-Il' ('xplorc.-c:J the infra-sl'IlS:. which is still unknown 1001av. Hut Carroll rl'mains the mast<'T and thc' sun'c\'or of surfacc.'S"llrfan''S which we're: taken to be so well-known that nolxxll' "as t'''ploring them an~'morl.:. On thc'S(' surface'S, nonc.,thdc.'SS, thl' ('ntin' logic' of sense is locatc'(l.
'IHIlt'll 1".1'1 II "IIUI'~ 01- '1'111 :
')I
f'ourtccnth Series of Double Causality
The
fragility of sense can ('asil), be explained. The attri!>uh' has an ('ntird\' different natlln' than corporeal qualitil--s. The en-nl has a IIlffc1'(';11 nature than the actions and passions of the Ixxl)'- But it resu/u from t1Wlll, since sellS<' is the dli:'ct of corporeal ('auses and t!wir mixtures. It is alwa)'S thcn.fon' in dangt'r of IX-ing snappt'
:<>urfan' rdi:'r to th(" inh'r-molt'ollJr lllCMlilil'ations on \\hidl thl..'~· depend ,1:<> t1l1'ir real caUSl', but al:<>o 10 the \",uialions of a surface t('nsian on \\!lich th('~' depend as their (idl',ltinnaJ or "Iicti\'(''') qu.lsi-callSt'. We han' trk'tl 10 ground this M'n)lld (:ausalit\' in 01 wa\' which would cclllfonn to the incorporcal ('haract'lT of lil;' surfacl' a;ltl til(' l'\'('1l1. It M ...·llll'tl to LIS that till' l'n'nl, IIMI is. Sl:nse, rl'f('rnxl fO a paroJo.ncol dant"m, InUn"fnlng as I"IOnsen\<.' or os un olt"afO'J point. ond operafmg as
0
fht'full alifOllon~1 of Ih,' ~nec/. (This aUlonom\' dOt'S not CIJsif.\· the prl'\'iollsly 1lll..'ntiol1l'tl fragility. sinn.: the Iwo 'figur('s of llOnSCIlM' at the surfan.: ma~' in tUnl he IransfOnll<."t.1 into til(' two "<1(,<-'1''' nonsc.:'nS('S of p.assion and aclion. and the incorporeal ('fflU can Ihus lx' ~l'a~)S(}rbe(1 into the deplh of IXlClil's. COlwersdy, fragirit~, docs nOI I"Js,fy autonom), as long as sense ha,~ it's own dimension,) The autonom), of til(' effl'Ct is thus dehnl'tl initialJ\' b" its dilTerelln' in nat un' from the cause; in thl' second plan·. it is defint' gt'lwtic pOWl'f in n,lation to Iht' proposition it'idf, insofar as tht, t·xp",,,.......l st'n!>" nnL~t c.'ngt.·ndt·r the other dimensions of tilt.' proposition '/l/(/SI-(It/se assurill,g
HIUKTl'I-NTlr "'Kll'~ 01· IIOUIII I" CAUSAllT\,
95
(sicnilil'ation, Ol,mil'..:-I.ltion, and dl'notation,) But Wl' mu:-t al:-C:l um!l-rst,~ld it in n,!"lion 10 Ihl' w.,)' in whidl tlU'S(' dimension:. an' fullil1ed, and t'\t'n in r.·l,'tion to Ihat whkh fullills tlU'S(· dimt'nsinns, 10 OIW dl'1!fl·... or ,llltll!ll'r and in 011(' manner or anolher. In otlll'r \\onls, \\t' m~,~1 undt'r:.I,md il in relation to th(· lil'noted statl'S of affair:-, to till' nl.lnifl',~h't1 :-t"h'S of tlw SUhjl'ct, and to till' signifil·d COllCl'pt,.;, propt'rti.,,., .md ('IaS!>l~, 110\\ an' we to rcconcill' tilt'S{, two contradictory aSp<"C'ts? On onl' hand, \\l' ha\'!' impassihi1it~· in n'lation to stalt's of affairs a!UII\l'utralit~, in rebtion to propositions; on till' otlll'r hand, \\'(' haw the power of gl,!U'Si:. in rdation to propositions and in n'lation to staU's of affairs ~Ill'msdws, How an' \w to f'ffoncill' the logical principlt·. aCl"ording to whkh a false proposition has a Sl,'IlS(' (so that sc'nS(' as a cOlldition of truth rC'ffi.lins indifTal'nt to both till' (rUl' and til(' false). and til(' no less l"t.'rtain transc('ndc'ntal principll' aC'l'ording to \\hich a proposition alwa~'s has till' tnlth, til(' part am! the kind of truth which it merits, and whic:h IX'longs to it acnmJing to its sc'nM'? It would not sullict, to sa~' that thC'SC IWO aspt'C'ts an' t'xplainrtl hy til(' douhle liguT<' of autonomy. where in on(' casc' we considt'r the ('O'('('t onh' as it differs in nature from its rt'al l'aUSI." wlll'r('as in till" otlll'r caSt' we consideT it as hound to its ideational quasi-c.'llSt', TIlt' fact is that tlwse two figures or aulOnom\, hurl us into contradiction. \\ ithout c'wr re'SOh'ing it. This o'pposition "'-'h\L'Cn simpll' fonnallogic and transcl'~d('ntallogi(' nIb through the ('ntire' tlll'nr~' of Sl'nSI', Lt'l us (:onsidl'T, ror l'xampk l-lusS('rl's Ideas, \V(, n'('all thi'lt Ilus,'i('rl had unco\'l'rl,d St,.lSI.' as til(' ,ltX'Ill,l of an .1<-1. or as that whieh a prolXlSilion exprC'SSl,.'S, Along this path. following till' Stoics, ami thanks to dw r('dllcti\'e rtlt.,thods of phen()nlt'nolog~', Ilt' had n'l"O\'l'n'd tilt' illlpassibilit~· of ~1'nSt' in till' l'xpn'ssion, TIlt' not:'ma, from tilt' Ill'ginning. implit·s a neutralizl'C! douhit· of tht' tllt'sis or th(' modalit~, or til(' l·xprt:.'S.,>i\'l' proposilion (the 1)I.·ret'in'C!, till' re·llll'mlwr..d, til(' imagiru'CI), Mon'O\'('r, till' nOl.'ma I'0sSt'sS(,tI a nudc'us l'ndt'nl or tilt' m()(lalitil's or eonsl'iOllsrwss and tht, tlwti<' charal1.l'ristio; of til(' proposition, anti all>O quitl' di:.tinct from thl' ph~'sical qualitit'S of tht· Ohjl'C:t Ix>sitl'(! as n'al (foT l·xampl... pure pn'dica(('s, like llocm:'Iti<-' ('olor, in whidl .witlll'T the r~I~' of till' Ubjl'l't. nor Ill(' \\'a~' in whidl WI' an' conscious of it. inh'rn'IlI's). In lhis nudl'lIs of llO('matic St.·IlSl', thl'n' appl'ars sonll'thing ('\'l'n mort' inlimate, a ":.uprl'nwl~'" OT tratlM.'('llllt-ntatl~' intimah' "('('nlt'T" \\ hich ~UOI hing l)fo
I·OllK'IH NTII ....·KII .. OJ IHllIHl1 l'AU"AIIT"
otllt'r than the relation 1)(,t\\('C'n !'l'.N' ibl,lf allli till' obj.'(,t in its n'aHt\" Rdtlflo/l and rcallf)' must nO\\ Ilt' t'tlCl'ndl'n'd or constitu!t'd in a transCl";tit-nt'll manlll'r, Paul Ricu'uT, lilllo~\\ in~ Hnk, has in fact nOh'd this shift in the rourth Sl,.'('tion or the Ickas: "nol ~onl\' is l'ons(:iou:-nl'ss transn'lllll'Cl in an intl'mll'll meaning. hut thi:. inh'ndl,(i meaning I:. trallSt."l'n(!t-d in .1Il Ohil'('t. The intendt,d ';l'aning \\a:. ~'l't onl~' a ('ont~nt, an inlt'ntinn.ll, of nJllnW, and not a Tl'al ('onten!. ", (But now) tilt' rd,Hion of till' IlUl'ma to the objel.·t must itst'lf Ix' l'Otl:.tituh'Cl through trans(:t'ndl'ntal con:,clousrWSS.1.'; the ultimate' :.tn'l'tun' of till' nO(·I11~."! At tht' hl'art of till' logit' of St'nSt" ont' alw.l.\·S n'lUrns to this problem, this imm.Kul.lh' l'onCl'ption, Ix'ing till' passage' from :'h'Tility to gl'nl'Sis, But the HlI.sscriian gelll'sis l>l'CIllS to hl' a slight-of-hand, ror tilt' nudl'us has illtk'cd Ix'l'n t1eh'rmillt,d as almbme; but the attribute is understood as predicate and not as \'l'rh, that is, as conct'pt and not as CH'm, (This is wh)' the expression an"Ording to Ilusscri produces a foml of the conet'ptlla!, and sc.'nse is inSl'Il.lrahlt, from a t)'pc of general it)', although this generalit), is not confust'd with that of a SIX'l:i<.'s,) Hl'nel'forth. the rdation between SC'IlSl' and obj('('t is till' natural fe'sult of till' n'lalion octwl'l'll noemalic pn'Clkatl-s-a something = x which is ('apahle of functioning as their suppon or principle of unification, This thing = x is not at all thc.reforl' like a nonsemil' internal and co-presC'nt lu S('IlSC, or a point zc'ro pr('Suppru;ing nothing of what it nccl'Ssaril)' l'ngt'llllt,rs, It is ratlll'r till' Kantian ohjCl.'t = x, wht're "x" means "in gl'Ilt'Tal." It has ill relation to seilS(' an t'xtrinsic, rational rdalion of tralls("endl'nn', and gin's itself. Tt'ad)'-made. till' foml of dl'notation, just a~ Sl'nSl,', as a pTl"tlk-abll' gl.·lll'ralil.\', was gi\'ing itself, read)'-made. the fon n of signilication, It Sl'l'IllS that I-Ius'~'rl docs not think about gl'nesis on till' basis of a Ill'l.'ess,lril), "p.lradoxil.'al" instanee. which, proJx'rly ~I)('aking, would Ix' "non.idl'ntiliahlt'" (Ial.'king its own idmtity and its ~\\n origin), lie thinks of it. on th(' contra~'. on the basis of an original')' lanllt~' uf rommon .k't1Sl", rcsponsibll' tilT accounting for tlw id(·ntit~· of an 'Jhjt,(,t in gl'lll'ral, anti l'\'ton on tilt' h.lsis of a t:lt"ult~' of good sense, Tl':.pomihll' fOT ael:ountinc for tht' prot:'l'ss of idl'ntilication of l'wn' OhJl'l't in gl'm'ral ad infinit~m. I \\ll' can dl'arh- M'l' thi~ in tht' IlusSl'rlia;1 tlwory dma, when'in till' difft'n'nt kinds· of hdkf an' ('ngt'ndl'rt'd \\ ith Tdi'n'llt't' to an UrdO,l(l, which acts as a facult\, of commOl; ,~l'nSl' in n,l.ltion to lilt' slx'C'Hi{"(1 fa('ultks, TIll' P()\\t'Tll'Ssn~'s~ of this philosoph~' 10 hTl"lk \\ith tilt' fuml or (·ommon St.'nM', \\hkh \\as dearl~' pn'sent in
ol
J Ollit II·J NTII ...·'tll .. Of< [)CHilli I, l'All:'AllT,'
97
Kant, is also pn'~\'lIt in Ilu:-...... r1. What is tht'n tilt' fall' of J philosophy \\ hich knows \H'I! that it would not be philosoph)' if it did not, at k'ast pro\'bt(Jnall~', hn'ak \\ ith tilt' IMrticulJr l'ontcnl5 anll mocblitiel> of tht' do.m? \VIMt h tilt' f,1I1' of a philosoph~' which lle\'('rthdc'S:, nmSl'rH'S til{' l's~l'nti.ll (tiMt is, tilt' fonn), and is satislit'd with raising to the transCt.'Ilcknt,ll ,1 llwre c'l1lpirkal ('xnl'isl' in an image of tho~ght pn',',"'ntl:d as originar~'? It is not olll~' the dinwnsion of signification that is gi\"l'1l n,.ld~'-madl" wh{'Ill'wr s('n5(' is concciwd as a gl>lll'ral pn't!icate; and it i~ not onl~' tbl' t1im('nsion of dl'notation that is gin:n in the alll"gl"ti rdation Ill,'{\\"("('n ~nst' and an~' (It'tl'mlinahk' or indi\'iduali7.ahll' Ohjl't.'t \\ hatSOt'H-r, It is tht' t'ntire diml'l1sion of manifestation, in the ~ition of a transccnc!l'ntal subj('Ct, which retains the form of the I>o.'rson, of Iwrsonal consciollslWSS, and of subjl'ctivc itll'ntit)', and which is satislicd with cn'ating tilt' transccndental oul of till' charactl'ristks of tlw ('mpirical. \Vhat is t'vtel{'nt in Kant, Wlll'll Iw directl\', dl"tluccs till' thrtx' transct'ruh'ntaJ s~'ntll{'5('S from rorn'sl)()nding pS~Thological s~'nth('S{'S, is no 1t'S.<; ('\'itlel1t in I-Ius-<;('rl when ht' e1t"(IUITS an origina~' and trallSC("nt!l'ntal "S<-'l'ing" from prt'Ccptual "\'ision," "I1ms, not onl)" is "·\·t·~,thing whit'h must be cngenderl"tl ~I' the notion of Sl'nS{' givcn In till' notion of s('nsl', but what is C\'('n more imlx>rtant, the whole notion is muddied when we confus(' the expression with thes(' otlll'r dinwnsions from which Wt' tried to distinguish it. \V<, ('onfww it "transc('llll('ntalh," with the dimensions from whk-h we wantl'll to distinguish it fomlall~'_ Nucleus-metaphors arc disqukting; thl'~' ('nwlop til(' w~' thing whi<.-h is in question. -111e l-IusSl"rlian lx'stowal of sense assunl\'S ind("('(1 tlw adl"(luatl' appearam:c of a homogl'IWOUS and r<'grt'Ssiw serle'S dl'gn'(' hy degre'l'; it t1l\>n as-<;u!Ues the aplX'aralll:I' of an organization of heterogent'otls seric's, that of tlocsis and that of tlOl'ma, tra\'('rSl'd 11), a two-sidl:d instance (UrJo.\'a and Objl'Ct in gl'IWral),4 But this is only the rational or rationalizl'll caricaturl' of till' trut' gl'lwsis, of till' Ix'stowal of st'nSt' which must lletermim' this gl'llesis by rt'alizing itst,lf within thl' serit'S, and of the doubll' nonsense \\ hich must prt'Sidl' O\'l'r this bl'Sto\\al of st'nS<', acting as its quasicaust'. In fal:t, this Ix'stowal of Sl'IlSI" 011 t1w basis of tilt· immanent (Iuasi-causl' and till' statk- gelll'sis whk-h l'nSUl'S for the other tlimo:nsions of the proposition, ma~' OCl'ur only within a transn'ndl,ntal IWlil which would l'orn'slXlml to tilt' nmclitions posl"(l hy s.,rtn' in his de'<.-isi\'(' artidt, of '917: an impasonal tranSl"l'n(I('ntal lidd, not having til\'. form "S
"OUI(TI- .. N·III .." ·RI ..... 0" I){HIHII CAlhAIIT)"
of a s)'ntlll'tic pC'rsonal conSClOll,>Ill'SS or a suhjl'l"tin' idt'ntitv-with till' ~ubj(,(1, on till' contrar\',lx'ing al\\,)\':' con1>litutl'tl.> Tht' fo~ndation t'an Il('wr r('S('lllblc what' it fou~lds. I't dOl.'S not suOin' to sa\' of thl' foundation that it is another m,llta-it is also anotha gl-~raph~', without bdng another world. And no kss than the fonn of tIll' Ix'rsonal, the transcl'mlentaJ fidd or SI'nS(' IllU~t l'xdudl' the form of thl' gl'neral Jnt! the fonn of the indi\'icluJI. hJr tho: tirst ehar,lc!t'rizc's onl)' a ~ubiect whit'h mCJn!feslS itsdf; hut till' S!.'('ond dlararh'ril.l-'S onlv objl'l:tiw dasSl'S and Prolx>rtk'S whi<.-h art' sI9mfirJ: and the third l:harackri7.I'S onhdl'notablt, sptt'ms whidl an' 1~'IlJualrJ in an objC'Cti\'(' malllll'r, rt>f(';. ring to subjective points of \'il'\\ \\ hi('h an" themSl,h·cs 1n{J,nJuoufl.q and desISflatlna· It docs not st'Cm to u.'> tlll'reforp that thl' probll'm is rt'alh· advanced, insofar as Husserl insc.-ril:ws in the tranSl'cncJl'ntal fidel ccntl'~ of individuation and indi\-idual s~'slt'ms, monads, and points of vicw, anel Sch'rl in the manner of L('ilmi7., rather than a fonn of the I in till' Kantian manncr. 6 Onc finds there. n('\'("rtlwJess. as we shall SC(', a \'cr\' important <--hange, But the tranSl"t'mlental ti('!d is no more indi\'idu;1 than personal, and no more gt'neral tban uniwrsal, Is this to sa\' that it is a hottomlcss cntit)" with n~ither shalX" ~or differcna.', a schi7.~phrenic .lb~'ss? Ever)'thing contradicts sud) a conclusion, beginning with tht, surfacc organil.ation of this licld, The idt'a of singularities, and thus of .lnti-g('IWralitil's, which are hO\\'l'\'l'r impt'rsonal and pre.indi\'idllal, must now sen'(' as our h~'IX>tb(. sis for the dt'tl'rmination of this domain anti its genetic powt'r.
IOllI(I'lINTIl"II(II:o.OI·l>OllHII-CAU"AIIT)"
99
Fifteenth Series of Singularities
two moments of St'IIS(" impassibJit~, and g'°llt'sis, llculr,llity and prOt!ucth·ity. an' not sudl that onl' ma~' 1>.1ss for thl' appcarallCt' of the otlwr. N('utralit~,. 11ll' impassihility of til(' ('Wilt, its indifT('ren('(' to the dc('cmlinations of tilt" insitll' and ,he OUl'sicil'. to til(" indi\'it.,tin'. th('I>.lnicular and till' gt'ncral-allliwS(' fonn a constant without which thl' ('Will would not haw ('{('m,,! !nllh and could not Ix' distinguisht't.! from ib 1{'mporaJ ,lctuali7.dtion:.. If 11ll' l),Jull' is not an "xampk' of an ('\'l'nl among otlWfS, but rath('r ,ht' bt'n1 in its ('SS('IKe, it is no doubt 1X'l';HlS\' it is J("tualiz{"(1 in di\'('~' lll.mOt'r:. at Ollt'{". and IX'i:auSt.' each parti(:ipant lna~' grasp it at a diffl'n'nl It'H" of at"tualil"".llion within its \"ariabll' pr('S{'nt" Ami thc same is tmC' for tht' IlO\\ dassic ("ol1lparison..~ Ix,tw(,,-'I\ Stt'ndahl. Hugo, and Tolsto\' wlwn tlW\' "S('(''' tht' battle and mah· tlll'ir Iwr<x'S "sc.,,-'~ it. But it is 'al)(}\'e all I~"(·aust.' the h.lttll' ho..ers on'r its (m n lit'ld, Ix'ing Iwlltral in rd,Hion to all of its h'llllx,ral .Ktualizatiol\s, lwutral ami impassh'l' in n·lation to till" victor and tht" van'luislwd. tlw ("o\\'ard and hra\"('; hl'(-.lLlS(' of this, it is all the more IlTrible, N('\'l'r pn'St'llt hut always ~·('t to ('onw ami alrl"ad~' passed, tilt' batllt' is graspabl\' on I)' by tin- \\"ill of an()n}"lllit~, which it it.~,,-'Ir inspin's, This will, which \\(' nHI.~1 ("all will "of indilTl'n'nC\'," is pres('nt
11('
,~
in th.. mortally wOllllded soldil'r \\"ho is no longl'r bran' or co\\ardlv, no longlT \"il"tor or vamluislll'd. hUI ratllt'r :-0 nHl~h [wyond, al tilt' plaZ't. \\ hlTl' till' I:\"('nt is pl"C'Sc.'nt. partidpating tlwn'fon' in its tl'rrihll· impas:'oihilit~" "WIll"n'" is thl' hattie? This is \\h~' tIlt" soldit'r IIt'('S \dwl\ It(' IIt"('S and surg"-'S when Ill' surge:,>, dt'h'nnill('(! to nmsidt'r t'at-h temporal ,Ktualization from the height of tilt' ('h'mal truth of Iht, ('wnt \\ hich incamat('S itself in it and, "'al.ls, incarna((,:,> itsdf in hi:. own fI{'Sh, Still, tit(' soldier nN"(ls a long struggle in ordt'r to am\'(' at this be..ronJ of ('ourag(' and l''Owartli('('', 10 this pun' grasping of till' ('\"cnt b~' Illeans of a "\'olitional intuition," that is, In- nlt'al\S of til(' will that the ('wnt H('at('S in him, 111is intuition i:- di..'i~in('1 from all the ('mpirical intuitions \\hich still mrrl'spond to t~'J)('S of a<.1ualization,1 j-Icnn'. tht' most important hook about the ('nnt. mort' important ('\'en than thost' of Stt'ndhal, Hugo, ami TolsIO~" is Steplwn Crouw's The Red BaJ.q.: tif(oura.~, in whidl tIlt' hero designates himself anonrm()usl~' as "til(' ~'oung man" or "the young soldier," It is a Hull' similar to Carroll':- hattll's, in whkh a great fuss. an imnu.'ns(' black and lwutral cloud, or a noisv crow, howrs o\'er the comhatants and separates or dispc'(ses them'only in order to render tlll'm e\'en more indistinct. "l1\("r(' is imked a g;l of \\ar, hut of all gods. Ill' is the most illlpassin.'. tilt' Ic'ast l)t'mlt'~lll' to pr.l~'l'rs-"Imlx'nctrabitit~""l'mpt~· sk~', Aion" In rdation to propositional modes ill gt'neral, tilt' ll('utralit)' of SCIlS€' 'lppc.'ars from st'\'('ral dilT('n'nt pl.'f"Sp<'<"tiws, From til(' point of ,'iew of cluantity, S('nS(' is Ilt'ith('r l>.lrtinllar nor gt.'lwral. ll('ith('r unh'('rsal nor Ix'r...onal" from til(' point of "it·w of qualit~.. it is t'ntird~' independent uf hoth affimlaiton and m-gation" from tilt' point of \"jew of moclalit~'. it i1'l n('itht.~r assc:-rtork- IKlr alxx!t.'il."tic. nor ('\'('11 intt.'rrogati\'C' (Iht-' mod(' of :-ubjl'l1.i\'(· unl'l'rtaint~· or ohj("Ctiw possibility), From the point of \ in\ of rdation, it is not confused \\ ithin thl' proposition whi<-h \·xpn'ssc.'S it, l'ithcr with dl'notation, or \\ ith manift'station. or with ,\ignilication" finally, from thl' point of \'kw of the t~"IX-" it is not l'ClIlfuSl.'c1 with an~' of tht· intuitions. or an~' of the "positions" of nlllSl.:iou:.oess that Wt' ("ould ('mpiri('all~' dl'!t'mlilll' thanks to till' pla\' of thl' prt'C\'ding proposition.ll traits: intuitions or positions of "Illpiri("~l I><.Tn-ption. imagination. 1lll'1ll0rV, unt!er:-t,lllding, \'olition, de [n l-onlill"mity with tl~,' f'('Cluin'Ill,'nts' of thl' pht'nllllll'llOlogical nu'tllOl!S of rl'llunioll, Ilus:.t·,j dt'arl~' indicah'd til\' illdq><"ml\'lll"l' of sense from ,I I 1/"'1 I'I'NTH ~I KII-' 01" 'INt.jUI AKITtI":.
101
certain numlwr of tllt':<,· ll1od,·s or points of \'iew. But what pre\'t'nts him from cOllceh'ing s,'nse as a full (impenetrable) Ill·utralit), is his concern with rd,lining in s,'nsc tilt' rational mode of a goo,l s,'ns,' and a nJlnlllon M'nst', as Iw pres"llts incorn"ctly the latter as a matrix or a "non-I1lCK!.lliz,'d root-foml" (UrJo.lo). It is this sanw concern which rnakt's him conserve til(' foml of consciousness within the transn'ndental. It lollo\\'s then that the fuJllwutralit), of smse may Ix~ attailwd onl), as Olll' of the sid,~s of a disjunction within consciousness itself: either the root position of the real cogito under the jurisdiction of r,'ason; or ..1st' 1l('utralization as a "counterpart," an "improper cogito," an inacti\'c and impassivc "shadow or refl"ction" withdrawn from the jurisdiction of reason. 1 What is then presented as a radical c1cavage of consciousness c1l'arl)' corresponds to tilt' two aspects of sense, ncutrality and genetic power with respect to modes, But the solution which consists of distributing the two aspects in a disjuncti\'l' ahernati\'e is no more satisfactory than th(' solution which tr('ah,d one of these aspects as an aplx~aran("e. Not only is the genesis, in this case, a false genesis. but the neutralit), is a pseudo-Iwutrality, On the contrary, we have set'n that, in rdation to the modilications of IX'ing and to the modalities of th(' proposition, the same thing had to be grasped as neutral surface effect and as fruitful principle of pro
/'II-TI,I,NTIl SI,HII:S OF SIN(;LILAH1TI1,S
transc,'ntkntal ,'vcnts, and hTlinglll'ui calls them "the fourth Ill'rson singular," Far from being indil'idual or p~'rsonal, singulariti,'s presid(' mTr till' g,'nesis of individuals ,md Iwrsolls; the)' arl' distribut,'{l in a "potl'mi,ll" which admits neither Sclf nor l. but which pnxluees them b~' actualizing or realiZing itself. although tlw figurcs of this actuati"~1tion do not at all resemble the realized IXl!t'ntial. ani)' a tll('or)' of singular points is capable of trallsu'nding till' s~'nthcsis of til(' IXTson and til(' analysis of til(' individual as till'S" are (or are madl') in cons,·ious!less. We can not acc(~pt the altematiw which thoroughl), compromises ps)'t"hology, msmolog)', and theology: dther singularities aln~ad)' comprised in individuals and persons, or the undifferentialtxl abps. Onl), when th(: world, teaming with anonymous and nomadic, imlx'rsonal ,llld pre-individual singularitks, op('ns up, do 1\'(' trt'ad at last on the ficld of the transccnd(~ntal. Throughout the preceding series, (1\"(, principal characteristics of such a world haw been outlined. In the first place, singularities-,'vents correspond to hC'terogeneotls stOries which arc organiz('(1 into a s~'st,'m which is neithcr stable nor unstable, but rather "mctastabk," ('ndowed with a potential energy when'in the differences bctwe('n series
10J
it, super1wia I .. rl<'rg~· ,oo~ not locuJ,,,d at til(' surfacl.'o hut is r'ltlwr hound to its forlllation and rl'lonn,ltioll. Gillx:rt Simomlon has ,·."pn·s.~\·d this 0
'Tn' well: Til,: lil';n!.! li\'t'~.1\ till' limit of itself, on its limit. ... TIlt' char.lClt'rbril' POIM;I~' of lif., i.' ~11 til\" Int-[ of th(' Ilwmhram'; it i., Iwn' lliJ! lifl' exists ill ,m ,-sM'nti,,] I11,1I1I1<'r. ,IS an asp,-ct of J (lynarnk topology Wllich ;b.,lf Ill,linl,lins lh.. nwl.lst,lhilil\- Iw which it ,'xisls. . . . TIlt" ,'ntin' contl'nl of inhTIl.11 'pa,',' ili topologi.\\lJ;· ;I~ ("olll-KI with tilt' COIlII'IlI of <,xlt'rnal SI),lL'l' at 11ll" limits of !Ill' Iil-ing; t111'f(' is, in 1;1('1, no distann' in tupolog\'; the t:ntin' nuss of lh ing mall:'r nml,lillct! in th.. int"rnal "p,ln' b "etil·,·I)' llrt""'nt to tilt' \'xhTII.11 <\orld ,lt tlw limit of till' Iidllg. T<1 J,don,
lIl'rd,·," bur ro bo." fin rJw "rn-"j,"""!!f Ih," /111111. At th.. [,,\"('1 of th.. l}tl[,ui/.,"d nWlllbrarw, intt'f1l.11 IMst and l'xh'mal futlln" f.ll'" 011(' anotlKr, , . I As a fourth ddermination, \W' will say then'forl' that the surfJ("(' is tilt' locus of sense: signs remain deprin'd of s('nsc as long as tl1('y do not enter into the surface organization whidl assun's tlw n.'sollanC(' of two StTks (two imag(':--signs. two photographs, two tracks, etc,), But this world of scnsc docs not yd impl~' unity of dir('ction or community of organs. The latter H'(luir('s a fl'Cl'pti\"c appar.ltus c.lpable of bringing ahout a sUCl.;essive superimposition of surfac\' plam's in ac('ordann' with another dimension. Furthennon', this \\'orld of St'ns('. with its eH'ntsSingularities, offers a lll'lHralit), which is essl'ntial to it. And this is til(' ("lS(" not only because it ho\"('rs onT the dimcnsions according to whidl it will 1)(' arrang.·d in order to aCt~fore we kllow what tlwy are, likt'wisl' hert' \\"(' know of tlw l'xist('IKe and distribll~ion of Singular points hefort' wc know tlwir natun' (bottl"lll'('ks, knots, foy('rs, c('nters , , .). This allows us, as Wl' ha"c Sl'l'n, to gi\"l' an entirdy oi)jecti\"e ddinition to th.. term "prohl..matic" and to till' imktt'rmination whidl it colfrit's along•.sinn' '04
I·II·TI·I·NTI, :-.1,1(11,:-. 01' :-,INCUI AHITII':-'
tilt' nature of directed Singularities ,md their ."xistencl' and dir.~·tionl('ss distribution dqwnd on obj.,(:ti\"l'lv di..i1i,wt installl't's.4 I-!enn', til(' conditions of the t;·lIl' g,'lwsis 1ll'l'on1l' appan'tll. [t is tnl.' that sens., is tilt' charact('risti(' disol\·.'r~· of transeem!t'ntal philosophy, .lml that it n'plaC(~s the old nwtaphysk.11 Esst'nSt's. (Or rath('r. Sl"nse wa:lirst
\
IOf
m...·laph.\·sin ,lnll traIlSl·t·ndt.:ntal philosoph~' is. ,1I>O\'j' all, this altt'mati\(' \\ hich tht·~' hoth imp0S(' on us: t'I/her an undilli..n·ntiat...·t! ground, a groundkss,l('ss. fonnlt'ss nonhcing. or an abyss \\ ithollt dilll·r· :'ncl'S and \\ ithout propcrtil'S. or a suprcmd~' indh'iduatl"t! Being Jnd an intt'llsd\" 1>t·r:iOnalil."--"tl Fonn. Without this Ilt'ing or this Fonn. ~'Oll will haH' o,;ly l·haos.... In otl1('r words. m...taphysics and tranM'('lllk'ntal phiIOMlph~' f('ach an agn"('nwnt to think about I~ determmable sms"fonfles ontl nhlch are alread), Impnsom:d msult' a supreme Self or a superior I. It Sl·~..ms tlwrl'for(' ('ntircly n,'tural for metaphysics to lktt'mlin...· this supn'nw Sdf as that whidl characteriz('s a Iking inlinitel~' and COIn· pldl'l)' dett'rmilll'{1 by its concept and which thereb), po..~St·SSt·s the entire originar)' rea lit)". In fact, this Being is necessarily indi\"idllah'd, sinn' it n'll-gatl's to nonlx'ing or to the bottoml...ss abyss e,"cry pn'dicat... or propt'rt)' which exprcsSl.'S nothing real, and dek-gatl.'S to its ('Tl'atures, that is. to finite indi\"idualitil.'S, til(' task of rcrei\'ing deri\"I.'(1 pn'dk-atl.'S which express only limitl'(l n'aliti<'S. '; At the other pole, transcendental philosoph)' chOOSl-'S the tinite s}'nthetic fonn of the Pl'rson rather than thl' infinite anal\"tic being of the indi\'idual; and it thinks natural to detcnnine this s~perior I ~\'ith refert.'nn: to man and to enact the grand pennutation Man-God which has satisfil"tl philosoph~' for SO long. Tht' I is l"()extensh'e with rq)f('Sentation, as the indi\"idual USl.,,t'nhall~'r, COllllTlOn to
wlll'n in The Rmh ~ Trased)' hi' allu\\l-'tl thl' 9rollndless lJion~'sus to slx'ak, l"Ontrasting him to tht' di\'inl' indh idualion of Apollo, and to the human eh,naetcr of Socrates a.'i wdl. This is tilt' fundaml'ntal problem of "who speaks in philosophy?" or "whal is till.' subjC<"t of philosophical dis. l"OUrsc?" But e\"en if th l' fomll..."M ground or the undill{"Tt'ntiat('(1 ab\'ss is madc to speak. with its full \;in' of intoxication and anger, ihe alternative imposl."tI b~' transc('ndl'ntal philosoph}' ami b)' metaph~'sics is not I...'ft hehind: be\"Ond thl' I:x:rson and th... indh'idual, \·ou 11'1/1 d,scern nothing, ... Nil,tzsche's disco\'t'~' lit'S t'lsewhcrc whell, ha\'ing liberat<:d himself from Schopcnhauer and Wagm'r,Il<.' cxploretl a world of impt'rsonal and prc.indi\'idllal singularitit's, a world hi' then called Diol\)'sian or of the will to power. a frct' and unhound energy. These arc nomadic singularities which are no longl'r imprisont'd within thl' fixe<1 imli\'idualit), of the infinite Being (th{" notorious immmabilit)' of God), nor inside the sedentar), boundaries of the finite subject (the notorious limits of knowk-dge). This is something neither indi\'idllal nor pc::rsonal, hut rather singular. Being not an undilTerentiated ab~'ss, it leaps from one singularity to another, casting always the diet' belonging 10 the same cast. alwa)'S fragmented and fonned again in each throw. It is a Dion~'sian S{'llS('-producing machinl'. in which nonsense and scnsc arc no longer found in simple opposition, but arc rather w·prcscnt to one .lllothcr within a new discourse, 'l1w new discoliTSl' is no longer that of V tilt' foml, but ndtlwr is it that of tht' fonnless: it is rather that of the ~ t-purl.' unfoTl1wd. To the charg(' "YOli shall be a monster. a shapeless mass," Nict"/"~c1lt' responds: "We have T('alizl.'(l this prophccy."6 As for til<' subjt.'Ct of this new discourse (except that there is no longer an)' subjt'l:1), it is not man or God, and e\'en less man in the place of God. TIlt' subject is this fn-..:, anon),mous. and nomadic singularit~' which trawrscs men itS well as plants and animals independently of the matter of their indi\'iduation and the forms of their personality. "O\'ennan" nwan." nothing other than this-the superior t~'lx' of e"erythms ,hOI u, Thi... is a strangl' lliscoursc. which ought to han.' rl'newI'(1 philosoph~', and which finall)' llt'als with sensl' not as a pr{'(licah' or a property but ,1:\ an t·n'lll. In his own discon'r~', Niet"/_~dl(' glimpsed, as if in a dream. at tht' m"ans of trt.:ading o\"('r tilt' I'arth, of touching it lightly, of dancing and l"ading back 10 till' surfaCl' thost' rnonst('rs of til{' IkeI' and fonns of the ..kv. which \\'('n' It,ft. But it is trut' that he was overtaken bv. a mOT('
.
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Il
HI·TloI-NTH 'I-RII"
01- :-,INGUI
"RlTlh~
'07
profound task. OIlI' \\hkh \\,1,' mort' grandioSt' ilnd al);() mort' d,lIlgl'rous: in hiJi lliscon'rv. II(' :,>,1\\ a Ill'W w,ly of t'Xploring till' dt'pth. of bringing ,1 distiJU"t ('\'1' ~o I....·ar upon it, of disC('rning in it a thou~and H)in's, of making all ~)f dll':\t' \'oin.'s slX'ak-b<'ing prq)an'elto I.....· snapp,,-"tl up b~' this dq>th \\ hic'h he inh''l>rctlxl anti populated as it hael IU'-wr oc'1.'n l'k'forl'. lie could not stand to stay on till'- fragile surfacl', \\hil"h Ill' had Ill,\(·rthdess plottl'(l through men and gCKls. Rt'tuming to a hotttmliess ah~':'>S that Ill' rt'Il('wl'tl and Jug out afn'Sh. that is \\ h"'n' Nktf_",-·h., l)t'ri:.lwd in his 0\\11 manner. II would be pn.'fl'rabl('- to s.l~ that he "quaJii-p,'rislll"d"; for sicknl."S..'i and d('ath art'- till'- ('\'ent itsdf. :.ubjl.'Ct as :.uch to a doubl.· causality; that of bOllit.'S. stat..'S of alTairs. ami mixturcs. bUI also thai of thl' quasi-callSt· which represents thl' stall' of organization or disorganiy..., tion of th..· inl'O'lx>real surfal'l'. Ni('t7sche, it Sl"Cms, I>l.'t'dnw insam' and dilXi of general paralpis. a <-'O'l>orl'ai syphilitic mixt'llre. But the palhway which this l'\'ent followl'tl, this tinw in rdatioll to thl' '1uasi-callse inJipiring his entin.' work and co-inspiring his life, has nothing to do with his general paralysis. till' Ol'ular migraines ,md the \'omiting from which he suITt:rcd. with lhe ('xccptioll of giving tlll'111 a m'w causality, that is, an ct('mal lrulh indl'IX'ndl'nt of their corlx>rcal realization-thus a styJ,..' in an a'llI'rC instl'ad of a mixturt' in tilt' I)()(I~', \Vc st.'\' no olher way of raising thl' question of the rdations b('twc('n an a'UI'-fI.' and illrll'ss exeq>t b~' nwalls of this double l·ausality.
lOS
I·II·TI-I·NTII :- ...1.11·:- 01' 'INt;UI ARl"l 11:-
Sixteenth Series of the Static Ontological Genesis
1l1is surfacl' topology. thl'Sl.' imlx'rsonal and preindi\'idual nomadic ,~inglilaritil's constitut<, tlw real Ir,lIlsu'n(kntal lil'ld. The wat' in whidl IIll:-' imli\'idual is deri\'("(1 out of this fidd rl'pmll'nts thl' first ;tagc of the gl'llesis. Th.., indi\'idual is inseparablt, from a world; but \\ hat is it that \\t' Gill "world"? In g('ll<'ral, as Wt' han' Sl"t.·n, a singularit}' ma~' be gr,l.'p("(1 in two \\".\,S: in its exist('nl'(' and distribution, but also in it.'i nature. in l'onformit~· \\ith \\hich it ('xtends and spreads itself out in a d('h'rminct! dirt'Ction owr a lim' of ordinal")' points. 'Jllis second aspect alr.'ad~' rt·prl"St.'nts a ct'rtain stahili/...ltion and a Ix-ginning of the aetuali"..l lion of the singlilaritil"S. A singular lX>int is ('xlC:'n(I('(1 .mal~1icall~· on'r a 'l'ril~ of ordinart' Ix>ints up to the \·icinitl' of anothl'r singul.lrit\'. etc A \\orld tlll'rcfor.: is l'Ollstitlltc:'t.! on til(' l'o;ulition that sc"ri7'S l"on·\·('rgt.. (",'\notlwr" world would Ixogin in th., \'icillit~, of thOSl' points at \\hil"h tilt' rt'Suhing !wries would di\'t'I'gl'). :\ \\orld alrt'.ld\' "I\\'<'IOPS an inlinih' S\':,>h'111 of singularitil"S sdl'l'ted lhrough t'onll'rg";ll"t" 'Nithin this world.·howl'H'r, in;li\'idu'lls .lrl' ("on'tilll(ed whkh "1,lt'd and 1'lWdop a linitl' numb':r of Ihl' singularities of lilt' ,'YSll'tll. Tlw~' nnnbirw tlwlll with tilt' singularities tha~ tlwir own hotly irll',lmah's. Tlll'~' spread Ilwlll out ol','r th"ir 0\\ n ordinary lillt,,~. ,)nl! a.:-, ,'wn l'.'pahl,· of fonning Oil till' Illl'mhr.lIws ",hidl , thelll ag,lin , ,~)
bring tl1\' insidl' and till' outside in t'ontaet with each othl'l', I.).'ilmiz tlwn \\as right to S,ly that tlw individual monad \..'xproM·s a world an'onling to til\' rl'latioll of ollwr Ixxlies with its OWI1, as l11ut'h as it I'xpn'~~I's this rd.lIion at't'ording to the rdation of till.' p..lrt,~ uf its OWIl !X)(h'. An indiddllal is t1l1.'rl,fore always in a world as .1 l'irdt' of n)Jl~\.'rgl'I1l"I·, ami a world may I,... fom1cd and thought onl~' in til\.' \it'init~' of IIw indi\'iduals whit'h oet'upy or till it. The (Iu\,'stion \dll't1lt'r thl' \\orld itsdf has a surfaee eapable of fomling again a pOll'ntial of singul'lI'itks is gencrall)' rcsoked in thc !It'gati\·e. A world llla~' IX' inlinih' in an ordcr of cOI1\'crg<'nce and nevertheless may haw a linite 1'llI'rg}', in which C~ this onll'r would be limitlod. We f('(:ognizl' herl' tilt' problt'm of cntrop)'.. for it is in the san1\' wa)' that a singularit)' is l'x{('ndN! OWl' a linl" of onlina~' points and that a potential t'I1i.'rg)' is actualiz("d and falls to its ImH.'St le\·e1. The power of renewal is concl'(k·d onl~' to indh'iduals in thl' world.. and onl~· for a time-thl' tinll' of their li\"ing pn'SCnt. rdatiw to which the past and futurl" of thl" surrounding world aC tht'm. This is wh)' actualization is always both colleniw and indh·idual. internal and t'xternal, t'te To lx' at·tllaliz{,d is also to Ix' expressed. 1.A'ihniz held till' famous tlwsis that ('a<:h indi\"idual monad I'Xprt'SSes the world. But this tlwsis is poorl)' understood as long as WI' intlTprN it to mean till' inlwn'nCl' of prl'di. cates in till.' l'xpn'ssiw monad. It is inde~d trul' that the t·xpr<·sS\.'d world does not ('xist outsidl' of till' monads which expi"l.'ss it, .1ml thus that it dOl'S ('xist within the monads as til\.' scries of pn'dicatl's which inlwfl' in tlli..'rn. It is no Il'ss tnll', howl'n~r. that God cn'ah'd till' world ratlwr than monads, ami that what is expressed is not confused with its ,'xpn'ssiol1, hut rathl'" insists and subsists, I The l'xpresst'd world is .mad<' IlO
:-oIXTI·I·NTH :-o ....ttl·.:-o I n ONTOt O(;tCAI GI,NI·sIS
of difl.:rential relations and of contiguous Singularities. It is formed as a world precisel)' to thl' l'xh'nt tllolt tilt' ~l'ril's which dl'lx'nd on l'ach ~ingularity cOll\'('rgl' with thl' SI.'ril's 1\ hit"h dq)l.'nd on otlll'rs. ThiS conn:r. HNICt'd.jines "comf'OJJ/bdll)'" (1)' fll,' fill,· (If (1 llwld 1)·nlhes/s. Whcfl' till' scril's dilTrge.. anothl'r world IX'gins, inl"()/lllx)~sibl{' with tilt.' first. The ex. traordinar:-' notiol) of compos.sihility i:; thus ddinl·d as a contml/um of ~ingularitil'S, wll('rd)~, cOlltinuit~' h,l" Ihl' t'olln'rgence of Sl'rks as its idl'ationallTiterion. It follows that thl' notion of int'Ompossibilit\' is not fI.·dudble to the notion of (.'Ontradictioll, Rather, in a C\'rtain way t'Olltradit"tion is dcri\"l-od from in{'OInpossibilit),. 'I'lli..' t'Olltradictioll ~,~ t\\l'Cn Adam-the-sinner and Adam-non·sinner rl'Sults from thl' incom. possibilit\' of worlds in which Adam sins or doc'S not sin. In each world till' indh:idual monads cxprl-'Ss all tilt' singularities of this wOTld-,~ il1linit~'-as though in a murmur or a swoon; but each monad l"n\'c!0ps or CXpfl'ss<.'S "dearly" a c('rtain numlx'r of singularitil-'S onl~'. that is.. those in lhe ,·il' rules Ix'iong to a logic of Sl'n.s<' and th(' ('\'('nt. and I~Ot to a logic or prl·dieation and truth. Ldbniz \\'l'llt vcr) far in this lirst stagt' of llll' gl'llI.'sis. 1-11' thought of thl' mnstitution of tht' indi\"idual as till' n·llh'r of .111 ell\"dopmcllt . as l'll\'doping singularities inside a world and on it!> own hod\". TIlt' lirst k'~'t'l of .ll·tualizatioll produ(.'l·s ('orn,latin,l\' individuatl'd \\orlds and indil'idual sdvcs which populat\' l',ll'h or'thl'sl' worlds. Indi\"iduals an' ('onstiluh·d in tilt' \'icinilY of singularilil's ",hidl thl'\' 1'/1\"('101': tilt'\' ('xpn'ss \\"orld,~ as drdl',~ of l'otln'rging snit,s whiell dl'lwnd upon till'sl' singularities. To til\.' l'xll'llt that what is I'xpn'sst'd \IXTH·NTIl \Htll·\ (II· ON rot ()(;tl·AI (;I·N,"SI~
'"
dOt,S nol t'xist out.~id.. of its
th,lt is, outside of th.. indi\'idu.lls \\hich .. xprv.~s it. t1w world is [\·al1), tlw "appUl'h'nann'" of til\' subi"":! ,llll! th.. ,'\'l'nt has n'all), bccoITll' til(' an.ll)'tk· pn-die,lIt' of a subject. "fo .'/r,i:ll" indkah's a singularity,cvent in til(' \'icinit~' of which till' tn',' is constituted. 'To sw" indica!l's a singlltarit~'-cn'nl in tilt' \idnit\' of whidl Adam is <:ollstitll!C
th<' 11"1'" ,1Ild Adam. Sinc(' all till' individual monads cxpn'ss the tntJlit~, of their world-although thl'~' npn'ss d(',uly only a sdec! p.lr'I-t1wir h(xlics form mixtuH'S anti augn'gal"-'s. variahle assol.:iations with ZOIll'S of ~
"
d,lrity .md ohscurit~" This is why t:n:n Iwrl' rdations .In' allal~,ti(' pr\'dic.ltl's of mixtures (Adam ate of liw fnlit of til(' trel'). Mon'owr, l'ontr.lry to certain .lslwcts of the Lloihnizian tlll'or~', it is l1{'cess.lry to ,1S$Crt that 1Ill: analytic order of predicates is an onl('r of C(x'xistl'nCl' or smu'ssion. with nl'lther logic.ll hierarchy nor tht' ch.lracter of g<'lwralit~', \\'Iwn .1 pred1ca\(' is attrilnltl'd to an indi\'idual subject, it d(x's not ('nio~' an)' (kgrl'l' of gl'nl'ralit~,; having a loolor is no marl' geluT.11 than lwing green, Ix:ing .m animal is no more grneral than Iwing rcasonableo The incrcasing or del"f\'asing gcncr,llitics aplx'ar only wlwn a pn'ditOate is detcmlilwd in a proposition to function as till' suhject of anotlll:r pn'dkate, As long as pn'dicatl's an' hrought to Iwar upon individuals, \\'(' must nocogniz,' in tll('m l'(lual imnll'diacy which hll'nds with their .malytic char,wh'r, To han' ,1 ('010 1' is no more gl'lwral th.m to Iw grlTn, sinn' it is onl\' this color thai is grl'l'll, ant! this gn'I'n that has this , " " shade, Ihat an' rclah'd to the indi\'idllal subjl't·\. This roSlO is not red without ha\'ing Ihe n'd color of Ihis rose, This red is nol .1 t'olor without ha\'ing til(' <:0101' of this red. Wl' l11a~' leave tIlt' predi<:atc undl'tennined, without its ,l('(luiring
tlWlll po.~.~ihltO inside tht: mixture of tlw hodv. This is wi1\' WlO identifv. in till' IaSI anal~'sis, till' domain of jnl\lition~ as imnwdi.1tt' repn'sl'nl;Iions, thl' analytic predit..l tes of loxbtl'IlCI', ;llltl till' dcsmpllons of mixtures or aggregah's, Now, on the terrain of till' lin.t Ktu.lliz.ltion, a second le\'l'l is l·.\I
-
.
.
