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

Cop}'nghl e 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.'... 1

British Uhn')' Cauloguing in Publicltioo llit,J

P!.ttonic distinction 1:M,twft'n Iimil....1 things .md !x'COming-mad-lnfi-
Dekw.... (jilin. '915- nih,' idcntit}'-Alico."s adwnturcs or "("n'nts"
Th.. Iogk of S<'I1SC.
t, ""'aning-Philosophical pcrsp«:th'cs
I. Titl., II. Boundas. Constantine V, [I. 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,
(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,
I'rll1h~1 tn th., lInit...1 Stall's of America
.1nd {'n'nt-l)Ollhl\· natur(" of S('n~': till' ",'xpn'ssihl... " of till' proposi-
8 tion and til{' attrihute of th... slat.' of .In:,ir.~. insish'n,'I', .lml,·xtra-Iking

-I ,.
,
9005471
-,
.
( T

BUlli,'wlanguage, to I'at/to sp,.'ak-T\\o kinds of words-T\\o dinwn-
~i()n~ oftil{" proposition: IlI'notations and l'xpressions, cOllsumptions ami
~ellsl,-'l1w two S('rks
BaYINI'II . . . . . Of NON'.... 66
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"

""" . . . . . 0' . . . . . 2. 1WB.nII . . . . Of .... PA.APOX 74

[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 36
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'

Saial forol and heterogclll'OuS s<.'ri('s-Tlwir constitution-TIll' point 1'hMI&H1H - . 0' .... ICIacr• • MC AMt II.: unu GIRL 82

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
SIYDft"M MIIIU 0' IIOftIUC WORDS 42
S)'nlhl'sis of contraction all onl' series (collll(·I.'tion)-S)'nthesis of co-
ordination of two S('ril'S (l'Onjunction)-S\'Ilthesis of disjunction or the-
ramilication of scri('s: til{" probl('m of portmanteau words
Antonin Artaud and L('wis Carroll-To l'at/to sp('ak and schizophrenk
language-Schizophrenia and failure of the surface-The word-pas-
sion 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)' organi-
zation 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: tran-
Levi-Strauss' paradOlo:-Conditions of a structun'-T1U' roll' of singu 4 sn'ndcntal field without thl' I or a o..'ntl'r of individuation
lariti{'S
'*,llill1l . . . . 0' '.IM-Amnu 100

....". SIIUIS 0' .... PItO"'-anc S2 TIll' oottl('-Tlll' tran.s<.'('ndl'nt'al field cannot rl'tain the form of ron-
Sl'iouslle-ss-lmpersonal and pn'-indi\'idual singularitil'S-Transn'n-
Singularitil's and l'wnts-Prohlem and CH·nt-H.I'l'T('atiw mathcmat- dl'lltal l-idd and slirfacl'-DiscOllrsl' of the indh'idual, diSt·ours(' of till'
in-Aleatory point and singular points IXTson, dis('Ollrsl' without ground: Is tlU'n' a fourth lliscourSl.'?

1'INI'H ....U Of TN' IDIAL OAMI S. SlXIUhTH ....U Of '"' nanc 0Nf0L001CAL_' 109

Hull's of ordinary ganws-An extraordinary g,llllc-The two readings (;l'lwsis of til(' individual: LI·i1miz-Conditioll of till' "(.'ompossihility"
of tinw; Aion and Chronos-Mallannc 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{'rSOll-
I'CI"MlIll'o, prop{'rtil.'s, and d.1SSI'S
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
$IYUI'I"HNI'It . . . . Of ~ nanc LOGICAl • • ,.... • •• from Aion ami its difft'rI'IW,'S from Chronos

Trallsition of til(' dimensions of tht, proposition-SI-'IlSl.' anti proposi-

lion-Nt'lliralit)' of Sl'nSt.'-Surface and lining
Probl('m of alogical incompatihilitit'S-Lt'ibniz-Posith'c distall('t" and
.....IMWnf . . . . Of ~ .,....IMAGU Of .I.osa..... '27 alllnnatiw s)'nthcsis of tilt' dil'ojUlwtion-l:trmal r{'tum, Aion, .lnd
straight line: a marl' h'rrihll' l.lhyrimh
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. .~ 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)'-
'rWBiTY-SIXIII _ _ Of LUICI'IAOI ..,
Groundlt'SS dis(.'ouf'S{·-The discourse of singulariti{'S: humour or Ihe
"founh person singular" 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(' Prohlem of till" d)"namic gcm'sis: from depth to surface-"Positions"
of rq)rL'St'ntation-Rcpres('ntation, usagc and l'xpn.-ssion-To umkr- an'ording 10 Mdani(' Klt'in-Schizoplm.'nia and dt'prl'SSion, depth and
SI.llUl, to \\ ill. and to rcpn'sclll lIll' {"'t'm 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-.letllaliza- TIlt' erogl'nolls zOlws-St'(.'oml Sh'p of tilt' dyn.lmic gt'nt'sis: fOml.llion
lion: tilt" a('lor-Tlw two aspt'cts of death as {"'t'nt-The Ill('aning of of surfaces and t1wir coordin,llion-llllagl'-Natlire of till" ot'dipal
"to \\ill till' l'n:nt" {'omplt'x, roll,' of the gl'nitalzol1l'

~-NCOteAIUU-~CIIAI"AND VOLCANO , .. 'IWINn'-HlNnI . . . . . -0000 INnNTiOHI AItII1'llYIIAaLY

PU""SIIID 202
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 TIll,.' ol'dipa[ .lfhir in its t'1'lation with till' ('Ollstitutioll of the sllrface-
pSyl'ht,tl,'lia To l"I'sIOI"I' and to hring hal'k-C,lstration-Intt'ntion .1S.l l"alq~or\'-

,'iii ('ON 1 I N ' " 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)
Phantasm and e\'ent-Phantasm, ('go. and singularilit's-I'hantasm.
\'\'rl>, and language
nIIIrrY-..n _ _ Of 11IOUOMI' 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.~ 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-Com-
part'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 239
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,
I. . . SlMULACItUM AND ANCIINT ....aoIOPIIY 253
I. PLATU AND 1'1110 SIMlIl.AL'HlIM 20
Platonic dialectics: signilit'ation of division-TIll' selection of the suit-
of:i-Copit's and simulalTa-Characteristics of the simlilalTa-I-lis-
to~' 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)'
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\\"ski-
Thl' onkr of til\' Anlichrisl-lnh'llIion: inl<'nsit\' a,;d intl"llIionalil\'-
Thl" ('h'rnal rdurn as phantasm ' ,
4· MICHI·I T(JlII{NII,1{ AND TIll· WOI{I [) WITIIOLIT OTIU·.HS 301
Rohinson, l'!('nll'llts.•1nd 1'n<ls- Prohlvm of Iwn'('rsion-The dTt'ct of
Ilw Other upon pl'rn'ption-TIH' Otlwr as an a priori slrul'turl-'-Thl'
d1(,(·t of tilt" OtlH'r upon time-Tlw ahSt'nCl' of th\' Otha- I)ollhlt's
,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'(li-
tlcs-I)('ath instinct anll instincts-TIlt' human beast-Tht' fanta- Preface: From Lewis Carroll
siz{',d obj('("'I-T1w tr.tgic and tlw "pil'
to the Stoics
_ 335

1i1(" work of U'\\ is Carroll hoU t'\"CI'~,thing r<'(luin'(l to pll'<lS(" thl'

modem reader: childrt'n's boob; or, rathC'r, books for little girls; splen-
didly bil..arrc and L"SOtlTil' words; grids; nxlcs and dl'("'()(lings; drawings
,md photographs; a profound ps)·(.-ho.1llal}'tk ("onh"lll; and an eXt'mplay)'
logical and linguistic formalism, O\"(:r alltl abow tilt' imm('(liate pleasure,
though, then' is sOllll'thing else', a pia}' of S('IlS(' and nonsense, a chaos-
('O-'l110S. But sinn' the marriag" of language and till' unconscious has

,lln'alll', Ix.·en consutntnatt'(l 31lt1 cdebr.ttc.". c:1 in so man\', wa\'s, - it is

n''{'t'ssa~' to CXamilll..· the pn'C"isc.' natUT{' of this union in Carroll's work:
\\h.lt dSt, is this marriage l·onnl'("'tl..",d with, and what is it Ihat, thanks to
him, this m3rriagt-' celebrate'S?
\V e, pTl.."S('nt hC'TC a senl'S of paratloxt'S which foml the the'O~' of
TRAN:-.I .'\TOR 'S NOTI: M'lh,'. It is ("as~' to nplain \\ hy this thl'OT)' is inSl'lJ.lrahlt' from para-
"111<'0' ar,' IlJJIl~' I\hom I OWl' a l!("lt of gralilUllt' for till' ('IK"Otlragl'm"1lI
to doxt~: ' is a 1l00ll'xistin t'ntit~·, and, in fal·t. mailll.lins H'T)' special
.lIld frknd~hip tlJ('~' prm'kll'(! during thl' tilll(' I I\a~ t"llgag,'(1 in tran~1.ltillg rdations with nonSl'nsc. -In,' pri\'il''ge.1 place ol~.\igm'(l to Ll'\\is Carroll
/J'9"i"t' Ju q-m Hut r would ,'sl)l"iall~' lib, to a{'kno\II,'(lgy Liulla Cogn,lto. i, dUt, to hi:- ha\'ing provided till' lirst gn'.lt an'ount. till' lirst great nuS/"
I Itor I'JIU,llll., ~ugg".'lions Jnd (Titkisll1~, as I\dl as l1\'r UI1I\,ll"l'ring support, ,'Il ,cent.' of tht' paradoxes of s,'nsc'-sonwtimt's l'ollt'l..'ling, sOllletimes
Ill,lh' l1\'r a~ d"M'rving of t.:n'dil as ,lll~'Olll' If)r till' app,',lrant·" of thi.~ pit,(."t, n'II,'\dng, sOllwtilllt':; in\'enting, and sonwtinll's preparing them. TIll'
in I-.ngli"h. I I\ould Jih, 10 ,kdil-.lt,' till' Ir,ll1slalion 10 Iwr. pri\'ilt'ged pl,ln' assigned to tht' Stoll':; is tltIl' to their ha\'illg 1>t..'l..'11 tlw
--M.l. initiators of a 11,'\\ illlJ.gl' of till' philosoplwr which hrokt, a\\ol)' from tIlt'

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 onh-
historical 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\'- THE LOGIC OF SENSE
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<;\

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 tlu-
aflim1ation 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 \<Oll hold it too long; and ... if you cut
your finger l'cry deepl)' 'with ,; knife, it usually hlt:cds"). l-Ie;lC(' tilt'
reversals which constitute ;\Iin''s adn·ntun.'s: tilt' n'\"('rsal of Ix'('oming
larg('r and becoming smalll'r-"which wa}', which way?" asks Alice~
sensing that it is alwiWs in hoth din'ctiom at the s.ulle time, so that for
onw she sta~e sal~lt' through an optical illusion; the r{'versal of the
day I)t..fore :nd the da}.'after. ;he pn'scnt always being c1Ulk-tI-"jarll
tomorrow and jam }"l'Sh'ftla~'-htlt never jam fo.daJ'·; til(' ft'\'('rsal of
mon~ and less: (i\'t' nights are liv(' times hotter than a single one. "but
thcy must be fin.' limes ,1S cold tor the samc reason"; til(' r('\'l"rsal of
active and passive: "do cats eat bats?" is as good as "do hats ('at cats?";
tlw rcwrsal of cause and dlpct: to be punished before having committed
a fault, to cry hefore haVing prickt'll oneself, to serve before haVing
divided up the servings.
,All these re\'ersals ,1S the)' aplx:ar in infinile identity haw one
mnsC<lucnce: the cont('sting of Alin''s personal identity and the loss of
her proper name. The loss of the proper name is the adventure which
is repeated throughollt all Alice's adventures. For the proper or singular
name is guaranteed by the permanence of 5'lI"oir. The latter is cmlxKlied
in gent'ral names deSignating pauses and rests, in substantivcs and
adjecti\·es. with which the proper name maintains a constant connec-
tion. Thus the personal sdf re<luircs GOtI and the world in general. But
wlwn substantives and adjecti\'es begin to dissolve, when the namc;of
pause and rest arc carried awa}' by th(~ verbs of pure 1x.'Coming and slide
into the language of events. all identity disappears from t1l(~ self, thc
world, ami God. This is the test of sol'oir and rl'Citation which strips
Alice of ht'r identit},. In it words may go awr)'. being obli'lucly swept
away b}' the \'crbs. It is as if ('\'('nts enjoyed an irreality which is
eon1l1ltlniCah~d through languagt' to thc sal'oir and to pnsons. ~
personal uncertainty is not a doubt fordgn to what is happening, but
ralher an objective structure of tilt' event itself, insofar as it moves in
two din'l'tions at once. and insofar as it fragm(·nts till' subje...·t lollowing
this double direction. Paradox is initiall)' that which dt~stroys good sense
as till' only direl·tion, but it is also that which destroys common sense
as the assignation of fixed identities.
!'If{:-.T SI·.IUI,S IH I'ARAlJOXI·.S OF PUf{I, HI:COMtN(; 3

Second Series of Paradoxes
of Surface Effects
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'om-
l);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
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.
pres('nt cxists in tinl(' ami gatlwrs togetlwr or ahsorhs the past and
n~' t l\' \
future. But onl), till' past ,lilt! futun' inlwn' ill tinl!' and <Iividl' I'ach
present infinitdr Thl'Sl' arl' not thr('e SU('I,t,,~si\"(' dinwnsiolls, but two
simultancous readings ()f tirnl'.
III his finc rl'collstnlction of Stoic.' thought, EmilI' Br(hilT sa~'s:
\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 incor-
pon·al t'wnts I.'lltails an upheaval in philosophy, In Aristot[e, for I'X-
f, "'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, ineffi-
cacious. 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. Bccoming-
mad, 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
I (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. be,ns 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:.
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~'. how-
e\'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<!<'T to
n'\'l'rSt' side's J.nt! to make tilt' right side l'll'collll' til(' It-ft or vkl' wrsa.
It is not tlll'n·fore a (llll'stion of Ihc (ld"Cllwres of Alin\ hut of Alke's
<ldIClllllrc: her climb to Ihe surface, Ill'r disa\'owal of f.llse depth and her
discoH'ry that \'\"l'r~,thillg h.'pIKns at till' harder, This is why Carroll
,1h.lndollS till' original tilk of the hook: ,lIlCc's ,ldrCllwrcs Ulldcroroulld.
This is thl' l,",l~t'-\'\'l'n mon' so-in Through the I.ookln,q-G/oss, Here
~ .
1'\"t'l1ts. dilll'ril,g radit""II\" from things, an' no lonl:!:er sought in tht'
~ ~...,
depths, hut at thl: surfan.. , in till' faint incorport'al mist which l'SCJlx'S sian of the first part is to till' glor~' uf thl' East, frum which l"OnU's all
from hodit-'S, a film without \,oIUlllt' whk-h ('nvdops t1wm, a mirror that is gOOt.I. "the substann' of thing~ hop"-'t.1 for, and til{' existence of
which n.,lI<.'t.'ts thl:m, a c!wsshoOlrd on whk-h the)' arc organizNI an:or<l- things not St.'Cn," Here e\Tn till' 1>.l~IT1l'tI'r lwitlll'r riSt.'S nor falls. but
ing to plan. Alicc is no longer able to mak(' her way through to tlw goes lengthwise, sidl'wa~·s. and giH'S a horizontal wl'ather. A strctching
depths, Insl('ad, she rcicOlsc.'S her incorporeal double. II u byJolloll"lns rhe machine e\'en It'ngthens songs. And J-onunatus' pUTSC, prcsclltl"(l as a
border, ":,1 simms the su1fJU, thaIom' pass.rsIrom boJle1 to rhe mrorportol. Paul MObius strip, is madc of handkt'rd1it'fs sc.'wn m the lI-ronS wa.y, in sU(,h a
Valery' had a profound id..:a: \\ hat is most dccp is the skin, This is a manncr that its outer surfan' is ('ontinuous with its inner surface; it
Stoic diSl.-o\·u~', which presuP1XlScs a gr,,-'at deal of wisdom and t'ntails ('ll\'c1ops the entire world.•mel makt"S that which is inside lx- on thc
an cntin' dhic. It is the disl'o\TT')' of the littl,· girl, who grows and out'sid\' and "in' \"t'TSa.t> In .~dll" fJlld Bruno, thc tl't.'hni<lu(· of passing from
diminishes onl), from the ('dgl'S-a surface which n..·ddens and 1>L'Conws rl'alit~' to dream, and from htxlies to till' incoqXlreal, is multipli(·d.
green. She knows that the more the C\Tnts trawrse the entire, Ik'pthk'ss completcly renewed, and l',lfrkd out to perft..'Ction. It is, how('\"er, still
extension, the more the)' affect bod it'S which the)' cut and bruise, Later, h)· skirting the surface, or till' honl('r, that one passl's to the othcr side',
the adulL.. are snapp<..'tl up b)' the ground, fall again, and, being too by virtu(' of the strip. TIl{' mntinuit), between rc\"erse and right side
dt..'Cp, the)' no longer understand. Why do the sam(' Stoic examples replaces all the I('\"cls of depth: and the surfa<"e eff('t."ts in one and the
continue to inspire Lewis CaIToll?-thc tn'e grlocns, the scalpel cuts, same hent, which would hold for alll'vents, bring to language becom-
the battle will or will not take place... , It is in front of the trees that ing and its paradoxes.? As Carroll SJ}'s in an anicle cntitled The DJ'nomlN
Alice loses her name. It is a tnoc which Humpt)' Dumpt)· addrCSS<."S C!f 0 Porn-cit: "Plain Supcrficialit~, is the charactcr of a spe<....(:h...."
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 <kocp ambi\"OlII'nce, hut rather to a superficial inversion.
a proPI~r1)' Carroll ian concept. [n S)'/I',e fJnd Bruno. it is the little I)())· who
has tlw inn-nti\"c rol\'. learning his I\'ssons in all manners, insid('.o\lt.
olltsidl'-in, ahon- and 1x.'low, but ne\'er "in dl'pth." This important
no\"el pushes to tIl\' l'xtn'nw the e\'olution which had 1>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~


Third Series of the
Proposition
.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 proposi-
tion. 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)(' fonllll-
l.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
"
~t,lt(' of aITairs. It would Ill' wrotl1! to In'.lt tlwlll as Ilnin'rsall'olll'{'pts,
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>r-
t,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 mani-
fl'Station is Sl.'(.·oll(la~' in rdation to (Il·notation. Rather, it mak('S deno-
tation 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's-
It-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
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(' impli-
cations of til<' conct'pt. From the standpoint of significatioii. \n' alwa)'s
consider the clements of the proposition <loS "signifying" conceptual
implications capable of referring to other propositions, which ser\'(' as
pn~miSt-'S of the first. Signification is defined b)' this ordC'r of conceptual
impli(....tion where thl' proposition undC'r consideration intcn'cnes onl)'
as an clement of a "dl'monstration," in the IllOSt general sense of tht'
word, that is, either as premise or as conclusion. Thus, "impliL'S" ami
.. t1wn:fore" are essentially linguistic signifi\'rs, "Implication" is til(' sign
which defines the relation lX'I\\'('('n premis('S and conclusion; "therefore"
is til(' sign of assmion. which defines the possihility of affirming the
conclusion itself as the outcome of implications. When we speak of
dl'monstration in the most g('neral sense, we mean that the signification
of the proposition is ah\....p found in the indirect proccs..'i which corn'-
sponds to it, that is, in its relation to other propositions from which it
is inferred, or colwerscly, whose conclusion it renders pos-'iiblc, Deno-
tation, on tht' other hand. refers to a direct process. Demonstration
must not be understood in a n'stTktL-<I, s)'lIogistic or mathematic.ll
S('nsc, but also in the physit:al sense of probabilitiC'S or in tht, moral
senS(' of promiSC'li and commitments. in this last case, th£' assertion of
the conclusion is r<'pf'l'SCnt<-"lI b)' the moment the promise is dTcctiwly
kq)t. 1 The logical \'alue of signification or demonstration thus under-
stood is no longer the truth, as is shown hy the hypotht·tical mode of
implications, but rather the conJl/lon '!f trlllh, till' aggregate of conditions
undt'r which til(' proposition "would be" true, The condltione<1 or
('onduded proposition may IX' false, insofar as it actually denotes a
nonl'Xisting statl' of affairs or is not dirt'ctly n:rilied. Signification dOl'S
not \'stablish tlw truth without also estahlishing tht, possibilit), of ('I'ror.
For this r\'ason, tl1l' condition of truth is not 0PPOSl"ll to till" false, hut
14 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
IU 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<! concepts (what is animal? what is
rational?), whereas th(' latter is supposed to be understood as soon as it
is said. j
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
Ilwln dirn·tlv• and t .•.•. I 1. I·',
...... ,11'... t 1(' ar lltran' on \' mSOlar as Wl' COlllwct tlwm
IIIIKD ~l::.KI,", <H Till· I'ROI'O,ITION ,,
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 OIl\' 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'n-
dendy. We rclat(' it to til\' state of affairs which it denotes, indl'lll'n-
dentlv 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<! as effectively truc, which aln'ad)' forces us to dl'l,art
from the purt' ordl:r of implication in order to rdate the prcllli!><.·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 impli-
cation-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. . rrohodv would ~'\'<'r ~a\' ,11l\'thing.. , ," It shall l)t, t·onclud.·d from this
From d('llotatioll to rnanili:.'station, tlll'n to signilication, hut also from
In TlllHll SI,H11,S 01' TtlE I'HOI'OSITION
~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 <lllo.::stion of fact. Nl'\"crthcless, t111'rl'
is al.,o a <IUt'stion of tact, ami il is Ill'l"{'ssary to begin h)· asking wl1l'thl'r
.'l'ml' is ('apable of hcing localized in one of these threl' dimC'nsions-
dC'notation, manifestation, or signification. We could answer lirst that
SUd1 a localization seems impossihl{' within denotation. Fulfilit'd deno-
tation makes the proposition Inl('; unfulfilled denotation mak('s tht'
proposition false, Sense, t'vid,'ntl~', can not consist of that which renders
the proposition true or fals(', nor of the dimension in which thest' \,alm's
,In' n'aliz.'d" Morco\'er, denotation would be ahle 10 sliPIXlrt the weight
of lhe proposition only to the extellt that one would be able to show a
('orn'slxmdence betwCt'n words and dl'not(,d things or states of aO:,irs.
Brio' Parain has discuss('d the paradoxes that such a hYIXltlwsis ("aUSt'S
to arise in Grl't'k philosophy,5 How are we to avoid paradox('s, lik.~ a
chariot lJ.lssing lhrough olle's lips? More directly still, Carroll asks: how
could names have a "r<'sIXlndent"? What docs it mean for sOlllething to
n'spond to its name? And if things do not respond to their nanw, what
i.~ it that pn'H'nts thclll from losing it? \Vhat is it then that would
n.'nl.lin, sa\'{' arbitrariness of denotations to which nothing responds,
and till' .'mptiness of indt'xit'als or lormal designators of the "that" t~'I)('
-both h('ing stripped of scnse? It is undeniahle that all dl'notation
presupposl'S sense, and that \n' IX)sition oursd\"('s .moi9JJI (J1l"(~1" within
S('nSI' \\ helll'\'('r we Ill'note,
To identif\' S('nSl' with manifestation has a hetti'r chanl'e of SUCCl'SS,
_,inn' till' d"signators tlll'lllsdn's ha\'e s('nsc only in virtue of an I whil'h
maniksts itself in till' ProlXlsition. This I is indl'C'd pril1lar~-, sinC{' it
,1110ws ,~pl'l'ch to I"ll'gin; as Alicl' sa~'s, "if ~'Oll olll~' SIX)kl' wlll'1l you Wt'rl'
~pllkl'n 1o, and Ill<' other plTson al\\"a~'s waitt'd for you to Iwgin, you St'('
thai _,,:nsl' rl'sidl's in th".'I""ii..fs (:lr desires) of the Iwrson who l'xpn'ss..s
 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•.;ma-
lll'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'r-
mill{'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 1<I'nSt'. But how docs signilication
assunlt' this characteristic? I-low dlX"S it mah' uSt' of it? In diSt'ussin~ tht,
conditions of tnuh. we miS(' ours•.'h('S alXl\,(, tht' tnll' and thl' faiSt"
sinn' a faISt, proposition also has .1 ~'n~' or si~nification, Rut at thl'
sanw time, W(' ddinl' this superior C()mlition SOll~~' J.S tht' J>OS!'ihi'it~· for
tilt' proposition to Ix: tnll'.' This possihilit~, is ''f)thing OtlWT than thl'
form <!f poSS/bl/ll) of thl' proposition it:-df. Tlwn' an' man~' forms of
possihilit\'• lor proIX)sitions: lovkal, ~l'()nll'trical. alo.'hraic, J)llV~ical, S\'n-
~, b .
tacti(' .. , ; Aristotll' ddillt'(l tilt' fonn of logical possihilit~, h~' mt~.lrlS of
till' n,l.ltioll h('{\\('('n the tt'nn1< of till' proposition and tilt' Jon of th.'
a(Tidl'nt, proprllllfl, gt'nus. or cldinition; Kant ('\'t'll iml'nh'c:l t"o nt'\\
fonn~ of p()S..;ihilit\', tlw tranSC:'l'ndt,ntal and till' moral. Hut In' \\ hatl'nor
marult'r On(' ddin:'s form, it i:- .lll (Xld prol'l"C:!ure sinn' it inv;)I\"('~ rising
fmlll til\' nmtlitiol\ed to tilt' c.:ondition. in ordl'r to think of tilt' t'oncli~
tion a~ tlw ...impl.' possihilit~, of tilt' conditioned. Ih'n' Ollt' ri.~('s to a
foundation. hut th,lt \\hidl i.~ found,·d n'main~ \\hat it \\,lS, inc.lt'lx'n-
dl'ntl~' of tlU' IIpl'ration \\ hie h fOllmlt'(l it and unalTt'(·(t"t1 h\' it. Tim..
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 <!f /ht' I1TOposiIIOII. is an
illl:orpon'al. compltx. and irn-cludbll' l'ntit)'. ,lt tilt' ,.. urfal"(' of thing.~, a
pun' t'\l'nt \\ hich inllt'n':. or .lluh:.i!ot's ill thl' proposition. 'l1ll' diSl"O\"('ry
. \\a... matlt' a SC'COnd tinl(' in thl' lounl-,,'ntlJ ('l'nturY, in (kkhalll's M"hooi.
In. Gn,£on of Rimini and Nicholas d·Autrl'('ou~. It \\itS made a third
..
tllllt' .lt tilt' ('ncl of til(' nin('tt-,,'Ilth ("('ntury, b.\· tht· great philosophl'r and
lo!~ici.lIl Mt'inong. lIndoubh't:II~' tlwre art' rt'asons for theS(' monll'nts:
8
1\1' halt' :-l'I'n that till' Stoic discon'f)' pn'sllppost'd a T('\'l·rs.l1 of Platon-
i... m; ~itllilarl~' O{'kham's logic reaclt,d against till' prohk'm of lIni\'ersals,
.llltl M('inong against I kgdian logic and its Iilll'agl', TIll' question is as
fullo\\:-: is t111'T(' soll1l'thing, O/lCIlIld, \\ hidl nwrgt'S Ill'itht.'r with th~
proJxl.llition or with tht' It'nns of tilt' proposition. nor \\ ith thl' objt'ct
or \\ ith tilt' statl: of alTain, \\ hich the proptbition denatl'S, ncith('r \\ ith
till' "Iin-c!," or rcpn'Sl'nt,llion or til(' mt'ntaJ acti\·it~· of till' Ix'rson \\ ho
t'Xprn,"l':- Iwrsdf in tilt' proposition. nor with concepb or ('\'en signitied
.,~ ...t'I1l'l'S? If t1lt'T(' is, sense, or that which is l'xpress('d hy th~' prolXlSi-
•
tioll, I\ould lx' irn'(lut'ible to individual states of affairs, !>.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.<llot,uion, manift·:-t.uiull. and :-ignilic.ltion? In t'.lell Ilt.'rioclthl' contro-
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"<lSl" hO\\"t'n:r, for till' nOt'ma ..trl·l·... T!wrl' are man~' ])(wmata or
:-.I·nSl's I()r lhe same denowtum: l'vening star and morning slar an' two
nOl'mata, lhat is, two wavs in which the sam(' dl'IIO/(l/illn may lx'
pn'SI'nh.d in l'xpn'ssions. Whl'n theTt,for(' HlISSl·r1 says that the nOl'ma
is tlw p\'rcl'in-d sUl"h as it appears in a pn'sentation, "the perceived as
such" or tilt, appl'aranCt', w(' ought not umkrstand that thc. nlx'ma
invokes a sl'nsihl.. gin'n or ciliality; it rather ilwoln's an idl'ational
10 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).
.
tilt' pr'olx)sition which expn'sst's it-wlwtlwr the proposition is pn·
-
It lI,lS an I'ntirdy diOi.:T<'1H St.ltll.'; \\ hich consists in nOf existing outside
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.lo-
gaus 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' proposi-
tion. 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 proposition-
it 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
 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..... '!<I it .lll~· mon.' th.m \t ilh the lotat,' of affairs or tilt' CJlIJIiI~' Fourth Series of
"hich lilt' prupu:.ition dl'1I0h". It i:-. l'xa('1I~' the bOllndJ~ h,'I\\t','n
/ ~ propo:.itiolls and things. It i:. this ol,<{wd at olln' l·xtra-&·iilg. .mel Dualities
r
\inlwr,.m t', that is, this minimUIll of I""ing \\ hil'h hefits inlwft'IWt's.11 It
i:-. in Ihi:. l>('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'- Ill\' fi~1 important dllalit~· \\as that of ('auSL-'S and dT(·(,ts. of corporeal
attrihuh'. that Carroll siluates his ('ntin' work, I-knce till..' ('olltwction lhings and incorpor....ll I·n'ms. Hut insor.lr as ('\'cllts-cAt'cts do not "'xist
bel\\'C('n the fanlastic \\ork signl.."X1 "Carroll" and til{' matlwmatico- oulsidl' Ih... propositions which ,,·xprl..·SS Ilwlll, this duality is prolong....d
logical \\ork :-.ign('(l "Dodgson," It St"'nlS dil1icult.to sa~', as h..... IX'('!l in Ill\' dualit~· of things ami proposition~. of Ixxli,,-":> and languagl'. This is
done, th.lt til{' fantastic work pfL'M'nts :o.impl~' til(' traps and diAicultil':. tilt' l>UlIrn..' of lin- altematin.' \\hich rims through all the \\orks of
into \\hich \H' r.ll1 when we do not oh.....·r\"(' till' rult'S and la\\s fonnu- Carroll: 10 l'al or to slx'ak, In 5..lfn.. ond BTltflO. thc ;Ilcrn,ltin" is l)('tw("("1\
lated h)' the logi('al work. Not only IWI·allS..• man~' of til\' traps suhsist in "bits of Ihings" am! "hits of Shak..·sl>ean·... At Alin"s coronation dinner,
the logical work itself. but also Ix·callSt· the distrihution S..'('I11:-' to be of ~·ou ... itlwr ~'al what is pn·St'nh'(l to ~·ou. or ~'Oll are prl'scnh'd to what
an ('lltird~' diIT"'f('nt sort. It is sllrpri~ing to find that Carrol1':. ('ntire ~'ou. (·at. To ('al and .10 I~. ~'ah'~l-this is the operational 1ll00Id of [>.
logical \\Ork i~ dir('ctl~' about sl!Jnificatlon, implications. and rondusions. Ixxhl"':>, Ih,,· 1~'lx' of tht'lf nllxtllf(' III depth, their action and pa.<. tSion. and
,md only indin'(·tl~' ahout St'llsc-pn'l'isd~" through til(' p.uadox('S till' \\a~' in \\ hkh th('~' cOl'xisl \\ ilhin 01U' aoolh..'r. To slx'ak, Ihough. is
which ...ignification dOl'S not n'soln'. or indt,(·t1 \\ hich it (Tl'aks, On tilt' III\' mOH'llwnt of Ihe ...urf,1l'..·.•1Ilt! of id....llional attribllh'S or inc()'1~'m'al
('ontrar~', til\' fantastic work is inmll'diatd~' cOllc"'rll\'d with $ell$e and I'wnls. \Vh,l( is mor.., s"'rious: 10 sp~'ak of fOOlI or to ,,'at \\ords? In Ill'r
.1ltadw:-. til\' I)()\\('r of 1)'1fadux din'(11~' to it. This mm.-:-.ponds \\('11 to alinwntar~' oh..... ·~ ...ions. Ali('(' is on'ndU'lnl\'(llw nightman'~ of ah~rhing
til\' 1\\0 lota.h~ of St.-lN.'. 11(· fano and dl' jun'. a posh'rion and a priori. alltl lX'ing ah<oOr/".. 1. ~Iw lintls that tlw I)(x';m :11t' Iw.lf!> n"'ilt'(l ar;'
nlW h~ \\ hkh tlw l'ird... of till.' propo!>ition b if)(lif('(11~' inf,,·rrl"(l. thl' .1!lOUt ~'(Iihll' h,Il, If \\~. Ilwn :.Ik·ak of food. l1(m ....111 \H' .Hoid ~Ix'aking
otlwr h~' \\ hit-h it is llladl' 10 .1Plx'.lr for itsdf. hy unfulding till' cird~· III lront III lilt' IJlll' \dw i... to IX' .....·r\"('d .1.'1 flxxl? <':on:o.id,,·r. le)r ~'xal11pl~~

Jlong till' length of til\' Ilord('f hdw('~'n propositions and things, 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:.
<

1lI.1~ go .1\\ r: ..1' If 11lt'~ \H'n' allra( 11'(1 In til\' t1~'plh of Ixxlit....; tlw~' ma~'

r 111KI)"
" KII' (II Till I'l{lll'I"I·ll(It\. ,I
 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..:. summariz-
ing 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 t"; :-.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··
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. glut-
tonous. 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 incor-
port'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 indi-
call' 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> two-
and 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(' ("... how-
c, I'r, I can managt' the \\ hol{' lot of t1l<'m").
. last word is not to be found
Hut thi!, is not .,·('t ~unicit'nt. Duality's
in this retum to til(' h~'I)()t1l<'Sis of CrQf~l"lus. 'Ill<' dualit~, in the proposi-
tion 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 I
to pass from the rdation of denotation to tht, n'lation of cxprcssion-
\~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-<HIHTH :->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?""
It i" d\·.\r thJ.I tilt' I)m·k l'mplo~'s and undt'n.tands "it" a:. ,1 Iknoting
(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~',

It'nu IiiI' .111 thing", J'tatl' of aO:,irs and possihll' <lualiti<'S (.m indicJlor), 1II- thought he Solll ,m J-]qlh,lIlL
[I spl.,,,·iti,'s \,\','n tlut the dt'not,,'d thing is esst'ntiall}' sonll'thing \1 hit-h 'ilIa! pr.ll'tin><! nn ,1 lil~':
is lor m.1Y 1M.') I.';ltl'n. !::w-I'ything tk'nott'd or capable of dellot.1tion is, in I It- ItH.kt-d ag.1in. and f"lInd it \I.IS
pl'indplv, consumable and pt'nctr.1hl,,'; Alkl.' remarks ds('wlwr,' that sill' A l<'th'r from his II if,·.
is onl~' ahle 10 "imaginc" food. HUI the MOllS,,' mad(' liS(' of "it" in an "At h'nglh I rcalv..,," Ill' s.mL
\'ntird~' difTl'f'('nt manner: as till' senS<." of an ('arlia proposition, .IS til(' ...·I1l<' hilH'nK'SS of lift·."
l'Il'nt ('xprL'SS('t1 b~' the proposition (to go and ofTer til(' crown to
WiIliJ.m). llw c:-quinx"ation of "it" is t1wrcfoTC' distributN.1 in an'Or- I It- thought he Solll an Alh.lIra-:.
d,Ul(,{' with the dualit~, of denotation and (·xpn.'ssion. The two dimen- Tholl f1utten.-d round tht.- !.Imp;
sions of the proposition an~ organiz,,'tl in two seril'S which l'OIwergl' II" lookt.'ll again. and found it \las
A I"'nn~'-Postage-Slalllp,
as~'mptotically, in a tern1 as ambiguous as "it," since the~' nW1.."t OIl\'
"Y()u\!llI.'~1
1)(· g,'ttillg Iwnw.'· lit" ""it!:
anollwl' only at tilt' frontier which they continuously str('tl'h. One S('ri('s
"'l1w nighls ar(' \','r~' damp!"
n'Sllm('S "I.'ating" in its own way. while Ill(' other extracts Iht' t'ss('nce
, "slx'aking," For this reason. in many of Carroll's pex'ms. on(' wit-
of I It- thought he saw .m ArgUIllt'lIt
nCSSC'S the autonomous dewlopnwnt of two simultanrous dim(·nsions. '111.11 prowt.! hI' II as till' 1'01"";
onl' n.'f(,mng to dellot('(1 objl.-'t'tl; whidl an.' alwa~'s consumabl(' or II.· lookt'll a.gain. an<.! fOUIKI il was
__R'Cipicnts of consumption. the othl'r rt'fl'rring t'O alwa~'s ('xprf'S..'iiblt' A Hal' of Mottk(l Soap,
1 llll'anings or at It'ast to ObjlXt'; \\ hkh an.' till.' Ix'arers of languagl' and "A fan so dr....d:· he fainth' said.
S<."IlSl', Th('S(' two dinwnsions C(11l\'I.'rg(' onl~' in an ('SOlhic \\onl. in a "I:xlinguislll'l> all hork '!" i
non-idt'ntil-iahll.' ahqlllcJ. Takt', for ('xampll', tlw rl'frain of the Snark:
"Thl')' sought it with thimbles. tllI.'~· sought il with cart'; I Thl.')' Pllrsll{'<!
it with forb and hopc"-what' the "Ihimhl\," and "fork" r('[('r to
designated inslrunwnts. bUI "hopl''' .lIld "('an'" to cOllsidl'l'ations of
M'nS(' and ('wnl.. (st.'nS<.". in Carroll's works, is oft<'n pr('S('ntl.'d as that
\\hkh OIl(' must "tah, ('art' of:' tlw obj('Ct of a fundal1l('ntal "cal"(''').
Th(' Mrang(' \\onl "Snark" is thl' frontk'r \\hi(-h is stn'tdu'(! as it is
<lra\\ II b~- both S('ril.'S. 1:-,\'('n lllOn.' typical b. till' wonderful (;ardl'!lcr's
:,ollg in .~dn,· and Bruno. E\'t'ry Iot,lIwa puts into pla.~' two It'nns of \'('~'
dilT,'n'nt kinds. \\hit:h olTl'r 1\\0 distin('t n'at!ings; "'-k thollght hI' Sol\\
I It- lookl'd again and saIl it was, , ,'. Thus. till' ('nselllhl\· of st,1I1za.~
dv\dops (11'0 IWh'rog,'m'uus S('ri\'s. OIU' is (·ollllxN·d of animals, of
hdng... ur Ohjl'CI:< II hidl .-itlwr l'onSUm\' or an' t:onsunwd; tlll.'~' an'
clt'"nilJt....1 hy phy"it-'ll <Iualitil',s. I'ither St'Ibihl,' ur sonorous; tht' otlwr is

2f> I OUN. 111'1 l U I ' 01 IHI \I ITII , 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<! from sounds to imag<"S
and from imagl'S to seilS("; rathl'l". Olll' is l'Stahlishrti "from till' Out'$('t"
\\ ithin $('1lS(', St'IlSC is lik(' till" sphere in whi(-h I am aln.'ady l'Stahlislll'd
in order to ('nact possibll' dl'llOtations. and CHon to think tlll'ir condi-
tions, SenS(' is always prcsupposl:.'1.1 as soon as I begin to spcak; I would
not 1)(' ahll' to Ix:gin without this presupposition. In otl\l'r words. I
nV\'l'r statl' tlw Sl'nSl' of what I am saying. But on till' otlwr hand. I can
alwa~'s tah' tlw se:nsl' of what I sa)' as till' ohject of anotha proposition
whosl" senSl", in turn, I "annot stah', I thus l.·ntl'r into til(' infinite n.-gn.'ss
of that \\ hich is Pn.'suplx)S('11. This n.-gn.·ss tl'stifil'S both to the gn.·at
"
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 proposi-
tion ,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. pro-
cl.'(xls according to " COll\·l·ntionall)' finite progression. We must thl're-
fore 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
, \\hich thus (knott's til(' st'nse of the n,lnw "If
\\hi..·h ,Il'not,·:,> this r(·alit\'.
Ih... song. or n'pn'so..'ols whal Ih... naow or tilt' !'ong is G111..,0.I. At thi:.
point, s..·\·... ral n'marks an' nt:l"t'ssary. Fir!'t, Carroll has voluolarily lim-
ited 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.. ,~
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 U/Urmwn. 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;'
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'{'lI-
Iiarit)'-apal't from till' fact that it lends ('xpn'ssioll to all otlwr intl'll-
tionalitil'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 impo-
tt: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 immobili-
z,ltion, As is said in "PoelO fit, mm Nas<JIur, " spasm or whiz-tlwsc an'
Ihe two rules of the pOl'Ill,
The parado.~ 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-
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'<! obj,'ct afTL"{'t sense? The event,
li)r its part. musl have one and tIl(' same mOllalit)'. in both fUlun' and
past. in linc with which it t1i\'id($ its prt'S('nc(' ad infinitum. If til(' ('vcnt
ill IXlSSibl(, in the futurc and n.'al in th,' past, it is n("{'t'SSa':" that it be
hath at once. since it is di,'id<-,<I in them at till' sanw tinl('. Is this to sa\'
that it is nL'Cl'SSa~'? One is here rt'mindl,{! of tilL' paradox of comingcl;t
fllturl's ,1m I it's importancc in Stoic thought. TIll' 1J~'pothl'sis of ne('l'ssit)"
howl'\'l'r, rests on till' application of till' principle of ('ontradiction to
tlw proposition which annOllll("('S a fUlun'. In this l~rspl'ctiH', tht, Stoics
I\l'nt 10 alotonishing It.-ngths in onler to cscapl' tl('Ccssit~' and to aflinn
I·II-TII ·"·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><!jS(.·o\·(·ring till' Stoic thl'Sis from anollwr
point of \ it'\l. h,T tilt' prindple of nmtradiction conn'ms till' imIX)""j-
bilil\' of tilt' rt'.llizatioll of tll'notation and, also. the minimal condition
of :-.ignitit·Jlion. But IX'I-haps it does 1I0t ("OlUX-r1l sense: ,wither pos~ihk.
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·rs-
ihll' 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'<l. But ncitht'r of
till's<' two stall'S is 1'S.....·!U·l· itsl:·lf. An animal is nothing otlwr thar' an
anim.11 ("unlmal non eSI nISI animal "mwm") IX'ing indifft'n'nt to till'
uni"'rsal and to til<' singular, to tilt' l);J.rticul.1r amt"to tilt' general,l> '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<luar(' drd.·s. mattl'r \\ ithout l'xtension, perpe/lluIII mob,le.
nmuntain without "aliI'\'. l'tl,,-an' ohjl'cts "without .1 hOllll'," outsidt'
of l)('ing, hut the)' ha~'l' a prt'l'ise and distin(·t position 1\ ithin this
out:o.idt'; tht'~' an' of "l'xtra 1)I,·ing"-pllft·, ideation.11 t'\'('nts, unable to
hI' ft'aliz("tl in a statl" of affairs. Wt' are ohligl"'tl to ('all this paradox
""'dnong's paradox." for Meinong knew 00\\ to draw from it th(> 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' "('xtra-
l':\: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><ling it is supt'rior in degn'(' to that
nanw and to that which it denotes. But if, instc.ld of considt'ring th(·
simpll' succt'SSion of nann"!>. \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
"!<iignili,,," all)' sign which prest'nts in itself an aSlx'ct of sl'n~'; we call
":-ignifi,,(!," on the t'Ontrar)', that which serH'S as the com,lati\'(' to this
aJ<opt"t't of S('llst', that is, that which is defillt"tl in a dual it\' rdatin~ to this
alopl"{·t, What is signifiL'{1 tht'refon' is Il('\'(', St'nS(> 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' in<!epcndl·nt krm \\hid1
t'orrl':--ptlnd:-- to tht'M' dinwnsions. that is. tht' l'oncl'!'t. and alMl tilt'
dl'l\oh·1! thing or rn,mift'stl't! subject. Finally. tilt' signilit'r i:. tilt' :--011'
diml·n.,ion (If I'spn'ssion, whid1 in fal't has tilt' privill'gt' uf 1101 ht.'ing
n·!.tti\t' to.m indqx·rult'nt h'nn, sinn' !i('nS(' as expn:sst'd dOt'l' not I'xist
outsidt' of til(' t'spn'~sion; ami tht' signih('(l, in this ('aSt·. is till' dl'nota-
lion, tl1l' manif,'Stdtion. or cn~n tilt' signili('alion in tll(' .strit't 1\\'11:.1'. In
otlwr \\unls. tlw signiht'tl is tht' proposition insofar as Sl.'n:.l" ur th,lt
\\hidl is t'xpn'SM'f1, is distinguisht'tl from it. How{'wr, wht'n \\1' I'xh'nd
till' Sl,.'ri.ll Ilwthoo-in ordl'r 10 ('onsider two S4.·ril'S of t'\t·llts. t\\O
~'ril'S of things. t\\O :.I·ril'S of propositions. OT two S('ril'S of expn'Ssions
-homogl"ll'ity is onl~' dpparcnt: it is a!wa~'s the caS(' that Dill' St'ril'S
has till' rolt' of tht' signilil·r. and tilt' otheT Iht.· roll' of the signili,'tl. l·\'t'n
if tilt'S(' roil'S an· intl'Tdlangt'Cl a~ \\'1' changc points of \'ie\\,
Janlu('S LKan has brought to light the existence of two !>I.'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'at-
n'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 :<to~', thl'
n'M'lllhlann' of situations. or thl' idvntit~· of til\' ('harach·rs. But nothing
in ,111 this is l'sst·,Hial. 011 lilt' culltrar~', tilt' ('ssential .lppt'ars wlwn small
or grt'at diOi'rt'!1('n prt·t!Olliinatt· o\"t'r r('sl'rnhlanct's and hl'('onw pri.
m3l'~'; in othl'r words. \l'1lt'n twu (lui!\' distim·t storks ,lri' d,,\'t'lopt'd
~itllllltal1t'Ull.o;h-, or \\'111'11 tilt' ('hara('It'rs h"w a vadll.lting ami ill·dt·tt·r-
rnirll't1 id('11tit~', ,
It is 1·.lS}' to t'itt· various ,lllthor." \\ ho han' kno\\'l1 hOlt to ('rt'''h'
\IX I'll q 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 Rous-
M·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 ;'w ('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 modili-
cation 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<lUst·." J Witold Gombrowil"1.: l'Stahlislwd a signifyi;lg S4.·ril'S of hangl-d
animals (what do thl'~' sign;f~'?). and a signitil'1l S('rics of feminine mouths
(\\ hat is signi~\'ing ttWIll?); ea('h St.'ril'S dl'\'t'lops a s~'stcm of signs.
1'<OInetiml~s b~' ('XCt'SS, sonwtin1l's h~' (kfallit. and ('omllluni('atcs with
another I,,· nwans of strangt' intl'rfl'ring ohjt·(,ts and Iw nwans of tilt'
t'~f)h'rk \\.'ords pronoulll,t'd"hy L{'On,~ ~ ,
Tlm'e l'har.lt'h·Tistil's, tllt'n.foTl·. pt.'nllit tilt' ~I)('cilicati()n of tilt' rda-
tion 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('nlline<! as signif~'ing, to be predse, pr('sent" an t'xn'ss
0' t'r till' otll('r. For t1U'r(' is alwa~'s a blurn'll ('Xl't-'SS of signili,'r. hnall~',
\\(' r(';Kh tht' most important point, a n:~' sp('('ial and ll.lradoxil'all'aM',
"hidl L'nSUr('S the rclatit'e displan'mL>nt 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\<lan in which tht' t'Xist{,lll"'l' of S('rit'S in tilt'
unconscious is mad(' ('\·i(!t'nt. Here Lll'an dc'SCril)('S til(' signilit't.lll.ltt'nlal
St.'rit'S and thl' signif~'ing filial St'rks, J.nd shows in hoth til(' particular
role or a spc'Cial clement: thl' dd". ~ In Fmm'sans Wake. onn." again a leth'r
l'ausc:'S an entin' world of s;;ri(,S 10 communicah> 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 intcn-
sit~" 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'onHl111-
nil'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/<!n to
1/:><·1[. \Vc' must sa)' that the paradoxil'JI ,'ntil)' is l1en'r ,,1lL'rt, W('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<l: split apart, incomplete by naturl' or in
n·tation to itself. Its excess ah('J}'s n,fas to its own lack, and cOlwcrselv,
its lack always refers to its execss. Hut ('('ell th1.'Se delenninations a;c
lotill relati\"e, For that which is in I'XC('SS in one case is nothing but an
l'xtrt'Tnel~' mobile emp/), pIau: and that which is lacking in another case
b a rapidl), moving obj1.'Ct, an occupant IIi/hour a pIau, alwap supemu-
mcrat)' and displaced,
,In fal1., there is no strangc'r clement than this double-hcade<1 thing
\\'1Ih t\\'o lIne<lual or une\"en ·'hal\'\'s." As in a game, \\'e participate in
tilt' combination of till' empt), placc and the lX'rpetual displacement of
a piece. Or rather, it is as in the Shc'('p's shop, wheft' Alice discovers
till' mmplcmentarit)· of "the empty shelf" and of the "bright thing
al"a~'s in the shelf nl'xt abo\"e," that is, of the place without an
OC('UIl.l!H and of the occ'upant without a place, ,,·,ne most pro\'oking of
all" (oddest: the most incomplete, the most disjoined) was that "when-
t'\'IT Alin' 100k1.'l1 hard at any sl1('lf, to make Ollt exactl}' what it had on
ii, lilal particular shelf was always qlme (,I1IP/)" though th(' others round it
"l'ft' crowded as full as th~'}' could hold," How things disappear here,
:-a~'s silt' finally in .l plainti\'c tone, artt'f having slX'nt ahout a minute in
a \ain pursuit of a "large hright thing that lookl'll somc'times like a doll
'tIld 1t01ll('tilllt'S lih' a work-box, and was a/ll"lJ)"S m the shelf nc.1"/ aOOl'e th..
one shl.' lias 1dmS at ... I'll follow it up to thl' \'e~' top ~hclf of all. iI'lI
~~(uzle it to go througll the ct'iling, I expt-'Ctl" But ('\'cn this plan failed:
tI.H'dun,q \\('nt through tilt' c\'iling as quktl), as possible, as if it \\'ac
<IUlh' us('d to it."
~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<l in his work s('wfal nwtlu)(ls for developing sl·ril'S. We .find firs,
/11'0 sain of eren/.> 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 Iwcommg-
lllad \\'hkh n'WfSl'S their s('<IUl'ntial ardt·f. or with slight variations
acnmling to Ill\' Stoic f:ltum. Tht' young ('~'dist, who falls O\"l'r a hox in
till' fir.st ~('ril's of t'\TllIS, 1l0W protTl'd~ uninjured. But when tIll' h.mds
of the watch rl'lurn to tlwir original po~ition, the c~'di~t lies oncl' again
\\'OlIlHII,d on the wagon which takl's him to till' hospital, It is as if the
\\atch knew how l~ nllljun' tiP tht' an'idl'm, that is, tht' It'mporal
O('l'Urrt'tKt' of tilt' t'\"\'llI, hut not tht' En'nt its(,lf, tlll' result, lht' wOLind
as an dt"l"nal '\ruth... , Tht' Salllt' thing ,lgain happt:ns in tlw s('cond
part of ";)'/1/'" and 8runo (chaptl'r 2). \Vt'~ find in. it ,1 S("'!\(' which
n'prodm'('s, "l1wil with slight difl'('rl'IKt'S, a sn'lll' of tht' tirst part (the
\",lriahlt, position of til\' old man which is dd('rmilwd h\' thl' "pl,lrM',"
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<lgt' of the book. Thl' u-'lnsitions from OIl(' H'ri,'s to anotht'r, amlthl'
communication 1)('1\\"('('n series, an' gt'I1('falJ~' secured through a propo-
,~itioll whkh bL--gins in 0lU" sl'rit's ami ends in anothl..'f, or through
onomatop()('ia, that is, a sound which partakl's of both. (\VI.' do Ilot
undnst.md why till..' bt:~t of Carroll's comnwntators, a!)()\"(' .111 the
French, ha\"\' so many rl'snvations and trilling nitidsms with r('slX'(·t
to \dl"ll! ond Bruno, a mastt'rpil'cl' which, in comparison with Alice and
I1trouOh thc Lookin9-Cla~'s, di~plays a set of l'lllird~' nt'I\' techniques.)
1111rd, WI! .find 111"0 series C?f propositloflS (or rather, Ollt' s('ril's of proposi-
ti(Jtl~ and 0111' sni('s of "consumptions," or OIl{' scri('s of purl' ('xprl's~
.,ioll~ and one S('fi('s or denotations). Till'st' series an' charal·t"l'ized h)'
,</1'.'(1/ dlSflllfllY, ond art' rt',qulalt'd b)' means C!f till {'SOlale word, W(, must lirst,
hm\l'wr, ackno\\"l<-dgt' that Carroll's <-'soh'ric words belong to WI'\'
din~'l't'nt t~"pl'S. OtU' t~'PI' is fornwd by contral·ting the syllabic dl'nwnls
of olle proposition, or of 1ll.1n~· proJ)()sitiolls which follow OIU' anotlwr.
"01' I.'xalllpil', in S)'IL'lc and Bruno (chaptcr I), 'Yrt'lIJec" takl's till' pJan' of
"rou, royal f-!J,'/hllt'ss." This contr,lCtion aims at til\' t'xtraetion of till'
gJohal ~t'nsl' of tilt' l'tHin' proposition in ontl.'r to 1l;IllW it \\ ith ,1 sinc,1c
,~·llahll'-or.m "UnpronoUlll"eahlt- Mono~\"Ilahll.'," ,h C,lrroll ,~a\'s. \Vl'
klllll\ of dilTcrcnt proct'dun:s in Halll'lais :mtl Swift: I'()r t'X'lllll;lc, tht'
,~Ibhi(' I'Jongation with all o\"\'rloatl of ('onson,1111s; or tilt' simple dl"vo-
lali/.,nion, \\"ht'rt, onl~' consonants art' pn'st'l'\'t'd (as if tlwy w('rt' sUih,1I
to {·'l:prl".~.~ thl' St'l1~t' anti as if l'owl'1s werl' lllt'n'lv t'!cllwnts of (kllota~
tiOIl).1 III all~' (·,lSI." I.'soterl(' words of this fir~t t~'i)t' form a cotl11l'nion,
,I '~Iltllt'si~ of sun'.'s~ion \\ hich Iwars upon a single series.
"1-\'1 N 1'11"1-1(11':-' 01, 1'."0 rllUl' \"0 It 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)si-
lions 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' prob-
l~'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" (badg-
l·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 compos-
It(· ammal, shark + snake. Hut it is a seconda~' or acc("SSO'1' portman-
t.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:-"ihili-
tit':- .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'
l"Ouid 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!"
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<l~ 'fuming: ~'ou \\ill SJ.~' 'fuming-furiou:.·; if thl'~' tum.
('H'n Il\' a hair's bn'adth. to\\anls 'furious: \'011 will lkl\" 'furious-fuming';
hut if ~'Oll hOI\"(' that r.lfl'st of gifls. a Ix.. rf,~ly balan~,'d mimI. ~'ou "ill
,,;1.\' ·fr~lIllious.' " Thus. lilt' IW{'('Ssal'\' disjlllU"tion is not 1X'l\\'l'I'n fuming
al~d fllriom. lor IlIW ma\' indl't'd I,",: !loth al onc('; r,lthl'I', it is 1:>\.'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
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
It'n' \\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.-r-
foml 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 coordina-
lion 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.
... 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 i-
f"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<llUWT
IantJuage is acquin'1.l, til(" ck'nwnts of language must haw bel"n given all
tog~th~r .•tll at onn', since lh('~' do not exist ilUkpl.'nd(·ntly of their
IXlSSibic dilTen.'ntial rd.ltions. But the signified in gClwral is of the order
of the kno\\ n, though the kno\\ n is subjN:t to til(' law of a progressive
mon'nwnt which l;n:)(:"-'(.'ils from one part to :anotlwr-parres f.tffa
pofUS. And \\ hakH'r totalizations knowll'ilg(' ma~' pcrfoml, they remain
aS~'mptoti(' LO the \ irtual tot:alit~· of langul' Of language" "I."'ll' signif)'ing
~l'fil's on'ani"l'~ .1 pn'limin.lrv totalit,", wlwn'as till' signihL'i1 St-,ries .lr-
rangl's tI~, produCl,d totaliti~s. "TIlt'· L1nin-",l' signitit,;f long lx-forC" wc"
Iwgan to kno\\' what it was signil)·ing . , , Man, sino' his origin, has had
at his disposal a COrnpll'IL'Ill'SS of signifi('r which 11(' is ohstnlcLl,d from
allocating to a ,\igllirl'd, gin'n as such without hl'ing an)' IX'lh'r known.
TIll'n' b al\\a\s .
. an in.ldl'<luan· Ix'!wL'l'n th\' two,"
1
• not," "~onl\'thing," "(/!I'I1Ild," hut also th t ' famous "mall(/'; (or, )·<.'t again.
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<lu,,-'St of nature is, on th(' ("ontrar")", progrt·s.."i\"("IJartial, and ad\'anc('S
1oll'p b)' st("p. An)· SOCil'h' \\ hatSOl.·\'l"r has all of its niles at onc{'-
i~ridi~aJ. religious, politic"al. t'i-,onomic; laws gmwning lo\"{' and labor,
k,"shlp and marriagl'. st-,n"itude and f(('('(lom, lif(, and death. But th('
t"onqucst of natu((', without \\ hil"h it would no longer be a SOCK-t\', is
achie\"C(1 progrcssi\'e1)'. from am' sourct' of elwrg)' 10 another. from -one
~)j('C1"to a~other" This is \\h)· 1011" weighs with all its might, e\·cn Ix.fore
Its object. ~s k:own, and without en'r its object Ill'(-oming ('xa("tl)'
known. It IS tillS <!is<-'CJuilihriulll that makes (('mlutions possible" It is
not at all the case that rl'volutions arc <!et('mlilwd b)' tL'dlllical progres.~"
Rather, they arc made possihlt~ b)' Ihis g.lp hctween the two series,
whie.h solicils realignllwnts of the el'Onomic and political total it)' in
rdatlon to till' parts of tIlt' t{'chnical progrl'ss" TIll'n' are tht'rcforl' two
errors which in truth arL' OIW .1Ild the same: tilt' error of refonnism or
h'dlll~"ra('~r. ~\"hich aspires to promott' or imposl' Jhlrtial arr.lllgL'nwnts
of SOCIal relatIons a("cording to the rln-thm of tl'dlllic~1 achic\"('mt'nts.
and tht' error of totalitarianism, whid; aspirL'S to cons:itutc a totaliza~
tion of th(, signiliable and tIlt' known, according 10 the rlwthm of the
~odal totality ('xisting at a gin'n moment. TIlt' t~hn{)(. rat i; the natural
friend of the dictator-computcrs and dictatorship: but the rc\"olution-
Jr")' Ih"es in till' gap which sclJaralt'S tt'C'hnical progrL"SS from social
totalit)·, and inscrilx'S the!"C his <lrt'am of Ix'mlanent revolution" This
c1n'am, thc(('forl', is itsdf action, rcalit\", and an t'ffi'Ctiw mcnan' to all
('Stablisht-'(I ord('r: it rL'nden; possible what it dn'ams about.
. ~'t" us n'tu~n "t~ L6'i-Strauss' paradox; two ~rics lX"ing gin'n,
~lgmf)'lIlg and slglllf1('<!. thcrl' is a natural L'XCL--s." of til(' signif\"ing s<'rit~
and a natural I.lel.: of tht' signiliL'l1 scriL'S" Thcrl' is, 1ll"ct'Ssarih':a 'j1oorms
~19n:.fh2:. which is til(' sen'itlldt' of all finite thought, hut also "the ,;romis('
of .111 art, all po('lr~·, allll1)"lhic and at'stlwti<." Ill\l'ntion." Wt' \\(mld likl'
to add that it is til(' proll1is(' of all rL'\"olutiom. And tlll'n thl'n' is Oil tlw
otlwr sick' a kind ofJ!..0(/w/ sl,qn1ied, gin'n hy the signifit'r "without Ix'ing
I"hl'rl'h~· known," without Iwing theft'by assiglll'd or rL'alizl'd" LC\.i-
Strauss prnpoSl'." to intlTpn't in this wa)· the words "gad~L·t" or "what.
1"l(illTlI \1"1(11 ... (H ""IHJ<-TURI· 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 thing-
two 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 I<lr a struc-
Ill',' in gelwral: I) Tlwrl' must IX' at least two Ill'h·ftlg,'nl·ous Sl·ri('s. OIlt·
of whit'll shall 1>0..' 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('m-
hl.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.

Ninth Series of the
Problematic
What is an i<lt·al ('\"enl? It is a singlilaril~'-or ratht·r a St'( of singular-
ilit:s or of singular points characterizing a matlwmaticall'1Jrw", a physical
stale of affairs, a psychological and moral pcrson. Singularities an.'
turning points and points of inlleetion; bOttll'll<'Cks. knots. foyers. and /
centers; points of fusion, condensation, and boiling; points of lears amY
joy. sickncs.... and hcahh, hope and ansi('t~·. "scnsitin:" points. Such
s;ngularitks. hOWl'\'cr, should not be (~onrus~'{1 either with til(' p('rson~
alii)' of the aile l'xpressing Iwrsdf in dismunw, or with the individual it)'
of a stall' of affairs cll'signaled by a proposition, or {'\'Cll with tilt'
gcnaalit~' or unin:rsalit~' of a conet'pt signilit'(! by a figure or a CUfve,
The' singularit), I>clongs 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<liO'('rt.,nt to thc in<li\'idual and the
<'ollt't.'th·t" til(' pcrsonal olnd tht' imp(~rsonal. th{' partkular and the
gl'm'ral-and to their oppositions. Singlilarit)' is m:lllral. On the other
hand, it is not "ordinary": tllt' singular point is opposc.,d to the or·
din... r),.l
We said that a Sl't of singularities corn'sponds to each one of till'
sc.'ri\'S of a I'lrUclUn', Con\"\'rsdy, each singularity is the source of a
p NINTII :>1::11.11,,, <n
~l'ril's cXh'nding in a dl'lcrmilll"(l din'<:tion right up to the vicinit\' of
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:'(lis-
trihutl'll, transfomlcd into on(' anal her, and <'hang(' St'ts, If th{' singular-
iti('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 \'x-
ample, ideal Protestanism and n'al Lutheranism. J 'n1e distinction how-
l'\'('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
, re\' (S . - IS
.. OI11slll " I"lr.~t am I 'roremost to remo\'c l'SS('IlCl'S
,1nll to sub.'titutl' ('n'nts in their plan', as jets of singularities, A douhle
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' prop-
t'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 <!l'tt'nnim·d as a
probll'm. for example. in til\' theory of dilTl·n'ntia.1 t'quations. tlw
('xist,,'lu:(' and distribution of :.ingularitil'S an' n,lati\"{' to a prohlt'mati{'
lit'ld tldil\{'tl h)· the {'quat ion J...' SUdl. A:. for til(' solution, it Jppt'Jn;
onl)' with till' integral <:Uf\('S and tht.~ foml tht')' tah' in till' \ idnity of
singulJritit:s inside tht' lil'ld of \("!-·ton;. It M'('IllS. tht'n'for,,', th.lt 3
pr~bk'm ,lh\a)'s fintls till' solution it mait:.. a{"{"onling to tht' condition:.
whid1 tll't{'nninl.-' it as a prohlt·m. In fa{'t, til\" singularities pn':o.idt, o\'t'r
till' gt'l1l.:sis of the solutions of tht' t'(llI.,tion, NOlWtlll'lt'ss, it i:. ~till tilt'
caSl', as Lautman said, that tlw in.~lan{"l'-prohlt.-rn and till' in:.t:mn'- Jl
solution difli:r in natun' s_as t1wy rqm'sl'l1l n·sl}l'{·tin,ly tlw ilk.1V
t'wnt and its sp"tio-h'mporal rt'alization, \Vl' must tlll'1l hn'.lk \\ith tlw
long hahit of thought whkh for{'l's us to l·on:.idl·r tht' prohlt'matit' as a
:.uhjt'(·tin- ('at<')~on' of our knowk'tlg", or <l:o. an t'mpirit"al mnnll'nt \\ hid1
\\ould imlkah:- ol~l)' till' illllx'rft"!-·ti~n of our I1wthod and till' unhappy
lwn'll.~ih' for us not to kno\\ dlll'ad of tinw-a 11l'('l'Ssi!\' \\hidl \\ould
tli.:o.aPI)o,';r J..' \\l' acquirl' knO\dt'(lgl'. 1:\('11 if tlw prohll';n b. tum·l'..1I('(!
In ib :.ollltion, it suhsists nOlwtlwll'ss in tht' Idl'.l \\hidl rd..1h'S it to its
c~lIldition:o. <lllli organizt':. tilt' ~I'Ill':o.b of the :o.olutiom. \Vithout tllis ItI(,..1,
till' :'>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'roh-
It·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.ahlt-
hori/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 <lsumllT, but this was
lUI longer til I.....: ,1 lim' had inh'rs':I:lt'I! thl'Ill, making tI\(' 1\\"0 inlt'rior angl('s
, -
\(~('t1l<'r kss than two ri£hl alwll's,
,
\\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?
>
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 furious-
fuming? [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 through-
out 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.

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 ques-
tion 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 de-
plo),l'd in the ramified sl·ries. This prohlem docs not at all express a

{f> NINTH SI,Rlh~ OI'TIII·.I'KOliLI,MATIC NINTll "HUI'~ eH Till· I'JUIIII I',\IATIC f)7

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'<! rt'Slx>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~·
dl~tint"t. beh OIl(' of tlwlll hrin\!" "hoUl .1 tixt·tl distrihution l'orr('spnntl-
inl!
•
to on.. I·a.....· or another. (I-~I'n ,d1\'n tht' , g.lInt' is IM~I'd
0
on a sinull'
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 and nuult'ri-
1.llh·. di~tinct distributions, and tilt' t'nMling •
n'sults, Thl's,,, 0uanws ;In'
p.1rti,11 in t\\O wa~'s: first. tl1t'~ dl.lrat'h·riz\' only 1IIl(' Il.lrt of human
.ll"tivit ..... and s(·cond. I'("('n if thn'. .In' puslll'd to tht' ahsoluh', lhl'\'. (('Win
c/WIlCi: Oll~.r (// cerlain POI/liS. It-a\'ing till' remaindt'r 10 thl' llln'hankal
clt" t'lOpllwllt of consl'qul'Ilt'es or 10 skill. Undt'l'.~tood as till' art of
t.lll:-;llity. It is inc\'itablt' tlwnofort' that, IX'ing tlwmsdw!' mixl'd, tht'y
rl,fa to another t~'I>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 (;r
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'
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(' oth-
l'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"
I 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-
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<!l'nlv
IX'I~I o\"('r and blew with all his 'might in ordl'r to spl.'(od lip "or to thwa;t
till' rolling llall, hl' \\'ould 1)(' stoppc."tl, thrown out, and till' mo\"(' would
Ill.' annulll"tl. \Vhat would h...w I>('('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
dr<llt"ln,qs r<',/lIIrfS on I/!flnne umounI rif lime: !11 rftl/II)', II $1!Oiu5/001 11m,' bf il!fimulj
~lIbdlrlSlb/,'. as is til(' ('.lSI' in tht' famous p<1rable of tht' Tortoisl' ,lilt! I-Ian,.l
Tht' fundamental qucstion wilh which this l('xt Ican's liS is this: what is
this time which nc(,J not be in/-inite but only "infinitd~' sul)(li\'isiblc"?
It is the Aion. W(' ha\'e S(.'Cn that past, preS('nt, and future were not :,1'""""1
all thR"(' parts of a singk' teml)()ralit~" but that tl1(')' rather fom1l'd two
readings of tinlt', ('ach onl' of which is completl' and excludl'S the other:
on all(' hanel, tht, always limited prt'Sl"nt, which measurt.'S the action of
Ixxlics as cauSt-'S an<1 the statl' of their mixtures in depth (Chronos): on
thl' othl'r, tht, l'$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<lllSl'. SomfIJmCS, on Ihr: OIher
 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·tell-
ing 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 4which
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'<l. an t'mpt~· form of time.
indt,pt'mlenl of all matter, Ont' of till' l'SOh'rll' won:l~ found in "Jablwr.
\\Ql'ky" ('Ontaminatl'S hoth tinu'S: "walK'," for, atTording to one St'nst',
"waoc'" must hI' undl'r,.,toocl as ha\'ing hl't'n t1,'ri\{'t.l from "swab" or
"soak." In this ca.....·• it \\(lJ,lld d,'Signate til(' rain-dn'ndu'{l 1,1\\ n sur·
roumling a sllndi,ll; it is tilt' ph~'sicoll amll-~'dil'al Chrol101r'of tilt' variahll'
li\ ing
, Iln'selll, But in ,Ulotllt'r M'nSI', it is till' 1,1Ilt' l'xh'llIling
, far ahead
and far IlI:hind, .. w,,\'-hl·... ",I IOIl~ W,1\' h,'lon', ,1 long wa\· Iwhind." It is
• L. ~.
tlh' ill<.'orpon'al Aioll \\ hil..'h h,lS Ill't'n unfoldl·d, It has 1X'(,:oille autono-
muus in tilt' al't of dbil1wstillg itsl,lf from its mattl'r and 111'1':; in hoth
din'rtiun:; at 0110', toward tlh' futun' and toward till' pa:;t. [n it, ('wn
r,lill f,llts horizontally follm\ing tlU' h~'P0tlll'sis of ,~d"I" and Bruno, This
Aioll, Iwing straight lil1l' and ,'mpl)' form, is til\' linl<' of ewnts-d1ixts.
h2 'II N'11t .,1 lUI ., 01 '1'111 Illh\l GAM I
Jmt ;l:. tl,.. pn'S\'nt llleasures tI,.. h'llIpOr,ll n'aliz,ltion or tl,.. I'\'l'nt-
th,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'
~igns 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' pro-
11'1'(1:>., \\ ho:>.1.' ganw is Iimih'(l to a plTlx'tll,ll .lllu"ion, \\ ithuut Ilf"(',lk-
mg 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
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<-'<Iuate to the ('min' Aion; each e\'t'nt communicates
with all others, and they all form one and the same bent, an ('\'cnt of
the Aion wheT<' the)' ha\'c an clernal truth. This is Ihe secret of the
('\'ent: it exists on thl' line of till' Aion, and yct it docs nol fill it. How
could an incorp0T<'al fill UI) thl' incorporeal or the impenetrable fill up
the impenetrablt'? Onl~' bodies penetrate each other, only Chronos is
filk·d up with stat<-os of affairs and the mo\,ements of the objects that it
nU'asures, But being an empty and unfold<-od fonn of time, the Aion
subdiddes ad infinitum that which haunts it without ever inhabiting it
-till' Ewnt for all eWllts. This is wi1\'. the unih', of ewnts or effects
among themseln"S is \'('ry difft'rent from the unit)' of corporeal cau.scs
among th(·mscln..'S,
Thl' Aion is the ideal player of the game; it is an infu~od and ramified
chance, It is th..: unique cast from which all throws are qualitati\'eI)'
distinguished. It pla~'s or is pla)'l,.-d on at least two tables, or at Ihe
border of two tablcs. Thert', it traces its straight and bis('l.'ling linc, It
gatlwrs togt~tlU'r and distributes ovcr its ('THin' It'ngth the singularities
corresponding to both. The two tables or series arc like the sk)' and Ihe
l'arth, propositions and things, expressions and consumptions, Carroll
would sa~' that the~' are the multiplication table and the dinner table.
The Aion is pn'Cisely tht· border of thl' two. the straight line which
separates them; but it is also tll{' plain surface which co~ts them, an
impl'rwlrable window or glass. It eirculatl's ther~fore throughout the
sail's and nC\'cr ccaSl'S to r<'lI('Gt ami to ramifv, t1WIll. It makes Olll' and
till' saml' t'\'{'nt till' ":XpR'S.'i<-'<! of propositions and til(' attribule of things.
It is Matlanoc's gamt', Ihal is, "the Ixx>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 proposi-
tion 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,