"
fn..c dlar;Kh'r uf this
pla~" sinn' Iw lU'ithl:f wanted
nor klWw how to
brc3tlw \·nough (:hanet' into it. or to make of diwrgl'nn' :Ill Ohjl'ct of · "., I '" •.,S ,sudl • Ill' Ilt'\'('rtlwl('ss .lsscmhll'd all consl'(llIl'Ill'I'S at the a 11 Inn,. lewl of the .Ktualization ",hidl preoccupi<'s us at this point. A prohlem, ·~·"I • I'l~ ~;gns:' or •. n)llditions which 1lt'(:{'Ss.1ri!v • indudc "ambiguous "" 111 . s" 'lkatory points, thJ! is, diwrsc distributions of singularitil's to which iosl,UKt'S of 0Ia. straight line. Thl'SC diwl'"S\-' (-'"cnts form M) lll,lIly 1Ilsl,mel'S corn'sponding 1'0 the probl('m and d(·temlining the g\'lw~is of tilt' solutions, \Vt' must tht·n·fore understand that incompossib\\' worlds, despite th<'ir incompossibilit~" haw som\·thing in common-somNhing objt'1:tin,'\\' in l.'Ommon-whil.·h IT'pn-scnts th(' ambiguous sign of the gt'nl.,tk cl('n1£'nt in rdatton to which sc"\"{'ral worlds appt'ar as instanc('S of solution for onl.· and til(' salT\(' problem «('wr~; thro\\, t1U' n'Suh of a singll.' I.'ast). Within th('St.' worlels. thcr(" is. for example, an obit'Ctinl~' in(k.t('mlinah' Adam, that is, an Adam positiwl~' ddim'1.l solct" through a f(·w singularitit'S which can hI.' combin('(1 and I.'an complt'ment I.'aeh other in awn' di!Ter('nt fashion in different worlds (t'O bt· til(' first man. to lin in a g;nl('n, to giw birth to a woman from himSC,·If, ~tc.),~ 'l1\e incompossible worlds 1lC-'ComC' til(' \'ariants of the same story; .ScXtlIS, for t'xamplt" h('ars til(' oradt·. ' , ; or. ind('('(I. as Rorg("S sa~'s. "~ang, kt us Q\', has a S('('rL'1. A strang('r knocks at his door. fang makl'S up his mind to kill him. Nalllrallv Ih('re an' "artoUS possihlt· outconu'S, fang ('an kill tilt' intrud('r. Ihe i1~trudt~r can kill rang. hOlh ('an Ix: san'1.l, hOlh can tlit, ;md so on ami so on. In Ts'ui Pl'n's work, alllX)S.~ibk solutions on:llr, t'ach OIU' IX'ing tI\(' point of (kparturL' for otllL'r bifllrntions." S \Ve an' no longer fan'd wilh an indh'iduah'l.\ world constitut<'l.1 h)' llU'ans of alread" fixed singulariti('S, organi'l.L·d into ,:onwrg\'nt S('rks, nor are \\'\' far(,(i with tlt·t<'mlinl'l.l indi\'idllals whkh l'xpn'ss this world, Wt. ,ln' now fan'd with Ilw aleato~' point of singular points. wilh II\(' amhiguolls sign of J"ingularitil·s. or ralher with that whi~h ~CPl'\'S\'llts this sign. 3nd whi~h holds g(xxl for man~' Ihest' worlds. or. lI\ tlw la,~1 OtllOtI\'sis. fOl' 01 11 worlds. dl'spite their di\'('rgl'nn's and tllt' indi\'idllOtls \\ hi~'h inhahit tlll'lll, Ther\' is thus a "vaglH' Adam," that is. a vagahond. 01 nomOtd. an Adam = x {'ammon 10 s('\Tral worlds, jusl OtS tlwn' is 01 Sextus = x or a FOtng x, In thl' t·nd. tlwn' is sonwthing x ~
or
=
"4
=
('Olllmon to all worlds, All ohil'~I,~ = x an' "persons" ami arL' defined h~ pn'l.lkah's. Hut these prt·dkaks art' no long('r tilt' analytic prt·dil.'all·s 01 individuals detl.'rminL'd wilhin a \\odd \\lJich ('ar~' out the dcsaip/loll of tllt'se indh'iduals, On tilL' l·olHr,lry. thl'Y art' predkatl's which dpllc pt'rsons s)'ntheticall)', ami 0pl'n dil1;"f\'nt worlds and indh'idualitil.'S to t1U'1ll as so man)' \'ariabk,s or po~~ihilitiL's; "10 be till' first man and to lin' in a garden" in til\' {'aSl' of i\d,un; "to hold a s('net and to Ix' dislurlx'd by an intrudLT." in til\' ('.1:>\' of Fang. As far as Ihl' absolutch' common object in gCIU'ral is ('ont't'rlu'(I, with fL'Slx'ct to which ail worlds art' \'ariablcs, its predit.'ah'S "n' tht, prima~' possibilitit'S or the l.'aIL-goril.'S. Instead of each world Ix'ing th.' analytiC predicate of intli\'iduals dcs<:rilx'(! in serit'S, it is ralht'r til(' incompossible worlds which arc the s~'nthetic 1)f('tJicat('S of (X'rsons ddil1('(l in relation to disjuncti\'(' s~·nth('S('S. As for the \'ariables which realize the possibilities of a person, \\'1.' must treat them as (.'Onn'pto> which 'It'cessaril)' signify das."CS and properties, and thcrcfof(' as L'SSt.·ntiallv . a!T(.'Ctl.'1.l b\', an increasing 0' de(:reasing generalit)' in a continuous sp('('ilication against a catcgorial background, Ind<-,,<--ing propcrtiL'S and classes arc quite distinct from th.' individual aggn-gatL'S of th(' first lewl. Properties and t'laSS('S "rt' groumhl in Ihe ord('r of tht· person, lois is because persons t1wmseh'es arC' primaril)' classes banns OM slnslr membu. and their prcdi('ates art· properll('S hal'lnS OM ('omlanr. Each p..'rson is the sole member of lIis or her class, a dass whi('h is. IlL,\'Crthd('ss. constitutL'(! b), the worlds, possibilitk'S, and indi\'idllals which ,x·rtain to it. Class<-'S as multipl<'S, and propertit.'S as \'ariahlt's, dain' from IheS(' classes wilh one singll.' nwmlx'r and IheS(' Prolx'rtiL'S with on(" constant. \Vc b<'lie\'(' therefore thai til(' entirc tleduction is as follows: I) persons; 2) classes wilh OIU' single nl('mbc:r that thC)' com;titutL' and propI.'rties with one constant which Ix'iong to tht'm; j) ('xtl'nsin' classes and variahle' prolx:rti<'sthat is, tilL' gelll'ral COllCt'ptS whkh dl'rin' from them, It is in this S('nst. that \\'t' intl'rprct tilt' fundanwntal link bt:tw('l'n Ihl' concepl and tilt' I:go, 'I'll(' uniwrsal Ego is. preds\'l~', till' person corresponding to Mlllwthing = x common to all worlds. jtl.~1 as til\' uthn t'gos an' till' persons corn'sponding to J particular Ihing = x ('ommon to sc\'('ral \\orlll s , \V\, 1.',1I1110t li)lIow this cntin' det!U('lion in dt'lail, Whal matters is :..IXTI'I·NTII :..1,1(11':" O!' ONTOI OtilCAI <.ihNI'SJ~
'"
olll\' tlMI Ht' t·~t;Jhli~h til\' 1\\0 .~t.lgt'S of the
Il..lloloi\t· g"IWloi.., Hrlot, I,","ginning .dlh Ill<' :-illgul.lritil·~-t·n·llts "hidl l-Ollstitllh' it. 1'1'1l~' ('ngt'n,11-';-,. a II';.." twld (compk~~J \\Iwrdn it is .u1ualizl'fl: thl' l/nl1l"/' "hidl on';mi/"l' tilt' :-ingubritil'S in drc.:lt'S of COIl\"'rgt'Il("('; indhidu.ll" "hidl ,.x~n..:-" tlw.....· \\\;;'I
lfdl \'lJlllm;lll to S('n'ral or to all \\orl&,; lilt' pt'rsons \\ho ddnl\' this ""unwlhing in common"; :-yntlwtic prl',licatl'1' which ddim' 1Ilt':-I- Ix'r:-011:-; and til(' d,lSSI'S and prop..-rtil's whit.'h defile from tlwm. jUl't J!) til<' tirs! stI.·rl, in hi:-. tlu'O,":,' of ('onstitu· tiOll, prmid('s himSl,lf \\ith a n'a(I~'-mad,' liJm1 of common S('n~', ('OI1l1,.. iw!» of thl' tran~n'lId\'ntal a~ tilt' PI'rson or l::go. and fails to distingui:.h Iwt\\'(,("11 ~ as till' fonn of proo;lun>f1 idl'ntiticatwn and till' quilt, ~tlini'rt'nt ~, that is. tl1l' produ('ti\(' 1I00ht'n~' \\ hkh .1I1im,lh':. the id\'al ganl\' and til\' imlX'r:-on,ll tr,ltbCI'mlt'nt.11Iidr I'cr,'oOllnej prorM'r1~' !»Ix"lking. hut ,1 prOllul't_'t1 lilrl11, IIl'rin,d from thi~ irnpl'fsonal transn'ndl"ntal lidd. And till' indi. \idual is .1h\,ws an imli\idll.ll in gem..."I, born, lib' I-,w, from Adam'~ "id\·. from ,1 ~inglilaril\' "hich l'~h'llIl!'o ib,·lf o\l'r ,1 lill\' of ordill.,r~' poilll:o. and start: frot~, 1111' pn'-illdhidual traIlM'('lllklll,ll 1;..ld. Th\'
illdi\ idll,ll ,ll1d the IXTSQIl. good
\1'11'1'
.mt!
nl11HllUn
M'Il:...', ar\' pnxlu('('(!
hy till' pas:o.i\t' gt'ncsis. on till' iI,l!»I' "I' .,,'IN· and rlOIlM'lIM' "hidl do not "'~('l1lhll' tlwlll, .111<1 whoSt· ph·.indi\ idu.11 ,md illllx'honaltran.\>('('nd(·lItal
play \\(' Ita\(' st't.·n. <,;ood ~'n!»I' .mll ('ommun ~·II:'\.' an' tlwft'fon' U1ul..'m1in('{1 b)' tl1l' prinit'pl,' of tlwir pro(lunion, and an' owrthro\\ n from \\ ithin by l),lradox. In 11'\\ i, Curoll\ \\Ork, Ali(~ would lx' rath('r likl' tht, illtli\'idual. or thl' l11on,1I1 ,dlldl discOH'fS !»I'IlS\.' and ha...... In'ad,' .1 foft'hoc.lirlg of nonS<'rlSl', \\ hilt' 1 IUllhing hack up to tilt' surf.Kt" from; \\mld illlo whidl slw 1~·t1, but "hich is ,11:.0 I'llIdopl'd in Iwr ,1I1d iI11IX)~I'S on Iwr the diAicuh 1.1\\ of rnixtun·s. S\,I"iI' and Hruno \\olllt1 Ill.' ralhl'r lib· ..\'agw.·.. p<'rSOllS, \\ ho disco\'lT 110'nS\'nsl' ant! its p""Sl'1l('t' to s,'ns(' in "something" common to S('\·(·r.11 w()rld~; a world of mCIl ,111(1 a world of fairil..'5,
.
Ill'
Ill>
' l ' I •• "TllqIUI"(HO;-':T()I(H;l(~1(;1:-':1"1'
'IXII.'III'Il(II'fJI·()NTfJI()(jlt.AI (;I·NI·'J'
117
SC\'cnteenth Series of the Static Logical Genesis
Individuals 3rt' infinite anal~·tic prop05itions. But whilt' thl'~' an' infinite with rt'Slx'Ct 10 whal th('~' t:xprt'Ss, th{'~' an' finite with r<'Sp<'('t to their dl'ar cxpr<'Ssion, with rt'SjX'C"t to their corporeal zone of expn."s.'iion. I't'rsons ar(' finite s)'llthctk propositions: linite with r("sP("("t to their definition, indd-inih' with rt'Spl-'ct to their application. Indidduals and persons arc, in themselves, ontological propositioIlJi-p(,niOllS bdng groundt-d on individuals (and conn_'r-scl~'. indi\·iduJ.bi hdng grounded b)' thc (X'rson). Ttw thinl clement of the ontological g<·n<'Sis. how("wr, namd)' the multiple dasSl'S ;111<1 \'ariahlt' prop('f'tks which in tum d<'IX'nd on Ix'rsons. is not cmhodkd in a third proposition which would again Ix' ontologkal. Ratll('r, this ('Ielll('nt send)'; us oVt'r to another ord('r of tht, proposition, and constitut('s til(' condition or the form of possihility of til(' logical proprn.ition in g('Il('ral. In rdation to this condition and simultaneously with it, indh'iduals and p<'rsons no longt'r pla~' till' mit' of ontologkal propositions, Th('~' act now as material instann'S whkh n:aliz(' till' possihility and d('h'mlilw within til(' logical proposition tilt' rdations ncc('ssar)' to til(' ('xistenet' of til(' corulitiOlwd (mlldl1io/l/ll:): till' rdatioll of (knotation as Ill\' rdatinn to tilt' individual (tilt' \\orld, tilt' stat!' of anair)';, IIll' aggregah', individuah"tl hc)(li,'s)': tlU' relation of manif,"'Station as til(' rdation to till' p...rsonaL and lin' rdation
"H
of signification ddinL'f.! b~' tilt' fonn tlf possihilit~,. WI' ,UI' t1lUl> !>etl('r ",hll' to understand the complt'xit~· of tilt' cIlll'Stion: \\ hat is prima~' in tilt' onlt'r of the logical proposition? I"or, if signilication is J>rim,l~' as till' l'om!ition or fonn of possihilit~" it Iwwrthdt'ss n,f(,rs to manift'sta_ tion, 10 til(' ('xtel1l th,lt til(' llluhipiv I'lasses and \',lriahl" prop('rtile's ddining signification an' grounded, in tht' ontological ord('r, upon the p...rson; as for tht' manifl'statKJIl. it rl'fers to dl.'notation to tht' t'x!l'nt that the' p...rson is ground{"tl upon till' imli\·idual. Furtlll'nnorl.', lX'twl'C'n tilt' logical gt'nl'Sis and thl' ontological gem'sis then' is no parallelism. Tht'rt' is r,ltlll'r a rda)' \\ hidl pl.'nnits ('WI''' sort of shifting and jamming. It is t1l1'rl'lor,· too simple to argul' l~r thl' correspondl'ncc I><:tw('('n thl' individual and dl'notation, thl.' pt'rson and manifestation, multipll' c1aSSl'Ji or variable propt'rtil's and signification. It i!l true that the relation of dellotation ma\' onl\" be t'Stablislll'd in a \\orld which is subjec:t to tht, \'ariou)'; aspl'C;s of indi\'iduation, but this i.~ not suni("ient. Bt..-sidl.'S cOlllinuit~·, cI,'notation requires that an identit\· Iw positr.'d and madt' dependcnt upon the manifcst ordl'r of thl' I)('rsol~. This is what wc pn'\'iously indit"atl,d when W(' said that denotation prC'Suppos{'S manifl.'Station. ·Com·l'rst")'. when the Ix'rson is manift'Stl'd ur l'xpn'SS('f.1 in the proposition, this does not occur indclX'nd('ntl~' of individuals, statl-'S of affairs, or stall'S of bodie'S, which, not content with hl'ing dl'notl'tl, form so man}' caSt'S and possibilitics in relation to the Ix'rson's dt'sin~, Iwli('fs, or l"Onstitutivc projects, Finall)', signification pn'suppOS('S the fonnation of a g{)()(l sr:'nsr:' which COIll"S about with individuation, jlL'it as til{' fomlatioll of a common sense finds its source in the p{'rson. It implieah'S an t'min' pla~' of denotation and manifestation hoth in the power to aAiml premiSl'S and in the pOWl'r to state the {'(mdusioll. +111en' is tht'n'fort" as Wt' ha\'c secn, a "e~' complex structun' in \"i('W of which each of the thrt't" rdations of the logical proposition in g<'lwral is, in turn, primary. This structure as a wholl' forms tilt' It-rtiar~' arrangcment of languagl'. Pn..... iscl~, bl.'eausr:' it is prcxlu("('f.! b~' tilt' ontological and logical g"Ill'Sis, it is contingl'nt upon Sl'nsc', that is, upun that which constituk'S by itst'lf a S{'COmla~' organization whil-"h is \tT~' difft'n'm and also distribute(f in an entirle'/t, diffl'n'nt m,lIma. INotin', for ,'xample, till' distinction Ix'''w('1l thl' two ,y's: tlll'.Y uf Iht' ~1Il1()rn1t'd par,ldoxit-al (,lel111'nt which, in tIl(' case of pllrl' St'ns{', misses I " own identity; ami tilt' .l of the Objl''C:t in gl'l1<'ral which charJ.{·tl'riz('s unl)' tilt' fonn of itlt'ntit)· prOlfun....1 in l'Olllmon M'nsl:). If WI' l'on!lid('r "9
t1wn'(Oft' Il1i:- l"lllnpl,'x "trm'tlIrt' of the h'ni.lI'~· arrangl·/lll'lIt. "IWH o
(',,'n n·l.ltion of th.. Prolx~ition l·in·l~1.1r \\,n.
if
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nUL"t bt· IJaK"(! upon tlw others in a thai the \\ holt, or ...1<:11 Olle of its part" \ .1Ilt'oUap""
l"umpkml'lHaritv. This is tilt' caS<', not onl\· 1ll,'I"lUS\' til\' " l"irl'lIit of th.. logical pmpositioll can always lk: lHulorw, till' \\,ly th.lt a ring might 1)(' ~napl)l,:d. and n'vL,,,1 th(' otlwrwi:«' organizt'd ..,,'IlS'" but ,1b.o ,mil ahon- .til IX1.-'ausc wilh M.'lls(', bl.'ing fragill' to tilt' POilll of a po!'...ihll' IOppling 0\','1' into nonst'llS(', thl' rdations of the logk.ll propo:oitinn run thl..' risk of losing all 1ll,.'aSUrt', Silllil.lrl~·. Signification. m.mif,'!>(.nion, and tknotation run till' risk of sinking into the lImlil1i'n:ntiat<'d ab~'l'~ of a groundl('ssnl'ss which only pl.Tlllits till' pulsation of ,1 mon~ strou~ hod~', This is wh~', 1)('~'oll(l til\' h'rtiar~' or
10.'1':- lilil'
"
,
rdation Il\,twt"t.'n t1, II I I" " I" 11 pro) t'm ant I" l'lllll I!lon~ (l,III1('S st'n!'l(' a,~ till' ~rllth ,of the prob/<'Ill as loudl, It IIIJ,\ happl'n thM thl' l'Ondition~ rc'm.lin lIlsunl('il'ntl~' dc'tl'rmin('(.1 or, 011 til\' tlllll'r hand, that th t '\' an' u\"t'rdc,tt'Tmlrll't1. in such a O1Jnnn (h,1I tilt' prohl,'m rna\' turn (;ut to Iw ,1 (.llsI.' prohlt'Ill' As Ilx till' d<:h'rnlinatioll of (,{1lIt1iti(Jn~, it implit,s, 011 till' ont' hilnd. ,1 Sp,le<' of nomad di~tribtltiOll in \\hil'll :.ingularitit's an' dil'tribult'(l (lopos~; on till' otllt'r hand, it ;lllplit's a ti~lt' of dl't-'"OIll/JrnOition \\ hl'rt.'h~· thiS spacl' is subdi\ idl'd intu sub-:.pal't'S. bl'h one of thl'S(' :.uh-SI,),ll'C':'> is sucn-ssi\"t'ly t1dilwd hy thl' .uljllnl,tion of nt'\\ points I'nsurlllg thl' progrl'ssin' ami nllllpll'h' dt'll'rmillatioll of the domain 1I1ll1t'r l'OI,IS~d('ration (Aion), Tll<'n' i1> ,llw.lyS a span' \\ hil'h ('olldcnsl's and pn'('lpltatl'S singlliaritit-s. just .1S then' is alw,1\'s a tilll(' which progn's:'i\'('I~' completes thl' I" I'llt through fragnwnts ~f future' and past I'\'ellt,s, I1ms. then' is a sp,atio-h'mporal lit'lf-dt,tl.'mlination of til(' probl('n~. ,Ill t1.lc' sc.-qUCIlCC of which tht, problt-m a(h'allt'('S, making up for thc ddl('Il'nl.'ll's alltl thwarting thl' I'Xl"'S., of its 0\\ 11 ('onditions, It is at this point that tn,lth becomcs St'lhC .llld producth'ity, Solutions an' t'ngl'lI~1t'T('(1 at prcl"Is<'l)' the sam<: timl' tll,lt tilt' prohlt'rn t!I.'tl'rmillt,s 1fS<.'Jf This I,~ wh~' pt'Oplc <juit" often hdil'\'t, that till' solution d()('s not .1110\\ the probl~1l1 ~o subsist. and that it assign:. to it n'trosllt.'(.'tin'I~' tilt' status of a :-iub/("(,tl\'I' moment which is 1lt'('I'S..'i.lrih, tranSC'I.'mll"(l a..'i soon as a :.olution is found, TIll' oppoSitl' though i: till' 1·,151', H\' Im'ans of an 'lpl.)f(,)priah' pronss, tilt' problt'm is dt'h'rmil1('(l in span: and tilll<.' and. ,1:. II IS ~It'h'nnillt'd, it d<:tl'rmil1l's tilt' solutions in which it persists, Tht:' ~~n~hl~IS of thl' probll'm with its (ullditions eng('ndl'rs propositions. thl'lr dlllll'llsions. and tht'ir 1'0rrdah'S,
~'n~' is thus ('xprl'S.'>l.'(1 as thl' probJ..'m to whit'h propositions ('orre1>polld lIlsofar a~ tht:~' ilUlil'atl' partil'lIlar n'SpoIlSt'S. signj~\, instan{'l':'> of ,1 gt'llt'Tal ~OIUII()Il, and manift'st subje,:tiw at'ts of rl','iolution. This is \I h~', ratllt'r than l'Xpl't'ssing St'lISt' in :In inlinitin' or partkipialliJrm_ to 1}('-1>lIo\\ \\ hitl'. till' Ik'ing-whih' of snO\\ - i t St'('llh desirahle to I'Xprt'No it in tht' int"rrogatiH' fonn, It is tnll' that tilt' illh'rr('eati\I' lorm, i1> t'unt'l'iwd on tht' ha.si~ of a giwn (or ('apab/t' of ht'in~ giwll) ~ollition ,11111 that it is onl.\' thl' lIl'utrali/l'(l douhlt, of a ;1~I)()n:.t' ~U~)I)(N,t11~' Il<'ld hy sornl'OIlt' (\\h.lt is till' {"()Inr of till' SIlO\\? \\hat tilll\' I~ It?), [I dOt's han', ,lt It'ast, till' alk,lntagl' of "t'tting LIS on thl' track of \\ IMt \I t' ,ln' looking fur. nalllt'I~., tilt' tn~t' prublt'm.~TIlt' latter bC'ars no
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n'sl'mhlann' to tlll' prop(l~iti()ns il suhsun1l's undl'r it; it I"ltlwr l'ngt'n. lilTs t1wm as it dvtt'rmilil's ils OWI1 l~onditions and assigns tilt' indi\'idual ordt'r of p.:nnulation of !Ill' engt'nden"ll propositions within tilt' fra,~1l' work of gelll'ral !'oignilit'ations and pc.'rsonal manifestation:., Inh'rrogatlon b Ihc' sh~do\\ ol1l~' of tilt' prohlc'm proj('(wd, or ratll('r n'l.'onstruch'(l on lilt' hasis of t'mpiric'al propositions, But the problem in it~df is til(' n'alit\' of the gc'nt,tic dl'mt'llt, til(' complex lheme which dOl'S not 01110\\ it:.dr"to lx' rl"llucc'(l to an~' propositional,Msls. I It is onl' and till' same illusion whil-h, from an l'mpiricallXlint of \'it'w, formulatt'S till' problem from tht, propositions which funl,tion as its "answ{'rs:' and \\ hieh, from a philosophical or sdt'ntific point of \'il'w, ddint'S the probll'm through till' foml of till' possibilit), of the "l'Orrt'Sponding" propositions. This foml of pOSSibility ma~' be logical. or it rna}' lx' gl'Omt"tril'al, algl'brai'" physical. tran.s<:endl'ntal, moral. ('{e. It docs not mattl'r. As I~ng ~s ~\:l' define the prohlem b)' its "n:soh'abilit)'," we l'Onfuse senst' \\lth slgmh. l'ation, and W(' concdn' of the condition onl}' in the image of the conditioned. In facl, tlw domains of f{'sol\'ahilit)' arc relativ(' to till' process of the sdf-dl'h'rmination of the prohlem. TIl(' s)'nthcsis of till' problem with ils own conditions constituh'S sonll'thing ideational or unconditioned, dl'temlining at once the condition and the conditiOlwd, that is tilt' domain of n>soh-ahilit\' and the solutions pfl'scnt in this domail~, the fonn of till' prolXlsiti'ans and t1wir c\"tl'mlination in this foml, signification as till' condition of truth and prolXlsition as tht., contlitional truth. Thl' problem bears n'SCmblann' nl'itlwr to till' propositions which it sul:buml.'S unda it, nor to thl' rdatioll.'i which it t'ngemkrs in till' proposition: it 's nol propositional. although it doc'S not .'xist outside of the propOSitions which expfl"SS it. Wt' cannot therdore follow l-IuSS('rl whe:-n Ill' claims that the exprt'SSion is a nwn' doubl,' and nt'Cessarih' has the ~nll' "thl'Sis" as that which ft'("('in'S it. for, in this l'aS(', thl' 'probll'matk is no more than OIl\' propositional tht'Sis among othl'rs. and "nt'utralih'" falls to the otllt'r sidl', Ix'ing oppoSC-"l1 to all tlll'St'S in general, hut ~nl~' in onkr to repfl.'Sl'nt yt't anotlwr mann('r of t'oncl'iving of that which is l'xpn'SSI'l1 as the:- doubl,' of tilt' corrt'Sponding proposition. Onn' again WI' lind the altc'rnatin' of ('onsciousness, at:'onling to Hussl'rl, Ihe "mcx.ld" .md thl' "shadow" l'IJIlstittlling the two modI'S of t1w c1oubl\,.l But it Sl:l'mS, on till' contrar)', thai till: problem, as t1ll'nw or l'xpn'ssed Sl'nSl', POSSt:SSI'S a lU'lltralit~· which 122
,>I·\,I·NTII·NTII ~1'KII''> 01' I Ol;Il'AI GI-NI,,>I:.
lx-longs to it esSt.'ntially, although it is nc'\'l'r a modl'J or a shadow, nl'\"l'r tile' douhJI' of liw propOSitions ~\'hich c'xpress it. Till' prohlem is neutral with fl'Sp.. 't.1 to ,'wry mOtlt' of the proposition. Animal tantum. , . , A cird..· (Ilia cird.' is Iwither a parti('ular circl£', nor a conn~pt n'prcscllll'(l in an "'(Illation till' general tl'mlS of whid\ must take on a particular \'alUl' in t'adl instance; it is rathl'r a difft.'rl'ntial s~'stt>m to which an l'mission of singularitil'S l'Orfl'SlX>nds. J That th(' prohll>m dOl-'S not l'xist outside of the propositions which, in their SCIlS<.'S, t'xpft-'SS it means, prop..'rJ~· speaking, that t1U" problem 's not: it inht:rl.'S, subsists, or Ix'rsists in propositions and hll'nds with this l'xtraIX'ing that WI.' had prt'\'iousl~' elll"Ountl.'fl'(l. This nonlX"ing, howt'n-r, is not thl' being of the nt'gatin:; it is ratht'r till' heing of the problematit', that we should perhaps write as (non)-bcing or ?Ix'ing, The problem is independent of both the ncgatiw and th(' aAirmati\'e; it ncwrthd('Ss docs have a positivit)' which corresponc!s to its position as a problem, [n the saml' manner, the pure ,'n-nt gains access to this positi\'it)' which transcends aflirnlation and negation, treating both as instancl.>s of a solution to a probll'lll which the ('wnt now defines by means of what happens, and b), means of Singularities which it "IXlse~" or "dqx>ses," henil .. "C('rtain propositions art' dt'lXlsitiw (abJicOIil'oe): thc)' deprive an objt..·ct of, or fl'fu!'C it, soml,thing. 'nlllS, when we say that plcasure is not a good something, we depriw it of til{' qualit)' of goodness, Ilowe\"er, the Stoics thought that ('n-n this proposition is positi\'e (JedKolira), sinn' tltC~' argut'll that for a pleasure to not be good, amounts to stating what has happenctl to this pleasure,., ... 4 We must, thl'f('fon.. di'iSOCiate the notions of the double and of nl'utralit~" Sense is neutral, but it is Ill'\'er tht, double of the propositions which express it, nor of the stat('S of affairs in which it ocrurs and \\hkh arc denott'(l b)' the propositions, This is wh~', as long as we rt'main within the circuit of the proposition, S<.'nsc can be onl\' indin'CtI\' inllTrt"ll. As we have sc-'('n. sensc-' ma~' Ix' din'(·t1,. apprcheJl(il'(l onl~' b;' breaking til(' l'irt.'uit, in an opc:ration analogous to that of breaking opt'n ,md unfolding the: Mobius strip. Wt' ('annot think of til(' condition in till' im,lgl' of th.... l'Onditiorwd, The task of a philosophy which c1ol's not \\ish to fall into the traps of consciousness and thl' cogito is to purg<' thc' transn'ndl'ntal livid of all resemhlanl'l'. In ordvr to remain faithful III this n:igc'nc~', howevC'r, we must haw some:thing unconditioned
\\hidl \\ollid Ill,' tht· 1\l'1I'1'I~1'Ill'OUS syntlwsis of thl' l'll11dition in a1\ .1IJ!onOIllOU' til..:llft' hilltling to itst·lf nl'lltr.,lit~· and gl'lwtic l>ll\\t'r, But \dwn \\\' :-I>llk:' ('Mlit'r of till' nt'utr.,1it~' of st'nSt' and \\t. PI~t'Wlltl'tl t1~i.~ nvutr,llil\ ,1:- ,1 d(luhll'. it was not from tilt' point of vil'\\ 01 tI\l' gl'lwsIS, to tilt' t'~xtl'nt that s('nsc.' has at its disposal ,1 gl'nl'tit' ptl\\t'r inlwritl'tl Irum tilt' ,/UOSt' it. Individuation in l)()llit·s, till' nlt'3...un' in tht'ir mistun'S, tlw plav of p('rson$ and con('('pt~ in t1wir \ariati0l1$-this t'lltire onl('r pn'SuPI~'S S('nSt' anti tht:: pn'.indh·idual anti impt·n.onal llt'utrallit'ld within \\ hich it unfolds, It is tht'n·fon' in a diffat'nt "av th.ll St'IlS(' is pnxlm"rtl 1)\, hodies. 'l1u' qUt'Stion is no" ahout bOl:litO:: takt::n in tht'ir un"ifft'n'ntia~ro dt'J>th ami in tlwir nwa~urt' It~ pulsation, This dt'l>th aCL.. in an original \\a~'. b..' mean5 of Irs rcm.., 10 orflClnm~ slIrfaus and 10 tnn~lop "self Imhm SIl1°ccs. '111is pulsation ~mdin1l"s act$ through th...· fom1.1tion of a minimum alllount of l>urran' ror a maximum ~moullt of mattc'r (tim:. tilt' splll'rkal fonn), .lIlt! somt,tinw:. through till' gro\\ th of surra('t'S and tht'ir multiplication in al'l'onlao('(' \\ith ~lht'f$t.'~pr()('('sS(·s (stn'tching. fragnwnting. crushing, drying and Illoistt'ning. absorbing. foaming. ('mulsif~'ing, etc). All tht' ath'c·l\tun'S of Alin' mus~t ht, n'n'ad from this IX'rspectin--Ilt'r :.hrinking .mel growing. Iwr alinlt'ntar~' and t'mlrdit' obsc.'ssioIlS, ami Iwr t'Il('OUnh'fS \\ith splwft.s. TIll' :'llrfan' i:- ndtlwr actin' nor l>'lS:-iw, it is till' proo:lm·t of tilt' actinns and passions of misl,d htMlit'S. It i:. t'!,.lrJ('hTistit' of thl' surl:,Ct' that it skims on-r its own fit'ld, impassibll' and indivisihlt'. llluch lik.... til\' thin strips or \\ hit'h Plutinus srlt'ab, \\ hich "wllt'll tht,~, ,In' or lult' t~llltillUOU., It'xtun', llloistlln: is ohSt'l'\·t'(! wl,tting dWlll right through. .1ml it tlll\\S through to till' nthIT sidl·... 'i Iking a n't't'Pladt' of monol1lollTular b\'t'l's, i~ g":lranll't'S tilt' intt'rnal ,lIld ,'sknloll nll1tinuit~, or I,Hl'r,lll'olwsion of tI~(' two l.l\'vrs without thk·kllt'ss. Iking a purt' "ITl'ct, it i:- rll'wrtlll'lt'ss tllt' IOt·us 'of ,1 quasi-cau:,\', sinn' a surl:wt' \'lll'rgy, \\ ithll\H 1'\I'n Iwing of t Ill' surfan', is dlll' 10 t'n'n'. surl:u't' Itlrm,ltion: anti
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1 (Il;I('Al
(;. 1"1 .. I"
from it a jinitious surfan' h'mion Mi."':- ,1:- ,I for(',' ,'x"ning ibt'lf on thl' pl,lllt· of tilt' .~llrf.Kt', Attrihuh't1 til thi:- lilrt'" is the 1,11M)r ~lt'nt in ordt'r to iru:n':lst' this surfact·. Iking .1 tlll',ltt'r for l>uddl'n condl'ns.1tiollS, t''l:h'nd''d l,lwrs ,U1d for distrihutions fusion$, changl's in tilt' ~tah's and n'sllUll1ings or singulariti,'." til\' :-urlJt'l' m~~' inddinitd~' innt'ast'. ,1,~ in till' l'aSt' of two li(IUids di:-:.uhing into I'at'll otllt'r. Thefe is t1wrdilft, .m ('ntin' ph~'sks of surlat'l':- a, til\' dl~'t't tlftl,·t'p mixtures-a pll\'~it's whkh t'ndlt'Ssl)' aSSt.'mblt'll tilt' \,lri.uioIiS ,md tllt' puJs,uions of tilt' t,~tir\' lIniwl'St" t'lwdoping tlwlll in"id,' tlll':.t' mohil,' limits. And, to tilt' plJ~'sit's of surfan"S a mt'taph~:-il.ll ..urfan· l1I'l't,s....lfil~· l·OITt'llpOlltls. l~aplJ~·sit.'al surfaC'(' (lriJnsct'n<WnfiJl l,dJ) is thl' name that will Ix' gi\t'n to tht' frontil'T ('Stablishl'd, on Ollt' hand, IX·t\\l't'n 1)()(lit'$ lJh"n togt't1lt'r as a whol(' and inside th., limit:. \\hid, t'lndop tht'm, and on tht'~thcr. propositions in general. This frontit'r implit'S, as Wt' l>hall sc.'t..• Ct·rtain prolx,rtit'S or sound in rdation to the surfact·. making possibk' t1wrebv .1 distinct distribution of language .md bodit'S. or or tI~, mrporeal dt'pth ami the sonorous continI/urn. In all till'sc..· rt'Sjlt't:ts, tilt' surfan' is the transCt'nlo)t'tl at tht' surfan'. bt'/l tht· frontit'r I:. not a sq>aration, but ratlwr tilt' dt'mt'nt of an articulation, so that M'n~' is pn-st'lltt'tl both as that \\hkh haplx'l1$ to 1)()(lit'S and that \\hich in...ists in proposition$. \Vt, nlll~t tl1l'n'fort, maintain that sense IS Q Jouhlms lip, and that 1M nt'Ulral'f) of sen51:' IS lnSC'ptJrabft from liS SWillS as a JotlbJ... 'I'll{' fa<:t ill tllat the doubling up dot·s not at all signifv an t'\J.nt'SC("nt ami disl'ml'lOtlit'tl n'Sl.'rnblancl', an imagt' without lIcsh-"ikt' .1 "mile without a (:at. It i.~ ratlwr dl'lillt'tl by til{' pnxluction of surfac{'s, tlwir multiplication and consolidation, 'J1Jis doubling up is the colltinll~ it~· of n'wf'S(' and right llidl'S. tilt' ,1ft of t'slJblishing this continllit~' in a \\a~' "hid) I)l.'nnits sc.'nst.', at till' surfan', to he distrihutt'tl to IXlth sidt's .11 olln" as tilt' t'xpn'sSt't1 "hkh suhsists in ProlXlsitions and as till' t'wnt \\ hich <M:nll'S in stat('s of 1'M>llit's. \Vlwn this production collapSl's, Of \\ h"n till' surfacl' is n'llt h~' explo~i(Jns .mt! h~' Ml.lgl>, hodies rail hack ag,lin into tlll'ir dq>th; t'\ ('rythin,!; f,ll1 s h,H-k ,'gain into tlw an(ln~'mous plIl:-atiol\ wlwrl'in words art' no longt'r anything hut ,1ffl't:tiollS of till' hudy-,'\'erything falls l>'lCk ill to tilt' primar~' ortler whkh gntmbk's hl·l1l \lth till' sl'nmd,lI'Y organization of SI'IlSI'. On Iht' other hand, so IUI.l,g ,1S tilt' sllrfan' holds, not onl)' will SI'nSt' Ill,' unfolded upon it ,1S .m dl'Tt, hut it \\ill al:-o l>.lrtak,' of tilt' tlliasi-l'.lUs\' attached to it. It, in
;,1'
. l"\"idu.ltion and all that l'!lSUt'S in J prou.'ss of . ' [. I ... ,'I I" " 1II1! tlll'ir nwasurcc! nllxlures; II a so pro< uees ddcrTmnalulT1 () lO( It S , . . f . ." I II Ihal t'IlStlt'S in a process of dctcnnmatloll 0 proposlglllhcal10 11 alll a I I I . :-, I I " assigned relations. It produces, in ot 1••:f won s. t 1C , turn brings , , '
"\lIons allt
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.1 )Ollt
t It 1
lilt I
,..
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~,,1tirl' tl'rtiar~' arrangement or the objCt'! of the statIC g'·lll'SIS.
Eighteenth Series of the Three Images of Philosophers
Ill' popular and the technical images of tIl(' philosopher seem to have
)
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SI,VI,NTI'I-.NTII SI,flll,S 01· LOGICAl GI:NI:Sl~
lX:t'n set by Platonism: t1w philosopl\('f is a Ix-ing of aSct'llls; Ill' is the one who I":Jn's the cave and riS('S up. TIll' more 11(' rises the more he is purified. Around this "ascension",1 ps)'chism." moralit), and philosoph)'. the ascNil' ideal and the idea of thought, ha\'(' established dose links. Tht' populaf image of til(' philosoplwf with his head in the douds d\'p\'nds upon it. as wdl as the sdl'ntitic imag(' acmfding to which til(" philosopher's hl'a\'('n is an intelligibl(' Olll', which nonetheless docs not distract us from tIll' ('arth sinn' it includes its law. In both cases, hO\\'('\"er. ('\'('fything happl'ns in the heights (en.·n if this is the height of tIl{' pnson in the hea\'('n of the moral law). As we ask, "whal is it to 1>1' orientl'd in thought?". it aplx'ars that thought itself presllpp0S{'S aXl'S and ork·ntations according to which it de\"elops, that it has a gl'ograph~' hd<)rt, ha\'ing a history. and that it tran's dimensions bd<Jre constructing s~'stl'ms. I-Ieight is the propal)" Platonic Oril'llt. Thl' philosopher's work is al\\"a~'s dctl'nl1int'd as an ascent and a conversion, th.1t is. as the mOWIl1t'llt of turning toward thl' high principle (prlllcipe d'cn !WIII) from \\ hidl tIl\' movement pron·('ds. and also of lwing dl'termirwd, fultilled. and known ill thl' guisl' of such a motion. 'Nt' an' not going to cOmp,lfl' philosophi\'s ,1ml disl'
"7
Ide,lli!'>m i., Ih.. i!lm·....' lung\·nitdl to tht· Platonic philm.oph~' amI. \\ith it., Iitdn~ of ,N.'\"nt!'> ,md do\\ nfalh., il is t'\'{'n philo!'>ophy's manito. d\'pn·:-:-iH" fon1l, Mania inspirt·s anti gUidt'S l'l.lto, l>i,ll\,....ti('s b Ilw Ilight of idl',I!'>, th.. IdO:\',!j1uchl, As Platu S.lyS of Ill\' Idt"l, "it H('1'S or it p\,..blw", ' , ," ;\ml l'\'l'll in the dl"lth of Sunah's t1ll'n' is ,1 t",ln' of a depn':-.sht'suidde, ;'\.'i\,tl'_,dw ,listnl!'>h'1! till' ori\'nlation In- Iwight and d~kt·d \\Iwtlla, far frolll n'pn~'nting till' fulliluWl\1 of philosoph~" it mark\'" rallwr, from ~()....r,lkS on\\ard, it" (Ill:t'rwralion ami \\,}full'ring. In Ihb m,lIl1wr, Ni.'ll.sdll' reopenNI the \\1101,' probll'm of til(' (lri.·n~,llioll of tholll!:ht: i:-. it not ..atllt'r in lilll' wilh other dinwnsions that tilt' al't of thinkin~ is ,'ngl'lllk..\·d in thought and tlw thinker \'ngerul\'r\'(1 in lifl'? Nil't7_,,~'Ill' h'll' at hi.~ disposal a nll'lhod of his own inn'ntion. \Vl' slmuld not 1)(' :-,lti:.fil'1! \\ ilh either hiography or I>ihliograph~': \\{' must rt"'ll'h d S('nl't point wherl' tIlt' ant'(,dotl' of lift, and tht, aphorism of thought amount to 0111' and the sanw thing. It is like St'nSt' whi('h, Oil onl' of ils sid.'S, is attrihuh'd to stalt's of lift~ ami, on thl' ollll'r, inlwn's ill propositions of thought. Thl're ,In' dillwnsions here, tinll's and plan's, gladal or torrid zonl'S nl'wr nl{)(!t'ratl'(I, till' ,'min' exotil' gl-ograph~' which dl'Ual1.t'rizt'" a modI' of thought as wdl as a stylI' of lift'. Diogt'lll'S uenius, perhaps, in his Ix'St pagf'S, had a fordxxJing of this ml,th<x.!: to lind \C;ta] Aphorisms \\ hich \\ nuld also ht' Anl'l·tloh'S of thought - thl' gl--stu~' of philosophers, 'I'll(' stor), of bnpedoc!l's and ttn,l, for exampl.,. is sudl a philosophic.ll al1etxlOh', [t is ,IS good as till' dt'ath of Sol'rates hut till' point is pn'Cisd~' tildt it 0lx'rall'S in anoth"r dinll'llsion, Tilt' pn'Sonatil' philosopher dOl'S not leaw tilt' caw; on till' I-'Ontrary, he:' thinks Ihat \\1' an' not imoht'(l ('nough or I'unil-it'ntl~' l·ngulft'1.l tlwn'in. In Thescus' stor~.. Ilt' rcjt·e:·ts thl' thrl'.ld: "'Vllat dOl'S )'our aSl·l·nding path math... to ll:-, ~·nllr thrl'ad leading olltsidl" II'ading 10 happi'll'ss and I·irtm'. , , ? [)o ~'I)U wi:.1l 10 saw us with this thn"ld? As lor us. \\(' ask you in t'arrwst to hang yoursdws with this tlm'ad!" "nw prl'-Soc.-ratics plaCt'11 t!loughl in:.idt· tilt' l'a\('r!\S ancllift" in Ilw dl'1.'p. -nlt'~'~ght the ,\>\'l·n't of \\ah'r anti lin·. And, as in till' ('a~' of I:mlx"tlodl'S' smashing till' statlll'S, thl'~' philosophizl'1.l Ilitl1 a h,unnwr, tilt' hamnll'r of till' gt'lllogist and till' Slwl\'ologisl. III a ddllgt' of wah'r alllilirl', Ilw \'okano ,'pib tip (111). a singl., n'mindt'IO of bupl'dodes-his I('ad sambI. To the \\ ing:- of till" Platonit' :.oul till' s.lndal of Ernpt'(I(X'll's is 0PIX)Moct. pro\'ing Ih,ll IJ(' \\ ao\> of till' earth, umlt'r till' t'anh, and autodllhonou.\>. To tht· 12l(
IHoIIllI NTII "HI.II·" 01' 1111
11110.1· 1;\1"1;1"
Iwating of tilt" Platonic: \\in~' tlwrt, l'orn"lxmds Ille prl'-Sc",-'ralichammer-hlm\; to tilt' Platoni(~ ,-onltninll tht'H' ('orH-spClmls til(' prt'ScX:r.JtH: su!Jn'rsion. on\(' t'nl·.l:.o.~1 Ilqllh:. strike Nil,t"I'_'iC.-lw as the n'al oril'ntatioll of philosoph~.. till' pn'_:'oIT'lIk t1ist:on'r~' that must I)t' "I'\'jITtI in a philosophy of thl" fulun', II ilh all till' forn's of a life whidl is also ,1 thought. and of a langu'lgt' \\hich is also a hotly. "Bl'hind t'\'t'r~' ('.11'1' tlll'n' is another, t'\'t'n tlt'1'I>I'r; and hl'~'ond Ihal another still. Tlwrt' b,) \'a,'tt'r, strangt'r, ridler \\orld Ill'lwath thl.' SUrl:1Ct'. an abyss unt!t'rl~'ing t'wr:o' foundation." I In till' I'll'ginning was S('hil"opllrl'nia; prt'~ Socrati(' philosophy is tht, philosophic'l! S('hizophrt'nia par .'lCCf!CII('C, Ihl' ,Ihsoluh' dt'flth dug out in hodil's ,md ;n thought \\ hieh hrings I-!i-,Itlt'rlin to discol't'r Empcdtx'il's Ixof'orl' Ni.'tz:.dll', In till' famous ErnIX'1ltx:ll'an Jlh'mation, in tht" rompl\'nll'ntarit~' of hatl' and Ion', W(' t'nCounh'r. on tlw OIW hand. the Ixxly of hatn'1l. till' parcdlt'(I-out body sil'w; "h('ads \\ ithout a nl'(:k, ann.. without shouldt,rs. l'~'('S \\ ithout a fan'''; but on till' otht~r hand, we cncountt'r till' glorious botl\' \\ itlloUl or,£ans: "fomll"d in (;m' pkcl'," without limbs. \\i'th n\'ilher .\'oke nor s:'", Likl'wi.~t,. I)ion~'slls holds out 10 liS his 1\\'0 lan's, his 01X'n and lan'rau~1 I){)(I)'. ,md his impassil>k' organles... Ill'atl: nion~'sus disnwml.'I('rt'(l. hut also I)ion~'sus thl' imlx'netrablt,. Nti'tzsche was ahlt' to n"<:lisco\'{'r dt'pth only after conquering the :.urf.Kcs. But ht' did not remain at tIll' surfaCt', for tht' surfan' stmek him as Illat whil-h had to !.x' asscsSt'11 from 1111..' rt'llcwl'1l perspt-'l'ti\'c of ,U1 l'~'l" Ixot'ring out from till' depths, Nil'1'"I'_o>l'lw lakl-'S lillIe inh'rt'st in \\ hal happe'R-d afta Plato, mainlaining that it was nt"l:t."SSarily the HlIltinuation of a long dt'l"atll'ntt. \VI, hal'c the impression, IlOl\('vcr, th,lt tht,rt' arisc..'S. in l"Onfomlit~· to this mt'lhod, a thirel imagt' of philosophers. In relation to tlll'lll. Nit'II".o>l,h(,'s pronouncement is partie. \llarl~' apt: how prolound th('st' Grt't,ks wcrl' as a consequence of tht'ir hdng sllpl'rlicial! l Tlws(' third Grcl'ks arl' no longt'r I'mird}' t;rl'l'k, Tlw~' no longl'r ""Ixx't sakation frolll till' dqllhs of Iltl' l'arth or from ,1utot:hthOlw, anv mon' than tllCv t'''IX'l·t it from h,'a\'t'n or from the Itlt·a. Ratlw·r. t1lt:~· t'xpcct it lalt''';II~', from thl' t.'wnt, from the bst\\ hlTt', a" l'.uroll S,H'S. "all Ihat is g(X)(!. , ' , ri:-(I's) \1 ith the tlal\ n of I)a~'!·· With till' Mt~arians, C)'l\iCS."'lllti Stoks, \\1' haw till' I'll'ginning of a n\'\1 philosoplwr and a llt'W kind of am'nlotl'. RI·n"lding Diogt'lws I .wrliu:.' most l>t'autiful l'haph'rs. thoSt, on Diogt'IlI's till' C)'nk and on l'hr:o':-ipptb thl' Stni", \\1' \\illll'SS tht, dt'\'dopnwnt of a l'urious s~'sh'm l·ll;IITl ... Nfll "I·RII, (H Till' TllR ...... 1MA<.; .. ~
129
of proHx:atiull~. On Olll" halld. th,,-' philosoplwr cat'~ with gr.'.ll gluttoll~" Ilt' stuni. him:.t'lf: Ill' maJiturhah's in public. n.-. gn·tting that Imng('r cannut lx' !>() t,.hil~· rdil'n'(I: he (loc'S flOt rundl'mn inn':.t with thl' mutlwr, til(" :.i1 but l'\"('nt, On til(' otll('r front, it will h(' argu('(1 that depth is a digl'StiH' illusion which rumpll'ml'nts the idl'al optical illusion. What. in fact. is signifiL't1 by this glutt'()n~'. this apolog,\' for inc,-"St and cannibalism? While this latter tlwme is rummon to both Chry'sippus and Diogl'Jl('S tht' C~·nic. Lacrtius ofT('f"S no cxpl~~ nation of Chrpippus' views. But he d(){'S propose a particularl~' ,-"'On\'incing explanation in th(· cas,,' of Diogenl's; III' S,l\\' no impropriet), , " in cating tilt' t1\'sh of any animal; nor ('\'cn anything impiom in touching human f1{'1l'(\',ult' t'n'I')·thing: sincr not onl~' is nlt'at ,) constituent of hn'ad, but hn'ad of H'gCtablt'S: and all otllt'r IlfXlk'S also. b~' nwans of certain in\'bihle 1M.,,--.agt'S and partidl'l", lind thdr wa~' ill and unitt' with alll>uhstann~ in the foml of \·al)()r. Th~~ Iw \klh'S plain in tlw fhytSles. if tIl<' trag,'(lit'S an' mlll~' his, . , ,
ThiJi tlwsis, which holds I<Jf inn'st as wdl. ,,-'st.lblishes that in tilt' depth of Ixxlit·s ,,-'wrything is rnixlu({'. Thl:({' an' no rules. howt'\"cr. according to which Olll' mixture rather than anotlwr might lx' COllsidl:R'1I bad. Contra", to what Plato 1>l,li(·wd. tlwre is no mcasure high ahon' for
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1\0
1·ll; IlTI-I'NTll
~HU
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01-
Till- Tllln,·
1M . \{; I·.,
tlu'S(' mixhln's and combinations of 1III'as whit'h would allow us to ddine gOOfI and bad mixtun'S. Or again. ('ontra,)' to what til(' prt'SrXTatit's thought, lh('n' is no immdlll'nt measure dther. cap.lbl(' of lixing till' onll'r and tht:' prog({'Ssion of a mixtun' in tht" dt:'pths of Naturc (PhpIS}; C\'Cl)' mixtun.· is as grlOll as the bodil'S which l>l·n·ade 0111' anotlll'r and the P.lrts which t'ol·xist. How ruuld th(O world of mixtun's not be that of a bt.ll"k (Il'pth w!l,,-'n'in e\'er),thing is pcrmith'(!? Chrysippus used to distinguish 1\\'0 kinds of mixtur('s: implTfect mixtures which alter 1)(){lks: and p,,'rfc(·t mixtures which I('a\'{' Ixxlics intact and make them l'Ol'xist in all tlll'ir parts. Undoubh,,oisonl"{l tunics begin their d('adl~' work by Imming into the skin and b)' dc\'Ouring th(' surfa("(', "!lw dl'a(II~' work then reaches more d('Cply. in a t'rajecto~' which goes from till' picrt'l,(! bod~' to th(' fragm('nt('(IIXKI~', ml'mbro J,~erpta. Ewry·\\hl'n.· Ix)i!tOnous mixturl.'S S"-'Cthe in thl' depth of the I)()(I~': abominable nl'f."(O1ll.1Ilci,,'l". inn'sts. and f"-'f.·dings arc dal>orat('d, Lt'l us Irx,k now for tlw"'antidotc or til(' countt'r-proof: tlw hl'TO of Sl',wca's Ir,lg{'dil'Ji and of till' entire Stok thought is I kn:ul(·s. H{'rnlles i~ .llwa~'s sitllat{'d rdati\'(' to til"-' thrt'l' realms of til"-' inf('rnal abyss. t1w n'll'Stiallwight and til{' SUrraH' of till' ('anh. Inside the d"-'l>lhs. h(· COIlWS I'J(;IITI-I'NTII ~1·RJl·., 01- Till:; Tlt R 1-1. IMAGI-.,
I II
acro!'os only frigll1 ..ning combinations and mixtun's; in tilt' ~k~' Ill' 'ind:onk l'mptiJU'l>~ ,lilt! ('I·k:.!ial monsters duplicating thOM' III till' infcmo. I\~ 'for till' ".ulh, lit" is its p':Kilil'r anti sun'('yor, ami "\l-n In'ads owr Illl' :'>urf,Kt· of il:- "all'TS. Ill' ah\a~'s ascl'nds or d('S(.'I'mh. 10 tilt' :>urfan' in "\I'n' I"OIlCl'h'ahk· malllll'r. Ill' brings 1>.1(."k the hdl.huund and till' n'k:-liai hound. tilt' St.'r"Jx·nt of Iwll am( lilt' .sc."l~:nl of dw IWJ.H'lh. It is no long..r ,1 Cllit'stion of Dion~'su:'> down Ix-Io\\', or of Apollo lip al~ hut of I kl'l'ul..·s of the surf,KI', in his dual hattl,· against hoth d('pth and Iwight: rcoril'ntatloll of the ,'11Ilr(' thought .llld a nt'w gl·c>graphy. Stokism is sometimes pr(':'>{'ntl'd as l'J).ll"ting J. sort of rdurn to thl' pn·.Socratll'S. IX'yond Plato-to the I-kraditt'an world, for ...·xamplt·. Hut it is ratha a qUt'Stion of a total fl'l'\'aluation of till' pre-So(Tatk \\orld. By ill1...·rpn:'ting this \\orld througll a ph~'sics of mixtun'S in ll,,-,!>th, tht, Cynics and til{' Stoin abandon it partly to all th~ local llisorders which nil be f('Con(:ill'd onl~' in till' Great mixtun.. that is, in tilt' unity of C.1USt-'S among t1wmsdn's. This is a world of h'rror anti ('rlldt~" of inn'st ami ,lIlt!lrolx)phag~'" But tllt're is of ('ourSt' another story, nanll'I~" the story of th,lt which, from the Hcradih'an world, is ablt, to dimb to tilt' surfaet' ami n'("('i\'(' an entirdy new status, "111is is til(' t'n'nt in its "'iITt'renn' in natUf(' from causc.'S-hodit'S, til(' Aion in its (liITerclll'c in nature from till' (Ie\'ouring Cllronos. In a parallt'l manner, Platonism undcrgQl..'S a similar total reoril'ntation" It lIad aspif('(1 to bu~' tilt, pre·Socratic world ("n'n dl'('pt'r, to fl'pr,,'Ss it ('\'('n mon', and .0 t:nlsll it under till' full w('ight of till' lIeights: but no\\ we St't' it d('priwt! of its own height, and till' Ide.l again falls to the surf,l("t' as .1 simplt' inn)rpon'al t·I1'et-'1, ~ulonom~' of the surface, ind{'IK'ndl'nt of, and against dt'plh ,lIld height; till' disco\·t'T)· of im:orpon'all'\'t'nts, JIl('anings, or l'IT{'(-ts, whkh an' irn'(lucihle to "d('ep" IXKlies and 10 "Ioft~·" ld('as -t!lt'S(' an' tilt' important Stnk discon'rit'S .lg.linst tilt' pn'-Socratks .lnd I'lalo. En',:\'Ihing tllat !lappt'ns and l'\'('~'1hing that is said happens or is said at till' surfaa'. 'l1w surf..l("t' is no It~~ t'xploTabl(' and unknown th.Jn dq>th .Jntl Iwighl \\ hi(:h an' nonSt:'IlSt:'. I'or the prinnJ?'l1 frontit'r is tlispl.lnxl, It no longt'!'" I>.JSS4.'S, in h'rms of Iwight. Ix,tw4.'t.'n \Iw unin'rsal anti til(' p,lTtit'ul.lT: nOT, in tl'm1S of dq>t!l, tloc's it l>.lsS between ~uhslann' and acddent. It is pt'Th.lps to Antistlll'llt,S that ('n,dit must I'll' giWll for till' Ilt'W dl'man:.1tion: I)('tween thillgs and proposilions t1ll'IllM·h(·~, It is a frontier drawn I)(·twt't·n tilt' thing such ,lS it is, tit-noted hy tilt' PrulXl1>itioll, and thl' expr('Sst'tl, which dOl-os not t'XiM out~idt, of tht, Ip
Hl;IlTII NTII "'HII'" 01- Til 1- TIIHII IMAGI· ...
propo~ition, (SubstanCl' is no mon' Ih,1I1 a ~t't.:ond.1T\· dt'h'rminalion of
till' Ihing, Jnd Ihe unh'l'rsalno IllOTt' th.m ,I M'('onda~\ deh'nnin.Jtion of Ilw l'XP;"~'l't1,) 'Ilw C~'nio .lnd the Stoin, ,."t.Jhlb.h Il1l'msdn~ .Jill! \\f.,p tllt'lllst,I"." lip \\ ith till' surfa('C, tht~ ("urtain, lilt' t .1IlX·I, and Ihe 1ll.Jl1Ill'. TIll' (louhlt, ~,'nSt' of tht, surfact'. thl' n)fltinllil~ "f till' f('\·l'rst· and right sidt'S, n'pl.Jn' Iwight and I.It'pth, Tlwn' i~ nothing behind the nlTl,lin ('xn'pt 1Illnan1l'ahlt' mixtures, nothing ,lhol"t, till' t"aflx't ,'xn'pt thl' ('mpt~' sky, ....cnsc apl)('ars and is pla~'('d nut .1t till' SUd:,l't' (at least if OIW knows how to mix it propt-'rI~') in ~u('h .J \\,'~' that it fomb !l'Ul'TS of dust" It is likt' a foggt'(l-up win(lowpanl' on \\hi("h Ollt' loan \\rih' with Olll"S lingt·f. The st.lfl·-blow philosoph\' (phllosophl/: Q coup de oolOnj of tilt' Cmit'S ami . tht, Stoin rt'plac,"-'S the lIamnll'r-hIO\\ philosoph~'. 'Ill(' philosoplll'r is no longt'r tht' lX'ing of tht~ l"an'S, nor Plato's soul or hinl. but ratlll'r lilt, " " .mimal which is 011 a In·4.'1 \\ ith tlw surfact'-.J Iil'k or 10uSt.', 'Ill(' philosophical s),mbol is no longt'r tilt' Platonic wing, or EmpcdcX'll.'S' Ito,HI So1l1dal, hut the rc\'('rsihlt' dO.1k of Antistlwlws and J)i~l'nl's; till' ~tafr and Ihe mantle, as in tlw ('aSl' of I!tornllt's with his duh and lion ~kin. What an' we 10 call this n.. . w philosophical opt'r.,tion, insofar as il 0PPOSl'S at 011('(" Platonic co!lwrsion and pre-Socralic SUb\"crsKm? Perh.11>S Wt· ("all ('all it "pc"'n'('rsion," \\ hit'h at I{'ast lx'fils the S\'Stl'lll of pm\Ql..·.Jtions of this nt'" t~'J>C' of philn..oplwr-if it is Inlt' tllat pcn'('r,ion implies an ('xtr.lordil1ar;-' .lrt of surf.l(,('S.