Elen'll th Series of
Nonsense
Lt" 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~· s<luan.' and Sllp('rnllnl('ra~' ohjt·ct. a plan'
withOlll an {x'cupant and an IXTlll>a1lt without a plan'. "lIo.11ing signi-
lier" 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" <lI'nOI('d in two wa\'s: "For
til\' Snark was a BoOjUlll, ~:Otl Sl.'I·, .. \VI' ~hould not imagil1l' that til\'
gl'nus and SI>I.'{'i,'s is Iwn' '- -
BIMljUIll is ,1 I)artit-lilarl" fright,'ning slX'cies of SnMk; the rdation of
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
~l'l'," \Nortl=x ill" S\'ries hut ,11 till' :.,1l1ll'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
L In ':Mlh'ril' \\onls in gl'lll'ral (it. thing.
~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. ";rsr fiaure: thl' para-
doxical 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 . it ~\'s
, the seilS<' of \\ hat it .s.J\'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
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:on<li.
tion (:annot han:- with its negati\'(' the same kind of relation that the
conditionl't:! has with its ncgatin', TIl(' logic of ~nse is nl'n-ss.lrily
det('nnined to posit Ix,twC<'n Sl'nse and nonscnsc an original t~"JC of
intrinsic relation, a Illode of co-pn'sl'ncl'. For tilt' timl' IJCing, we may
onl), hint at this mode b), dl'aling with nOnst'llst' as a word which sa~'s
its own Sl'llSC,
'I'll\' paradoxical clement, undl'r the two pR'Q-ding figllrl'S, is non·
se.'nsc, Hut the nomlal laws are not ('xactl~' opposed to the two figun-s.
Tll('SC figurt'S, on the contra,,)'. SUbSUIlW nomlal words endowl't:! with
SCllse.' under th<'Sl:' laws which do not appl~' to them, Any nomlal name
has a Sl,'ns<' which must be denot("(1 b\' anoth('r name and \\ hi<.'h must
dctem,ine tht' disjunctions fillL't:1 h~' other nanl('S, Insofar as tlll'se naml'S,
which an.' cndo\\,("d with .'it'nse. an' suhject to these laws, they recei\"('
JClI'rmlnmiorlS l?{ siOrl!f!coliorl. Tlw dch'nnination of signification and the
law an' not til(' same thing; tilt' fonner dl'riws from the latter and
rt'latl'S nalTK'S, that is, wonls and propositions, to ('OnCl'pt..., properties,
or classes. Thus. wh('n til(' regrl'ssh'c law slates that tht..· sense of a name
must lx' denoted by another nam(', tht..'S(' nam('S of different degrees
n,ft'r, from the I>oint 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 deter-
mination 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 proposi-
tions. 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 ~h.l.S nOlll'tlll'I"ss a :>t';':'<\ ,lilt! til\' seIlS,' or tilt'
;1~lq}t'nd{'nlof 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:pa-
rahl(· 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,
"\t'nl is 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
or
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
III \ I "':TII .. I RII" 01 \0"':'11\'1 7'
 r.)tigul' with thi.~ intt'rmin;\hll' disl.:oUrSl', in which olle womkrs wlwthcr
neither man nor (;<x.!; singlilaritil's ",hil'h an' Iwithl'r general nor indi-
it is th.. ass which 1()J.d~ man or man who loads tlU' ass and himself. ddllal, Ilt.'illwr personal nor 1I1lh ersal. All of this is trawl'S...· " by circu-
Mon'O\'l'T. \\"t' ha\'(' til\" impression of a pure COllnt<'T-SI,'IlSl.' imposed on I.ltiolls, (.'('llOes, and ('WllL~ which prochllT mon° seilS\." morl' fn'Cdom.
so.'IlSt': for. in ,1Il~' ""'St" he.wenl), or suhtt:rrancan. sellSC is pn'ScI\H·d as
and morl' strength than man h,ls ("\Tr t1r(';;lllwd of, or <";00 l'\"Cr con 4
i'riIK'iplt-, R,'S{'Tmir. R('S('TW. Origin. As hcawnl~' Principle. it is said to n·iH....I. Today's task is to make till' ('mpt~· square circulatt· and to make
hI,' fundanU'ntall~' forgotten and noiled or, as suhtclTi'Il1('an prindplC'. it
pn'-indi\-idual and nonpl'rsDnal singularitks s(>l'ak-in short. to pro-
i... Solid 10 be d,"Cply ('Tast-"d. di\"l·rtl"<l, and alienatl'd. But I:)\.'lwath the dun' St.'nSl·_
,·T.J:.\ln' .1Iul th(' \'cil. we arc summoned to T{'(lisco\'('r and to n-stoT('
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<!lIan' .for
H I-VI:.NTII 'I-RII-l<> 01- NONSI,NSI, 13
72 ... I'VI-NTII ' I lUI '01' NON"'''N~I-

Twdfth Series of
the Paradox
We 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<lp'<J .1/c.lfhematlccJ. \Vhat is good
for Carroll is good for logk. W l , ("annot gt't rid of l>.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
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
or
prl'M'nt .n tilt' gt·Il\·... i:o. tilt' nllltr.ltliction. TIU' prilll'iplt' of (ontr.~dil·.
!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\\. goo<l St.'nSf.' is said of 0Ilt' din'Ction onh': .
it is tht' uni(lllt· S('nsc and "Xprt'SSI'S lIlt' d('maml of an orda JC('ording
to whkh it is Ill.'<:{·ssar\' , to dloos,' OIll' din'Ction and to hold onto it.
Thi... din'(·tion is ('.lsi!)' d(·tlTmillt,d as that whidl gOt'S from till' most
diffl'rt'ntialt'(l to the !('ast lliITl'rc:'ntiatL.. 1, from Ihings to Ihe primonlial
1m'. '111e aITO\\ of time get." ils oril'ntalion from Ihis dirl"l:tion, sir\{"'(' thl'
mo...1 diITt'rt'ntiatl'(l 1lt"t·('S..... ril,. apjx~ars as j>asl, 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
util t'; "nn Oil\' hand and on till' other hantl" is its forl11u!.l.
. distrih-
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,
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 endo-
SUR"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'r-
atun' 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
ami ~'('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
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 com-
mon 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) con-
sdousneSSl'S, col1traf)' to good S<'IlSC or, IX'hind the back of consctoUS-
nt'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('nnom-
etcI'. 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:<oluh'" position in relation to it. S,'nsl' is ah\a~'lo an l·lfl,..1 prodm'l't1
in tilt' sail'S h)' til\' inst,1I1c(' \\ hidl tr,l\'l'rSl'S tlwlll, This is wh\, Sl'nSl'.
:<lIl'h as it is gathen,J owr the lillt' of tll\' Ainn, has two side~ whkh
{'l)rrcspond to th.... dissymnll'tril'al sid..,s of till' !l.u,]doxil'al c1l'1111'nt: OIl('
tending to\\ard the senl's deh'mlilll'(! as signi(\'ing, till' otl1l'r tt·nding
to\\ard tilt' St'ril'S (letenninl"(l as signHit"lI, Sellst-' insists in aile of til('
St'Til's Iproposihons): it is that \\hich (',111 Ix' ('Xprl'S,"l-"lJ h~' propositions.
hut dOl'S not mage with the propositions \\ hkh ('xprl"'SS it. SeilS(' crops
up :<uddl'IlI~' in till' other serit's (stah'S of affairs): it I:. the attriblltl' of
,tatt'S of alTa irs, but dOl'S not ml'rgl' \\ith til(' stat<· of aAairs to \\hich it
i!o ..ttributed, or with the things and qualities whi('h rl'alize it. What
IX'mlits t1lt'n'fore thl' ..ktl·mlination of Oil(' of thoSt· s..:ries as sigl1if~'ing
.lIld of the otllt'r ,lS signilil'd are prl't:isd~' tlll'S(, t\\0 aspects of Sl'l1Sl'
(insish'lll',' and extra-Ix:ing) and thl' two aspects of nonsense or of th....
paradoxic'11 d~'l1lt'nl from which thl.'~' derive (I'mpt)' S(lllarl' and supcr-
nUllll'ra~' obit·('t; placl,' without Ol'l'Upant in one Storks and occupant
\\ ithout placl' in tilt' otlwr), This is \\ h~' Sl:1lSl' is tlu.' objl.'ct of funda-
Illl'ntal paradox('s \\ hich rqx'at till' f-igurt..'S of 110llst'llst·. But the gift of
."Il'IN· Ol'l'UTS onl\' \\hel1 the conditions of signili('atiol1 arl' also !x'ing
t1t'tl'nninl'(l. 'l1u: tl·n11." of tIll' St.·rit'S, once I;ro\ idt"(l \\ ith Sl·l1Sl'. \\ ill
,ulll><'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

Thirteenth Series of the Schizophrenic
and the Little Girl
Nothing is mon' fragil(' than till' surfan'. [s not this s('Condary organi-
zation threatcnl'f! by a monsh'r en:n more awesome than til(' Jabbcr-
wock~'-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 neighbor-
ing 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;
1
,I 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 portman-
h'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' im-
pn'~"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
TlllkTH NTH ''''Itll'~ 0 .. Till- 'oCIlIi,OI'lIIHN1C 81
allotlwr Ilorid and in all .. nlin·I~· difl~·r.. nt bngll,lge.! \Vith horror. \n-
n.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 IJn-
l..: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<I.'1'-s '!f rh,' 'lJ~f<l(c
\1 hkh .,nwl1 of h.lppy IdMrn's and of intdlectllal SllnT~S-.lS if tilt' intcllcct
n·lit-d OTI til\' .lIlUS. hut without any IWJrt or .~oul in it. TIl<' Jntls is ,1Iw,1)"S
tnror. and I will not ,lllmit tl1Jt 0Ill' los('s all I'X{T\'nlt'nt without bdng torn
from, tlwrdl\" losing OIlI"S soul as \\'1'11, and ,Iwn' is no soul in "j,lhl)(·T\\·(X·k"."
... On,· Illa;' in\"('I;' orlt'\ I.mguag('. and lllakl' p\lr,· IallgU.lgt· slx'ak with' an
(·xtr.l-grarnrnJtil·al or a-gramrniltiral nwaning, hut this Ilwaning must h.l\"(·
"aim' in itsdf. tllat is. it must issllI' from tortllt'nt. .. , "Jahbl·rwI)(·ky" is tll('
work of a 1'1'01;1<...·1' who, sJtiatcd afh'( a l;rll' Illt'al. SI'I·b to indulg" himsdf in
till' polin of others.... Wlwn onl' IJigs through tilt' shit of hl.'ing and its
languagl'. till' Ixx'llI Ilt'CI'SS,lril~' Mlll'lI" h.ldl)·.•md "Jahl)('I"\\'o,:ky" j" J P(WIll
\\'hos.: iluthor took stqJS to h'I'p hirm•...If from till' utnhll' l.,...ing of suITt'ring
into whit'h 1'1'('n'. QI'n"lt 1)()('1 has 1)lull",~d, Jnd h.wing I>':('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 ,'011-
l>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 "<lrbrc."
.md ilgain as a n'sult of the T which rl'Curs in the HehH'w tl'rm; and
since til\' Russians sa)' "Jern(J" for In','. one can (''lually wi'll trilnSfOrtll
"tnT" into .. ten·... wilh T I>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 pri-
l11Jry. 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 popula-
tion. 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'm-
THllt'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\,(<Ilit~" as Artaud sa~"S, it ulldt'rlil'S
Carroll"s work e\·crywhen.'), I ik\'\\ isc, wl1('1\ Artaud dndops hil' own
antinol1lic scri('s-"to 1)(· and to o''ll.'~'' to lin' and to ('xist, to a("t and
to think. matter and soul. I)()(k .loti mind"-hc himsdf hal' till'
impression of an cxtraordina~' r,'st'mhlam'e with Carroll. I-k translah's
Ihis impression b)' sa)'ing thai Carroll had n'adwd out across timl' to
pillage and plagiarize him. Anlonin Artaud, both with n,:,pect to Ilumpty
Dumpty's poem about the Hull' lishl's and with fl..-Spl'ct to "Jablx'r-
wock~'"" And }'et, why did Artaud add that his writing ha..o; nothing to
..
do with Carroll's? Wh\'. is this {'xtraordinary familiarit\' also a radical
and ddinitt, strangeness? It suOin's to ask onn' more how anti wheft'
Carroll's Sol:ril'S arc organized, The two SC'rks are articulau'i.l at the
surrae<"" On this surfaa.", a Iilll' is lih· the frontier bl'tween two series,
propositiolls and things. or Ix,tw('l'n dim('nsions of the same proposi-
tion" Along this line, sense io; daborat('fl, both as what is expressed by
the proposition and as thl' attribute of things-the "expressiblc" of
exprl'ssions and the "attrihutablt," of denotations, The two st:ries arc
therefore articulated by their differl'nee, and SI'nSI' trawrses tilt' ('ntire
surface. although it rt'.lllains on it.~ own line. L1ndoublt'fIl)" this imma-
It'rial sl'nse is the result of COrIXlr('al things, of t1wir mixtures, and of
their actions and l>.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
prim.l~· aSpt·l."t of 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'trat-
l ng .111d hrui:.ing it. \V(' haw aln'ad\' M'en thai this \\as till' case for til('
- .
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 <Iu.llitit·s, in\",ltl("
tilt' !)()(h- \\ ht'n' tilt'\' fonn a mixture and a new stah' of alT.lir:., ,lS if
till'\' tht:mst'lws \\"t';t' a noi.~~'. poisonous fOQ(I ami camwd t'X("fl'lllt'nL
Th;' pans Ill' tlw 1)f)(1~" its organs. an:' dc!t'rmin..'{1 in \'irtm' of dt,.'om-
pos..d t,I.'lllt'nts w!lkh afTl'Ct and ass.lil tlwm,7 In this pa~ion. ,1 pur..'
l.mgu.lg,·.atlt'(-t is substituted for th.' ('fT{'("t of languag..·; "All \\riting is
1'1<"; SIlIT" (that is to sa~·. I'H'~' lix('(1 or \HiUt'n word is dt'('ompost't!
into nois~" alinl{'nta~', and t'xl'f('mt'ntal bits),
'-:or til(' schizophr("nil', thm, it is I(oss a qucstion of T{'m\'l'ring
ntt.'aning than of tlt'stroying the word. of mnjuring up the atTn't, and of
tr:lIlsfonning till' p"inflll passion of the hody into a triumphant action,
olll,otlie-nn' into mmmand. alwa~'s in this (kpth Ix'neath th(' lissuf{'d
surfac(", TIlt' studt.'nt of languagt"S pro\·id..'S th..· example of tht' mt'allS b~'
\\ hieh tht' painful t'xplosions of the word in til{' mat("mal languagt' arc
t-on\"(~nl'(l into action:. rdati\'(" to th(' fOf('ign languagl'S, \Ve saw a Iittlt'
whil.., ago that wounding wa'i accomplish('(l b)' m{'ans of phonetic elemenu
atTt'('ting tilt' articulatt·d or dis,lftinllat{'d parts of tilt' bo..ly, Triumph
may now he rt'adwd onl), through the- crt'ation of br("ath-words (mms-
SQ'!.OJes) and howl-words (molS-ms), in which all !itl'Tal, s~'lIabic, .md
pholletit' values hOI\"(' ht't:'n rcplal.l.'tl by 1"0/1/('$ ll-hich ort ('uJuSJ\'ch' 10",<' and
not wriU("n, To th('S(' \·aIUt.'S a glorious I)(){I~' rorn'Spomk lx'ing a ne\\'
dimension of the schizophT('nic I)(){I~', an organi"m without !);)rts which
'operatt'S t'ntircl~' b~' insufllation, Tt.'Spiration. {'vaporation. and lIuid
transmission (the superior Ixxl~' or Ixxl~' without organs of Antonin
Art3Ud)," Umloubtedl~" this dlar.lcterization of til(' actin' pron'dure, in
opposition to tllt' pr<X:eduTt, of !l<lssion. ,lpp('ars initiall~' insuflieknt:
lIuids. in fact, do not Sl'('1ll It·ss hamlful than fragnlt'nts, But this is so
IX't.'auSl' of tltt' a'-tion-passion amhi\'al,,'n("(', It is h,,'n' that the contradic.:.
tion 1i\'t'(l in sd\izophn'nia liruls its IT'al point of application: passion
Jml action art' tht' inst'parahlt' polt'S of an ambi\·alenn.·, l)('C"au.st." t1lt~ two
I.lnguag.'s which tllt'~' fonn Ix'iong inSl'parabl~' to til{' 1>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)()<l~" TIlt' lIuid is nt'('t'SSdril~'
t'Urrupt..'tI, but not b~' itst'lf. It 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{'(! li<luid, that' is th~'
un\\ ritt..'n M'('r<>t 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<lrts, It is in
this st'nsc.' that An.llld transfonn!'> 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 apos-
tropln'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
<IUl'Stion of transfonning tlw \\onl into an action hy rc-nd.'ring it
i'KJpahlt., of bl'ing d..'Compos(xl and ilwapahle of disinh-grating; lon.ql/o9f?
IIJ1hOlil "'"eu/Ol/O/!. TIl(' ct'ment Iwrt' i.~ ,1 p,llatalizt'd, ,m-organil' principle.
,1 wa-blol'k or a St'a·m,lSS, \Vith Tl',"I)I.'('t to tilt' Ru!'>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<o to .l..<;SUf{' tht' fusion of
WlhOnalll.'i (til{' Iingubt':. soft sign), I{.lth.'r th.ln St.'IMrating tht' conso-
nJnts and re-ndering tlwlll pronoullet·ahlt'. 0Ilt' ..'ould sa\' th.lt tht' \'o\wl,
ont'..' rt'(lun·d to th.. suft :.ign. n'rult,rs tht' ..·onsonants i;ulissoci.lhlt' from
(JIlt' .1I1OtlU'r, by pal,ltalizi~lg tllt'lll, It 1."l\'('S tlWIll illt.-gihlt· ,lilt! ..'\'I'll
lI11pl'onmll1c('ablt." as it trans/onns tllt'1ll into so Ill.lm· acti\'(' 110\\11<0 in
OIl" contilluous bn'ath." Th(,S{' howls arc \\ddt"(l t~(,tlll'r in hr".lIh,
lik t" tht' nmsonants in th.' sign \\ hil'h liquili.'S th.'m~ likt, li:.h in tilt'
t""".ln-ma~s, or lik.. the IlOnl'S in tilt' blood of tilt' hoth \\ ithout 0fJ!an~.
" 'ign of lin'. a \\.l\(' "which ht"it.lt,,, I)('t\\t't'n g.b·,ultl \\alt'T,',"-said
\rt'H1d. 'Illt' howls an' gurgling:. in bn'Jth, ...
Wlwll t\rt.uHI ~~'s in his "Jahl'lt'mol'k~'" "L1ntil rourgllt' is to Illuarxlw
11,1' rangmhd., ,lIld r,mgmlxl{' h.ls rouargllamhd,'," Ill' nlt'ans to .l(·th·;h'.
t1huI11ah'. I>'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<.', Unrersmn-
this 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.'
(IfC IW 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<ls, and on thc other, th{' logical attribute of bodi.."S. Although sense
rt-sults from the actions and th.., passions of til(' bod)'. it is ~a r<'Sult
\\ hich differs in naturc, since it is neither a(1.ion nor passion, It is a
result which shelters sonorous language from an~' ('onfuskm with th.,
physicallxxl)', On the contrar~', in this primar)' ordl..'f of sc.:hizoplm·nia,
tlw onl), duality It.'ft is that Ix:tw('('n the actions and th... passions of th.'
hod)', Language is both at once, being entirely reabsorbed into th('
gaping depth, There is no longer an~,thing to prc\'('nt propositions from
falling hack onto lxxiiI'S and from mingling their sonorous dements
with the hody's olfactory, gustator~', or dig('sti\'c aOe(·ts. Not onl)' is
thl're no long('r an)' sc:nse, but there is no long('r an)' grammar or s)'ntax
('ither-nor, at the limil, arc therl' arl\' . articulated svllabic,
, literal, or
phonl'tic defll<.'nts, Antonin Artaud could ha\"(' entitled his t.'SSa)' "An
Antigrammatical Effort Against u'wis Carroll." Carroll net-ods a \'e')'
strit1. grammar, r{'<{uir<.'t.1 to (.'Onscn·e the inflection and articulation of
words, and to distinguish them from the inflection and articulation of
bodks, W"fC it onl\' throuj!h the mirror which reflects them and sends
a m<.'aning back t~ tht'm,11 It is for this reason that we can oppose
Artaud and Carroll point for point-prima~' order and seconda')'
organization. '1111' su1au Strlts of thc "to cat/to speak" type have reall}'
nothing in common with the polts if tkplh which arc only appar('ntl~·
similar, The twofis",a '!f nonsense at the surface, which distribute St'nsc
IX'1\t"('('n til<.' st'ril's, ha\"e nothing to do with tilt' two dll"es mlo nonsenSt'
\\ hidl drag along, ,'ngulf. and reabsorb so.:nsc (Umcrsmn). Tht' two fomls
of stuw'ring, till' donk and tlw tonic an' onl,. roughl), analogous to
till' 1\\0 sdlizophn·nic languages, 'I'll(' break (colIl'un~) of the surfacc has
nothing in {'OllllllOn with the d..,cp SpallUn,q. TIll' contradiction which
\\as gra"p"'d in an inlinilt.' sulxli\'i.~ion of til"-' past-future On'r thl' in-
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 ('on<IU<'TC,(! it. En'n at till' sllrfan'. "c' c'an ,ll\\a~'s
lincl ~:hizoid fr,lgllwnts. sinn' its function is prc.'('isd~' to organi/(' and to
clb,play "knwnts whit'h haw riSl.'n from tht, dq>th, 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 an<llal·ll.:!s of alinll'ntary words whit-h arc.' tluick to e1I'composl';
her loss of ilkntit\', till' fish and thl' St'a, ... Om' can still wonder what
kind of ma(hwss i~ dinically rl'prt'sl'ntl.:d by tht' llalt!'r, the Marl'll Hare,
and til{' 1)0rmOUSt'. And orw can always rc.'l·(Jgni7.(' in the opposition
IW!\\'c't'n Alin: and Humpty I)umpt~' the two amhi\'a1c'nt poll'S: "frag-
mt'nh'(l organs-hod~' without organs," bod~'-sit'n' and glorious body.
Anaud had no other rl'.....un for confronting tht' text of Humpty
Dumpt~'. But, at this prc"("isc:' nlOmc.'nt, we c'ould Iistl'n to Artaud's
warning: "I han' not producl'<1 a translation. , , . I han' nC.'wr likl'<1 this
pot:m, ~ .. I (10 not lik.c· tht, surfan' (XK"IllS or tht, languagcs of the
surfan'." Had 1)S~'choanaIYl>i .. 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 histor-
ical 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,l-
tion 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 :<oCllJI.:OI'IIRloNlt' ')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'<!. up b~' its
cause, It ('SCalx"s and aAimls its irn"llucihility only to the extent that t1w
causal rdation comprises til(' h('\{'rog('ncit~' of cauS(' and effect-the
COIUll'{"tion of callses bctw('{'n th('IllSCh'CS lind thl' link of {'At·t:ts bl"t\wcn
lhemsdves. This is to say lhat incorporeal sense, as till' result of the
actions and the passions of thl' body. may p1'('s(:1'\"c its difTen'llCt' from
thl' mrpoTC'al cause onl~' to the d<-"grcc that it is linke·d, at thl' surface.
to a <Iuasi-cause whil'h is itself incorpon'al. 'Ill(' Stoics saw d<'arl}' that
thl' <:wnt is slIbjl'l't to a double calisaJit)'. referring on OIW hand 10
mixlurt"S of bodi<.'s whi(-h ar(' iL~ ('auS(' and, on the olher, to other
('wnts which arc its quasi-('auSl.', I On the ('ontra~', th(' Epkun'ans did
not suc('N't1 in de\'doping Iheir lIll'o'1' of en\'('lopes and surfaces and
tht.'v did not readl the idea of incorpon'OlI dY('cts, perhaps Ix'Causl' the
"sil;H1lacra" n'main subj(,{:ted to till' Single caus"lil)' of !)()(lil's-;'- lll.'plh,
HUI 11ll' rl'(luirl'lllcnt of a doublc.' causalit~, is manifl'SI, ('\"en from th('
poinl of vic\\ of a pure physi('s of surfaces, TIlt' ('\'l'nts of a liquid
94
:<>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
'/l/(/SI-(It/se assurill,g 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'<llw its relation
to thl' quasi-cauS(". -nll~ two asp('Cts. ho\\"e\'('r. giw scnsc' w'r:' differ-
t'llt and e\"en apparcIlIJ)' 0pposl·d (:haracterislics, For. insofar as it
aflimls its difference in nature from l'orporeal ("auses. states of affairs.
(lualiti("S, and ph~'sical mixturl"S, SC'1lS(' as an effl'Ct or c\'('nt is character_
i/x'(l by a striking impassibilit\' (imp('netrabilit\" sterility, or incfficac\'.
\\hich ~s ncithl'r acti,"(' nor ,';'ssiw). This imp;s.~ibilit), 'marks Ilot onl)'
the dillen'nee I"-·t\\"(ocn sense and II\(' (1..'llotL'<:1 states of affairs, but also
till' difference from the propositions which express it. Vkwed from this
anglt·. it aplX'ars as a neutralit~, (a mere doublt' extracted from the
proposition, or a suspension of the modalities of the proposition), On
til\' cOlllrar)', as soon as senSl' is graspt'(l, in its relation to the (Illasi-
(',lUSt' which produces and distribut(·s it at tilt' surfal,(', il inherits.
panidp..lIes in, and I..'\"cn C'IWeiOPS and possesses the fOrl'e of Ihis
id~ational caUSl'. \V<, han' S<.'l'n that Ihis cause is IlOthing outside of its
t'lll'('t, thai it haunts this efl~'Ct. ,md thaI it maintains with thl' effect an
in1lT10lllt'llI rdation which turns tht' prOlluct, tIll..' monll'nt that it is
prollun'd, into something pnxlucth'I..'. Tlll'rl' is no rt'ason to rt'lx:at thai
""'nS(' i" l'SS<'ntiaJlv produced. It is nl·,"('r originan' but is alw,}\'s causcc.:1
'lIld dt'rhl..'tl. 1100~"('\"t'r, this derivation i~ t~o-f~ld, and, in r~'lation to
Ilw immalll'lln' of til(' (Iuasi-cause. it l'fl"lI('S till' paths which it tracl..'s
,lilt! (",lUSt'S 10 hifun'att'. lIndtT tlwse conditions. 'w must understand
thi!> 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
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-r-
st,~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'r-
ti.,,., .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! dou-
hit· 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'0s-
St'sS(,tI a nudc'us <Iuih' indq>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 ol 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
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.'Il-
cknt,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 ('mpir-
ical. \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("n-
t!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 homo-
gl'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 quasi-
caust'. 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 onh-
dl'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
11(' 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\'i<!ual and
the mlk>t.,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
,~
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-on-
lill"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'nden-
tal. 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<luction, It had to he grasped, not
according to a disjunction of consciousness, but rather according to the
division and the conjunction of two causalities.
We scek to detemline an impersonal and pre-im'ididllal transcenden-
tal lidd, which d()('s not resemble til(' mrr('sl)Onding empirical fields,
and which ne\'l,rtll('k·ss is not confused with all llndifferentiatc<! depth.
This field can not be dct('nnined as that of a consciousness. Despite
Sartrt"s attempt, we cannot retain consciousness as a milieu while at
th(' sallle timt: In' object to the foml of the Ix:rson and the l)Oint of
vicw of individuation. A colls,:iousness is nothing without a synthesis of
unification, but tlwre is no s)'ntlwsis of unification of consciOllsn,'SS
without the forrn of tht: I, or the point of I'kw of tilt' Sdf. What is
Iwitht:r individual nor personal are, on til(' l'ontrar)', emissions of
singularities insofar as they occur on an unconscious surface and l)Ossess
a mobile, immanent principle of auto-unilication through a IIomadic
J,slfIbutioll, radi<'all)' distinct from fixed and sedentary distributions as
("(Hlditions of the s~'ntllt'ses of consciousness. Singularities an' the true
102 /'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)' com-
prised 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\"(, prin-
cipal 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 <lr,' distributed, (Potential ('nergy
is the ('nagy of til(: pure e\'ent, \\'ht:rcas forms of actualization corr~:­
sl)Ond to til(' reali.....ation of the (,I<enl.) [n the sccoml place, singularities
POSSl'SS a pr()(-('ss of auto-unification. al\\'ays mobile and displaced to
th.. extent that a paradoxical clement tra\'('rses till' series and makes
tlwm resonate, cl1\'eloping the eorrl'sponding singular points in a single
alv.ltor)' ,)Oint and all the emissions, all dic(' throws, in a single cast. In
till' third plac.., singularities or 1)Ot'l.'ntials haunt the surface, herything
happens at the surface in a crystal which dewlops ani)' on the edges.
UndoubtL,<II)', an organism is not d,'\'('lopcd in the same manner. An
organi.~m .leX's not cease to contract in an interior space and to exp,1nd
in an exterior space-to assimilate and to externalize. But lllembranes
ar,' 110 less important, for the)' carr)' l)Ot(·ntials and rcgcnerat<-' ,)Olaritics,
T.Ill'Y place internal and extl'rnal spaces into l·ontact. without r('gard to
dlst,lIlce, Th(' internal and till' external, depth and height, haw hiologi-
t-al value onl~' through this tOl)Ological surfan: of contact. Thus, ('\'en
,h,iologieally. it is Iwcessar~' to undtTstand that "the de('p,'st is the skin."
r Ill' skin ha.~ at its disposal a \"ital and prolX'r1~' superficial potential
vlwrgy. And just as l'wnts do not oC('upy the surface hut rather fn'clu('!lt
HI,n·t-NTH SI-HII·S UI- SIN(;UI ,\HITII·", 10J
it, super1wia I .. rl<'rg~· ,oo~ not locuJ,,,d at til(' surfacl.'o hut is r'ltlwr hound
0
to its forlllation and rl'lonn,ltioll. Gillx:rt Simomlon has ,·."pn·s.~\·d this
'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,</ ro IIllcr/orny doc.( nm mnm Oll~l ro "bo."
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'nts-
Singularities, 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 aC<lui..., signification. manilt·station. and
ill'not.ltion, but also 1X.'('aliSe it ho\"ers o\"('r the actualizations of it's
.'nergy as potential ell('I-g~', that is, till' rralization of its ('\Tnts, which
Ill.l\' he internal as \wll as ('xternal, colkctive as \wll as indi\'idllal.
;K(:ording to th(' contact sllrf.lL.· or till' Ill'utral sllrfan:-limit which
transCl'n~ls distances and assures lhe continuity on both its sides. And
this is wI1\' «!t-tl'rmination number lin') this world of St'nS(' has a
f)fOblemOlic ~tatlls; singularities aI'(' distributed in a properl~· problematic
lidtl and crop llP in this fidel as topological ("\'t'nls to which no directioll
is attached. As with chemical d,'ments, with fl'Spt'Ct to which we know
wlll'n' they arl' l>t~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 <Iist·on'n·d in the fonn of an impassi\'e nl.'lHralit)' by an empiric,ll
logic of propositions, which had hrokt'n away from Aristotdianism; .111<1
then. lor a sC('ond time. St'IlS(' was discoven'd in the fOnl1 of a genetic
pr(Klucti\"it~, b)' transcendental philtJsoph~' which had broken aw.1~' from
n1('taph~·sics.) But the '1u('stion of knowing how thl' trans(·endent.111-idd
is to Iw dctemlincd is \.('1")' t·ompkx. [t seems impossihk' to endow it,
in the Kantian manncr, with thc lX'rsonal fonn of an I, or the synthetic
unity of apperception, .~n'n if this utlit~· wcr.' to 1)(' givcn universal
t'xtension. On this point, Sartn"s objections are dccisiw, But it is no
more possible to preserve for it til(' fonn of consciousness. ('\"l'n if wc
d.'fine this imp.~rsonal consciouslll'ss h~' means of pure intentionalities
and retentions, which still presuppose n'ntt'rs of individuation. Tlw
.'rror or all efforts to detennilll' till' transc.'ndenlal as consciousness is
that tlw)" think of the transcend('ntal in the imagt' of, and in tlw
n'st'mblancc to, lhat which it is supposed to ground. In this cas(" eithcr
\\"(' give oursdn's ready-made. in till' "originar~'" S{'ns(' presumcd to
bdong to the constitutive consciollsnt'ss, whatever Wi' wcn' tl")'ing to
generate through a transcendental nwthod. or, in .lgn'.'m('nt with Kant.
w." giw' up g('ncsis and constitution and we limit ourselves to a simple
tr,msn'mlental conditioning. But W(' do not, for all this. t"'scape the
\'iciolls circle whit-h mah·s the condition rder to the conditioned as it
n'produces its image. It is said that the definition of the transccndcntal
.lS originar)' cOllsciousm'ss is justil-icd, sinn' the conditions of the r('al
Obi(Tt of knowledge must be the same us tilt.' conditions of knowledge;
without this provision, transcendental philosophy would lose all Ilwan-
ing .11ld would lx' rorcL't! to ('stablish autonomous conditions for obiccts.
n'surn'cting tlll'rt.'b~· the bS('nCl'S and til(' di\'ine Being of the old
nwt.lph~'sit-s. 'I'll(" doubll' seri.'s of tilt' conditioned, th.lt is, of th..
t'mpirical consdOllSIll"SS .lIlt! its ohjl'cts, must t1wrl'ion' hl' lounckd on
.1n origillar~' instann" whit'h retains th(' pure form of ohj"eti\'it~· (obj,'ct
::: x) and the pun: form of consciollsness, and which nmstitut.'s tilt'
l(lfllltT on tI\t' hasis of the latter.
But this rt'(luirl'nwnt dOt'S not S('1'111 to I,." at all kgitimate. \Vhat is
l'II-TH,NTlI SI·IUI·S Of· :-.INt.;UI AIUTII,:-. IOf
COllllTlOn to 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"fon-
fles 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.,,<! to lx: CQCxten-
sin' with Iking. But, in both cases. WI' are faet't! with the alternati\'e
lx:twI'~'n undilTerentiat<'d groundll'sslll'SS and imprisOllt'd singularities, [t
is Ill'Ct'ssary therefore that nonsense and Sl'ns(' l'nter into a simple
opposition, and sense itself appears both as originary' and as mistaken
for tilt' primary' pr('(licates-either prcclicatl'S wnsideTl"{! in the infinitl'
detl'n1\ination of the indh'iduality of th<' suprenw !king. or pR"l.licates
consid('Tl.'l1 in til(' finih' fomlal wnstitution of the superior suhject.
I-Iuman or di\·inc. as Stinl('r said. tht' pn.'dicatt'S an' the saml' wht'ther
thl'Y lx'iong analytical1~' to tht' di\'ine being. or whdher thl'}' arc
s~'ntll('ticall~' bound to th(' human fonn. As long as Sl.'nse is positl."(! as
origina~' ami pR'(lkabk', it mah'S no dilleTl'net' whether the qUt'Stion is
ahout a t!i\'im' senSl' forgottt'll b~' man or wlwther it is about a human
St'nSl' alit'natl'll in God.
Alwa}'s extraordinary are til(' moments in which philosoph)' makt·s
the 1\hps (~{lI1S:rond) siwak and finds tht' mystil'allanguagc of its wrath,
its IIJTmll'SSlll'SS, and its blindness: Boelum.. SclJdling. Scholx·nhalll'r.
Nit't"I-"c1w \\ as in tht' Ix-ginning 01\{' of them, a disdpl<' of Sdlol>t'nhall~'r,
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'r-
sonal 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\'idu-
alit), 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 Il
tilt' foml, but ndtlwr is it that of tht' fonnless: it is rather that of the ~ t--
V
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('
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 Sixteenth Series of the
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., Static Ontological Genesis
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 organiza-
tion 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 1l1is surfacl' topology. thl'Sl.' imlx'rsonal and preindi\'idual nomadic
corlx>rcal realization-thus a styJ,..' in an a'llI'rC instl'ad of a mixturt' in ,~inglilaritil's constitut<, tlw real Ir,lIlsu'n(kntal lil'ld. The wat' in whidl
tilt' I)()(I~', \Vc st.'\' no olher way of raising thl' question of the rdations IIll:-' imli\'idual is deri\'("(1 out of this fidd rl'pmll'nts thl' first ;tagc of the
b('twc('n an a'UI'-fI.' and illrll'ss exeq>t b~' nwalls of this double l·ausality. 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 , thelll ag,lin
, Oil till' Illl'mhr.lIws ",hidl

lOS I·II·TI-I·NTII :- ...1.11·:- 01' 'INt;UI ARl"l 11:- ,~)