.
I l t . l t l l l .... III ... ' l t l l ... (11 "IIII"TIIHII 1,\\\(;1'"
.I~
Nineteenth Series
of Humor
It
aplx'ars at first as though Ianguag(' \\WC' incap.ablc of finding a suffidcnt foundation in tht' stall'S of thi.· Oll(~ who expresses hi..'rsdf. or in th... denoted sensible things, and that such a foundation were to be ]ocatl'(l ani)' in thl' IoS(xl. Tll{' ahcmatin- is iml~S(xl with no wa~' out: ('it!wr to say nothing, or to incorporate what oll(,~ys-that is. to ('at om"s words. As Ch~'sippus sa~'s, "if )"ou say 'chariot: a dlariot passl's through }'our lips:' and it is ncitlwr bcth'r nor morl' ('onn-nil'nt if this is tilt' [11(',1 of a chariot, Thl' id('alist languagl' is mad(' up of h~'postatiztxl signifil·ations. But l'\'l'n' tinl(' WI' will 1)(' askt.-d alxmt signifi(xls such as "what i:. Bt'aut\'.
-
Justin'. Man?" \\t' will n;'SI>01ll1 hy dt'!oignating a hody. b~' indicating an ohje(.'t which l'an he imitatl..'l! or ('\l'1l I..UnSUOll..'l:1, alUl hy dcliwring. if 1l('Ccs.~')', a blow of the staff (tilt' :.t.lIT hdng the instrunlt.'nt of e\'en' possihle dl..'Signation). Diogl'lws till' C~'lli(' ans\wrs Plato's ddinition ~f Imn as a bipt'd and featherll'ss aninl.ll hy hringing forth a p[ucb'd lowl, And to the Iwrson who asks "\\"h.1I is philosoph)'?" Diogl'nes H'slxmds h~' carrying about a nxl at till' ('I\d of a string. The fish is indl,t..d til(' lllost oral of animals; it 1>OSt:':. t1w prohkm of ~lut('n('SS. of consumability. and of the consonant in till' \\l·tlp.llatalizl..'ll c1erm'nt-in shon, th t, problem of language, Plato lauglll'ti at those who wen;' satisfi(xl with g,iving ('xampl('s, pOinting or :1l'sign,1Iing, rather than attaining till' l:ssenn'S: I am not asking }'ou (lw IIst·d to S.1)') who is jllSt. but what is justino • It is therefore easy to ask Plato to follow down the path which ht' dairnt.xl 1'0 havc made us climb. Each time we are askl--.d ahollt a signification, we rt."SI>Ofl(1 with a d('Signation and a pure "monstration." And. in order to persuade the slX'Ctator that it is not a question of a simple "('xample," and that Plato's probk'm was poorly posed, we arc going to imitate what is designated, \\'(' arl' going to eat what is mimkkcd, we will shatter what is shown. Th(, iml>ortant thing is to do it qUidd~': to find quickly soml,thing to d('Signatc. to cat. or to break, "hich would replan' the signification (the Idea) that you han' b(ocn in\'ik-.d to look for. All the faster and Ix,tlt'r since tlWrl' is no rl'SCmhl,lIlee {nor should then' he ont'} l)Ctwcl'n what Oil(' points out and what one has 1)I,'('n asked. Tlll'r(' is a difiicult relation. which rejects the r.llse Platonic dtlalit~· of the <"Ssenn' and the exampl(', This cxel'l-isc, \\ hit'h consists in substituting d<."Signations, monstrations. consumptions, ,1Ilel pun' destnll'tions for signilications. rcquir<."S an Olld inspirationthat 011(' know how to "descend." \Vhat is n;' that which is without ,i,gnillt'ation. Hut \\ hl'll dellot.ltions in tum pn'l'ipitate us into til<'
'
NI:-.· ... III·NTlI~I·ltlt-~()I·Il11M()1t
IB'
{kstructin' and di~I'~ti\'{' ground, \\T arlO fan-d with till' non-semi' of til(' depths .1S ~uh~Sl'nsl' (.<;{W.hwm) or UllIersinn. Is tlwr...11l~' way Olll? B\" til\' S,lIl1l' 1l1OITnWll1 with which IangllagC' falls from til\' Iwighl.~ and tI~{'n plung{',~ IIl'low. we must IX' kd back to L1w surfatT \\ h{'n' t1wn' is no lOllgl'r ,lilYthing 10 d{'note or ('\'('n to signify, hUI when' pilI"{' senSl' is produn'd. II is produc('11 in its ('ssl'ntial n'lation to .1 third eknwnt. this tinw till' nonS('nSt' of tlw sllrfan'. Onn' ag,lin, what matlt'rs here is to act 'Iuit'kl)', \\hat matters is sp{'{'d. \Vhat dOl's thl' wis{' man find at the surface? Pure e\Tnts nlllsideH'd from tilt' pnsp(-'ctiw of tllt'ir eternal truth, that is, from the point of ,it,\\, of tilt' substann' which suh-tends thl'lll, indqwndt-nt of tlwir sp,ltio-tt'mporal actualization in a stall' of alhirs. Or, what amounts 10 thl' same thing, one linds pun' singulariti..:s, an {'mission of .~inguJ.lrilies nJnsiden'd from the pt.'rsp(,{·tin' of t1wir ak'atory dt'llwnt. indqX'ndent of tI)(' indidduals and persons \\'hich l'mbody them or actllali·I.{' tlWtll. This adn.'ntun' of humor, this Iwo-lc)ld dismissal ofh{'ighl and depth to the ad\".lntage of tI)(' surfan' is, in the tirst imtann.', tilt' .1dwntun.' of tht' Stoit' sage, But lat('r on. and in .mother conh'xt, it will .1ISl) IX' thl' ad\·t'IlIUr(' ~f Zen-against tilt' Brahman dqlths and tilt' Buddhist Ilt'ight's. TI)(' I:m)olls prohll'ms-tests, the '1u{'stions-answl'rs, t1w ko.Ins, demonstrate tilt' absurdity of signili{'ations and show thl' nonSt'nsl' of denotations. The stalT is tht.' uni\'t'rsal instrunwnt, till' Illash'r of
.
Ill'.
N1N ...nl·NTll :-1-1(11':- 01· 111ll\lOI{
of its I'Xl'{'SS (word = x for a Ihing = x). "'\Ie ~'ar1 SIT this dearl\' in thl' Z{'n .uts: not onl\' in till' art of {lr,lwill~, ",Iwn' the hrush l'ontr<;lkd h~' an ullsupported :\"Tist halann's form a~ld emptirll'ss and distributes tilt' sing\rlaritil's of a purl' C'Tnt in Icwtuitous stroh·s and "furn' lilll's"; hut ,11~ in tlw arts of ganknill!! and Ilow{'r arr,mging, in' till' ll'a Ctn'morH', and in till' arts ~f ardl{'r~\' ,md fencing, whl'rl' tht' "Ilomishing of iron" 'aris('s from a man·dolls \·,~nlit~·. Acros~~ th(' aholislwd signili('a~ lions and tilt' lost d{'notations. Ill{' \'oid is the sit<- of s{'ns~' or of till' {'\'eIU which hamlOnizes with its o\\'n nonsenSl:, in til{' pakl' where llw plan' only t.lkl's place Oa Oil n'(1 p/IIS !I('U 'lUi: Ie heu). TIll' \"Oid is itst'lf thl' par,ldoxical element, thl' surfan' 110n~{'ns~·. or thl' alwa~'s displaced al('ator\, point whence the l'\'l'nt hursts forth as s('nSt'. "Ther{' is no drc\(' ;)1' birth and death to ('sea pc from, nor any suprl.'!1w knO\d~'dg(' to attain." The cOlpty sky rcjet.:ts hoth thc highest lilOughts of the spirit and the profound c)'c1I~s of natur..:. TIlt'
In
toward the lllt',l: ;llld to t·~I.lhlish laws of languagt' {'orn'spontling to the modI'!. Such j,. the "dial,,{:tica'" whok· of J. r('mcm!wring .llld spt.'aking subjt1..'1i\"it~·. For til\' 0lx'ration to Ix' ('urnpll-te. hO\wwr~ thl' indi,'idual Illu:-t Ix' nol nnJ~' a point of dl'J>..lMUrl· and a springbo.ud, hut to 1)(' also n'l'()\l'n~1 at till' l'nd of the operation. with tll(' unin-rsalih" of the Idca ho:ing likt' a IlW.lnS of ,'x:changc oct\"I'Cn the two. This dos~rl' or jX'rfl-ct l"irdl' of iron~' is still al)S('nt from 1}lato. or it appears only Und('f tht' glib... of the comic and of dt·rision. as in tht> "xchangc ~...twl't·n St)('ratcs ~nd Akibiaccomt· now tlw l"haral"lt'ristiepossihiliti('s of tilt" Pl'rsOIl hut also till.." t\\'o l'xtn'llWs of imli\'iduality and til('
worlds ("orrt'sporuling to indh·it!tI<1Js. These possibilitit's cOlltinUt· 10 Iw distributl'd into originar\' and dl'rin'd possihilitit's: but "originarv" . now dt'signatt'S onl~' those predicltt'S of tlw pason wllil·h arl' constant in all possible- worlds (ciltl'gorit's); ami ";Iaiwd" now dt'Signatl's onl)· tilt' individual \'ariabk'S in accordamT "ith \\ hi<'h thl' IX'rson is l·mlxxli('1.1 in difft'rl'nt worlds, From this. a profound transfonnation comt'S about -of th(· uni\'l'rsalit)' of the I(lt-a. of tht· fonn of suhjt'1.-ti\·it\', and of the mo
.
But this inlinih' IX);."tk fn·l·dom. alrl'ad~' suggl'stt'tl b)' thl' I:-'t·t that to I~l'oml' (blm: Ill) nothing .1t all is itsdf indulll'd. is t"Xpn"ssl'd ill a still more positiw
wa)'. for thl' ironi(' indi\'idual has moSI oftt'll tr.H"t·fSI..'(1 a ll1uhitUlk of Jell'rminations in th,' form of possibilit),. poelil'all~· lin'll through th<'l11, hl'fon' 111' ,'mls in nOlhingn'-s.... For imn)". as for tlll' p\·tlul!.orran dOl'lrinl'. the soul is mnstantl~' on a pilgrimage. exn'pt iron~' d<X's' not~I'l'(luir(' sueh a long tinl(' 10 mmpl('!I' it.... (Th.· ironist J then'fon' munts un his fingers likt· a child: rich man. poor man. heggar man. l·tl·. As all tht.'Sl' dt'!l'mlinations nwrd\" haw tm' \J.lillit~· of I>ossibilit~,. m' can eH'n run through lilt' wOOk 101 almost'~ quickl)' a.~ a chilli, Whal l'OSlS the ironist lime. howl·wr. is tIl(" nn' he la\'ishcs on ~'ll,"ting the prop,."r ('OStUIllt' for tht' poetic" p"rsonagl' I...· has lXX"tvro himself to lx:... , Wlwn til(' gi\'l"n al'tualih' !o:;('S its \alillih' for tl1<' ironist. Ihcrefon'. this is not lll.'dUSl· il is outli\'t'll al:tualit~· \\hkh ~h~1I h..' IlisplaC<'t-1 by a tru,·r. hUI IX"f"ausc tht' ironhl is Ih.· l'lt'mal t'go for \\ hom no a('lualil~' i, atkqU.lh"~ What all til(' figurt'S of iron~' h,n·t.· in common is that the~' confin{' till" signlliarit~, within t/\l' limits of thl' indi\'idual or Ii\l' person, Thus. irony 0111~' in appearann: aSSllml'S tilt' roll' of a vagalXlnd. Hut this is why all theS(' ligures arc' threatt.'lll"d b}' an intimate elwm~' who works on them from within: tilt' undifferentiated ground. till' groundless alwss or which WI' pn'\'iollsly spoke, that rq>n,~·nts tragi<' thought and ;he tragic tolll" with which irorw maintains till' most arnhivall'nt rdations. It is Dion~'slls, prt.'sl'nt IX'lle;lh S<x'rat(·s. hut it is also tht' demon who holds up to (;(){I and to his tTl"atllres till' mirror ,"wrcin UniWrs.l1 N1NI,Tl-I'NTlI ~I·ltll·' 01· Hll,\IOIt
139
imli\idtl.llit\' ,Ii:-Mlhc..., [t i:- tIll' dlJ.os \Ihid, hrings ,ll)llllt till' undoing of thl' lwr.. . CI,I ...,...i,.ll di!'CIlI. But hl'n,..l th till's.., t\IO t1iM:ourM.':-, IlltTturning 111..'111 ill \.I~iou~ \\a~~, till' fan,lt'lls Ground ~p,'ab llClII II hilt- rumhling, \Vt' 1Mit' :-.. 't'n th.lt thill languagt' of tilt' ground. till' langll.lg.'" \\hidl is nmh''I'd II ith lilt' dq)lh of til\' hud~.. had a tl\o-fold 1)(1\\<'r-that of ...h.ltlt'n'tl phOllt'lk dt'nWnlll and that of non-anil'ulalt'd tunk \alllt'S. TIlt' lIr:-t of thl"Sl.' thrl'alt'ns and ownurn.:. d.lssi<:al dillloun.t' from II ithin; Iht' S{''(:OI111 thn'alt'n~ alltl Oll'nUnb Romantil' diM'OUN', In ('adl l'a~' and for l'adl tYI)(' of t1i~Otlrsl', thn't' languagl'S mU!'o1 IlO.' t1btingui!'ollt'li. .-:irst. ,1 n'al 1.1Ilguagt' l'orn'sponding 10 Iht' quilt, urdina,:, a!'o, ignatiun of Ihl' sp.'akl'r (tilt' indi\'idu.ll. or rathl'r th., IlO.'r.,un .. ,), s.. ·oml. an id('al languagt' n'pn'l>..'nting thl" m()(lt,1 of di~·otlr.\l.· rdatiw to tilt' fonn of thl' one 11110 holds it (til(" dil'im' mOtld of Cral)/us in n,l.ltion to tIlt' SotTati, subjt'cti\ il~'. for .'x,unplt,; or till: ration.l] Ll'ihnlZlatl Illodd in rdation 10 da!'osical indi\'itluJ.lity; or tilt' l'\'ululioni!'ol mOtkl in rdation to tht' I{om:ullic p..'rson), And tillall~', t':,oh'rit' languagt.. which in l'adl l:J.:'t' n'Pn·S\·llt.~ till' sllh\'l'rsiotl, from tilt' ground up, of till' id.'al 1.1llguagt' J.nd tilt' dissolution of tilt' unl' II ho holds Iht' rl'al languag(', In t'at'll caJ-..', mOn"OI'I·r. tllt'rt' an' intt'm.ll rdations IWlwn'11 the idt'JI modt,l .11U1 ib "'!iUhTic rt'wrsJI, .1S ht't\I''t'n iron~' and till' Iragic ground, to tlw point lilJ.t it is iIllIXlS.,ihll" 10 knO\I un "hit-h l>id., till' maximum iTOn~' lit'S. It ill for this rl"aSOn th,1I it is \Jin to S("('k I a unitlu.' fonnula, a uni(llI" conn'Pt, whidl would hl' Jppli,·"hk to t"'t'':'' t"Sl.)It·nc languag.'; for tilt' grand litlTaL s~'lIabil" and phOlwtic s~,nth(':,>is of Coun dl· Gt'·l>din, for t'xamplt'. "ilh \1 hidl till" dalllli(·al \\odd comt':'> to .l dOSl·. .ll> 1\1'11 01.'" tilT tilt' t'\ulutiw lonil' llyntlll''l>i... of Jt'an-Pi,'rr{' Hris.'il"t, "jilt which }{nm,mtidsm {"J.ml' 10 an ,·nd (\\t' ....1 \\ ,11:0.0 tholt tllt'r.. is no unifonnilY in til\' l'ol:-t' of pOnlllJnh'aU l\ortIJ-), To thl' "ith till' I)('n.on. ami Mlm,,'lirn..,!'o II ith tht' ground II hidl dissol\'l's hoth, ·'Tlw sdf of till' I~"ic po..'1 rais..,s its \'oin'f;o~n till' hottom of tlw ah~'ss of bt'ing; its subjt'{"lilit~, is pun' im,lginat inn." S But .1 linal fl.·sponst' )'t'I rl·m.lins, onl' which dlallt'nges till' undiOi'n'nti.l\l'd primitil'..· ground and tilt" forms of tilt' indil'idual .lnd lilt' ptTSOn, ,111.1 ",hieh rt'jects tlwir ('Illltradit'tion as \1'1·11 as tlwir (,oll1plt'mt'ntarity, No. !'oingularitit's ar.., not imprisoned wilhin indil'iduals and persons: and om' tlOt·s not 1:111 inlo an undiIT\'rl'ntiall'd cground, illlo cgroundks:o. tlt-pth.
;lll.
\\ h.. n Ollt· undo..,:. thl' indh idual .1lI1l thl' IX'l"!'Ion, TIl\' impt'rson.ll and pr..-indhidual an',tllt' fn'" nOIll,ullt J-illgul.lriti..,!'o, D..·t'lwr Ihan all~· utlll'r ground b the llurlan' and tlw J-kin. :\ nt'll t~'lw of "·M>hTit· languag.., is fornU'd Iwn' "hi.-h is its 0\\11 modd .llltl r..alit\', Bt't·oming~mJ.tI dlalWt'Jc 0 J-hapt.' in it.. . dimh to tilt' surl:1l"t', along til\' J-tr.,ight lin..· of tht' Aion, in .. 'h'rnit~·; and th.. Mllll' Ihing h.1PllO.'lh'tn till' db,~ht·tI :-t·lf. tilt' (Tal'kt'tl I, lilt" lost i.. kntit~·. I\h.'n 11l('~' t·t'.l....- IlO.'ing burit'tl J.llt1 IlO.'gin, on Ill\" c'olllra~', tn lih.'rah' th.· singulariti..-:. (If tilt' !'ourf.ln·. Nun:-t'IlSt' .Ind M'll.~' hol ll' tlOlll' a\la~ I\ith t1wir rdalion of d~namk oppol>itioll in onl..'r to t'ntt'r inlo tilt' l'o·pn'M'nCl' of a Mali(· g",llt-:.is-a., tilt' nOIlSl'nSt" til(' Mlrfal't.· anti til(' S('nM' Ilhil-ll howl":'> u: .." it, TIll' Iragi(' alltl tilt' ironic' gi\l' wa~' to a nt'\\ \'alul', that uf humor. I-or ir'" iron\' is tht' ("()t'xknsiwlU'!'os of bdng II ith the imlil itll/a!, or of till' I 1\ itil rcprt.'Sl'ntalion. humor is tilt' l"O-l·xknsi\'t'!lt'Sl> of St'nll.., 1\ ith nOllst'IlS'·. Ilumor is tilt' art of lilt' surl:ln's and of th.. doubl<·!'o, of nom.ld l>ingul,lriti,'s and of thl' always displan'tl al.'alo,:,· point; it is tllt' .1ft of till' st~tic gl'nt'sis, till' sa\'oir-I:lin· of tilt' pun' "Wlll, and till' "Iimrth IXTSOtl singular"-wilh t'\l'r~' signiflt.:atiol1, dt'notatiol1, ami nl,lnit~'!'ot,lIion SllSpl'll(lt'd, .111 Iwight and dqnh aholi:o.h\·d,
or
"""1'1 J 1;"'111 ' I 'tIl "01 HtJ,\I(J1(
1-+1
Twcnticth Series on the Moral Problcm in Stoic Philosophy
Di<>gcncs Lacrtius rclatL'S that tht" Stoics cO"'I)<1I"("(1 philosophy to an "TIlt' shell is Logic, nexl mml."S th(· white. Ethics, and tht' ~'ok(' in the n'ntt'r is Ph~'sics." \Vt' scnsc.~ that Diogl'nl'S rationalizl"S. \V(' must r!'CO\"CT the aphorism-ant"(·dotc. that is, the koan. \V\..' must imagitw a situation in whil"h a discip!..· is raising a qUl"Stion of signilication: (I masH'T. what is ethics? Tht· Stoic sagl' takes thm a hartl-hoil('(1 ('gg from his n'w!'"Sihl t ' cloak and dt"Signat'l''S tht' l'gg with his stall (Or. hadng lakl'n out the egg. Iw Sinklos the discipk' with his staff. git'ing him to lltult'rstancl that he himS(4r must pro\'idt' the answer. TIll' disciple. in turn, tolkl's the staff ami breaks the l'gg in such a manner that a Hull' of till' white ,,'mains attadu'(l to the ~·okt· and 3 link' to till' shdl. Either till' mast('r has to do all of this himsclf. or till' disdple will han: eonuto haw an understanding onl~' after l1lan~' ~·ears.) At any rate, thc.,l?!acc of I'thks is clearly displa)'('d llt'twI'I'n thl' two poles of till' sup..-rlicial. logit'al shell and the dt'('p physical ~'okl', Is not Humpt), Dumpt), hilllSl,lf tl](· Stoic mast('r? Is llot the disdplc's advcnture Alice's ad\'l'ntun'? For htT ad\'('ntun' ('onsists of climbing hack from till' dl'pth of hod iI's to the surface of words. of having till' troubling l'xl~'ril'n('(' of t,thieal ambiguit~·; tilt' l'lhks of hodil's or till' morality of words ("the moral of whal is ~:
said ..."); an (,thks of foodstuff or all \'Ihies of I.mguage. of eating or of speaking, of the yoke or of tlw :o.hl"l1. of st,l!l"S of afT.lirs or of s(·ns(·. \Vl' must go hack to what \\'l' s.lid .1 Httl\' whill' ago, OIl least in onler to bl' able to introduce' SOllll' \.ui,mb. \Vt, mo\'(·d too 'lssiom ,mtll'\il intentions al"(' 1X>SI'rn"d. Didnatioll is. in the most gcnt'ral St'I1S1" thle' art of surf.ln's. lines. and 'ingular points aplx'aring on tilt' surfat't'. This is wh" two lurtum·-t(·lIers l,lnnnt regard Olle anol!wr without laughing. a I'l~lghtl'r whidl is hul~lorouS. (It would. of COurSI'. 1)(' lJ("n'ssar~' to distinguish two Opt'ratlons, nanwJ)'. tlw production of a physkal sud:1l't' for lirws whit'h an' ,till corpon·al. for irn,lgl·s. imprints. rl'prl'st'lltiltions: and till' tran.~la-
0;
TWH.,n 11 TIl ' I Itl'"
ON ~T()ll' 1'1111 O:o,OI'IIY
14J
tion of tlw~\' 01110 .1 "nwtaphysk.ll" surface. wlll'n' ollly incorporl'.ll lim's of till' pun' 1'1'('111 an.' played out. which rcpresents til\' inlt'rprclt'd M'l1~{' of tilt's\' images.) BUI it i,~ not acddt'ntal that Stoil' ('thks was \lnahll' (.md h,ld no ,ksircl ttl Irust in physical nWlhrnls of di\'ination. that it oril'nted itself tOIl ani an l'ntird)' dil'li.'rent 1'01,', and that it d,'\'dol)\'d itSt,lf in a<:<:ordann' with ,m t'ntirdy dillcr('nt lllethod-nanwlv logic Victor liold~dHnidt has dt'arly shown tllI'St' two polt's hct\~'een~ whil'h till' Stoic' vIIlics os<:iIIatl's, One Oil\' h,md, it would lx' a (IU('stion of Il.lrticipating to til\' greatest possible exknt in a divine vision which gatlll'rs in depth ,111 the physkal <:allSl'S in till' unity of a nlsmil' present, in onkr to t'licit til\' divination of ('H'nts which l'IlS11t', On the other haml, hO\\l'wr, it is a (lm'stion of willing til\' {,Wilt whatt'wr it rna\' Iw, II ithollt an\' interpretation, thanks I~ a "usagt' of n'pn's('ntations'; which accompar;~ it'S til\' {'n'nt I'\'...:r sincl' its first aetualiz.ltion, ilssigning to it the most limited pn's('nt possible. 1 In the onl' case, In' mo\'e from the cosmic pr,'s...:nt to tht' not-yet actualizt'd CI'...:nt; in til(' other, \\"(' go from the purc {'n'nt to its most limited pro:S\'nt actualization, Moreovcr, in the on{' C.lse, we link til(' t'v('nt to its L'oq)()fl,.ll caUSt'S and to thl'ir physical unit~,; in til(' otlll'r, we link it to its incorporl'al quasi-cause, til(' kind of caus.llit}, which it gathers and mah·s n'sOllal<' in thl' production of its own actualization. This bipolarity was aln'ady cornprisl·d in til(' paradox of double caus.,lity ami in til\' two charKt('ristics of tilt' statk gl.:nesis -impassihiilt)' and prodllctivit~·. indifferenn' and ...:Ilic.ll),-the illlmandate concqnion which now charal'tlTizes till' Stoic sagt', 'I'll(' insuflidl'llcy of th...: first poll' deri\'('s from tIlt' fact lIlJt :'\,cnts, Ix'ing incorlxlrl'al ...:ni.'l,ts, dilTI'r in naturl' from till' corpon'al caUSl'S from whkh tilt'\' rl'sult; that till'\' ha\'t~ otlwr laws than till')' do and arc dl'tl'rmint'J onl), h~' thdr ;dation with til(' incofJxlrt,.ll qll~si-(.'allsc, l'inTo put it 1"1'1')' wdl when Ill' said that the 1:J.1SS.'g" of tinl(' is similar to tilt' ullran'ling of a thrl'ad (exp!icuIIO),l But ...:\'t~nts, to IX' prl'Ci: do not exist 011 the straight lim' of the lInral'l'll,d thread (Aion), just as Call.~I'S do not exist in the circumli.'retlCl' of the wound-up thread (CllfflllOS), What is till' logical usagl' of rl'pn'sl'ntatiotls, nanwlv of this art which n"ldwd it,~ p".lk in the works of EpilitdllS and Ma;clls Alln'lius? The ohscuril), of th" Stoic thl'or~' of rt'pn's"llt.ltioll, sll\'h as it has I~t'n hamll'd down to us, is wdl known: tilt' roll' and nalul"\' of aSSl'llt in the 144
'I WI-NTlI Til 'l'ltll':-' ON :-.'1'01(" 1'1111 0:-'01'11)"
semi!>ll.: <:orporeal represelltation, as sonwlhing borrowed; the mantler b), which rational representations, which art' still corl)()real, dt'fin' from sensihl(' representations; above all, that whi("h constitutes the character of reprl.:scntation, sUl.:h that it rna)' or ma)' not IX' "compn'hensible"; and (jnall)', the- sl.:ope of the differenn' ht,tw(.'t'n represl'mations-bodies, or imprints, and incorporl'al e\'t'llts-dT,'cts (betwl'en represen/urioos and l'.lpn:ssio/ls), J These last two diHiculties conn'rn us here essentially, sillc(' sensible representations are denot.lIiOlls and rational repfl'sentations an' significations, while only incorport'alvl"I'tlts constitut~, I'Xprt~ss,'d Sl~nse, WI' ha\'t:~ ('ncountered this diffcfl'ncl' of nature between the expression and the representation at e,"er)' turn, l'ach time w~ noted the spt'I'il-icit}, of sense or of the e,"ent, its irn'ducibilit)' to the denotatull1 and to the signified, its ncutralit}· in relation to till' particular and to the gencral, or its impcrsonal and pre-individual Singularity. This differ~nce culminates in th~ opposition between til(' object = x as the identitarian instance of the r~prescntation in cornlllon sense, and the thing = x as th~ noniderltinable clement of expression in the paradox, But, if sense is never an ObjLx't of possible representation, it docs not for this reason intervene an)' less in representation as that which confers a very slx'cial \'alliC to the relation that it maintains with its object. By itself, reprl'semation is gi\,en up to an extrinsic relation of resemblanl.:e or similitude only, But its internal character. by which it is intrinsically "distinct," "adec!uate." or "comprehensive." comes from the manner in which it encompasses, or envelops an expression, Illuch as it may not be able to represent it. The expression. which differs in nature from till' represl'ntation, acts no less as that which is enveloped (or not) inside the repf(~sentation, For example, the perception of death as a state of affairs and as a quality, or the concept "mortal" as a predicate of signification, rcmain extrinsic (deprived of sense) as long as tlll'Y do not enl.'Ompass the e\'ent of dying as that which is actualized in the onl' and expressl~d in the other. Representation must encompass an expression which it docs not repn'scnt, but without which it itself would not be "comprehensi\'e," and would han trllth onl), by chance or from outsid(', To know that W(' are mortal is an apOllektic knowl,'dge, albdt \'mpty ami abstract; effecti\'{: and successive deaths do not sufiice of course in fulfilling this knowl('dge ade(luatcly. so long as onl.: dOl' S not COlllt' to know death as an imlx~rsonal cvent pro\'idl'd with an always 0l)('n problematic structure (wherc and when?). In fact, t\\"o TWI,NTII'TlI SERll:S ON STorc l'IlILOSOl'llY
14S
tv x's of knowkdg(' (Sill'oir) have often been distinguished, nrw indilTer(:I!t. r<'Ill,lining ('xll'rnal to its objel"t. and the other COIuTt'te. sceking its ohjt'c! \\'Iwr('\'cr it is. Rcpn'scntation attains this topil'al idl,,,1 onl~· by nwans of tht' hidden expression whil·h it cncompass('s, that is, by means of till' ('wnl it envelops. T!wrc is thus a "USt'" of rcpn'scntation, withoLlt which repn'scmatio!1 would remain Iirdl~ss and sl'ns(']css. Wittgt'nstein and his disdples arc right to define meaning by means of lIS(', Ilul such usc is not defined through a function of repn'sclliation in
rdation to the represented, nor even through rcprcscntatin'ncss ,lS til(' form of possibility. Here. as dscwhcn', the functional is transn'nded in till' direction of a to!:Kllog)', and usc is in the relation bC'tween rt'pn'st'ntat ion and sonwthing extra-representative. a non represented and nll'rd)' express~'(1 entit)'- Representation l'lwclops the e\'ent in another nature, it cnwlops it at its borders, it stretches until this l:Klint, and it brings about this lining or hem. This is the operation which den.lll's living usage, to the extent that repn's('ntation, when it docs not real·h this l:Klint, remains ani)' a clt'ad IctH'r confronting that which it represents, and stupid in its repn'senti\"cncss, TIll' Stoic sagc "identifies" with the CJuasi.causl', Sl'ts up shop at the surface. on the straight line which trawrses it, or at the aleatory point which traces or travels this Iinc. The Solg... is Iikc tlw archer. Howe\"er, this cOlllwction with the archer should not be understoo<1 as a moral nwtaphor of intention, as Plutarch suggests, b), sa~'ing that thl' Stoic sage is SUpl:KlSt'd to do everything, for the' sake of attaining thl' end, Onl' rather acts in order to have dOll(' all that which delX'l1(iL-d on one in order to attain the l'nd. Such a rationali:t.ation implies a late interpretation, onc which is hostile to StoiL'ism. TIlt' relation to the archer is dos('r to Zen: the bowman must reach thc point where the aim is also not th~' aim, that is to Sol),. the bowman himsdf; when' the arrow flies OWl' its straight line while neating its own targ(·t; where the surface of the targ~'t is also til(' lint' and the point, the l:Klwman, the sllOotin~of the arrow, and what is shot at. This is the oriental Stoic will as pr):.. "in·sis. The sage waits for thl' e\"ent, that is to sa)', UlldCfSWllds ,he pllre erent in its eternal truth. indl'f)('ndentl)' of its spatio-tl'mporal actualization, as something cternall~' yet-to-eome and always alread~' passed .let·onling to the linl' of the Aion. But, at the S.lme tinl<', the sage also wills the e~'lbcKltmem and the actualization of till' pure incorpon'all',·('n.t in a state of afT.1irs and in his or her own hody and t1esh. ltknti(ving with 14(,
TWI·NTII·TIl
~I,"ll,~
ON STOIC 1'1111
O~OI'IIY
till' 'luasi-cauSl', the sage wbill's to "gin' a body" to the incoq:Klreal clrcct, sine(' the ~,ncct inlwrits tlw ('aust' (lioldschmidt puts it \"Cry \\"1,11, \\ ith fl'slxTt to an (:\'('nt such as going for a walk: "The walk. incorporeal insofar as it is a way of heing, .K'luin·s a bod)' (prelld corps) under till' eflt'ct of the hegemonic prirll"iple whieh is manifest('d in it."4 And this 'lpplies to the wound and to arclwry just as much as it applies to the stroll). But how could the sagt' h(' till' ~Iuasi-cause of the incorporeal ('\'t'nt. and thereby will its eml~linwnt, if the e,"ent were not alread)' in the proc'('ss of being produCt'd hy and in the depth of corporeal causes, or if illness were not prl'parl'd at tlw innem10S1 depth of bodies? The quasi-caus(' dOl'S not neate, il "operates," and wills onl)' what ('onws to pass. Representation and its usag(' thercforl' inter\"Clll' at this point. Coq:Klreat causes act and sufT('r through a cosmil' mixtllre and a uniwrsal present which product's the incorporeal c\'ent. But the quasi(".lUSt' operates by doubling this phpil:JI causality-it ('mbodies the (·\"t·m in the most limited pos.~ibte pn'scnt ",hit'h is the most precise and tlw most instantam:ous, tlw pure instant grasped at the point at \\"hidl it divides itself into future Jnd past, and no longer the present of the world which would gather into itsdf the past and the futllr{~. The actor on:upies the instant, while the charal:tl'r l:Klrtrayed hopes or fears in the future and remembers or repents in the past: it is in this s(~nst' that thl.· actor "rl'lm::Sl·nts." To bring about the correspondence of t1l(~ minimum time whit'h can occur in the instant with tht' maximum time which can he thought in accordance with the Aion, To limit the .wtllalization of the ewnt in a present without mixture, to make the instant all the more in1('ns(', taut, and instantaneous sincc it expresses an unlimit(.'(1 future and an unlimite<1 past. This is the usc of representation: til(> mime, and no longer the fortune-teller. One stops going from tht' greatest present toward a futurl' and past which arc said only of.1 smaller pH'Sellti 011 the l:ontrary, one goes from Ihe future and past as unlimih'(1, all the way to the smallest presellt of a pure instant which is vlldlt'ssly sulxli\"ided. This is how the Stoic sagl' not ollly (·ompreIWllds and wills Iht' e\'cnt, but also fi'presenfs 1/ (wd, by ,hIS, selec/j 1/, and thJI an dhics of the mime ncCt'ssaril~' prolongs tht' logic of senst'. HI'ginning with a pun' e\"ent the mime directs and doubles the al:tualit,l(ion. I~c.lsun's the mixt~n's with til\' aid of an instant without Illixtul"\', and pr('\"\'Ilts them from oH'rllowing.
·1 WH'n II· TI I "I·IUI·S ON "TOIC 1'1111 USOl'llY
147
1
Ei~her ethics makes no sensc' at .111. or thi~ is what it means and 1.1~s nothlllg dSI' to s..l)': not to 1)(' unworth~' 01 what happc'lls to us. I ~
Twenty-First Series of the Event
We are sometimes Iwsit31lt
to call Stoic: a COncTl'Il' or IlOl·tic way of lift" as if the name of a deKtrillt, wcn' 100 bookish or abstract to d,'Signat<· till" most personal rdation with a wound. But where do· tkx:tri!ws come from, if not from wounds and "jut aphorisms which. with thdr charge of cxt'mplaf)' pro\"{X'ation. are SO man~' slX-'(.. ulatin~ 3nt'Cdotl's? J()(' BouS<Jut·( must Ix' called Stoic I-h- apprchmds the \\oun
'4'
grasp whatl'\'er happens as unjust and ullwarrantc'(\ (it is alwa~'s some0111' dsc's fault) is. Oil the contrar\,. what n'nc\c'rs our SOrt'S n'llUgnant -\'(·ritablt· re.s.k'nfll7k"nf, rcsentnU'l~t of the ('\'I'l1t, Thert' is no othcT ill \\ ill, What is really immoral is tilt' 1I1>1.' of moral notions likc just or unjust. ml'rit or fault, \Vhat dOl'S it nlt'an thl'll to will tht' ('\'cnt? Is it to accept war. wounds. and dl'ath wlwn th(:y occur? It is highl~' probable that rt'Signatkm is onl~' OIl<' mOrl' figuTl..' of U5St't1/1nJenl, sinn' r,'ss<'nllmenl has man)' figuTl.'S. If willing thl' l'wnt is. primarily, to I'('leaSl,' its t'h'mal tmth. like til(' lire on \\ hich it is fetl. this will would Tl..'ach thl' IXlint at which war is wag('(1 against war. til(' wound would be the living trace and the scar of all wOllnds. and death turnl't.l on itsc'lf would Ix' wilkll against all deaths. We an' fac('d with a volitional intuition and a transmutation, "To m}' indination for dl'ath." said Bousquet. "which \\,;lS a failure of the will, I will substitute a longing for dl'ath which would he the alxltlwosis of the will." hom this inclination to this longing tlu.'rt.' is. in ;I certain f('sI>cct. no ,'hang~' c'xccpt a ,'hange of the \\ ill. a sort of leaping in placc' (saUl sur plocc) of til\' wholl' I)()(I~' which l'xchangcs its organic will for a spiritual wil1. It \\'i1ls no\\' not exactl)' /' \\ hat occurs. hut something in that which occun;. wllwthing yet to l'OIll(' whkh would be l"Ol\sistent with what occurs. in accordance with tilt' laws of an obscure. humorous l'onfomlit~,: tht· En'lll. It is in this 1>I.'nM' that the Arnor fm is one with the stmgglt' of fn.-e men. M~' misfortune is pTl..~nt in all ~'H'nts. hut also
with ont"S {",lrnal birth-to IXTonw the offspring of orw's c\,enL.. and not of Ulll'\ actions. for the action is it.·...M pro
tlll'
,'\l'II!.
Thl' .Klor is not like a god, but is rather like an "anti-g<Xf' ((onlr~ J,.'Il). God .md actor are oppost'(l in their ~adings of time. What men gra...p as past and future. Goo lin'S it in its etemal pn:'S<'nl. "Ill{' trlxl is (:hronos: tllt~ divine pn"SCnt is the cin'lt" in its clltirl·t\,. \\ Ill'rcas I)3S1 and future arc dimensions rdati\'{" to a particular scgm~nt of thl' circle \\hidl lea\'es the fl.-st outsidl', '111(' actor's presl'nt. on the contrary. is 111(' most narrow, the most ('ontract('(I, till' instantalll'olis. and the most punctual. It is the IX)illt on a straight line which didd(·s thl' line / Clldl(·5sl)'. and is itself di\'id..:d inlo past-fUlur"" Th", actor Ix'iongs to th", Aion: inst"'ad of the most profound, th", most full)' pn.'sent, th", present which spr"'ads out and mmpn'ht'nds the future and tht., past, an unlimited past-future rises up hen.' rcllcrk'tJ in an empty pR'Sl'nt whi,,-,h has no mon.' thickness than the mirror. The actor or actn.>ss rt.'pr('Sents, but what he or she rcpR'Sl'nts is always still in the futun' and all"l'ad)' in the p,ast, whereas his or her n'prcsentation is impassiblt· and
mo.",
I
I~O
TWI·NTY-I-IR"T
!
01- Till- I-VI·NT
Thl' pll\'sical mixture is cxact only, at the Icwl of the whole, in the , fulll"irde of the divinc prCSl'nt. But \\ ith n'Slx'(·t to l'ach pan, thcl"l' are Ill.ln~' injustict.'S and ignominil'S, m,lIl~' paraSitic and cannibalistic pro· ("I'SSt'S which inspire our terror at \\ hat happens to us, and our resent· nwnt at what occurs. Humor is inM'l>.lrable from a sck'cth'e force: in Ihat which OlUJrs (an acridl,Ilt), it sdt'('ts the pure t'\'C11t. In eating, it ~,II'CtS slx·.lking. Bousquet lish'Cl till" l·h.lractt"ristics of the humor-actor (J., f'humollr-DCuur): to annihil.lh' his or hl"r tracks whenevcr neccssan'; "to hold up among men and works Ih.,,, h<-lrIa before blllcrness," "to assign to plagues, t)'rannks, and tht., most frightful wars th", comic possibility of hadng reigned for nothing"; in short, to libcratl' for cach thing "its imlllaculat(' portion," languagc and will, ..i mor Fa/i. 2 Wh~' is l'Wry event a kind of plagul', war, wound, or death? Is this ~impl~' to sa)' that there arc mon° unfortunate than fortunate events? No, this is not the l"aSC since th(' qUl'Stion here is about the doubll' structure of ('w')' e\·en1. With CWf)' e\'cnt, there is indeed the present 111011u'nt of its actualization, the mOI1ll'nt in which the event is L't1lbod· il'(l in .a state of affairs, an indh'idual, or a person, the moment we tll'Signate b)' sa)'ing "hut, tht" moment has mme.'· 111(' future and the past of the CH'llt are eyaluatl"C:!. only with rcslX'Ct to this definitive prt.'S(·nt, and from thl' point of view of that which embodiC'S it, But on 11ll' otllt.'r hand, then' is the future and the past of the cvent considered in itself. sidestepping each present, being frt.'C of the limitations of a st,ll<' of affairs, imp('rsonal and pre.individual, neutral, ndlhcr general nor parti(.-u!ar, cremllrll ranfum. It has no othl'r pn.'Scnt than that of tlw mobile instant which represcnts it, always divided into past-future, OInt! fomling what must be call1'(l thl' counter-actualization. In one case, it i:o. m~' life, which $('t.'ms too weak for me and slips awa)' at a point \\hit-h, in a detcmlint.'tJ relation to me, has become pn.-sent. In the other ('J!ol', it is I who am too weak for lift" it is life which o\'l'rwhclms rnt', st.·JUt'ring iL~ singularitit.'S all about, in no relation to me, nor to a monll'nt dl'tl'mlinable as the prt'Sl'nt, except an il1lpersonJI instant \\ hich is divid('tJ into still-future and alrt'adY-J>.lst. No 0Ill' has shown 1Jt.·th'r Ihan Maurin' HlanchOI that Ihis ambiguit~, is ('ssc:'ntially that of tilt' \\ound ami of dt'ath, of lIll' mortal wound. I)l'ath has an extn'nw Jnd ddinitr rdation to 11ll' and Ill)' bod)' and is grounded in flU', but it al~o has no n·lation to ow at all-it is inmrpor"'al and infinilin', inll>l'r~onal. groundl't! onl~' in itsdf. On one sidl', tlwrl' is till' part of TWI·NTY-l·IH~T~1'HII'~ 01' Til 1- I'VI-NT
I~I
th,,' ,,'n'nt which is n'alizt'd ami accomplisll{'d; on tilt' otlwr. then' is that "part of tilt' t'\'t'nt which l--annot rcalize its ae(.'"Omplislmwnt." Thae Me thus twO an'omplishments. which arc like aetualization and countera(-tualization, is in this wa)' that tll-'ath and its wound an' not simply ,,'\"('nts among other e\'en1.'i, E\'l-'')' ('wnt is like death, doublc and impt'rsonal in its doubl~ "It is th(' ab~'s"i of the pn'St'nt. thc time without present with which I have no "'Iation. toward which I am unabl(' to proj('(.'t myself. For in it I do not die. I forfeit the power of d~'ing, In this abyss the)- (on) die-they 11\'\'cr Cl,'asc to dic. and they newr sun,eed in d)'ing, .. J How diffcl't'nt this "the\'" is from that which we encounter in l'\'erJday banality. It is tht' "the~'" of impersonal and pre-indi\'idual singularities. the "the)'" of the pun' nent wherein ;/ tli('s in the same W3)' that if rains. The splendor of the "they" is the splendor of the ('wnt itself or of the fourth person, This is wh)' there arc no private or coll(x:tivc e"'ents. no mor(' than there arc individuals and universals, particularities and generalities. Evt't)'thing is singular, and thus both eoll('etiw and privatl', partinllar and general. neither individual nor universal. Whieh war. for ('xamplt" is not a private alTair? Converscl)" which wound is not inllicte<1 hy war and dcriwd from societ)' as a whole? \Vhich private l'\'('nt doL'S not han' all its coordinates, that is, all its impersonal soc'ial singularitit'S? There is. !U'\'l'rthdess, a g()()(1 deal of ignomin~' in SJo)'ing that war (:oncerns cwryl)()(!)', for this is not true.11t does not concrm thOS(' who usc it or thOS(' who S('n'c it-crcatu~ of fe5Sl.'nwncm. And there is as much ignominy in sa~'ing that e\'er:'one has his or her own war or particular wound. for this i..: not trut' of those who scratch at th('ir son'S-the creatures of bittl'mcss and rf'SSf'nfimem. It is truc onl~' of the fro: man, who grasps till' ('wnt, and docs not allow it to bl' al-·tualized as such without cnal-'ting, thl' actor, its countera(1.ualization. Onl)' thl' f(('t, man, thcrefon', can comprehend all \'iolcnce in a single act of violt'nn'. and en'r~' mortal t"'t'!lt In a SlnS!t' El'I!n/ which no longer mah·s room for the accident. and which dt·nounc(.'S and n'ITlO\'CS tilt' pOW('f of re5Sl.'Il/lmenf within the indi\'idual as well as the powt'r of oppr('ssion within socit't~', Only hy sprt'ailing fessenflnlt'1H the tyrant fomls allies. namely slaH's and servants, TIl(' n"'olutionar)' .llone is fr,,-'(' from tilt' ft'sst'll/lmem. hy means of which OIl\' always participates in. and profits hy. an oppn'ssivc onlt-r, Dill.' and /Ile some tn'lIt? Mixture whirh t'xtrarts ami pl/rail's, or measures t·\'{·rything at an instant with-
Fi
!
1{2
TWI-NTY-!'IK"T "I-K II. " 01· 1'111' I·VI·NT
out mixtun·. instead of mixing ,,-,\,(,~,thillg togctllt.:r. All fonm of \'io~ lem'(' ami opprt'ssion gatho:r togt't/lt'r in Ihis singk' nenl which de· nountTS all by denouncing ant' (Ih... n...an'St or tin.11 state of the qUt.'Stion), TIl\' 1)S~'dK>p,lIhoiog)- whit:h tht" pOt'1 nlJkt'S his OWII is not a sinistt"r little ,In.-id...nt of lX'rsonal destiny. or an illlli"klu,ll, unfonunatc acdden!, It is not tht, milkman's truck which has run o,'t'r him and ldt him disablcd. It is tht' horsl..nwn of the J-1ulltlrcd 81acks ...a~·illg £MJt Iheir pogroms against their ,l.11Ct""tOrs in thc gilt-Un<; of Vilna... , TIl(' blows n·ct.-h,,-'tI to the ht.·ad dill lK>t happt'n during a strt'Ct bnowl. but \\ 110.'11 the polk... charg"'t! the demonstrators, , , If hc (Tit'S out like a deaf gCllius, it i~ bt'CauSt· til(" bombs of <.iucmica and Ilanoi !lan' dl'afcll('(l him. , .." It is at this mobile and prcrise point. wlwn' all ('vcnts galher together in Oil(' thaI transmutation happens: this is the point at which death turns against dealh; where d)'ing is the nt.-gation of death. and the impt'rsonalit), of dying no longer indicates anI)· the moment whell I disappear outside of m)'Scif. but rat!wr til(' mom('nt w!l('n death loses itsdf in itself. and also th(' flgure which til(' most singular lifc takcs on in order to substitut(, it!'Clf for me. 5
Twenty-Second SeriesPorcelain and Volcano
IIOr course all life is a PTOC('SS of breaking down...
I:.. , w phras<.'S r<."SOnatc in our heads with such a hammer blow. fl'\\' t('xts posscs.<; this final character of a maslt'rpit""Cc. or arc able to impose silence or force such terrifit'(! acquk-st'cnc(' as Fitr.gcrald's The CrocI: Up. The entin.· work of Fitr.gcrald is the unique dt'\'c1opmC'nt of this proposition-in partirl ular. of til(' "of course." Here is a man and a woman, there is a couple (and wh)' couples. if not hcc.ausc it is alrcady a qUl.-'Stion of movement, and of a procl'S."; ddin{'(! on the basis of the dyad?) who have. as we say. c\'C.~r)'thing it takes to Ix- happ)': looks. chann. riches, sUI~rficialit~" and lots of talent. And then SOffit·thing happens that shatkrs t1ll'1ll I.k(· an old pkatc or glass. Then.' is a lcrribk' tt-tc·a-tctc of tilt' schizoplm.:nic and tlU' alcoholic, unless death takes them both. Is this til(' notorious sclf-dl'stnlction? What has hap!X'Ill'(1 ('xactl)'? 'l1w)" han' not trit..,<1 an),thing spcdallx')'ond their power, and )'ct the)" wak(' up as if from ,a haufc which has b('('n too much for thcm, their hod it'S hrokt'll, t!wlr Illusdl's straitwd, their souls dead: "a f('ding that I was standing at twilight on a des('rh'{! rangl" with an l'mpt)' rill(' in m)' hamill'"and the targets down. No problelll set-simply a sil('IKe wilh only the sound or ~ll\' own br('athing. , , . My self-immolation was something sodden· dark.'" In fan, a Int"-'has hapl)I.'nell, outsidl' as well as insidt,: til\' war, ,,,I
tlw linandal crash, a certain growing older, thl' dqm:ssioll, i1lm.'Ss, the llight of talcnt, But all thes(' noisy ,lCddl'nts alr('ad~' han' t1l\'ir outright d1"('cts; ami tht')' would not bl' sunicil'lll in th('msch-t's had tll('y not dug their wa~' down to soml'thing of a whnlJ~' difTcrl'nt naturl' which, on til<' ('olltrar)', the)' re\"(~al onh- at J dbtann' and when it is too latctill' silent cral·k, "Why han.' \\t' Imt 1)I.'an" 10\'(', and health one aftt'r til\' otll('r?" There was a sil('nt, illll)l.'rct:ptihie nack, at the surface, a unique surfacc Event. It is as if it WCIT' suspemkd or howring over itsdf, f1~'ing O\'cr its own field, TIlt' rc,ll difTeR'nc<' is not betwl'Cn the insidt' and the outside, for till' cral'k is Iwither internal nor external, but is rather at the frontier. It is imlX'rl'Cptible. incorporeal, and idt'ational. With what happens insidl' and outside. it has complex relations of interference and intcrfadng, of syocopatl,<1 junctions-. !Jolttcrn of corresponding beats over two difTl'rent rh),thms. E\'el'),thing noisy happens at the edge of thc nack and would IX' nothing without it. Conversel)', the crack pursues its sHeni course. changes direction follOWing the lines of least rcsistann', and cxtends its web onl\' under tht' immediate influent..'C of what haplX'J\S. until sound and sile~ce wed each other intimatel)' and continuousl)' in the shattering and bursting of the end. What this means is that the entirl' play of the crack has lx"t:ume incarnatt..-d in the depth of the bod~'. at the same time that the labor of the insidl' an(1 the outside has widem'(l tit<- edges, ("13)' God. if I cwr crach,nsolatio;" Q ronk'rlcoiru', through projt.'Ction, dOl.'Sn't wash for thOSt, who know that the L'Comcs Ihe r ston~'s, a l)l.'trif\'ing idl'ntihl',ltiol1? As Malcolm Lowry had J mt'n~lwr of ,lllotlwr ('auI'll' s;y: l~lIt granll',l it hatl 1lt:.'l1 split, \\'.1S tlwl"I' no \\'.1)', 1><.,fuI"I' total disintegration ,lu>III,l ",'t in, of .1t I..a.,t sal'ing till' 1\('\"\'1"1'" hail'('s! ... Oh, hut why-hy I WI·NTY-""·I.·OND "'1·J{I"~-"OJ{l'I·1 AIN AND VOl CANO
'H
~onw f.llldfUI g.'ologk th;ounl;oturg~.. (;ouldn't th,' pic(;('s I.... \\l'ld"tl Iogl,tlll'r ilgilin! Silt, (Y\,;mlll') ltmgl'll to IW<11 til(' dcft ro~:k, Shc wa,~ Olll' of til(' roc~~ and ~Il<' \T'lrtwd to ~alT the othl'r, that both 1111ght lx, ~an'd, B~' ,1 ~ul)('rlapl dMV dl,;rt, ~11I' 11I0\'\'11 hCT"l'('lf llI'an'r ii, I>ourcd out her pl('a~. ht'r pas.\ioI1Jh· l".l;~. told alllll'r forgin-nl's",: til\' rock stood unmoH'(1. "TI1OSl.' to Ilisinh'gr.ltt' a~ I plcaM,!")l
Though th(' association rna\' lx' dose, we ha\'(' here two dl'!ll('nu or two pr~('sSt.'S which differ in-nature, There is the crack w!li('h t'xtends it~ straight, incorporeal. and silent lin<' at the surfan,'; ami tht'rl' ar(' t'xh'rnal blows or nois~' internal pn..'SSurcs which mah' it (Il'\,iatl\ tkq>en it, ami inscrilx- or actualize it in the thickn('SS of thl' Ixxl~" Ar(' theS(.' not thl' two aspects of death that Blanchot (Iistinguish('tl ('arlier? lJC'ath as en'nt, inst'parable from the past and future int'O which it is di\'idl-d, Iwn'r prL'SC'nt, an impersonal death, the "ungraspablt" that whil·h I (:an not grasp, for it is not bound to me b~' an~' sort of relation, which ne\'('r comes and toward which 1 do not go." And then l>ersonal dl'ath, which occurs and is actualized in the most harsh prt'Sl'nt whose "('xtrenw horizon (is) th(' fre('tlom to die and to lx, able to risk onl'Sl'!f mortall\'." \V(' (:'Quld mention \'arious wan in which the assol:iation of the tw~ may lx' brought aoout: suicide o~ madness, til(' uS(' of dmgs or akohol. Pt·rhaps tht' last two art' the most Ix'rf('('t, IxocauSl\ rather than hringing tilt" two lines togl·ther in a fatal point, the~' take time. J e\'('r- / thd('SS, tht'n' is, in all cases, something iIIuso~" WIll'n Klan('hot thinks of suidd(' as till' wish to bring about the l-oinC'idenn' of Ihe two fan,'S of t1l'ath-of prolonging imjx'rsonal death b~' means of tilt' most pl'rsonal act-he dearl~' shows the ine\'itabilit~, of this couplIng or of this altl'mpt al coupling, But he tri('S also to ddine tilt' illusion, I In fact, an "'ntin' dill('n'm'l' of nature subsists Ix,t\\'('('n what is joilll'ti tog(,tl1l'r or what is narrowl\' t·xtl'nc!C'<1. But this is not" whal' the problem resides, For whom dues this diffen'nee in natun' subsist if nol for tht' abstract thinhr? Ami how ('ould this Ihink('r. with n'spl'ct to this problem, not lx' ridiculous? The two prolTs,~I'S difft'r in natur\'; so IX' it. Hut what can IX' done so Ihat Ofll' pnX"('ss dOt's not naturally and twc('ss<1rily prolong the oth<1? How could til(' silt'nl Iran' of the in(,(lrporeal (:raek at the ~tlrfan' l:li1 to "II.-.·pl·n" in till' thickl1e~s of a noi~~' I)()(I~'? How ('()lIld tilt' smfaet' gash f,lil 10 Iw..'olllt· a deep SfJ<1Jwnn, and tilt' surface nonSt.'nSt· a non~l'nse of I{h
TWI·NTY-'>I·l'OND :..1:H.ll-:..-I'(lIH·'·1 AIN AND VOl L'ANO
the dq>ths? If to will is to will tilt' t'\'t'lll, how could we not also will its full actualization in a corpon'al mixtut'l', SUhjl'ct to this tragic will which presides over all ingestions? If tilt' ordt'r of thl' sllrf.1C(' is itself crach'd, how could it not itself bre.lk up, how is it to he pr<~\'{'nte(1 from prt't-'ipitating (k-stnlctioll, ewn if this Ilwant losing all accompanying 1)(,.'ndits-t1w organization of languagl' ,md t'n~n lif(' itself? How could \\'(' not reaeh the point at which \\1' l".m ani\' spell leHt'r Iw k'ller and l'r~' out in a son of schizophrt'llic tlt'plh, bu; no longer slX:ak at all? If t1wrl' is a crack at th(' surfal·e. ho\\ ('an \n' pre\'Cnt dl'Cp life from Ix'('oming a dl'molition job and pn·\t·nt it from IX'l.'oming it as a maHer "of ('ourSt,'''? Is it possible to maint.lin till" inlll"rt-'nCl' of the incorport'al erad, while taking care not to hring it into t'xistenl"t..', and not to incarnate it in the depth of the bod)'? Morc pn'Ciscly, is it possible to limit oUfSl,ln.-s to the counter-actualization of an l'wnt-to th(~ actor's or dancer's simplc, flat representation-while taking care to pre\'ent tilt' full actualization which l·haractt."rizl'S thl' \'ictim or the tme p,atient? All thl'SC' <juestions point out til(' ridit·ulousnl'S.'i of the thinker: nos, there are alwa~'s two asl>CClS, ami till' two proc<'SSC'S differ in na~re. Hut when BouSCJu(,t speaks of thl' wound's eternal tmth, it is in the name of a p"-'rsonal and abominable wound which he bears within his body. When fi17.gcrald or L.ow~' speak of this incorporeal metaphpical nack and find in it till' locus as well as thl.' obstacle of their thought, its saurc(' as well as its d~'ing up, senS<' and nonSl'nSl', the~' speak with .111 the gallons of alcohol the\' ha\'c (Inlllk \\ Ilich have al1:ualizcd the lTa(,k in the botl)'. When Artaud speaks of the erosion of thought as :.ollll,thing Ix>th ('Ss('ntial and accidental, a radical imlx>{('nce and nevcrtllt'lt,s.~ a great powt'r. it is ah'ad)' from the bonom of schizophrenia. Each one risked sonwthing and W('n! as far as possible in taking this risk; each on(' drew from it an irrcpn's.
1S7
but not l.'nough to tkt' wn it i.r!emediall)'? When'vcr \w turn, ~\'er}'. thing St'('I11S dismal. Imll',>d, how arc we 0 stay at till' surfal'c without sta)'ing on till' shon'? Ilow do we sa\'c oursdv<.'S by s.wi~'g the s~,rf~(~l' and t"Try surl:u'c organization, including languagl' and lif,'? Ilow IS tlus polll"'S, this fullSllcril/a wa1arc to he attainl."(!? (How mud, \\"(" ha\'e yet tl) I('arn from Stoicism.... ) Alcoholism docs not St-ocm to oc a scarch for pleasun', but a St.'arch fur all dli.-ct which consists mainly in an extraordinary hardl'ning of til(' pn'St'nt. One li\'es in two timcs, at two moments at once, hut not at all in till' Proustian manner. The othl.. r moml'nt mOl)' refer to projCl.1S as much as to mt.'mories of soocr Iifc; it ne"crthdcss exists in an l'ntirdy difTl'f{'nt and profoundly modified wa~', held fast ill.'iide the hardenl.'
TWI'NTY-SH:(INll sl
l)t·r!i.·d to bt.-comc an "I han,.dnltlk" ((m-bll). Tht.' presc.'nt 1ll01ll('nt is longer that of the alcoholic ('Ili.'l·t. hut that of thl' dfcct of the ('ffect, TIlt.' other moment now indiITl'ri'ntly t-rnbracL'S thl' ncar past-the moment when I was drinking-tilt.' s~'stt'lll of imaginal)' identifications concealed by this ncar past, and tilt' n'al denll'nt of the more or !L'Ss distanCl.'d sober past. In this wa~', thl' induration of the prcs.·nt has l'hangL-d its meaning entircl)·. In its h,udnl-"SS, the prescnt has lost its hold and fadi'd, It no longer l'IldOSt's .1Ilything; it rather distanCl'S l'W~' asp,'('t of the other mommt, Wt' multi sa)' that the ncar past, as well as the past of identifications whk-h is mnstitutL-'(! in it, and finall\' the sober past which supplied the malt'rial, ha\'e all fled with outstretchl.-,(! Wings. We could sa)' that all tht'SC art' ('quail)' far off. maintained at a distance in the generalized expansion of this fadro present, and in the nt'w rigidit)' of this new pr{"SCnt in an expanding desert. The past Ix'rft.'Ct. of the first efT<.'C1. is replaced b~' the lone "I have-drunk" of the Sl'COnd, wherein the present auxiliary expTL'SSC..'S onl~- the infinite distance of e\"cl')' participle and e\'ef)' l:lankipation_ The hardening of the pn"SCnt (I ha\'e) is now relatl.-'(! to an effl'Ct of the flight of the past (drunk). E"el')-thing culminates in a "has bun." This effect of thc flight of the past, this loss of the obj<.'Ct in ('\'en' sense and direction mllStitutcs the dt.'pressi\"(' aspoct of alcoholism~ And it is perhaps th~ ('fTl"C1 of flight that yields the greatest forn' in Fitzgerald's work, and that which expresses it most arated ("M), God, drunk for h'll )'('ars"), but also the ll,:.lr pa.st in whidl tht')' ha\"(' just Ix'en drinking, and the f.lntastil' past 01 till" Itrst dT,'ct, Et'l'T)'thing h,lJi 1)('('OIll" t'
rWI·NT"-~I,l.'UNII SI·RII· ... -I'OK(·I·1 AIN ANI) VOl CANO
til(: Ill"('(ossitv of drinking anew, or rather of h;lo\'ing drunk anew. in onla to Iri~llnph Q\Tr this hardenl.J and fadl..,,({ prcsc.·nt \\ hich alol1(" subsi~b and signitil's dcath. It is in this n'gard that akoholism is l'xl'mpla,:,', for other cvents, in their own wa)" can hring about thi... aknhol-t:Ocl't: loss of mom'~'. for cxampl(', lovc, the loss of our nath"e mUlltn', or th(' loss of SUCCC'SS. T11I.')' do so indq)cndentl~' of alt-ohol and in .lrl ~'xt('rnal \\'a)', but till')' res('mble the wa), of alcohol. Fit/-gcrald, for example, cxpcrienc(:s monl'y as all "I have beell rich," which st'par,ltes him from the moment at which Ill' was not y(·t rich. from the rnOIll('nt at which he bccallll' rich, and from till' identific.ltions with the "!nl(' rich" to which hl' uS(·d to apply himself. Tak<... for instanl·C. (;atsbv's great 10\'1.' SCCnt:: at till' "cry moment he 100'cs and is lo\'\_-'d. (;atsb;" i:: his "stupef)'ing scntillll'ntaiit~"" behan'S as if intoxicatro" He hanlt>ns thi... prl..'SCnt with all of his might and wishes to bring it to l'ncl()S(' the most tt>mler idl'ntilication-naml'i)', that with a past perfeet in which w(~ would ha\'l' Ix'cn lovec! absolutely, cxdusin:I)', and without rival by th(' samt' woman (fin' years abscnce lik<., tell )'l'ars drunkcIllK'Ss), It is at this summit of identification-fit'l.gcrald said of it that it was IXlul\'alent "to the death of all fl'aIi7-ation"-thal Gatsb)' breaks like a glass, that he lost'S e"('I),thing, his recent Ion:, his old lo\'c, and his fantastic 100"c" What gi\,cs alcoholism an exemplal)' \-aluc, howl'\,cr, among all these ('\'('nlS of the same t)'pe, is that alcohol is at on('(' low and til(' loss of Ion'' monl'V . and till' loss of mone\', the nali' _ land and its loss, It is at onn' obJ«t, loss i!f ob1«f, and ,he Jaw !J01"I.'rnms Ih,S loss within all orchestrated proc~ss of demolition ("of coursc"),. Th(' problem of knowing whether wl.' can pre\'l'nt til<' nack from Ix'ing incarnat('d ami actualiz(xl ill till' body in a ("t'rtain foml is obviousl)' not suhjl..'Ct to gem'ral rules. "Crack" n'mains a word as long as tlw I:x:xl~' is not mmpromiSt'll by it, as long as tht." li\'{'r and brain. the organs, do nol pfl"Sl'llt the lilll'S in accordanCl' with whkh till' future is told and whi('h themSl,ln'S fort>tell tht~ futun'. If one asks wi\\' . health d(){'S not suffice, wh)' the crack is dl..osirablt', it is lx'rhaps b('cauS(' only h~' nwans of thl' cra(,k and at its <.odges thoughl occurs, that an),thing that is gOOtI and grl'31 in hUlllanit~, enters and exits through it, in IX'opl\' rt'ad)' to dt,glro)' themsl'lves-Ix,ltcr d.c,lth than the. I~?lth whidl wl.' arc givcn" Is there some other health, Ilkc a hod)' survl\'lng as long as pos.~ibll' its scar, like l..ow~' dreaming of rl'\\Titing a "Crack Up" whkh would t'nd happil~', and newr giving up the idea of a nl'\\' ,'ital
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conquest? It is true that thl' crack is nothing if it dOl..'S not compromise til(' body. but it (Ioes not n'as.:' IX'ing and ha\'ing a vallll' whl'n it inll'rtwincs its line with til(' othl'f lint" inside th l' bCKk \Ve can not for('SC('. Wl.' must takl' risks anti endun' thl' 10ngl.'St PO~sibk' tinl(', W{' must not lOS<.' sight of grand Ill'alth, Thl.' elernal truth of thl.' evcnt is graslx'll only if the e,"cnt is also inslTibl.'(l in the f1l'Sh. Hut each tinll' Wl' must double this p.linful actualization II\' a cOllnter.actualization which limits, movt's, and transtigurl's it. \Vt: Illust accompan)' ollrsdn~s 'irst, in order to survivc, Inll t1ll'n t'l t'll wlll'1l \\'l' dic" Counter-acluali/-ation is nothing, it lx'iongs 10 a buffoon when it 0lx'ratl.'S alone and pretends 10 ha,"c the value of whO! could haH! happened, Hut, to be till' mime of II·hal 1frclirdJ' OUlitS. to doublt, t!w actuali7-ation with a rountl>r. actuali7-alion, thc identification with a distdncc, lik(' the true dctor and dancer, is to gh'c to the truth of thl.· t'\'l'nt the onl~' ('hance of not being confused with its inl',"itahle aetuali7-ation" It is to gi\'l' to thl' cral'k the ('hance of flying O\'cr its own incorporeal surface area, without stopping at the bursting within cach bod)'; it is, finally, to gh'e us the l"hancc to go farther Ihan w{' would have bcli("'('ll possihle" To the ('X tent that thc pure c"ent is cadI time imprisonl.--d fOfl'\'('f in its actualization, counter.ll1uali7-ation liberates it, always for otlll'r timcs" Wc can not gh'c up the hopc that Ihe cffects of drugs and alcohol (their "rc,"c1ations") will lx' able to b.,. rclin.'d amI fl'CO\"<.>rro for thl'ir own sake .11 thc surface of Ihe world, indq)Cndentl~' of the usc of thOS<.' substanc<-'S, provided that til{' tl'ChniquC'S of social alienation which detennine this usc are re\"crsc..'lI into revolutionar), means of ('xploration. Burroughs wrote some strange pages on this point which altt'st (0 Ihis CIUl'st for Ihe great I-IcalthOllr own manner of bdng pious; "Imagine that everylhing that can be attaint'll by chemicalllleans is a("Cl~siblt' b)' other paths, " " ," A strafing of thl' surface in order to transmute tht' stabbing of batik'S, oh pSl'. t'hl'lldia, •
in a body. Hut, as it happt'ns, tlw passion of a hody refers to till' action of a mort' powerful body. The gn',Ht'st pn'scnt, the divin(' present. IS Ihe gn'at mixture, the unity of corporeal C.lUSt'S among themsc.·I\·cs. It measures the activity of the cosmil' IXTio
Twenty-Third Series of the Aion
From the start, we han:: Sl~t'n how two readings of timl'-timc as Chronos and time as Aion-wcrl' opposed; 1) in accordance with Chronos, only the present exists in time. Past. present. and future arc not three dimensions of time; onl~' the prcs('/lt fills time. whereas past and futurC' arc two dimensions n·lath·c to the present in time. In other words, whatcn::r is [ulun' or past in rdation 10 a certain present (a certain ('x tension or duration) belongs to a morc ,·ast present which has a gn~atcr extension or duration. T!wrc is always a more vast present which absorbs tht> past and till' future. Thus. tht, rdativit)' of past and future with n'slx><:t to till' present entails a relativity of presents themselves, in relation to ('aeh other. God cXlwriences as present that which for me is future or past, since I lin' inside mon' limited presents. Chronos is an encasement, a coiling up of relatin' prl.:Sl·nts, with God as the cxtrellW drdl' or till' external envelope. Inspin'd b)' the Stoics, Bo•.'thius said that the divitll" present complico/l's or comprehends the future and the past. I 2) Inside Chronos. tht, pn's('nt is in soml' manna corporeal. It is the
tinw of mixtures or blendings, till' n'ry procl'ss of blending: to tempt.o{-. or to krnporaliz(' is to mix, Thl' pn'sl'nt measurl'S out till' action of bodies and causes. The future and past art' rather whal is I('fl of passion
,b'
I
3) Chronos is the rt.'gulated movement of \'asl and profound presents. But from when' exactly docs it draw its measure? Do the lXK.Iies which fill it possess enough unity. do their mixtures possess enough justice and pcrfct:tion, in order for the prest'nl to avail a principle of an illlmalll~nt measure? Perhaps it doc"S, at the level of the cosmic Zeus. But is this the case for bodies at random and for each partial mixture? Js !.here not ~~l~)tal disturbance of the present, that is, a ground _ wh~' overt rows ana subverts all m~asure, a be<:oming-mad of depths which slips away from the prt'sent? Is this mcasurc!l."Ss ""Something merel)' I(Kal and partial. or docs it stn'lch ratln'r little by little to the entire unh'l'rse, establishing e\'er)'where its poisonous, monstrous mixture. and the sub\'crsion of Zeus and Chronos itself? Is there not aln·ad), in ,he Stoics this dual attitude of confidence and mistrust, with rt'sl>ct't 10 the world. corresponding to the two I)'IX'S of mix lures-till' white mixtllrl' which consern.'S as it spreads, and Ihe black and conillst'd mixture which alters? In the Meditations of Marcus Aurelius, till' alternative fre(llll'ntly resounds: is this the good or lhe bad mixture? This question linds an answer only when Ihe two tcrms cnd up being indifTen'llt, that ~s. wlll'n til(' status of virtue (or of health) has to be sought elsewhere, HI .lnotlwr dirl'(·tion. in another c1emt~nt-Aion n'rsus Chronos. 3 TWI'NTY-TllIRl) ~I:RI/;S (H TIll, AIUN
16J
TIll' becoming-mad of (kpth is then a bad Chronos, Oppos('d to tilt' living !,n'sent of til\' good Chronos. Saturn grumbles frolll deep within Zl'IlS. TIll' pun' and Illeasureless becoming of (Iualitil's thn'ah'lls the onkr of (jualitil'd hodi('s from within. Bodies have lost theil' Ill('asure and are no\\" but simulacra. The past and the future, as unleashed f()rn..~, take their rc\"('nge, in one and tlw same abyss which thr('ah-ns til<' prl'sent and e\"('r),thing that exists. We haw seen that I'lato, at til(' t'ml of tlw s('cond hypothesis of Parmi!/lId<:s, ('xpn:ssl.,(! this Iwcoming as the power to sidestep the presenl (!{)r to 1)(' present would nwan to 1>1' and no longer to become). Nev{'rthd,'ss, Plato added that "to sidestep the pres('nt" is precisdy wh.1t becoming cannot do (for it is no1l' lx'coming, and hence cannot II'ap O\'er this "now"). !loth expressions ar(' valid: time has only till' present with which to expr('ss the internal sllb\"('rsion of the present in time, pn'cisdy Ix'c'ause it is int('rnal and de{'p; Chronos must still express the re\"l'nge taken by futun' and past on the pres('nt in temlS of the present, bl'calls(' these' Me ,he only tenus it comprehends and the onl~' tenns that aA'ect it. This is its own way of wanting to die. Thus, it is still a terrifying, measurdes.~ present which sidestc:ps and sulwens tilt' other, the good prest'nt, I-laving been a corporeal mixture, Chronos has Ix'come a d('('p bre'ak, In this sense the adventures of the present manifest th('msekes in Chronos, in agre(:ment with till' two aspects of the chronic pn'sent-ahsolutc and rdatin' mowmcnt, global and partial preM~nt: in rdalion to itself, in depth, I insofar as it bursts asunder and contracts (till' IlU)Vl'mcnt of schizophrc.·nia); and in relation to it's more or less vast l'xt('nsion, in virtue of a t!(,liriolls future and a delirious pasl (the mo\"('nwnt of manic depr('ssion), Chronos wants to dil', but has it not already gin'n way to another n'ading of time? I) [n accordance with Aion, only till' p.lst ,lIld futur(' inhere or :i.ubsist in time. Instead of a pn'sl'nt which absorbs the past and future, a future and past divide the present at l'\"lT)' instant ami sulxlivid(' it ad infinitullL. into past and future, in Ix)th dirl.'{·tions at onCt" Or rather, it is the instant without thickness and without' extension, which sulxli\"ides l'ach pn'sent into past and future, ratlwr Ihan V,lSt ami thick pn'sl'nts which comprl'hend bOlh future and past in relation 10 one another. What difl~Tl'nc(' is tlwr(' between this Aion ami the l)('comil1g~mad of d('pth~ which aln'ady oWrlurned Chronos within its own domain? At tht' outSt't of Ihis study, W(' w('n' able to procced .1S if bolh were intimately 164
TWI,NTY-TlllHD SI"UI:~ 01· Till: "'ION
prolonged: the)' were both Oppos('d 10 the corporeal and measured pn'sl'nt; Ix)th wcre capabl(' of sidt'stl'pping til(' pres('nt; and both t!cwloped til(' same contradil·tions (of qllalit~" quantit)', relation, and modality), At most, there was IWlwl'en them a shift of orientation: in tilt' case of Aion, the becoming-mad of till' til-pths was c1imhing to the surface, the simulacra in turn were Ill'coming phantasms, the d('('p hreak was showing as a crack in the surfac('. Hut we learned that Ihis change of orientation and this con'lu('st of the surfan' implied radi('al differences in every respect. This is .llmost the differenCt' Ix,tw{'('n Ihe st'eontl and third hypotheses of Porm..nidcs-that of tht' "now" and that of the "instant," It is no long('r till' futur(' and past which sulw('rt the ~'xisti!.l~Jm'sent; it ~ the instant ",hidl Iwrwrts til(' pre'st'nt int(~ inlwrin futurc and past. The {'ssl'ntial diff('renlT is no longer simply X'I'\\"('el1 C ronDS am Aion, but IWt'wecn the Aion of surfaces and the \\"hole of Chronos together wilh the Ix'Coming-mad of the depths. Ilt-twecn the two becomings, of surfaCt' anti depth, w(' can no longer say that they have in commoll till' sidestepping of the pr('sent. For if depth evades the present, it is with all the forc(' of a "now" which 0PPOSl'S its panic-stricken present to the wist, pres('nt of nll'aSllre; and if till' surface ('vades the present, it is with all till' power of an "instant," which distinguishes its occurrence from an~' assignable pn'sellt subject to division and redi\·ision. Nothing aSCl'nds to til(' surface without changing its natur(', Aion no longer Ix>longs to Zeus or S,lt'urn, but to H(Tcult~s. Whereas Chronos cxpr('ssed the action of bodies and the creation of corporeal qualities, Aion is the kx:us of incorporeal ('\'ellts, and of attributt's which are distinct from (Iualities. Whereas Chronos was inscparabk' from tilt' hodies which filled it out entirely as caus('s and malter, Aion is poplilatl~d b~' eITel'ts which haunt it without ever filling it up. Whereas Chronos was limih'd and infinite, Aion is unlimill'd, the wa)" that future and past are unlimitt't1, and finih' lib, Ihe inst
L,
TWI·NTY-TlllItD :-.1,HII,:-. OJ' Till'. "'ION
16{
this other lllon·Il1.'nl. of which Marcus Aurelius spokt:. which occurs ndtllt'r up abow nor down below, nor in a circular fashion. but only at till' SUrl:lCt·-t1W movement of "virtue" ... If then' is also a death wish (l'OlIJotr-moum) on the si
draws the sounds from their simple st.lle of corporeal Jl:tions and p.15s1uns. It is this new world which distinguishes language, preH"nts it frolll Ix.:ing confused with the SOlllld-dTcCIS of IlOclit's. and abstracts it from their oral-anal dctcmlinations. Pure e"ents ground language beCllIS\': the)' wait for it as much as thcy wait for tiS, and havc a purc, singular, illlpl'rSonal, and pre+individual existence onl)' inside the lan~ guagc which expresses them. [t is what is expressed in its independence that grounds language and l'xpr('ssion-that is, the nlt'taph)'sical propaty that sounds acquire in order to have a sense, and secondarily, to sign if)'. manifest, and denote. rather than to belong to 1)()(lies as ph)'sical qualities. The most g(:m'ral operation of s('nsc is this: it ~rings that ~\"hich 5xJlresses it into exjstenc('; and f~l~at pOint on, as pure lIlhl'I"l'nc~.. it brings itself to exist within that which eXI)ress~'s it. It rests ~ther(,fore with the Aion, as the milieu of surface effects or e\'ents, to trace a frontier bl,twct'n things and propositions; and the Aion tralx's it with its entire straight line, Without it, sounds would fall back on 1)()(lil's, and propositions themsch'es would not be "possible," Language i~ renda~d possible by the fronti~ which separates it from things and lrom bodies (i!1dudin~~e which slx'ak). We can thus lake lip again the 3(TOunt of the surf.lce organization as it is detemlined b), the Aion. I;irst, tilt' ('ntire linl' of tht, Aion is run through b), the Instant which is l'ndlt~ssl)' displaced on this line and is alwa),s missing from its own plac~'. Plato rightl), Solid that the instant is (Il0p<Jn, without place. It is till' paradoxical instance or the al,'ator)' point, the nonsense of the surlao' and tilt: (Iuasi-cause. [t is the pUl"(' momcnt of abstraction whose roll' is, primarily, to divide and sulxli\"ide ever)' present in both directions ,lt OIlU', into past-future, upon the line of til(' Aion. Second, the instant t'xtracts singularities from the prt'scnt. and from individuals and pnsons which Ot"l"Upy this pn'sent. It extr,K"ts singular points twice projt't'h:tl-once into til(' future and onl:(' into the !last-fonning by this t1ollbl~' ('(Iuation 1I1{' <:onstituti\"{' elements of tilt' purl' ('\"('111 (in the 166
TWI'NTY-TIIIRIl SI:HII:l'> 01· Till, i\ION
manner of a pod which releas('s its spor~'s). Third, til(' straight line which extends simultaneously in two directions traces the frontier Ix,tween bodies and lang~ag(" statl's of alfairs and propositions. Language, or tht' s)'stem of ProlXlsitions, would not exist without this frontier which renders it possiblc, LlIlguagt' therefore is endlt'ssl)' bam, in the future direction of til(' Aion wh~'re it is (~stablishC(1 and, some· how, anticipatP
16]
that o\"l'rthrol\"s I\"orlds, individuals, and persons, and Il';)\""'S tlwlll to thl' dt:pth of till' ground which works and dissol\'t's thelll, TIlt' notion of tilt' >f\'S('nt has then,fon' Sl'\,cral nwanings: tht, 1ll('asurdt'SS or disllX.·dtl·d pn:S<"nt as the time of depth and subn·rsion;tht· variahle and measure(1 pn-st'nt as the tIme of"'3etu3Iizarion. But th('f(' is pt·rhaps yet anotlwr pR'St'nt. How coul{ t ('re a measurahle actualization. unk'SS a third pn:St'nt prewntct.l it constantl), from falling into suhn'rsion and !,..'ing confuSl-d with it? It would Sl-cm, no doubt. that tht, Aion ('annat han' an)' pn.-s('nt at all, sinn' in it thc instant is always di\"iding into futllft' and past. Hut this is ani), an appearance, What is excessin' ill the en'nt must I,,· accomplished, t'nn though it rna)' not 1)(' f('aliz('d or actualizcd without ruin, Bet\n'cn the two present's of Chronos-that of til(' subversion due to till' bottom and that of the a{·tll3liz"tion in fonns-there is a third. t1lt're must be a third, pertaining to tilt' Aion. In fact. the instant as the paradoxical clement or tht· quasi-cauSt' which runs through the entin' straight line must itself be represented, It is en':n in this sense that rcpn:.'Sl.'l\ution can em'dop an expression on its edges, although the exprcssion itself may be of another nature; and that the sage can "identif)'" with th(· quasi'-{'dusc, although the quasi-causc itself is missing from its own identity. This !,r<.'SCnt of the Aion representing the instant is not at all like the vast and {eel' pr sent of Chronos: it is the pr<."SCnt without th~;~c~k~n~,,,,~,~'_1~1~,c':!"~llall;OJ.-"'c..
-k'Ceps
168
TWI·NTY-T1IlRD SI:.RII,S 01· Till:. AION
Twenty-Fourth Series or the Communication or b'cnts
One
of thl· boldest moments of tht' Stoic thought inmlves the splitting of the causal relation, Causes are referred in depth to a unit)' which is proper to them. and effects maintain at the surfacl' specific relations of another sort. nl'stin)' is primarily the unit}' and the link of physical causes .lmong t1WlllSl'!\"('S, 11l{'ofllOrcal df{'cts .lfl' obviously subject to destin)'. to till' ('st('nt that they are th<' ('fTe("t of tlwsc causcs. But to tilt' extent that tht·)' differ in natun' from thesc causes, thc}' enter. with onc anotlwr. into relations of quasi-causal it)" Together, th(')' enter into a relation with a quasi-cause which is itself im:orporeal and assurt.'S Iht'm a \"Cry slx-'Cial independellC<" not exactly with respect to dl'Stin~', hut rather with TL'Spcct to nl"O.'SSity. \\hich nonnall~' would han:, had to follow d('Stin~', The Stoic paradox is to affinn dl'Stin)' and to (I('n~' nt'C<"S... it~·. I '111(' wise person is fn-c in two ways which ronfoml to th(· 1\\0 poles of cthi{'s: fr<'C in the first instann· !x'CauS{' ont"s soul can ,lItain to thl' int('riorit~· of perf{'Ct physical camws; and again Ix'CauSt' OlW\ mind may ('njo)' \'cf)' slx'l.'ial relations ('stablishL'lllx,tw{'i.'n dTl'(,ts in a situation of pUrl' extcriority, It would tlwn s~'('m that incorporeal causes arl' insL'parable from a form of interiority. but that incorpor('al d'I~'cts an' inSl'parable from a fonn of exteriority, On 01\(' hand. c\'elltst,fft'Cls maintain a rdation of ('ausalit~' with their ph~'sical causes. with.
,..,
out this rd.ltion IX'ing one of ncccssit~,: it is rat!wr .1 rl'!.ltion of t'xpn:-ssion. On the other hand, thl')' ha\'e betwl-'{'n them. or with their idl'.ltional quasi-l-auSl', no longer ... rd.ltion of c... usalit~·, but r.ltlwr, onc(' .lgain and this time l'Xclusi\·dy.... rdation of ('xprt.-ssion, -11ll' qm>stion IJCCOml~; what an:' t1ll.~ cxpressi\'c relations of ('vents? Hel\\'l'('n ('wnts. there St'em to Ix' formed extrinsic rdations of sileO! eompatibilit)' or inmmpatibility. of mnjunction or disjunction. whi(.'h art' \'c,)' difficult to apprchcnd. What makes an e\'ent compatible or incompatible with another? Wl' cannot appe.ll to eau$d.lit~·. sinn> it is a qut'Stion of a rdation of dfl"{·tS among themselves. What brings dl-stin)' about at the Ien,l of l'\'cnts. what brings an c\'cnt to n'peat .loothl'r in spitc of all its dilTerence, what makes it possible that a Iif(, is compoSNI of onc and the same Evcnt. d('spill' the variet)' of what might happcn, that it lx' traversed b)' a singl(' and same fissun:·. that it pia)' olle and thc same air o\'er all possibll> tunt's and all possible words-all tlll'SC are not due to relations betwc:'l,'O cause and elTl..'Ct: it is ratlll'r an aggregate of noncausal correspOll(ll'nCl'S which fonn a s)'Stl'm of (."Choes. of resumptions and rcsonanITS, a systl'm of signs-in short, an exprcs· siw quasi-causalit)" and not at all a necessitating c...usalit)', When Chl)'sippus insists on the transfomlation of hypothetical propositions into conjunctives or disjuncth'es, he shows well the impossibilit), of l'vents ('X pressing t1wir conjunctions and disjunctions in tenns of brute ) (·... usalit)'.l Is it nl'Cl'SSilrv. then. to invoke identit\' and l;ontradiction? \Vould two ('\'('nts be in::ompatible because th(')' \\~erc mntradictor)'? Is this not a cast" though, of applying ruk-s to c\·cnt.... which appl)' onl)' to con~ ccpts. pn'(licatl-s, and classes? E\'('n with reslx'Ct to hypothl>tical propositions (if it is day. it is light). the Stoics nott:d that contradiction must IX' defined on a singlc len·l. Ratlll.'r, contradiction must be ddined in till' space betwccn the prindplt· itst'lf and thc negation of thc conscCJul'!lee (if it is da)', it is not light). lnis dilTerence of I<'\'cls in the {'olltradiction, W(' ha\'e Sl"('n. assures that l'Ontra..liction results alwars from a proc."l'ss of a (lifTen'lll natun'. E\'cnts are not likc concepts; it is Ihl'ir alll'gl-'li contradiction (manifl'st in tilt' conl'Cpl) which rl"SullS from tlll'ir incompatihilit)', and not the {,OIl\'('fSl'. [t is hl'ld. for example, that a spl'cies of bUllerfly ('an not lx· at once gray and vigorous. Eitlwr the, sp('l:iml'lls an' gray and weak. or thl')' are vigorous and black. I \Vt' (-an ahva~'s assign a l-ausal ph~'sil-al l1ll'l.-hanism to l>xplain this inrompatibil~ 170
TWI Nl Y-H)llH.TlI .... 1·H.1l.., 0 ... CUMMllNICA'IIClN
it~·, a homlOne. for t'Xampll" on which till' predkatt' gra)' would dt'lX'nd, ami which would soft('ll or \wah'n the corTt'Sponding class. Ami Wl' can condude from this ('ausal condition that then' is a logical contradiction between gray and \ igorous. HUI if wc isolate thl' pun:' en.'nts, we Sl~ that to tum Bray is no less positi\'e than 10 /11m block: it t'''presses an increase in sccllrih' (to he hiddcn. to be takcn for thc b,lrk of a Irc(~J. as much as the IX'(~oming hlack is an inneas(' of vigor (to ill\'igoratt'), Hetw(.'Cn these two ..leh'mlinations. each one of which has its ad\'antage, there is initiall~' .1 rdation of primaf)', "en'ntnll'ntal" incompatibility. Phpic...1 causalit_\, inscribes the incompatibilit~, only Sl.'condarily in the depth of thl' bod)', and the logical contradiction translatl'S it onl)· in the content of Illl' concept. In short. the relations of evcnts among themselves. from til(' point of view of an ideational or noematic quaSi-causality. first expn'SSl'S noncausal correspondencealogical mmpatibilitil.'S or incompatibilities. The Stoics' strength was in committing themseh·l.'S to this linc of thought: according to what niteri... are e\'ents coptJ/ota. corifotaha (or mronjaralitJ). con/uncIa. or dIS. JUOCIO? Astrology was perhaps the first iml)()rtant aue::mpt to establish a theol)' of alogical incoml>atibilitics and noncausal coITl.'SI)()ndcnccs. It seems, however. if we follow the surviving partial and dL"Cdving texts, that the Stoics mOl)' not havc lx't'n able 10 resist the double temptation of rl'turning to the simplc physical causality or to the logical contradktion, 'Ine first theoretician of alogical incompatibilities, and for this reason the first iml)()nant thcoretidan of the e\'ent, was Lcibniz. For what Lcibniz called "compossible" and "incompossiblc" cannot be rl.-duct'd to the ide::ntical and the contradictol)·. which gm'cm onl)' till' pos....ible and the iml)()s.~iblc. Compossibility dOl'S not (,\'(:n prcsupl)()S(' till' inherence of prcdicah's in an individual subjl'Ct or monad. It is r'lthcr the in\'erst'; inhere::nt pn'llicatcs arc those which l.'Orrcspond to c\'Cnts from the beginning compossibll' (the:: monad of Adam the sinner indudcs in pn'(licatiw foml onl~' future ...nd past ('wnl.'> which an' l'Ompossible with th(' sin of Adam). lC'ibniz was thus exlrenwl" COll~ "l'ious of the anteriorit~' and originalit~· of tlw l'\'ent in n·lation -10 the pn'(lil'ah·. Cornl>ossibilit)' must bl' d"'finl'd in an original m.mnt'r, at .1 pr('-indi\'idual b'el. b)' the cotl\'ergcnLl' of S(Tit'S which singularities of \'\'l'nts form as till')' stcl'tch tlU'msd\'t.~s out o\'cr lilll'S of ordin.lr)' points. 11l(·()ml)()ssibilit~· must be ddilll'(l h~' the di\'crgi..·nec' of SUdl Sl'rii..'S; if anoll1l'r St.·xtus than til(' one wc kllOW is incompossible with our world, TWI·Nll'-I-(lUH.Tlllo,l·H.II·~01· <"'UMMUNll'ATION
171
it is !>t'c.:;HlSI' he would corrcspond to a singularity til\' series of which wuuld dinorgt' from lh... scrit,s of our world. c1ustcn:d ahout the Adam. till.' JUd.1S. till.' Christ. and til(' u'ibniz that wc know, Two t'\Tnls an' l'ompossiblc when t!ll' scrks whic.:h ar... organiR"t1 around their singularitit:s l'stl'ml in all din'ctions; th... ~, an,' incompossibk' wlwn thl' snit·s din'rgl' in the \'icinit)' of constitutin~ singularitil's. Connorgt'IKt' ami dinorgl'nn' arl' ,'ntirdy original rdations which conor till.' rich duma in of alogical comp.ltibilities and iIKompatibiliti,'s. and then·fore fonn an essc-'ntialcompolwnt of the tlu'O~' of sellse. u'ibni'l. though makcs use of this nllt, of incompossibilit~' in unlIT 10 l'sdudc c\'cnts from one anoth...r. I-Ie made a ncgati\'c Wi(' of dinorgt·nn· of disjunction-one of exdusion. This is justified. howen~r, onl~' to till' extent that c\'('nts arc alrcad~' grasp",,1 under thc h~'poth{'Sis of a God "ho l-akulatcs and choosc.-'S. and from the point of ,'il'W of their al'tualu..ation in distinct worlds or indi\'iduals. It is no longl'r jWiti/i{"(l. IlO\\t·\·cr. if Wl' consider till' pur<' e\"(~nts and the ideal play wh()S(' principle Lcibni'l. was unablt· t'O grasp. hindcr{"(1 as he was b~' theological l'xigt'nck'S. For, from this otlll'r point of ,'ic'\\'. the (Iin-rgenn' of S('ril"'S or tht' disjunction of memlx'rs (rm:mbra disjuoclO) U'aSl' to lx, ncgath'l' mit'S of I'xdusion acconling to which e,'cnts would 1Je' incolllpossible or inmmpatible. Di\"crgt·m.~c and disjunction arc. on the l'ontra~'. an-irml'(l as such, Hut what dOl'S it ml'an to mah· din·rgenn· and disjunl·tion till' Objl'Ct'i of aninnation? As a gl'lleral nllc. two things an' silllultalu'Ousl~' aOimll'(l onl\' to tlU' l'stent that thcir difference is (It·nit"!. supprl'SS{.'(! from within," eWIl if th~ 1t'\"e1 of this suppn'Ssion is suppost'(l to rl'gulatt' til(' production of c1iffl~rence as mu(.. h as it'i disappl'arancl', To be sure. till.' idl'ntit\, hal' is not that of indilTeTl'IKc. but it is g<'ncrall~' Ihrollsh ,den/III' th;t oppositl's arc aOimU'tl at the same tim\.'. whetlwr we acn'l;tuah' one of till.' Oppositl'S in ordl'T to lind till.' othl'r, or wlll'tlwr \W l'f('ah' a svntlll.'sis of lhe two, Wl' sp"ak, on till' contrary, of an , op,'ration al'cordillg to which two lhings or two (!t-h'nninations arc affinm'(llhrollslt their difference. that is to sa)', that the~' an' till' objl.'Cts of simultalll.'ollS al1imlation only insofar as tllt~ir diO(·n'ne... is itsdf .lftirnll'd anti is its(,lf aOlnnath'c, Wl' are no longer faced with an id\'lltitv of cuntrarit's. which would still bt' inseparahll' as such frum a mOH'n'II'1ll of till' Ill'gath·\.' and of exdllsion,~ 'INc an' ratl1l'r lan'd with a positi\"e distance of dill~'r('nt e!l'nll'nts: no longt'r to il!l-Iltify IWO contraril's with till' sanw. hut to aOlml lIll.'ir distann' as that which
'71
TWI'NTY-l'llUK'r11 :"1'HII'~ 01· <..'OMMUNIl'ATIClN
I
relah's Dill' to thl' other insol:lf ,IS tilt'\" an' "din~Tt"nt." Tlw idt"l of a positil'l' distance as distal1('" (,mel n(;t as all annullt'd or on'rl'OInl' dislallt·~,) aplX'an; to us l'sst·miar. sinn' it IX'mlils til(' Ilwasuring of (,(~l1trancs through thdr finilt, Dlltiing to it. Thc idl'a of positiw distann' 1)Clongs to topolog,\' and to till.' surfan'. It exdudt'S all dl.'f)th and alt dl'\·ation. which would restore tht• Ilt-gati\'e and the idc-ntitv. liCt7-'iche pro\'idl-'S thc example for such a pron'(lurl'. which must no~. undc-r am' l'ircumstances. be confused with soml' unknown id('ntit\' of contraril~ (as is commonplace in spiritualist and d%rist philosoph\'), Nict7.schc l'xhons us to Ih'c health and sicklll'ss in su(.. h a manner th~t health be a li"ing perspccti,'c on sickness and skkn<-'SS a li\"ing perspeeth'e on hl'alth; to make of sickness an exploration of health. of h('ahh an inn.'Stiga!...ion of sicknl.'SS: '-'looking from the perslx'Ctiw of the sick toward heahhltf concepts and \'alut'S and, ('oll\·ersely.looking again from th(~ fullness and S<'lf-assurancc of a rich lifc down into the secret work of the instinct of dCl-adt'nce-in this I ha\'\' had thl.' 10ngl'St training, my trut.'St l'xperil'nn~; if ill anything. I 1x.'CaITh' master in fh,S, ow I knO\~' bow. ha\'e the know.bow. to rcru$C perspeetm,'s. , .... 5 \Ve cannot identify nmtraril'S. nor can wl' aOirm tbt'ir cntir<' distanl'c. except as that whi('h rdatt'S onc to the other, Health aOimlS skkn('S.'I; whcll it makes its distance from sickness an ohjt'Ct of affimlation, Distance is, at arm's Icngth. thl' affimlation of th,ll which it distann'S. This procedure which mah'S of Iwalth an e\'aillation of sickness and siekness an c\'aluation of Iwalth-is this not tht• Great Health (or th(· Gd\' S(.. ience)? Is it not this which pemlits Niet"lsdll' to expcrknCt' a sup<:rior health at lh<' \'IT\' Illonwnt that he is sick? Conn·rsdy. Nil't/_'I;dw d()('s not losl' his Iwaltil wl1('n he is sick. hut \\'hl'll 'l('- can 'no long,'r affirm til('- distanc('. whell Ill.' is no lunger abk'. b~' ml'an,~ of his Iwalth. to t·st.lhlish sickm'ss as a poi/1 t of \'il'\\' on Iwalth (lht'll, as till' Stoics sa\', tIl\' roll' is O\'('r, til(' play has I'nd<'d). "Point of \"iI'w" dOl's not Sig;li~\' a t1won·tical illdg~ 1111'111; .1S for "pron.. dun·... it is life itself. From Ll'ibniz. \\'1' had aln'ad)' 1\'~nll'd that thert· an' 110 points of \'il'\\' on things. hut that things. IlI'lIlgs. arl' thl'msdn-s points of viI'\\', Ll'ihlli'l.. hO\\'I'\"'r, subjl,(·tcd thl' TWI NTY·HIUI('11l 'I'HII'~ 01, l'OMMliNleATloN
'71
poinls or vit'w 10 exdusi\'t' rules such that each 0PCIl('t! itsdf onto tilt' otll<'rs onl\' insofar as they ronn'rgt'(l: the points of \'it,\\, on th(· same tOWII. \Vi;h Ni....t/.S(.:he. on til(' contra~'. the point of \'jew is opened onto a t1h"'rg,,'lIcc which it aflimls: anothcr town corr,,-'Sponds to each point of \ it'''. each point of \'jcw is anothC'r town, the towns an' linh..d onl~' h~' thdr dist'ance and rcsonat(' onl~' through th(· diwrgenn' of th{'ir so'ri..'S.. their houst-'S and tlwir stn-cts. The~ is alwa\'s anotllt'r town \.. ithin the town. Each teml Ix'('om,,-'5 thc means of going all til(' way to tilt' end of another, b}' folloWing the entire distance. Nict'l.sdw's perspectin,-his pcrspcctivism-is a much morc profound art th.1I1 Leibniz's point of \'icw; for diwrgenn' is no longt~r a principle of ,,'xdusion, and disjunction no long,,'r a nwans of st'paration. Inrompossibilit}' is now a means of communication. It is not that the disjunction has Ix'Come a simple conjunction. ·l1m."t' sorts of synth<.'Sis arc distinguished: the connect in' s}'nthesis (if ...• thcn). which bears upon the construction of a singlt' series; thC' conjunctin- serit-os (and). as a m{·thod of constructing conn-rgt'nt series; an(1 the disjuncti\'C' series (or), which distrihutcs the diwrgent series: COM.tO. conjllfl
'1 WI NTl'-1-011RTlI'd RIH, 01-- COMMllNIC:\TIO:-;
St'rn's onl~' to afliml divergence. Thi,~ is wh~' it st'''-'m('(llhat an esotak, t'x-n'ntrit' path was opened to us. a l>dth ahogetlwr diff..' rl'nt from tht. ordina~' on,,-". For ordinarii)' the disjuru1ion is not properl)' spe.1king al s~·nthl..'5ls. but onl), a regul.1th·t· anal~'sis at the sen'icc of conjuneti\'e s.\·nth<."St.'5. sinct' it separates the nOIllUIl\'('rgent st-'ri,,-'S from one another. As for the conjuncth'c s)'nthesis, it tends also to\\'.1nl Ix'ing subordinat{'(1 to tht' s.~·nt~t'Sis of connection. sinn' it organiz('S the C'OIl\'crging series on'r which It bears as it prolongs tlWIll under .1 condilion of con~inuit\'. ~o.\\" t~e whole sense of esouflc lI"ords was to tum this path around:'a dlSJUlK'lion whi('h had Ix.·(:onw a s~'ntlwsis introdllc<''t:1 its rom!ficaflons ..·\'t'I')'\~·h ...re, so that the conjunction was aln'ad)' coorommina in a glohal wa;· d,l\'~r~('nt, Il('terog('~eous. and disp.lrate serit's, and that, affecting ~Iu, ~~t31Is, the con.ncctlon already rolltraetl'd a multitude of dh·{'rg<.nt ser.les III the succt'sSI\'e appearance of a single on~. ("'his is a new reason for distinguishing the becoming of depths and ~he ~ion of surfaces. For both, at first glance. seemed to dissoh'e the ~dentlt~' of each thing within infinite identi~' as the identity of contrarI"-'S. And from all points of \'iew, whC'ther of..9uantitl,. qualih' relation t..mod I ..... . . ,... or a it\'. contraries appeare<1 connccl(od at the surfa~ as much as i'; tlt'pth and to han' the same sense no less than the same infra-sense, Hut, on<.'(' again. e\'el)'thing changes nalure as it climbs to the surface. AI~d it is necessary to distinguish two wap whose personal identity is lost, t\..:o .wa)'s b)' meill,ls of whit'h tIll' contradiction is d(·\·c1oped. In tlt'pth, It IS through in/mite identity that mntraries communicate and that the identit)' of each finds iudf broken and dh·id<.-d. -nlis mak,,-'S "'dch term at once the moment and the whole; the part. the relation, and the who.le; the self. th,,-' world, and God; the subjt.'ct, the copula, and the pr('(hcate. Hut the situation is altogether different at the surnc(' \\here only infiniti\'c e\'ents arc (Icplo)'ed; c.1ch one communicates with th~ other through th<.· posith'(' characters of its distance and bv the a~l,mlatin' charactC'r of the disjunction. "Ill(' st-·lf Ill{'rgl..'S with th; wn' ths~un("tion which it liberatcs and plan's outside of it'St'lf tht· diwrge';t M'nt'S as so many imlx'rsonal and pn'-indi\'idual singulariti<.'S. COllnt...r_ 'l~·tllalization is aln.·ad~' inliniti\'t' distant"t' insh';u! ~f infinit,,-, idt.ntit\,. I:\"tTythir~g happt'ns through the n'sonall('",,-' of disparat{·s, point of \'it,~\, O~l. a IXllTlt uf vit·w, displac('nwnt of perspeeti\'(', diff('f{·ntiatioll of IIln... r('n("(', and not through tht' id('ntit\' of contrarks. It is tnl(' that tilt' forlll of th... s('lf or(linaril~' guaranh't·s' till' C'OnnC'Ction of a scrj(·s; that TWI N I Y-l'OllRTH "RlI"
01-- ("I)M~HINIl"ATI()N
'J<
thl' form of till' wodd guarantecs the convergence of nltltinuous seril's whidl can Ill' l'xtt'ndcd; and that the fonn of God, as K;ml had ck'arl), set'n, gua'''l1ltt'l'S disjunction in its exclusivc or Iimitatin' SL11SC. But W"t'll disjum.·tion accedes to the prim:iple which gives to it a syntll(~tic ,lIltl al1irmath'e \'alul" the self, the world, and God shan' in a common dt·.lth, to tilt' advantage of divergent series as such, o\'('rllowing now \ l'W,:"' exclusion, every' conjunction, and cvery' connl'C'tion. [t is Kloss()\\·ski's merit to have shown how thl' three forms had tht..'ir fortuncs linkt'tl. not by a dialectical transformation ami the identit~· of mntraries. bUI by a common dissipalion al the surface of things. If till' self is the principle of manifestation, in relation to the prol)()iiition, the world is the principle of denotation, and God the principle of s.ignificalion, But scnSl' exprt'SSl-d as an c\'ent is of an entirel~' different naturt·: it emanatl'S from nonSl'nse as from Ihe alwa~'s displaced paradoxical inslance and from the etemall)·dccentcn..llex-ccntriccenter.ltis a pure sign whose coherence excludes mcrcl}'. and )·('t supremel)" the L"Ohen.·ncc of the self. world, and Gcxl. 7 "ntis quasi-cause, this surface nonscnst" which tra\'erscs the divcrgent as such, this aleatory' point which circulates throughout singularities, and emits them as pre-indi\'idual and impersonal, docs not aUow God to subsist. It docs not lolerate the subsistence of God as an original indi\'idualit)'. nor the self as a I'crson, nor the world as an dement of the self and as God's product. Thl' divergence of the affirmct:! series fonns a "cha05mos" ami no longer a world; the aleatof')' point which travers<.'S them forms a (:ounter-sclf, and no longer a self; the disjunction posed as a s)·nthesis cxchangl'S its theological principle for a diabolic principle, It is the decenterL"(1 center which traces betwl'Cll the scrics, and for all disjunctions, the merciless straight line of the Aion. Ihal is, the distance whereupon the castoffs or the self, the world. and God are lined up: the Grand Can)·on of the world. the "crack" of the self, and the dismembering of God. Upon this strai~' line of the Aion, ther<' is also an l'ternal return, as the most terri Ie lab)'rinth of which Borgt.'S spoke-one very different rrom till" drcu r or monocentl,rt.'tl n'turn of Chronos: an eternal return which is no longer that of individuals, persons, and worlds, but only of pure cvents which the instant, di.~placed over thc line, goes on dividing into alr<'MI)' past and )'et to COIllt.'. Nothing other than the b"Cni suhsi.~ts, Ihe Evcnt alone, hen/urn /Oil/urn ror all contraries, which communic:al('s with itself through ils OWI1 dislance and resonates across all of its disjullcts, '76
TWI·NTY-I·OllRTH SI,RII::S 01· COMMUNICATION
Twenty-Fifth Series of Univocity
It
S<.'CrTL'i that our problem, in the course of our im'cstigalion. has changed altogether. We wcre inquiring into the nature of the alogical compatibilities and incompatibilities bclwct'n cn.'nL'i. Rut, 10 thc extent that din.'rgencc is aAirnwd and disjunction l)lx'oull'S a positive s)'ntht.'Sis, it SC('ms thai all ('\·cnts, ('n'n contraries. arc (."Ompatible-that th<'1' arc :'in~(·~-cxpr<.'SSi\·(''' (s'en/r' e.\pmnen/). !!l(·oml:tatibilit~· is born onl}:-with mdl\'lduals, persons. and worlds in which en'nt's are actualizl'!!, but not between e\·l'nts themsc!R'S or bet\\'t'l'n their o-<,osmic, impusonol. and premdinduol singularities, In(:ornpatibility docs nol exist betwCt'fl two e\"ents. but 1x.-!\\·l.'Cn al) evcnt and Ihe world or the indi\·idual which aetualizc.'S another nent as di\"Cr~nl. At this poinl. t1wre is something which dOl'S not allow itself to lx' t"L'lluct'll to a logical contradiction bet'wccn prt'dicatl~ and which is nC\'crtlwll'ss an incomp.ltibilit)'; but it is an alogical inmmpatibilil)', an incompatibility or "humor" 10 which Leibniz's original criteria must be applied. TIll' person. such a.'i \\"(' have d"tilled it in its difference from the individual. pn'tt'nds to amuse itself ironically with these incompatibilitks, precisl'l)' bc.'l.:ausl' thc)' arc alogi~·al. In anotllt'r m.llmer, Wl' ha\"t' st.'(·n how portmalllcau words cxprcss, tro rn the point or vicw of the It.'xkon, wholl), compatible meanings. '77
rallliliahk ,)1111 rl'sonating 1:It'lwl'l'n tlu:msclVl.'S, whit-h 1I01ll'thcless b('comt' inl·oml>..ltihk with n·rtain s)'ntactical fanus, '111<' prohkm is therdon' OIl(' of knowing how till' imli\ idual would hl' ,lhlt· 10 lransn:nd his fonn and his s)'ntactit'al link with it world, in ordl'r to aU,lin to th~' uniwrsal communication of e\'('nL", that is, to t,.....· allinn.ltion of a disjullcti\'(' s~'ntlwsis he~'ond logical contratlictions, and l'WIl 1'N,'~'ond alogieal incolllpatibilitil's, It would 1:It' IW{'('SS,lr~' for the individual to grasp hl'rsdf as ewnt: and that Shl' grasp th~' ewnt 3l·tualized within h~'r as another individual graftetl onto her. In this ('ast:', she would not understand, want, or repTL'St'nt this ewnl without also understanding and wanting all other e\'l~nts as indh'iduals, and without representing all otlwr individuals as ('\'ents. ~ indi,'idual would he like a mirror for the l'ond~'nsation of singularitit's and each world a distann' in the mirror. This is the ultimate st'nS(" of lnUnh.'ractualization. This, morl'O\'Cr, is thl' Niet'l..schean discowr')' of thl' inLocause each l'oITt'sponds to an indh'iduality Of her than that which hi' tah's as his own from the I)oint of \'il'w of the umliseon'rable l'l'ntn, 'kno·. an i(II'nlit~' is t'SSt'ntially fortuitous ami" S('rK-'S of indi\'idualitil's must bt' tran'l'S('<.l 1)\, each, in onl,'r thai til(' fortuih'. make Ilwm compll'h'I)' Iw<....·ssa':'... 1
.
t'l,'nt \\ hieh communicates with ,111 till' others and n'turns to it,~c1f thrnugh all tilt' others, and with all the others, She makes of the di:.jtllU'tion a s~'nthl"Sis which aAirm:. the disjunct as such and makes 1',1I'h sail'S rl:SQnate insitll' the otlll'r, I:.lCh Sl'rit's rl:turns to itsdf as tilt' utlwr Sl'ril"S returns to it, and Tt'turns outsitll' of itsdf as the other scries n'lUrns into itself: to explore all dil\talltTs. hut onr a Single line; to nm \l'n' fast in ordl'r to remain in till' sanll' plalT. Th..., gra~' butterll~' umit'TStands so well tht, ...' nnt "/0 h' h,dd;m" that, by n'maining in the :.,mw plan" plastl:Tl'l1 to thl' trunk of ,1 trN" it l'OP':rs the whol(' distallcc 1<''Parating it from the "'0 1nI"!JOTlJU" of tlw black hUtll'rll)': it also cauS<."S thl' ot!l""r ('wnt to rt.'SOnate as indi\ idual. within its own indi\'idualit~' as ,111 ,'wnt, and as a fortuitous casc", Mv 10\'1' is an t'xploration of distann', " long journc)' which aflim1s m~' h,;t" for tht' friend in another world ,md with anoth('r individual. It cauSt."'S till' bifurcating and ramified series ttl rl'SOnatl' within one another, Hut this is Ihe solution of humor,
ollll.'T:!.
m)'
Philosoph)' lllt'rgl'S with ontology, but ontolog." mergl.'S with the Being (analog)' has aln-a)'s bet'n a thcologit:al \'isian, not a philosophic..1 ollt', adaptl"(l to the fonns of GlXl, the world, and the :.df), TIlt' uniwK'it)· of &'ing dacs not mean that there is one and the I\olnw ~'ing; 011 tilt' contra~', Ix:ings are multiple and different, th('}' arc ,'!I\'lys produced h)' a disjullcti\'t' s)'llthesis, and th(')' tlwlllsckes an' disi()int~"(1 and divergent, Irk'mbra d,s/uncIa. The uni\,(x'it~, of Heing signih(~ that Ix'ing is Voice that it is said, and that it is said in one and the I\anw "Sl'llS<":- of ""\'{'rything about whid1 it is said. That of whkh it is ...., id i!'o not at "II th(' s.lnW, but &'ing is the SdIlW for (~,,(,~,thing about \\hkh it is :.aid. It o
We do not raise contrary SIX"l't to l'\'t'r)' othcr CWIll, As tilt' individual aAinns the distance, she follows anti joins it, passing through all til(' otlll'r individuals implkd b}' the other ('\'{'nts, and extracts from it a uniqul' I:"cnt which is ann' again h~'rsdf, or rather th(· uniwrsal fTt'~'(lom, 'Ill<' t'ternal T('hlrn is not a Jwot'). of
'I WI NTl'-Ht,rll
~HUI':'<
ot- llN1VoL'ITr
179
disjun(:tiH' I'~'ntllt'sis II hich is thL' highest affinnation, It is th(' ('u'rnal n'turn it~'lr, or-as W(' havc SLocn in the caSt· of tll(, i~kal gam(·-thc aflim1atioll of all chance in a singlt' moment. thc unique ('ast for all thm" .... on(' lking and only for all fom1s and all tim('s, a singlt' instanct" for all thaI exists, a singl(' phantom for all th(' Ih'ing. a I'inglt' I'oic(' for t'\'<,r~' hum of vokes and ('\'('r)' drop of water in the s('a. It would lx' ./ mistak<· to confuse tht' uni\'(X'it)' of Being to thc ('xh'nt that it is said with the pSt'udo-uni\'ocity of L'wr)'thing ahout whid, it is Solid. Hut at th(' salT\(' tim(', if Being ('annot be said without also oc'l'urring, if &'ing is th(' uniqu(' cwnt in which all (·\,(·nts communicate with one another. uni\'ol'ih' rl'fcrs both to what OC'l'urs an(1 to what is said, Uni\'oc'itv mL'ans that it is the same thing whil'h oeeurs and is said: thl' attributable to all Ixxli('s or stah's of alTairs and the npr('ssible of ('\'('ry proposition, Uni\'(X'it), means tilt' id('ntit~, of the ncx'matil' attrihutt· anel that which is express(,d Iinguisticall~'-('\'ent and St'nS('. [t dot's not allow Heing to subsist in the \'ague st;lIe that it uS<' in the Ix·rslX'Ctin.'s of the analog,\'. Uni\'ocit)' raiSC'S and ('xtracts lking. in on!er to distinguish it beth'r from that in \\ hich it ()('('urs and from that of which it is said. It wrests Ik'ing from Ix'ings in onkr to bring it to all of them at once, and to mah' it fall upon them for all tinll's. BL'ing purl' Sd)'ing and pure ~'\'('nt, uniwX'ity hring.~ in contact till' inner sUI,fan' of language (insish'nl'(') with the outer surf:'ll:L' of Iking (L'xtra.lking). UninJCal H<'ing inh('n's in language ami happl'ns to things; it nwasun's th(' intL'rnal rdation of language with the ('xtemal rdation of Iking, Neitha activc nor passi\'c. unin)cal lX'ing is neutral. It is exua-&",s. that is. thc minimum of lking common to the real. the possible. and the impossihle, A position in th(' \"Oid of all ("\"ents in olle. an expre!>siol1 in th(' nonsense of all sens('s in one. uninx:at Iking is til\' pur(' fonn of Ihe Aion, UlC.-.. fonn of ('xh:riority which relates things and propositions. I In short, thc uninX'ity of BL'ing has tlm'(' d('tcm1inations: one single' event for all ('\'ellts; 011(' ami th(· s..lm(' ahqlllJ for that which hap!x'ns and that which is said; ami one and till' sam(' Bdng for till' impossibl(" the' possible, and tht' real.