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<luire.. to the {·ontra~'. a pem1ancnt and irrc\'ersibll' din'Ction,
from thl' point of \·i<'w of the static genesis.. the strueturl" indi\·idual.
world·intcrindividualitv dcfinl'S the first It'vel of actuali....u ion. At this
lirst le\"eI.. singularities afl' actualu..l-d both in a world and in till'
individuals which an'llarts ofth(' world. To be actualizl'<.l or to actualiz('
olll'self means to ('xtend OWl' a series of onlinar)' points; to bl' St'lt'Ctl'<.!
aCt'Ording to a rull' of C'OIl\'crg('nce; to be incamatl'<.l in a body; to
IX'l'Ome thl" state of a Il()(!}'; and to he rcne\\"{'(1 locall}' for lhl' saki-· of
limite<1 new actualizations and extensions. lot one of till'S(' l.'harat·tl"r.
istioi hdongs to singularities as such; the~' rather 1)Clong to the indivi·
duatt'd world and to thi..' worldly individuals which \.'nn-I0J> 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 ,·i<lmry cif which If IS conStltllfl.'d an.J lI-hKh Imk up lI"llh Irs OMn body.
W l' Sl'C that the conunllum of singularitit's is l'lltircl~' distinct from thl'
indi\·idual.. which enn-lol) it in \'ariable and complem('nta~' d('gfl'CS of
darit\': singulu:itics...arc !)Te-indh'Klual. If it is true' that the exprt'SS<"dx
world exists onl~' in indi\·iduals. and that it cxists there onl\" as a
pfi.'(licate. it subsists in an el1tircl~' dilTcn"nt manner, as an e\'('~t or a
\"('rh. in th.... singularitil'S which pfl'Sidl' 0\'('( the com.titution of indi\·id-
uals. It is no long("r Adam·the·sinner but rathn thl' world in which
Adam has sinnl,(1. , .. It would lx' arllitra')' to gin' a pri\·ileged status
to the inhl'rence or pf('(lic.1Ies in Lt'ihniz's philosoph~'. The inhcrencc
of pn'(licatl'S in the l'xprcssiw monad presuppoSl'S the mmpossibilit\'
of thl' I'Xpl'l'SSl-,(! \\'orld, which. in turn, JlTl'SuPIXlSl'S thl' distribution ~r
purl' singularities according to till' rull'S of eonwrgencc and dh·l'!2CIKl'.
The!>l' 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\'id-
I'Xllfl'SsiollS.
u.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<!. But "/0 be Hfef."l'· or "/0 be (/
,mll{"'" M,' no\\' tlw analytic prn!icates of constituted sllbj\'l·ts-nallll'l~·.
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<'lwral-
it~', \\'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 <lilY charach'r of generality, In
other words, 1111'1'1' is not ~'d an anlt-r of nJllct-pts and l1ledi.lIions, hut
ratlll'r .111 ordl'r of mixtures onlv .Kcortling to COt,xish'nCl' and SUCCI'S·
sion. Animal and I'easonahk', gn':'n ami ('ol~r arlO two t'{lualk imnwdiatc
prctlk,lh's which trallsla\(' a" mixture in till' Ix){I~' of th~o individual
suhjl'ct, without Olle pr.. .dit..l h· being attrihuted to it all~' less imllwtli-
atl,lv than till' olher. Rl'asoll, as thl' Stoics sa\', is a hodv whidl I'ntl'rs,
and·spn,.lds itsdf 0\"1-'1', an animal bod.\·, Color'is a lumin~us hod~' which
<lh.~OI'hs 01' rdkt,ts anotlwr hod~', Anal)'lic pr;'dicatl's do not yet illlpl~'
logical considl'ratiolls of genus and slx·ei.. . s or of pmlx-ni,'s ,llld dasslos;
till'\' impk onh' till' aCllI,ll pl1\'si('al strut'tun' and di\'<'rsity which make
, , - , .
I I ~
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<illlislwd and dC\'dolxo,I, \V I· f:KI' ,1g..lin the HussI'rlian probkm of the
Fifth CMlt'sian MI'dit.1tion: \\ hat i.' it in till.' Ego tl1,1\ Iranscends the
1ll001,1d, its appurtenanc('s and pn·dit.,lh·S? Or m(~n' pnodsdy, what is it
tlMt gin's the monad the "st'ml,-Iwstl)\\,ll pl-'rtaining to tr,lnsc{'ndt'Ilt'~'
propl'r, to constitutionally sl'contl,ll'~' Ob/<'clwc triJnscendency," ,lS distinct
from till' o'immanl.'nt transCl'ndl'IltT" of the fist 1t'\'t'1?1 Thl.' solution
here C.lIlllot be the plll'nollwnologit',ll OIll', sinct' til(' Ega is no It'ss
nmslitutl·d than the individual mO~Md. This monad, this liVing individ~
ual, was ddined within a world as a (QIlIIIIUlim or l'irde of con\'('rgt'Ill:l'S;
hUI tllt' Ego as J knowing subjcct appl'ars when something is dCll/ificd
inside worlds which are llt'n'rtlll'It's.~ incompossihk, and across seri('s
which ,11'(' nevertlll'll'ss divergt'nt. In this ('ase. till' subject is vis-a-\'is
till' world, in a new St·nsl.' of tilt' word "world" (lI'ell), wlwrt'as till'
li\'ing individual was in the world Jnd till' world within him or her
(Umll'eh). We cannot t1l('r('forc lollow IlllSSCrl whl'n Ill' puts into play
-
Ihe highest svntlil'sis
. .
of identHl<:atioll insid\, a conlilluum all tht' lines of
\\ hich conn'rge or concord, j This is not til(' wa\' to tr.111sn'nd the first
11'\'1'1. Only wlwl1 sOlllt'thing is itkmilied I)('tw;'('n dh'crgcnt series or
I)('t \\"l:I'n incoml){)ssibk' world.~, an Objl'ct = x app(',us transCt'nding
individuated worlds, ami till' Ego which thinks it transcends worldl~'
individuals. gi\'ing tlll'rcb~' to till' world a Ill'\\' \'allJ(' in \'i('w of til(' nt'W
\.lluc of the subject which is IX'ing I'stablished,
Tu undl'rstand this operation, ~w musl always return to the th.. .ater
of I.l·ihniz-aml not to til(' cumhcrsonlt' rnachim'f\' of Husser!. On lilt'
01l\' hand, WI' know th,1\ a sillgularit~· is insq)ar~bll' from a zone of
Iwrlt'l·tly ohil-'ctiw indl'tennination whiLh is till' Opt'lI space of it:.
nOlll.l(lit, distrihution, In facL it Iwhoon's tlll'rrohh'lJI 10 rcll-r to t'tmdi-
tj(lIb \\hich cnnstitll\(' this sllplorior .lIld I){)sitin- indl·tlTlllination; it
Ill'hoonos tllt' en'llI 10 lx' suhdi\'itkd I·ndll'sslv. and ,1lso to Ill' rt'aSSl'!ll-
hll·d in 0111' ,lilt! the s.llllC Ewnt; it I)('ho()v~"\ the slIlHlllar pollll.l to 1)('
di~lributnl ,l('('(lftling to IUo hill' .11111 cUllllllunit'ating ligun's which mak l·
of "\"l"'~' din' throw nne ,1Ild till' S.ul)(' cast (an ,lt~..lt~ry point), ,lilt! of
thi., cast .1 llluiliplicitv of Ihrows. Although LI'ilmiz (lid not attain tilt'
"
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~
111 . s" •. n)llditions which 1lt'(:{'Ss.1ri!v • indudc "ambiguous
"" ~
~;gns:' or
'lkatory points, thJ! is, diwrsc distributions of singularitil's to which
iosl,UKt'S of <lilft'n'llt solutions com·spond. Tlms, for (·x.llllpit'. tilt'
('CJuation uf cunic S('ctions ('xpress.-'S one and till' samt' En-nl thai its
.unhiguous sign sulxli\'idl's into dinTS(' l'n:nts-cirdt" dlip:it'. hYI~'r­
hola. 1)"1raI>0Ia. straight line. Thl'SC diwl'"S\-' (-'"cnts form M) lll,lIly 1Il-
sl,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~' or 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
"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\'id-
uals 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<-,,<--<l, th(' ganlel\ may contain a red roSt', but there arc in
otlwr worlds or in other ganll'l\s rOS(." which aIT' nOI IT'd and !lOW('rs
which art' nOI rost.'S. The \'ariablcs Ix>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<'s-
that 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, illdi\ idll,ll ,ll1d the IXTSQIl. good \1'11'1' .mt! nl11HllUn M'Il:...', ar\' pnxlu('('(!
I,","ginning .dlh Ill<' :-illgul.lritil·~-t·n·llts "hidl l-Ollstitllh' it. 1'1'1l~' ('ngt'n- hy till' pas:o.i\t' gt'ncsis. on till' iI,l!»I' "I' .,,'IN· and rlOIlM'lIM' "hidl do not
,11-';-,. a II';.." twld (compk~~J \\Iwrdn it is .u1ualizl'fl: thl' l/nl1l"/' "hidl "'~('l1lhll' tlwlll, .111<1 whoSt· ph·.indi\ idu.11 ,md illllx'honaltran.\>('('nd(·lItal
on';mi/"l' tilt' :-ingubritil'S in drc.:lt'S of COIl\"'rgt'Il("('; indhidu.ll" "hidl play \\(' Ita\(' st't.·n. <,;ood ~'n!»I' .mll ('ommun ~·II:'\.' an' tlwft'fon'
,.x~n..:-" tlw.....· \\\;;'I<ls; stah'~ of lxxiiI'S; mixturt'S or aggn-gah':- of lIw:oc:' U1ul..'m1in('{1 b)' tl1l' prinit'pl,' of tlwir pro(lunion, and an' owrthro\\ n
indhlllll.ll:-; .lnJI~·til' pro.,<lkah'S "hit-h dt~nil)(' thl"Sl' stah'l'. Tiwil. ,} from \\ ithin by l),lradox. In 11'\\ i, Curoll\ \\Ork, Ali(~ would lx' rath('r
1<,'olllti. ",n' t1iO-"Trnt lidd (complt'.",') appt·an;. built upon till' 11"1: thl' likl' tht, illtli\'idual. or thl' l11on,1I1 ,dlldl discOH'fS !»I'IlS\.' and ha...... In'ad,'
lfdl \'lJlllm;lll to S('n'ral or to all \\orl&,; lilt' pt'rsons \\ho ddnl\' this .1 foft'hoc.lirlg of nonS<'rlSl', \\ hilt' 1 IUllhing hack up to tilt' surf.Kt" from;
""unwlhing in common"; :-yntlwtic prl',licatl'1' which ddim' 1Ilt':-I- Ix'r- \\mld illlo whidl slw 1~·t1, but "hich is ,11:.0 I'llIdopl'd in Iwr ,1I1d
:-011:-; and til(' d,lSSI'S and prop..-rtil's whit.'h defile from tlwm. jUl't J!) iI11IX)~I'S on Iwr the diAicuh 1.1\\ of rnixtun·s. S\,I"iI' and Hruno \\olllt1
til<' tirs! st<lg\' of thl" gl"twsb i~ til\' work of :;('ns\', th\' st'cond is thl' Ill.' ralhl'r lib· ..\'agw.·.. p<'rSOllS, \\ ho disco\'lT 110'nS\'nsl' ant! its p""Sl'1l('t'
\\ork or n()I~SI'IlSt... which is alwa~':; co-pn'lwnt 10 SI'IlSI' (akator~' point to s,'ns(' in "something" common to S('\·(·r.11 w()rld~; a world of mCIl
or amhigllous ~ignl: it is for thi:; reason Ihal Ihl' 1\\"0 stagt'~, and t111'ir ,111(1 a world of fairil..'5,
distincti~n, an' t~t'n's.~1rily fOllndl'(l. In al'conlann' with th:' fin.t \\1' lind
til(' principl(' of a "good Sl,'IlM'" t.,king shap(" tilt' prirn:ipl<, of an alrl'ad~'
liXt'{l and Sl'{kntar~.. organiZ.ltKlll of (lifTl'n·n('t"S. In a(TIlrdann' \\ ith till'
S('Coml, \\t' tint! thl' fonnation of th\' prim.'ip!l' of a "(:ommoll M'Il!»('" as
til(' fum..tion of id('ntil;catiun. Hut it \\ould 1)(' an ('rror to coned,,' of
tin'S(' pf"O(IUH'{1 principl('~ as if tll('~' \wrt.· tram.n'ndt'ntals, That b. it
would hI' .111 ('rror to (·OI1<'t.·iH·, In the" ImaHt, tilt' M'nS<.' ,1nd nOIl:'\.'nSt'
from which tht·\,. an' dl'ri\t'tl. This. howl'wr. "xIllains "h\' Ldhni:t. 110 .
mattt'r 110\\ lar Ill' m,,~' h.1w progr('sst,d in a thl'or~' of singular points
and til\' pIa)·. did not truly pOSl' til\' distrihutiw rull's of tlw id('al g.ltlll'
and did at I)('~t corK('il'l' of tlw pn'-indil'idllal H'r~' llludl on til\' hasis
of ('Ollslitutl'tl indi\"iduals. in r(,£ioll!» alr"all\' fornu-II h\' good SI'IN' (~t'('
L('ihniz's !'ohamcful dl'daration; Ill' as.~igns l~) philosopl~~'\h,' ('n'alion of
11('" nmn'pts, pro\'idl'(1 that t1l\.:~' do not o\l'nhro\\ thl' "\'st,lhlish('{!

scntinl\'nt:;"). 'l1,is al!»o t'xpbin~ ho\\ 111I~'>I.·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.11Iid<l." In truth, til\' Ix'rson
i!'o 1Ily:'St's, no 0111' (('/I,' n'r>r 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\'

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 manifesta-
tion 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 struc-
tun' in \"i('W of which each of the thrt't" rdations of the logical proposi-
tion 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 nUL"t bt· IJaK"(! upon tlw others in a
l·in·l~1.1r \\,n. II,' !>l.... thai the \\ holt, or ...1<:11 Olle of its part" \ .1Ilt'oUap""
if it l"umpkml'lHaritv. This is tilt' caS<', not onl\· 1ll,'I"lUS\' til\'
10.'1':- lilil'
"
"
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<l('T of thl' propo~ition
and I.'\'('n til\' M.'COnda~' organization of Sl'nSI.', \n' anticipah' ,1 tcrrihk'
prima~' onll.'r whcrein till' entin' languagl.' 1')I,'<:onU's cnfold('(I.
It appc,'ars that lit'nst'. in its organi....ation of alt'ato~' ami singular
points, problt'lllS and (Iucstions, scril's alld dispbcl'lnl'nt. is douhl~'
gl.'neratin.': not onl)' dOl'S it I'ngl'ndl'T tilt' logical proposition with it~
dt'h'Tlllinat<' dimensions (dt'notation, manifestation, and signilication); it
('ngl'ml('rs i11~ thl' objlx"tin' corrt'lah'S of this proposition \\ hich were
th<'msdn'S first pr(Klu<-~'t.1 as ontologi<'al propositions (the <I('l1ot<-'<.I. tilt'
manifcstcd, anti the signilit-'CI), "Ill\' lack of s~'nl'hronicit~· ami the blllr~
ring be{\\'('('11 thc two aspl'cts of tho.' g<,llt-sis t'xplains a phl'nOllll'llon lih'
error, sinn' sOIl1l'thing dt'notl'd. for t'xamplt-, llla~' I}(, gin'n in an onto~
logkal proposition whit'll dOl'S not l'OrTl'spond with tlU' logical proIX).
sit ion untll'r consideration, Error ho\\"('wr is a \'I.'n' artihcial notion, an
ahstract philosophical ('(m("('pt, !l<'('ausc it i1lTt'Ct$ onl~' tile' truth of
propositions \\ hich an' assullll't.l to bc' r,'ad~'-madl' and isolJtl,'<.I, '111<'
gt'lll'tic clt'mt'nt is disl..u\'t,'Tt"t1 onl\' \dwn thl' notions of true and false.'
~n' translt'rn'd from propositions ~o till.' prohlem tlll'SI' propositions an'
,~uJlIX)SI'(1 to n'solw. and Ihc~' tlwrl'iorl.' altl'r cornpll'ld~' tlwir Ilwaning
in this transft'r. Or ratl1l'r, it i:. tlw catl.-go~' of st'nSl' \\hic'h n'plaCt's tilL'
l'att-go~' of truth. \\ Ill'n "trul.'" ami "faISt," (Iualif~' till" problc'Jll insl('ad
of the propositions "hkh correspond to it. hOIll this point of \';l'W, \\C'
kno\\ that tht' probl('Ill, f,lr from imlieating a subjt'Ctiw ami pro\'isional
,
st,llt' uf t'mlliric"l knO\,I('dul', n.fers on tlw ('untraT\'" to all idl'.ltional
ohjt't'ti\'itv or to a strUt'hm' ('onstitutl\'" of St'IlS<.' whid1 grounds hoth
kllo\\ II.'dg" and the known, tilt' proposition ami its <'orn'lall's: '111l.'
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'T-
mlrll'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'trib-
ult'(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(' prob-
l('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 ('orre-
1>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
'"
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' pro-
positions 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'Spond-
ing 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 proposi-
tion. 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'xtra-
IX'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' ,/U<l~I-(<llI$t': it W.1S from an t'ntird~' diffl'rent point of ,'il'\\,
"ht'n'h\ :-I'n:-I' \\as l'onsitlt'n'd tirst.1S the ,Ali:'ct pnxlun'tl h~ I'orpon'al
1'.1UW:-: ',Ill imp.,ssihlt., and stcri!e :-url:lCl' drl,(·t. How can \\1' lll.lintain
hoth that SI'nsc.' prodm'('s I~'l'n tlw statt'S of affairs in \\hith it is
"lllll(MIiI'tI. and that it is itsdf produced hy th("se statt'S of an:,ir:- or tilt'
,11 tions .md IMssions of 1)()(lit'S (an immaculatl~ t'onl't'ption)?
TIlt' itlt'a it~'lf of a stati(' gt'nt'Sis dissi!),,}\('S th... (-ontradit:tion. WIU'n
\\t' :..1\' that lxxiiI'S and tlwir ';"isturt'S prodll('(" scnS(·. it is out h~' \irtu('
01'.\1\ 'indhiduatioo \\hit·h would prt'supl>OSt' 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$t.'~pr()('('sS(·s (stn'tching. fragnwnting. crushing, drying and
Illoistt'ning. absorbing. foaming. ('mulsif~'ing, etc). All tht' ath'c·l\tun'S of
Alin' mus~t ht, n'n'ad from this IX'rspectin--Ilt'r :.hrinking .mel grow-
ing. Iwr alinlt'ntar~' and t'mlrdit' obsc.'ssioIlS, ami Iwr t'Il('OUnh'fS \\ith
splwft.s. TIll' :'llrfan' i:- ndtlwr actin' nor l>'lS:-iw, it is till' proo:lm·t of
tilt' actinns and passions of misl,d htMlit'S. It i:. t'!,.lrJ('hTistit' of thl'
surl:,Ct' that it skims on-r its own fit'ld, impassibll' and indivisihlt'. llluch
lik.... til\' thin strips or \\ hit'h Plutinus srlt'ab, \\ hich "wllt'll tht,~, ,In' or
lult' t~llltillUOU., It'xtun', llloistlln: is ohSt'l'\·t'(! wl,tting dWlll right through.
.1ml it tlll\\S through to till' nthIT sidl·... 'i Iking a n't't'Pladt' of mono-
l1lollTular b\'t'l's, i~ g":lranll't'S tilt' intt'rnal ,lIld ,'sknloll nll1tinuit~, or
I,Hl'r,lll'olwsion of tI~(' two l.l\'vrs without thk·kllt'ss. Iking a purt' "ITl'ct,
it i:- rll'wrtlll'lt'ss tllt' IOt·us 'of ,1 quasi-cau:,\', sinn' a surl:wt' \'lll'rgy,
.
\\ ithll\H 1'\I'n Iwing of t Ill' surfan', is dlll' 10 t'n'n'. surl:u't' Itlrm,ltion: anti
.. I \'1 "" I I I "" 111 .. 1 Itll" tJI' 1 (Il;I('Al (;. 1"1 .. I"
from it a jinitious surfan' h'mion Mi."':- ,1:- ,I for(',' ,'x"ning ibt'lf on thl'
pl,lllt· of tilt' .~llrf.Kt', Attrihuh't1 til thi:- lilrt'" is the 1,11M)r ~lt'nt in ordt'r
to iru:n':lst' this surfact·. Iking .1 tlll',ltt'r for l>uddl'n condl'ns.1tiollS,
fusion$, changl's in tilt' ~tah's ;,1' t''l:h'nd''d l,lwrs ,U1d for distrihutions
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'n<!('ntal lidd itM'lf. and tilt' 1(X,us of M'nst' anti t'xprt'Ssion, St!nM'
i$ that which is fomlt'd and dq>lo)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
 , I . l"\"idu.ltion and all that l'!lSUt'S in J prou.'ss of
turn brings .1 )Ollt lilt I . ' [. 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 propo-
slglllhcal10 11 alll a I I I
. :-, I I " assigned relations. It produces, in ot 1••:f won s. t 1C
"\lIons allt t It 1 ,.. . ..
~,,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
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 construct-
ing 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'<lSl'S, hut then' .In' propl'rl~' philosophical diseases.

". SI,VI,NTI'I-.NTII SI,flll,S 01· LOGICAl GI:NI:Sl~ "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",-'ralic-
hammer-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'r-
l~'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<tt'r, or th,,-· daughter: Il{' toll'rat4.:s cannihalbm and anthro.
p()phag~·-but. in fa,,-'I. hl' is also supn'nl('I~' sober ami dld:.It', On thl'
utllt'r hdlld. he la'Cps qui(,t wlwn Ix'Opll' dsk him qlll'stion~ or gin'S
tlll'lll ,1 hlow with his stan'. If )"ou po.~l· ahstract and diAicult (IUl'stions.
111' \\ ill n'spond by dl·sign.lting some bit of food, or will gin' you a
\\'hole box of 1'00(1 which Iw will tlwn bn'ak o\"er \"ou-alwa\"s with a
hlrl" of his staff. Yet Iw also holds a m'w diS:ourse. a n~'w logos
dnimat,,-'(! with pJradox and philosophiGl1 \"alu('S and signifil'ations which
are new. In(le,.'tI. we fccl that tin'S(' aneuloh'S arc no longer Platonic or
pre.So(:ratic,
This is a r,,-'Orientation of all thought and of what it means to think;
Iher;;;-no lon9"r Jep,h or helSh" The C~'nical and Stoic snc('rs against Plato
arc Illany. It is always a math'r of unst'ating till' Id('as. of showing that
the incorporeal is not high abo\"e (ell hal/reur), hut is rather at thl'
surface, that it is not tilt' higlwst caUSl' but the superfidal clTcct par
l'xcdl(·ncc. and that it is not E.~S('nCl> 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{'1<h, this. Ill' said. being dear from Ihe
('U~IOIl1 of sonw fordgn nations, A'iorrowr. an:onling to right n'ason, as he
put it. all dt'mt'n1s ar(' ("'()fltaim'<l in all things and l>l'(\',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
. -
1\0 1·ll; IlTI-I'NTll ~HU I" 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,,<II\'. tilt' unit\,
of mrporeal causes defint-'S a pl'rf('('1 and liquid mixtun' wh;'rdn e\'l'ry:.
thing is exact in the cosmic pr("S('nt, But bo(li,,-'S caught in the panicu.
larit~, of their limited presents do not mt'('t dir("(.1.I~· in lint" with t1w
order of t1wir causalit),. which is good onJ~' for the wholc. taking into
consid('ration all combinations at Oll{"(', This is wh)' an)' mixture can be
('ollll,d good or bad: good in the order of th(· whole, but imperf('(·t. bad,
or e\"cn eXL'Crable. in the order of partial l'ncountl'rs. How can Wl'
condemn incest and cannibalism in this domain. whl'n' passions arc
tlwmsch-es IxxliL'S pl'llctrating Olher Ixxlics, and when' the panklilar
will is a radical e\'il? Taking our exampll' from Sent-oc,l's extraordinan'
tragl."'<Iics. we ask: what is th(' unit)' bctw('('n Stoic thought and thi~
tragi(" thought which stages for the first time Ix'ings dl'\'Oted to e\'il.
prdiguring tht-'n'by with such pf"-"t.'ision Elizalx,t1lan theater? A few
Stoil'izing dloirs (chaurs Sloicuonrs) wilt not suflin" to bring about this
unity. What is reall)" Stoic I\('r(' is thl' discO\'('l)' of passions.bodies and
of thc inf('rnal mixnm:s which tlw)' organizl' or submit to: burning
poisons and paedophagous 11al1lluets, Thl' tragic SUPlwr of Thycstl's is
not only till' lost manuscript of Diogenl's, It is Seneca's subject as well.
\!, hich has happil~' bl't'n (·onSlTH,,<1. TIll' !>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."(O-
1ll.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:- propo~ition, (SubstanCl' is no mon' Ih,1I1 a ~t't.:ond.1T\· dt'h'rminalion of
onk l'mptiJU'l>~ ,lilt! ('I·k:.!ial monsters duplicating thOM' III till' infcmo. till' Ihing, Jnd Ihe unh'l'rsalno IllOTt' th.m ,I M'('onda~\ deh'nnin.Jtion of
I\~ 'for till' ".ulh, lit" is its p':Kilil'r anti sun'('yor, ami "\l-n In'ads owr Ilw l'XP;"~'l't1,) -
Illl' :'>urf,Kt· of il:- "all'TS. Ill' ah\a~'s ascl'nds or d('S(.'I'mh. 10 tilt' :>urfan' 'Ilw C~'nio .lnd the Stoin, ,."t.Jhlb.h Il1l'msdn~ .Jill! \\f.,p tllt'lllst,I"."
in "\I'n' I"OIlCl'h'ahk· malllll'r. Ill' brings 1>.1(."k the hdl.huund and till' lip \\ ith till' surfa('C, tht~ ("urtain, lilt' t .1IlX·I, and Ihe 1ll.Jl1Ill'. TIll' (louhlt,
n'k:-liai hound. tilt' St.'r"Jx·nt of Iwll am( lilt' .sc."l~:nl of dw IWJ.H'lh. It is ~,'nSt' of tht, surfact'. thl' n)fltinllil~ "f till' f('\·l'rst· and right sidt'S,
no long..r ,1 Cllit'stion of Dion~'su:'> down Ix-Io\\', or of Apollo lip al~ n'pl.Jn' Iwight and I.It'pth, Tlwn' i~ nothing behind the nlTl,lin ('xn'pt
hut of I kl'l'ul..·s of the surf,KI', in his dual hattl,· against hoth d('pth and 1Illnan1l'ahlt' mixtures, nothing ,lhol"t, till' t"aflx't ,'xn'pt thl' ('mpt~' sky,
Iwight: rcoril'ntatloll of the ,'11Ilr(' thought .llld a nt'w gl·c>graphy. ....cnsc apl)('ars and is pla~'('d nut .1t till' SUd:,l't' (at least if OIW knows
Stokism is sometimes pr(':'>{'ntl'd as l'J).ll"ting J. sort of rdurn to thl' how to mix it propt-'rI~') in ~u('h .J \\,'~' that it fomb !l'Ul'TS of dust" It is
pn·.Socratll'S. IX'yond Plato-to the I-kraditt'an world, for ...·xamplt·. likt' a foggt'(l-up win(lowpanl' on \\hi("h Ollt' loan \\rih' with Olll"S lingt·f.
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
.
The st.lfl·-blow philosoph\' (phllosophl/: Q coup de oolOnj of tilt' Cmit'S .
tht, Stoin rt'plac,"-'S the lIamnll'r-hIO\\ philosoph~'. 'Ill(' philosoplll'r is no
ami

ll,,-,!>th, tht, Cynics and til{' Stoin abandon it partly to all th~ local longt'r tht' lX'ing of tht~ l"an'S, nor Plato's soul or hinl. but ratlll'r lilt,
" "
llisorders which nil be f('Con(:ill'd onl~' in till' Great mixtun.. that is, in .mimal which is 011 a In·4.'1 \\ ith tlw surfact'-.J Iil'k or 10uSt.', 'Ill('
tilt' unity of C.1USt-'S among t1wmsdn's. This is a world of h'rror anti philosophical s),mbol is no longt'r tilt' Platonic wing, or EmpcdcX'll.'S'
('rlldt~" of inn'st ami ,lIlt!lrolx)phag~'" But tllt're is of ('ourSt' another Ito,HI So1l1dal, hut the rc\'('rsihlt' dO.1k of Antistlwlws and J)i~l'nl's; till'
story, nanll'I~" the story of th,lt which, from the Hcradih'an world, is ~tafr and Ihe mantle, as in tlw ('aSl' of I!tornllt's with his duh and lion
ablt, to dimb to tilt' surfaet' ami n'("('i\'(' an entirdy new status, "111is is ~kin. What an' we 10 call this n.. . w philosophical opt'r.,tion, insofar as il
til(' t'n'nt in its "'iITt'renn' in natUf(' from causc.'S-hodit'S, til(' Aion in its 0PPOSl'S at 011('(" Platonic co!lwrsion and pre-Socralic SUb\"crsKm? Per-
(liITerclll'c in nature from till' (Ie\'ouring Cllronos. In a parallt'l manner, h.11>S Wt· ("all ('all it "pc"'n'('rsion," \\ hit'h at I{'ast lx'fils the S\'Stl'lll of
Platonism undcrgQl..'S a similar total reoril'ntation" It lIad aspif('(1 to bu~' pm\Ql..·.Jtions of this nt'" t~'J>C' of philn..oplwr-if it is Inlt' tllat pcn'('r-
tilt, pre·Socratic world ("n'n dl'('pt'r, to fl'pr,,'Ss it ('\'('n mon', and .0 ,ion implies an ('xtr.lordil1ar;-' .lrt of surf.l(,('S.
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'Ill-
M·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· ... 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' I<lt'as which offer languag{' a possibility of tnlth or
falsity. It is not dear, howcn-r, b~' what minc,lt· propositions wm\1
participate in the Ideas in a mort' assuTl,d manner than bodil'S which
speak or Ixxlics of whidl we speak. unless til(' Idl'as were "naml.'s·in-
t1wmsclws." And an' boditos. at the other ('xtn'mc, octter able to
ground language? When sounds fall hack on (se rabo"enr Jur) IlOdil'S an(l
Ix'l'omi.' tht' actions and pa.~~ions of mixl'(l Ixxlil'S, they an.' no more
than the hc.·an·rs of agonizing nonSC:'IlSC:'. Oil(' aftt·' th(' other, thc
impossibility of a Platonic language and a prc-S()(,.'ratic language, of an
idealistic language and a ph~'skal language, of a manic language and a
sc:hizophn;'nic Janguag(' an' ('xl>oS(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 consumabil-
ity. 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'SCm-
hl,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 inspiration-
that 011(' know how to "descend." \Vhat is n;'<luircd is humor, as
OppOSl-'<! to the Socratic irony or to till' techni<lue of the ascent.
But wlwre does such a <ll'scent throw us? It hurls us into the ground
of lxxIiI'S .md the groundless,wss of thl..'ir mixtun's. E\'l'r\' dl'notation is
prnk)llgl'(l in <uru;umption. puh'ero.ation. and <k'li'tnKtion: without t111,.'n'
I'l('ing an~' chance of arresting this mO\'l'n1l..'nt, a.' if thl' lotaff shattlTl..,<1
1·\IT~·thing it singl(xl out. I're(.'isdy lX'cauSl..' of this. it is c1('ar that
I,mguagl.' (:an no more lx' basl·<I on denotation than on signification.
When signilit'ations hurl us into pure (knotations, which n.'plan· ,lIld
!legate tlll'lll. \\'l' an.' fac('(1 with till' absurd al> 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 <Iues-
tions; mimicry and consumption an' Ihe rt'SllOnsc. Rdunlt'd to th'l
surface, tlw sage dis<.'o\"{'rs objel'ts-t'wnts, all of thl'm communkating in
the roid which constitutes their s\lbslaJUT; Ill' disco\'ers tilt' Aion in
which tlw)' Mt' skt,tdlC'd out and dewloped withoul ('WI' tilling it up.'
Thl' l'wnl is tilt' idl'ntit)' of lorm and \'oid. It is not the ohject as
denoted, but tlw obj..:(" .1S expn'ss('d or ~'xprl:ssihl{', nt'wr pn'st'nt. but
alw.1Ys alrl'ady in tlw past .md )"I't to ~·oml·. As in Mallarnll.';·s works, it
has the \'alul' of ils own ahsl'm'(' or .1holitioll, since this abolition
("Ixlicmio) is pn'ds{·ly its I'0s/llon In thi: I"OIJ as till' purl' c\'..:nt (dcdic<llio).
"If \'ou ha\'l' a callt'," says till' ZI'n mash'r, "I ,1m gi\"ing )'011 Ollt"; if ~'Oll
dn ;1Ot h.ll"t, OIW, I am taking it a\\'a~·." (Or. as Chrysippus sa~'lf you
lle\"{'r lost sonwthing. )"011 ha\'o it still; but you IWH'r lost horns. a.qo
\'ou han' horns,")! The \)('gation no long{'r t'xpr<'SS{-S anything m-gatin'.
illlt rallwr rl'll'aSt'S tilt' pun'I~' t'xpr{'ssihlt' wilh its Iwo Ulll'n'll haln's,
Onl' of til\' hal\"{'s is alw,lys J.lcking from the otlwr, sinn' it l'xn'!'ds h)'
.
I'irtut' of its own ddidt'IK\', {'n'lI if this nwans to Ill,' dl.'llC"it'nt h\·. drtul'
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' <!lIl:stion is less that of attaining
till' imnl('diat(' than of detCnllining thl-' site wlwf(' til(' imllll'diatl' is
"'imnlt'diatl'I\''' as not~to-be-altained (comme IJOIJ-a-atlcinJrt!): Ihe surf.IC('
•
where the \'oid and e\'('T)' e\'('nt along with it aI"(' made; till' fronti('r as
tile cutting (~dgl' of a sword or the strddwd string of tht' bow. To paint
"ithout painting, non-thought, shooting which !x'Conll's non-shooting,
to s!)('ak without siwaking: this is not at all the indTable up abo\"(' or
down Ix'low, hUI r,lther the frontier and til{" surface wher{' language
Iwconll's possibk- and. by hecoming IX)ssihk-. inspires onl), a siknt and
immediate communication, since it could only 1)(' spoken in til{' n'sus-
citation of all thl' ml'diat{' and aholished signilications or denotations.
WI' ask "who sr)t'aks?" .1S nllldl as we ask \\"hat makes languag('
possible, Man~' different anSW\TS haw IWl'n gin'n to this (\lIl·stion. W('
l'all "classic" resllOnse the OIW which dl'tel'lllines the individual as til{'
~rll'akt'r. That of which tlw individual slwaks is det('nllin('<1 ratllt'r as .1
particularih", and tlw Illl'ans, that is, language it'sdl: is detl'rmined as a
l"on\"{'ntion~1 g(,'l('ralit~,. It is thcl'efon' a matter of disl'ntangling, from a
nllllhinl'd Ihreelold operation, a llllil't'rS-11 !()I'm of the individual (f('al-
itYl. and, al the same timt.', of ('xtracting a purl' l(k.1 of what Wt' sp,'ak
.lhOlil (lu'C~'ssitv) and of confronting language with an i(kal mOl11,1
,b~llll)t'd to 1)(." 'p~imitin', natural, or ~pun'ly r~tional (possihilit~·). It is
pn'ci.~{·I~· this l"oll<'l'ption \\"hich animate·s SOlTatic iron~' as an asc~·nt,
,1IId giH"s it at (Jnn- the following tasks; to tt'ar thl' individual awav
frul11~his or her imnu-dialt' I'xish'n;'\'; tll transc("lHI sl'nsiblt' partinl1aril~'
NINI·TH·NTlI sU(II'S 01' II1IMOIt 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 Akibia<k·s. Classical iron~·. on til(' contra~·. rt'achl..'S this pt'rfcet
:.1.11,' \\ hell it l-inally d,'h'rmilws not onl~' tilt' whole rcalit~·. but also till'
\t hok of the possiblt· as a :.upr~nw origina,":,' indi\'idualit~" Kant. w~
han: S('1.'n. anxious to submit th~ dassical world of TcpreSt'ntation to his
criti<IUt', begins by describing it with exactitud{': "we ~'l't find. 011 doser
scrutin~'. that this idea (tilt' ide.l of the sum lOW) if all poss,b,ll/.r), as a
primordial concept. exdudes ,1 nUllllx'r of pr<'dicatl's which as deri\'atiw
arc alrl'.ldv gin~n through other pn'dicates or which an... incompatibk'
with otll('~;~and Ihal it docs. imk"l"d, d(·tilll· itself as a mncqlt that is
(;omplctcly dd~rminatl' a priori. It lhus lx-comes til(' l'oncqll of an
individual obje·ct." J Classical iron}' aLts as tilt' instanCl' which assures
the coext('nsi\'cness of heing and of till' individual within til(' world of
n·pn·scntation. Thus, not only the uni\'Crsalit), of the Id~a. but also thl'
model of a pure rational languagl' in rdation to till" lirst pos.<;ible onl'S.
hl'1:01llC thl' m~ans of natural l'ommunic"ation IX·twl·l'n a suprcme!!'
indi\'iduated God and till" derin"(l individuals whi{:h Ill' crcatl.-.d. This
G<Kll"("nders possibk' tl\(' asccnt of the indh'i<lualto till' uni"crsal fonn.
After til(' Kantian <,'ritique. how<"wr, a third liguTl' of iron~' appears.
Romantic iron~' <Ietennincs the one who speaks as till' person and no
10ngl'T as tht· individual, It grounds itself on the tinit<.· s),nthl'tic unit~· of
till' person and no longl'r on the analytiC idl'ntit~, of th,,-' indh·idual. It is
<Idim:d b~' the coextl'nsi\'l'ness of th<.· I and reprl'SCntation, There is
much more to this than a m('n' shifting of h'm\s. To dctcnnill(:...!!.s full
import. it would Ix' nl'l',,-·ss..lr~' to e\'ah~at(', for exantpk. tlw diffc;:'?nce
l"ll'{\wcn Montaigne's &says. aln'ad~' inscrilx'd in the dassic.!l world
insofar as tlll'Y t'xplore till" most di\Trs<.· ligures of individuation. and
B.UllSS('au·s CQ~fcSSlOnS, announdng Romanticism insofar as tlll~Y l'onsti-
tult' the tlrst manik~tatiutl of a person. or all I. Not only till.." unin'rsal
!tka .1I1d the s'.'llsiblt' partkularit~·I>ccomt· now tlw l"haral"lt'ristiepossi-
hiliti('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"
dt'signatt'S onl~' those predicltt'S of tlw pason wllil·h arl' constant in all
. now
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<ld of language as function of thl' pos..<;ibl('. +1111' I~ition of the
person as an unlimitt'tl dass. "hicll Ilt·\(·rthcl('Ss has on'" Oil(' nll'mlx'r
(I)-such is the Romantic iron~" lImloubtt'1.II~'. t1ll'n' a;c alread~' prt·.
cursi\"(' <.'!c-ml·nts in tht' Cart('Sian ('ogito and. aIXl\'(' all. in th t' L('ibniljan
pt:rson, But th<'SC' dements r<.'mai~ subonlinatt' to the dt'mands of
individuation. whcn'as in the Romanticism which follo\\'s Kant, the\'
lilwrat<' and express tht'mscln'S for their own sake. oH'rthrowing th~'
subordination.
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'r-
minations 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 \\ h.. n Ollt· undo..,:. thl' indh idual .1lI1l thl' IX'l"!'Ion, TIl\' impt'rson.ll and
;lll.
of thl' lwr.. . CI,I ...,...i,.ll di!'<l.'Uur:-t' \\as Iwld b~' 1Ill' indi\ itlU.l1. Homanlic pr..-indhidual an',tllt' fn'" nOIll,ullt J-illgul.lriti..,!'o, D..·t'lwr Ihan all~· utlll'r
tli'lllurM.· I" til" p"'l":'>CIlI. But hl'n,..l th till's.., t\IO t1iM:ourM.':-, IlltTturning ground b the llurlan' and tlw J-kin. :\ nt'll t~'lw of "·M>hTit· languag.., is
111..'111 ill \.I~iou~ \\a~~, till' fan,lt'lls Ground ~p,'ab llClII II hilt- rumhling, fornU'd Iwn' "hi.-h is its 0\\11 modd .llltl r..alit\', Bt't·oming~mJ.tI dlalWt'J-
- c 0
\Vt' 1Mit' :-.. 't'n th.lt thill languagt' of tilt' ground. till' langll.lg.'" \\hidl is J-hapt.' in it.. . dimh to tilt' surl:1l"t', along til\' J-tr.,ight lin..· of tht' Aion, in
nmh''I'd II ith lilt' dq)lh of til\' hud~.. had a tl\o-fold 1)(1\\<'r-that of .. 'h'rnit~·; and th.. Mllll' Ihing h.1PllO.'lh'tn till' db,~ht·tI :-t·lf. tilt' (Tal'kt'tl
...h.ltlt'n'tl phOllt'lk dt'nWnlll and that of non-anil'ulalt'd tunk \alllt'S. I, lilt" lost i.. kntit~·. I\h.'n 11l('~' t·t'.l....- IlO.'ing burit'tl J.llt1 IlO.'gin, on Ill\"
TIlt' lIr:-t of thl"Sl.' thrl'alt'ns and ownurn.:. d.lssi<:al dillloun.t' from c'olllra~', tn lih.'rah' th.· singulariti..-:. (If tilt' !'ourf.ln·. Nun:-t'IlSt' .Ind M'll.~'
II ithin; Iht' S{''(:OI111 thn'alt'n~ alltl Oll'nUnb Romantil' diM'OUN', In ('adl hol ll' tlOlll' a\la~ I\ith t1wir rdalion of d~namk oppol>itioll in onl..'r to
l'a~' and for l'adl tYI)(' of t1i~Otlrsl', thn't' languagl'S mU!'o1 IlO.' t1btin- t'ntt'r inlo tilt' l'o·pn'M'nCl' of a Mali(· g",llt-:.is-a., tilt' nOIlSl'nSt" or til('
gui!'ollt'li. .-:irst. ,1 n'al 1.1Ilguagt' l'orn'sponding 10 Iht' quilt, urdina,:, Mlrfal't.· anti til(' S('nM' Ilhil-ll howl":'> u: .." it, TIll' Iragi(' alltl tilt' ironic'
a!'o, ignatiun of Ihl' sp.'akl'r (tilt' indi\'idu.ll. or rathl'r th., IlO.'r.,un .. ,), gi\l' wa~' to a nt'\\ \'alul', that uf humor. I-or ir'" iron\' is tht' ("()-
s.. ·oml. an id('al languagt' n'pn'l>..'nting thl" m()(lt,1 of di~·otlr.\l.· rdatiw t'xknsiwlU'!'os of bdng II ith the imlil itll/a!, or of till' I 1\ itil rcprt.'Sl'nta-
to tilt' fonn of thl' one 11110 holds it (til(" dil'im' mOtld of Cral)/us in lion. humor is tilt' l"O-l·xknsi\'t'!lt'Sl> of St'nll.., 1\ ith nOllst'IlS'·. Ilumor is
n,l.ltion to tIlt' SotTati, subjt'cti\ il~'. for .'x,unplt,; or till: ration.l] Ll'ih- tilt' art of lilt' surl:ln's and of th.. doubl<·!'o, of nom.ld l>ingul,lriti,'s and of
nlZlatl Illodd in rdation 10 da!'osical indi\'itluJ.lity; or tilt' l'\'ululioni!'ol thl' always displan'tl al.'alo,:,· point; it is tllt' .1ft of till' st~tic gl'nt'sis, till'
mOtkl in rdation to tht' I{om:ullic p..'rson), And tillall~', t':,oh'rit' lan- sa\'oir-I:lin· of tilt' pun' "Wlll, and till' "Iimrth IXTSOtl singular"-wilh
guagt.. which in l'adl l:J.:'t' n'Pn·S\·llt.~ till' sllh\'l'rsiotl, from tilt' ground t'\l'r~' signiflt.:atiol1, dt'notatiol1, ami nl,lnit~'!'ot,lIion SllSpl'll(lt'd, .111 Iwight
up, of till' id.'al 1.1llguagt' J.nd tilt' dissolution of tilt' unl' II ho holds Iht' and dqnh aholi:o.h\·d,
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' <IUl'Stioll '·Who is sp..'aking?", ".' allSIII" sonwlinws with till'
individual. sonwtinw:,> "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'n-
ti.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.