,1(0
1'\\"1 NT)"+I'IITlI ... l:M.1I"
(1I'lINIVOl'I1')"
Twenty-Sixth Serie' of Language
EH"IlL'i mak(' language possible, Hut making possihle docs not nwan causing to IX'gin. We' always begin in Ih(' on!<'r of sIX-'(''(·h. but not in lilt' onk'r of languag(', in which ('I'c-;'thing must lx' givcn simultancously and in a single blow, Then' is atwa~'s som('OIl{' who IX'gins to sJX'ak. TIll' one who IX'gins to slx'ak is til(' Olll' who manifests; what Oil(' talks ahout is the dc'notatum; what ontO sa~'s are the significations, Thc {'\"ent is not an~' of tlwS(' things: it slx·ak... no mort" than it is spokcn of or said, Nt'\'('nhel('Ss, tht' {'\'ent dO<'S Ix'iong to language" and haunts it so much that it docs not e'xist outside of till' propositions which ('xprcss it. Hut till' t'\'<:nt is not tilt' same as tilt' proposition; what is expressed is not lilt' sanw as the (·xpression. It docs not pn'('xist it, but pn'-inhcrcs in it, tim.. gi\'ing it a foundation and a condition, To r('nd<:r languag(' possihltIhus ...igniti('S assuring that soumis are not eonfuSt-.! \\ ith thc sonorous (lll,llitiL'S of things. with the sound (·lTCl't'S of 1)()(1i('S. or \\ ith thdr .1( lion.-. Jnt! passions. What n'n<\('rs languagc' possiblt' is that 1\ hieh ~t'Parah'... snuntls from Ixx/ies and orgalliz(.... them into proposition~. trt'<'ing them for till' t'xprcssin' fllllt'tion, It is alw,l~'S a mouth whieh ,"p"ab; IlllI til\' sound is no longer til(' llOi.~c' uf a 1)(){ly which cats-' pun' orality-in onlt-r to heconlL' till' manif~'station of a subject c'xprt·......ing ibdf. One sp(',lk... alwa~'s of 1)()(IiL's anti their mixtun's, but
,8,
sollmls han' n'ast'd bo.:ing II' (St't" for uampk. Ilw tripll' dislinction in thl' proposition of dt'llOtation, manif('Stalion, and :.ignificalion). How doc'S thc Cl'Cnt makt' language possibll'? \Ve hal"(' ~'t'n that its ('S..'i('IlCC is that of the purc surface dT('ct, or the imlla,ssibl(' int:urp0rl'al t'lltity, Thc o2\'cnt results from !)(){lil--S, their mixturt'S. Ilwir actions. and their IlaSSions, Rut it differ'S in natur('" from that of which it is tilt.' rl'Sult. It is. for ,'xamplc, attributed to bodies, to st'atl'S of affairs, bUI 1I0t at all as a physical qual it)'; rathcr, it is ascribed to t111'1ll only as a wI")' spl'('ial orwbule. diak'Ctical or, rath{'r, not'matic and int'orpor{'al, 'Illis attributl' doc'S not exist outside of the proposition which express('s it. Rut it differs in natuf\" from its ('xprcssion. It exists in th(, proposition, but not at all as a name of Ixxlics or qualiti('S, and not at all as a subj('(·t or predicate. It exists rather onl~' as tha~ which is exprl'SSible or expreSS<.-d b)' the proposition. en\'el0JX't1 in a n~rb, The {'\'ent <XTurring in a statc of aO"airs and the St'nSl' inhering in til<' proposition art' tilt' sanl<' t'~.. COllse(lut'ntly, to the ('xtent that the in('orporeal l'\'t'nt is conslitutcd and constitutes the surfan', it raiSL'S to Ihis surface tI\t' Il:nns of its doubl(' rt'fen'ncc: the I)(){lies to whidl it refers as a nocmatit' attribute, and the propositions to which it refers as an l'xprc.:ssiblc entit)', It organizl's t111'se IcmlS as two seri('s which it ,~l'paratt's, since it is b)' and in this separation Ihat it distinguishes itsdf from til<' hodies from whidl it t'nsues and from the propositions it rcmkrs possihll:, This sl'paration, this lirw-frontil'r hl'two.:en things and proposilions (10 ('at/to sp~ak), l'nllTS as wdl into thl' "made possible," that is, into thl' propositions thl'msl'!I'I's, 1X'I\\'t'{'n nouns and n'rbs, or, ratlwr. hl'tWt'en tll'llotations
dwy
.
,md l'xpressions, Denotations ref,'r ,11\\'a\"s to 1)(){lit's and, in principle, 10 ~'onsumable Objl'CISj expro.:ssions r,'fl'; 10 l'xpn'ssible m('anings, But this line-frontil'r would nOI <'nal't tilt' sq)aratioll of Sl'rio.:s at the surface it if did not finally artit'ulatc Ihal \\ hidl it ,~t'I)arall's, It operatL'S on both :ooitles b~' means of one and the Salllt' ilwuTlx)real power, which, on onc h,md, is definl't:! as that whit-h ()t,'curs in a state of alTairs and, on the otllt'r, as that which insiSL~ in propositions, ("Illis is wh)' languagl' has onl~' one power, though it Illay haw S\'\'l'ral diml'nsions,) Tht' IinC'-fronticr brings aboul tilt' l'onvcrgcnn' of di\"crg('nt series; hut it neither abolishes nor turrt't"ts their diwrg{'nn', For il makt.'S them mnH'rgc' not in themsel\'l'S (whidl would 1)(' impossible) but around a l>.lradoxical clement, a point tra\'t'rsing tht' line and circulating throughout 11ll' series, This is an always displac("tl cl'nler which constitult.--s a drcll' of coR\'crgence onl), for that which dh'erges as such (the poWl'r of afl'imling the disjunction), This dem('nt or point is the quasi-cause 10 which the surface effects arc auaclu"tl. pn'Ciscl~' insofar as thc~' dilTl'r in nature from their corporeal caus<'S, It is this point which is exprl'SSCd in language b)' means of ('SOtcric words of tliffercnt kinds. guaranteeing till' S\'paration, the coordination, and the ramifications of series at once. 'I1ms the entire organu..alion of language prl'SCnts thrt>c figurl'S: the nll'taph~'sica! or transcendental su1oc(', tile inu)T1)()real abstract line, and thl'
TIlt' two great ant"il'nt s~'stt'ms, Epicureanism and Stoicism, ath'mptt'tl to !<X'ate in things that which n'nders language possible. BUI Iht'\". did so in ,"en' difft'rt'!lt wa\,s, For in order to found not ani.... , - , fn't'dom hut also !anguagl' and its uSt." till' Epicurt'ans cr{'ated a nl(~l'l ha.",,'d on Ihl' &·d..nslOn of till' atom; the Stoics, on the contraT)', cn'aled ,1 mOlll'l hased on till' con/IISl1flOIl of e\'eIllS, It is not surprising tlwT('fore that thl' J-:pil"un'an motld pri\'ileges nouns and ,ulj<·(·tiws; nouns art' like alOlllS or linguistic bodies which are ('oordinalt'd through their dl'den. ,~ilJn, and adjl'ctin's like the (lualitks of tlll'se composiles, BUI till' Stoic tlllllid ('omprdwllds Ianguagl' on tilt' hasis of "proudl'r" temlS: \"l'rbs ,Hid tlwir conjugalion. in rdalion 10 tlw links bt.'twL"t'n incorporeal "H'nt~, Tht' (Iul'stion of knowing w!wlher nOlln~ or \"('rbs an' primar)' in Ianguag\' cannot Ill' n'soln'd an'ordillg to till' gt'lll'ral maxim "in Ihl'
l
Ix.'ginning. 1I1l'f!' i~ till' al"tion." hO\n'\'cr much OIW nlJh's of till' "t.orb the rq>n'S('ntatin- of primary action and of the root tI\l' primary state of tilt' n'rh. For it is not InlC' that Ihe n'rb rcpr('S('llts ;on action; it ('xpn-sSt'S an (·\"(.·nt, which is totall~' diff(,rt'llt. Mon.'o\"l'r. language is not t!1-'\"l']upt'(l from primar)' roOL<;: it is organu,od around fomlatin.' t'!C'ments "hich
TW!,NTl'4!>JXTIl ,1·RJI,l' 01' I ANlillAtil,
is till' Aion. the straight lim" the l'mpt~· form, and the distance; il pennits no distinction of monwnts, hUI g(X'S on Ix'ing di\'idl'{! fonnall)' in till' doublt' alUl simultanl'OllS diTt'l,'lion of till' past and the future, '!1\(' infiniti\"{' dOL'S not implicall' a tinw illlernal to language without {'xpn'SSing lilt" St-'nsc or the ('\'l'IU, that is to sa~', the Sl't of prohlems raiSl't1 by language, It connlxts the interiorit" of language 10 the ('xtt'riorit)' of IX'ing. It inh('Tits tlll'rdorc til(' communication of C\'ents ,unong thl'msch-l-'S. As fOT uni\"ol"it~', it is transmiUl'l! from Being to languag(" from till' cxteriorit~· of B<'ing to the inleriority of languagc,', E'luinx'ity is always Ihe l'(luh'/X'it)' of nouns. "111c.: Verb is the uninx:ity of language, in the forn1 of an undl'tc.:nnined infinitiw. without p"'rson, without pn'sl'nt, without an)' di\"CTsity of \"oicl', It is p()l.'lry itsdf, As it ('Xprl'sscs in language all e\'enls in Ollt', Ihe in/initiw wrb exprc.:s.sc.:s Ihl' ('\"l'nt of language-language IX'ing a unique e\'l'nt whidl nwrg"'s now with that whidl renders it possibl(',
TWI:NTY-!>IXTli SI:RII-S 01- l.ANGUAta.
ISS"
t.
Twenty-Seventh Series of Orality
L.lI\guagl' is
rcmll'rt::t1 possible by that whil"h distinguisllL"s it. What sl.'paraks sounds from hodies makt·s sounds into till' dl'llwnts of a language. What separates speaking from ('aling n.·nd(·rs sjx'('Ch possible; what separates proposition... from things rl'udas ProlX)sitiollS pos.'iible. l1w surfa('c and that whit-h takl'S plan' at tht." surfaCl.' is what "f"('nl!cJ'S possiblt'''-in other wonls, tht· ('wnt as that which is I'xpr<'SS('(I. The ('xprt.'ssed makt-s possible till" ('xprl'ssion. Hut in this cast.", \\'t' find oursdws confronted with a linal task: to ("('Iran' the histOl)' which liIx-ratl's sounds and makl'S thcm indl'pemll'nl of 1x><1il,.'s. It is no lonecr a CJul-"Stion of a static gcn('Sis which would lo..·ad from till' Prt'SUI'1~ ('Will to its ,}1.."1ualization in statt'S of affairs and to its ""pn'Ssion in propositions, It is .. question of .. dynamie g,'nesis whidl lo..';uls din.'(:t1y from stah'S of aO:,irs to cwnts, from mixtures to pun' Iines,Ironl J.. .plh 10 lhe produc/lolJ SUiftKes, which must not implicate at all the other gent.'Sis, ~or, from tht' point of ,'i('\\ of thl' other gl..'nl..'Sis, Wl' posit eating and :-p.:aking hy right as t\\O M'rit'S aln'ad~' Sl'Paratl.."(1 at the surface, Tht'y .In' sl'IJOlratt'tl ami articulah"(1 h~' the ewnt which is the n'suh of onl..' of t1WIlI, 10 which it rc!:ltl's as a Ilt){:matic attrihute, and rl'ndl'rs tilt' other StTit's Ix)ssiblt', to which it rdatl's as an t'xpn'ssihlt' St'nSt.', But it is ;m ,'ntir{'l~' diffN'('nt qu,'stion hOlt l>pl,.,king is dTe<:liH'l~' diM'ngagt"(1 from
if
".
c,lIing, how tilt' surface itsdf is produt'l'tl, or how tht> incorporeal e\'l'nt n~lll;s from Ixxlil)· statl'S, \Vlwn \\t' sa~' that th(· sound IlI..'Conws indqx'nd,'nt, wc mC.ln to sa~' th,lt it n'aso."S to Ix- a slx'Cifi<.' qualit~· ,llt'll'lwtl 10 1)()(li<.'s, a noise or a IT\", and that it Ix-gins to dl'signal(, qualitieS. manifest 1)()(lics, and sigr~i1\' suhj{'cts or pn'dicates, As it happl..'ns, sound t.lkL'S on a <,'olw:'nli~mal \'alue insidl' dl..'nota~tion, a nl:-toman' "aluc in manifl..'Statlon, and an artificial \'alue in signihcation, ollh' Ix.c~uso..' it estahlishl..'S its indqx'nd,'nct' at till..' surfan' from tht· hi g ill'r authority of cxpr,'ssi\'it~', TIll' dqllh-surfan' distinclion in ('\'1'''' n's!X'('t, primary in rl'lation to tilt' tlistirll'tions natun·-t'OlWl..'ntlon. natun'-custOlll, or nature-artifin', Now. thl..' histol')' of depths IX'gins with what is most tl'rri~\'ing: it ht,£ins with the theater of terror whose unforgetable picture McianiL' KI:'in painted, In it, till' nursing infant is, bt-ginning with his or her j-irst war, stag\:, actor, and drama at onn', Oralit)" mouth, and hreast are ;nitiall~' bottomlcs... depths, Not only arc till' bn'ast and the entire body of till' motht'r split apart into a good ami a bad oI*_,<:t, but the~' arc aggn"Ssi\'d~' cmptil..'Cl, slashed to pi('('("S, brokt'n into crumbs and alil1lC'ntan' morsds, The introjcc..1.ion of t1wso.' partial objrt,ts into the Ixxl~' of thl: infant is accompanied hy a proj\'Ction of aggr\:ssiwll('ss onto thesc intl'ma\ objects, and by a re-projl"Ction of t1wsc objl..'(:ts into the maternal htKk Thus, introj("("h"(1 morsds arc like poisonous, persecuting, l'xplosi\'~" and toxil' sul>stan<.'cs threatening thl" child's bod)' from within and Ix'ing endlcs.<;ly rl..'COnstitlltctl insidt"' tlw mother's lxxl)·, The ncc..'CSsit~, of a perpetual n'~introj\'clion is till' result of this, TIll' entire ,s}'stcm of introj''Ction and proj"t,tion is a l'ommunication of Ixxlics m, and through, depth, Oralit~' is natllrall~' prolongl'Cl in cannibalism and anality in tlw caS(" of which partial ohjt'("'ts arc t:xcrcta, capable of expl<xling till' Illotlll'r's Ixxl)', as wdl as til(' 1)()(ly of tht' infant. bits of 011(' an.> al\\.,~,S tht' pt'rsccUlors of 1111..' otlll'r. and, in this ahominable mixlun' \\ hil'h nlllstitutes tlU' Passion of IIIl' nursing infant, \x'rsl'<.'utor ami 1'Io.'n.l'I..'Uh.t1 an..' alwal's thl..' same. In this s~'st('m of mOlllh-anus or .11imt'nl~l'Xrl'ment, l~lics hurst and caliS{' other Ixxlics to hurst In a uni\t'n.al l'l"S."I)()()I,1 Wt: call this world of il\lrojt't.'h"tl ;llId proj,"(,tt-d, .1lin1l'lltary antll'X<.Tl'!ll('ntal partial inh'mal ohjt'(·ts the world of SlnIu/a,ra, Mvlanil' Klein dl'StTilx's il as t1w paranoitl-St'hizoid position of tlw \ hilt!, It is smu'l·dl't1 b\' a (Il'f)rl'ssi\"t' position which dlara<.'tt'rizl'S a tlu'll progn':-s. sinn' till" ('hild stri\"t's to rl.."('Ollstitlltl..' a complch' good
is:
'n\('
r\\'I-NTY~''''\'1 NTIl \,IUI<\ 01- ORAlITY
187
ohjt'('1 and to idt'ntil:" himself with this Ohj('l·t. The child slri\'\..'s Ihus to achit·\·t· .1 ('lJITt':-ponding identity, ('\'l'n if in Ihis Ill'W drama he ha.s 10 shan' tilt' thn·.lts. sutTt'ring~, and all til(' passions und....rgOlw h~' till' good ohjt·(·t. Ikprt'ssi\'t' "idl'ntihcation," with its confinnatioll of till' Sllpt'rq!.o ,lIld furmation of tl1l' ego, replact's paranoid and schizoid "introjl'l·. tion-projt"(·tion." E\"l'I'),thing is prl'pan'd at last for tlw ae('('ss to a st'xual po~ition marked b)· (xxlipllS, through nl'W dangt'rs. In ii, tilt' lihidinal illlpuls..·s h'nd to lx, di~ngagetl from d('Stnll'tin' impulst's and to in\'t"st through "symholi..- ation" ah\"a~'s b..,ttt'r organized ohjt-cts, inh·n·st.s, and acti,,·ities. '1111' nunml'nts Wt· will mah' about certain dt'tails of the Klt'inian sdll'ma an.' illlt'ndl"l.! to sk..,tch out "orientations" onl\'. for til(' \"('1'\' tlwmc of positmns implks till' idea of the orientation~ of 1)s~Thic life and of cardinal points: it also implies tl1l' idt'" of the organization of this Iifl' in acconlantt with \'ariabll' or shifting coordinates and dimt'nsions, an t'ntiIT' gt-ograph~' and gl'Onwt~· of lil'ing (Iimensions. It SC('ms at hrst as if the fMranoid-schizoid position ml'rges with the dewlopment of an oral-anal dt'pth-a hottomlt'SS d<'j)th. En'l'\·thing starn out in th(' ab~·s..., But in this reslX"Ct, in thi.. domain of Parti;1 Objl'ClS and pil'Ct..'S which pt'Opll' the depth, w(' .lr(' not l·('rtain whl,ther or not till' "good Objl'(1" (tht' gOOlI bn'ast, l'an lx, consideITt"1 as illlrojl'Ctt"1:l in the same wa~' .IS tht' had objt'Ct is, Mdolnk Kldn h('f"S('lf ShOWNI that til(' splitting of the objt'Ct into gOOlI and IMd in the caSt' of introjl"1:'tion is dupliciltt.-d through a fragmentation which til{' goexl ob;t"(,t is un.lblt, to n'Sist, since OIl<' ('an ne......r bt' sun' that tht> goexl objN:.,t d()l.'S not con(':('.ll a bad pi('(.'l'. Furtlll'mlOre, t''''<:~' pil'C(' is bad in prindplt' (that is, pt'rSl.'(.'uting ~nd ~)('~'('lHor), onl~' w~at is wholesome and ('omple!t' is ~ Hut IntrOI('t:tlon, to bc pn'CISl'. dOl'S not allow what is wholt'some to 1 suhsisl. 'l1lis is why tht, t"1:luilibrillm propt'r to the schizoid position and its n'!.ttion to till' subsl'
TWI NTY-:-I'\'I'NTH ~HU"~ 01' ORAl IT"
'Ihirl about .1ml explod(', and full dqlth. TIll'S(' are two mixtures: one is made of hard and solid fragmt'llts II hidl change; tlw other is H
18')
tailwd, I'mpt~'-fllll, 1Il,lssiw-nll'ago:r, elc HUI til\' h'lIsion propt'r to Iwighl i:- wrlicalil)', dilTen'llco: in sizo:, the largt' and tht' small, In OPI~~ili(ln 10 p,lrtial introjt·t:tt·d ohjt'cts, whkh do not t'xpn'SS Iht' ,'ggn's~iwll<'ss of tilt' infant without also expressing tIll' aggn'ssiwno:ss din'dt,d against him or ho:r, and which hy the same tokt'll an' had and dangt'rolls, tilt' good objt·ct as such is a complete ohjo:t.'!. If it manift'sts tilt' most nnomOlls cruelty as wdl as Im'(' and prott·ctiOll. it is not IlO.'(·.llISt.· of its partial and di\'idt'(l natun'. but as a gOOlI and t·ompit'tt· ohjt'(·t all thl' manift.'Stations of which emanatt' from a higlll'r and supt'rior unit~" In fact. tht' gOOt.I obj<.'Ct has taken upon it:-.df til(' two Sl."hizoid polt-s-that of partial ohjects from which it t.·xtra(·Lo; its forn' and that of tht.' lxxl)' without organs fTOm which it utra<.1s iu fonn, that is. its complden('SS and intt-grity. It maintains thl'refore complt·x relations with th(' id as a n'st.-rvoir of partial objl'CLo; (inlrojt'l.·tt'(l and proj("(·t('11 into a fragnlt'llh"<.l hotly), and with the ego (as a mmpit't(· boc.l)' without organs). l~f(Jr as If IS lhe pmKlplc <1 rhe tkpras/l'C' pmJlJon. the good object is not the Slll"u'SSOr of the schizoi<1 positKJn, hut ratho:r fornls itself in the CUTTl'nt of Ihis position, with borrowings, bl<x:kagt'S. and pn·ssur<.'S which ath'St to a constant communication 1:k·twt'Cn the two. At the limit, of courst.'. the s<:hizoid can rt'inforct' the tt'nsion of his own position in onlel'" to shut himSt'lf up to the rt'\"('lation..~ of h('ight or H'rtit.dlity. But, in an)' el'ent, th(· good object of tht.· ht.·ights maintains a strugglt' with the partial objects in which forn' is at slakl' in the \'iol{'nt confrontatKJn of two dimensions. 'l1\e bod)' of the infant is like a den full of introj('C«"<.! sal'ag(' beasts which t'nchan'S in their prt.·~nct' lik... a pitilt·s.~ bin! of pr...)', Under tht.'Se circumstann'S, tht' t'go idcntifi" with til(' goc.x! objt't-,t, p..1tt(·rning itself aftcr it in a nuxld of love and partaking of iL>; power and its hatrL"<.1 toward the inll'rnal objt·{·ts, But it also partako:s of its wounds and its suOering under tht, blows of these bad ohjects." On tho: other hand. it idt·ntitio:s itst,lf with tlU'S\' h.1d partial Uhi{'cts which ('ndt'a\'or to catch the good ohject; it olTcrs assistance, alliancl', anti o:wn pit)'. Sud} is the \'ortt·x id-t'go-sllpert'go, in which 1'\'tT)' 0lU' rl'cl'in's as man)' hlows as ho: I1WI...·S out and which characteriZt's til\' manic-dt'pn'ssh'l' position. [n relation to thl' "'go, tilt' good objet'! as SllP{·ft·go rnobilizt's all of its hatfetl to the cxto:nt thai th(: ('go has allit·d itsl'lf to thl' introjt'ctcd objt'cts, But is d()(·s grant it assistanc(' 1')0
TWI·NTY-:-I-V!·NTH :-I·HII·:- (II' (1ItA11T"
and [01'1'. 10 the extent thai tht· t'go crossl's O\-o:r and attempts to idt'nlif" itsdf with it. Tha~ lo\'\' and hate do not n'fer to I>'lftial obi{·(·ts, but express the unity of till' good and whole ohjlx·t. must 1)(' und{'rstOCK! in t{'nns of tht' '''position'' of that obj('ct-ill< tr.lnsl·(·nd{·!ll"e in height, I:k'~'olld lu\'ing and hating, 3.'iSiSling or lighting. tlwre is "est:aping" and "withdrawing" in tht.' heights. '111e good ohjtx·t is b), nalun' a lost ObjL't-'1. It unl~' shows itsdf and aplx'ars from tlw start as aln·ad,. lost. as hanna /t(cn losl. Its eminent unit)' lit'S IwTt·. Onl~' as lost. the goc.xl obj<.'Ct mnft·rs its low on the om' who is ablt' to find it for the fiTSt time as "found again" ("fC'Irouri") (tilt' t-go "hieh id('ntifics with it); and it ('onft'rs its hat<.· on the one who apprO.1dl"''S it aggressively as soml'lhing "diSl."Owred" or "exposed:' and ~'t't aln'ady tht·T(' (tht.· ego taking tht' :.id(· of internal objects). Coming about in thc COUf"S(' of the schizoid jXlSition, the good object posits iUt.-lf as having alwap precxistl-d in thL... otlll'r dimension which now interfl'n'S with d{.-pth. This is why, highcr than the mo\'cment through which it ("onf('rs \0\'1' and blows, there is tilt' ("SSCnce through which and into which it withdraws and frustrates us. It withdraws col'crcd with its wounds, but it also withdraws into its Ion' an<.1 its hate. It gh't'S its 10\"C only as a 10\'1' which was gh'en ~fore (comme tnkmni), as a pardoning; it confo:rs its hate only as a recalling of thn'ats and wamings which did not uk(· place. It is therefore as a result of frustration that thl' good objt'Cl, as a lost ohjt.'Ct, distributes 101'1' and hatr<..'(1. If it hatl-'S, it is as a good object, an<1 no k'SS than it loves. If it Ion'S tilt' ('£,0 which id('ntil;t's with it and hat...'S thc t-go which identifies with tht' ,;rtial objects, it withdraws ('\'('n further; it frustrates the L-gO \\hi{·h ht'Sitates lx·twC\·1l the two and suspects it of double-dealing. I-rust ration, in l'iew of which tlU.' lirst timo: can on1)' be a Sl.'Cond time, is till' {'ommon origin of 10\'0: anti hatrnl, '111e gOOlI object is cnld (thc t"TUt·[t~' of thl' Sllp{'n'go) to tilt' o:xtmt that it ti{'S together all theS(' monlt'llts of Im'<" and hatt' cOllfo:rR'(1 from on high with an insulU'c \\ hidl turns its face awOl)' and oA....rs its gifts (dons) onl~' as gifts oAt·n·d OI1("t· IlO.'li, ft , (r...Jolllllfs), St'hizophro:nic pn·.Sonatic philosophy is thus liIIIO\\'t·d by dt'flTt'ssi\'t' Platonism: the t;o<xl is r.. . adll't! ani)' as till' ohin't of a r"minisn'nc{', un{'o\'cn·d a,~ t'ssl'ntially n·il....d; the Ont' gives olll~' what it dOt'S not han', sinn' it is sllpt'Tior to what it giws, \\ithdrawn into its Iwight; and, as Plalo said of thl' Id.. ·a, "it (]<.'(·s or it TWI'NTY·,I·\,!·N·111
:-1·1<11':-
01- OIt,\LlTY
1')1
I)l,.'rislws"-it l)l'rislws lImkr the blows of internal ul*,l't's, but it !Iel's in re!.ltion to till' ego, sin('(: the Ided prL'(.-edl'S it; till' hka withdraws as till' l'gO alh-ann's. lca\'ing with it onl), a little Im'e or h,lte. These, as WI..' haw SCC'n, are the characteristics of the depressi\'e past Ix:rfect. The manit'-depfl'SSin' position, being determirll"d by till' good object, pn'Sl.'nts t1ll'reforc all sort.'! of new characteristics at till' sanll' time that it inserts itsdf in the paranoid-schizoid position, l1'L'! is no longer the oll's of identification, that is, the identification of the l'gO with the internal ohjt'cts and its identification with the objt'l·t of heights, In the schizoplm'nk position, "partial" clualifics internal objects and is contrasttxl with '·cOlnpk·te." whie'h qualifies the I)()(!), without organs reacting to tht'sl' objects and the fragmentation the)' makt, it suffer, In the depressi\'e position, "complete" qualifies the object, and subsumes undt'r it not onl~' tilt' qualifications "unharnllXl" and "woundtx!," hut also "prl"SC'nt" and "absent." as the doubk' mon:ment b\' means of whkh this highest objl'l"t gi\'l's outside of it'sclf and with~!raws into itself, for this reason. tht· experience of frustration. that is. the experiencc of the good Ohjl'Ct which withdraws into itself or which is csscntiall~' lost. I>clongs to thl' (lcpressi\'C position, In tht"' case of the schizoid position. ('\'t'f),thing is aggrcs.'!iwllcss l'xt,rtl'li or undc~ in the mt-'l-·hanisms of introjection and projection; in the strained relation betwe('n fragmente(! pam and the Ixxl)' without organs, tl'C·r.'yfhI1JS is passIOn and OC'I/On. l·n·~,thing is communication of 1)(Klies in depth. attack. and defl'nSl'. Then' is no room for privation or for the frustrating situation. which aplx'ars in thl' COUTS(' of the St.'hizoid po.~ition. although it l'manatt'S from the otlll'r position, It is for t!lis n'ason that the t1l'preSSh'l' position pn'(lares us for somt,thing which is nel/her action nor paSSlOIl, that is, for till' imp,lssibk' withdrawal or contrat'tion, It is for this reason as \\~,II that the mank-deprt'ssi\'C position set'ms to hJ,\'e a crudty which is dilTt'fenl from till' paranoid-schizoid aggressi\,eness, Cruclt~, implit,s all till'S(' momt'nts of a low and hah' l)('stO\\'('(1 from
al)()\·e. by a g<XK! but lost obj('(;t whit'll withdraws and which always gi\,es what it gin,'S for the second tinlt'. Mas(x.'hism 1X'longs to the ('ab and comcs from on high. S Freud himself stressed the acoustic origin of the slIlX'rcgo. For the child. the first approot'h to Ianguag(, consists in grasping it as tht, m()(ld of that which prl'l-'xists. as n-ferring to tIll' t'ntin' domain of what is alr{'ad~' thac. and as till' familial \'oil'(' which mn\'l'\'s tradition. it aflt,t,ts lhe child as a lX'ar('f of ,1 nallW and demands his insertion l'\'en hcforl' tlw t·hild I)l,'gins to lllldl'rstand. In a l'l'rtaill way. this \'oin' has at its disl>osal ';11 the dinwnsions of organiz{'d language: it denotl's lhl' g()()(1 ohj{'Ct as such or, Oil till' {'()ntrar~'. lhe introje(:tcd objt'cts; it signifies something, namd~', all tlw concepts and dass('s which strllcturt' tht, domain of
pn:'('xistt'nn:; and it manifests tlu,' ('motional variations (If Ill(' whole person (till' "oin' ,holt Ion'S and rl'assuH-S, attacks and s,:olds, that itst'lf l'ompl'lill~ .l1)()UI Ix-ing wounl!l·d. or withdraws and kL""pS quiet). Tht, \'oin', though. pr{"S('nts the dimensions of an organized language, with-
uut ~·(·t l)l:ing able to grasp the organizing principle acmrding to which Il'ft outside M'm,,, r.lf from it, this time in a pre-sense (prc-sens) of height's: thl' voke:' d{)('s llot ~'('I han- at its disposal the uni\'odt)' which would make:' it a 1.1Ilguagc:". and, having unit)' onl~' in "inut" of its eminl'nn", r('Sls ('rltangll'tl in the:' cqui\'ocit~, of its dt'notations, the analog)' of its signiticaliolls. .lllli the ambivaleno' of its manifl"Stations, Truth to tdl, to the extl-I\t that it denotl"S thl' lost olljfft, one dOt,S not know what the voice ~knotl's; one docs not know what it signilies since it signifies the order of pn."existing entitks; one d()(·s not know what it manifl'st's sinl.'C it manifl'sts withdrawal into its prinCiple, or silence. It is at Olll."(" the objl'Ct. the law of the loss, and the loss itself. Indct--d, as the superego. it is the \'oice of God. that which forbids without our knowing what is forbidden. since we will leam it only through the sanction. This is the paradox of the voie<" which at til(' same time marks thl' insufficiency of all theoril's of analogy and e(lul\'Ot'it)': it has the dimensions of a language without having its condition; it awaits the CI'C'11I that will make it a language. It is no longer a nois<." but is not yet languagl" We can, at least. measure the progress of till' H)(:al with respl_"Ct to tht• oral, or the originalit~, of this dcprcssh'(' min' in rdation to the sonorous schizoid system. TIll' voice is no k'SS opposed to tlOist-'S wht'n it sileno-s t111'm than wht'n it itself groans under their aggTl'Ssion. or kl."'ps th~ence. 'We constand)' rdin' in our dreams the pass.'ge from noiS<' to voice; obsl'rvcrs have corn'cd)' noted how sounds Tl'al'hing till' sleepl'r were organized in th~· vokl' read~' to awakl'n him. 6 We an' schizophrenic while sl('Cping, but manic-(!l'pressi\"(' when nearing the point of awak(·ning. When the S('hizoid puts up a dl'fl'I1S(' against thl• dcpressh·e position, when thl' schizophrenic rl'gTl"SSl.'S be~'ond this position, it is Ix,,:ause the \'oice thrl'atens tht' whole body, thanks to which it acts. no It'Ss than it thn~ll'ns thl' intemal objl"t-·ts through which it sufTt'rs. As in thl' caSt· of the schizophn'nil' language studt'lll. the matern.ll voi('(' musl he lkcornposl'd. withollt dela)', into lita"l phonetiC sounds and n'cof.llIX>SI.'(I intu inartinllate blocks. TIll' t11l'fts of thl' Il()(ho, , Ihought and !olk'l'l'h l'xlx'ril'n("('(! hy tilt' S('hizophn'nil' in his ronfrmllation \\ ilh 11)(' till' micL" itself would 1)(· a language. And so \\'(' arc
(lL'prcssi\,c position arc but 01U'. It is nol nl'Cess.lT)' to wonder whether t'('hOt'S, l'onstraints, and thl'fb ,1ft' prilll.l!')' or onl)' S<-"t-'Onclary in n.-Iation to automatic plll'nomcn.l. 11\i:, i.. .l falSt· probk'm sinn' what is stolt·" fTOm the S('hizophrcnic is not Ihe \Oin': \\hat is stolt'n b~· tlw \okt' from on high is. ratllt'r. Ihl' t'nlire !oOI\OTOllS, p"""lXtJI s~'st('m th.lt 1)(' was ,\ble to makt' into his "spiriIU.l1 ,HltolTl.lton."
-
rWI·NTy- .. I-VI,NTII
:o.1·KII·~
01' OR:\II'I r
19\"
Twenty-Eighth Series of Sexuality
Ill'
word "partial" has two sellSl'S. First, it dcsignah:s till' statl' of
introjeCl('(! ohjcCL" ami the (:orresponding stal"-' of till' drin's attachl'(1 tu thl's(' objects. It also dl'signalL'S (·keli\"{' !>cxlil)' zonL'S ami thl' stah' of the dnn's which find in t111'1ll J "soufa'." "1111'Sl.' are obj(XiS which rna)' tlll'mSl.·ln's Ix' partial: tilt." hreast or lingl·r for till' oral zon..., ('xt-n'mcnlS for the anal ZOIU'. "111<: 1\\0 ~nSl.'S should not, Iw\\'('nr, 1)1.' confus('(1. It has often 1)("('" l~ot~llhal tht' t\~·o pS~'dl(>an~I~'lic notions of stagC'.,,\,d ZOIW do not cOllle,dc. A stag{' IS charactcrlzL,1 h~' a tYJx' of act"")' whi(-h assimiiat'L'S OtlU'f activitil's and n'ali7.l'S in .a l·('rtain m<xlc a mixture of drhT'S-ahsorption, for exampll', in th... first oral stagl". whit-h also as...imilat(·s till" anus, or ('xcrction during tht.: anal stage, \\hich prolongs it. anel which also takt'S on'r til\' mouth. Zonl'S, on the contrar:". n'pn'scnt the isolation of a t('rrito~'. acti\'itil'S which "im'l'St" this It.:rritor.... anti drin's which now lintl in it a distinct source, Tht~ I>
position and inh'r\'ening in its cours(', BtH tht' essential diITt'n'no' is that zones art'.faels C?f the slI1aec, .lnd that tllt'ir organi7.ation implies th(' constitution. tilt' tliscO\'c')'. and tht' in\'t'stnll'nt of a third dimension which is no longer eithcr dq>th or height. Ollt' could sa~' that the object of a zonl' is "projt'Ch.'d," but proj('(·tion no longt'r signilit'S a m('Chanism of dl'pth. It now indicates a surfao' operation-an operation oecurring on tht· surface, In conformit~, with the Fn'udian tlH'0r:" of l'rogl'llOuS zonl'S and tht.:ir rdation to lX'rn'rsion, a third position, tht, s('xual-pl'r\TfSt', can thus Ixddin(od. It... autonom)' is based on th(' dinwnsion which is proper to it: st'xual perwrsion is distinct from th(' dcpn'ssiw asn.'nt or o)llwrsion and from til(' schizophrenic subversion. The crogt.:nous zones are cut up on the surfaet· of the Ixxl)'. around orilin's marh'(l h)' the presencc of mucous membran('S. When peopll' noU' that intt'rnal organs are also ,lhlc to 1>I-'(:ol11c erogenous zones, it .lppl'ars Ihat this is conditional upon the spontaneous topology of the Ixxl}'. [n accordanc(' with the lattN, as Simondon said of mcmbrallt..>s, "tht' {'ntirc ('OIll('IH of inlernal spau' is topologically in contact with thc content of t'xtl'rnal space on tilt' limits of the li\'ing." I It dOl'S not e\'en sufliu' to sa)' that thc erogenous zones an' cut up on till' surfaCl', since the surfact-' dOL'S not pn..'('xist them, In fact, (>ach zonl' is the dynamic formation of a surfaCf.' spacl' around a singularit}' constitu{'('(1 by the orifict-'. 11 is ahl(' to bl.' prolongctl in all dirt'Ctiolls up to till' \'icinit~' of anOlher zone dClx'mling on another ~ingularity, Our sexuallxxl}' is initially a Harlt.-quin's cloak. Each erogenous zone is insq>arabll' from one or s('\'eTal singular points. from a st'rial dewlopm('nt articulat('(1 around the singularit~' and from a dri\'c in\'t'Sting this territ0r:'" It is in~parabJ(' from a partial object "proj\'(·ted" onto th(' territor:" as an ohjcct of satisfaction (111IOse), from . m uhst'r\'cr or an ('go bound to thl' territor:" and experiencing satisfaction. and from a mexk' of joining up with othl'r zonL'S. TIlt' entin' surfac(' is tilt' prexluet of this ('OnIlN.-tion, and, as WI.' will St't'. Ihis p0S('s sp('(,.'ific problcms. PrL'('isd~' Ix'(.'ausc til(' entirc surfan' dOt's not prcexist, St'xualit~, in its lirsl (pn:gt'llital) aSlx'ct must lx, dt'lined as.l writablt' productinn of partial surfan's. The auto-eroticism which corn'slxmds to it musl Ill.' charat-teriz('d h~' tht.: obj('ct of .~atisfat'tion projt'(·ted onto tht, surlan' and h~' tlw littlv llardssistic ('go which t'onlelllpJalcs it .lIld indulges in it. Ilow dOl'S Ihis pn)(lu<-1ion come ahout? Ilow is this s('xual position '!'Wll'ITY-I'll;IlTIi 'I·KII·, 01' 'I,XUi\IITY
197
fonm'(l? It is d",lrl~' !u-':1,'SS.lr')' to st...·k tht' principlt: in tlh' pn'Cl-.:ling positions, 'lIld t,,~pt,t'i;JlI)' in till' .....action of tht' deprl.-'Ssin· position to tht. s(.'hizoid po.,ition. I kight, in f;Jet, has a strange I)()\wr of rt'action to dl'fllh. It S("t'ms, from the point of vil'w of height. that dq)th tums, orient:. ibdf in a IWW manner, and spreads itself out: from d hinl's ('ve viI'\\", it is but a fold more or It'ss casil\' undaln', or rather a 1rK.·..l! oriti~·t. ~urroUlult·d or hemmed in at thi..' surf;n', Of course, tilt' lis..ltion or tilt' n'gn'S..~ion to the S(·hi7.oid position implit'S a fI.-''SistanCl' to the depn'SSiw position. such that tht:' surfan' would not be able to l>t· fonned. In this t'aSl" t'adl ZOIW is picrn'd by a thousand orifices which anllul it: or, on tilt' colltra~', the I)(K!~' without orgdns is dOSt-d on a full depth without limits and without exteriorit~" Mon'O\'('r, tht' dl·prl'SSin.· IXlSition dOt'S not itS(,lf constitute a surfan'; ratlwr, it hurls into the orilin." anyolw who might be careless ...nough to venture tlwre-as in til(' case of lieb'-Sl-he. who discowrt.'(! t1~c surfacl' from a height of six thousand fl...·t, only to be engulfl'l! by the subsisting oritice (St.-'l' the appar<"ntl~. manic-d<"pn'ssin: l·pisod...s prt'("('ding the onset of Nit·tzsehe's madness), "111e fact is though that height n'nd(,rs possibl(' a constitution of partial surfal"CS, like man)'-colorrd lit'lds unfolding !>t:'neath the wings of an air-plall(', As for the supt.'rego, despite all its cnll.·It", it is not without kindness with respl'<.'t to the St.·xual organization of superfiCial zones, to tilt' extent that it can assume that tit... libidinal dri"L'S are /here S<"paralCd ,from /M destrllClII't drwa if tht deptht,l
Of ('Qur~. the sexual or libidinal drives \\we alreadv at work in the depths, But it is important 10 understand til(' stall' of ~Il('ir mixtun'with tht., dri,'t'S of prl"SCr\'atior, on one hand, and dri\'l'S of death. 0 Ill(' other. In depth. the (Irin'S of prl.-'Sl.'r\·ation which l'onstitute the aljmcnta~' s)'Stt'm (absorption and l'wn l'x<.Tt'lion) do indt'e(! havc real objt.'(,ts and aims. but thanks to the pO\\l'rlt'Ssnl'Ss of th<." nursing child. thl'~' do not ha\'(' at Iheir disposal the ml'ans to lx' satiSht't! or to posst-'SS Ih... rt'al obj,'l1.. 'Illis is why the .'ID-t..'allt'l! St.·sual drivcs arc fashionl't'ing horn tog('tlll'r with tl1l'm and substituting introjt'l'h'll ami proje("tl'll partial objt"Cts for ol1jt'(-ts that an.' out of n·ach. A striL't compl,'nwntaritv exists hctwrtn sl'xual dri\'es am! simulacra. Destruction, t1l('n, d()('s' nol dt.'signah:: a ("('rtain l,harat·ter of till' rdalion to the fornu'(l n'al Ohjl'ct; it {IUalili~'S ralher thl' t'ntirl' n'lO(!e of thl' fonnation of the inl('rnal llartial ohjl'ct (pin't'S) ,lIld 11ll' (,ntire rdation to it, sin('l,' till' s.lmt' thing is (!t'StroYl'(! 19N
TWI·NTY-I'It.;11"I1l :-.I·I{II· .. 01, "I'XlIAIIT"
and destroYl'r. and SCI'H.'S to (It-stru~' tht' l'gO as mUl-h as the other, to till' I~int that dl.-'Stroying/heing d,'stroy('d ('Q\'l'rs all interndl scllsibilit),. In thiS senS(', all three dri\'l,'.~ nll'rgl' togt·tlwr in depth, urukr such ('onclitions that prcscn'ation pnJ\"id,'s till' t'ing displacet:'llicular ObjlX1.S. It is important. onct.· again, to distinguish. for example. l>t'{\wcn tilt.' oral stage of depths and the oral zonc of the surfact·; behvL'C1l the introjl.-'C-1.t-d and projl.-'l1.L'(! internal partial object (simulacrum) and the object of thl' surface. projt'Ctl-d O\'cr a zone in at'cordant'e witll an entin'!~' difTaent nll'C'hanism (image); or finatl\' Ilt·t\wt·n subversion, whidl dqx'nds on depths, and pen'ersion, whieh is inSl~I}
199
TIll' pn'~g\'nital
('rog"1l0IlS ZUllI'S
or surfan;s cannot Ix' sq}arall.:d from
the prolill'm of tlwir ('(xmlination. It is certain, though, that this coordination II' l'naclt'd in sc\'eral ways: by contiguity. to the tkgn'\' that till' scrit's which is l\(-\,dolx'{! on'r onl' zonl' is l'xtendl'd in another St'rit,s; at a dislann" 10 the (k-gTCC that a zant' can be turrwtl inward or projc('h'd onto anotlwr. furnishing the image b)' whidl tlw other is satislit'<\; and al)()\'c all, indirN-t1)', as in Lacan's mirror stage. It is ()(.\"Crtlll'kss tnlc that the dirL"ct and global function of inh-gration. or of gl'lll'ral coonlination, is normall~' \Tstl"(l in the genital ZOIl\'. It is this zone which must bind all the other partial zones, thanks to the phalfl/$, And tIlt' phallus. in this rt'Spt'Ct. doc'S not pla~' the role of an organ. but ratha that of a panicular image projl"Cted. in the case of till,' littll' girl as well as the little 00)'. onto this pr1,oill'gClI (genital) zone. Th..• organ penis already has a long histor")' tied to th(' schizoid and depTt'li.~hoe positionso As is the caS(' with all organs. the penis has known the adventure of the {Iepths in which it is fragmented. placed inside the mother's and the child's bo{I~., !x-ing \'ktim and aggressor, and identifie<1 with a poisonous bit of food or with an explosin' excrC'ment. But it is no !loss aC(luainte<1 with the adventure of height in which. as a wholesomc and goo
TWI'NTY-hlGlrTII SERIES OF SI,XllALITY
child's own organ and I>l:rmit~ him to havl' sl.'xual relations with thl.' mother without offending thl' 1:1tlwr. What is l'ss(~ntial is thl.' prl'(Oalition .1nll IllOtkst)', at the IX'ginning, of the (h
Twenty-Ninth Series-Good Intentions Are Inevitably Punished
It
is n<.'C('''SS.ll)' therefore to imagim..· Q-·dil)US not ani)· as inn<X"('nt. but as full of Z('al ami good intentions-a S('Coml Here-uk'S who will l'XJX'ricllce a similarl)' painful (·X!>l:rit-·ncc. But wh)' do good intentions Mocm to tum against him? It is first OO-
~f
202
This lirsl response, how('\"er, will not .<;llftin', The t'onstitulion of surfan'S has also as a prindple and illh'lItion the sl'paration of sexll<J1 dri\"es from deslrut.1iw driws from thl' tll-pths. amI. in this respc<.'t. it encounters a n'rtain complac('nc~' 011 till' l>'lrt of the sup(~rcgo or of til(' good obje<·t of the IWights. Thus, tlU' dangers of the ()('dipal affair must also derin' from an internal C\·olution. Mon"O\·er. the risk.<; of confusion or of corporeal mixture. in\"Okt'll h~' til(' lirst n.'sponS<'. take 011 their full m<.'aning onl~' in relation to t1wS{' Jl('\\' dang<"r5 gelleratt.'ll b)' the ()C{lipal enterprise itsdf. In short. this affair IU'l."CSsarily crt'ates a new anxiety which is proper to it. a new l.-'ulpabilit)' or a m'w castration which is ~t rt.'duccd to either of the prcc('lling cas(.'s-and t'O which alone the name "castration complex" corresponds in rt·lation to Oedipus. TIl(' constitution of surfan'S is the most inlUX'('nt. but "innQC('nt" dO<'S not signif)' "without pen'crsit)"" We must realize that the superego abandons its original bene\'olenc("-at til(' OI.--dipal moment,JOr eXDmpJtwhen Wt' go from the organization of pregenital partial surfaces to their gmit'al int~r.J.tion or coordination und('r the sign of the phallus. But wh), is this so? ~e surface has a decisive importano" in the de\'("lopm<.'nt of the ~o. as Freud dead)' d('monstratoo when 11(' said that the perceptionCOflS('iousncss system is localized on th(· membrane fonned at the surface of the protoplasmic \'('Side,' 11}e ego. as factor of the "prima')' narcissism," is initiall~' lodg<.'(1 in the depths, in the \'('Side itself or tht:' body without organs. But it is able to attain independence onl), in the "auto-eroticism" of partial surfan':S and all th..• smalll.'gos which haunt them. The real tt.''St of the <'go then lit.'S in the problem of coordination. and thus of irs OMn coordination. wlll'n the libido as superficial cnerg)' ill\'('Sts it in a "S<..'Comla')' narl'issism," AmI. as we earlier suggested. this phaUit' coordination of surfacL'S. and of the ego itself on the surface. is accompanil.'ll b), operations which an.' qualified as o(·dip.ll. This is what we must analp;c. Tile child n."Cei\"C.~s the phallus as an image that thl' good id('al penis projl'l·ts oyer the genital ZOIU' of his body. !--I..' r{'{'('jws this gift (narcissistic o\"crill\'estment of an organ) as the wndition b)' which Iw would l>t, able to bring abollt the intl.--gr3tion of all his Olha zonl'S. But the fact is that he canllot accomplish til(' prodm'tion of the ~Urf;l~'t' without introducing c1scwlu.'re some \'ery important changc.~. In till' first plan'. ht· splits tllc gift-making idol or good object of the heights. HOIh part'nts were combint,d l'arlicr. in accordanct' with for. TWI:NTY-NINTIl ~I,ltll'S-GUOD INTI,NTIUNS
20j
mulas dt'arl)' analF,t'd h)' Mdani<.' Klein: the maternal hod)' of tilt' depth,~ ('umpris.'d a multiplicity of 1X'lliSt's as partial inh'rnal ohjn:ts; and t'sl>t'l'iall~', till" good ohjt>t:t of the heights was, as a wmpldt, organ, hoth p.'ni.~ and Im:ast-moth..r pro\'idt'd with a jX'nis, f.ltlwr pro\'idt'd with ,1 hn..Hl. Wt· bclit'\'c now that til(' c1.'a\'agt' is at:hit'n't.l as follows: from tlw t\IO disjunctions subsumed under the gOCKI objed (unh,mm'dwoundt,d, prt'sent-.lhsc.'nt) tilt' dlild hegins b~' extrat·ting thl' lU-gati\,I' and makt'S USl' of it in order to ths); and on thl' other hand. tilt' d\i1d illt-ntifit,s till' fatlwr with the last dinwnsion, that is. with thl' good Objl'(·t rl'lin't.l into its hl'ight. As for thl' woumk'd Ixxl~' of till' mothl'r. till' child 1\ ishl'S to rt'1l.lir it, with his rt'Storatiw phallus and makl' it unhannl,(1. lit, wishl'S to n>t:rl'atl' a surfat"\' to this I)(KI\' at the saml' tinw that h(' crt'all'S a surfan' for his own I)()(!v. As for thl' withdrawn ohjt'("t. Ill' \\ islu'S to hring about its return, t~ n:ndl'r it prl'SCnt with his l'I'Ot:atiw phallus. In till' unconscious, e\"l~'~'onl' is the oAspring of dit·on."N! part'nts, drl'aming of rt'Storing the mother and bringing about tilt' r\'turn of thl' fathl'r, pulling him back from his rctn'al': it St."t.'ms to us that this is tlU' hasis of \\hat Fn'ud calb! thl' "familial romalln'" and its linkagt' with til(' (k't.lipus (:'Omplex. NeH'r has the child, in his nardssistk ('onfidem"<', had Ix:tlt'r int<'ntions, ne\'t"r again will h(' f<.,(.j as good. far from ('astin~ himst.'lf illlo an agonizing am! guilt-riddl'n wntun.. nC\"l'r. in this position. had hI' bdit'\'N.! himSt.·lf so dOSt., to dispdling thl' amdd~' and culpability of the pn'\'ious positions. It is tnle that Il(' assunws the fatl1l'r's plan.' and tab'S the mother as the objl-<--t of his inn'stuous lit-sire. But thl' inel'St rdationship, almost b)' prox~'. dues not imply h<'r(' \'iolence: lll'ith('r t'\'l'ntration nor usurpation. but ratlll:r a surfac<' rt.'lation, a proc('ss of restoration and l'H:>t:ation in which the phallus brings ahout a lining at the surface. We darken and harden till' Ot'dipus compkx if we Ill'gll·t·t till' horror of the pnxeding stagt's wlwn' the worst has alrl'ad}' happ('lwd, and we forget that the Oedipal situation is attairwd only to til(' t'xlt'nl that the lihidinal dri\'l's an' Iihnatl,d from tilt' destnll·tiw drit't's. When Freud remarks that tilt' normal pt'rson is not onl}' more immoral than ht, thinks, hut mon' moral than ht: susl>t'cts, this rl'lllark is trul' abo\'e all with respl'(·t to till' Ul'dipus
compll·x. Oedipus is a tragt'dy, hut \\T must lx' ablt' to imagint' tIlt: tragic Iwro as gay and illllocent, and as starting olT on til(' right foot. InCl'st with tht' mothl'r through n'sloratioll and the replal'elll('1lt of the father through eHx'ation arc not onh- gnt)(! intentions (for it is with the Ol't.lipus co~pll'x that the intl·lllion:.....::.the moral notion par excellence -is horn). As intentions, thl')' an' inscp.lrable l'xtensions of what is apparentl~' the most innocent acti\"it~·, which, from till' point of \'i('\\' of till' child, consisL" of creating a tot.11 surfan' from all his partial surfac('s, making usc of the phallus projl'Ch'(l h~' til(' g()()(! pmis from abo\"C, an,1 causing the !l.lrental images to Ix'ndit from this projection. Octh and alliNI himself with the Ix>wers from on high. And in his t'mlca\"our. the restoration of the mother and the summoning of thl' fatlll'r are the targets: this is the trut' Ck't!ipus complex. But why dOl'S it all tum out so badl~'? \Vh~' i.~ the product of this affair a new anguish and a new l."'U11l.lbility? Wh), dOC'S Hercules find in Juno a st('pmoth('r fillN! with hatrC(1, rt"Sisting e\'e~' offl'r of rcll.lration. and in a'us a falh"r e\'('r morc withdrawn, turning awa~' from his son after ha\'ing fa..-on'(! him? One could sal' that the affair of the surfaces (gOCK! inkntion, the kingdom of the l'arth) encounters not only an rxPl.'C'l.('l! enemy from thl' inf('rnal depths. whOSt' defeat was the question at hand, but an unexlX'Ct{'(! enemy as well-that of th(' heights which. howe\'er, remlt'n't.l tht, affair !x>s'''ihlt' and can no longer bail it out. The supen-go as the gOCKI Ohjl'(·t IX'gins to condemn the libidinal driws themSl'!n'S, In fal't, in his (It'Sirl' for incest-restoration. Oedipus saw. \Vhat h(' saw (oncl' the cleavage has bl""('n made'), but should not han' Sl-cn. is that tilt' \\'oundl'(!lxx!v of tilt' mother is not onl.- WOUndl'll b~' till' internal pt:niscs it contain;; insofar as its surface i; lacking a Ix'nis, it is woulldC(1 like a l·astr.1tl'(l hody, The phallus as a proj('l'tl't.l image. whkh Ix'stowl'l! a Ilt'W foret· on the child's I)('nis, dt'signatl's, on tilt' eontrarv, a lack in the rnotlwr. This disco\'er\' threat('ns the child in an I'ssl'ntiai manrU'r, for it signilie.~ (on the oth~'r sidl' of til(' deavage) that the j>t'nis is tilt' rropert~' of Iht' father, Wishing to sUlllmon till' f.ulwr hack and to rnakt, him pn'St'nl, tilt' child llt.'tra~'s Ih.. paternal l'.~s('nCt' of withdraw.ll. This "SSt'IKI' ("ould not IX' found hUI onl\' as if H't.·O\,(,f"t'(I-rt'l"{)\'l'rt'd III al"!St'Ill't' and III forg{'lfulness-hut IW\"('; gin'll TWI·NTr·NINTIl :-.1·HII· ... - ( ; O l l l l INTI·NTION:-.