"""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: eonu-
to 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 ambigu-
it~·; 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 <Iuickk as \\'l'
prescnted til(' Stoics challenging tlt-pth. and tinding tIUT(' only'infl'rnal
mixtures corresponding to IhlSsinn1'o-hodit's and to edl int(·ntions. 'Ilw
Stoic s~'stcm contains an ('min' phy:o.ics. along with an l'thin of this
ph~'sics, If it is truC' that I>'lssiom ,mtll'\il intentions al"(' 1X><lit'S, it is
tru(' that good will. \'inuous at'tio1l1'o, true rl'pn'st:ntations, and just
mnsents are also Ixxlit.'S. If it is trm' th.ll t'..-rtain Ixxli<-s foml abomina-
hIe. cannihalistic, and incestuous llli:\:lun·1'o. the aggn-gate oflXKlies takt'n
as a whol(' m"Ct'SSaril)' fonns a p..-rf('ct mixture, which is nothing other
than th(' unity of causes among tlwlllsc..·ht'S or the l'osmic pn.'SC'nt, in
rdation to which C\'i1 itself can only lx· an e\'il of ..conSl"quenC(·... If
thae art" hodies-passions. tht're are also Ixxlk'S-actions. unified lxxiii'S
of the great Cosmos. Stoic t'thies is com."t'mt"fl with the e\'ent; it consists
of willing the t"wnt as such, that is. of \\ illin,!: that \\ hieh Ol-cUrs insofar
as it dOl'S occur, \V(· C3.nnot yet e\'aluab' th; impon of thl'S<." fommla-
tions. But in an~' C3.sc. how could tin' ('\'('nt he graspet:! and willed
without its being refelTed to the l'Orporeal ("ause from which it rt'Sult's
and. through this C3.US<.". to the unit\, of ("auS4.'S as Phmcs? Hcre. dm1JOIIQII
grounds ethil's, In fact. the di\'in;to~' int<'rpr('ta~ion consists of tht,
rdatioll lx·tw("'("n th(· pur(' ('wnt (not ~'t't al'tualize<.l) and thc depth of
,",ollii'S. the ('Orporl.'al actions and passions wlwilce it rL--sults, '"VI.' C3.n
state precisely how this inh'rprt'tation proct.,,\'(ls: it is alwa)'s a question
of cutting into thc thicknl'Ss. of can'ing out surfact.'S, of ori('ntin'!: them.
of incrt"asing alUl multipl~'ing them in onll'r to follow out the t~cing of
lines and of incisions inst"rilx'(l on th('m. Thus. the sh is di\'ide<1 into
1'o1'('tions and a binI's HIll' of flight is distriblltl'(l accortiing to them; w('
follow on til(' ground til(' kiter tran·d by a pig's snout; the lin'r is
drawn up to tilt' sllrfa('(' when' its Hnl's and lisslln's an:' ol>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 hu-
l~lorouS. (It would. of COurSI'. 1)(' lJ("n'ssar~' to distinguish two Opt'ra-
tlons, nanwJ)'. tlw production of a physkal sud:1l't' for lirws whit'h an'
,till corpon·al. for irn,lgl·s. imprints. 0; rl'prl'st'lltiltions: and till' tran.~la-
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<:<:ord-
ann' 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 illl-
mandate concqnion which now charal'tlTizes till' Stoic sagt', 'I'll(' insuf-
lidl'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 culmi-
nates 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. Witt-
gt'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'n-
tat 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 interpre-
tation, 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 actualiza-
tion, 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. incorpo-
real 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 represen-
tation: 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 (·ompre-
IWllds 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:tuali-
t,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

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<l th.lt he ~ars dl..'<'p within his bod~' in its ('h'mal Inlth as a pure
('n.. nt. To tht' {'xlt'nt that (',"cnls an' 3t'IUalize<! in us. the\' wait for us
and im'itc us in. 'J1lC'~' signal us: "M~' wound ('xiSh-d lx-fort· me, I was
born 10 ('mh<xl~' it.'" It is a question of attaining this will that the ('\"ent
('Teall'S in us; of becoming tht· quasi-cauS(' of what is producc·d within
us. the Operator; of producing surfaces and linings in whil·h the {'\'ent
is r('flc,(·t('t.I. (-inds itsl·lf again as ifl("orporeal and manifl'St<; in us the
nl'lItral splendor whkh it pOSSf'SSl'S in itsdf in its impl'rsonal and ~
indi\'idual naturl'. Ix'~'ond til(' gC'Il('ral and till' particular. tht' colll'cti\'c
;lnd till.: pri\'atl', It is a (1U<'stion of he('oming a citiZI'n of thl' world,
"I:\'t'r~,thing was in onln with th(' ('\,('nls of m~' lifl·lwfore I madc' them
mint'; to li\'t' them is to find m~'sl'lf tempted to ht'eonw t1wir eClual, as
if thl'~' had to gl't from ml' onl~' that whidl tht,), haw that is Iwst ·and
most pl.'rf(·n,"
'4'
Ei~her ethics makes no sensc' at .111. or thi~ is what it means and 1.1~s 1
nothlllg dSI' to s..l)': not to 1)(' unworth~' 01 what happc'lls to us. I ~
grasp whatl'\'er happens as unjust and ullwarrantc'(\ (it is alwa~'s some-
0111' 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 <a spll'nclor and brightness
\\ hich dry up misfonlllll' and which bring about that thc e\'ent. once
\\ ilIcd. is actualrJ.:('t.i on its most mntral·tl'tJ point. on the nltting cdgl'
of an olx'ration, All this is thl' df(x,t of till' static genesis and of thl'
immaculatt' l'oncrption, '111c splcndor <and th(' magnifil"t'n<..'t· of the (,\'('(\1
i., St.·nM'. '111(, l'wnt is not what Ql:nlTS (an an.-ident). it is rather insid~'
\\ hat OlTun;. tll(' pUT('I~' exprl'ssl:d, It signals and awaits us, In accord-
ann' \\ itll till' tlm'l' pn'n,ling detem1inatiolls. it is what must 1)('
lIntl.'TStrX)(!. wHll'd, and rl'prcselltl'd in th.lt whid1 (x'c'urs. Bouscluct
g()"~ on to s.w: "I\(ol:onw tilt' man of your misfortulll's; l~'arn to c'mhod\'
t1wir IWl'fl'(·ti~n and hrilliant'l·, .. Noth'ing mon' C.lI) Ill' said. and no mor~'
ha~ 1'\'I'r h"t'n said: to 1)('l.:ol11e \\'orth~' ~f what happt'ns to us. and ,hus _
to \\ ill and rell'as\' the ~'\'l'nt. to I)('colll(' til\' olTspring of OIl("S own
1'\ l'lltS. ,md t1wn'b~' to I"", rd"lOrn. to han' om' mon' birth. and to brl'ak
 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<luCt"t1 h~' th(' offspring of
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' mo.", 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 <li\'id,,-'<I,
unfold('tJ without being rupturl,(1, nt'ithcr a,,-'ting nor being acttxl upon.
It is in this S('nse that there is an actor's paradox; the actor maintains
himself in tht" instant in onk'r to act out something JX'rpetuall~' antici-
I pakl! and dda)'cd, hoped for and recalk'd, The role played is nl'\'er that
of a character; it is a theml' (the complex tlwme or sense) constitutL'll
by the components of the l'\'ent, that is, b)' the communicating Singular-
ities dTcctivcl)' liberated from til(' limits of individuals and persons, The
actor strains his entire personality in a moment which is always further
divisibl", in order to open himself up to the impersonal and pre-
individual role. '1111.' actor is alwa)'S acting out other rok'S when acting
one rolt,. The role has thc same relation to the al·tor as the future and
past havc to the instantan('Ous pR'SCnt whK-,h mrrl'Sponds to them on
the lin'" of thl' Aion. The al·tor thus actualiu'S thl' l'\'l'nt, but in a way
which is "'Iltireh' differt.·nt from tht" actuali...ation of tht, t'WIlt in the
dl'pth of things. Or rathl:r, the actor R'(loubll'S Ihis (:"Osmic, or physic.al
actualization, in his own wa)', which is singularl~' superficial-but
!ll'Causl' of it more <listinl·t, tn'nchant and pure. Thus, Ihe actor ddimits
the original, disengagl~s from it an aLstract linc, and h'eps frum the
('v('m onl" ils contour and its splt'ndor, Ix'coming dll'reby tilt' acl-or of
one's own l'\"l'nls-a (OUnfcr-CKflllJI"Wllon.
I~O TWI·NTY-I-IR"T !<l1,Rll-~ 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 out mixtun·. instead of mixing ,,-,\,(,~,thillg togctllt.:r. All fonm of \'io~
that "part of tilt' t'\'t'nt which l--annot rcalize its ae(.'"Omplislmwnt." Thae lem'(' ami opprt'ssion gatho:r togt't/lt'r in Ihis singk' nenl which de·
Me thus twO an'omplishments. which arc like aetualization and counter-
nountTS all by denouncing ant' (Ih... n...an'St or tin.11 state of the qUt.'Stion),
a(-tualization,Fi is in this wa)' that tll-'ath and its wound an' not simply TIl\' 1)S~'dK>p,lIhoiog)- whit:h tht" pOt'1 nlJkt'S his OWII is not a sinistt"r little
,,'\"('nts among other e\'en1.'i, E\'l-'')' ('wnt is like death, doublc and ,In.-id...nt of lX'rsonal destiny. or an illlli"klu,ll, unfonunatc acdden!, It is not
impt'rsonal in its doubl~ "It is th(' ab~'s"i of the pn'St'nt. thc time tht, milkman's truck which has run o,'t'r him and ldt him disablcd. It is tht'
without present with which I have no "'Iation. toward which I am horsl..nwn of the J-1ulltlrcd 81acks ...a~·illg £MJt Iheir pogroms against their
unabl(' to proj('(.'t myself. For in it I do not die. I forfeit the power of ,l.11Ct""tOrs in thc gilt-Un<; of Vilna... , TIl(' blows n·ct.-h,,-'tI to the ht.·ad dill lK>t
d~'ing, In this abyss the)- (on) die-they 11\'\'cr Cl,'asc to dic. and they happt'n during a strt'Ct bnowl. but \\ 110.'11 the polk... charg"'t! the demonstrators,
newr sun,eed in d)'ing, .. J , , If hc (Tit'S out like a deaf gCllius, it i~ bt'CauSt· til(" bombs of <.iucmica and
Ilanoi !lan' dl'afcll('(l him. , .."
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 It is at this mobile and prcrise point. wlwn' all ('vcnts galher together
singularities. the "the)'" of the pun' nent wherein ;/ tli('s in the same in Oil(' thaI transmutation happens: this is the point at which death
W3)' that if rains. The splendor of the "they" is the splendor of the turns against dealh; where d)'ing is the nt.-gation of death. and the
('wnt itself or of the fourth person, This is wh)' there arc no private or impt'rsonalit), of dying no longer indicates anI)· the moment whell I
coll(x:tivc e"'ents. no mor(' than there arc individuals and universals, disappear outside of m)'Scif. but rat!wr til(' mom('nt w!l('n death loses
particularities and generalities. Evt't)'thing is singular, and thus both itsdf in itself. and also th(' flgure which til(' most singular lifc takcs on
eoll('etiw and privatl', partinllar and general. neither individual nor in order to substitut(, it!'Clf for me. 5
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 counter-
a(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-

1{2 TWI-NTY-!'IK"T "I-K II. " 01· 1'111' I·VI·NT


Twenty-Second Series-
Porcelain and Volcano
IIOr course all life is a PTOC('SS of breaking down... I:.. , w phras<.'S
,,,I
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,
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 latc-
till' 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,<I, I'd try to make the world crack with
nlt'. li..ten! The wond onl)' exists through your apprehension of it, and
M.I it's much bctt('r to sa)' that it's not you that's t.Tacked-it's the
Grand Canyon." \Vhat would we sa\' to a friend who consoled us with
t1WSt' words? This kind of n>nsolatio;" Q ronk'rlcoiru', through projt.'Ction,
dOl.'Sn't wash for thOSt, who know that the <Tack is no more intcrnal
than ('xl('rnal, and that its proj('(,tion to thc outsidl' marks no less til("
~'nd's approach than dOl'S til(' pun'St introi('Clion, !::Wtl if it !>L'Comcs
Ihe <Tal'k of thc Grand C.lIlYOIl or of a rock in til(" Sierra Madre, ('\'l'll
if Ihe ('osmic imagt'$ of ra\'iTw, mountain, and \"olt-ano n'place the
intimal\' and familiar porcelaill, has ,ltlything changL"tI? Ilow t'an Wt'
ht'lp hut ~'xl}l.'rknl'(' an unlwarablt' pit\· li->r ston~'s, a l)l.'trif\'ing idl'nti-
hl',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. "TI1<lt·~.I.11 H'r~' wdl,"
it ...... id. "hut it happ('ns to he your fault, .lllli .lS for m~~'Ir. I Prol>OSl.' 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 nevcr-
tllt'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.<iihk· right. What is left for till'
,lbMr;oct thinker onn' she has gi\'{'n advic(' of wisdom and distim'tion?
\V t,lI th('n, art' we 10 spNk always about BOlls<llll't's wound, about
htzgl'rald's and Lowry's alcoholism, Nit·t7_'idw·s and Artalld's llladlwss
\\ hill' rt'maining 011 th~ shore? Arl' W(' 10 Ix'cnml' the prol~'ssionals who
gin' talks on tlll'St' topics? An' we to wish only that thos t' who haw
Ill,t'n stru(,k down do not abusc thclllse!ws too'llluch? Arc we to takl'
up collections and create slx'cial journal isslIes? Or should we go a short
\\,1~' furtlll'r to ,~I'l' for oursdn·s. be a littll' alcoholic, a littll' eraz\', a
littk suicidal. a little of a guerilJa--E:t.. enough to ~I the ~;ck,
rWI'NTY-:',j,t'OND :..1·HII·:-'-I'OH.CI'1 AIN AND VUI CANO 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.'<l
prt.'SCnt whkh surrounds it like a tender pimple sUTTOundL"(1 b)' induratl'
1lt.'Sh. In this soft ('cnter of the other moment, the alcoholic rna)' identif)'
himself with the objects of his lo\'e, or the objects of his "hoTTor and
compassion," whereas the liR-d and willed hardness of the present
moment pernlits him to hold realit~' at a distance." The alcoholic dOl.'S
not like this rigidit), which o\'ertakes him an)' 1t.'SS than the softness that
it surrounds and conceals. One of the moments is insi(le the other, and
the present is hanlcned and tetanized, to this extent, onl)' in order to
inn.'St this soft point which is read)' to burst. The two simultaneous
moments are strangcl)' organi7_el!: tht' alcoholic dOt-OS not lin~ at all in
til(' imperfect or the future; thl' alcoholic has onl), a pasl ~1t:Cf (fNj.si
composi)-albcit a \'ery special one. In drunkenness, thl.' alcoholic puts
together an imagin.u)' llast, as if the softness of tht' llast partidple came
to he mmbined with the hardness of the pres...nt auxilial)'; I han"-Io\"t~d,
I havl-'-<.!onc, I ha\·e-S(.,,~n. The conjunction of the two monll'llts is
expresSl."(1 here, as much as the manner in which till' akoholie experi-
eflO'S on(' m the other, as am' enjoys a manic omnipotcnCl'. Hen' the
past pt.~rfl.'('t dol.'s not at all l'xpress a distam:e or a completion_ Th,e
present moment Ix'longs to the verb "/0 hare," whl'Teas all .~ing. IS
"past" in the otlll'r SImllhanCOIlS moment, the moment of partiCipatIon
a)\(1 of the ic!entilication of the participle, Hut what a strange, almost
un!)t'arable tl'nSiOll t111're is Iwr(' , .. this emhrace. this manner in which
thl' prt.'sent surrounds, invests, and cndosc.'s the other 1ll00U{'nt., Thl'
prt'Sl'nt has I)('comc a drc!<.- of <:r)'Stal or of granitt.', formed about a .so~t
{'on', a core of lava, of liquid or viscous glass. This tension, howe\"er, IS
unran'led for the sakt, of something else, For it hehoo\"t's tilt' past
• {II TWI'NTY-SH:(INll sl<KII:.:'-I'OKCI,1 AIN ANIl VOlCANO
l)t·r!i.·d to bt.-comc an "I han,.dnltlk" ((m-bll). Tht.' presc.'nt 1ll01ll('nt is
110 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 dis-
tance 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 <k-cpl)'.
It is curious that Fit""Lgcrald rardy, if e\w, presents his characters in
til(' act of drinking or looking for a drink. He does not li\'e alcoholism
as a lack or a need, Perhaps this is disl'retion on his part; or he has
alwa~'s Ix'("n able to ha\'e a. drink; or there are scveral fomls of alcohol-
ism, one of them e"en turned toward itli most rt.'Cent past. (fhi' case of
Low~', though, is the oppositi', ". But, when alcoholism is experienl'l'll
as sut-'h an acute net..-d, a no less profound defonllation of time appl.'ars.
This time, l'\'cry futurc is cxperiencl-,(! as aJlI/lIfl' pe~fret (jilfllr-anteriellf)_
will, an cxtraordinal)' predpitation of this l'ol11pound future, an effect
of thl' l'ITt'l't which goes on until dcath).s Alcoholism, for Ht""Lgerald's
dl.lracters, is a process of demolition t'wn to the extt'llt that it d<'h'r-
mint'S the l.,IlL'Ct of lIight of thl' past.' not only the solx-r past from
\\hich tht')' are s<'!>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'<luaU)' rt'lllott' and di'tcnnines
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 per-
feet 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'' .
. and till' loss of mone\', the nali'
monl'V
_ 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
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-Icalth-
Ollr 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, •

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 them-
selves, 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'
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<l in which ('\"('rything is
simultam:ous: Zeus is also Dia, the "Through" (J'A-rrarers) or that which
is mixed, the blender. 1 The greatesl prese~t is not therefon: unlimitt'd.
It ,x:rtains to thc present to delimit, .lnd to he the limit or measun' of
the action of bodies, cvcn if we art:: confronted by thc grcatt'st of bodies
or the unity of all causes (Cosmos). It can, howl'ver, he infinite without
IX'ing unlimited. For exampk. it ('ould be circular in the st'ns(" Ihat it
encompasses ("very present, begins anew. and measures ofT a I1('W cosmic
period after the pn:{;eding one, which may lx' identical to the prt'l:eding
one. To till" relative movement by ml'ans of which each present reft'rs
to a rdatively more vast present, Wl' must add an ahsolut(, movement
proper to the most vast of preSt'nts. This movement contracts and
dilates in depth in order to absorb or n~store in the play of cosmic
periods tlw rdalive presents which it surrounds (10 t'ncompass-to St·t
aflame (embrasser-embroser).
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
I 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('s-
sion), 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
_ _ . L,
~'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 unlim-
ill'd, the wa)" that future and past are unlimitt't1, and finih' lib, Ihe
inst<tllt. Whereas Chronos \\'a.~ ins"-'!,arabk from circlIl.lrit~, <tnd its
,lccid('nts-sllch as bloc'kages or pn'cipitations, explosions, discolllwc-
tiOIlS, amI indurations-Aion stretches Olll in a straight litle, limitles.~
in l'itlll'r din'('tion. Always alread~' pass{'d and t't('rnall~' ~'t't to come,
r\ ion is the c!t'rnal truth of tinl<': pllrt! elnplJ'form ~f lI1ne, which has fn'ed
itSt,lf of its pn's('nt corporeal content and has thereby ullwound its own
drdt" .~In'tching itsdf out in a straight line. [t is perhaps all til(' mon'
dangl'rous, marl' lahyrinthine, and more' tortuous for this rl'aSO!l. It is
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<l(' of the Aioll, it would 1)1.' totally dif-
ll'f(·nl.
2) It is this new world of incorporeal effects or surfact' <,fleets which
nub-s language possible. For, as we shall sec, it is this world which
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 be-
CllIS\': 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 prop-
aty 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 direc-
tions ,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. Lan-
guage, 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<l; and although it must also sa)' the past. it sa),s it as thc
past of states of affairs which go on aprwaring and disappearing in the
other direction. In short. the str.light line is now relat("(1 to its two
environs; and while it separates them, it also articulates the one and the
other as two series which are cap.,bl(' of being developed. [t brings to
them both the instantaneous alcator)' point which traverses it and til{'
singular points which arc distributed in it. There arc two faces therefore
which arc alwa)'s unequal and in dis('quilibrium: one turned toward
states of affairs and the other toward propOSitions, But thc)' arc not
allowed to be r<..oduced to states of affairs or to propositions. The \'ent is
brought to bear upon states of affairs, but only as the logical attribute
of these states. It is entirely dHlcrent from their ph)'sical qualitic..-s,
dl'spite the fact that it may happen to thelll, be embodied or actualized
in them. Sense and event are the same thing-except that now sense
is related to propositions. It is related to propositions as what is
t'xlm:ssible or expressed b)' them, which is ('ntircl)' diAcrent from
what the)' signif)', manifest, or dcnott:, It is also entircl)' dilfercnt from
their sonorous qualities, I;'\'cn though the indq~ndence of SOIlOrous
(lualities from things and Ixxlics may lx' exdusively guaranteed by the
entire organization of the scnse-e\'ent. The entire organi;.-.., tion, in its
threl~ abstract moments, nms from till' point to the straight line, and
from the straight lim' to til(' surface: the point which traccs the Iinc;
tht: line which fonus the fronti~'r; and the surface which is c!('\'l'loped
and unfolded from both sides.
3) Man)' mo\'(:nlt'nts. with a fragile ami delicate mechanism, intt'rSt'l·t:
that bv means of which !xxlies, stall'S of affairs, and mixttll"t,s, l"onsi-
d~'r~'d 'in their depth. succeed or f.lil in the production of id('al surfac~'s;
and l"ol\vtTsdy, that b), means of which till' l'\'('nts of tht' surfact.' .lre
actualiz('d in the pres('nt of bodies (in accordan("(' with ('omplex rules)
hv imprisoning lirst their singularities within the limits of worlds.
individuals, and Ix'rsons, Tll('r(' is also the mowm('nt wht'n'in the ('\'ent
implies something , exn'ssiw in rdation to its actuali"Altion, som(~thin" 6
TWI,wr\'-TIIIRD ~1:RII:S 01· Till: AION 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 Twenty-Fourth Series or the
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 Communication or b'cnts
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 One of thl· boldest moments of tht' Stoic thought inmlves the splitting
itself is missing from its own identity. This !,r<.'SCnt of the Aion repre- of the causal relation, Causes are referred in depth to a unit)' which is
senting the instant is not at all like the vast and {eel' pr sent of proper to them. and effects maintain at the surfacl' specific relations of
Chronos: it is the pr<."SCnt without th~;~c~k~n~,,,,~,~'_1~1~,c':!"~llall;OJ.-"'c..<u:l'" another sort. nl'stin)' is primarily the unit}' and the link of physical
dancer. or mime-'- "Ilc "ure :H.:'r\'crs(' "moment," It is the prt.'st'nt of/ causes .lmong t1WlllSl'!\"('S, 11l{'ofllOrcal df{'cts .lfl' obviously subject to
t 1C pure operatlon, no 0 thc IIlcorporatlon, t IS not the prescnt of destin)'. to till' ('st('nt that they are th<' ('fTe("t of tlwsc causcs. But to
subwTsion or actualization, but that of the cOlintcr-actuahzationJ_\W!ch tilt' extent that tht·)' differ in natun' from thesc causes, thc}' enter. with
-k'Ceps the fonner from O'ttrtlirning the latter, and the latter from being onc anotlwr. into relations of quasi-causal it)" Together, th(')' enter into
COtifuS<.-d with the fonner. and which comes to duplicate the lining a relation with a quasi-cause which is itself im:orporeal and assurt.'S
~er Ia doublurt}. 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\'ellts-
t,fft'Cls maintain a rdation of ('ausalit~' with their ph~'sical causes. with.

168 TWI·NTY-T1IlRD SI:.RII,S 01· Till:. AION ,..,

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 propo-
sitions (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 consc-
CJul'!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 correspondence-
alogical 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 singular-
itit: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
TWI'NTY-l'llUK'r11 :"1'HII'~ 01· <..'OMMUNIl'ATIClN
'71
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, <!iOt'n'IK(' insh'ad of I.'quating dilTc-f('ncl'
wllh a 1Il(·.asurd,'ss contrarit'l~,. antll'oillrarit,ty with an idl'ntit\' whkh
is itsdf in/mite, It is not diOt'rclKt' \\ hid. must "go as far as" co·ntradic.
tion. as I-Il'~d ,thought in his dt'sir\' to al'('onunooatl' tht' negati\'e; it is
til(' contradIction which must rt'\'l'al till' naturc of liS differenn' as it
follows thl' distant.-c corrt'sl>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~
I (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 per-
spectin,-his pcrspcctivism-is a much morc profound art th.1I1 Leib-
niz'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' conjunc-
tin- 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<fO, d,s/uncta. But the whole (luestion. and rightly so. is to know
under what conditions the disjunction is a \'eritable synthesis. instead of
lx'ing a procedure of anal~'sis which is satislil..-d with the t'xdusion of
predieah's from OIl{' thing in \'irtUt· of the id(·ntit)· of its concept (the
negative. limitatin', or exdllsi\"t' llS(: of disjullction). The answ('r is gi\'Cn
insofar as the di\'ergcnc(' or the dcc..' ntcring dctennincd by til(' disjunc-
tion lx"('ollle ObjL'Cts of aflirmation as such. The disjunction is not at all
rc<luCt'd to a conjunction; it is left as a disjunction, sinc,,-' it Ix·ars. and
continm--s to bear, upon a di\"t'rgenct' as such. Hut this di\'ergence is
afllTTTl"-'(1 in such a wa~' that tht' mher ... or itsdf b<-comt"S a pure
affirmation. Instead of a ("'(·rtain numlx'r of p",-"(licates being ('xdud(od
from a thing in "irtue of the identity of its concept, each "thing" ope
itself up to th t • infinity of pn'(licah'S through which it passes.. as it I()S(.'S
its center, that is, its id(·ntit), as concept or as self,6 '1111.' communic3tion_
of ('wnts n'plac('s the exclusion of pn><licates. \Vt· haw alread~· st't'n the
pnX't"(lure of this affimlati\"C syntlwtic disjulU.·tion: it consists of the
IT..•.. ·tiOIl of a paradoxical instant·..·, an aleator), point with two ullt·......n
faces. which tra\'t'rsc.'s til(' di\'ergent s,,'ries as diwrg"'nt and causI's thl'":l
to resonatl· through tlwir tlistanc,,-' ancl in tlwir dist.lIlo·. Thus.. the
ideational center of t'onwrgt'nt'(' is b~' natlln' Ix·q)(·tuall~· deC(·ntat·d. it
17-1- '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 contrar-
I"-'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 \ Twenty-Fifth Series
l'W,:"' exclusion, every' conjunction, and cvery' connl'C'tion. [t is Klos-
s()\\·ski's merit to have shown how thl' three forms had tht..'ir fortuncs of Univocity
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 imper-
sonal, docs not aUow God to subsist. It docs not lolerate the subsistence It S<.'CrTL'i that our problem, in the course of our im'cstigalion. has
of God as an original indi\'idualit)'. nor the self as a I'crson, nor the changed altogether. We wcre inquiring into the nature of the alogical
world as an dement of the self and as God's product. Thl' divergence compatibilities and incompatibilities bclwct'n cn.'nL'i. Rut, 10 thc extent
of the affirmct:! series fonns a "cha05mos" ami no longer a world; the that din.'rgencc is aAirnwd and disjunction l)lx'oull'S a positive s)'ntht.'Sis,
aleatof')' point which travers<.'S them forms a (:ounter-sclf, and no longer it SC('ms thai all ('\·cnts, ('n'n contraries. arc (."Ompatible-that th<'1' arc
a self; the disjunction posed as a s)·nthesis cxchangl'S its theological :'in~(·~-cxpr<.'SSi\·(''' (s'en/r' e.\pmnen/). !!l(·oml:tatibilit~· is born onl}:-with
principle for a diabolic principle, It is the decenterL"(1 center which mdl\'lduals, persons. and worlds in which en'nt's are actualizl'!!, but not
traces betwl'Cll the scrics, and for all disjunctions, the merciless straight between e\·l'nts themsc!R'S or bet\\'t'l'n their o-<,osmic, impusonol. and pre-
line of the Aion. Ihal is, the distance whereupon the castoffs or the self, mdinduol singularities, In(:ornpatibility docs nol exist betwCt'fl two e\"ents.
the world. and God are lined up: the Grand Can)·on of the world. the but 1x.-!\\·l.'Cn al) evcnt and Ihe world or the indi\·idual which aetualizc.'S
"crack" of the self, and the dismembering of God. Upon this strai~' another nent as di\"Cr~nl. At this poinl. t1wre is something which dOl'S
line of the Aion, ther<' is also an l'ternal return, as the most terri Ie not allow itself to lx' t"L'lluct'll to a logical contradiction bet'wccn
lab)'rinth of which Borgt.'S spoke-one very different rrom till" drcu r prt'dicatl~ and which is nC\'crtlwll'ss an incomp.ltibilit)'; but it is an
or monocentl,rt.'tl n'turn of Chronos: an eternal return which is no alogical inmmpatibilil)', an incompatibility or "humor" 10 which Leib-
longer that of individuals, persons, and worlds, but only of pure cvents niz's original criteria must be applied. TIll' person. such a.'i \\"(' have
which the instant, di.~placed over thc line, goes on dividing into alr<'MI)' d"tilled it in its difference from the individual. pn'tt'nds to amuse itself
past and )'et to COIllt.'. Nothing other than the b"Cni suhsi.~ts, Ihe Evcnt ironically with these incompatibilitks, precisl'l)' bc.'l.:ausl' thc)' arc alogi-
alone, hen/urn /Oil/urn ror all contraries, which communic:al('s with itself ~·al. In anotllt'r m.llmer, Wl' ha\"t' st.'(·n how portmalllcau words cxprcss,
through ils OWI1 dislance and resonates across all of its disjullcts, tro rn the point or vicw of the It.'xkon, wholl), compatible meanings.