20~
in a simpl(' pn's\'llI'" of Ihl' "thing" which would \,Iim;n:lh' forgl·tting. 1 It Iwt'ollws tlwrd"i,rc true, at this monU-IlI, that b)· \\ishing 10 rt'slnn' till' lllotlwr. til\' child has in r.lel castrated and c\'('ntrah'd Iwr: and th.lt h)' wishing 10 bring back tht' faLlll'r. the child has 1)t'lra~·(·d .1Iltl kill!...1 him. transfonm·d him into a cadaver. Castration, I('x .. " is distinguish('(l in prindpk' from the two other c.lstrations: that of depth, through de-\'Ouring-absorption; and that of ht'ight, through pri\'ation-fntstration, It is a l'astration through "adsorption," a surfacepht'nomt'non: like, for l'xampk-. tht' surface poisons, those of tI\l' tunic and til(' skin whi('h bum Her<.'uk-s; or the poisons on imagt'S which might onl~' ha\'e Ix"t'n "-'Ont"-'mplatcd, such as til(' \"('nomous cootings on a mirror or on a painting which so inspin'(l the Eli7.dbt,than theater. But, as it happens, it is in \'irtue of its specifidt~, that this c'astration n..' (:on'rs til(' othl'r two. As a surface phenonll'non, it marks till" failure or illnes.~, the' prl'matun.' mold, th(' \\-a~' in which till' surfan' prematurd)' rots, and till' surfact' line r('joins th(· d('('p Spa/fling or inCl'st n.'joins tlw "-'annihalistic mixtllf(' of til(' depths-all of this, in confomlit}' with til(' lin;t r<.'ason which we il1\'ok('(1 eMlier, TIl('- matter, how('\'('r, docs not end here. The rL'it'aSl\ in thl' (·asc.' of D,'dipus, of intention as an e'thil:al t'atego~', has a considerabll' positi\'e importall('t', At first Sight ani)' till" negatiH' is prescnt ill the caSt' of the good intl'lItion thai has gOlle awr)': the willed al'lion has llt'l'll denied almost, and slll'lln.'Sst'd h\' what is. (('ally done; and whal is n'all\', dOll(' , is ",',qU/l'J as wl'lI hy till' ont' who did it alld who rejn:ts rl'sponsibility lilr it (it'~ nol Ill\', I didn'l W,lIlt Ihat-'-'I ha\'(' killl'c1unwittingl)''-'). It would I,.,. a mistah', how('\,('r, to think of good inh'ntion, and its
.
206
TWt·NTY-NINTH 'l-l{rl·~~GOOD INTI'NTI{)N~
l'sst'ntial perven;ity, in Ihl' framl'work of a simple opposition 1:H,:tween two dl'{('nnill('(1 actions-all inh'ndl'd action and an a(:complished action, Indt·l.'tl, on till' Olll' hand, thl' wilkd ,lction is all image of action, a projectl'tl a(1ioll; and we do not sp.:ak of a p,~}'dlOlogical proje'Ct of till' will, but of Ihat which rendl'rs it possiblt" that is, of a m,,-'Chanism of projt'Ction ti('{1 to physical stlrfan's, It is in this scnS4,' Ihat Ot.-dipus can he understood as til(' trag"d~' of Semblanl'e (Appan'rl('C'). Far from being an agenl)' of the depths, intl'nlion is the phenomenon of the ('ntin' surfaa', or the phenomenon \\ hidl adl.'t!uatd)' corresponds to thecoordination of the phJSical surfan's. 'Ill(' n'T)' notion of Image, after ha\'ing (Icsignated the superficial objt't,t of a llartial zone, alltl then th(· phallus projected on the genital ZO/1(" and Ihe pellicular parental images hom of a cleavage. ooml.'S finall)' to dt'Signah" action in general. 'nlt' latter concerns the surface-not at all a llarticular action, but am' action which spreads itself out at the surfan' and i.. able to stay , ther~ (to restore and to ('\'oke. to r('Ston' the surface- and to summon to th(' surface). But. on the other hand, till' action l,rrecth'e1~' acx:'Omplished is no more a (Ietermioc'(! action which would 0PllOSC the other, nor a l>assion which would be the relx'f('lIssion of the projected action. Rath('r it is something that happens. or sonll'thing wltit'h repn~nts all that can happen; Ix'Her still, it is the o('C"-'SSan' rcsult of actions and passions. although of an entirely difTt'rent na;urc. and itsdf neither action nor passion: e\"Cnt, pure e\'ent, hentum ltJntum (to kill the father and castrate the motht'r, to hl" (Olstrat('c.! and to dil'), But this amounts to sa~'ing that th(' accomplishl.'{1 al.1ion is projl.'('!L'(1 on a surface no IL'SS than the other al."fion, This surfaet", though, is entirel)' different; it is metaphysical or transel'ndt'mal. Ol1e might sa)' that the entire action is projl'Ctl.-d on a double sen'en-one s(:r,,-"('n constitut'l.'{l b\' tht, sexual and physical surface, the otlwr h)' an alread), mctaph~'sit:al ~r "Cl'rdlf-al" surfan', In short, intention as an Ckdillal cak-goT)' d(){'S not at all oppose a detemlint-'(I action to anotlwr, as, for example. a particular wilk·d action 10 a particular an'olllplisht'ti action, On the l'ontrar\" it tak('s Ihe tOlalil~' of e\'l'T)' possibl(' aClion and divides it in two, proi~'cts it 011 two :o.('.n'~'ns, as it dC'l~'nnines t'adl sick, according to tilt' n('n'ssar~' l'xigt'ncies 01 \'a~'h S(:r\'t'n, 011 olle ham\. Ill\' l'lllire image of action is projl'cl<'d on ,I physit'al surfan', wl1l're tI\(' aClion itself app(',lrS as willl'd ,md is found ,kh'l'lllim'd in tIll' fonns of n'storation and evocation; 011 til(' ot!\('r, til(' ~'ntin' result of til(' action is projl,t,tt'd Oil a nwtaphysit'al surfJCt" wl1l'n' TWI'NTY-NINTH ~1·l{II·l'>-(;OOIl JNTI-NTIONS
207
till' .\t'tioll itsdf app..:ar.~ as produc..:d and not wi1lt.:d, dl'h'nnirwd h)' tilt' forms of tllunlt'r and ("lstration. The famous mechanism of "d,'m'gation" (that's not what I wanh.'d ... ), with all its importancI' with r(,sl~ct to tht.: lonnatiol\ of IhOl19hl. must he interpreted as t.'xpn'ssing the paSs.1gl' from one surfac:c to another. IJt·rhaps WI' are moving too fast, It is olwious that thl' murder anti the castration which result from th(' action concenl 1)()(1i1'S, that th{')' do not b)' themsdv('S constitute a metaphysical surfao,' ami that thc)' do not e\'('n belong to it. But nonetheless thc)· arc on til{' wa~', provided that we aeknowl''tlge that this is a long road marked by stagl'S. In fact, along with the "narcissistic wound," that is, when tilt' phallit' linc is transfonlu.'(1 into the tran' of castration, thc libido, whi(,h inn..'Sh.'t1 the . . g o of St."t.'Ondaf)' narcissism at the surface, undergOl.'S a l),lrticularl)' important transmutation-that which Fn'ud ('aiit'd "~;(Ua/ua/lon" 1Jt."'SCxualizl-d energ), app<-an"(l to Fn.'ud as nourishing the dt'ath instinc and as conditioning the mlx'hanism of thought. We must therefore grant a dual value to the thl'mes of death and castration. We must
grant thc \'alue they han- with respect to the prescn'ation ~r,l~quidat~on of the Ot."'t.Iipus complex and in the organization of thl' defimtln.' genual sexuality, upon its own surface and in its relations to the pre\'ious dimensions (the schizoi
TWI:.NTY-NINTlI Sb/{JI:.S-liOOD INTENTIONS
rt'Cognize th\.' pure lim' of tIl\' t\ion ,lIld the (kath instin(·t in its speculatiH' fonn, But tll('n tilt' Frt'lltli,m idl'a that tht, death instinct is .lIl affair of Sp"('ulation must. with good n'asnn, lx' takt'n Iitt'rally, At til(' samt' tinll', WI' must k('Cp in mimI thaI this last metamorphosis runs till' s.1ml' dang"rs as the othas. anti pt'rh.lps in a more anlte m.lIl1wr: til(' crack, in a singular fashion. rbks breaking up the surfan' from which it is ne\'athdl.'Ss inSt'!>'lrahll'. [t nllls til\.' risk of em'Ountering again on the other surface the simplt' tran' uf ('astration. Or e\'en worse, it nlllS til(' risk of being s\\'allo\\l'll up in thl' Spa/Ulna of depths and hcights-{dr~'ingwith it all tilt' lkhrb uf tilt' sur(.1('t· in this gencraliz('(! debacle when' thl' end finds again tilt' Ix,int of dl'JXlrtur\.' and the death instinct. the bottomless dcstructin' drin'S, All this would follow from tht.' confusion we previousl)' not('(1 !x'tw{'('n the two tlgun.'S of death: this is the central point of obscurity whil,h railws ('ndbsl~' tht" problem of thl~ relations of thought to S(.·hizoplm'nia Jnd d('pression, to thl' 1>S~'chotic Spa/tuna in gl'nl'ral a..~ \\1,11 a!' to neurotic ('astration. "For. of murs<: all life is a proct.'SS of d('l1lOlition ... ," including spt."t.'"ulatin- lifl'.
Thirtieth Series of the Phantasm
! Ill'
pha.ntaslll has thn't' main dlaraelt'ristics. I) It f{'pn.'St:IlIS ndtlwr an action nor a passion, but a rt'liuh of action and passion. that is. a pure (·wnt. "1"11(' <ju('Stion of wht,t1wr Il.lrtil:ular l'wnts art" fcal or imaginar.' is po(}rl~' pOslIt or in \\ hil,h it is aClualizl'fl. En.·llb an' dTffts (thus. for ('xarnpk', the ('.,siralian "dl("(,t." ami the l>.lrricidt· "'('!Tect" ... ). But insor.,r as the)' are I·Al'i..'IS. tht,\, Illust 1)(' tied nol onl\' with l'ndogl'llolis ('aust:s, but with I'xog<'nolls ~';IlIS(,S ,1S well, dTI"l"tivl: St3tCS of affairs, actiolls n'all~' undt,rtahn. and passions or contemplations l"ffl'l'tin.'ly ,u:tualizl'll. '-:rl"U<1 was Ilwn right to maintain till' rights of n'alil~' in tht' protluction of phantasms. l'wn \\Ill'n ht, rt'COgnizl'll them as protluns IraIN.:l.'mling n'alih',' It would bl' unfonunale if WI' were . to forget or ft:ign to forget that childn'n do obst:rw t111:ir parents' Ixxlit's and J>'ln'nt,ll mit us; that they n,.lll~' IX'l'onw tilt' object of sl"dll(·tion on tilt" part of adults; Ihat the~' an' suhjected to pn'l-iSt:' and dl'tailt'd thn'at's of (:astration, de. Morl'o\'l'r. I>.lrriddt\ inn'st, poisoning, and ('wntration are not ('xaclly ahst'nt from puhlit' and priv,atc hi~torit,s, TIlt' f.ll't is, though, that phantasms, ewn "hell tlwy are t,ffel'ts and IX'{'aust' the\" an' efft'("ls. difft'r in nat un' from tlwir real
-
"0
l'auSl's, WI.: slX."ak of t'1l sought and discntangll,{1. The l'\'l'nt is M'nS(' itSt,If, insofar as it is diSt'ngagl,{! or distinguished from Ihl' states of alrairs which product, it and i~ ~'hich it is a~ualiz('d. O\'l'r stah'S of ;lfrairs and tlwir d('pth, their mixturl's and their actions and passions, p~)"l"hoanal)'sis casts till' most intense light in order to Tt'Kh the point of 1'!lWrgt'Il("(' of that which r('sults, that is, till' e\"('nt of anotlwr typt', a.' a sllrfat't' l'fft'l-t. 'I11t'Tt'fore, what('wr Illa)' lx' tht' importann' of til(' TlllltTII·TIl ~I·ltll·~ 01- Till· l'IlANTA:lo.\\
211
'y
('arli,'r positions, or till' Il\.'c,'ssit)' of alwap COlll1t'I'ling till' ,'n'llI to its (',lllS"S, psychll,ll1al~'sis is ('orr,',! to n'l'all tlw roll' of O.'dipus as a "nul'l,',lr ('(Ulllllt'x"-a fonnula which has til{' saml' importam',' as I hl:-':-'I'rl':-. "no,'malic cort'." for it is with Oedipus th,lt till' ,·WIlt is dis.:ngag,'d frolll its l'auses in depth, spn'ads ilself al till' slirfaC'l' ami conlU'ch itsdf with ils (luasi-cauS{' from til(' point of \'i,'\\ of a d~'namk gl'Ill'sis. It is till' pnf,'t--t crime, 11ll' ('ternal truth, til(' ro~'"l splendor of till' ,'\"{'nt-('al'h one of whkh communicah's with all 111(' otlll'l'S in Ill(' variant's of Ollt' and till' sanw phantasm, It is as distinci from its al'IU"lization as from till' l'auS('S which produ("(' it, using to ils ad\'antag,~ tilt' l'h'mal part of l'XCl'SS OH'r 111('5(' causes and th,' IMrt whidl is I,'ft un,ll'l'omplishl"ll in its al1ualizations, skimming 0\','1' its own lidd, mak· ing us its own of["pring, And if it is inde(',d at the point whl're the actualization cannot accompli..h or th.· ("ausc produce that th... ,'ntire l'wnt r,-'Si(k'S, it is at till' sanw point also that it ofT,'rs itSl'lf to counter· actualization: it is Iwl'(' that our gr"au'St fTe('(lom 1i1."S-tlll' frl,<--dom h~' which w,' dt'wlop and lead till' ewnt to its complt·tion and transmutation, and finalJ" 1)('<"Om(' m.btl·rs of actualizations and l'auses. As the SCi....Kl' of I,ure ewnts, ps~'choanalysis is also an art of rountl'r.actuali:f-ations, sublimations, and s~'mboli7-ations. 2) The sccond characteristk of the phantasm is its position in rdation to tilt' ego, or ratlll'r till' situation of th,· '-'go in th,' phantasm iL'it,lf, It is ind('('(1 tnl,' that tilt' phantasm finds its lX)int of departun' (or its author) in th,' phallic t'g0 of St.-"('ondary narl'lssism. Hut if till> phantasm has tilt' PTOP(·rt)· of turning IMCk on its author, whal is the plan' of thc t'go in the phantasm, taking ac(:ount of Ihe unfolding or till' d('wlop. n1('nt \\ hich is inS{'IMrahll' from it? Laplandll' and Pontalis in particular ha\"t' raiSl't1 this problem, llmll.'r conditions which caution Wi ahout any ,'as~' rl'slxmse. Although till' l'gO ma), aplX'ar o(-,,:asionally in till' phantasm as al'ting, as undergoing an action, or as a third obst'T\'ing I>.lrty. it is nl'itllt'r at'liw nor passivl' and d()(,s IlOt allow itsdf at an)' moment to IX' fixt'd in a plan', ,'wn if this plao' \wn' n'wrsible, TIlt' originary phantasm "would bl.' charach'rizl'd by an ahs('ll('e of suhje-cth'ation an'Olllpan~'ing Ih... pn's('I1("(' of til(' sullje(·t in tilt' SCl'IW"; "an~' distribu· lion of SUhjl'l·t .lml ohjl.'ct finds itself alxl!islwd"; "til<' suhj<'ct dOt's not aim al tilt' obj('('t or its sign, it is included in till' sequI'Il("'· of images , . '. il is rt'pn'st'nted as participating in till' sl.,tting, withoul. in tilt' fonns duSt'r to till' originar~' ph,mtasm, a plan' I)('ing assigned 10 it." 212
'11111("1"''1'11 ..,HUI·",
Tllt'se femarks ha\"e t\\"o advanlag('s: (In till,' hand, tlwy ,'mphasiz,' that till' phantasm is not a r"'presentation of ..itlll'r al'lion or passion, but ratll('r that it pt'Ttains to an elltin·l\, .Iiff('f('n! domain; on Ill(' otlll'r h,md, til('\' show that if thl' ('gu is 'Ili:'i:'iip"t<'d in ii, it is not I)(,fhaps bt'causc o'f an identity of l'ont;ari('s, or ,1 n'\"t'rs.ll \\"I\('n'b~' th,' ani\"(' would Ix'("onw passi\"('-lih' Ihal o'....urring in til\' Ix'mllling of d..pths .lIul thl' infinite id('ntit~' whit'h il impli..~,l \V... cannot. ho\\"('\'er, follow th'·:-.t' ,'llihors wl1('n tlw~' S<'arch for this 1X"~'on(llhe actin' and the pal'1>i\"t' in a pronomin'll modd, whkh would slill mah' an app('al to till' ('go and \\oul(1 c\'('n n'f...r explicitl~· to an aUla-erotic "this·side." -Ow \,,,Iul' of til<' pronominal-to punish Ol\eSt.·lf, to punish, or to be punishl.'ll, or lX"th'r ~·...t, to set' on('self, rather than to SL'l~ or 10 lx, Sl'Cn-is welt all('stl'(l to in Frt'ud's writings. Hut it does not seem to go heyond till.' poinl of "il'w of an identit~, of l'Ontraril'S, either by means of a dt'('lx'r approciation of one, or b~' a synthesis of both. That Freud rt'maim't:l atta(:hed to such a "Hegelian" position is bc~-ond doubt, as \\(' ('an S\'(', in the rt"alm of language, from a thesis on p"mlfJl"t words. CIKlow("(1 \\ it" tuntradicto,;,' sense. J In fact, th\' tran.scendcIK... of the actil'c and the p,as.o;iw and thl' dissolution of an '-'go which (ulTl'Sponcls to it do not ()(.'Cur along the lines of an infinite or refll'Ct,"<.! subjl.'<'ti,'ih'. the actiw and , 11\at which is be\'Ond , till' passi\'!.' is nOI the pronominal, but 11ll' result-the rcsult of actions and passions, thl' surfan' ..freet or th" C\·...1l1. \Vllat appears in thc phantasm is the 1ll00....ml·nt b~, which the ''go 0lx'ns itself to the surfa<.'t" .md liberal...s the a-cosmi(', impl'rsonal. ami prc-ind"'idual singularities which it had imprisolwd. It literally rd,'aS('s them like slX)R'S and bursts as it gets unburll...nl-d. \Vl' musl intl'Tpr...1 the expression "n,·utral ('Ill'rgy" in Ihe following 11l,1I11ll'r: "fk'utraf" means pr('-indi"idu,ll and itnpl'rsondl, but dOt.'s not qualify Ihl' slat<' of all (,I\('rg~' whkh would l'OIllt' 10 join a lX)ttomk·ss ahyss, On the mntrar~', it Tl'fl'rs to Ihe :-.ingularitit's lilx'ratl'll from tlll'l'gO through til(' nal'<"issistic wound, This rwutralit~·, that is to s.l~', thili mu\·('tn(·nl h~' which singularilies art' ('mitted, or ratlwr I'l'slorcd hy ,1Il l'gO which is dissolwd Of adsorlwd dt till' surfacl', h...longs ('ss('ntiall)' to till' phantasm, This is th... cast' in II (Iuld Is !king Beal"'l (or lwtlt'r, "A t;ather 1.0; S('ducing His D.lughtt·r," 1()llo\\'ing th... ,'xampk irwokt'd by Laplant'llt' and Pontalis). Thus, th.. illdi\"idLialit~' of Ih(' ('go Illl'rgt's with tht' ,'n'IH of tIll' ph,mlasm ilsdf. ('wn if thai which Ill\' ('\'t'1l1 n'pn':'i('llIS in till' phanlalim is understood TlI1RTII· ... 1l ~I·H.II·'" 01' Till' l'IlANTA~M
211
as anotlll'r indi\'idual, or rallwr ,IS ,1 seril's of otlwr indi\'iduals through whit-h 1Ill" dissoln:d ego !ld:'S~':'. The phantasm is ins'..parabll' then·fore from till' toss of the din' ur from th...· fortuitous instann-s whieh it {·nact.... And the famous 9f..,mmoucol "o~fo,ma/lons (:-'Ul... h as tllOs{' of Pn-sidl.'llt ~..hrdX.'r or tho:.c.' (If ~dism or \'o\,curism) r<,£ister l.'ach tinl(' till' rising up of singularitks t!istrilnltt-·d in ;Iisjun<.."tions~ all of t1ll'm, in cadl caS{', communicating in til\.' ~'n'nl and all {'\'('Ills communicating in on{' l'n'nt, as for l'xamplc in til\.' caSt.' of tht· throws of til\.' di<..·l' in til(' sanl(' cast. \.vc find onn' again Iwrt..· an illustration of the principle of posit in' distance, with till' singulariti<..·s whi(:h stake it out, and of an allirmath'e usage of thl' disjulll.;tin: syntlwsi,~ (and not a synthesis of contradiction), 1) It is not an 3<xidl'l\t that til\.' d~'\'elopment inlwrent in tilt' phantasm is exprCSSl.'f.I in a pla~' of grammatical transfonnations. The phantasm-e\'ent is distinguished from til<.." corresponding state of alTail'"S, whether it is real or possihlt·; tht-· phant
'I II I H. 'I' II' Til ~HUl':' 01· Till- "IlAi'!TA:.M
lx' a neutral intiniti\'e for tlw pun' 1·H'nt. Distance, Aion, reprl·sl.'nting the extra-propositional aSIXTt of all possible IXlSitions, or tIll' aggn-gate of ontologil'al problems and qlll....tions \\ hich corrt.'spond to language, From this purl.' t:'veral t~"I>CS of connl.'ction: the subject-objl"l·t connection, the active-passiv(' conjunction, thl' affirmation-nl.-gation disjunction, or th~' t~1X' of temporali...ation of which each onl' of these wrbs is calldbl(, ("to lin'," for l'xample, has a subjcrt. but one that is not an agellt and that has no difTercntiatt-"l1 object). She is th('n'foTl' able to dassif~' these wrbs in an order which runs from the least to til(' most
~"'lll'l'o
(JI- Till' l'IlANT,\:'M
21{
ohjo:{:ts in till' sdlizoid position, at a 1l101l1i..'nt in whkh tlw sn:ual dri\'t's arl" in lo:agu(' \\ ith thl" alimentar~' dri\'cs, It is tho:n'forl' im'\'itabl\' that phalltaslll~ !Ja\'\' onl~' an indiro:{'t and tardin' n'lation to languag\' ami thaI, "Iwn tho:\' an' w'rbalizt'u aftl'rward, till' \'o:rhalizatioll ()('curs in alTOrd,lIll'\' witil n'atl~'-mad,,-' grammatical forms. S L.lplandw and 1'011talb \'stahlish th~' phant.lsm along with auto-eroticism, and link it to th ' monlt'nt in which the sexual dri\'cs disengage thems\.'l\'l's from thc alinll'lItary m()(ld and abandon "c\'en' natural obj{'("t" (hem:e tht' im!X>rtann' ~thc~' attach to thl' pronomil;al and the scnsc tlw~' giw to till' grammatical transfomlations as such in the non-Iocalizahl(' position of ~Ill' SUbjl'Ct), Finall)'. Melanil" Klein dOl-os make an important rt'mark, d('Spi{(' her \'('r~' ('xtensi\'c ust.' of the word "phantasm," She ofto:n sa,'s that s\"mholism is the foundation of O:\'el'\' phantasm. and that the dl'\'da'pment of the phantasmatj(- Iif(· is hindl'rl.'(1 by thc pt-·r.;istt'nn· of the schizoid and deprl'SSi\'c positions. It Si.....·nlS to us. pn..'Ciscl~'. that til{' phantasm. properly speaking. finds its origin onl~' in till' {-go of the St..'Condan' narcissism, along Inlh thl' narcissistic WOlllU!. the ncutrali7.atiun. t1ll"symboli7.ation. an;1 tltt:' sublimation which ensue. In this sellse. it is ins<'l>arabll~ not onl~' from grammatical transfomlations. but also from the n,,-,utral infinitiw' as the ideational matl'rial of thi..'S\..' trallSformations, The phantasm is a surface phcnomt'non and. mo~\'t'r, a phl'nonwnon which is fOrOl,,-,,1 at a certain moment in tllI~ dl.:\·l'lopment of slirfan.'S, t:Or this reason, we haw opted for the word "S/mu/oc,um" in ordl'r to d.. .signat(' til{' oI*x,ts of depth (which ar(' aln'ad~' no longer "natural obj,,-x'U"). as well as tlw lX'Coming which cornoslx>nds to tll<'tn and the n'\'ersals b~' which thl:)' are cilaractl'rizl'(I, W(· chOOSl' "uIof" in order to dt.osignatt' the obj{"{·t of thl' heights and it.s adn-munos, We chooSl' ",maSt" in ordl'r to dt.'Signate that which IlI'rtains to partial, corporeal sllrfan's, including the initial problem of tlll,'ir phallic coordination (good intl'ntion).
21n
TlIII{TII·TH :..1' Itl 1-.:-> 01· TIll' l'IIANTA~M
Thirty-First Series of Thought
Thl' extreme mobil it}, of the phantasm and its cal>acity for "passagc" haw often httll stn'S-'i('(1. It is a littl(' like' tlw Epicur('an (,Ilwlopcs and ..'manations \\ hich tran~1 in the atmosplll'n' with agility, Two fUiulamcntal traits arc ti('(! to this capacit),. First, the phantasm CO\'eTS the distance Ix-tw('('n ps~'cilic S)'st{'ms with case, going from consciousness to the unconscious and "iet' \·C!"Sa. from tI\(' noctumal to the diumal dn'am. from the inner to th(' ou{('r and ('On\·ers<'I,.. as if it itsdf \wlonged to a surfact' dominating and articulating hoth the unconscious and the conscious, or to a line conlll"{·ting and arranging the inner and thl' olltl'r OWT two sick'S, S<'C'ond, tIlt' phantasm rctums casH)' to its own origin and. as an "originar~' phantasm." it int('gratcs drortl('Ssl~' tlw origin of til(' phantasm (that is, a qlll'Stion. the origin of birth, of ~I'xualit\'. of th l' difl'crl'llce of the sexl's. or of death, ,,),1 This is Ill'('auSt: it is illSl.'parahlc from a dbplan'nwnt, an unfolding, and a dl'wlopnwilt within which it carri('s along its own origin. Our earlil'r prohkm. "wlwn' dol'S till.' phantasm Ill.'gin, propl.'rl~' spl'aking?" aln'ad)' implies anotlwr prohlt'm: "wherl' d(X's til(' phantasm go, in what dirl'{'~ lion does it ('arry its 1>I.'ginning?" Nothing is finalized likl' tht' phant,lsm; nothing finalizl's Jlsc!{ 10 such an ('xtent. \Ve ath-mpH'1! to d\'h'rmine till.' heginning of the phantasm as the "7
naKissisti(' wound or til\' tr.let' of castration, In fact, in ('onfonnit)' with tlw natun' of thl' ('wnt, a reslI/' of thL' action aplx'ars .1t this point, which is (1lIih' c1iITlTl'nt from tht'< action itsdf. 'I'll(' «)("(lipal) inh'ntion was to n:stun', to bring ahout, and to coonlinat<' its 0\\11 ph~'sical surfal'l'S: hut all of this was stillloc,;ltl-d within the domain of Imagl'Swith till' nan'issistk libido and thl' phallus as a surfan' projl"(-tion, n'Suh is to castrate thC' motlwr and to Ix' castratl.,I, to kill thL' father ami to IX' kill("(1, along with tilt' transfom1ation of th(· phalli(- linl' in till' tral.T of (.'astration and till' mrrl'sponding dis...ipation of all thl' images (motll('r-world, father-g(x:l, ('go-phallus), But if \\'(' mak(' till' phantasm hcgin on the hasis of sllch a n'sult, it is ell'ar that this rl'sult would r('quin' for its den'lopnll'llt a differC'nt surfacC' from thL' ('orpor('al surface, where images Wl'rl' dt'\Tloped aCl.:orciing to their OWll law (partial zones with genital l'llOnlination), TIl(' result will d('\'dop on a S("(-ond s(.'rc('n, and thus till' Ill.'ginning of tilt' phantasm will lind its scquenn' c1sewht'rl', The tract' of castration doc'S not by its("lf ('onstitutc or oudim' this elsewhere or this otht'r surfac('; it ronn'ms alwa~'s thC' ph~'si(-,al surfaO' of tht' 1)(Xly and Sl.'('nlS to diS<Jualif~' it to th(· ad\';l1ltag(~ of till' dC'flths and heights that it itself had C"Onjurcd up, -nlUS, the beginning is trul), in the mid: it is suspcndtxl in the mill. It is IIl,h-oUI, The paradoxical situation of th(' I"-'ginning, hen.. is that it is itself a R'Sult, and that it remains ('xternal to that whkh it C.lUSl'S to IX'gin, This situation would aflord no "W.1)' out," had not castration transfomll'J the narcissistic Iihido into desexualized ('lll'rgy, This llcutral or desexualized ('nl'rgy constitutes the se{'ond S('1(,<,n, the u'n.-bral or nwtaphysical surface on whkh till' phantasm is going to dl'\"dop, lx'gin anew with a beginning whi{·h now a{Tompanil's it at l'ach step, nUl to its own linalit~.. represcnt pun' l'n'nts which are like onl' and tlw same Result of tht, S('('ollli (k'grel', lnl'rl' is thus a leap, -Inc tran' of castration as a deadly furrow 1ll.'Coml'S this cr-ack of thought, \\ hk-h marks tht, poweriesslll.'SS to think, but also till' lint' ami till' point from which thought inn'st's its new surfan', And pr{'{'isd~' Ix'eaus<' ('astration is sollwhow Ill.,t\\l'('n two surfan's, it dOl'S not submit to this transmutation without ('arrying along iB shan' of appurh'nann" without folding in .1 ccrtain mamll'r and pl'Ojl:{'ting til(' l'ntin' eorpof('.ll surfal:e of sl'xllalit)' Ol'('r till' mL'tJ.ph~'sil:al ,~urfan' of thought. The phantasm's fommla is this; from till' Sl'xual pdir to thought \'i.1 {'astration, [fit is tnll' that thl' think('r of
-n\('
2111
'11111< I Y - HI<:-.T ""'1< II'" 01· TllOU<.iIlT
depths is a hadwlor, and that till' d"1Jn,.-ssiw think('r drmms of lost Ill'trothals, the thinker of surfan':-. is marricd or thinks ahout the "prohlem" of till' couple, No Olll' 1",t1l'r than Klos.~(}\\"ski has Ill.'('n ahll' to dis<.'mangle this slow a(kUll"l' (chemmi'fm'n1) of till' phantasm, for it is till' proc{"SS of his entire work, In nonls which an' Sl.·t'mingl~' odd, Klossowski S
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There is nothing mrnkal (or sad) in the ollSl.'Ssional IMths h~' whit-h a thinklor 1>.lS."':~" It is not a question of causalit~". but ratlwr of g.t.-ograph)' and topolog.~·o '111is docs not nwan that thought think.~ ahout Sl'xualit~" nor that till' thinkl'r think.-; ahollt marriage. It is thought \\ hkh is till' nwtatllorphosis of sex and til(' thinkt'r who is thl' llll:tamorphosis of til(' coupll'. From till' coupl{' to thought-although thought rdnn'sts til(" coupll' as a d~'ad and mupling, From castration to thought-although thought rt'in\'l'Sts castration as till' cton·bral crack and the abstract lin{', To lx' prcdsc:', til(' phantasm gOl.·s from till' liguratiw to tht' ahstract; it Ix-gins with the figurative, but must 1M.' contiml(·d in the abstr,Kt. Th phantasm is the procL's.~ of till' constitution of the incorporeal. It is a madlilw for til(' extraclion of a liuk' thought, for the distrilJlltion of a difT('renc(' of potential at till' t-..lgt'S of the crack, and for tilt' polarization of the a... rehral field. As il rdums to its ('xu'rnal I:M.-ginning (d('adl~' castration). it is ah\'a~'s !x-gilllling again its internal Ix'ginning (the mo\,ement of dl'sexualization). In this wa)', til(' phant.1sm has th{' proplorty of hringing in contact with each other the inner and till' oUh'r and uniting them on .1 singl(' side. This is why it is the sih' of the eternal return" It mimit's londll-ssl~' thto birth of a thought, it Ix-gins a nt'W dt.'SCxuali'l.ation, suhlimation, and symboli'l.ation, c-aught in the acl of hringing about this hirth" Without this intrinsic repetition of bt.-ginnings, the phantasm t'ould not int(-grate its other, exlrillSit' Ix-ginning. Tlw risk is obviousl)' that till' phantasm falls bark on the poorest thought. on a puerile and redundant diurnal nO"l'ric "about" s('xuality. ~adl time that it mis....:°s its Illark and falls short, that is, l'aeh time it falls hack in thl' "in-!xotwt.'o("n" of the two surfaces. But till' phantasm's path of glory is that whit'h was indicatC't1 h~' Proust. f-=rom the <jul.-'Stion "shall I rna")' Albertine?" to till' problem of the work of art ~"ct to be m.ldl,-this ;s the path of enacting til(' Sl)l.'{"ulatin' coupling, Ix'ginning with a S('xllal Ilo1ir, and n'traring till' path of til<' divillt.' crl'3tion" Why glor~.. ? What kind of nwtamorphosis is it. when thought inn:sts (or n'inwst1i) that \\hkh is proj("(-f('{! owr its surfan' with its own dl'SCxualiz('{1 l·llef.g\,? 'I'll(' anS\\t'r is that thought docs it in the guiSl' of the I:wnt. It dOl'S it with til(' part of th(· ennt that we should l'all nonactuali:l.abl~·. pn'dsdy hn'allSt' it belongs to thought and can Ix- .lCCOIllplislu'{! onl)' b)' thought and in thought, There aris(' tlll'n aggn'ssil?ns and \"oracitil's whirh transn~'nd \\ hat was haplx'ning in the dq>ths of hOo:lil-S; dl-sin-s, Ion'S. pairings, copulations, and intentions which tranL'
220
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TIIIKTY- .. IK,>T .. 1 KI .. " ()I TII()Ut;IIT
~
SC('nd ('\t,")·thing happcning at til(' :-urfat'(' of boo:.lil"S; and finall.\', IXl\\'l'r!csslwsSl"S and d('atlls which transo:xnd all that t'ould haw happenl.-'{I" This is tlw illC'Orporcal splcmlor of thl' l'\"('nt as that l'ntil~' which addn-ssl's ilsdf to thought, ami \\hidl al()lll' ma~" in"l'st it-t'xtraBeing. We argul:d as if it w('rc possihlt- to slx:ak of the e\"l'nt as soon as a n-suh w.1s (!iscngagl'<.l. distinguislw(! from tilt' actions and passions from which it n-sulted, or from tlU' bodil·... in \\hi(..h il was actualizl.-'(1. 'Ibis is not anourah'; we must wait for tlw Sl'{'Ond Sl·rt'l.'n, namd\", th(' nwtaph~'sic.11 surface, !-.:arlier, there han' lx'f'll onl)' simula('f~, idols and images, hut not phantasms, to repnosellt ('WillS. Purl' l'wnts an' r('sults, but n'sults of the sO:,x'ond dt-grel'" It is trut· that the phantasm n'inh'gratl'S and retric\'t_"S c\'er)'thing in til(" f'('trk\'al of It.f 01\71 mo\"enu'nt, but l'\"(''')'thing is changt.-d. It is IIOt that nourishnwnt has 1x'<."Ome spiritual nourishment. and copulations gestun"S of the spirit" But cach time a proud and shin)' ,'crb has Ixoen diSl'ngag(-d, distint·t from things and hodies, stall'S of affairs and their quatiti~'S, t1wir actions and passions: lik(' the \"erb "w .qfe('n," distinct from th~' tfloe and ils gn:enness, thc norb "to (,01" (or "to Ix- c..rlen") distinct from food and its consumable qualities, or the \'em "to more" distinct from bodies and t1wir SCXl'Sl'h'mal tnltlts. In short, metamorphosis is the liberation of thL' non('xistent entity for l'ach sta«~ of affairs, ami of the infinitin: for cach I)(xly and 'Iualit)', each subject and prl..'dicah·, l'ach aClion ami IMssion. Ml,tamorphosis (sublimation and symholization) t'onsists, for each thing, in the lilx'ration of an alJ'IlIid which is the 1JQ('fflOlIC atl"bmt and lhor ""hich ran 1JQ('IICQ/~I' be e.\praMd, eternal tnlth, and SCJlS(" which hO\"ers o,"er Ixxlk'S.[9nl)· hefC to die and to kill, 10 castrate and to ~ c-astrah'd, to n'ston' and to hring about, to wound and to withdraw. 10 devour and to I)l,' dl·'"ourcd. to imrojct'l and to projt.'Ct, lx'Comc pure ('\'cnts 011 the nwtaphvsical surfac(' which transfonns them, and where their infinitivc i, dro\\:,wt.! out}For the sake of onl' single languagl' which L'xpn'sS("S tht'm, am! under a single "Iking" in which tlwy an' thought, all till' ('\l'ntS, norhs, and l'xprcssibl('-aurihul<'S communiL"ah' a... OIW insid(· this narat1ion, 111(' phantasm 1"("(:OWrs ('wrything on this nl"\ plall(' of the pure ('\'('nt, and in this S)111holic and sublimatl·d part of that which l",lllllot lx, a('tu,llizl'd; similarl)', it draws from this part tilt' stnongth to orilont its at·tualiz.ltion. to duplical(' ii, and to conduct its conal'll' l'OlJnkr-al·tualizatioli. For 11ll' l""enl is proptr~1 inslTilx-..1 in the f1(-sh and
in tilt' hod)', with the will and th... fn'1.'tlolll whkh Iwlit tIll' patient thinh:r. onl\' in \'inue of tilt" im'orpon'al part containing their St.-cn't. that is, tilt" ,;riIKip]e. truth. final it)'. and '1uasi-c.lUS4..'. Castration. tlll'n. has a \"l'r~.. s!)('(.-ial situation Ix,twN.'n that of which it is tilt' rt':,ult and th.1t whk-h it caUSl.-'S to IX'gin. But it is not ('astration alOIn' which is in the void. caught ht.·twl'Cn th(' (·orpon:·al surfan' of Sl.-·XU3Iit~' and thl' metaph~'skal surface of thought. It is. in fact. tin- . entin' S('xual surfat.'C which is intt'rmL"dia~' lx,twt.'('n ph~'si"al dqlth amV Illt'taph)'sical surface. Oril'llh,d in Ollt' dinX:lion. scxua1it~· Illay pu1l ('\'{'r),thing down: castration n'oKts on tilt" sexual surfan: from whit-h it COllll'S. and to which it still bdongs in "irtul' of its trace; it shatters this surfat:<" causing it to rcjoin till..' fragments of till: depth. Furthl'r still. it pn'\'('nts any succL'S.<;ful sublimation. an)' dl'\'c1opml'nt of the nlt'taphys~ ical surface. and caUSL'S till' incorpon'al crack to lx' actualiz('(1 at the most profound (Icpths of till' bod)', to lx, mnfus<-'t! with til(' Spoltuns of till' depths; it also caUS<-'S thought to collapse into its point of impoh·ncc. or into iL<; lim' of erosion. But ori<'ntc<.l in another dir<.'("tion, Sl·xualit~· ma~' projl,'('t c\'e~·thing: castration prefigures the metaphysical surface the I><''ginning of which it brings about an(l to which it alT<'ad~' belongs in virtue of the dcscxualizl...d l'nl'rg)' which it rdeas<-'S; it projects not ani\' till' sexual dimension. but the othl'r dimensions of depth and height as well, o\'er this new surface on whi<:h the fOnlls of their ml."tamorphosis arc inscrihed, The tlrst orientation must lx' dl.'h'nniru.'d as the orientation of pS)'l'hosis. til(' sc(:oml as that of the slll.:l.:essflli sublimation; betwcen the two. one linds all tl1I.' n<:urOSi'S. in til(' ambiguous character of Ot.'tlipus and of castration, And it is the SJ,lllC thing with death: till' narcissistic Sl,lf TI.'gards it from two sidL'S, according to the two liguTl.'S deS(:ri!x"t1 b)' Blanchot-thc l>l'rsonal and pTl.'St'nt death, which shatters and "t:ontradicts" thc I-'g0. as it abandons it to the desulKl/Ie dna's of thl' tll.·pths and to blO\\5 of tl1I.' outsidl.'; but also thc impt'rsonal and infinitin' dl."ath, which "distanc<'S" th(' <"'go. l'ausing it to rdl."ase the singularitics which it contain... and raising it to thc dealh mSllnel on the other sllrfac<', wlwre "onl''' dil-'S. whl'n' on(' nl."\'cr SUClT{'
Til 11<1'''-1-11<:..-1' :-1-1<11"
01- TIIOlll;IlT
to arbitrah' and l>'lcify, But tl1l.' g<'nit,ll ZOIW is itsl.'lf the an'na of a largl.'r l·ontl'xt. on til(' I,'\'e! of sp("('it'S and of Ill(' entin' hllmanit~'; til(' l'onh'St of tilt' mouth ami thl' brain, 'l1w mouth is not onl~' J. Sup('rlidal oral zom' hut also till' organ of d"lllhs. thl~ Illouth.anus. the C\·sspool introj('(·ting an(1 projttting I.'\I'~· Illorst'l. 'Ill(' brain is not onl~' a rorpon'al organ but also thl' imlu('tor of anothC'r in\·isihle. inu)T'fxu'('al, ami metaphysi('al surface on \\ hidl alll.'\'ents aTl.' inscri!>l-t! and symholiZI-"tI, J Hetwt'('!l this mouth and this hrain c\'l'r\'thing O<-'l'urs. h....sitah'S. ami gt·ts its oril."ntation. Onl), tilt' \·il·tor:' of th;' brahl. if it takes plan', frl'l."s the mouth to slx·ak. frl'I.'s it from l.·xcn'nU'ntal food and withdrawn voices, ami nourishes it with 1.'\'I'r~' possible word,
THIRTY-I'IR'T ,I-RII·, 01 THOU(;lI1'
21~
Thirty-Second Series on the
/
Different Kinds of Series
•
Mdanil' Kldn remarks that bctwC<'11 s~'11lptoms and sublimations th('rc must b<' an intcmH.-.dia~· wri<'S rorn'Sponding to (dS('S of 1m slKc~ful sublml(Jflon. Hut the whole of sexualitv. in its own ril:!.ht, is a "It-ss slIl"O-s."ful" sublimation: it is intcrmemlcdi.11)' surface. Depth is not organized in series. TIll' fragmentation of its obj<'Cts and tlw undifTcn·ntiatc<1 plcntitudc of the Ixxl" that it contrast-'i to the fragnll'llh"'<1 Objl'Cts prc\"cnt it from happening in the mid. On om' hand, it pn'S!.'nts blocks of cOt.'xistcncc. Ixxlit'$ without organs or words without artkul,ltion; on the other hand, it prl'Sl,'nts SL'(IU('IlCCS of partial ohjt'(·ts hound only b)' the common prolX'rty of Ix'ing dt·t,lChable and fragm(·nt,lblc. introjt'ctable and projeetable, bursting and causing to burst (thus till' renowfl('d st'qucnn' brt'ast-food-t'xlTt'mt'nt-lx'nis-infant). Till'st' two aspl,(·ts-St'(lul'IKe and block-n'pn'Sl,'nt thl' fonus takt'n on n'sp<,(·tin'ly hy displaccmt'nt and condt'nsation in depth, within tilt' schizoid I>osition, [I is with S('xualitv, , that is to S,'I\', , with til(' rt,least' of tilt' st'xual dri\"t's. that til(' st'rit's !)('gins-!wcaust' Ill(' sL'~ial fom1 is a surfan' organization. \\ft' nUlst tlll'rt-fore distinguish, in tht· tIiO~'rent moments of st'xuality ~
pre\'iousl~' cOllsidered. ver)' diO't'rt'llt kinds of series. Thel'(' arl', first, the crogt'nous ZOI1('S of prl'genit,ll st·xualit~·: l'ach one of tlWtll is organized in ,1 scrit's which l'oll\,erges around a singul,lfily n'presentl'd most ofu'n by an oriliCt' surroundet.1 by a mucous 111l'mbranl'. Thl' serial foml is founded in til(' aogl'nous 'Wllt· of till' .,urfal·e, insof.lr as thl' latter is ddilwd by the extension of a singul.lrit\· or. what amounts to tht.· same thing, b~' the distribution of a dift'n'lll't: of l>ou'lltial or int('nsit~.. ha\'ing a maximum and a minimum (tilt' ~'riL's ends around IX>ints which dClx'nd uj>on anotlll'r series). Thl' .'t-rial form on tilt' crogenous ZOI1('S, thl'refore. is founded on a matllt'matin of liingular lX>ints and on a ph~'sics of intt.'llsit·c quantities. But it i:. in yt't another mannl'r that each erogcnous zon<' SUppOrtli a serit's: this tinlt.'. a st.'ries of imagt-'S is projected onT the 7.one, that is. a sait.'s of objects eapabk' of assuring for tht' zone an auto-crotic satisfaction. Consider, for exampl(~. objl'Cts of sucking or imag<.'S of the oral zone. beh ontO lx.""COmcs eoextensin" to the entire range of thc panial surfan' and trawTSCS it. as it explores its orilin' and fidd of intensit)'. from th,' maximum to tht' minimum and \'icc \·Cr.>a. The)' an' organized into S('rk'S according to the wa~' in which the~' arc madt, cocxtensh'c (3 piece of nml~" for example. or chewing gum, the surface of which is muhiplit'(l b~' its being cruncht-d. b~' being strrtcht--d respcctin·I)'); but the)' aT(' also organized according to their origin. that is. an'Ording to tht., whok' frum whil·h thl'\' an' extracu-d (another n-gion of tht.· I~I~" anotllt.'r IX"rson, external ~bje(..t or reproduction of an objt-oct. a pla)·thing, etc.). anti according to the degree of their distance from the primiti\'e objt'ct.s of alimentary and destruetit'e drin'S from which tht· st.·xllal dri\'t'S were just "-'leased.'1 In each of th<.'SC s('nscs. a series linkt-d to an t'rogenous zone appt·ars to ha\'e a simple foml. to he ho~neous. to gin' rist' to a srntht.'sis of succession which ma)' 1>... comrO('II!J as such. and which in an)' l'ase constitutes a simple COIlIk'C/lon. But sl'<.'Ond. it is clt-ar that the problem of the phallic l'lx)f{lination of tilt.' t'rogcllOlls ZOI1('S COIlWS to complieatt' th(' sl'rial rOml: without dOlll>l. the series prolong Olll' anotll('r ami eOll\'erge Mound tht, phallus as tilt.' imagt.· illlPOS~'d on 111(' gt'nilal ZOll('. The gt'nilal I'.one has its own series. It is ins('j)arable, however. from a ~'()mpl~'x form which suhslIllles under il hcter09t'llcous serit's. now that a HlIldition of COlltlllll"Y or COIll'C~qCIICC ha.~ r('placed homog~'ncit)'; it gives rist· to a s)'lltlwsis of ro~:,USf(,IlC" onJ coorJJIlO(JOIl and {'onstituteli a COIIJlItlC/1011 of the subsunwd st·rks. TllIKTY-:-.I·{"OND ·,,·IUI·' ON '1111· III H·I· IU·NT KINn:-;
22{
Third, Wt' kno\\ thaI tI\l' phallil' coordination of surfan's is IW('l·sSJ.ri1~' aCl'ompanit't1 h~' u"dipaJ alTairs whidl in turn t'mphasize pan'ntal
imagt·s. In till' d"\'t'lopnwllt proper to lk,lipus, t111~rt'fon·. tll<'~e imagl's ('nter inlo on,' or se\'l'ral S('ries-a heterogellt'Ous scrit's with alternating h'nns, fatlwr anti motlll'r, or two nX'xistillg S(·rit'S. maternal and p.ah·rnal: for l'xampk', woull
th'lt the saial fonn puts im,lgt'S into pla~'; but, \\ hatewr tilt' Ilt'h·ruge. neil)' of im,lgt's might I)t", wlwtlwr prl'g,·nit.ll imagt's of parti'll ZQIll'S or llarental images of O"dipus, \\"t' han' s,·t·n Ihal their ('ommon origin is in Ihe idol. or in 11ll' good ohj...'(:t lo~t and wilhdrawn ill the hl·ighls. It is this objt'l:-t, first of all. that rt'ndas po~sibl,' a mnn'rsion of dqnh into llartial surfan's and a rel,'a."t: of till'S(' surfac,'s and of till' imagl's haunting Ihem, Hut it is also the sallW obj,'<.,t whkh, in till' guist' of til<-' gooth at onCl'. It is essentiall)' an ('xCt·s.~, as it projt'l'ts its,·lf O\"a till' gl'nital zone of t1lo..' child, duplicating its lX'nis, anti inspiring il \l, ilh tilt' Ol·dipal a!lair. But it is t·ss...·nlialty lack and TlllH.,.l,-·"·t:ONI> :o.HUt-:o. ON Till' DIH+H.I·NT KIN\):0.
227
ddid('IK\' when il dl·~i~.l.lh',', OIl the Iwart of til{' alTair lilt' ahsenn:' of 11ll' peni; in lilt' caSt' ~f lilt' mal her. It is in relalion t:l its\,:!f Ihat tl\(' pll.llilis is hoth a dl"fl'CI ami an ('xn.-ss, lI'htn fhe I,ha/he 11/1<' mcr,q<'5 wllh Ihr /rOCo> l?f COS/ralwn. and tilt.' {'xn-ssh'I' imag\,' no long('r dt-sign,lh's an~·thing otlwr than its own lad, as it takl's away the child's IX'l1i~, WI' are nOI going 10 f('lx'at till' ('haracteristk's of til{' phallus that Lat..\lll has anal~-l:('d ill M'\{'r.ll wdl-known t('xts, It is th(' paradoxical ..I t'mt'nt 01" object = x, missing always ill; own t..'<Juilibrium. at onIT ('XC('SS and detlcicnn;. llI,'wr l'<Jual, missing its 0\\ 11 Tt,·sl:mblance. its own id.'ntih', il.~ O\\:n urigin, its own piau, and ah\a~'s displacl'{l in relation to itself, It is lIoating signilit..'r and lIoatt..'t1 signifil.'(l. plan' without on:up.mt and (){'('upant without plaa', the .'mpt)' square.(whkh can also (Teate an I,');C('SS through this void) and a supernunwral')' obj('{·t (which l'an also n('alt' a lack b)· being this t'xct.'ss number), It is the phallus which brings about th{' n:'sonancl' of Ihe two serif'S that we earlier calk'(l prL'gcnital and oedipal, anti which l'an also ren'i\'(' diO~'rent <Jualitlcations, provided that, through all possible (lualiticalians, the 0Ilt.' is (ktl'm)ined as signili('d and tlw othl'r as signifying, I [t is the phallus which is surface nons('ns(', Iwin' nonscnSt', as \\'{' have S\.'t,'n, and which distributes sc.'mw to tI\(' two sNies, as sonlt.'thing hap~nin9 to the one and .lS something InslS/lna in Ihl' other (it is thus ineI,'itablt., that the first S\.'ril's docs not ~'et impl)· a ('omprehension of what is in question), But the whole prohlem is this: how docs til(' phallus, as thl.' object = x, that is, as the ag('nt of castration, GlUJi(' th(' S('rics to rt'SQnatc? It is no longer a qUl-'Stion of a COIWl'rgo>nC(-' ami a ('Ontinuit)' at all, as it was who'n we \\'{'!"C consid('nng th.: prt.-genital senl'S for t1lt'mselws, insofar as tilt' still intact phallus was n){)rdinating th..'m aroullli th(' genital zone, lOW, th(· pr('gL'nital fomls om' series, with a prt'-comprehension of infantile pan'mal imaglos: an{l tlw ()('(Iillal fomls anoth.'r seril'S, with otlwr and othl..'nvisc.' fomw{l llan'ntal images, 'l1w t\\O sc.'rit'S arc discontinuous and di\'ergt.'nl. Tht' phallus no longt'r t'nSlirt'S a roll' of COlwcrgt'IK(', hut on tilt.' t'ontra!")', Ix'ing I'XCl'SS ami lack, it ensurL'S a role of resonanc(' far St'ril's whidl diwrgl', For, howe\'('r much thl' two scri(~S rna~' H'S('lllhll' Olll' anotlwr, tlwy do nol resonate b,I' Iheir resemblance, hut ratlwr by tlwir dilft'rt'nCl', This ditTcrcnn' is ri'gulah'd t'aeh time by tilt' rt,lati\'(' di~pla('('ml'nt of Il'mlS, and Ihis tlisplac('nwnt is its(,[f regu~ I.lh'd hy the ahsoluh' displal.'l.'nwnt of tlw objt,(,t = x in thl' Iwo series, AI [eaSI in it,~ Ix-ginning, tilt' phantasm is nothing ..1St' bUI Ill(' internal
fI.'sonann' of IWO indq>cndent St'xu.ll ~I'rit's, insofar as this r(',~onance prellafl."S the emt'rgl'ncl' of t1w I.'wnt ,md signals its comprdwnsion, This is why. in ils third slx-ci\,'s, till' Iot'rial fonn is pn..'Sl'nh"t:l in a foml irfl."t:lucibl.., to till' prL'violiS Ont'S, th,lt is, a~ a J.s/UOCtll'j' s~'ntl)('sis of tilt' hl'terog('Ilt'oUS !wril.'s, sinn' thesc.' IWh'rogt'nl.'Ous St.'rio's now di\'('n:J('. , , "0 'J11is is also a poslHn~ and eiffirma/lre UX' (no longer Iwgatiw and limitatit.'I') of the disjunction, sinn' thl' diwrgem S('ri('S resonate as sudl; it is a ('ontinuous ramifi
mon' I'xtt'min- import, and has Lomplddy n'IlI'wed tlw gl'lll'ral prohlem of till' n'lations 11I,twt'l'n Sl'xllalit~, and languagl', it also indudl's sllggl'stions \\ hidl arc appliLabl(' to thl' compll'xit~, of this St."('Ond stagt' -imlil·.ltiolls PllrsUC'tJ and dl'wlopt"Cl in an original malllwr h~' O'rtain of hi:. dbt:ipll'l>, If th<" ('hild conws to a pn'l'xisting langllauI' \\hidl sh(' ('annot ~'I't understand, pt-rhaps cOlwt'rsd~', she grasps th:t which WI' no long('r know how to grasp in our own languag(', n,mwl~', the phonemic relations, the diffen'ntial rdations of phOlll'llll's, ~ TIU' child's l'xln'nll' Sl.'Il.siti\'it)' to phOlll'lllic distin<:tions of the motlwr tongu(' and Iwr indm~'n'nCt' to somctinws mon' pronounn'd \'ariations 11I'longing to another S)'Sh'Jll ha\'e often I)(,l'n noll'd. This is what gives each s~'stem a circular fonn and a rt'troaf.:ti\'(' mO\'l'nwnt by right, sinn' phon('lm~s dqX'nd no k'ss on morplwllll's and scmantl'lll('S than morplwnU's and s('mantl'm('s dqX'nd on tll<'m, '111is is, imk'<.'t:I, what the child extricall's from til(' mic(' upon lea\'ing Ihl' dq>res.<;in> position: an apprl'ntic('Ship of foml;Hiw dements Ix'fon' an~' undt'rstanding of formC'o\'t.', the l"hild cuts Ollt denll'IlL<; of diffl'n'm orde~, ff"('{' to gi\'l' th('m a function which is still pwlinguistic in rdation to thl' whole and to thl' diffl'rent asfX'cts of the sexual position, Although the thn"C' dellll'11lS ma~' pl.l)'fllll~' l'irclliatc, it is t('mpting to makt· eat:h one corrl'sl>omi to an aspl'ct of tlw sexu.l! position, a,.. if the wl1('<'1 were to stop tim'!' times in diffl'r('nt fashions. But to what ext en I l'an \\'(' link phorU'nll's to the emg('nolls zones, morplwllles to til(' phallic stage, and S(',Illanh'ml'S to the {'volution of O('{!ipus and the castration {·ompll'x? As to til<' lirst point, S<'rgc:' L ..c1aire's rC'<'('nt hook, rsychona~'~r. proj>O!i('S an ('xtremd~' interesting thl'Sis~ an erogenous zone (that is, a libidinal mowmcnt of the bod~' insofar as it hapj)('ns at the surfan', distinguishing itsdf from dri\'<'S of conSt'n·.ltion and dl'StnlCtion) would lx, markC't.1 ('s.'wmiall~' b~' a "k'Her" which, at the same time, would tran' its limit ami slIhsunl<' und(Or it imag('s or obj('Ct's of satisfaction, "L(,tter" at this point ai.sunws no mastc~' of language and still les... a possession of writing, It is ratlll'r a (llll'stioll of a phonemic dm~'rt'nct' in r<'lation to till' t1ilT('n'I1t'(' of intt'nsit\' which l'haract('rizes thl: erogl'nous zone, The prt'('is(' ('Xampll' im'oh'd 'by Leclaire, however, that of tilt' Idtt'r V in tilt' l'aSl' of till' Wolf Man, dOl'S not Sl'l'm to go in this t1irl'etion: in facto till' Il'Iter V in Ihis t'xampll' marks ratll('r a H-ry gt'l1('ral ll1on'llwnt of 0lx'IlIWSS, l'ommon to sen'ral ZOIU'S (to open
OIW'S e~'l's,
OIll"S ears, OIll''s mouth), and ('onlloh's s(.'n'ral dramalit' S{.'elWS ratlwr Ihan ollj('(,ts of sati:.faction," Should WI' rather think, to thl' t'xtent that tilt' phonellw it.s('lf is .l clu$fu €!f drSflnnm' /rIJIIS or differential relations, that eat'h ZOIU' would rath{"r lx' analo:gous to one of these:' tr.tit... amI dc:'tenninl't:l Ill" t1ll'm in n'lation to anothC'r ZOIlt'? In this {'l-"'CI of the sexual IXlSition. It is in this S('nse that L.cclain' defines thl' surface of the (,ntire body as an agg"'--gate or sequence of Ictt{,rs, while the image of the phallus assU",-"S their cOIl\"ergencc and continuity, \Vl' thus lind ourscl\'($ inside a new domain. [t is no longer at all a qlll'Stlon of a simple addition of the pn'c('t:ling phOlll'm('s, but rather of till' t:onstrllction of the first esottr/c lI"ords, which in1<'grat<' phonem('s into a conjllneth'e s~,nthesis of hetl'ro~ gel1eous, conVl'rgl'nt, amI continuous series-thus, in an example ana· Irl.ed by Ledain::, Ihl' S('(.'rl't nanw "Poord'jdi," that a l'hild cn'ates, It Sl.'ems 10 liS at this It'\'ct that tlw t'soterk word in it's e:'ntirct~' pla~'s nol till' roll' of a phoneme or of an dem('!lt of articulation but that of .l lTlorphcnlt' or of an e1enwnt uf gr.tll1matical construction repn'S("nh't:! h~' th{' conjunct in.' charactl'r. It n'fers to thl' phallus as an agent of n>ordin.ltion, Onl\' aftcnvanl, sudl an esoteric \\on~ takt"S on anodwr \'aIUl", or .lIlOtlwr function: as thl' l'Onjul1l:tion fomls an entire snit'S, this l>nies t'ntl'rs into a rdation of n'sonann' \\ ith anotlwr diH'rg{'nt ,111(1 indelx'nd('nt M'ries- 'jaIl corps de L/II" (!-ili's ht..., utiful bod~')' TIll' 11\'\\ ~I'ri\':, corn'sponds to tilt' third aSf'lTt of tilt' ~exual position, that b, to tilt' dt'\'('lopnwnt or Ot'dipllS, til(' castration n)lnpl('x ,mil till' ('ont'()l1lit,lllt transformation of tIll' ph"llus which has now Ix'('ollll' object = x. Tlwn, and ol1l~' tl1('n, till' esoteric word IX'collll'S J porrmallleall lI"ord insufar as it ('nacts a t1is;unctin' synthesis of thl' two Sl'ril'S
(tlw pn'gl'nit,,1 "nl! til\' IH:dip.ll, that of tlw propl.'r n,wl\' of tlw s\lhjel.'t "nd th"t (If Lili}, 1',llIS"S tI\(' two dinorgcnt sl.'ries to rl'sonah' as such and ramilil's thelll,7 TIll" entire csotl.'ric word, in Ji,w with Lacan's tlwsis, pla~'s now tilt' role of a semanknl('. According to this tllt'.~is, till' phallus of Oedipus .md of '.'astration is a signifier which dOl'S not animate til\' I.'orrl'ponding seri('S without nopping up suddt.'nly in till' prl.'i.1.,ding ..."ri('s, in whidl it also dn:ulatt's, sinn.' it "conditions tlw I.,ff,'cts of tlw signilil.'d hy its pn'S('nct' as signili,'r." We thus go from till' phOlwmk k'lIl.'r to tht.' l.'SOh'ric wonl as morphenw, and then from this to till" r~ortlllanteau word as st'manh'nw, In the transition from S('htzoid position of depth to till' dq)n'ssi\'(' Po.>;ilion of thl.' lI('ights, W(' \WIlI from noiSl.'S to the \"Din', But in the surfae(' SI.·xual position. w(' go from \'oi~ to spt"C'Ch. 1111' organi7.ation of till.' ph~'sieal sexual surfan' has thrl"(" moments which product, thn'l.' t~lx"S of S~11tht.."i(.'S or series: till' 1.'rDgl-"'llOUS 7..()f1l'S and ronnl.>t-1in· syntl'll'SC."S Ix'aring on a hornogcm.'Ous Jit'rks; thl.' phallic ('oonlination of zonl.'S and til(' conjunctin synthl.-'Sis bl'aring on heterogeocous. yet ronn'rgellt and continuous Sl·rit.'S; and tht' ('\'olution of Ot'dipus. the transformation of tht, phallic linc into the traCt' of ('astration, and the disjunl1in" smtlll'sis. Ix'aring on dh,t.'rgelll anti rt'SOnating seri{'S. Now" thl'Se st'rit'S- or rnanwnts l'ondition tht.' three formati\'e dements of language-phonemes" morphcml.-'S, and sernant('mcs-as much as tht,\, an' rorulitKnwd In' th('m in a circular rcal1.ion. N"'cn'rthck'SS, thl.'f'(' i; still no languagl.'; \\'~ an' still in a pl'"l'Iinguistil.' (Iomain, TI1('se l.,lcnwllts arc not organiz('(1 into fom11.-"<1 linguistic units which would be ahll." to dellOtt.' things, manifL'St p.:rsons, and signify COnet·pL>;.!! This is wh~' th('Sl' t'!cmcnts ha\'(' not )'ct a r,'f,'r~nl'e other than a S('xual one. as if the ("hild was I('arning to speak 011 his own body-with phonemes referring to thl.' I'rog('nolls zonl'S, morplwnws to till.' phallus of coordination, and sl'manlt'n1l'S to the phallus of castration. This n'f('f(.'nl'e must not I'll' inh'rpn'tt.'(1 as a (k'notation (phonl.'llws do not '\k'noh'" cro:g('nous ZOlU'S), as a manifes· t;}tion, nor 1'\'('11 as a signi~ication, [t is rath('r a 'jul.'stion 01'.1 "('omlition. ing-nlllditiOlll'd" strul.'tun" of a .>;Ilrfacl.' ('tTl'(:I, linda its douhll' sono, rous and St'xual aspect or, if 011(' pn..JI.'rs. umkr thl' asp('I.'ts of resonance ,md mirror, At this In'd, SIWl'ch lx'gins: ir 1x:.'IInS when tlu:Iormlllll'c eh'menrs i!{ Iclll.'lua,qc (Ire ",ltractcd III I/Ii: slI~Jacc,Irom In.' (IIm.'Ilt 1" rOICC willen cOI/w,lfrom (I/xll'C, This is tl](' paradox of sl}("('I.'h, On 0111' hand, it n'f('rs 10 language .1S 10 something withdr.1wn whidl pr('cxists in 1111' \'oiee from aIH~\'l'; on
til(' other hand, it r~fers to I.1nguolg(' ,lS to sOIHcthing whieh must result, but whid1 shall ('onw to polSS only \\ith formed units, SIx'I.'ch is IW\'(.T ('quat to language, It still awaits 1111' n':»ult, that is, tlw ('Wilt which will mah' til(' fonnation dTel'ti\'(', It 111.1,.. h'rs till' fonnatin' dl'nwllIs but without purpose" and the histor\' \\ hi' h it rdah's" thl.' st'xual histon', is nothing otll('r than itself" or its '0\\ II doubll.'. W(, arc not \'et thl'r(:fol'"(' in tilt.' rl.'alm of senS4,', TIll' noLo.I: of til(' dl'ptlls was an i,~f;a-s('nsl" .1n undl'r-scIlSl'. Unrersmll" till' \'oio' from till.' Iwights was a pre-scnS<', DIll' could now l"()rn(' to Ix'li,'\"('" \\ ith till' or.ganization of till' surfan.. that nonJit'llse has l"(.'aehl.-'ll that point at \\ hid~ it l)('(.'omcs SI.'nSt', or 'takl'S on sellS(': is not pn'CiSt'ly thl.' phallus a~ ohjl."C1 = x" this surface noflS('1lS(" which distribul('S senS(' to til(' seri('~ "hich it tran:rscs, ramifil.-'S" and makt'S thcm n'SOnate. detcm1ining OIW a.s signif)'ing and thc oth('r as signifit'll? In us" though" the ad\'ic(' anti thl' rule of methotl l'CSOund: do not ha.'iten to eliminate nonSl'nS(' ami to ghl' it a sense, NollS("llS(' would kl.-"("p its S('Cret of tht.' real mann('r 1)\, which it CTt'atcs St.'nsc. The organu.ation of the ph)'sical surfact' is I~t ~'et S('IlS('; it is" or rather will be" a co-scnse. -nlat is to sa)'" whell scnSt' is produced 0\'1.'1'" another surface, tht're will a/so IX' this scnSl.', St.'xudlit\'" according to the Fr<'Udian (Iualism" is that which also is-l'wn'whcre' and alwa\~. , 111el'"e is nothing the S('IlS(' of whkh is not also sexual, in accordance with thl" law of the double surfaC('. But it is still nl.-"l'I.-"'SS.1n' to await this result which nncr ends, this other surface. for sexuality 'to lx' made tht.' concomitant" ,1I1d the co-senS(' of S('IlSt', so that onc might sa~' "C\'c')'where," "for all tinll.'s." and "eternal truth,"
.
TlllHT"-~1 CONI) :\I-Itll':\ ON rill' UII"·I-HI·N"I KINlh
20
Thirty-Third Series of Alice's Adventures
Ill'
three t)'lx'S of csotak words that we encountered in Lewis Carroll's works correspond to till" three kinds of scril's: til{' "unpronounceable monosyllabic" brings about tht' ("onnl'Ctiw s~'ntlll"sis of a St,ril.-'S: the "phlin" or "snark" guarant{'("S the ronn.'rgellc(' of two series and brings about the conjun<.1.i\·l' sel"ies; and finally. til(' portmanteau word. tin' "Jabbcnn)(~k." till' word = x whOS(o presence \no discO\'cr aln'ad~' at work in the t\\'o others, brings about the disjUlwth'c synthesis of din.'rgcnt scri('s, as it mah·s them n'sonatc and ramify. But how man)' adwntun's call we find ulllkr this organization? Al,ce has t1m'(' parts. which art: marh"(1 by changes of I
l'rable mOllilil'ations. First, it is in l)('ing too largl' that Aliu' now pla)·s the roll' of til(' internal objl't,t. Morl'O\'l'r, to grow and to shrink no longer Ol·t·ur onl}' in relation to a third tcml in depth (the kt·~· to be n'achl'(! or the door to pass through in til(' first part). but ratlll'r act of t1wir o\\'n act'on! in a fr...' t' st)'I(·, in rdatioll to til(' other-that is, the~' act on high. Carroll has taken IMins to indicat(' that therc has I)('('n a change, sinn' now it is drinking \\ hk·h brings abollt growth and ('ating which l'<XI)', somctinws anI)' his cut ofr head; present or absent, since hI' disappears. leaving ani}' his smill', or fomls itself from the smile of the good object (prm'isKmal compla{'("l('~' with rt.'Slx'Ct to the liberation of sexual drin~s). In his csscno.·, the cat is he who withdraws and di\·crts himself. The new ahemati\'e Of' disjunction which he impost.'S on Alice, in confonnit}' with this essell(:t·, appt-'ars twice: first, a qUl.'Stion uf lx'ing a l:tab~' or a pig, as in the Duchl.'Ss' kitch('n; and then as the sleeping I)omlollsc seatl'd hetwl~n t1w Ilare and the Hatter, that is, 1ll't\\"L't'n an animal who lives in burrO\\s and an artisan who deals with lIw head, a matter uf eitlwr taking till' side of intl'rnal objt.'Cts or of il!t-ntif)'ing with lhe good object of Ill'ights. In short, it is a question of ('hoosing IX·lw...·'·n depth and height. l In the third part (chapters 8-12), tlll're 1.~ again a change of dl'nlt'nt. I-Ia\'ing found again bridl~' till' first location, Alin' enters a ganll'll which is inhabik'tl by pla~'ing canis \\ ithout thickn...'SS and b~' lIat ligur....s. It is as if Alin', ha\'ing suflicklltl~, idl'ntih('(! hl'rself with thl' Ch...'Shire Cat, whom sill' d...'Clares to he h('r fril'nd, St.·I'S till' old depth sprl'ad uut in front of her, and tilt' animals \\ hich oC.Tupied it hl'conw slan's or inoITl'llsi\"e instrullll'tlts. It is on this Mlrfan' that sIll' distrihutl's l1('r imagl's uf till' father-till' imagl' of til(' f.1tlwr in till' l·ourSt.· of a trial: "Tlll'\', told me \·Oll had 1X'I'n to IwrJAnd mentiOIll'd nll' to him.... " But Alil'l' hal> a ford)()l.!ing of the dangers
;;w
.
of this IIt'W elcnll'llt: th.. nMlllwr in which good intentiolls rUll IIw risk of producing aholllin,lhte n'sults. and thl' ph,'llus. represt'nkd ,b)' the {)uv,.:n, risb turning into (:astration (" 'OtT with Iwr head!' till' QW't'll shouted at till' top of her \'Olel'''). TIn' surfan: is burst. ". till' whoJe p.lek roSt' ul' into the air, and canw !lying down lllxm her.. Om' could say that Throllgh nh' I.ookma-G}ass takes ul' this s,mll' stor)'. this s.lml' und(Ttaking. but that things Ilt'r(' han' IlI't:ll displan'd or shifted, the first moment Ix'ing suppn'ssed and the third gre.ltly 1.1(,\·('1oJwd. Instead of til(' Clwshin' Cat IX'ing the good \'oice for Alin.:, it is Aliel' who is the good \'oice for her own, rl'al cats-a scolding \"(licc. lo\"ing and withdrawn. Alin;., from 11I'r height, apprehends the mirror as a pure surface, a continllit~" of till' outside and th(' inside, of al)(l\'e .md 1X'low, of reH'rse and right sides, wlwre "Jahlx'f\\'ock)," spreads itself out in both directions at once. After haVing I)('ha\"('d bridl~' onn' again as the good object or tlw withdrawn \"oice vis-a-\'i.~ thc dlCSS picces (with all the terrif),ing atlribuh'S of this obj('ct or this ,·oicc). Ali('e herself enters tht, ganw; slw Iwlongs to til(' surfac(' of the chcssboard, whit·h has replaced til(' mirror, and tak('s up the task of bcn)ming quet'n. The squares of the dwsshoard which must lx' crossed dl>arl)' represt'nl erogenous zones, and lX'coming-'1u('en r('f('rs to the ph.1UUS as till' ag('nc~' of coordination. It soon appears that the mrn'sponding problem is no longl'r that of the uniqul' and withdr,l\vn voice, and that it has rather become the problell1 of Iln;ltiple discourses: what must OIW pay, how much must Oil\' pay in ordl'r to IX' ablc to slwak? This '1ut'slion aplx'ars in almost ('very ('hapt<'r, with tIlt' word sometimes rel"l'rring to a single st~ries (as in the cast' of tilt' proper naml' so contracted that it is no longer n'mcmlwred); sometimes to two conn'f· gt'nt Sl'ries (as in the cas(' of Twcl'dkdulll and TWt'l'dlt'(.lee, so much conwrgent and continuous as to IX' indi.~tinguishablt'); and sOIllt'timcs to di\'('rgent ,lIld ramilied s('ries (as in the ('as(" of Hlllllpt~' Dumpty. the master of semant('mes and paymastt'r of words, making them ramify and n'sona\(' to such a dL'grCt' as to be incompre!wnsiblt" so th.lI their n'\"ers(' and right sidl's arc no longer distinguishablt'). Hut in this simultaneous organization of words and surfan's. til(' danger ,'lrcady indicat('d in II/ice is sJ)('cihed and de\'('lopl'(.l. Again, Ali("(.' has distributed hcr parental images on the surlaC(': till' Whitt' QUL'(.·n, the plainti\'e and wounded motlwr; the Hed King, the withdrawn father, aslel'P from thi· fourth ('haptlT onward. HUI. 'ra\'('rsing all dqJth and lWight. it is the 2j6
TIlIHT\'-TIIIHIl SI'HII'~ 01· ,\IICI"S AllVI,N·lllHI,."
Ht'd QUI'I'n who .lrrin:s-thc plMllus IlI'co!lw til(.' .lgent of castration. It is thl' tin'll dehaclc again, this tin1\' tinislll'd ofT \'()Iuntaril), b~' Alicl' hersi'll', Sonll'thing i.~ going lo happt'll, she (kcl,lrl'S. But what? Would it lx' a rl'gn'ssion to till' oral-anal til-pths. to the point that c\"erything would begin a,l('w, or rather 1111' liberation of another glorious 'lIld neutralizl'd surfac('? TIll' ps~'dlOanal."tic diagnosis often lormulated with n'spt'ct to u'wis Carroll notl's th(' following: the imp(lssibilit~, of confronting tIll' (kdipal situation; llight Ix·fore till' father and n'nunciation of th(" mother; projl'ction onto the lillie girl. identiticd with the phallus but also deprin'd of a penis; and the oral-,mal regn-ssion which follows. Such diagnost's. howl'\"I'r, ha\'e n:rv little inll'n'st, and it is well known that tilt' ('nCOlllltt'r Ix,tween ps)"~hoan"l~'sis .11](1 the work of art (or the literary-speculati\'(" work) cannot be:' achicn'(.l in this manner. It is not achie\"ed c~rtainl)' b)' treating authors, through their work, as pOSSible or real patients, c\'I'n if thc}' arc accorded the henctit of sublimation; it is not achi('\"l'l.l by "psychoanalp'.ing" the work. J-=or authors, if tIl('}' arc gn'at, arc mon' like doctors than patients. We mean that thc}' arc thcmst'h-cs astonishing diagnosticians or symptomatologists. "nlcrc is .1lways a gn'at deal of art in\'OI\'~d in the grouping of symptoms. in the organization of a rablr where a pal'licular symptom is dissociatl'l.l from anotlll'r. juxtaposed to a third, and fonus the new f-igurc of a disorder or i1hlt'ss. Clinicians who are ablt' to renew .1 symptomatological table produce a work of art; ('OIW('fSt'ly, artists arc clinicians, not with respect to their own C,lse, nor eH'n with respl.'Ct to a case in gell('ral; rather, Ilw~' Jrl' dinicians of civilization. In this n-ganl, we cannot follow those who think that Sadl~ has nothing , l.'sSt'nlia.1 to sa\,, on sadism, nor Masoch on maso(:hism. It se('ms, moreO\'l'r, th,'t an e\"'lluatioTl of symptoms might IlL' achicl"t'd onl~' through a /lord. II is not by chann' that til(' Il('urotil' creates a "familial romalll.:l.'," ami that the Ol'dipus complt'x must Ill' found in tht, llU'ami<'rings of it. From tht' pt'rSIWCliH' of Fn'ud's gt'nius, it is not tilt' complex which pro\"idl's us with informal ion abollt (lI'dipus and Ilamkt, hut rather U('dipus and Hamkt who providl' us \\ ith inlormation ahout the (·ompkx. It will be ohjl'Cll'd that tilt' artist i~, in lact, not 11I'('I'"~sar~'; thl' patil'nt himsdf pro\"idl's til(' romalU'e .md tlw dOClor l'l"aluah's it, But this \\ould 1)(' to neglt'ct till' sixTilicity of tlw arlist both ,1S p.lIicnt and a.s do(:tor of t'i\"iJizatioll; it would IX' to IlI"glt'cl til\' dilllTI',wl' hetwel'n til\' artist's llo\TI as a work of art and TIIIHTY-TIIIIU) ~1'IUI'~ 01· ,\ll('I,':- ,-\DVI,NTlll{l'~
237
till" neurotic's nOn'l, TIlt' Iwurotil' ('an onl~' aClualiz(' tilt' h'nns and Ihe slon' of hi:; no\(+ till' s~'mptoms an' this actualizalion, and tht" non.. 1 lias 'no ollwr nwaning, Un lilt· conlra~'. to ('straet tll(' non-actuali7.abk· part of lilt' pun..' cn'nl from symploms (or. as Hlanchot saYl>, 10 rOll...' tilt." \'isihl(' to tlu' ilwisibk'), 10 rais(' ('\'('~'da)' actions ami p.lssions (Iikl' t\lting, shilling, loving, speaking. or d~'ing) to tll('ir mx.'malic attrihlltl' and tlwir corn..'sponding pure En'nt, to go from tile physkal surfal't' on which symploms an' plJ.~'(>(1 out and aClualizalions lkdlkd to the nll'laph~'sical surfaa' on which tht· purc c\'ent stands and is pla~'('(1 out. to l!0 from tile caUS(' of till' s\'mpt'oms to till' quasi-cause of til(' all"'" -~his is til<' ohjro of th(' no\'~'1 as a work of art, and what distinguishes il from Ihe familial no\'<'1. 1 In otlwr words. til(' lX)siti\'c. highl~' aflinnatin' character of clt'sexualization consists in tilt' (('ploc('menr l!f psychIC ft'WCSS;OIl b), sfXCIIJolire mreSlmcnl. This dOl's not preH"nt 11ll: Spt'('ulati\'e inn.'stmenl from bearing ulX)n a sl'xual objl,<-,t-sinc(' thl' in\"('stnwnt disengagt-'S the c\'cnt from it and poses thl' objt-'CI as wnwmitant of the rorn..'sponding ewnt: what is a little girl? An entirC' allm: is n('('(IN!. not in onler to answer this quC'Stion but in oml'r to e\'ok.... and to rompose the unique ('\'t'nt which lllakt'S it into a qUl'stion. The artist is not onl)' the pati('nt and doclor of d\'i1ization, but is also its Ix·n·crt. or this proct-'Ss of desexualization and this leap from one surface to another. \\'t' ha\'e said almost nOlhing. Onl)" ·its power appears in Carroll's work: it app('an; in til(' \'e~' forn' with which Ih.... basic S('rit-'S (thOSt:' that l'SOtCric words subsumc) arc dt'S('xualizC'd to the benefit of the ahematin' to catll'o slX'ak: but also in till' foret' with which the S('xual Objl'Ct, the little girl, is maintaim'(l. Ind(,,"' mind").
2J~
TIlIH.TY-TIlIH.U ... I·H.I .....
()I-
1111("1"'" IIIlVI·i'lTllH.I'~
Thirty-Fourth Series of Primary Order and Secondary Organization
If
it is tnle that the phantasm is ('onstruetro ulX)n at Icast two di\"('rging sexual series and that it merges with their f('sonancc, il is Ill'wrthek'ss till' case that the two basic Sl'ril's (along with the Objl,<-'t = x which tra\'en;es them and causcs them to rt'SOnatt') constitute onl\' tilt' extrinsil' Ix-ginning of tht, phantasm, Lt..'t us call the n'SOnanc~ "intrinsic beginning." The phantasm dewlaps to the extent that the n'SOnance indua"S a forced mol'C'menf that goc'S Ix'~'ond and swccl:tS awa~' tilt' hasic sl'rit'S, It has a fx>ndular struCltlTt': thl' basic series tran'n;('(! h~' the mo\'t'lllent of tilt' obj('{·t = x, tilt' r('sonann', and the forced 1ll00'{'Illl'nl of an amplitude gn'al<'T Ihan til(' initial movement. This initial 1ll00'l'lnl'nt is, as Wl' han' Sl'e!l, the mowment of Eros, which 0lx'ratt-os on the intcnnl'dia~' physical surfaCl', till' sexual surfan', or the lil,,'rat('(! area of sexual drin'S, Hut til(' forCl"1:! mownwnt \\hich repn'""nts deSl'xuali".ation is 'l1lan3los aml"compulsion": it 0lx'rau'S bt,t\\I't'n tilt' two t'xtrl'm('S of till' original dq>th and tlw nlt'taphysical surfaH" tilt' t!t-stru('tiw (·annib.llistic driws of depth ,lIld til(' Spt'<-'ulatin' IIt'ath ill~tinct, VV t , kno\\' that the gn'atl'st dangcr associatl"1:1 with this forced Illownwnt i.~ thl' lllt'rging of til\' t.'xtrcnws or, rather, Iht' loss of 1'\ITything in tilt' hottom!t'ss dq)th, al til(' pri('I' of a gcnt.'ralized (lL'b"de of surlJ.t'('S. Hut, ('oll\'t.'rsdy, lilt' grl'atL'st pott.'ntialit~' of til(' forn'll 119
mO\'('lllt'nl Ii\'s in th~ constitution, beyond the ph~'skal sllrfac~, of a 1ll\'laphy:-.ir'll :-.url:ll"\' o( gr\'al range, on which \'n'n tilt' dl'Votlringdl'\'oun,d ohj\·t·ts of tilt' til-pths an' proj\."ctl·tl. Wl' l'arl tl1\'I"I'(OI"l' nanw til\' \'ntil"l' li)rt·\,d 1ll0\'~nwnt "death instinct.:' ami nallw il.~ full ampliIwlt, "lllt't,lphpic.ll surfact·... At any ratc, thl' fOrl'~d mO\"l'llwnt is nol \·:-.t.lhlisln"i.l Iwtween the basil' sexual S4..'ri("s, but rather bt,twr\'n till' two 11\'\\ ,md inlinitdy larg~r S4..'rit's-l'<..ting, on til(' one hal\ll. ,md thinking, 011 tlw other, wlll'rl' till' S\.'l.'ond alwa~'s risk.~ diSolppearing into the tirst, ,md tll\' l-irst, on the l'ontrary, risks lX'ing projl'ct('d onto til\' sl't'ond, I Tlm:-.. tlw phantasm n'(luil"l's four St'rk'S and two mownwnts. TIll' mm'l'IlWnt of l'l'SQnancl' of till' two s('xual Sl'rit'S indul'('s a forn'(l mO\'('Im'nt which l'xtl'mls h('~'ond thl' bast' and tlw limit's of Iifl" plunging into tlw ah~·s." of lolies, Rut it also 0lx'ns onto a nwlltal surfacl', gh'ing l~irth tlll'Tl'by to thl" two nl'W seril'S het\n>t'n \\hidl thl' ('ntin' struggll' that \n' aucmph'(l to descTi!x' is waged, What happens if th(' mental or metaph~'sical surface has thl' uPlx'r hand in this p<'ndular OlOWml.'nt? In this case, the n'rh is inscrilx'(! on this surfac('-that is, thl' gloriOUS ('\'pnt cnt(·rs a s~'rnholil' l'l'lation with a stat(· of affairs, rather than nll'rging with it; thl' shining, nex'matic attribute, rathl'T than being confuS("(1 with a qualit~·, sublimal('S it; the proud J{l'SUIt, rathl'T than !x-ing confused with an al,tion or passion, l"Xtra<1s an e(("mal truth from them. What Carroll calls "Impl'netrability," and also "J{adianl'Y," is actualized. This is the \'erb which, in its uni,"(x:ity. conjugate'S d("'ouring and thinking: it projel1.S eating on the nl('taph~'sical surfan: and sk(."tches out thinking all it. And l>l,:cause to eat is no longl'T an action nor to bl' l'ah'n a passion, but ratlll'r the nOt:matic .lttribu!t, whil..!l (:orn'Sponds to tlwlll in til(' n'rb, till' mouth is somt:hO\\ liht'Tatl-"(1 for thought, which tills it with all possihle words, '11ll' wrh is, tlll'fl.(on', "ro speak"; it nwans 10 tatlro thmk, on the m\'taphysical surfan\ and causes the l'n'nt, as Ihal whidl ('an be n:prl'sSt'd by language, to happ<'n to consumahll' things, and s('nse, as thl' \'xpr\'ssion of thought, to insist in language, Thus, "/0 rhl/lk" also ml'ans /0 tmlro ~pt'ak-Io \'al as 11ll' "fl:SUIt," to slx'ak as "made possihk." TIll' struggle hct\\'l'('n lilt' mouth and till' brain l'onll'S to all \'nd 1ll'1"I', \Vt' haw S\"\'n this struggll' fur tlll' indq}('lllknn' of :-.ounds go on, l'\'~'r sinct' tilt' l'xLTcnl\'rllal and alillwntar~' nuiSI'S \I hidl ulxupiL'(! til\' lllouth-anus in d~pth; we followed it to Iht' dis\'ngag"nll',n of a \'oin' high ahow; and tinally \\'l' tr,lL"L'd it to till' primar~' formation of 240
J 1IIItTY-HHJKTll "I'KII'~
fll'
I'KIMAKY {lltlll"K
sudan's and words" Speaking, in th\' ('ornplt'tt, St'nst' of till' word, prl'sllPlx)S~'s thl' wrb and p,lSS\'S through Ill\' \,(Th, whit'h projt'l'ts thl' mouth onto tilt' nwtaphysical sud:ln', tilling it with til(' ideal I.'wnts of this surlan'. The wrb is the "wrhal r\'pn's\'llIation" in its l"mirl'I\', as well as tIll' highest aflirmatin'I>l)\\\'r of tlw disjunction (uniw)(·it\·, 'with Tl'SI>L'('t to that which dh·l'r.gl·S). TIlt' \l'rh, howl'\'('r, is sill'nt; ~lld Wl' must take litL'rall~' the iel('a "that I:ros i... sonorous and that th(' llt'alh instinl't is sil~'nn', In t1w \'l'rh, tlw :-'\'('OI11la~' organization is brought al)()ut, and trom this organii'..ltion Ih\' l'ntin.' ordering of language pTOl'l"('(ls, O/lS\'nSl' funl,tions as th\' It'ro point of thought, thl' alt'ator" point of dCSl'xualizl'll enl'rgy or tlw pUlll1uai In....tinct of death; Aion o'r 1'lIlpt~' fom.. ami pure Infiniti\'(' is tilt' lim' tral'l"(l hy thi." point, that is, a ('('rebral l'rack at the limits of" hi<'h thl' ('\'ellt appl'ars; and the event tak('n in the uninx."it\· of this intinitiw is distributl'll in the two st'ries of amplitudl' which ~nstitute tilt' nwtaph~'si<:al surian·. The l'\'("nt is rdated to one of these seril-'S as a IlOl'matic attribuh', and to tIl(' otllt'r as a n<x·ti<' scnst', so that both serie'S, to l"at/to sf>\-'ak, form the disjunl1. for an afTirmath'e synthl-'Sis. or till' l"quhlx:ity of what thC'Te is for and in uni\'Ocal Iking, It is this whole :-~·:-.tl'IIl, point-lim'-suriaCl', that n.·pn"SCnts the organization of Sl"nS\.' and nonSl'nsc, Sense occurs to sla"tes of affairs and insists in proposition:., va~'ing it.~ pure uni\'Ocal inflllitiw according to till' S('ries of tlw stall'S of affairs "hil"h it sublimatl'S and fTom which it fl-sults, and the S\.'ric'S of propo~itions which it s~·mbolizl.'S and makl'S po~...iblt,. We haw S\'('n the wav in which thl' order of languag(' with its fonn('(1 units ('om('s about-'-that is with tI\"notations ~nd their fulfillnll'nls in things, manif\.'Stations amllhl'ir a(1u...lii'.atlons in IX'rsuns, signifil'ation an~1 thl'ir a('l-'Omplishments in conn'pts; il was pn'('isdy till' \'Illirl..' suhj("(,t math'r of the static gCIll'Sis. But, in order to gc·t to that point, it was ll\'n'Ss.lr~' to go through all till' l'olag\'s of the d~'nami(' gl'nesis, I"OT till' ,"oi('(' gan' us onl~' dc'notations, \'rnpt~· manift'stations and d\'nOt.ltion..., or purl' int\'nlions stlsp\'llll('d in tllnalit~·, TIll' lirst words ga\'\' u~ onl}' form,Hi\'\' l'1\'llll'nts, without rt'ad,ling fomwd unit.... In ordt'T that ther\' 1)(' languag(" togl'tha wilh tlw lull lIS\.' of Sl)l,'t'~:h L"onfonning to t1w tim'\' dimension... of languag~" it \\ as lwn'ssan' to I)a...... through~ tlw \'l'rh ,lilt! its sill'lll't" ami th~rOl~uh ' _ 0 till'. \'ntin' organization of s~'nSt' and nOlb\'nS(" on til\' nwtaphysical Mlrl'lt"\.·-tlw last .~tagt' or til\' d~'narni(' gl'n\'sis. II is l'nlain that S\'Xll,ll organizalion is a prl'liguration of till' organiTIlII(Tr-HIUWIII " l l t l l " 01' Pit 1'\\1\ 1("
OItIII,It
241
z.ltion of languag\" ju~t a~ til\' ph)'Skal surface was a prq)aration for Ill(' nu:t.lphpkal sur!aee. Th...· phallus plays an important 1'01.. . in til(' stag('s of the ...·olltlict I"l\:twecn mouth and brain. Sexuality is in l)\'twl'('l~ eating and slw.lking and. at til(' s.lIlW time that thl' sexual driws are detadlt:,d from til\' destrul..·tivc alimentary drives. they inspire the tirst words madl' up of phonemes. morphemes. and semantcmcs. Sexual organiza. tion aln·ady pr('sents liS with an entin' point-line.surf.lu· s)'st...:-m; and the phallus. as object x and word x, has lh...:- rok of nonSl'nse, distrihuting sense to tht, two hasie sexual s('ries, the pregi'nit.ll and the Oedipal. This enUre intt'rnwdiary domain. how('ver, S('('ms to he IWUtralized by the mowlllent of d\'sexualization. just as th(' hasic series of till' phantasm ha\'e been by the s...:-ries of amplitll(ll~. The n'ason is that phonemes, morphemes, and semantenll's. in their original rdation to sexuality, do not yct form units of denotation, manifestation. or signitication. $cxualitv is neither dl'nott'd. nor manifested. nor Signified by them; rather. s~xuality is the surface that tll<.'y double, and thcy thems<'l\"es are the doubling up which builds the surface. It is a qucstion of a dual surface effect, of rewrs\.' and right sides, which precedes all r<'lations between states of alTairs and propositions. This is why when anothcr surface is dl'...,c1oped with dilTerent t'ffects which at last found denotations, manift'Stations, and significations as onlercd linguistic units, c1emt'lltS like pholll'mes, morphemes. and s('mantemes seem to turn up on this Ill'W plane, but s('elll to lose their sexual n~sonance. This sexual rl'sonance is repressed or lleutralized, while til<.' basic st'ries are swept aside by tilt' new scrit·s of amplitude. Sexuality t'xists only as an allusion, as vapor or dust. showing a path along which languag~' has passed, but which it continues to jolt and to crase lik... so many ('xtrenll'I~' disturbing childhoo<1 memories. TIl(' matter is, howen'r, still mort:' complical<'d. For if it is true that tht' phantasm is not conh'nt with oscillating ht'twl'l'n tilt' extn'me of alinwntary dt'pth and the otlwr extrenw n'presented by the nll'taphysi. cal surface, if it strin's to proj('ct onto this Illdaphysical surface the l'\'ent corn'sl)Onding to nourislmwnt, how would it not also release the l·\·('nts of sexuality? How wuuld it not rcll'ase tlWIll, in a \"l'ry particular manner? As \\"t' hare Sl'l'n, the phantasm does not et{'rnall~' recommt~nCC its intrinsic Illm'elllent of des('xualization withoLit turning back on its t'xtrinsic st'xual heginning, This paradox has no cCluivalent in the other instances of projection on till' nlt'taph~'si('al surf,lCe: a
=
141
=
TllIKTY-I'()UHTII :-1· 1{1 1,:0. 01· I'ltlMAHY OIUH.H
\'nergy inlTsts or rein\"l:sts an objt,t,t of sexual inten:st as such and is tlll'n'h~' re-sexualized in a ne\\" \\·a~'. Such is the most gelwral Illt'chanism of perversion, on the condition that perwrsion lx' distinguislwd as JI1 art of til(' surlaec from subversion as a h.'dmique of depth. According to P.wla Heimann, most "sl'xual" ninll's arc wrongly said to he pern'rSl'; they should he attributed to tilt' suhversion of depths, where the sexual (lrin's arc still directly wown into til(' devouring and destruc'tivt' drin's, But pcr\"l'rsion as a surt:1Ct' dinll'llsion Ixmnd to the erogenous zorws, to till' phallus or coordination and castration and to the relation of till" ph~'sical and metaphysical surfaces, raises only the problem of the investment of a sexual obj('ct by a t!t-scxualiz(:d ('nergy as such. Per\Trsion is a surface structurc whit"h ('XpreSSl's it.self .1S such, without hi'ing nccessarily actualized in criminal behaviors of a subversivc nature. Crimes may undoubtedl)' folio\\', but only through a regression from pern-rsion to suhversion. The real prohlem of plT\'ersion is shown correctly in tilt' essential mechanislll which corresponds to it, that of l'erli'1I0nuno· For if Vcrlcuonl/no is a C!u('stion of maintaining the imagt' of the phallus in spite of the absense of a penis. in the C.lS(: of women, this operation pn.·supposes a desexualization as the consequence of eastra· tion, hut also a reinvestment of the sexual object insofar as it is sexual b)' means of desexualized ellt:rg)': \lcrlcU,qIllJll8 is not an hallucination, but rather an ('soteric knowk'dge. 1 Thus Carroll, perverse but without crinw. perverse but nonsubversive. stuttering and left-handed, uscs the des('xualized energ), of the photographic apparatlls as a frightfully spec. ulatiW' eyt" in order to invest tilt' sexual object par t'xccllence, namely, the littk girl-phallus. Caught up in the system of language, there is thus a CO-S)'stelll of sexuality whit'h mimics S('nSl\ nons('nse. and their organization: a simulacrum for a phantasm. Furthennore, throughout all of that which languagt' will deSignate, manifl'st, or signify, tllt're will be a sexual history that will ne\'er be designated, manif('st('d, or signillt·d in itself, hut whit-h will coexist with all the operations of languagl', r('calling the M'x\l,ll appurtt'llallt'l' of til(' ro.nnative linguist it- ell'lll...:-nts. This status of s('xualit~, a('count.~ for repression, It docs not suAict, to sav that the ~'OI1l"l'pt of rqJn'ssion in gellnal is topit-al: it is topologit'al. ih'pression I., alwa~'s till" rqJn'ssion of olle dinlt'nsion by.lI1other. "Ieight-that is, tlll" sup('n'go. whose pn'("()("ious formation we han' se('n-repr\'sses the dqJth \\ Jll'r\' Sl'Xll,ll and dl'strUl,:tin' driws an' dosel~' linkt'd togdlll'r. TlIIKTY-I'OUHTI1 :-1,HIJ·.:o. 01· I'R1MAKY ()l{l)I'K
141
It is 1'\l'1l on Ihi:- link, ur on till" inh'rnal ollin:t!> \\hieh rtVrt'!>I'nl ii, thai Ihl' !>o-I.lllt'd prinl.lr~· rq>rt'!>sion ('OITWS to Ix'ar. Ikprt'ssion tlwn Sigllilil':- thai dt'plll is almost n)\"('n'(1 up b~' th(· 1lI'\\ dinwllsion. and Ihat tilt' tlri\\" l,lk(~ on a m'w ligurt, in confonnit~· \\ ilh the rqm'M:ing in!>lalll'I'-at It'ast in tilt' beginning (in Ihis GIS('. till' liht'ration of ~·xu.ll dri\l'lo from thl' dl'Stru,·tiH· drht'S and the pious intention" of ()'''llipus). Th.1t till' lourfan' may 1)(· in turn the ohjt'Ct of till' w-,'allt"ll ~"l'Ondar~' rt'prt's:-ion, and that il j.., not tlwrt,fore till' It'asl hit idt'nlieal 10 l'C1Il!>1'ioUlont~S, is l'xplaim'd in a l'omplex millllwr: first, in alTordann' \\ ith Fn'lld's h}'IX)t111'sis. Ihc pla~' of Iwo distinct series fonm an t·.'st'llIial condition of tilt' r"pression of sl'xualil~' ami of thl' rl'lro.Ktin- charach'r of Ihis rqm'ssioll. MOI·cowr. 1'\"I'1l whell il pUll> inlo play only a parti.,l homogt'lwOllS snics. or a ,'ontiIllIOUS global seril's, s,.'xualily dOl's not haw tlw ('omlilions which \\ould rend('r pos.,ihll· ils being maintainl"d in l'Ollsdousnl'S.'i (nanwl~" till' possibilit~, of Ix'ing dl'nOlnJ. manifl~tt'd, and signifil"ll b~' linguislil-' dl'nll'nts rorn'Sponding 10 it). '1111' Ihird rt~~n must hl' sought on till' sid(· of till" nwtaph~'sical surfan·. in IIu." maOlll'r in \\hieh this surfan' repn'SSl-'S til(' :.I'xu,ll lOurfiln' at til\' saml" timl' thai it impost·s on till" l'll\'rg'y of till' driw Ihe n('\\ liglln' of d("St'xualization. It should nOI he surprising that til(' mctaph~'sical Sllrf,ll"(" in turn. is not at all idt'ntical to a l'CJIlsdousllt'ss. It should be enough 10 recall that till' sl'ril'S of amplilUdl' \\ hich char.ll'tl'rize it ('~~,'nLtiall\' transcend whatl'\'I'r m.l\' I~ conscious allli fOnl1 an impersonal anti pn'-indil'idllal Iransn'Jl(I~'lltal lidd. Finally, consciousness, or r,lt1wr tilt' pret.'ollsl'iolls, has no uthl'r lidd than thai of possihl\' denotations. ll1anili.·stations, and !>ignilications-that bo, till' order of languagl' \\ hidl aris('S from all t1~at \\ hil·h has prl"(·t·tlt'll. Hut the play of s\'·llSt· anti nonSl·IN.... and ,\ollrfa~'l' I·lli."l"ts, on till' m(·taph~·sical ,lS wdl as on thl' ph~'skal !>urfan·. do llot IX'long to ,·tlllS4..'ioul>n("S... ,ln~' more than do t d'"('pl~' huril"ll dqllh. n:tUnl of the rl·prt..~:'("ll CXTUn. in an:onlann' wilh Ihl' gl'm'ral nwcilanislll of rt-grl',\osion: tlwl"(' is rt-gn·s.,ion a... soon as 0111' (Iinll'nsioll falls h.ll'k on anotllt'r. Without dOllht. tilt' llll'ch.lIlisms of nl?,rt'ssion an' \"cn' diITI'rI'nl dq:k'ntling 011 the accident!> proper 10 pa;ti"ular diJm'nsi~ns (the drop from till' Iwights, for l'Xarnplt', or till' holl's in lIlt' surface). Hut what is \'ssl'ntial is til\' tlm'at Ihal dqllh hrings to hl:ar 011 all olher dillwnsions; thus. it is tilt' Icx'Us of primitivt· rt'flrl'ssion and of "tiX.l-
-n1l'
r HlIn, -Hlllltill ' 1 I t l l ' 01- I'IUM·\It' (HUH It
lion,,"-t1lt' lIhimatp h'mlS of n·gn·..."ion". AS.l gl'lwral rult·, t111'n' is a Ml;f.ltt· IOIlt':' and :o.lagt·!> of depth, ,lnd tllll' 1.....1\\(·(·n,l rvgrt'Ssion to thl' erogenous anal :<"OIW. for ('x,lmpl(" and ,1 r,-grt~,iun to till' anal stagt' ,l~ a c1ig'':o.ti\"t'-dt~tnlcth,' stage. Hut Ihc point.. of lixation, whit'h ,lrt' lik" ht'acons attra(1ing the rtogrt-s.sll·,' pml:t~'>l~, alwJ~'s stri\"l" to .1SSlln· th.ll n-gn'ssion itsdf l"(-grt':>.-'U\·h with the \'('~' diAcn'lH enl'rgy COIT,~ponding to another dimension: for ('xamplt·. subn'rsin' aim ina! ('ondllct i... inSt'lMrahle from the funl-·tion of th... \'oice from aboH', which rt'inwlit" till' d{~tnlcti\"{.. pmn-s...: of tlt'pth as if it \l·t·n· an obligation Ihat j,. fort'wr find, and orders it in tlw guiSt' of till' superego or of thl" good ohj("(·t (Sl"(' Ihe SIO')' of Lord Arthur Sa\·ile). J 1)I'n'eJ"S(' l'ondlll"t is al.'>fl in:o.t'parable from a mownwllI of the m('taph~'sica! surfaC(' \\ hich. insh'ad of repn'ssing !it·xu'llit)'. uSl~ dcs('xu'l];zt"ll elU'~' in onlt-r to inn'st a s,'xual (,Ieml'nl as such and to ./,.l it with unhl'arablc allcntion (thl' SI'COllll St'nSl' of tixation). TIlt' aggrt'g.lh' of surf.ln's ('()IlstitUlt's thl' organizalion which is ('alk'd M'l"llntlar.... . and which is ddin{·d !w. "wrh.l! n'prt'Sl·ntation." V(·rh.ll rt·pn·St·nt,ltinn must Ill' ('areflilly distinguishl"ll from "'ohjt'Ct rt'prt'Sl"nlatioll." h("l·all!'4.· it ronn'nlS an illl'orporeal e\'enl and not a Ixxl~'. an a,·tion. a pas.~ion. or a quality of hodit'S. V("rhal repr{"S('nt,ltion is. as \\1' ha\(" ~"l·n. til(' rl'f)rt'S4..~ntation whkh ('n\"dopl"l! an t'xprt'Ssion. It is madl' of \\ h,ll b ,'xpn'sst"ll and \\ holt is ("xpressing. and ('onfonns itsdf to til(" I\\i~tillg of Ill\' Olll' into thl' otlwr. It rq>rl'SI'nts tht· t'\("nt as ("xpn~'iI."lI. hring" il to l'xi,,1 in till' d('ml'nts of langllaol'. and, (·oll\\·n;t·It-, ~ " ~ . (,(lllfl'n. 011 Ih""", t,l"ml'nb an exprt'S.,h·" \'ahll' and a ftllll'tion as "rt·prt·!>t'n!,lli\I"" \\liieh tilt'\' did nOI haw Ill' tlll'nhl·!ws. Tlw whule onkr of I.ln~U'lgt' is til\' ;l·.~llit of il. with its cmll' of tl'rliar~' dl't('rnlin,lIiolls tound"d in lurn un "ohjt'nal" rq>n'!>\'nlations (tknol,uion. m,lllift'st,lli'lll. !>ignilil.,tillll; ;n,lhi,lu.ll. p\·rsllll. conl"l'I)l; \\()rl(l. st·lf, and (;od).