'76 TWI·NTY-I·OllRTH SI,RII::S 01· COMMUNICATION

'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.'r-
actualization. This, morl'O\'Cr, is thl' Niet'l..schean discowr')' of thl' in<li-
\'idual as the jor/ul/olls case, as Klossowski takl'S it up ami reston's it, in
an l'Ssclltial relation 10 tlw ('h.'mal relurn, \Vitnt'Ss
tht' whl'nwnt oscillations \\ hit'h Upst't tilt' indh'idual as long as h..: se.:ks only
his own (Tlltl'r and dOl'S not S('(' thl' (·ird..: of which hl' himsdf is a part: for if
thest:' osdllations UpSd him, it is l>Locause 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
Ilwm compll'h'I)' Iw<....·ssa':'... 1
.
of indi\'idualitil's must bt' tran'l'S('<.l 1)\, each, in onl,'r thai til(' fortuih'. make
We do not raise contrary <Iualities to inlinit~' in order to aAinn their
idl'ntit)'; we raise l'ach e\'('nt to thl' powcr of the eternal return in order
that the individual. born of that which comes to pass, alliml-her-
c1istanc{' with Tt>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 individ-
uals 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 <Iualitil's and their circular transfonnations, but
rathl'r tilt' tht'Or')' of purl' l'\'('llts ami till'ir Iillcar ami sUp<'rficial nmden-
:.atioll, The I'tanal Tt'turn has a Sl'IlSC of st,!t.'l·tioll and remains tkel to
an incompatibilit~'-with tilt' fonns whit'h hinder its constitution and
its functioning,
Counh'r-a~tualizing each e\'t'nt, tilt' actor-dancer ~'xtracts tilt' pure
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, <Illite
t1ifl~'r..:nt from the romantic iron~' of til(' Ix'rson still foundl"(l upon the
ilt.-ntitv, of lnlllraries.
YOll nlllll.'to this houst,; hut in mhl'r pos~ibl,' pasts ~·ou an' my elll.'m~'; in
ollll.'T:!. fril-n<!... , Time is fort.'wr di\'idillg itself towanl innullwrahle
m)'
futur,'s ami in unt' of tlWIIl [ am )'our t'Il\'m~', . , . TIll' futur,' exists no\\' . , ,
hut [ .un ~'our fril'nl!, , " For a monWllt his j".,(,k was ;again tuml'<.l to !TIl'. I
h"d!ll(' n'\'olwr n'a(k I fiTl'<1 with thl' utlllOSt (·an·. 1
Philosoph)' lllt'rgl'S with ontology, but ontolog." mergl.'S with the
ullhot.:it~, of 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 signi-
h(~ 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<TUTS, t1wn:fort', as a unique ('wnt for t'\'('T),thing
thai happ('ns to tilt' most dinTs(' things, fr.'IIiUm /Qllfum for all ('''('nts,
th t, ultimah' fonn for all of tht, fornu \\lJich n~main disjoilltl"(l in it, but
1\ hit h hring about til\' n'SOIl"nt't' and tilt' ramification of tlwir disjunc-
tion. '1'111' unin'N,'ity of IX'ing nwrgl's with tilt' positiH' liS<' of the
'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' ./ Twenty-Sixth Serie'
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 of Language
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<'<! to han> 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, EH"IlL'i mak(' language possible, Hut making possihle docs not nwan
and to mah' it fall upon them for all tinll's. BL'ing purl' Sd)'ing and causing to IX'gin. We' always begin in Ih(' on!<'r of sIX-'(''(·h. but not in
pure ~'\'('nt, uniwX'ity hring.~ in contact till' inner sUI,fan' of language lilt' onk'r of languag(', in which ('I'c-;'thing must lx' givcn simultancously
(insish'nl'(') with the outer surf:'ll:L' of Iking (L'xtra.lking). UninJCal and in a single blow, Then' is atwa~'s som('OIl{' who IX'gins to sJX'ak.
H<'ing inh('n's in language ami happl'ns to things; it nwasun's th(' intL'rnal TIll' one who IX'gins to slx'ak is til(' Olll' who manifests; what Oil(' talks
rdation of language with the ('xtemal rdation of Iking, Neitha activc ahout is the dc'notatum; what ontO sa~'s are the significations, Thc {'\"ent
nor passi\'c. unin)cal lX'ing is neutral. It is exua-&",s. that is. thc is not an~' of tlwS(' things: it slx·ak... no mort" than it is spokcn of or said,
minimum of lking common to the real. the possible. and the impossihle, Nt'\'('nhel('Ss, tht' {'\'ent dO<'S Ix'iong to language" and haunts it so much
A position in th(' \"Oid of all ("\"ents in olle. an expre!>siol1 in th(' nonsense that it docs not e'xist outside of till' propositions which ('xprcss it. Hut
of all sens('s in one. uninx:at Iking is til\' pur(' fonn of Ihe Aion, UlC.-.. till' t'\'<:nt is not tilt' same as tilt' proposition; what is expressed is not
fonn of ('xh:riority which relates things and propositions. I In short, thc lilt' sanw as the (·xpression. It docs not pn'('xist it, but pn'-inhcrcs in it,
uninX'ity of BL'ing has tlm'(' d('tcm1inations: one single' event for all tim.. gi\'ing it a foundation and a condition, To r('nd<:r languag(' possihlt-
('\'ellts; 011(' ami th(· s..lm(' ahqlllJ for that which hap!x'ns and that which Ihus ...igniti('S assuring that soumis are not eonfuSt-.! \\ ith thc sonorous
is said; ami one and till' sam(' Bdng for till' impossibl(" the' possible, and (lll,llitiL'S of things. with the sound (·lTCl't'S of 1)()(1i('S. or \\ ith thdr
tht' real. .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'x-
prt·......ing ibdf. One sp(',lk... alwa~'s of 1)()(IiL's anti their mixtun's, but

,1(0 1'\\"1 NT)"+I'IITlI ... l:M.1I" (1I'lINIVOl'I1')" ,8,

sollmls han' n'ast'd bo.:ing <Iualilies attadl('d to thl'S(' hodil's in ordo.:r
thai thl'" rna\' ('nter Inlo a nt'W rdation with tlwm, Ih,1I of 1I('nOI,1Iion,
and tll,l; dwy nl,l~' o.:xpro.:ss this power of spc.'aking and of Iwing SIX)k('Il,
1)1'1I0t,11i0I1 ,lIld lllanifo.:statioll do not found languagl', tlwy an' ?nl~'
mad,' pos~ihll' with it. '1111')' presuppoSt' the l'xpn'ssion, TIll' ('xpn's~ioll
is founded on thl' event. as an cntit~· of til(' expR'Ssiblt- or thl' l'xpn'sSt'd,
\Vhal ro.:ndl'rs languagc.' possible is thl' o.:n'nt insofar a:-. tilt' t'\'('nt is
l'tJllfllSt'(1 Ill'illll'r with thl' proposition which {'xpn'S..<;(':oo ii, nur \\ ith tilt'
sid II' of thl' am' who pronounCt'S it, nor with the stah' of affain. IIt'noh"l
hy till' proposition. And in truth. without the ('\"('01 all of thi:. \\ouldlx'
.
onl\' noiSt.'-and an indistinct noise. For not onl\'. dOl'S til(" ('\'t'nt mak,'
possihk' and separall' thai which it rendo.:rs pos,'iiblt-, it also makl'S
distinctions within whal it n'mlers possi!>II' (St't" for uampk. Ilw tripll'
dislinction in thl' proposition of dt'llOtation, manif('Stalion, and :.ignifi-
calion).
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
,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 through-
out 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' <!L'Centerl'd P0lnf, Tht-'Se figurL'S corr<'Spontl to surface dft-'("tS or
1'n-nL<;; at the surface, the linc of S\'nS\' immancnt to tht· e\'cnt; and on
Iht, linl', the point of nonSt'nse. surface nonsense, being L"O-prescnt with
~'nSI'.
TIlt' two great ant"il'nt s~'stt'ms, Epicureanism and Stoicism, at-
h'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'
 is till' Aion. the straight lim" the l'mpt~· form, and the distance; il
Ix.'ginning. 1I1l'f!' i~ till' al"tion." hO\n'\'cr much OIW nlJh's of till' "t.orb
pennits no distinction of monwnts, hUI g(X'S on Ix'ing di\'idl'{! fonnall)'
the rq>n'S('ntatin- of primary action and of the root tI\l' primary state
in till' doublt' alUl simultanl'OllS diTt'l,'lion of till' past and the future,
of tilt' n'rh. For it is not InlC' that Ihe n'rb rcpr('S('llts ;on action; it
'!1\(' infiniti\"{' dOL'S not implicall' a tinw illlernal to language without
('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'-
{'xpn'SSing lilt" St-'nsc or the ('\'l'IU, that is to sa~', the Sl't of prohlems t.
raiSl't1 by language, It connlxts the interiorit" of language 10 the
ments "hich <k'u'mlint' it in it.. ('ntirt·t~'. But if languag(' is not fonned
('xtt'riorit)' of IX'ing. It inh('Tits tlll'rdorc til(' communication of C\'ents
progrt'S~i\'('I~' following tht' succession of an external linu', Wl' should
,unong thl'msch-l-'S. As fOT uni\"ol"it~', it is transmiUl'l! from Being to
not hdi,'\"(" for this reason, that its totality is homogt'IWoliS. It is trul'
languag(" from till' cxteriorit~· of B<'ing to the inleriority of languagc,',
thai "phO!lCml'S" guarantt't' ('vcr), linguistic distinction possihle within
E'luinx'ity is always Ihe l'(luh'/X'it)' of nouns. "111c.: Verb is the uninx:ity
"rnorplwmcs" and "Sl,'mantt'mcs"; but l'onn~rsd}'. tht' signif~'ing and
of language, in the forn1 of an undl'tc.:nnined infinitiw. without p"'rson,
Illorphological units <it'tennine, in tlU' phonematic distinctions, tho5('
without pn'sl'nt, without an)' di\"CTsity of \"oicl', It is p()l.'lry itsdf, As it
which ar(' patilwnt in a languagl' under examination. 'I'll(' whol,,' cannot
('Xprl'sscs in language all e\'enls in Ollt', Ihe in/initiw wrb exprc.:s.sc.:s Ihl'
b,,' d('scribcd by a simple 1Il00'Clllcnt, but by a two-way mo\"cment of
('\"l'nt of language-language IX'ing a unique e\'l'nt whidl nwrg"'s now
linguistic action and reaction which r('prescnts the cirdc of the propo-
with that whidl renders it possibl(',
sition, I And if phonic al1.ion forn1s an open spact' for language, scmantic
reaction fonns an internal time without which this space c,"Quld not be
dl'h'mlinl-d in confonnit}, with a specific language, Indcpendentl}",
thert'fore, of c1emcnt.<; and ani}' from the poillt of \"K-W of mO\'cment,
l
nouns and their declension incarnah' action, whereas \"t·rbs an(1 their
conjugation incarnate reaction, The wrb is not an image of ('xternal
action, but a process of reaction inh~rnal to language. This is wh,", in its
most gl'lwra] notion, il enn']ops till' intl'rnal h'mporalit)' of language. It
is the \'erb which ("Onstitutes the ring of til<' proposition, hringing
signilicatioll to Ix'ar upon denotation and 1111' semantellle upon the
phOlwllle, Hut it is from till' \"l'rb as well that \\'c inli.'r what the ring
cOllc('als or coils lip. or what it re\"Cals once it is split, unrolled, and
deploy~~ o\"t'r a straight lilll': sense or thl' l'\'ent a'i tht' "'xpre~1 of the
proposulOn.
TIll' \"l'rb has two pok'S: the pTl'SCllt, which indicat("S its rdation to a
denotahll' state of affairs in \'i,,'w of a ph}'skal timt' charactl~rizl'(l by
succnsion; and the inliniti\"l', which indkatcs its relation to S('nsc or
the e\'Cni in vi,,'w of the intcrnal tim(' whk-h it envelops, Tht' l'ntire
wrb osl"illates Ix,twc,'l,'n the infiniti\"e "mood," which rl"f)f('senls the
circlt, onn' unwound from the ,,'ntire proposition, and til(' preSt-'nt
"tim""" which. on tht, contrar\", clost'S thl' circle o\'er the denotatum of
tilt' proposition. Iktwc.:L'1l Ihl' two. til(' wrh ('urn's its conjuga\iOli in
(:onformity with till' relations of denotation, manifestation, and signifi-
cation-t1w aggrl'gah' oftiml's, persons, and m/Xlt·s, The pure infiniti\'c
TWI:NTY-!>IXTli SI:RII-S 01- l.ANGUAta. ISS"
184 TW!,NTl'4!>JXTIl ,1·RJI,l' 01' I ANlillAtil,

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
if
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
".
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 is: 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'n-
tan' 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 mater-
nal 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..'CS-
sit~, 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. 'n\(' 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
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'r-
q!.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 and doc'S not allow itsdf to lall without also changing its natlln'. W('
suhsisl. 'l1lis is why tht, t"1:luilibrillm propt'r to the schizoid position and
its n'!.ttion to till' subsl'<lu('nt dl'pressl\"(' position do not S('l'm eapablc
of milling alxlllt from th... introjection of a good ohjt'ct as sUl'h, and
the~' musl IX' n'l·ist·d. What thl' schizoid IXlsition 0PIXlSt'S to had partial
()hjt·(·ts-introj(·ctnl and projtx-ted, toxic and ('xlTt·nwntal. oral and
allat-i.~ not a gO()(I objt'ct, l'\"l'n it if wen' partial. What is opposed is
ratlwr ::m org.lIlism without parts, a hody without organs, with rwither
mouth nOl' allllS, ha\"ing gi\"en up all introjt'l'tion or projection, and
Iwing cOlllpl1 lv, .1t this price. At this pOint, lilt' t('nsion ht·tll"(',,·n id ;nd
l'g') is fomwd. Two ,It-pths .Ul' opposed: a hollo\\' dt'pth, wlwrdn bit.s
ISS 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<luid,
Iluid, olnd lX'rfel:t, without pans or alt\·r.1tion I)('caust' it hols the prop-
ert~· of melting and welding (all tilt' hOlWS in a molSS of blood). It d()(·s
not Sl"l'm, in this Sl'nsc, that tilt' un·du.11 th"'nl<' l'an be Sl·t on th... same
pl,lIle as the anal thcmc. Exert'lllt'nb olrt' always orgolns and morsels,
:<ollwtinws drcadl"1:l as toxil' sllhsl.lIl('(·.~ ,lIld soml'liml'S tltiHz.."(1 as weap-
ons to brt'ak alMrt still ot/wr mur:.\ol.~. Urine, on t1w l'ontran', IX'ars
\\ itill'ss to .I liquid principlt' cap.lhle of hinding all of the morSl'ls
IOgt·ther , and of sumlOunting sudl a brt'olking apart in the full dl'llth of
.I hod~' (finally) without organs, J If l\t· ,1,'oSUllll' tholt till' s(:hizophn·nil-.
with all till' language he has aC<luiro.'d, rt'grt'SSl'S to this Sl.,hizoid position,
In' should not be surpr&"1:1 to lind again in schizophn'nic language the
dualit~' and l'Omplt'fll("ntarity of wonls-llas,..ions, splintcn:"1:1 excrl'ml'ntal
bits. and of wortls.actions, bloc'ks fuSl"l! togt,thl'l" by a principle of watl'r
or lin', Henceforth, l'wf)·thing takt·~ pla('t' in dl'flth, bl'Il('ath the n'alm
of sense. Ix-twl"('n two nonSl'nSl.'S of pun' noiSl'-the nonsense of the
hod~' and of the splinten.-d wonl. and til(' nonsen.st:' of thl' block of
IXKlies or of inarticulate wonls (tht' "that doc'S!l't makt' Sl'nS<"," fa n'Q
flO5 de sem, acting as thl' positi..·c PflX-""t'Ss of both sidt.'S', The same duality
of compleml'nta~' pok'S is found again in schizophrenia bl'twet'n reiter-
oltions and pt'J'S('..'croltions, I)(·twl"l'n jaw.grinding and l.<ltatonia, for
\'xamplt', Tht' first Ix'ars witnl'SS to intemoll objects and to the bodk'S
tht,~, brl'ak to pil.'(.·l'S-the same IXKli..'S 1\ hich break them to pica-s:
Iht· St.-'Cond manifests the IXKI~' without organs.
It st.'l'ms to us that tlw gOOlI Ohjl"l't is not introjcctl-d as such, lx'Causc
it 1X'longs from the \'('')' start to anotha dimension. '111(' goexl Ob;l'Ct
has anotlll'r "position:' It 1X'longs to t1w height..., it holds itself aIXlI'(',
should not understand Iwight as an invcrted depth. [t is ratht'r an
original dimension distinguislll'd hy Ihe naturt· of the Ohjl'<.·t whidl
occupies it, and hy tilt' instanu' whil'h drculates in it. The slllX'n'go
do\'s not lwgin with the lirsl inlrojt·l't...d objt·\·ts, as Mdanic Klein S,lyS,
hUl ratlwr with this g()()(1 object which holds itst·lf aloft, Fn'ud often
insisted on till' importanct' of this tranSft'n'lKt' from depth to height,
"hil'h indicah's, l:H.'twt'en till' id and the supl'rego, a total dlangt' of
()ril'llIation and a (·t·ntral reorganization of ps)'Chic life. DqJth has an
inh'rnal tt'llsiO!l dt'l\'rmi!wd hy dynamic ....I t...gorit·s-l·ontailler-l·on-
T\\'I N'l "-"I,VI NTII ~I'Rll'~ 01' ()KAI IT" 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'n<!l'a\'our to snap up the
good objo:ct: tho: gOCKI Objl't-1. in turn, l>chan'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 character-
iZt'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 "with-
drawing" 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
<!e,.·v world of the simulalTa, but rather that of the Idol on high. It is no
longl'r a matter of nu"("hanisms of introjection and projel1~n. but of
ilkntitlcation, And it L.. no longer the same SpalrunS or di\'ision of the
ego, The schizophrenic split is a split lx·twCt'n the explosi\'l'. introjocted
and projected internal objt'Cts. or rathcr the bOtl)' which is fragmented
h)' these objects. and thl• bod~' without organs and without mechanisms
renouncing projl'l-·tion as \\,t'll as introj{'Ction. The depressi\'e split is
bl'tw('('n the two l>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 experi-
encc 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
<!t'prt'Ssi\'{' position, not only with n'slx'ct to the sufferings which it
undt'rgocs, but also with fl."S(XX1 to til(' sufferings that it lih'S to confer,
through idt'ntif'ication with thl: cruelty of thl' good objl'l,t as such.
Sadism, on til{' other hand, dt'Pt'nds on th(' S<.'hizoid position, not only
with rL'Spe<1 to the sufferings it inllicts UPOIl others. but also with
n..'Spe'(.'t to th... sufferings it i~f1it'1S upon itself through tht, projection
and intemaliz.ation of aggrt.'SSi\'t'n('s.~. \Ve havc Sloen, from another point
of \'iew, how alcoholism fits tht, <!eprt'Ssh'c position, pla~'ing the rol(' of
the hight-'St objt-'Ct, its loss and the Ia\\ of this loss in tilt' past lX'rfl'Ct;
we have S<.'Cn how finally it rcplact'S tht, liquid principle of schizophrenia
in its tragic prt-oscnts,
And then the first stage of the dynamic genL'Sis appears. The dt'pth is
clamorous: dappings, crackings, gnashings, crack.lings. explosions, the
shattered sounds of internal objects, and also the inarticulate howls-
breaths (cris-sol!Oles) of the I)(KI}' without organs which respond to them
-all of lhis forms a sonorous system Ix'aring witness to the oral~anal
\'Oracit)', This schizoid s}'stem is inscparabtl' from the h'rrible prCtlic.
tion: speaking will be fashionl'tl out of eating and shitting. language and
its uniw'lCity will IX' sculptl'll out of shit ... (Artaud speaks of the "caca
of being and of it's Ianguagl""). But, to IX' pfl'l-'isc, what guarantCt..'S the
tirst rough sketch of this S<.·ulpturc, and thl" first stage in the formation
of a languagl" is the good objC"Ct of the tlepfl"SSi\'L' position up above,
For it is thL'! objt'Ct that. from among all tht-· sounds of the depth,
l'xtracts a Voi(:t', If \\(' tak<' into considl'ration the characteristics of the
good obj<'Ct (of being found onl~' as lost. of aplX'aring for the first time
as alread), theft', ('tc.) it Sl'Cms that the}' art' nt'Ccssaril)' gathercr! into a
\'Oin: which sJ>('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 (lL'prcssi\,c position arc but 01U'. It is nol nl'Cess.lT)' to wonder whether
person (till' "oin' ,holt Ion'S and rl'assuH-S, attacks and s,:olds, that itst'lf t'('hOt'S, l'onstraints, and thl'fb ,1ft' prilll.l!')' or onl)' S<-"t-'Onclary in n.-Iation
l'ompl'lill~ .l1)()UI Ix-ing wounl!l·d. or withdraws and kL""pS quiet). Tht, to automatic plll'nomcn.l. 11\i:, i.. .l falSt· probk'm sinn' what is stolt·"
\'oin', though. pr{"S('nts the dimensions of an organized language, with- fTOm the S('hizophrcnic is not Ihe \Oin': \\hat is stolt'n b~· tlw \okt'
uut ~·(·t l)l:ing able to grasp the organizing principle acmrding to which from on high is. ratllt'r. Ihl' t'nlire !oOI\OTOllS, p"""lXtJI s~'st('m th.lt 1)(' was
till' micL" itself would 1)(· a language. And so \\'(' arc Il'ft outside M'm,,, ,\ble to makt' into his "spiriIU.l1 ,HltolTl.lton."
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 ('rltan-
gll'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.ll-
IX>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)('

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><lrtial objtx:t of a stagt' is Iragm..:nt..:d by tilt' activiti..:s to \\ hich it has
I~..:n suhmitt..:tI; til(' partial objt.:t't of a ZOIll', on till: oth('r hand, is
sl'paratt'd from th(' whole by Ihl' tcrritor)' which it ol'cupit's and whieh
limits it. The organizal ion of Will'S anti th(' org.lnization of stagt's oce~lr.
of {'nurst', almnst simultaneously, since all positions art' daborated
during th(' tirst }'t'ar of lift" t'ach one cncn)J.dling 011 till' prco'(ling
••6
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 Ix-
ddin(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 eroge-
nous 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 "pro-
j\'(·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'xual-
it~, in its lirsl (pn:gt'llital) aSlx'ct must lx, dt'lined as.l writablt' produc-
tinn 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'<!
wry mudl after tilt' dri\'l's of conSl'rvation, l>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' <lrin', scxualit), prO\·idt.·s tht'
substituti\'e ObjLx-t, and dc..'Stnll"tion pn)\'idt'S the whole n'\'l'rsiblt, rda-
tion. But prt:dsdy lx-causc prt'sen.lIiorl is. at its foundation, thn',ltelll'd
b)' this s)'Slem in which it has hl'CU!lll' in\'oln::d (wlll'rein 10 Cal becomes
to be ta/tn). we S("C the wholt, s)"stem l>t'ing displace<l; death is rl'C'O\'erl-d
as a <lrin: insidc the lxxly without orgdns at the same time thai this
dead body is et,'mall)' mnscr\'ed and nourished whilt· it is st'xually born
of itst'lf. The world of oral-anal-urethral dl'llth is the worl(1 of a
rt'\'ol\'ing mixture whil'h can tnllv l)t, called hottomlt."S.<i;, as it Ix-ars
witm'SS to a perpetual sub\'ersion. -
When we link sexuality to tilt.' <:onstitution of surfaces or wnt'S,
what we mean to sa)' i~ that the libidinal drivcs lind tile occ.'asion for an
at least apparent double libC'ration. which is exprC'SSC<! prt'Ciscl\' in auto-
t.·roticism. On ontO hand. the\' fn'l' t1wll1scl\'cs from the ;Iimentan'
m<xlcl of the drivl.-'S of p.....scr\';tion, sinn' the)' find new sources in th~
l"rogenous zones and new objt'Cts in thl' imagl'S projccl('(1 onto thL"SC
~onl'S: thus. for example, sucking (Ii' tUfoUffli.'m) which is distinguisht.'d
Irom .su<:tion (/0 SlIccion), On the otlwr hand thc\' frt.'C themscln'S from
the constraint of the dl'Stnleti\'l' drin'S I~ tht: extl'llt that the)' get
irl\'oln'll in the product in- labor of surfact'S and in new relations with
thl'S<" nl'W 1>t:'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}<lrable from surfau'S,) \Ve must t/wn t.'Onsidt'r the twice Iiberatl'l!
libido as a \'eritablc superjicwl enerS}, We .should not Ix·lil'\"('. howt"wr,
that tilt' otht'r driws have disappl'art'll, that the)' do not l"ontinu(' tlll'ir
wurk in dt'pth. or espt-"Cially that they do nol lind an original position
in the nt'\\ s\'Stt'm,
\Vl" must again tum to tilt' entin' Sl'SIl.l1 position, with its stlcccssiw
l,ll'nll'nts ",hidl (·nno.Kh so much upon 0In' another that til(' dt'mt'nt
\\hkh prt'("l,'(!t'S is dt'{('nnilU'(l onl)' through it'S <:onfrontation with the
unt' \\ hi('h folious, or \\ ith thl' pn'hguration of thl' 0Ill' \\ hieh follo\\s,
TWI·NTY·1 U;HTH :-.l-IUI·:-' 01' :-'''XUAIITY 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 whole-
somc and goo<l organ. it confers 1000e and punishment. while at the
same time withdrawing in order to fonn the whole person or the organ
corTl'Sponding to the \"oice, that is. the combinl-d idol of both J><Ircnts.
(In a parallel manner. the parental coitus. which is at f1rst interpreted
as pure noise, fUI)'. and aggT'lossion. bfcomcs an organizl-d \"oin" e'·en in
it.~ power to be silent and to frustrate the child.) It is from all thl,*
points of VK-W that Melanic Klein shows that the schizoid and d('prcssr('e
positions suppl), the carl}' clements of til(' CX-dipus complex; Ihal is. that
the transition from the bad penis to the good is the indispl,'llsable
condition for the arrival of thl~ (x·dipus complex in iL'l strict sense, to
genital organization and to thl' corresponding new prohlems,4 We know
what these new problems consist of: it is a mattl'r of organizing surfaces
and bringing about their coordination. In fact. as surfacl's impl)' the
dis..ongagem(·nt of sexual drives from alimental)' and destructive drin~.
till' child mOl)' come to think that he abandons nourishment and power
to his parents, and in return ma), hope that the penis. as comp/clc ,md
Hood o'9all, will come to be posed and projected all his own g"'nital
ZOlll', If so, the penis would become til(' phallus which "doubll.'s" the
200 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<dipal demands. The phallus•.l~ til(' imag(' projl.'l·tl.'d on the genital
ZOlle. is not at all an aggrl.'ssi\"(' instrument of p"'lwtration alUl l.'\·l.'ntra-
tion. On thl' contrar)" it is an inlotrunwnt of tho.' surface. ml.'ant to mend
the wounds that the lk'Stnlctiw driws, bad internal Objl'CtS. and the
penis of depths haw inllil1.l'll on tlw maternal hally, anll to reassurl.' the
good obj('Ct. to convince it not to turn it~ facl' awa~·. (The proc°csses of
"rqXlration" on which Melanil' KI,,'in insists Sl."'('m in this scnsc to belong
to the constitution of a surfan' which is itself rcstoratino.) Anxil'l~· and
guilt are not dl'r1,·ed from thl' (k'diIXlI dl'Sin' of incest; they arc fornled
:\"(.1\ in advance. the fornwr during the schrwid aggrcssi,·encss. the
latter during the deprcssi\"(~ frustration. (k'lIiJ><lI desire would rather
in\"Oke them. OedlpW is a p«ifpng hcro '?f rhe Herculean r)'re, \Ve arc
confronted with thc Theban C\·c1l'. (k'(liplis dispell('(1 the infernal power
of depths and the celestial I~wer of heights, and now claims onl), a
third empire, the surface. nothing hut thl~ surface. His con\"iction that
he is f~ of fault and his assuranCl' that hl' had arranged l"·l'l),thing to
e,·ade the prediction co~ from this. This point, which would have to
b(' de\"elopt.--d through the interprl.'tation of the entire m}1h, finds a
confinnation in the original nature of the phallus. The phallus should
not penetrate, hut rath"'r, like a plowshan' applied to the thin fertile
la\"Cr of the earth, it should trace a fme ar Ihe su1au. This line. emanating
fr~m the genital zone, is the Hm' which ti(~ together all the erogenous
zon..' S, thus l'nsuring thl'ir connection or "interfacing" (Joublure), and
hringing all the IXlnial surfan's togctlll'r into olle and the same surface
on the Ixxl)' of th.., child. Morl'over. it is SUppOSL-d to fC'l.'Stablish a
surfacl.' on thl' IxxI)' of till' mother herself and bring about the return of
til(' withdrawn fathero It is in this ()('(lilXll phalli(O phasc that a sharp
distinction of the two parents occurs, the mother taking on til(' aSlx'ct
of an injured lxxl)' to bl.' Inl'nd...d. and til(' father taking on til\' aSpl'l't
of a good obj('ct to I)l,' mad.., to return. AI)Q\'e all. it is here that tho.'
child pur~u('s on his own Ixxl)' th... constitution of a surface and til('
illh'gration of till' zonl'S, thank.~ to till' \wll-found,,'d privil(ogl' of thl.'
genital zone.

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-<lUSC of thl' rragilit~· of the
entcrpriS(,-thc rragilit)· characteristic of surfacNi. Dnl' is IU'H'r ('cnain
that till' dl'Slnlf..·tin· <Inn'S. whkh continue to act undt'l" the S('xual
drin-s••Irt' not d!Tl"-'ting the work ~f thl' latter. 'Ill(' phallus as an imag:j
at til(' surfano nsks l"Onstantly bemg rl-cupcrah'tl by tho.' penis of the
dt'pths or the penis of tht-" heights. Thus. it risks l~ing castrak'(l as
phallus. sinn.' the pl'nis of the depths devours and castrates, and the
I"'nis of tllc heights frustrat<.'s. There is then'fon' a double nwnan' of
l.-dstration through pn:'()('(lipal n..-gression (castration-de,·ouring. l"astra-
tion-depri\'ation). The line tral.-'l.-'(! b)· the phallus risk.~ Ix'ing swallmn-d
up insid(' till' t!locp Spo1wnS' Inn'st risk.<; also rdurning to til(' stat(' of
eH'lltration of thl' mother and of till' child, or to a t'annihalistit· mixture
wlll'r{' the Oil(' who ('ats is also eatcn. In short, the schizoid and ("'('n
thl' dqm'ssil'l' position-til(' anxit't)' of Oil(' and tilt' culpahility of tht'
other-tlm'ah'n ('Ildlt'ssly tht.: Ocdipal complex. A.<; Ml·lanic Kldn sa)'s•.
anxil,t)' anti ('ulpahilil)' an' not born of the inc('stuous aff.lir. Tlw)'
would, ratlwr, pn'wllt its fonnation and compromisl' it constand)"
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 aban-
dons its original bene\'olenc("-at til(' OI.--dipal moment,JOr eXDmpJt-
when 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 perception-
COflS('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'd-
woundt,d, prt'sent-.lhsc.'nt) tilt' dlild hegins b~' extrat·ting thl' lU-gati\,I'
and makt'S USl' of it in order to <Iu,llif)' a mother Imase and a fatlwr
Imdse. On 01U' hand, thc child idl'ntities til(' mother with thl' woum\('d
I)()(!y, being the prima~' dinwnsion of the completl'. good objt'ct (the
woumk't.l Ixxly must not be confuSt.""(! with tilt' shatterl't.! or fragm('ntl'(l
I)()(!~' of the dq>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 posi-
tion. 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.'la-
tion, 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. Oc<lipus is
Ht'rculean 1X't..<llISC, as peace-mah'r, he too wishes to fonn a kingdom
of surfacl'S ami of the ('arth to tit his size. Hl' lx,Ii<.'\'('t! that hl' had
wanlC(1 off the monster.i of the d"l>th 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 ques-
tion 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, <It'alh ll\' \"astration.
1'Jo,','ollws the dlild's destin)'. rdlC(1('(1 h\' the mother in thi~ Jnguish Iw
now l'xlx.'ri<'nn·s. and inflicted h~' th<, rather in this culpahilit~'~IU' now
suhmits 10 as a sign of n-ng<'ano'.
All this stor), Ix-gan with the phallus as an image pmjt'1.11't1 o\'('r til('
gt'nital zonl', which gave to til(' child's penis the force of l'mharking 011
Ill(' \'{'nturl..', Hut C\'{''11hing Sfi'ml, to t('rminate with tilt' image whie:h
is dissipah'(l and which carri,,-'S along with it the disaplX'arann' of lIw
dlilcl's penis. "Pcn·l'rsit~·" is til(' tra\"('rsal of surfa('t-'S, and I\('re, in this
tra\"crsal, something nt'W and changt'(l is r<.'\"('ak-d, The line that the
phallus trac,,-'(! at th,,-' surfac'e, a(TOSS e\'c~' partial surfan', is now th('
tran:' of castration wlwrc th(' phallus is itself dissip.atl'(!-and th(' pe-nis
along " .
with it, 'I1tis ('astration, which alom' me-rits tht' nanl<' "com!>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 surface-
pht'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' prema-
turd)' 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 confoml-
it}' 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 the-
coordination 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' rt'Cognize th\.' pure lim' of tIl\' t\ion ,lIld the (kath instin(·t in its
forms of tllunlt'r and ("lstration. The famous mechanism of "d,'m'gation" speculatiH' fonn, But tll('n tilt' Frt'lltli,m idl'a that tht, death instinct is
(that's not what I wanh.'d ... ), with all its importancI' with r(,sl~ct to .lIl affair of Sp"('ulation must. with good n'asnn, lx' takt'n Iitt'rally, At
tht.: lonnatiol\ of IhOl19hl. must he interpreted as t.'xpn'ssing the paSs.1gl' til(' samt' tinll', WI' must k('Cp in mimI thaI this last metamorphosis runs
from one surfac:c to another. till' s.1ml' dang"rs as the othas. anti pt'rh.lps in a more anlte m.lIl1wr:
IJt·rhaps WI' are moving too fast, It is olwious that thl' murder anti til(' crack, in a singular fashion. rbks breaking up the surfan' from
the castration which result from th(' action concenl 1)()(1i1'S, that th{')' which it is ne\'athdl.'Ss inSt'!>'lrahll'. [t nllls til\.' risk of em'Ountering
do not b)' themsdv('S constitute a metaphysical surfao,' ami that thc)' again on the other surface the simplt' tran' uf ('astration. Or e\'en worse,
do not e\'('n belong to it. But nonetheless thc)· arc on til{' wa~', provided it nlllS til(' risk of being s\\'allo\\l'll up in thl' Spa/Ulna of depths and
that we aeknowl''tlge that this is a long road marked by stagl'S. In fact, hcights-{dr~'ingwith it all tilt' lkhrb uf tilt' sur(.1('t· in this gencraliz('(!
along with the "narcissistic wound," that is, when tilt' phallit' linc is debacle when' thl' end finds again tilt' Ix,int of dl'JXlrtur\.' and the death
transfonlu.'(1 into the tran' of castration, thc libido, whi(,h inn..'Sh.'t1 the instinct. the bottomless dcstructin' drin'S, All this would follow from
. . g o of St."t.'Ondaf)' narcissism at the surface, undergOl.'S a l),lrticularl)' tht.' confusion we previousl)' not('(1 !x'tw{'('n the two tlgun.'S of death:
important transmutation-that which Fn'ud ('aiit'd "~;(Ua/ua/lon" this is the central point of obscurity whil,h railws ('ndbsl~' tht" problem
1Jt."'SCxualizl-d energ), app<-an"(l to Fn.'ud as nourishing the dt'ath instinc of thl~ relations of thought to S(.·hizoplm'nia Jnd d('pression, to thl'
and as conditioning the mlx'hanism of thought. We must therefore 1>S~'chotic Spa/tuna in gl'nl'ral a..~ \\1,11 a!' to neurotic ('astration. "For. of
grant a dual value to the thl'mes of death and castration. We must murs<: all life is a proct.'SS of d('l1lOlition ... ," including spt."t.'"ulatin- lifl'.
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<! and deprcssin~' positions), But wc must also
grant the \'alue which they take on as the origin of dl'SCxuali7,l.-d elll'rg)'
and the original manner by which this energy rcinn.'Sts tht'lll 011 its new
metaphysical surface, or surface of pure thought, This Sl.'Cond proa.."5S
-which, to a ct'rtain extent, is independent of the others. since it is
not din'CtI)' proportional to till' success or failure of the liquidation of
(A"'(lipus-corrl"Sponds in its first aspect to what is call{'{1 "sublimarion,"
and in its Sl."t.'Onti aspl."t.'t to what is called ·'symboI17-O/lon." Wt: must
then'fort, concl"(I(, that mctamorphos(..'S do not end with the transfor-
mation of the phallic line into a trace of castration on thl' phpical or
corpon'al surface, We must also cOlKetie that the tra('e of castration
corresponds to a crack marking an ('ntircl)' different incorporeal and
metaph)'sical sllrfact' which brings about transmutation, This change
raises all sorts of prob]('ms with respect to the t1escxualizl.'{l energy
which fonus the new surface, to the ver)' ffil.'{:hanisIllS of sublimation
and symbolization. to the dcstiny of the ego on this Ilew plant', and
linaJl)' to the double belonging of munler and castration in the old ,md
new s)'stems, I In this crack of thought. at the incorporeal surface, we