ditl~'n'lU"t' in nature Ix-tw("('n
l l l i l t l Y-HHlltlll ' I I t l l ' 01 I'ltlMAltY Oltlll K
2.:g
But what matters Ill'n' i~ tilt' prdimina~'. founding. or poetic organiz.1tion-that is, this pla~' of surfaces in which onl~' an ,H'osmil', imp('r. sona!' and pn'-imlh'iduallidd is d<'J)lo~'l"tJ. this l'xl'rt'iSo.' of nonsense ami Sl'USC', ami thi~ d('plo~'lncnt of serit.'S which prt·C('(I,' thl' dahorau' proo:lu('ts of the SlalK g('n('Sis. From the tertiar")' onltT, \\e must mon' again up to the' Slx"Ondary organization, and then to till' prilllar~' ordl'r, in alTol1.l,II1<.'(· with the dynoml( rcquireml'llt. Take, for examplc, the' tahll' of categories of till' d~'namk gl'nl-'Sis in rdation to till' mOllwnt.. of languag(': passion.aetion (noi~e,; !lOSsl'ssion-pri\'ation (\'Oic('l; intentionl1.·sult (speffh), Secondar)' organiz.ltion {tlH: verb or \'('rl>al l1.'pr('sentation) is itsdf the result of this long itinerar)'; it ('nwrgcs wl1('n till' ('\'l'nt knows how to raise the f('sult to a sel'oml power, and when the \'crb knows how to grant e1emcntary words the ('xlU1,'ssi\'c \'alu(' of which th(')' were still dcprinxl. But the' entire itinera~' is indicatlxl b~' the prima~' order. where wonls are dir«'t!y actions and passions of the bod~', or e\'cn withdrawn \'OiCl'S. The~' art' demonic possessions or di\'ine privations, ObsCl'nitil'S and insulL~ afTonl an idea, b~' way of regression. of this chaos in which botlomkoss depth and unlimit("tJ height arc l'l'Spccti\'(~I~' l'ombin('(1. For, howen-r intimate th('ir liaison ma)' be, the obscene w01'<1 iIIu.!itrates th(· din'ct action of one hody on another which is acted upon. whereas the insult pursues all at onn' lhe one who wilhdraws, dispossess('s this one of all mice, and is its(-,If a mic(' which withdraws,~ This strict comhination of ohsCt:nc and abusi\'e words tl'stilics to thl' properl,\' satiric "alul's of Ianguagl'. We call ''.wmjc'' thl' process b~' whid\ n'gn'ssion n-grcssl's itsdf; that is, it is I\('\'cr a ~xual rt..'grt'ssion at thl' surfaCt· without its also being a digt..'Sti\'e aliml'ntar:' regn'ossion in dl'lHh, stopping onl~' at til(' ct:sspool and pursuing thl' withdrawn \'oic(' as it uncon:rs tht.' excremental soil that this mict· Il'a\'('S lX'hind, Making a thousand noiSl'S and withdrawing his \'oicc, the satiric P()('t, or til(' great pn'-Socratit' of one ami th(> same 1llO\'cment of th(' world, pursues God with insults and sinks into the l'xcn:'!lWnt. Satire is a prodigious art of rlogressions, I-h'ight, how(,H'r, prcpan's n('\\' \'alues for languagc and aAirms in it its indqx'nd,'nc,' and its radical difference from depth, Iron}' appt:ars each time language d('ploys itSl'lf in al:cordann' wilh rdations of (-,mi· nl'ncc, l'(lui\'ocit)', or analog)', These thrlT gr('at t'onccpts of till' tradition an' tilt' S(luru' from whkh all th" figun's of rhetoric pnx'('('d, Thus, 246
TlllKTY-HHIKTH ~"Kll'~ OI·PltIM .... KY OltDI-R
iron~' will find a natural application in till' h'rtiar~' orch'r of languagt', in
lilt' casc' of til(' analogy of signifi(·,1tions, til('
('(Iuh'ocit~'
of d('notations. and tilt' l'milwnce of the Olll' \\ho manifests himst,lf-th(' wholl~ ('ol1lparath'(' play of self, world, and (;()(I, in tlw rdation of IX'ing and till' indh'idual, representation and Ix'rson, whil·h l'onstitutl' thl' classical and romantic fom\s of iron~'. Hut e\'('n in the primar:' process. til(' \'Okl' from high alXl\'l' liberat(.'S Prolx'r1~' ironit· \'alues; it withdraws IX'hind it", ('miJwnt unit), and utilizl'S til(' ('quiw)('ity of its tOlll' and the analog~' of its objl-'Cts, In short, it has ,lt its disposal th(' dim('nsions of a languag(' Iw(ore hning at it's dislXlsal till' ('orrcsponding prindpll' of organi7,ation, Tlwre is, for l'xamplc. a primordial fonll of Pl.ltonic iron)', redressing Iwight, dis('ngaging it from depth, rqm'ssing and hl'nuning in satin' or tlw s.ltiri~t, and cmplo)'ing all its "iron~'" in asking whether, h~' cham'(', then' could IX' an Idea of mud, hair. tilth, or l'xcremmt. Nen'rthd,'Ss, \\ hat silellc('S irony is not a n'tum of satiric \'alul'S in till' manner of an .'lSCl'nt from bottomlt'SS d"pths. lk'Sidl'S. nothing aSCl'nds l'xccpt to the surfal'e-in which case a surfac(' is still nccessan'. Onet' height make'S the COIl.'ititution of surfaces possibl(" along wi~h till' cOIT~ponding rd('a.s<' of S('xual drin'S. we Ix·lic\'(' that somNhing haplX'ru;, sonll'thing l'alMble of \'anquishing iron)' on its own t('rrain-that is. on th(' tcrrain of l' on sa\'ing' , pleaSl' ("Onsidl'r, dear sir, there is still thi.. matlt'r, and again that maUl''''' . '. Hut \\ ith Sl'xuality. OIU' arrin'S at an "agam" which ends ('\'('~' "again," one' n'aclu'S an "-'t:Juinx-ation which rl'ndt,rs the' pursuit of I'n's~'n!; all the !<mnati\'I' dt'lllellls of language whidl \'xi.~t ont\' III rd,llion (or in rl'al'tion) to Ollt' anotlwr-phof1('IlU's, 1110rTIlIKTY-I'OllKTll ~I,ltll'" 01- I'KIMAKY OKlll:,K
247
pllt'llw~. and sl'rn,Hlh'll1l':--lilrm tlwir tot.llit)' frolll
\'oin'
of this immallt'nl hislor~' with which they
Fir ,'11I
'lr('
tilt' point of \'il:\\' idt'ntical. There is
t1Wrt'fOrl' .m l·XI·l':o...~iw l'int of \ il'\l of til(" '"oice
and in ,dation 10 loiet.": all \.'(luinxation whkh l'lld:- '"{Iuin)dl~' and mak..·s Ianguagl' rip..' for solnl'lhing \'1St". This loOllwlhing \'IM' is that \\ hidl nlllU's from ,h..., other, dl"S('xualizl'(l .lOJ m,,-·taph~·sil·al surfan:.
\,11t'1I \\\..'
linall~'
go from sp..-,."(.-h
10 thl'
""."rh, or \\h"'1\ \\\.
("OI1lI)()S('
Spt'l'ch, and from spl'l'ch 10 tlw \I·rb. cOI1 ... trtll·ting this .l/lls,k fle/Us. in order al" .1~·S to rl'cm t'r t Iw intlq)('ndl'nn' o(..aunds and
10
to tix tilt" thtllldl'rboh of till' unhOl·al. This 1'\I'1\t is, of course.',
a
uniqUl' nom in th.., pun' inlinitin'-along with thl,," <\SM.'mlllet! words. Thi.\. something dse is th..' rt'nJation of the uninx:al. till' advent of lIninx.-it\'-that is, t1u..' J:nolll which l'onulluniL-a!l'S till' uninx:ity of IX'ing to language. Tilt· univocit~' of seilS(' grasps langllagl' in its complete system, as the total exprl'SSCr of a lIniqu(' l·xpresSl."tI-tlw ('Wnl. The \'alul'S of humor an' distinguishl-d from thost' of iron~': humor is till' art of surfan.'S and of the complex relation Ix'twl'l'n tilt' two surfan:s, Ill-ginning with onc l'xct'ssin' e<juinx:ation, humor l'onstructs all uniwx:ity; IX'ginning with til(' propcrl)· sexual equi\'ocation whidl ends all {'(Iuivodt)'. humor rdeascs a dest'xuali;.~I'(1 L1ni\'ocit~'-a spl'culatiw unh'oc'ity of Being and languag(,-thl' ('ntin' Sl'Condar~' organization ill one word. s It is nCCl'Ssary to imagine somcOlW. om'-third Stoic. OIll'-third u'n, and one-third Carroll: with om' hand, Ill' masturhatL'S in an exccssive gesturc. with til(' otlwr. hI' writes in the sand the magic wortls of the pun: cn'nt open to the unh'ocal: "Mind-I bdic\'e-is "--SSl..'!lcc-i:nt-Abstract -that is-an Acd
11Ilf{TY-J.(lllKTII .. IIUI·:-
0
11lIKIY-ICHIHTH .... HII .. OI·I·lu.""f{rOKDI f{
249
Appendixes
'< '
I. The Simulacrum and
Ancient Philosophy
I.
1'[ ATO AND Till-
~IMlil
AtlHIM
What d()(·s it nlt'J,1l "to ren:rst' Platonism"? This is how Nil·t'l_'iChe ddinl'd till' task of his philosoph)' or, mon' g<·,wrall)·. til{' task of tht' philosophy of tlw future. '!1w formula seems 10 nwan tilt' aholition of lilt' world of ('SS\'IlCl':-; and of the \\'orld of apllI.'aral1n-s. Such a proj('CI. hO\wn:r. would not I)t., p"'ulliar to Niet"/.sdll'. The du,.1 denunciation of I'SS('!lC\'S and "pp('arann-s ..lall'S b.lCk to '-Itog£'! or, Ix,ttl'r y(·I. to Kant. It b douhtful that Ni(·...,_'i(,IK' nwanl tilt' sanw thing. Mon'O\'('r. this fomml.l of n'wrsal ha:- tht' disa..h-.mt"".., of !>dna abstract; it "'an's til(' motha·
•
/
•
lioll of 1'l.1tonh;m in Ihe shado\\:>. On th(· rontran'. "to n':'>('rn' P!aton· j"m" must Ilwan to bring this moti'",Jlion Ollt inlO til(' Iighl of th(· c1a~" 'f to ·'tra{·k it c1fl\\n"-I!le wa~' I'lalo tr3(·ks dowl1 Ihl' Sophist.
In \t'n' gt'neral h'rms, tlw 1110Ii\'{' of Ihl' t1won' of Ilka., mU,'1 Ilt' ;"oughl ir~ a~ \\ill Itl ...dect aml to dlOOSl'. It i~ ,l.!l~l 0 Ill,) 'm/! a tlifli.·Tl'lwt="," 0 (ist~l~.ds ling I 11" Hljling:' itself frolll J!,~ ~ht' ·origill,lf]rom-.J)w COP)', till" tllQlld [rom tb\· ... illlllianum, Bllt ,l~'~ Iht'M' t·xpr\'...sions t'<jUi",ll\'nt? TIlt' Platonic projt·(·t l'lllllt'S 10 light onl~' \dlt'n \\t' turn h.ll'k to til<' Ilwthod of di"i...ion, for this nwthocl is not . ~ Ill"t (lilt· dialt·(·til"ll pro\TdllTl' .1l1lOllg otlwn.. It J~M'lIlhlt's tilt' \\ holt" 'II
I
pO\\"('r of tilt' tilt' c,'!ltin' sYSh·m. One might at lint \\allt to sa}' that
this method amounL~ to tilt' dh'ision of a genus into t:ontrar:' SpC.'l"ilOS in onkr to :'Uh:-Ulllt' till' thing inn"l'tigat{"(1 Undt'f tilt' .tppropriaw sp<'i:il'S: this would ('xplain the process of sp<'(·ification. in th,,' Sophl5l. umll'rt.lkl'l\ fOT tilt' ~Ia' of a definition of till' angler. But this is onl~' til<' slIlx'rlicial aSp',,"'1 of division. ils ironic asp<-"':t. If OIl{" tah'S this asp\'(·t s(·riollsl~·.
Arislotlc.'·S ohjl.'<.1ion would dl~.lrly Ix' in order: dic.·isian would he .1 bad and illicit s~·llogism. sinn' t1w middl,,' tcnn is lal-king, and this would make.' liS l"oll(:ludl., for l'x,nnpl,,', that angling is on thl' sick of till' arts of anillisition, of anjuisition hy captun', etl:. The real purpose of dil'isiOIl must I,.,. sought dsewlwrl'. In till' ~ S/(.ll~sm,.l/l. a pn'liminary ddinition is attained according to which the stat('Sman is the shepherd of Ilwn. Hut all sorts of ri\'als spring up, till' d<X1or, tilt' merchant, the laborer, and say: ") am til(' shepherd of men." Again, in tht, PhOt'druJ, the '1ul'stion is about the definition of delirium and, mo(\.' pfl'dsel~', about tilt" (Iisct'mlll('nt of the well-founded ddirium or tru(' lo\·e. Onn' again, man~' pretcnd...rs risc up to sa~', ") am tlte inspif('(1 one, the 100'('r:' Tlw purpose of division then is not at all to fl!\'ide a gl'nus into ~)ecics, but, more profoundl~" to Sl.'lcct Iint'agt'S; to distinguish pretenders; to distinguish the pure from the impur(', the authentic from the inautlwntit". This expbins tltt' <:ollstant'Y of 'the metaphor a.~similating division to the testing of gold. Platonism is the philosophical OJ)'Ssey and the I'latonk dialectic is neither a dialectic of contradietion nor of t"ontraril't)·, but a dialectic of ovalry (amphlshcIeSlS). a dialectic of ri\'als and suitors. The essc.'nn' of dh'ision docs not aplx'ar in its breadth, in the d('tl'mlination of the slx-ci,'S of a g('nus, but in its depth, in the sck-c1ion of tlw lineage. It is to SCf("Cn th(' claims (preunJlOns) ami to distinguish thl' trul' pretend.'r from the falst.. one. To aehi.·\·... this l'nd, Plato proc,'('(ls onCl' again b~' lll('ans of iron)', for wlwn dh'ision gets down to the actual task of sdl'('tion, it all , happens as though dh'ision ,,'noum:l'S its task., Idting itself lx, carril'(l along b\' a wyth. Thus, in till' PhocdruJ. the nwth of the t'irculation of . . the souls sel'lllS to intt'rnlpt the ('ffort of division. TIll' sanll' thing haplx'ns in thl' SWfesman with the myth of archaic agl.:s. This Hight, this apP"'arann' of flight or rt'IllJlldation, is til(' s('('oml snarl,' of division, its s"'('oml iron)'. In fact, ~t.intcrrupt5 nothing. On till' contrary, it~!f...
I
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lH
AI'I'I·NIlIX
integral dcmcnLoLdivision. JJw ("lJaract...,istit" of dh'ision is to sur· mount till' cluality of nwth and di"lei,:til', and to reunite in it.st.'lf dialtx1ical and mythic po\~·er. j\·I)·th, with its jllwa~ cirrula -tnlcture~'"? b indCl't1 the Slon' of a found.llion. II pcmlits thi.." construction of a modd aCl'Onling to which till" diffl'n'llt prt't... m!('rs GIn IX" judgt-d. What l nl'('(ls a foundation, in fact, is alw;ws a pretension or a daim. It is thl' preh'ndl'f who appeals to a fOllllIiation, whOSC' claim ma~' Ix, judgc·d I,\"cll-folllllit'll, i1t.faund t'<:l, or unfal/nll('ll. Thus, in till' PhOt'drus. the nwth of circulation l'xplains that lwfo"'.. their incarnation souls had I)('('n a'blt, to Sl'l' the Ideas. At the same tinw, it gi\"t's us a critt'fion of sdection a('cording to which the wdl-iolltlll"'d dl~iritlm or trul' lo\"(' lx-longs onl), to souls which have SCl'n man)' things, and which ha"'e within th('m man~' slumbering but revivable memories, The souls which arc sensual, forg"tful, and full of pett)' purpos...s, are, on the contra~', denounccrl as falSI.' prch'nders, It is the same in thl'Sratesman: the (.. ircular 1ll\1h shows that the definition of the stal<'Sman as "shepherd of men:' Iiterall~' applit'S onl)' to the ancient god; but a criterion of selection is extractl'(l from the m)·th, according to whieh the different men of the cit~· partil-ipat(' uncqual1)' in the m}1hic m()(ld. In shon, an c1ccti..·c paniciJ>ation is the fCSlx>n.sc to the probl('m of a method of selection. To panicipate is, at best, to rank St.'mlld. The cclcbratcrl Ncoplatonic triad of til\' "UIlI>articipated," the partiC"ipated, and the participant follows from this. One could express it in the follOWing manner as well: til(' li:llIndation, til(' object aspirl.'(lto, and th... prl't('nder; the father, the daughuT, 'lIld til(' fiance. TIll' foundation is that which posseSSl'S 5Onlt'· thing in a primal)' way; it rclil1(luish(~s it to IX" l>articipatt.-d in, giving it to tilt' suitor, who poSSl'SSl'S onl), Sl'Condarily and insofar as he has lx"Cn ablt, to l>ass the tt.'St of the foundation. The panicil>atC'd is what the unparticil>ated posst'SSeS primaril)', The unpanicip.atlXl gin'S it out for l>articipation, it OfTl'rs the l>articipatl-d to the panicipants: Justice, thl' (Iualit~· of Ix'ing just, and till' just men. Undoul)(,'(II~', ant' must distin. guish all sons of Ik-grCt.'S, an entire hierarchy. in this c1l't-"ti\'c l>articipa. tion. Is tlll''''' not a posst.'Ssor of tht' third or the fourth rank, and on to an inlinit~· of degradation culminating in th.., one who I>ossl'sses no more than a simulacrum, a mirage-til<' one who is himsdf a rniragt' and simulacrum? [n fact, the SrmCJntiln distingllislws sllch a hierar<:h~' in lktail; till' Iru..· stah'sman or thl' wdl-found('tl aspirer, tlwn rclati"'es, Till 'dMlJl ACIHI.\I ANIl ANCII·NT 1'11110 .. 01'11\'
lH
,)uxiliark~ .•,no Ilwth constml'ts till' immane Ill()(ld or ,h\, foumlation-l<.'st
an'onlingto \\hil-~,:-prt.tl'ndl'rsshould be jUdg''t1 and thl'irp;M"n:-ions nwa:-un'(l. ani)' on this condition does di,'ision pUTSm' and attain its t·m!. \\ hil,h is not th,' slx"'(.'ifil'ation of til(' ("Oon'pl but til\' autlll'llti-
.
,
--
cation of tlu: Idl'a, not thl' d"."h'nnination of spc.1... i("S but thl' Sl.'lt'Ction of lim·agl-. Ilow ar;-we 10 (·xplaill. hO\\"('\'('I'", that of tilt' thnx' import":llit ,,'xis dl',\ling with division-the Phtlcdrus, tho.: Swlt"jmun, and tilt' Sophw -thl' last '"'OIl(> contains no founding myth? Thl' 1",'aSOIl for this is simple, In thl' Sop/lISt, thl' lllt.:th()(1 of division is l'mployed paradoxirally, not in nnll'r to ('valuatl' the just pretl'nders, but, on thl' contra~', in orcler to trad-, clown the false prt'tenclt'r as su<:h, in orcler to ddllll' th l ' Ix'ing (or rath('r thl' nonocing) of the simulacrum, The Sophist himself is th(' Ix'ing of the simulacrum, the sat~'r or n'ntaur, the Proteus \\ ho mcddll'S amI insinuat<'S hilllSl·lf t'wn'\\ . ha(', For this rt'aS()ll, it ma\' . be that tht, l'nd of tht' SophlSl contains the most cxtraordina~' ad\'cnturc of Platonism: as a conSl'qucnl·t· of S('arching in till' dirl't-""tion of the simulacnllll and of leaning O\'cr its ahyss, Plato diSl"'OWrs, in the flash of an instant, that th!' simulacnJll1 is not simply a false mp~.. but that it places in
\Vt' stant'(l with an initial dl'h'rmination of thl' Platonit· moth'ation: to distinguish t"S.'WncC' from aplx~aran("'(", intdligibll' from S('nsiblt:, Idea from imagt·, original from cop~', and m(Xld from simulat-rum. But we alread\' st't' that thest' t'xpn'ssions arl' not l'1ll1i\'.dt,nt. TIlt' distinction wa\'crs ht'lwl't'n two sorts of imagt'S. (op"'s arl' st'('onc!ar~' POSSl-'SSOrs. Thl'~' arl' w...lI-foumlt·d prdemlers, guarantl'ed by n':il.'mhlancr; slnlUlotro an' like faist, pr...tt'mll·rs, built upon a dissimilarit)·, implying an I'~s!'ntial jwrnorsiun or a dl'\"iation. It is in this Sl'nSl' Ihat plato di\'id('s in two 1 tlU' domain of imagt'S-idols: on onl' hand tlwn' an' cop'es-Icons, on til<' othn tlwrl' afl' S1nll:JiXf(l-plw/lw,~ms, I \V(, art: no\\ in a Ix·th'r IXlsition to 2(6
AI'PI'NOIX
ddilW Ilw IOt,llity of till' I'latonil· mutilation: it has (0 do with sdel'ting ,lIllOng til(' pn'll'ndcrs, distinguishing g()()(1 and bad l'opit's or, ratlwr, mpil'S (ah\a~·s wdl-foundt'1l) and simul.Kra (ah\a~'s l'ngulf('11 in dissimilarity). It is a (lu('Stion of assuring till' triumph of thl' t·opk'S on'r silllulana, of n'pn'SSing simulaaa, kt....·ping them l"()mpll~h,,'k submt:f£t'(l, pn'wnting tlWIll from climbing to till' sl~rfact·, and "insin-uating th:'mst'ln's" C\'en'\\ hen', ~ " TIlt' gn'at manifl'St duality of Idl'a ,mel imagc is prt:St'nt onl~' in this go.ll: to aSMlrt· th l ' latent disthn-titm 1",'1w('('n thl' two sorts of images ,lIld to gin' a connete critt-rion. ~or if t·opies or icon.~ .In' g(X)(J images ~ ami an' wdl-foumlt·d, it is bccausl' tlwv an' cndo\\'t:d with n'semhlancc. It But rt'sl'mhlanee should not 1)(' umk;st(X)(! as an ...xtt·rnal rdation. It goes Iloss from one thing to anotllt'r than from one thing to an Idea, sinn' it is the Idea which compn'lwmls tht' rdations and proponions t·onstitutin· of the internal l."S.'WIl('(', Iking both intt'rnal and spiritual. n'St.'mblan('t' is the measure of an~' prett'nsion, "111e copy tnll~' r('S("mblt'S sonwthing onl), to the d('grt.-e that it rCSC'mhl<'S the Idea of that thing. Tht.' preh'nder confonns to the Objl'Ct onh- in<;ofar as he is modd('11 (intt'rnall~' and spiritually) on tht, Idea. I-It' m~ritJi till' qualit~, (the 9ualit~· of bt.·ing just, for l'xamplc) onl), insofar as he has foundl'1l himsclf on till' l'Ssc.'Il("e (justit't». In short, it is till' sUlx'rior idt,ntity of til(' Idea \\ hil'h founds thl' gOOlI prt'tcnsion of tilt' copies, as it bases it on an illll'rnal or d~d resl'mblancl', Consider now tht, other spt'Cit:s of images, namd)" lilt: simlilacr,l, That to which thC)· pretend (the object, tilt'
!{7
n:mark ahout lIw catt'dlisrn has lIll' ad\'antagt' of \'mphasizing til(' tkmonit' dlaral·tl'r of till' simulacrum. \Vithout doubt, it still prCKluc('S an ~ffrCf of n~\'rnhlanc('; hut this is an Cffi'Ct of till' \\ holt', compl(,td~' t'xh'rnal and prCMluuoJ b)' tot'all~' differ('n1 means than those at work within till' mCKIe!. The simulacrum is built upon a disp
crr..
2~8
r\1'1'I-ND1X
10 rq)fl'SS it as lkeply as possihk, to shut it up in a cawrn at the hottom of til(' CR:ean-sudl is till.' ,lim of Platonism in its will to brill,!: about till' triumph of icons O\'('r simulacra. ...,
Platonism thus founds the ('min' domain that philosoph~' will latl'f rl'l.-ognizl' as it.'i own; the domain of (('presentation lille<1 bv copil'S. i('Ons, ,111<1 ddined not bv an cxtrin~ic' rdation to an objl-"Ct, but 1)\· an intrinsic rd.ltion to tht> ~<xlel or foundation. Ttli' PI..Honie mo
i;
Ll'ihni.. and HL'gd markl'(l this .1Ut'mpt with t1wir gl·nius. Hut till'\' tnn do not gl't ht'~'ond thl' d('nwnt of reprcscnt'ltion. sinn' tilt' c1ollbl~' n:igt'nc~' of llll' Same and the Similar is n'tailwd. Simpl.\' put, tIll' Sanw Il.ld found an unconditioned prinCiple capable of making it the rull'r of till' unlimitt'd: suftil'il'nt (('ason; and the Similar has found a condition l~;lpabl(' of IWing applied to till' unlimited; t'on\'('rgl'Ill'(' or l·ontinuity. In lal't, a notion lih· tIll' Ll'ihnizian "romposslbIJIIY" Illl'ans that, \\ith til\' '1111- '.. .\lUI Al."IHIM AN/) ANell·NT 1'1111 ()~UI'Il),
2{'}
monads IX'ing assimilatt'<110 singular point:., cadl seri~':- \\ hidl (·on\'(.'rgl:-'S around om' of tht'M' puint.~ is ('xh'mlt'(l in otlwr St'ri~':- \\ hit"h (-onwrg(' around "dll'r puinb; anotlwr world Ix-gins in the' \ i~·init~· of points \\ hich \\lllIlci bring ahout tht, din'rgl.'nct' of the obtJilll,
from a wl'l'nching dualit~,. On one hand, it designatC'S thl' th<:or)' of sensibilit~, as till' fonn of possihl<: ~'xlX.'rience; on tilt' othJr hand, il d~'signat<:s till' theory of art as tlw rdk'<.·tion of rt'al cxpl'ricncc. ror IheSt' two meanings 1"0 hl.' lit'(l togl'dll'r, Ihe (:ontlitions of t'xl>cri, cnl"C in general musl bt'('onw l'OI11litions of rl'al cxpt'rit'Ill'l'; in this case, Ihe work of art would rc.:ally appt.'ar as experimentation. \\le- know, for l'xampll', that Cl·rt...in literary proCl'(lures (til(' samt' holtls for othl'r drts) p~'mlit Sl.·\·('ral stories to Ix' lold at onel·. '111is is, \\ ithoul tloubt, the "ssential "haractl'ristic of thl' 1ll()(1~'m \\"ork of art. [I is no( al all a
"'1'1'1
NIllX
Ht·t\\{"t.'n tlwS(' h.:a~k ~t'rit"" a .-'(lrt of IIl1l'rrJO/ "'sonO/lcr is produl1.·d; and Illis r("SOnalll',' Illtlun'l
Such ~ysh.'ms. constitllte-d hy placing di."IJarate d('ml'nts or ht.tero.gcnt'Ous st"ril'S in communication, art' in a sc'nSl' quilt· common, Thc\' ~f(' 'ignal-sign s~'sterns, 111C' Signal is a stm('ture in ",hidl differenc;'S of pOlenlial art' distribult'll, assuring Ihl' l'onunllni<--ation of disparate- <.-ompOIlt'nts; Ihe sign is Wh.lt f1aslll":- across tilt' houndar" of t\\'o It'\'ds Ik.'t\\'cen t\\'o l"omllluni<"ating Sl.'rics, Ind~·t·{l. il seems th~t all phl'nomC'n~ rt'.'poml to tlws(' conditions inasmudl as th~'\, find tlll'ir ground in a ml\stitutiw diss~'mm('I':"', diffen:'/lcC', or incqll~lit~,. All ph~'~cal systems an' signals; all (lualilil'S arc signs, It is Inll', howl'vcr, that thl' S4.'.rics \\ hil·h bordt'r t!WIll remain l'xt('rnat B\· th(' samc toh'n, the conditions lIf thl'ir rqm:xluction n'main l'xh'rnal ~o pll('nol11l.:'n.1, In order to s(lt:'ak of simulal'rJ, it is nt'('('SS,ll"\' for thl' llt'ter~...nl'Ous sail'S 10 lx· fl'aH" inh'rnalimrin the system, <-:ornprisnl or t"(}Il~)licatcd in till' dlaos. Their tlilfl'n'lln's Inust ht' lIIc1l1.Ol"(', TIll.'n· is always, no dOllhl, a rl:-'sl'mblan('(' hl·tIH'('n rt'sonating st'rit'S, but Ihi.. . is nOI tilt' problt'l1l. The prohl~'l1l is r,ltlwr in Ihe status .lrld til(' position of this n·s~.'mblann'. Lt,t us cOIl:-id('r tilt' h\o fonnulas: "on I" that 1\ hit-h rt'Sl'l11hl~':- diJTt'T"S" anti "onlv diOi.'rt'm I':> l'all n~'mhk' ('.:a<-:h atht'r." TI'It'S<' an' t\\O t1istilK"t n'adings of tht, \\nrlt!: tJm' inl'itps us to think difft'rt'IlCt, from till' slalldpoilll of a pn'\ioll., similitud(' or idt,ntit\"; Itllt'n'as tilt' othl'r ilwitt·s liS to think 'illlilitlldt, .md t'\"t'n identity as' tilt' product of a tlel'll disparit\", The tirsl r~"ltling pn'('i;'t.'I~' ddillt':- tilt' Hurld of copit's or r....pn.setltalio;ls; it posits Ilw "orld .1:- iOlll. Tlw :-1'<.'Olld, nmtrary In till' lirst, (ldinl'S till' \\or1d ,
1111· '\1.\\111 '\('IHI,\1 A;\.
I)
"'Nl:-'ll ",
1'11110'\01''''
261
of silllulana; it posits tilt' world itself a.~ phantasm. From til<" point of vicw of this sl'omd formula, thcrefor(', it matters littlt' whctfwr the original disparity. UPOIl which the simulacrum is built, it great or smalt it IllJ\' happen that tilt' hasic scrit$ han' only a slight dilTercn("(' lx-tween tlwrn: It sut)in's that the constitutive disparity be judged in itself, not prl'juding any prl'\'iolls identity, and that the disparate (Ie dlspars) Ix' the unity of Illcasurt' and communication. I{t'semblance tlwl1 can Ix' thought on I\' as tht' product of this inh'rnal difference. It matters little whether Ill('" SySIt'1ll has gn..'ilt l'xtcrnal and slight internal difference, or whether the opposite is tilt' case, provided that rCs<"mhlancc be pnxluccints of view. There is no Ix>ssihle hierarch)', no second, no third ... , Res('mblance subsists, but it is produced as till' external dfect of the simulacrum, inasmuch as it is built upon diwrgent series and makes them H'sonale. Identity subsists, but it is produced as the law which nJlnplicat(·s all the series and makes them all return to each onc in the coursc of the forced mon'men\. In til(' r('\'ersal of Platonism, resemblann' is said of interna1iz{·d difference, and identity of the Different as primar)' power. The same and the similar no longer han- an essence except as simulated. that is as ('xpressing tilt' functioning of the simulacnun. There is no longer any possibl(' sell:ction. The non-hierarchizcd work is a colltll'nsation of nX'xistenCl's and a simultallt'ity of c\"ents. It is till' triumph of thl' I:lls(' pretender. It simulates at once thc father, the prclt'nder. and the Ilano:- in a superimposition of masks. Hut the falst· pretender cannot 1>1.' callt'd false in n,lation to a presuppose<1 model
I
262
AI'I'I:NDIX
of trllth, no morc than simulation l,,1Il 1)(· called an ,1pp...aral1(·(' or an illusion. Simulation is till' phanta.~m itsdf, th.lt is, the dfn:t of the functioning of the simulacrum as rnachilll'T\'-a DiOlwsi.ln machint'. It inl'ol\'es tht:' fals(' as power. Pseudo5, in th~ s{'nse in 'which Niet"/_'Khe slX'aks of the highest power of the r.1.ls\'. B)' rising to til(' surfacc, til(' ~ simulacrum makes the Same anti till' Similar, the mcxld and thc coPY, rail umler the power of the faIst' (phantasm). It renders the order ~f participation, the fixity of distribution. the detennination of the hierarch~' 111l1x>ssible. It establishes till' world of nomadic distributions and crowned anarchies, Far from being a new foundation, it engulfs all !()lllldations, it assures a uni\'ersal hn'akdown (~lJondrement). but as a io~-ful and lX>sitive e\'cnt, as an un-founding (q]Ondement): "!>ehind each ca\'(' another that opens still more deepl),. and l:>c)'ond each surface a subterranean world yet more vast, more strange. Richer still ... and ~' 'under all foundations, under ncr)' ground, a subsoil still morc pro9 found ... How would Socrates be n.'Cogniz(~d in these ca\'erns. which an' no longer his? With what thread, sinc(' the thread is lost? How would he exit from tlwlll, and how could he still distinguish himself from the Sophist? That the Same and the Similar may be simulated docs not mean that- j tl1(')' arc appearances or illusions. Simulation designat($ the Ix>wer of producing an ~[frct. But this is not intelll..lt·d only in a causal sense. since causality would remain completely hypothl·tiGll and indctenninate without the intervention of other meanings. It is intC'ndc<1 rather in the sense of • a "sign" issued from a process of signalization; it is in the sense of a "costume. " or rat Iler a mas', k expn~ssing a process of disguising, where, IKhind each mask, there is \'et another.... Simulation understood in this way is insq)arable from' the ('t('fnal return, for it is in the eternal n·turn that the re\'ersal of the icons or the subvl'rsion of the world of representation is det.'ided. E\"t'rything happc.'ns l1('re as if a lakllt content WNe opposed to a manifest content, The manifest content of the eter}lal r\'(urn c.ln lx' tktermined in conform it)' to Platonism in gC'll'ral. It repn's('nts thcn the manner in which chaos is organiz('d hy till' al·tion of tIl(' demiurgl" and on the mOtld of tilt' Idea which imlx>ses the same .lnd Ihe." similar on him. The <:ternal return, in this S('nse, is becomingmad. whit-Ii is mash'red, moncx'entric, and dete."rminL'c.1 to cop\" til(' l:ttTIl'll. Indvl·d. this is how it appears in tlw founding myth, [t ~'stab 11~11l"~ till' ('op~' in till' image and subordinah's the image 10 resemblann'.
x
TIll· ... I,\IUI ACIHIM ,\NI) "NClI'NT 1'1I11 O~Ol'lIY
261
'
l
Far from n'pn'selliing til\' truth of the dernal return, hO\~'\'\'l'r, Ihis manifl'st conl\'nl illarks r,lt1wr the utiliz.1tion and sun i\'al 01 til\' m~,th ill an idl'ology \\ hkh no longt.'r supports it, and which h.1S lost its :w('r of aflimling chaos, 11wrl' is a lX>int wl1\'l'(" Jon'(' is Nier/.sclll'an ",I\('n he shows that thc I'IC1/J e!f rl:/:lrCl/larion ('an not ;ffl't.,t and causc a "'chaosmos" to re\'oln'. To tilt.' l'olll'n'llcc of n'pn'St'ntation, til\' etl'rnal Tl'turn substitutes sollwthing dSt, (,ntird)'its own dlao
I
2(,4
/\1'1'1 NOIX
TIt\' simulacrum fllnl.:tions in :S(' til\' s..1me and til\' Similar; on the ('olltran', il t'on:OWI ll'hcr~ !I rhm!.rJl's iu /lVlllf': and IS r,·lcr!><.'d 11110 rhe ~lIIlIllllrrum (til\' rnonWlll of Pop Art), Artilin' .tnd simula. Inlln MI' npposl'd at till' Iwart of llI(l(krnit~" at thl' point wlwn' I Ill' "'IMUI At HUM ANI) ANt'II·NT 1'1111 O:-OI'llr
2b\'
IllOt!ernitv sdtll's all of its accounts, as two mlXlcs of ,kstrllction: till' two nihilisms, For tlll'r.. is a vast difference I:H:twccn d\'stro~'illgrin onll'r to (:onsl'rno and papl'tuate the establish("(1 onler of rq)n'sentations, modd:" ,lilt! l'opi\'s, and dc'stro~'ing the models and copies in order to ill.~tituh' till' Ch,lOS which neatl'S, making till' simul.lCra fUIll"tion and raising a phantasm-til(' most innoc:ent of all destructions, the dl'struction of PI.ltonism.
2. IllC ... I:TllI:-. AND Till- "'IMlll. .... C ... llM
following Epil'urus, Lucretius was able to dC!l'nnill{' as "naturalism" the Spc.'l'ulatin· and practical object of philosoph~" His importance in philosoph~' is ti{'(! to this double- detennination, The prtX!uct... of Natun.' af"<' inseparable from a diversity which is essl'ntial to them, But to think the eliwr'S(' as diwrsc is a difli,'ult task on which, according to Lucretius, all pre\'ious phiiosophil'S had run aground. I In our world, natural divcrsity aplx'ars in thrl't" intertwined aspl-xu: the dh'ersity of spccit'S; the di\'ersit~' of individuals which arc members of the same spei-'it'S; ancl the diwrsit~, of the parts which togl,ther compose an indi\'idual. Specificity, indh·iduality. and het\'rogcIll'il\'. '111l'f(' is no world whkh is not manifL'St in the uril't". of its parts, placl'S, ri\'ers, and the slx'('it'S which inhabit it. TlwTl' is no indh'idual absolutd)' identical to another indi\'idual; no calf whkh is not rl..x-ognizable to it's mother; no two shellfish or grains of wtwat which arc indisn'nlihle. ·l1ll.~re is no hod~' compoSl-'(! of homogeneous IlarlSm'ither plant nor stream which docs not imply a di\'ersit~' of matll'r or a Iwterogt'neity of ('!cnwnt's, where each animal slx'Cics. in turn, may find the nourislllnl'nt appropriate to it. '-:rom these thn'l' points of \'icw. we ('an deduce tlll' clin'rsit\' of worlds thrmSt'I\"cs; worlds ar\' innumcr~ • abk, ofh'n of dilTt'rent slX'cil'S. sometimt'S similar. and always composed of het('rogrneous e!('!lll'nts. What right ha\"(' \n- to make this inferencr? Natun' must Ix' thought of as tilt' prinl'iplt· of till' diwrsC' and its pro,luetion, But a prim:iplt' of the proeluctioll of till' din-rse makc's sc'ns(' only if it e1Ol'S nOl assl'rnblc its own eklllt'llts into a wholt'. W(, shoulel not read this tklll.llld as circular, as if Epicurus anel Lucretius hac! nwantto say that IIII' principle of the e1inors,' hael itsl,lf 10 lx' e1ivt'rse. The Epintrt'an tlwsis i... \'ntirel,.
.
e1ifT...·relll: ~atUl·e .1S the .product ion of lilt' e1in-rS!.' call only 1)(' an infinitt'1, that IS. a sum wl1l('h e101.·s not lotalizt' its own l'll·nwnts. Theft' is no comhination capable' of efl('oll1p,lssing all the e!c'nll'nts of Naturt' at onC('. thl'n' is no uni(lue world or totaillniwr~. Phpl5 is not a detennination of til(' One, of Being, or of till' Whole. Natuft' is not ('oll('(·tin" hut rath\'r e1istributiw, to thl' l'xl\'nl Ih.lt tI\{' Jaws uf Naturc' ({(XdertJ narurae, as 0PIXJscd to the SQ-calktl focderaJall) distribu\(' part.s which c.'allllOt lx' totalizl..'t;1. Nature is not attrihuti\l" but rather conjuncti\'l>: it l'Xprl'SS('S itself through "and," and nO( through "is." This and that.lltt'rnations anel ('ntwinings. r''Sl'mhJann's and diffl'l"t'n«'S, attractions .mel distractions, nuance and ahnlptlws.o;. Nature is Hark'quin's doak, made cntiT{'I~' of solid patdws ane! t'mpt~· spal't-'S; sh(' is made of pll'llitudt.· .lod mid. beings and nonbeings, with ea"h one of the two IXJSing itsdf as unlimited while limiting the other. Being an addition of indi\'isibles, sometimc..'S similar anel sometimes different. Nature is ind{'('(1 a sum, but not a wholc. With l::picurus am! Lucretius the rcal noble acts of philosophical pluralism lx:-gin. W(, shall find no contradiction betw("C'n the h~mn to Vc.'nus·Natllft· and to the pluralism which was l'SS('ntial to this philosoph~' of Nature. Nature. to be prc..'Cisc, is power. In the nam(' of this power things exist one bJ one, without all\' possibilit)' of their being gathcrt-d tog(,thcr all 01 OI1Ct. Nor is there an~' possibilit.\' of thdr being united in a l'Ombination a«('quate to Natur~, \\ hieh would expl"t'Ss all of it (.If one film'. Lucretius reproached Epicurus' predc..'C<'SSOr.> for ha\'ing beli('wd in B<'ing, till' On(' anti the Whole. Tlwsc concrpts arc thc obst'Ssions of the mind. spei-'U!ati\'e fOnllS of bdid in the-fttum, and thl' tlll_'Ologkal fonus of a false philosoph~'. l:picurus' prt't;!(~essors idcntifi('t;! till' principle with the One or the Whole. Hut what is till' one if not a I)'lrtic.'ular Ix'rishabl{' and corruptible ohil·l·t \\ hil·h \w considl'r arhitraril" in isolation from ('\"('1"\' other ohj\'ct? And what fonus a wholl' if n~t a p.lrticular hnitC' coml;ination,· tilJ('(1 with holc.'5, which we arhitrarily Ix,Jil'\"(' to join all the e!c'ml'nt's of till' sum? In IXJth ("aSl'S, WI.' do not umkrstand c1iwrsity and it's production. \-V I· ma~' gc'nl'rate the diverse out of the One only if we prl'suPIXJsl' tll.lt an~·thing ma~' lx' hol'll OUI of arl~·thing••lncl thus Ihat sonwthing may ,lris\' from nothing, We ma~' gl'llI'rat(' the dinTs\' out of the wholl'. {)111~· if WI' pn'MIPI)()S!.· that thl' l'[I'llll'llb which form this whole are l"llll(r,lril's capah!t' of Iwing transfoTilwel into OIl\' anothc'T. This is hut
'f
SUIll,
TlIl'
:-IMlll Al"HllM AND AN("II·NT
1'1111
O",OI'llr
2fq
/
nat lin" and Ihal MlIlldhing i~ horn Ollt of nothing. Ikl",llI~I' .lIltinatur.1J. ist phiJo~opl1\'r, .. did 1101 II,lIlt to nlllsidl"r the \'oid, tl1\' I oil! I t'IKOl1l· p.h.wtl t'\ l'r~ thing. TIll'ir Iking. t1ll'ir One anti tlwir whok Mt' artilidll and urm"tural. always corruptihll', l1N'ting, pomlls, fri,lhk, or britt It,. TIll'Y \\ould ratlwr sa)' that "heing is nothing" than n'n~ni/t' that t!wr<' art' ht.'ings tmd tlll're is \'oid-that there an.' simpl,' hl.'ing~ 1\ ithin tll(' \oid ,lIld that thcre is mid llithin compound l'lt.'ings. 1 ror thl' din'l"l'it~· of till' c1i,,'rst'. philosoplwrs haw substitutNI till' idl'ntkal or tilt' l'ontrat1il·ton·. ami oftt'n hoth at OIKI'. 1-I00lcI'l'r, till' Natun' of things is . "oordination and disjum:tion, Nt'itht'r identit~· nor contratli,'tiun, it is a mattt-r of n'St:'mhlanl'l'S and t1iO.....rcIKI'S, compositions ami decnmpositions, "t·l't'r~·thing is foml1xl out of connC(-tions, Ikn:.itks, l>hocb, t'IKOUnlt'rs, concurn.'nCl-'S, and motions."1
-
Naturalism Tl'quin'S a highl~' stnll1.urt'(1 principlt' of "ausalit}' to account for the production of tlw din'TS(' insidl' difTt'n'nt and non-totali7.ablc compositions ancll-'Omhinations of till' dt'menl~ of I atun'. I) '111c atom is that which must IX' "lOught. and that \\ hich can onl)' Ix' thought. TIll' atom i~ to thought what the S('llsiblt' Objl'(-t is to the Sl'nst"S: it is thl' object \\ hkh is l"sscllliall~' adcln'SSl.'C1 to thought, the objt"<-·t whit'h gin,-'s food to thought, just as tin- st.'nsihl(' obj,'ct is that which is gin'n to till" Sl·nM·S. '11\(' atom is tht· absoluh' n'alit~, of what is pt·I'l.',·inxl. That till' atom il> nut, and cannot lx' IX'rcl'iwd, that it is t"SSt'ntially hiddt·n. is till" t'ffl,.-t of its 0\\ n naturt" and not th(' impt'Tft'Ction of our st'nsihilit~" In tlw lirst pla('t·, Ih(· Epicun'.l1l Ilwlhod is a nwth()(1 of analog)': till' St'llsihft· Objl,.-t is l·ndowt·d \1 ith St'nsibk" parts, hut IIwrt, i~ " minimum Sl,'nsihl\' \\ hkh rerrt'M'IllS till' ~malll'st part of tilt' Ohjt'l1: similarl~'. till" atom is ('nlimn-II \\ ilh part:\ th,lI art' 1l1Oughl. hUI IIwn' is J minimum thought whit'h rl'rrt'Sl,'nts IIw ~mallt'st I),1rt of tilt' ,110m, TIlt' iudi\ isihll' atom is lomwd of thought minima. as th£' di\'isihll' ohjt'{"t is l'omr0Sl"d of Sl,'nsibk minima. I In lilt' Sl",'ollli plan', till' I:pil'un'an Illt'thod is a Ilu,t!l(xl of paSs.1gt· or transilion: guidt'd hy analogy, ,md, as tilt' s"nsihl\, is compost'd .md tkl'ompo:.wtl, \\t' go from till' s('nsihll' to tilt' 1l1Ought and from til\' thoughl to lilt' st'nsihk h~' lllt',lllS of tr,lIlsitions. 'Nt· go fmm til\' nOI·til' to tIll' st'mihk analogUt" and l'om't'rsdy. through a sl'ri\'s of stq)S ,'olln'iwtl ,mil \',.. lahlisl1l'd an'ording to a prol.'I'.~S of l'xhallstion. 2(,lot
,\l'I'1
NlllX
~llIn of atoms is inlinih', pn,,·i."l·l~. Ill'l'alll>" atoms ar.' <'Il'ml'nls \\ hich do 1101 fonn a totalitv. But thi... SUIll would nOI Ilt' inti nih' if thl'
n TIlt'
loid l\t'n' 1101 also inlinih'. .'rlll' \oid .Intl tIl\' plt'IIUTll art' intlTlan'd .mll dbtributl·d in such a 1ll,1I111t'r th,lt tilt' l>1I1ll of thl' ,"oid antlthl' atoms is it~t'lf inlinitt'. This third inlinit~ I·xprl'.~."l·:' tilt' fundaTlll.:lllal corrl'lation Ill'tllt'I'n thl' atoms and till' I·oid. lip .md dO\lIl in till' ,"oid rt'sult from thl' corn·lation 1)('1\\·I....n till' \'oid 1I,,,,·lf .md tilt' atoms; lilt' wright of ,ltom~ (mOIl'llwnt from top to bo!tom) n'sults from tilt' ('orrdJtion of tilt' .Hom... II ith tilt' \"oid. J) In thl'ir fall thl' atonb collidt', not hl,.-auSl' of thdr difTl'ring \\t·ighb. hUI Ix'Causc of th ,• rlm01rk.'n. Tllt'dmorm:n is till' reason for th:' ,·ollil>ioll. it rdah'l> Olll' atom 10 anolh('r, It is tiC(1 in .1 fundamt.'ntal malllwr to tht' I:pkurt'an th('Or:o' of till1l' and is an t'SSCntial l),lrt of thl' l'~·slt'm. In the \'-oit!, all atoms fal