208 TWI:.NTY-NINTlI Sb/{JI:.S-liOOD INTENTIONS


Thirtieth Series of the
Phantasm
! t'n'nl-phantasms, \Ve ha\'c aln'ad~' twin' scr-n how thc place was
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~' pOs<od. Ttl(' distim:tion is not octW(...·1I th(· imaginar:'" a,~d th~
n',t!. hut Ix·tw~·(·n the l'wnt as such and tilt' corpon'al state of affairs
whi("11 indtes it atX>lIt 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, poison-
ing, 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<logl'nl)uS cauSt'S (I11'n"(lita~r constitution, ph~'lo­
gt'lU.'tic Iwritagt', internal e\'olution of St'xualit~" introjt'C"tI"(1 actions and
passions) no It'S... than \\"t' spt'ak of exogl'llOus cauSt'S, Tlll' phantasm.
lih, Ihe ewnt \\ hich it reprt.'St:nt.:., is a "nocmatic attribute" distin-
guishl"f.l not onl~' from stall'S of aO-airs and their qualitit'S, but from tht'
psychological lin'S and from logkalmnCl-pts as well. It Ix'iongs as such
to an idl'ational surf.1Cl.' o\'l.'r which it is pnXIUl'N.! as an eOI,(·t, It
transl"l'nds inside and olltside, sinn' its topological propert)' is to hring
"its" internal and external sidt's into COlll;WI, in ordt'T for ,lwlll to
unfold onto a Single side. This is wh~' tilt" phantasm-t,\·t'nt is suhmith"(1
to a doubk' causality, referring to till' ('xu'rnal and intt'rnal cauS('s
"hose rL'Sult in depth it is, and also to a quasi-cauSl' whit,h "enacts" it
at the surfact' and brings it into comlllunil'alion witll all the other
pn.'part'd for such effect.... <liffl'Ting in n.ltllTl' from that whas<' result
the~' art': tht' first linl(', in the case of tilt' dt-pressin:.' position. when tlw
{·.luse withdrew into the heights ami Ivft tilt' I-idd fn'l' for the d('wlop-
llU'nt of a surface yet to come; lah'r on. in the case of the Oedip.ll
~ituation, when intention left the field fr('e for a result of an entirdv
diffl'Tt'nt natuTt', Whl'Tt' the phallus plays the role of a quasi-cause,
Neither actin' nor passh'e, neither int\.'mal nor external. neither
imagina~' nor rcal-phantasms han' indN"(1 the impassibilit~, and idl'- 'y
alit~· of the \.'\'\.'nt. In light of this impassibility. the)· inspirt' in us an
unlx'arablt, waiting-the waiting of tllat which is going to come about
as .1 result. and also of that which is already in the process of coming
abmH and nt'ver stops coming about. What is ps)'(:ho.lnalysis talking
about with its grand trinit), of l11urder-incest-castration, or of dl't"OlIr-
ing-t'\'l'ntration-adsorption, if not about purl' t'\'ents? Isn't this til(' caS('
of all l'wnlS in One, as in the wouml? fOfCffl and Taboo is till' gn'at
thl'O~' of Iht, l'\·ent. and pS)'(-hoanalysis in general is till' scit-net' of
l'n-nts. on tht' condition Ihat Ihe ('Wilt should not lx' treatC't.1 as
:-omething whOS(' S('11Sl~ is 10 1)(> 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
('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 transmuta-
tion, 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' phan-
tasm 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·", <H Till, I'll A NT.o\:-' ,\1
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\e-
St.·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'.
, 11\at which is be\'Ond ,
the actiw and
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' phan-
tasm is exprCSSl.'f.I in a pla~' of grammatical transfonnations. The phan-
tasm-e\'ent is distinguished from til<.." corresponding state of alTail'"S,
whether it is real or possihlt·; tht-· phant<bm rcpn'S<'nts thl.' c\'cnt
according to its CSSt.·nn·, that is, as a noematic attribute distinct from
thl' actions, passions, and <lualiti<..'S of tht' state of alTairs. Hut the
phantasm represents anOlhl'r .and no k-ss "''SscntiaJ aSJll-"Ct as \H'II, ac-
cording to which the e\'l'nt is that which ma~' be exprl'ss<xl b}' the
proposition (Freud pointed this out in sa~'ing that the phantasmatic
material, in the rcpn'scntation of til(' parclltal "OitliS for ~'xamplt" has
an 'lllinity to "\'erb.ll images"), [t is not till' <',1se that the phantasm is
said or signified; til(' c\"('nt 'preSt'nls as mall~' dilTer('llCeS from the
propositions which ~'xpn'ss it as from till' stalt' of affairs in which it
occurs, 'l1w fact is, though, that it do...·s not ~'xist outsidl' of a proposi-
tion \\hich is at least possibl(" e\'en if this proposition has all of the
charactt'ristics of a paradox or nonscnSt·; it also inlll.'Tl'S in a !ldnieular
d('llwllI of till.' proposition. "111is ('/~'nl<.."nt is the H~,b-tlw infiniti\'e
fom1 of the wm. 'Ill.: phantasm is in.......'parabl(, from til<.." infinitiw mode
of the \'l.'rb and bears witlU'ss thl'rcb~' to till' pun' en"nl. But in light of
th~' rd.ttions and complex l'onlU'.:tioIlS betwn'n the cxpn'SSion and the
l'Xpn.'sslxl, bl·tween til<.." interiorit), of the (·xpn·s...or rl'e.tpmoonl) and the
l'xt~'riorit)' of the l'xpr~'sSt't1, IX't\wt'll till' "l'rb as it appears in language
and tilt' \'t'rb as it subsists in Bdng, \\"(' must conl'ci\,e of an intiniti\'c
which is not )'et caught lip in t1w pla~' of gralllmatil'al deh'rminati.ons
-an infiniti\'c independent not only of all PI.'TSOIlS hut of all time, of
l'wry nu){)(1 ami ('\"('ry \,Oil'I' (al'ti\'c, passiw, or rdlel'tiw). '111is would
114 '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.' <lIld undetemlillt"(l inlinitiw, \'oil'","S, 1ll00<ls, ten.......' S, ami
Ix'rsons will lx' l'ngendered, I:adl Ollt' of tht-'m will lx' engt-'lu!CTl"'(!
within disjun(1ions repn..'SCnting in till" phantasm a variabll' ('ombination
of singular points, and constnJcting around theSt' singul.lritics an in-
stance of solution to the splTilic prnbk'm-t1w problem of birth, of
the dilTen'nc(' of the sex('s, or thl' problem of d('ath. Luce Ifigara~', in a
shon art ide, after h~\'ing notl'{! tilt' ('sst'ntial relation bet\\'('C1l th1
phantasm and the infmitin' \"(.'rb, allal~"I.{'s !i('\,cral ('xamples of such a
genesis. 01\0' an infiniti\'e has Iwen deh'nllim.'l! in a phantasm (for
example, "to li\'e," "to absorb," or "to gin'''), shl' invcstigates :>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 tem-
porali...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 <letem1in...-d, as if a gellcral
infinith'e which is taken to be pure were progrl'Ssi\'c1)' speeit1{,'(1 acconl-
ing to the dilT...rentiation of fomlal grammatical relations,-- This is how
Aion is p....oplt"l! by events at the lenl of singularitil.'S whit-h arc distrib-
tll(·d o\'er its inlinitin' line. We havc attempted to show in a similar
way that tilt' vcrb goes from a pure inliniti\'{" olx',wd onto a question
as such, to a pn'Sl'nt indicati\"t-, dOSL"l! onto a designation of a state of
affairs or a solution cas('. The former opens and unfolds the ring of the
proposition, the latter doSt'S it up, and between the two, all the
Hx:ali7.ations, modali7.ations, temporalu.ations, and persollali7.ations arc
<1t'plo~'{'(I, togetht-'r with the transfomlations proper to each caS{' ac-
cording to a generaliz{,'{1 grammatical "perspcctivism."
Hut th(,11 a Simpler task is imposl.'<1, namd~', to <It'tl'mlinl.' the phan-
tasm's l:Klint of binh and, through this, its fl'al rdatiOIl to language.
This (Itll'stion is nominal or tl'm1inological to the ....xtent that it is alXlut
thl' lISl' of the word "phantasm." But it l'ngagt·s otlwr things as \\"<'11,
"inn' it tiXl'S this use in relation to a partit-ular mO!lwnt, all\'gl'dly
making it Iwn'ssary in til<.." course of tht' tlynamil' gl'lwsis. For ('x,1Illpl~..
Susan IS-lacs, following )\iklanit· Kkin, alrl'atl~' ~'lllpl()ys tilt' \\"ord "phan-
tasm" in onll'r to indi<',ltc thl' rt.'lation of introjl'<..'It"l1 and proil'~'h'{l
THIIl.TJI·TIl ~"'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 1'011-
talb \'stahlish th~' phant.lsm along with auto-eroticism, and link it to th ' Thirty-First Series of
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- Thought
!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.a-
tiun. t1ll"symboli7.ation. an;1 tltt:' sublimation which ensue. In this sellse.
it is ins<'l>arabll~ not onl~' from grammatical transfomlations. but also Thl' extreme mobil it}, of the phantasm and its cal>acity for "passagc"
from the n,,-,utral infinitiw' as the ideational matl'rial of thi..'S\..' trallSfor- haw often httll stn'S-'i('(1. It is a littl(' like' tlw Epicur('an (,Ilwlopcs and
mations, The phantasm is a surface phcnomt'non and. mo~\'t'r, a ..'manations \\ hich tran~1 in the atmosplll'n' with agility, Two fUiulamcn-
phl'nonwnon which is fOrOl,,-,,1 at a certain moment in tllI~ dl.:\·l'lopment tal traits arc ti('(! to this capacit),. First, the phantasm CO\'eTS the
of slirfan.'S, t:Or this reason, we haw opted for the word "S/mu/oc,um" in distance Ix-tw('('n ps~'cilic S)'st{'ms with case, going from consciousness
ordl'r to d.. .signat(' til{' oI*x,ts of depth (which ar(' aln'ad~' no longer to the unconscious and "iet' \·C!"Sa. from tI\(' noctumal to the diumal
"natural obj,,-x'U"). as well as tlw lX'Coming which cornoslx>nds to tll<'tn dn'am. from the inner to th(' ou{('r and ('On\·ers<'I,.. as if it itsdf
and the n'\'ersals b~' which thl:)' are cilaractl'rizl'(I, W(· chOOSl' "uIof" in \wlonged to a surfact' dominating and articulating hoth the unconscious
order to dt.osignatt' the obj{"{·t of thl' heights and it.s adn-munos, We and the conscious, or to a line conlll"{·ting and arranging the inner and
chooSl' ",maSt" in ordl'r to dt.'Signate that which IlI'rtains to partial, thl' olltl'r OWT two sick'S, S<'C'ond, tIlt' phantasm rctums casH)' to its
corporeal sllrfan's, including the initial problem of tlll,'ir phallic coor- own origin and. as an "originar~' phantasm." it int('gratcs drortl('Ssl~'
dination (good intl'ntion). 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

21n TlIII{TII·TH :..1' Itl 1-.:-> 01· TIll' l'IIANTA~M "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'S-
with till' nan'issistk libido and thl' phallus as a surfan' projl"(-tion, -n\('
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 trans-
fomll'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
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<l~'s that his prohlelll i:o. that of knowing how a C"Ouplc may
"projl'Ct it:oit'lf," indqlCndl'ntly of childrl'n, the wa~' w{' could go from
til(' coupll' to the lhollgh! conslru('Il'J In ,hi' modr i!f ,he roup/c, in a mental
('ollu'{ly, or from sexual diff('f('fl('(' to till' diffl'f('nec of intensit~' ('onsti-
tuti\"(' of thought-thl' primar)' inll'nsity which marks till' Z('ro point
of thought's cn('rg)', hut also frolll which thought ;n\"{'sts its IWW
surfacc,l His prohlcm is alwa)'S to l'xtral't, by m{'ans of castration,
thought from a couple. in order to hring about, through this crack, a
sort of coupling of thought. Klossowski's <'Ouple, Rol)('rtC'-Octave, haw
in a certain respect their correspondenct' in Lowry's coupk', and also in
fitzgerald's ultimatc couplc of schizophrenia and alcoholism, For not
only is the entirety of the sexual surfatt (parts and whole) inmln-d in
projecting itself owr the metaph)'si{'al sur-faO' of thought, but dl'pth
and its objl'Cts or hl'ight and its plwnomena as well. 1ne phantasm
r<'tums to its Ix-ginning which rcmaint'l.1 ('xtl'mal to it (castration): hut
to thl' ('xt('nt that beginning itself was a rt'Sult, till' phantasm also
f('tums to that from which the IX'ginning had result("(! (the sexuality of
mrporeal surfan's): and finally, little hy litlle, il returns to the absolute
origin from which {'vcrything proceeds (the depths), One could now
sa~' that c\'erything-sc.'xuality, orality, anality-rCl:t'i\'es a new foml
on the new surface, which n'{'o\'ers and intcgratl's not only imag<.-'S but
l'wn idols and simulacra,
Hut what docs it mcan to 1'c."CO\'('r and to inh.-grate? . \Ve ga\'l' th{'
nanll' ·'sublimation" to the' 0lll.'ration through which till' trace of castra-
tion lx'Com<.-'S thl' linl' of thought, and thus to tht' 0lx'ration through
\\hi{-h tht, S('xual surfaIT and til(' l'c.'St arc projt"Ctt"(l at thl' surfan' of
thought, W(, ga\'e till' name "s~'mboIi7.ation" to til\.' op('ration through
\\ hich thought rl'iIl\'C'sts with its own ('Tll'rg~' all that which occurs and
i~ projl'l'h'd o\'t'f til(' surfacC', Oh\'iollsly, tilt' s~'mhol is no Icss irr("(lud-
Ilk than till' s~'mholiz{'d, sublimation no !l'ss irf(,dudhlt' than the sllhli·
matt'd, [t has ht'l'll {Iuite a while sin{'l' tlll'n' has IWt'1l anything comical
in supposing a n,latinn Ix'tWl't'll till' wound of l'astration and thl' crack
{'Ollstitutin' of thought, or !",tW('{'!l S(')(ualit~, and thought as such,
TIlIRTY-HIl..," :-.I-RII':-' CH TIiOUGIlT 219
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.-gin-
nings, 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'SCxu-
aliz('{1 l·llef.g\,? 'I'll(' anS\\t'r is that thought docs it in the guiSl' of the
L' ~ ~
I:wnt. It dOl'S it with til(' part of th(· ennt that we should l'all non-
actuali:l.abl~·. pn'dsdy hn'allSt' it belongs to thought and can Ix- .lCCOIll-
plislu'{! 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 tran-
220 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'xtra-
Being.
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(' nwta-
ph~'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'S-
l'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 to arbitrah' and l>'lcify, But tl1l.' g<'nit,ll ZOIW is itsl.'lf the an'na of a largl.'r
thinh:r. onl\' in \'inue of tilt" im'orpon'al part containing their St.-cn't. l·ontl'xt. on til(' I,'\'e! of sp("('it'S and of Ill(' entin' hllmanit~'; til(' l'onh'St
that is, tilt" ,;riIKip]e. truth. final it)'. and '1uasi-c.lUS4..'. of tilt' mouth ami thl' brain, 'l1w mouth is not onl~' J. Sup('rlidal oral
Castration. tlll'n. has a \"l'r~.. s!)('(.-ial situation Ix,twN.'n that of which zom' hut also till' organ of d"lllhs. thl~ Illouth.anus. the C\·sspool
it is tilt' rt':,ult and th.1t whk-h it caUSl.-'S to IX'gin. But it is not ('astration introj('(·ting an(1 projttting I.'\I'~· Illorst'l. 'Ill(' brain is not onl~' a
alOIn' which is in the void. caught ht.·twl'Cn th(' (·orpon:·al surfan' of rorpon'al organ but also thl' imlu('tor of anothC'r in\·isihle. inu)T'fxu'('al,
Sl.-·XU3Iit~' and thl' metaph~'skal surface of thought. It is. in fact. tin- . ami metaphysi('al surface on \\ hidl alll.'\'ents aTl.' inscri!>l-t! and symhol-
entin' S('xual surfat.'C which is intt'rmL"dia~' lx,twt.'('n ph~'si"al dqlth amV iZI-"tI, J Hetwt'('!l this mouth and this hrain c\'l'r\'thing O<-'l'urs. h....sitah'S.
Illt'taph)'sical surface. Oril'llh,d in Ollt' dinX:lion. scxua1it~· Illay pu1l ami gt·ts its oril."ntation. Onl), tilt' \·il·tor:' of th;' brahl. if it takes plan',
('\'{'r),thing down: castration n'oKts on tilt" sexual surfan: from whit-h it frl'l."s the mouth to slx·ak. frl'I.'s it from l.·xcn'nU'ntal food and withdrawn
COllll'S. and to which it still bdongs in "irtul' of its trace; it shatters this voices, ami nourishes it with 1.'\'I'r~' possible word,
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(' ambig-
uous 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{'<!S in, or finishes. d)'ing, The L'ntire biops)'chic Iifl' is a (llII-'Stion

of dimellsiolls, projl.,(·tiolls, axes, rotations. ami foldings, Which way

should on(' tah·? On which side is l'wr)'thing going to tumblc down. to
fold or unfold? Th(' erogl'nolls zones an' aln'ady ('ngaged ill l'ombat
upon till' sl.-,xlIal surfan'-a combat that till' g('nital ;wne is supposed

221 Til 11<1'''-1-11<:..-1' :-1-1<11" 01- TIIOlll;IlT THIRTY-I'IR'T ,I-RII·, 01 THOU(;lI1' 21~

Thirty-Second Series on the
Different Kinds of Series
/ a maximum and a minimum (tilt' ~'riL's ends around IX>ints which
• for tht' zone an auto-crotic satisfaction. Consider, for exampl(~. objl'Cts
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 intcrme<lia",:. bct\H"'t.'n the S,:;1\I)toms
~
of corporeal depth and the sublimations of tht"' incorporeal SUrfJCl'; and
in this intl'nnroia'J state it is organizl.--d in series on its own inh>mlcdi-
.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-in-
fant). 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, , with til('
, that is to S,'I\',
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
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
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 repro-
duction 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.r-
i1~' 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 alternat-
ing h'nns, fatlwr anti motlll'r, or two nX'xistillg S(·rit'S. maternal and
p.ah·rnal: for l'xampk', woull<!I"tI. restan.'l:I. castratl'tl. ,1I1d castrating
mnthl'r; \, ithdrawn. 1·\·oKt·d, killed, ami killing fatlwr. MOrl'O"I'r, this or
Illl'Sl' Oedipal series l'llter inlO relalion with thl' prL'gI·nital snil'S. with
till' im.ages whkh corrl'Spondt'l:l 10 them. and cwn with Ihl' gr:oups and
I)('rsons wh('rcfrom thL'Sl' imag('S were l·xlracted. It is t'\'l'n in this
r(·lation bctwC\'n imagl'S of diff(,r<'nt origin. Q('(lipal and pregenilal. Ihat
till,' conditions of a "(-haiC(' of an external abj''I:-t'' are daboratl'(l. Th(·
importanCl,' of this new manU'nt or r(·ration (:auld not 1)(' too greatly
slr('ssccl, sinn' it animates Ihe Freudian th('O")' of til(' ,'\'('nt, or ratha
of the two s('rks of en·nls. This th<-'Or")' consists first in showing thai a
lr(Jumotism pr('supposes the cxistence of at least two indt'lx'lulent e\"ents,
s('paratcd in time. one of tlWtll infantile and thl' otl1l'r post-pubescent,
bctwc('n which a sorl of n'sonancc is prOllun·d. Undt'r a dilTcrcnt
aspect thl' two en~llIs are presented as two serit's, one pregenital and
the other oedipal, wilh tlwir resonance bdng till,' process of the phon-
rosm. 1 In our tt::nninology, it is Ihereforl' not a question of e\'ents
properly speaking, but rathrr of two serk'S of ind<'j)('ndent imagi.'S,
whl'rt'h~' the EWllt is disengagL...J onl~' through n'SOnancc of the scries
in thl' phanlasm. The first S('ril'S dOl'S nol impl~' a "comprelll'nsion" of
thl' l'wnt in qm.'Stion. Ix'causc il is ronstruct('l:1 acrarding to thi.· law of
llartial prL-g ·nital zont-'S. and IX"t--auSl' onl~' th,' phantasm. to till" extent
that it mak s both Sl'rit-'S rl'SQnate, attains sUl-h a oompH'hension. The
e,'l'nt 10 be comprehend<-'l:1 is no <Iifferent from till' n'SOIUllCe itself (in
this capal;t~' it is not canfuS('l:1 with cith"r of thl' two S(·ril'S). In an)'
caS(" il is th,· n'SQnann' of the two ind"lll'ndellt and 1('mporally <Iis-
joinll'(l S(·rii.'S that is {'sst'lltia!.
Iler... w,' find oursd\"('s IX'fore a third tigurl' of till' S('rial fonn. For
th... Stories now under nmsid('ration art' indl·('(1 hcterogell('Ous, but they
no longl'r respond at all to til<' conditions of continuity and ('on\"crgencc
which had ensun·d tlwir conjunction. On one hand, t1w~' di\'erge and
n'sonate on I)' on Ihis condition; on til(' otlwr, Iht')' (-onstituh' ramifiL'(1
disjunctions and gi\"t' rist' to a disjlllu:tiw s~'ntll<'sis. '1'111' rt'asoll for tliis
must Ill.' sought al till' two t'xtremitit,s of till,' st'rial form. Thl' fa{'1 is
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<-'
goo<l penis. projl'Cts the phallus as an imag\' O\l'r tlU' g,'nital ZOfl(', And
finally. it is til<-' same obje(:t which pro\ id,'S th(' subjt't:-"t matter or til('
qualit~, of l),ln'nt,,1 Ot'<.lil),l1 imagl'S. Olle could t1wn·fon· sa~' at least that
the series umll'r consideration conwrg...· to\\artl the gQ()(1 object of til{'
Iwights, This, howl'\'l'r, is not at all Ihl' ('aM': til(' gOOlI object (til<-' idolJ
fUIll-"tions only insofar as it is lost .and withdrawn into this Iwight which
constitutes its prolx'r dimension. And, in this l·.lpacit)'. il alwa~'s acts
onl)' as til(' source of disjunctions, tilt' source of the emission or
liberation of altl'rnati\,cs, as it has ('arrkd ofT in its retirement the secrt't
of an cmhl('nt, SUpt:rior unit)", It was defined ...·arlier in Ihis mannl'r:
wound{'d-linharnll'd, pn·Sl'nt-absent. E\"l'r siru;(' the manic-depressive
position, it is in the same \'cin that it imposes an a!ternatiH' on 1111.' t~O
~to modd itsdf aftl'r the good obj('Ct or to idelllif~' it.sdf with bad
objects. Mon'O\'l'r, when il remkrs possibll' the spr('ading out of parlial
zonl'S, it l'Stablislll's Ihem onl~' as disjainlct.l and s..'parale-ta the point
that the~' will find tlwir {"(lll\'ergencc ani)' with lhl' phallus. And when
il d...·tcmlil1l·s part'ntal imag('S, it is again b)' dissociating its own aspt.'l·ts,
b)' {Iistributing them in altemati"L'S which suppl~' tht' alt...· mating lenns
of thc Octlipal S('rics, ami h~' arranging Ih....m around the imagt' of till'
mother (woundl-'l:1 and to he hea!L'l:I). and the image of the father
(withdrawn and to Ix.' mad.... prest·nt). Onl}' thl' phallus would thcn 1)1:
Itofl as an agent of l'Orwergclli."<.' and l'OOrdinahon; Ihe problem is Ihat it
itst'lf g,·ts in\"Ol\"l'l:l in Ckdipat dissex:iations. WI' can dearly Sl'i.', aho\('
.all, Ihat it "\'adt's ils rok', if we rt·fcr to the otlll'r end of the (-hain, no
longer to tilt' origin of imag('S hut rather to t1wir l'ommon dissipation
during the "\"olution of Ol"tlipus.
This is 1X'{'auSl,', in its evolution and in tilt' lint' \\ hkh it traces, thl'
phallus marks alwa~'s an l'U't'SS and a lack. osdllating he{\\"(,l'n 0Ill' and
th.. other and vwn lwing Ix>th at onCl'. It is essentiall)' an ('xCt·s.~, as it
projt'l'ts its,·lf O\"a till' gl'nital zone of t1lo..' child, duplicating its lX'nis,
anti inspiring il \l, ilh tilt' Ol·dipal a!lair. But it is t·ss...·nlialty lack and
TlllH.,.l,-·"·t:ONI> :o.HUt-:o. ON Till' DIH+H.I·NT KIN\):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 <Jualitlca-
tions, 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 discon-
tinuous and di\'ergt.'nl. Tht' phallus no longt'r t'nSlirt'S a roll' of COlwcr-
gt'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<o/lon of tlu.'.s\,.' S('ril~, rl'lati\'t, 10 tlw Ohjl'Cl = x which
doc'S not Cl'as(' to Ix-' displao'{l and to trawJ'S(' tht.'m,~ If w(' consider all
thrt.'C S('rial kinds-the (:omwctiw ~~'lltllL'sis on a singll' series, the
conjunctiw s\'nthl.'Sis of com'ergenC'l" and til(' disjunctiw SYllthesis of
resonanC(', \\:e S('(' that the third prows to 1)(' th(' tnlth and tht"
d\''Stination of the others. to the dt..'grn' that the disjunction attains its
positin' and aOimlatin' use, Th(, conjunction of zont'S makes visible
therefor(' the divergence already present in til(' S('fit'S which it coordi-
nated glob."Illy, and the connt.'ction of a ZOlll' makes visihle tht~ wealth of
details alr~ady conlai.lt'd in the SlTies which it apparently homogl'niz~s.
The th~o!")' of a sl'xual origin of language (Sp('rlll'r) is well known,
But, more prl'cisdy, we must consiJ('r til(' s('xual position as inlem,e-
dia,:', insofar as il pnxlu('t,'s under its dill'('n'nt asp{-cl.~ (I'rogcnous zones,
phallic stag"" castration mmplcx) diIT('n'nt t~'lx'S of st'ries. \Vhat is its
incidence, or whal is their incidence in till' d~'llamk gellt..-sis and the
l'\'olution of sounds? i-=urtl1l'r. is it not the ('aSt.' that thl' St'rial organi:r.a-
tion prl'SuppoS~:'S a n'rtain statl" of languago'? WI.' han' sc.'C1l that the first
lttt"p of the gelU-sis, from tI\I.' sc..'hizoid to til(' deprt.'S..~i\'(' position. went
from noiS\.'S to tI\I.' yokt': from noi.~'S ali qualitil"S, actions, and passions
of bodies in dt.'pth, to til(" voin' as an entity of thl' hdghts. withdrawn
into heights, expn'SSing itJi('lf in th... nanw of that which pl"C('xists, or
ralht'r posing itself as pn"('xisting. Thl' dlild, of courst', como'S to a
I,mguagl' that sh.· ('annot ~·t't undl'rstand as languagt'. but onl~· as a
t.oit't', or as a familial hum of min'S which alrt.'ad~' slx'aks of h('r. This
f.lt,tor is of considerable illlportan('e for tlw t'\'aluation of tlw follOWing
f.wt: that, in tlw sail'S of Sl'xualit~·, sonl('thing I)t,'gin~ b~' being gra~lx'd
,b a premonilion Iwfore IX'ing undi'rstQ(xl, Thb prt'-undl'rstanding
rvl.Ht's to whal is alread)' 1111'1"(', W ... ask, tlwrt.'fore, about that which, in
I.lllguagl.', l.'orrt.'sponds to th(' second St.lgl' of tilt' dYI1Jlllic gt'nesis, ahout
th.lt whi('h founds tilt' diO('r..'nt a.~I)('('ts of tlw St.'xual position-.ltld
I\hich is also foundt't! h~' them, Although L.wan's work has a Imll'h
 mon' I'xtt'min- import, and has Lomplddy n'IlI'wed tlw gl'lll'ral proh-
lem 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'<! linguistic
uniL... In tht.' l'ontinuous flow of the \'oict.' which comes from .ll>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'StnlC-
tion) 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 {'<lS(', dWrl' would lx' rl'a~1l for a IWW htnlding of thl" bod~'
found("(1 on phonology; thl' oral "ont' would 1l{'Ct'Ssaril~' {"njo~' an ('SSCn·
tial prh'ikge:', insofar as the dlild \\llUld make an at'tiw appn'ntin'Ship
of pholwml's at the same tinl(' that sht, would ('X tract ttli'm from the
\'oic(',
The fact is now that tlw oral ZOIW I\'ould pursue its 1iIl<'ration .lnd its
progn'ss in the al'lluisition of language onl)' to till' l'xt<'nt that a global
inh.-. gratioll of zones could lx' product'(1, or l'\'en an alignment of dus\('rs
.md an entT)' of phonemes into mon' complex dl'ml'nts-what linguis-
tics somctill1t.'S call a "concat<;nation of SUCCl-'SSh'(' entities." Her<' w('
encount('r the s<-"('Ond point, and with it the problem of the phallic
coordination as the second aSJ>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 porrmall-
leall 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 rna-
nwnts 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 noth-
ing 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{' "unpro-
nounceable 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<Kalinn. The
lirst part (chapters I-I). starting with Alin:'s intl'rminahl(' fall, is com-
pletl'I~' immers<'(1 in the .st--hizoitl dmll'nt of dql1h. Ewrything is food,
('xcrcment, simulacrum, l:tartial internal obj..."(·t. and poisonous mixture.
Alin' Iwrsdf is Olll' of thl'S(' obj..."(·ts wht'n she i... littll~; whl'n large, she is
identifi...'(1 with their IT'U·ptac!e. The oral, anal, and un·thral character
of this l:tart has ofkn Ix'en stn'Ssl'~:1. But till' s('(:ond part (chaptl'rs 4-7)
Sl'I'IllS to displa)' a changl' of orkntation. To lx' sure, tlll're is still, and
with n'lw\\'l'd foro', the tlwl1le of till' house hlled b\' Alicc. Iwr pre\,cnt-
ing till' rabbit from entering and her cxpdling \'iol~'lltl~' tlw lizard from
it (til(' schiwid St'<IUl'nn' dlild-pl·nis-excrcnwnt). But Wl' notin' l'onsid-
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
;;w
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'<lUSeS one to shrink (the n·wr."l' was thl' ('aSl' in the hrst Ihlrt).
In particular. causing to grow and l'ausing to shrink an' linked to a
singl(' objt·ct. namcl)'. the mushroolll \\ hich founds the ahernati\"(' on
its own circularit), (chapt....r 5). Ol}\"iuusl~'. this impr...'Ssioll would bl'
confimwd only if thc ambiguous mushroom gi\'...'S wa)' to a good object,
pn'SCnted ...·xplicitl)· as an objcct of till' heights. 'J11e (:atcrpillar, though
he sits on top of the mushroom, is insullident in this r...-gard. It is rather
the Clll'Shirc Cat who pla),s this role: h(' is the good obj.......,t, the good
Ix'nis, the idol or ,"oice of the heights. I-It.- incarnates the disjunctions of
this new position: unhanned or wounded. since he sometimes presents
his entire I><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 libera-
tion 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
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(,\·('1-
oJwd. 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' Thirty-Fourth Series of Primary Order
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 and Secondary Organization
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~' aflinna-
tin' 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)' If it is tnle that the phantasm is ('onstruetro ulX)n at Icast two
the pati('nt and doclor of d\'i1ization, but is also its Ix·n·crt. di\"('rging sexual series and that it merges with their f('sonancc, il is
or this proct-'Ss of desexualization and this leap from one surface to Ill'wrthek'ss till' case that the two basic Sl'ril's (along with the Objl,<-'t =
another. \\'t' ha\'e said almost nOlhing. Onl)" ·its power appears in x which tra\'en;es them and causcs them to rt'SOnatt') constitute onl\'
Carroll's work: it app('an; in til(' \'e~' forn' with which Ih.... basic S('rit-'S tilt' extrinsil' Ix-ginning of tht, phantasm, Lt..'t us call the n'SOnanc~
(thOSt:' that l'SOtCric words subsumc) arc dt'S('xualizC'd to the benefit of "intrinsic beginning." The phantasm dewlaps to the extent that the
the ahematin' to catll'o slX'ak: but also in till' foret' with which the n'SOnance indua"S a forced mol'C'menf that goc'S Ix'~'ond and swccl:tS awa~'
S('xual Objl'Ct, the little girl, is maintaim'(l. Ind(,,"'<I, tilt' m~'ste~' lil'S in tilt' hasic sl'rit'S, It has a fx>ndular struCltlTt': thl' basic series tran'n;('(!
this leap, in this passagt· from OIU' surfal'l' to anotlwr, and in what the h~' the mo\'t'lllent of tilt' obj('{·t = x, tilt' r('sonann', and the forced
tirst surfal't' h('conll's, skirted over by the second, From the physical 1ll00'{'Illl'nl of an amplitude gn'al<'T Ihan til(' initial movement. This
c1lt'ssboard to the logical diagram, or rathl'r from til(' :wnsiti\'e surface initial 1ll00'l'lnl'nt is, as Wl' han' Sl'e!l, the mowment of Eros, which
10 the uhra·.'iCnsitiw plate-it is in this It.'ap that Carroll. a rellownl-d 0lx'ratt-os on the intcnnl'dia~' physical surfaCl', till' sexual surfan', or the
photograplll'r. l'slx'rknct's a plt.·a...ure that we might a.....<;um.... to be lil,,'rat('(! area of sexual drin'S, Hut til(' forCl"1:! mownwnt \\hich repn'-
(X'n·eTSC. and that Iw innocently dfflaTt'S (,iIS he sa~'s 10 Amdia in an ""nts deSl'xuali".ation is 'l1lan3los aml"compulsion": it 0lx'rau'S bt,t\\I't'n
"uncontrollahle ('xcitt'nwnt": "Miss Amdia, I hop<.' to do IllYS4:.'lf the tilt' two t'xtrl'm('S of till' original dq>th and tlw nlt'taphysical surfaH"
honor of coming 10 JOu for a lu-gatin', , , , Amc-lia, thou aT(> mind"). 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

2J~ TIlIH.TY-TIlIH.U ... I·H.I ..... ()I- 1111("1"'" IIIlVI·i'lTllH.I'~ 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'Votlring-
dl'\'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 ampli-
Iwlt, "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'netrabil-
ity," 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 subli-
matl'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' organi-
TIlII(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 IWU-
tralized 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 signiti-
cation. $cxualitv is neither dl'nott'd. nor manifested. nor Signified by
them; rather. s~xuality is the surface that tll<.'y double, and thcy them-
s<'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 <It'sexualized
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'cha-
nism 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 per-
n'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 simu-
lacrum 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 Sllr-
f,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 imper-
sonal 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\' deno-
tations. ll1anili.·stations, and !>ignilications-that bo, till' order of lan-
guagl' \\ 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 <I,·tiom and passions of till" nlOl>t d'"('pl~' huril"ll dqllh. -n1l' 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'r-
I'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-
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
ditl~'n'lU"t' in nature Ix-tw("('n 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':>.-'<t'S, as it
I hang,'s natun' b~' changing (Ii!lll'n"ion... and lin.ll1~· rl'turns 10 thl' depth
01 ,I,}g\'lo into \\ hich all dinwnliions dt'"n'nd. Om' linal distinction is kit
1.. ,t\H~'·1l n-grt'ss;on as til(" mO\l'llwnt hy whil"h a dinwnsion f.llls b.ll'k
pn tho.~" which prl'l-'l'dL"l1 it ,lIld thi~ otlll'r 1ll00'I'!llI'nt h~' whit'h a
dimt'Il.~ioll r('inn'sts. in its o\\"n wa\". the 011(' pn'n'ding it. Alongsitlt:
rt']lrl'ssion and Ihe return of Iht' n:pr,'ss(·d. Wt' must s;\"(' a plac~ for
III<'SI' ('omplt,x proc('Ssl"S through \\ hieh an c!t'nwnt <-·hara(·teristi,· of a
n'rlain dimension is ;nH'StClI as !>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"nla-
tioll." 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!,l-
li\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,l-
li'lll. !>ignilil.,tillll; ;n,lhi,lu.ll. p\·rsllll. conl"l'I)l; \\()rl(l. st·lf, and (;od).
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.1-
tion-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; intention-
l1.·sult (speffh), Secondar)' organiz.ltion {tlH: verb or \'('rl>al l1.'pr('senta-
tion) 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' tradi-
tion 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'<!ui\'()('ity, ('minencc. and analogy, II is as if then' w('n' an ('mim'nce
in t'xn'ss, an l'xaggerat,xl ('<!ui\'ocation, and a SUp('rJ\uill('rar) analogy
which, rathcr than lX'ing add~'(1 to the otlwrs, would on the l'ontrar)'
t'nsure th('ir c1osun', An l'qui\'(X'atioll such that "aftt'rward" t1wn' can
lw no otlll'r l'quinx-,ation-this is till' st'ns<-' of thl' l'xpression "rhut IS
also ~.wall(", , " It is as with Dost()(,\,sk\"s
. charactl'rs who kecl> 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'<!ui\'(x.'itil':< or till' continuation of ultl'rior analogi('S impossible. This is
\\h~', at tilt' sal11l' time that Sl'xualit~, is <!eplo~'('(1 owr tht, ph~'skal
'urfan" it makl's us go from voil'(' to Sl)('{'(.·h ami gatlU'rlt to£dh('r ('wn'
\\onl into an ('soh'ric wholl' ami in a sc'xual hist~r\' which~ will not I~'
dVltignah'd, rnanif('Sll'd, or signified bv tlU'Sl' word~, hut whit'h rall1l'r
\\i1Ilw strit'll\' ~'Ol'xtl'nsin' a~d CO-sul)stalllial wilh them, This is what
Ilord.' rq>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, 1110r-
TIlIKTY-I'OllKTll ~I,ltll'" 01- I'KIMAKY OKlll:,K 247
pllt'llw~. and sl'rn,Hlh'll1l':--lilrm tlwir tot.llit)' frolll tilt' point of \'il:\\' \'oin' 10 Spt'l'ch, and from spl'l'ch 10 tlw \I·rb. cOI1 ... trtll·ting this .l/lls,k
of this immallt'nl hislor~' with which they 'lr(' idt'ntical. There is Fir ,'11I fle/Us. in order al" .1~·S to rl'cm t'r t Iw intlq)('ndl'nn' o(..aunds and
t1Wrt'fOrl' .m l·XI·l':o...~iw l'<lui\'{K'ation from the lX>int of \ il'\l of til(" '"oice to tix tilt" thtllldl'rboh of till' unhOl·al. This 1'\I'1\t is, of course.', <Illickl~'
and in ,dation 10 loiet.": all \.'(luinxation whkh l'lld:- '"{Iuin)dl~' l"11\l·rt't! Il\l'r hy t,\·t·~·da~' h.lIlalit~· or. Oil till' l·ontr.lr~", h~' till' ~lIA-'.. rings
and mak..·s Ianguagl' rip..' for solnl'lhing \'1St". This loOllwlhing \'IM' is that of Illaclllt,s-~.
\\ 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(' 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
o 0

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'S-
sary 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<l('nt-\\hich we-that is t'O s.l\'-I l11('ant-o"
'I1ms, hl' makes till' ('ncrg,v of S('xualit~' pass into thl' pun' aSl'xual,
\\ ithout, howenr. n'asing to ask. "What is a little girl?"-en'n if this
<jul'Stion must Ix· rt'plaC('(! with the problt'm of a work of art yet to
e:onw. which alOlw would gin' an answer. St"t.', for l'xample. Bloom on
till' beae:h. "" t:(lui\'()dt~·, analog~' •.111<1 emim'lll't' will no doubt n'('Owr
tht'ir rights with thl' tertiary ordt'r. in till' denotations, significations.
and manifestations of l'\"("r~'da~' language submittt'li to thl.' rules of good
St'nse and conUllon SI'nSt·. As \\"1.' tlll'n consider the perpetual entwining
whidl constitutes till' logic of sense, it Sl'('ms that this lin'll ordering
rn"O\Trs till' ,"oiel.· of lilt' heights of thl' primary prOCt'ss, hut also that
tht" st'condar\'
,0 on'anization at til(' surfacl' rl'CO\"l'rs sotllt:thing_ of the
1ll0.~1 prolound llOiSt·s, blc:x:ks. and 1,lelTlents for the L1ni\"ocit)· of Sl'llse
- a bril'f instant for a 1)(X"1ll without figurt·s. What ("an till' work of art
do hUI follow ag,lin the path which gOl';;; fmlll nobl' to till' \"Olct', from

11Ilf{TY-J.(lllKTII .. IIUI·:- <H 1'f{I.\\Af{r (If{lll K 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~'
I
\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
 pO\\"('r of tilt' <li.11('("II(' in order to combinl.' with it alluther powl'r. and
Tepn.·sl'nts 11m:> 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 ddir-
ium 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
I 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 (preun-
JlOns) 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...
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 panici-
J>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~ .•,n<l sl.ln-s. do\\ n to sinllllana and ('ounterl"l:ib. Mall'diction
wl,.'ighs Ilt';wih' un t1WM' la~t-th('Y illl'arnall- tin- t'\,il poncl'" of till' faiSt,
, .
pn·h'mll'r.
'I1m:>o 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 simu-
lacnllll 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 <IUt'stion tht· \'l'r~' not.ltions of <.'Opy and nl()(ld. Tht, final definition
of till' Sophist leads us to tlw point when' \\'l' can no longl'r distinguish
' him from Socrates himsdf-tllI' ironist working in pri\'atl' by nwans of
brief arguments. Was it not Iwces.....' ':· to push iron~' to that extreme?
\Vas it not Plato himself who pointed OUI tht: din't·tion for the rl'vcrsal
of Platonbm?
\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 dissimi-
larity). 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:'m-
~
st'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' <IUJlit~·, etc.), Ihl'~' pn't...nd to llnd('rhJndL'1I1~', under l·O\·t:r of an
aggr"ssion, an insinuation, a slllw('rsion, "against tht' father," and with-
" ~'
out p.lssing through the Idt'aJi Thl'irs is an unfoundt.'11 prcll'nsion,
('onn'aling a dissimilarity \\ hit:h is an internal unbalance,
If \\t· sa~' of til{' simulalTum that it is a copy of a cop~', an inlinitd~'
dl~radl'1l icon, an infinitt'l\' loast-, rt.'SC'mblancc, Wt' tllt'n miss till' t'S.:~CIl-
tiat, that is, tilt' diIT('f('nl·c' in nature between simulacrum and l·Op~·, or
till' aSIX'(1 b~' \\hi(:h tht·y fornl till' two hah'cs of a singll' dh·ision. Thl'
nlpy is an imag(' l'ndo\n-d with f("SCmblann', till' simulal'nml is all 'x
illlagl' \\ itholll f\'Sl·rnhlann'. TIll' l·.lh'(:hism, so much inspired Iw Platon.
ism, h,lS f.unili.uizl'd u.~ with this notion, GOtI mad(' lllan in I~is imagl'
,md rl'sl'mhlann', Through .~in, hmw\·...r, man lost thl' n·st:mblall('(' ....
\\ hill' maintaining (hl' imagt·, \Vt· han' Ix'Com simul,l("rJ, \V t· h,lH'
for:.akt:n moral l'sish'IK(' in order to t'ntlT into a stlwtil' t'Xis(t'nl'I', This
"111 'IMIlI ACIHI,\\ ANIl ANCll'NT l'IllJ O:-.OI'llr !{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<trit~· or upon a
diflt'f"('nt'l', It intemalil.i'S a dissimilarity, This is wh~' WtO <.'an no longer
rlit-lint, it in rdation to a mOl.ld impost""(1 on till' copit'S, a mOl.ld of the
Sanw from which the copil's' rest'mblann' dl'rin.'S. If the simulacnlm
still has a model, it is anotlll'r modd, a mOllci of till' Other (1'.... lItre)
from which there 1I0ws an illh'rnalil.cd dissemblance. J
Take for instam:e the great Platonic trinit)' of til(' user, the prOlluccr,
ami the imitator. If the usc'r is plat:toJ at tll(' top of the hierarchical
ladder, it is Ix'causc he naluatL'S ('nds and has at his disr~)sal true
J:nolrleJse (soro,,), which is knowlt.Jge of thi' model or Idea. Th(' t'Op),
can be ('"all...""(1 an imitation, to the dt'grtt that it (l'prodUt'l'S the modd;
sinn' this imitation is noetic, spiritual, and internal. howewr, it is a
\'eritable production rull'(l b~' the relations and proportions constituti\'c
of the CSS("nce, There is alwa~'s a productiw o)ll'ration in the gOCKI COP)'
and, corrt'Sponding to this 0lx'ration, a riSh, opmion, if not knowledge.
\Ve Sl..'(', then, that imitation is destin(.--d to take on a pejorati\'e sense to
the ('xtent that it is now onl~' a simulation. that is applil'S to the
simulacrum and designatl's only th(' external and nonprodul·tin.' crr..
'Ct
of resl'mblancl" that is, an ('O'el·t ohtained hy ruse or sub\"l~rsion. There
is no longer e\·t'n right opinion, but rather a sort of ironic t'm:ountcr
whieh takes the place of a 1ll00ll' of knowll'(lgC', an art of encount~r that
IS outsidi' knowk'llge and opinion ~ Plato sp<'Cifi('S how this nonproduc.
ti\'c elTl"t-'1 IS obtalll(..J; till' simulacrum lmplks hug(' dim('nsions, depths,
and distant"l'S that tht, obscn'cT l'annot masH'r, It is pRociscl)' because he
'.
cannot master them that he cxpt'riences an imprt'Ssion of resemblance.
,This simulacrum indudi'S the dilTen'ntial point of view; ami the ob-
sen·t'r ht-'l'oml'S a part of tht' simulacrum itself, which is transformed
and defoml<'<1 b~' his point of view. s In short, tht'r(' is in the simulacrum
a bel:orning-mad, or a lx-coming JlIllimited. as in th(' Phi/ebus where
f "morl' and less arc alwa)'s going a point further," a lx-coming alwa)'S
other, a becoming subn'rsi\'l' of the depths, ahl(' to l'vade th(' ('(Iual. the
limit. thl' Same. or the Similar; always more ;lmlless at onc<', hut n('\'cr
t'qual, To impOSt' a limit on this bC.'l"Oming, to order it acconling to the
san1(', to n'nd('r it similar-am!' for thai part which remains rehdlious.
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<ld the i;
Same, in tilt' sense that Plato says that Justice is nothing mon° than just.
Courag(' nothing other than couragl'Olls, dc-till' abstract detcmlina-
tion of the foundation as that which possesst's in a primar)" way (en
premier). TIll' Platonic COP)' i.'i the Similar: the pn'tcndl'f who POSSl'SSl'S
in a se("Ondar)' wa)" To till' pun.' identity of the mOild or original then'
l'OrITSponds an t'xemplar)' similitude; to th(' pun' rCSC'mblann' of the
t'OPy th('re cOrT<-'Sponds the similitudl' l'all('ll imitatin'. Wt' should not
think, howe\'C'r, that Platonism de\'dops this pow('r of representation
onl~' for itself; it is satisfil""(1 with staking out this domain. that is,
founding it, selecting it, and excluding from it cWI')·thing that might
mme to blur its limits, The (Icplo~'nwnt of reprl-'S<"ntation as a wdl-
foundl'(l, limit<'tl, ami finite represcntation is ratht'r Aristotle's obj('Ct:
rt'pn'S('ntation runs through and cO\·t'rs over the entirt, domain. extcnd-
ing from the higlwst genera to till' smallest species, and the metllCKI of
llh'ision takes on its traditional fascination with spccifit:ation which it
did not )'I't han' in Plato. Wl' may also dl'tl'rmiTw a third moment
w!Jen, undl'r till' inlluenct' of Christianity, one no longer Si't'ks onl), to
t'stablish a foundation for n'pr(oscntation or to mah' it possible, nor to
slx'Cify or dt'tt'mline it as finite,. Now oni' tries to render II irfmle. to
~'n~O\\ it with a \'alid claim to the unlimill'll, to make it conquer til('
Illflllite'I~' grC'at as well as tht, infinitcl~' small, 0lx'ning it up to Hc..'ing
I)('yond th(' higill'st genera and to till' Singular lX'neath the smalll'St
slx'Cil'S.
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,<l:-l·rit's. \V l· Sl'('
(llI'n'lim' how Leilmiz e;(c/IlJes di\'l'rg~.'nn' h~' distrihuting il into "incom-
possihl('s," and hy n't,lining maximum conn'rgenn' or nmtinllil~' as the
criterion of til(' I)\'st possibll' world, that is, of th.. n'al world (i~l'ibniz
pn·S\.'nls till' otlll'r worlds as k:-s wdl-foundl:-'<I "pr<'ll·nd,'rs"). TIlt' s;JI11C
applies to Hegt'!. It has r<-'('('Illly IX'('n IXlinll.'(! out to \\ hal exte111 tht'
~'ird('S of dialt'Ctics f"{'\'ol\'l' around a single ('("ntl'r, to "hal ('xh'nt the)'
n'I~' on .. singl(' (Tnh'r,to \\lh(·t1ll'r in monex.'t'ntri<.' cirdl'S or in l'Olwerg-
ing scri('S, philosoph~, doc'S not frn' ilst:lf from Ihe t'!t.'ml'nl of rq)rl'SCn-
I.ltion wlll'n it emharks upon tlw COll(IUl'st of tlw infinite. [IS intoxica-
tion is a false aplx·aran(.'l'. It always pursUl's til(' saml.-' lask, konology,
and adapt's il 10 till' slx'('ulaliw n{"(,(ls of Christianity (the infinilcl)'
small and the infinitd~' larg('), Ah\ays the Sl'lt'Clion among prl.'lenders,
till' l:-'XdllSion of tht, ~,(Tl'ntriC and tht, din-'rgent, in the name of d
supl.'rior hnalit~" an ~'S."t'll1ial r,'ality, or l'wn a meaning of hislo~',
A~'slhl,tics suffers 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
<IUI'stioll of dilT~'n'nt points of "iew Oil 0Ill' :-tory slipposl,<II~' tlw sam~
for IXlints of "kw would still 1)(· submittt'd to a rule of l'onn'rgt'llcl', It
is ratlwr a (lu('Stion of diffen'nt and diwrgl'nt storil'S, as if an .:ahsoilltcl)'
distinct 101l1(IM01I)(' corfl'Spondl'<.l to each IXiint of \'k", '11lt'rt' is indt'Cd
a unit~, of din'rgt'll1 St.'ri('S insofar as thl'~' an' di\"crgent, but il is always
a chaos I)('q)('tuall), thrown 00' ('l.'nkr whkh IX'col11t's {lIll' onl~' in the
t;n'at \Vork. '111is unfumwd chaos, till' gn'at 11·t1l·r of hllllt',qilflS Wake, is
not jllst any chaos: it is til(' pow('r of affirmation, till' power (() affirm
all tlw 11l'terogt'nt'Olls Sl'ril's-it "mmplicates" l\ithin itSl.'lf all Ih<:
:-cries (lwn('(' tilt' inh'rl'st of Joyn' in Hnlllo as till' dll'on'lician of Ihe
260 "'1'1'1 NIllX
((Jmp/'CO/UI). 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<o ,1 {orcl'd /JJ01l'ml'm, II hidl goc'S
ht'~'oml tilt' ~.'Tit'S thl:-'Il1St:ln'S, Th~'M' ,ln' till' cllaracll'ristin. of till'
:-imulal'nllll, wlll'11 it breaks iL" dl,lin:- .md riS4.'S to tilt' surfan'; il tht'n
.lfliml:. it:- phantasmatk IXl\\t'r, tlMt is. its n'prcssl't! power. heml has
.lln'ady shO\l1l how till' phant'blll rl':-u!ts from at !toast t\\O Sl'ri~'s, one
inf.lIltilt, and the otllt'r posl-plll)t'~l't'nl. TIlt' atTt'ctin: chargl' assot:iah,d
1\ ith tilt' phantasm is explainl'<.llw thl' intt'rnal r('sonan('l' "host' IX'aro:rs
an' the :-imulacra. Tlw impl'l'Ssio;1 of dl'alh, of tilt' ruptUfl' or disnll'm~
' ....·ring of life, is t'Xplai'll'd h~' liw amplitudl' of till' fon'l"(! nlOn'm~'1ll
"lIi('h ('arriL'S tlwm along, Thus till' conditions of rl'al t·xl)(.'rit'IKl' and
till' slructUfl'S of till' work of art an' n'unil<-"(!: din'rg(·nc<.' of st'riC's,
dt'<.·('ntering of cirell's. constitution of tlw dlaos which t'nwlops thl'm,
illh'rllal rl:-'Sonann' and mo\'cnlL'nt of amplitudl', aggressioll of the simu.
lacra. 1 '"'
, Such ~ysh.'ms. constitllte-d hy placing di."IJarate d('ml'nts or ht.tero.gc-
nt'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- <.-om-
pOIlt'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.'r-
t'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 pnxlucc<! on a
curn" and that difference, whetll('r great or small, always (X"cupy the
center of the thus dcn~ntered s)'stem,
So "to r('\'ersc Platonism" means to make the simulacra rise and to
affirm their rights among icons and copies, The probk'm no longer has
to do with the distinction Essence-Appearance or Model-Cop),. This
I
distinction operates completely within the world of representation:
Rather, it has to do with undertaking the sulw('rsion of this world-
till' "twilight of the idols." ~'he simulanum is not a degraded COP)'. [t
harbors a positi\"e pO\\"('r which denies the originlll alld the cop)', the model
lind the reproduction. At least two din.'rgellt series are internalized in the
simulacrum-neither can be assigned as the original. neither as the
copy~1t is nol e\'Cn enough to invoke a model of the Other, for no
Illodd can resist the \'ertigo of the simulacrum. There is no longer an)'
pri\'ilegc(1 point of \·it'w (.'xcept that of the object common to all lX>ints
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, resem-
blann' 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 simula-
cnun. 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
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 hier-
arch~' 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
x
subterranean world yet more vast, more strange. Richer still ... and ~' l
under all foundations, under ncr)' ground, a subsoil still morc pro-
'- '
found ... How would Socrates be n.'Cogniz(~d in these ca\'erns. which
9
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 becoming-
mad. 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'.
TIll· ... I,\IUI ACIHIM ,\NI) "NClI'NT 1'1I11 O~Ol'lIY 261
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
:<I'\'T\'1. \V I, would do well to n"Glll to what t.'xtent tilt' l;n'I'k soul in
gl'rwr,ll, and PlalOnism in particular, loathed the etanal n'turn in its
Iah'nt .signilic.1tion, 10 Ni\'17~~clll' was right when he treatl't! till' t.'l('rnal
n'turn a~ his own \'t'rtiginous idea, an idea nourislll'd onl~' hy t'SOh'ric
lJiUll\'sian soun..'C'S, ignored or rt.'pn'SS('f! b~' Platonism, To hI' sure,
Ni<,t;'~dl(' a fcw times mad(' statl'mt.'nhi that n'mailwd at till' Ind of
till' manift'st content; til(' ch'mal return as the SaUlt' whkh brings alxmt
till" n'tum of the Similar, Hut hO\\ ('an onc Ilot St.'t.' til\,' <Iisproportion
1:II,'tw('('n this lIat, natural tnlth, whi(:h d()('S not go Ix-~'ond a gl'lwralrJ:t"{l
order of thl' St'3SOns, and Zarathustra's emotion? Furtht.'mlOft.', the
manif('St statemc.'nt exists onl\' to he reful('fl dr\'l\' b\' Zarathustra, Once
to th(' t1\\drf ant! again to 'his animals, Zara~hus;ra n.'proaclws their
transforming into a platitud{' what is otlwn\'iS(' profound, \\hat bdongs
to anoth('r music into an "old refrain:' and what would otlll'n\ is(' be
tortuous into dn:.'ular simplicit~,. In the et{'mdl ft.'turn, on(' must pass
through thl' manifl~t t.'Ont('nt, but onl~' in onkr to reatOh till' Idtt'nt
contl'nt situatt·d a thousand f('(.'t Ix'iow (thl' can'lx'hind I'n-n' ('a\(', .. ),
Thus, what app<'an."<..I to Plato to be only a sh'rilt' cIT('Ct rc\'~als in itself
the intractabilit)' of masks ami the impa.~ibilit~· of signs.
'1111' K"('rct of thl' ctc'mal n'tum is that it docs not exprl'ss an order
oppostxi to tilt' chaos t'ngulling it. On till' ('Ontra~', it is nothing other
than chaos itSt'If. or Ihe Ix>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)'-
I its own dlao<l\'ssc\' (/:hao~rrranrl:), Iktwet'n till' ('h'rnal rdurn and the
simulacrum, tiwn: is sllch a profound link that the OIl\' cannot be
undl'rsto<x! \'X('tVt through the other. Only thl' dh'crgl'nt seri('s, insofar
as thl'~' arl' di\'t'rgl'nt, return: that is, ('ach seril's insof:u' as it displaces
its diITen'm'c along with all the otlwrs, and all SI'ries insofar as th{')'
l:OIuplicah' thdr dincrl'ncl' within til\' chaos which is \\ ithollt heginning
or end, TIlt' drdt' of till' c:tl'rnal return is a circle which i,~ ah\'a)'s t'X·
cI'luric in n'lation to an always delTlltl'T\'d ('l'ntl'l'. Klo,\sowski is right
to sa\' of thl' eh'rnal rdurn th'at it i,~ a "simulacrum of a dUt:tritw"; it~'i
indl'l:d Iking rf,,~), hut only wlwn "Ix'ing"' (CWIll) is tilt' simulacrulll,l)
2(,4 /\1'1'1 NOIX
TIt\' simulacrum fllnl.:tions in :<lldl a \\,ly that a t'('ruin T('sl'mblann' is
lll'l'l.'Ssuil\' thrown back onto ib ha:.il' s\'ril's ,1nll ,1 l'crtain illc:ntit\'
ncc('ssaril;" projl'l"ll't! on the fun'l'd mon'nwnl. Thus, tilt.' ('lernal rewr;l
is, in fal1.. till' s',me and thl' :-iimilar, but onh· insofar as till'\' arl'
simulalt.'ll. protlut"l'(l b)' til\' simul,ltiOll, through tilt' functioning ~f til\'
simulanuln (will to power). It i~ ill this Sf'nSt' that it n'wrs(.'s rl'pTt'St'n~
tat ion and dl'stro)'S til(' icons. It dOI':< nut pn'suPIX>S(' til\' s..1me and til\'
Similar; on the ('olltran', il t'on:<tiWh':< til\' onl\' Same-til\' Samt' of
that which difTt'TS, ami "thl' onl\' n'M'mhldIlCt·-"the Tt'S('mhlancI' of til\'
unmatch('1.1. It is th(, unique pl;anld:<m of all simulana (thl' lking of all
lx.'ings), ~t is the power to affirm diH'rgl'nce and d(x'cntering and makt,'s
this ~w('r til\' oI~t.'Ct of a slllx'rior aflimlation. It is under tht" pow1.'r of
thl" faist, pTl'tl'nder causing that \\ hich If to happen again and again.
And it dOl'S not make crer)'lhms conw Il.ll'k. It is still sdecti\'(', it "makl'S
a diITcn'I'K'''':' but not at all in tht' nl.Ulllt'r of Plato, What is sclcrt('(1
are all til(' pr(x:eduTt.'S 0pp0Sl.·d to St'kx.'tion; what is excluded, what is
mode nol (0 return, is that which pn"Suppos('S the Sam(' anti the Similar,
Ihat which prt'tt'nds to roTn:'Ct diwrgl'nl'e, to n'Centc.r th(' drcll'S or
order Ih(' chaos, and to pro\'i<!(' 3 mod('J ur makt' a ropy. For a.1I its long
histo~'. Platonism happen1.'<.i onl~' oncl'. ami Socratl"S fell under tht.·
bladt'. For thl' Sanw and tht' Similar Ix't..'Oml' simpll' illusions when the)"
('{'.1St' to lx, simulatl'fl.
_Mo<lcmit~, is (ldill{"{l h~' the po\wr of till' simulacrum. It bdlOO\'es
philosoph~' not to IX' modall at an)' rost, no mon° than to be 11Ontem~
Ix}ral, but to l'Xlract from mo<lernity somdhing that ictzseht' dl'Sig-
l1<1h'1.l as til(' untimely, which I~rtains to mOlII'rnity, but which must
,11:"0 lx' tumt'1.l against it-"in famr. I hOJx', of a time to com('," It is
nul ill tilt' grl'a( fOTl'''Sts and \\()()(IJJaths that philosoph)' is daborat1."t1,
hut r'ltlwr in the towns ami in II\\' strl'('ts-('\'cn in til(' most artifidal
([UCI/(/:) in tlwm, 'I'll(' untinwl\' is attaitll'd in rdation 10 the most dist'ant
pa:<t, hy Ill\' rl'wrsal of Plat~mism; in rdation to till' prl'St'nt,.b~' Ihl'
:<imul'll"rum conn'in'd as til\' l'dgt' of nitical modl'rnit\'; in rdation to
till' futlln', it is alt.lim·d b~' tilt' I;hantasm of till' ('Ianal'rl'turn as 1X'lil'f
in thl' futun;lTlw .lrtifidal and till' simulacrum an' not till' same thing,
TJlt'~, Mt' {'wn oppost'd to I'aeh other, Thl' .lrtilid,11 i,~ always a I'opy of
,1 lOP~', \\'hkh ,~llOuld I}(' puslwd 10 lite I>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'struc-
tion 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\'rogc-
.
Ill'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-ogniz-
able to it's mother; no two shellfish or grains of wtwat which arc
indisn'nlihle. ·l1ll.~re is no hod~' compoSl-'(! of homogeneous IlarlS-
m'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~
• tilJ('(1 with holc.'5, which we arhitrarily Ix,Jil'\"(' to join all the e!c'ml'nt's of
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, 'f
SUIll, 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 detenni-
nation 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 in-
d{'('(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 contradic-
tion 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,·
till' sum? In IXJth ("aSl'S, WI.' do not umkrstand c1iwrsity and it's produc-
tion. \-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
<lrlotlwr W,l~' of sa~'ing Ihat 0111' thing produCt,S anotlwr h~' changing its
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'ontra-
t1il·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
- tilt' .Hom... II ith tilt' \"oid.
mattt-r of n'St:'mhlanl'l'S and t1iO.....rcIKI'S, compositions ami decnmposi-
tions, "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'C-
tion 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
n TIlt'~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'
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
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 fall \\ ith l'qual n-locit\': an atom is no
mon' or It'S.... rapid with Tt"Spl'{·t to ill> \\t'ight than o;hl'r atoms whidl
moTt· or JI~ hindl'r its fall, In til(' \oid, tht· \·c!tx.'it)" of th,' atom is ('qual
to ib mon'nU'nt In a unique JJr«lJon In a mInimum f!f (ontmuous lime. This
minimum (·xpn'l>.'it."S the smallt'St pos~ihll' tt'rm during which an atom
mml'l> in a giwn din'{·tion, IX'fort.' bdng ablt' to tah' ~noth"r direction
al> tilt' rt"Suh of a collision with anotlwr alom" 'J1l('rl~ is tht'rt"forc a
minimUlll of timt·, no 1t.'S.~ th"n a minimum of mattt'r or a minimum of
til(' atom. In agrt'C'mt'nt \\ ith til(' natun' of th(' atom, this minimum of
l"(mtinUOliS lim,' n·fas 10 the apprdll'n.~ion of thought, It t'XprCSSl"S the
1111);0,1 rapid or In"lt'ft'l>t thought: till' atom I1lt)\"l'S "a.~ s\\iftly a... thought,"\
But. as a n'sult, \\t' must t'Onn·ivl· of an oril!inan' dirrt1.ion for t'aeh
atom, al> .1 s\'ntlwsi!> \\ hich would gin' to tllt' l~lO\"t'~'1ll of th£' atom its
initial dirtx:tinn, without \\ hil'h ~ tlll"n' would 1)(' no collision. This
~yntlll'sis is Ilt't·,·s....u il)· an.:olllplishl'(! in a tilll!' smaller than thc mini-
mum of ('ontinuous tinlt'. This is thl' elmom.-n, 'J1w cJmamcn or swcn"t'
hal> nothing to do \Iith an ohlique mO\'I'!lll"nt whidl Ilould COlllt'
.Wddt'IlI.1Jly to tll()(lify a \"l'Ttical r.ll1." It has al\\a~'s IX'l'n pn·sl·nt: it is
not a MTondar\' 1ll0n'nll'lll. nor a M,,'ondarv dt'lt..'rmin.llion of till'
m"H"nwnt, \\hi;'h Iloult! Ilt' pnMlun'd ,n an~' "thm·. at an~' platT. TIll'
'''/I'll/len i~ th.· origin,ll dl'tl'rminatioll of till' din·,·tion of tilt' 1ll00't'lllt'nl
or till' ,110m. It is ~ kind of (Q11,1/1I~-a dilTt'n'ntial of malll'r and, b\' thl'
",m\\" lokt'n, ,1 ditr"Tl'nti.l1 of thought, ha~t'd on tht· nwlhex[ of . 'xllaus.
lion, TIlt' nwaning~ of tilt' tt'rm.~ II hieh <Iu,llit:" it h.lI . , in f,1t'1 this origin:
1111 'l.lll1l .'It IUJ,\t ,\NIl ANl"11 N I 1'1111 O'OI'H' 2/.?
"m(CrlIIS" docs nut nwan indl'tl'nninak, hut rather una~signahJ('; "p<m-
111m," "/O(('rlO lempar,·," "ml"no/lo minima" mean "in a tinl\' smalll'r than
tilt' minimum of continuous. thinkabJ(· tinw,"
4) Thi:. i:. \\ Il\' till' dmatnf!n manifest... Iwither t'Ontinul'IK\' nor in-
d,'h'nnination. I; manift,sts soml'tbing entirt'J~· different,~th,"/C'-l atoml,
thai is, tilt' irn"tlul'ihl(' pluralit~· of cauS4."S or of ('ausal sai,'s, and the
impo:..~ihility of bringing ('aus<-"S togl'ther into a whole, In fat't, the
c/lrwm,'n is the dl'termination of th(· meaning of causal .'i(·r;es, wlu-n'
eJch (·Ju.s.al seril's is constituh.'d h\' the mo\'enwnt of an atom and
t'onscrws in the el\("ounh'r its full indepen<!(,I1(',{,. [n tilt' well-known
disnl.~sion which Sl.~t the Epkur,'ans and Stoks against eadl otlwr, the
prohlem was not dirct't1)' rdating to contingefl(:y and necl'ssit)" hut
rather to causalit~· and d('stin~" Epicureans and Stoics alike aflim1
causalit\', (no motion without a (·aust·); but til(' Stoics wish also to affirm
dl.-"Stin)', that is, the unit~· of caUs("S "among thcmsch'es." To this. the
Epicun·ans ohjC'<'t that on(' cannot aflirm destin}' without also intrCKluc-
ing nt.'Ccs.sit~·, that is, tlw ahsolute linking up of ('ff("Ct.s with om' another.
It is tnl(' that the Stoics n'ton that the)' art' not at all introducing
n("("'t'S!iit)'. but that thl' Epicun'ans, for thl'ir pan, cannot rC'fuSt.' the
unit~· of ('JUSl"S without falling into ('ontingl'n~' and chann·. Thus. the
7
true problem is whether thcn.' is a llnit~· of cauSl."S amons fhemsell"/!S. Must
the thought of Natun' bring CJUSCS together into a whok·? The big
difTcrcllce Ix:twecn the Epieurl'ans and till' Stoics is that the)' do not
('naet th(' same ek'a\"agt' of the causal relation. The Sto;es affim1 a
difTl'rl'IlCl' of nature hetween corporeal causes and their i1wo'l>orcal
efTl'Cts. As a re..'suh, l'fTee:ts rcfrr to cffl'(,ts and form a conJu901ion.
when.'JS causes refer to cauSt-'S and fom1 a unll)'. '11lt' Epicureans. on the
contra~·. affirm thl' indl'pc:ndt'nl'(' of the plural,,)' of the material causal
seri('S, in \"irtuc of a $1I't'n't' which affects ('a("h: and it is onh· in this
objt.'C"IiH: scnsc,' that tlu' c/motnf!n ma~' Ix- called "chance,"
s) Atoms ha\"(' \'arious sizt's and shalx'S, But the atom ('al1llOt ha\'e
just an)' sizl' whatS4.X'nr, sinn' it would in this case n'ach and owrtake
tht' sl'nsihlc' minimum. Nor c.1I1 it haw an infinit~, of shapes. sincl' c\'ery
din'rsity in sholl)!.' implil's dther J Ix'rmutation of till' minima of atoms
or a mult;plication of th('sl' minima whi<"h could not hc pursul'(1 to
intinih' without lhl' atom, again. l)!.>coming Sl,·nsihll,.g The siz('s and
shap('~ of atoms arc not infinit~· in numl")!,'r, tlll'rl' is ho\\"('\'er an infinity
of atoms of till' same sizt, and shapt'.
AI'I'I NIlIX
bl Not 1'\"I.·r)' atom comhilU'S wilh another as thl'\' meet; othen\'iS<.'
.1tOIllS \\ould form an inllnit<, lUlllbination, 'I'll(' shod~, in fact. n>lx'ls a...
much as it ('ombinl.-"S, Atoms cumbinl' as lung as their shap("S allow it.
Hath'rt"l.J b~· other atoms which bn'ak apJn their hold. t1u-ir combina-
tions t"om,' undone. losing tht'ir "It'nll'nts which go on to join other
l'OIllJ>OUlllk If atoms are said to Ix' "spl'dfiC" S4.'l-ds" or sperms, it is
1","I.·.luSl· atom... cannot be joim>d tog,·tht·r in ('\'ery' pos,..ibl(' mannl'r.
7) 1:\"('1)" l'Olnbination being linih'. then' is an infinit~' of combina-
tions, hut no combination is fonllt'll of J single slxx"it'S of atoms, Thus,
Jtom....1fe slX.'cific sCl'f.ls in a sl'coml st'nsl.'-t!l('\' constitute the l1('tl.'r-
ogelll'ity of thl' diverse..' in a singl(' hotly. Ncn·rtlll'lt·ss. different atoms
in thl' hod)' h'nd, in \'irtu(' of thdr weight, to he distributt.'ll ;n
.l('cordann· with their shape."S" In our world, atoms with tlu- same shap('
group togl,thl.'r. forming thcrl'h)' vast coml>ounds, Our world distributes
its d('me'nts in a way which allO\\s thl.' ('anh to Ot:cupy th(· (,l'ntl'r,
"t'xprcssing" those dements which go on to fonn til(' sea, the air, and
tlu- ctlll'r (rntJ9f'/(1(' res).9 Th(' philosophy of Natun' pn'SCnts to us the
Iwterogt'lll'ity of th(' din'fS(-' with itsdf. and also the resemblance of th l.
di'"e~ \\ ith itsclf,
8) Tht're is the power of the di\'efS(' and its produ<.'"tion. but there is
also tht' power of the reprooul-tion of the divcrse: it is important to sec
how this SI."(und power is d('rh'('ll from til(' first. Rl'scmblance proceeds
from tIll' di\"l.'TSe as such and from its di\"l'rsil)'. There is no world or
body that loses d('ml.'nts at e\'l.'r)' mom~'nt and then finds new of the
s.lm(· shape, TI1I'rl' are no worlds or bodies whk-h do not ha\'e..' tl1('ir
similar in spact' and time, '111l' production of an~' composite cntit')'
Pf"('SUPI~'S that the different c/('I11('nts capable of forming it be them-
sch es IIlhnitl' in numl>l'r. Tht>~· would ha\'e no (-hance of coming
tog"thl'r. if t'ach one of them. in the \"Oid, were thl' onl\· meml>cr of it...
kind or limih"tl in number. But sinn' each onl' of then; has an infinitt'
n~Il1I)('r of similar ell'ments. the)' do not produo,· a ('OInpositt' entit\'.
\\Hhollt their t'(lui\'aknts hJ\'ing tht· .same cham't' of n'lll'wing tht:ir
IMrt:., ami "\'I.'n of r"lmxludng a ~imilar ('ompl,'x ent;t\', IQ This argu-
ll1l'IIt of prtJh;(hjl;t~· holds ,'sl)('l.·ialJ~· for worlds, Intra-~\"orldl\' hOt!il'S
~1.1\ \' al.~u at tlwir disposal a principle of reproduction, TIlt'\" ;rt' horn,
III f.1I.'t, into ah'('ad~" ~'ompl\'x settings. each on(' of whid; gatlU'rs a
IllaxiruUnl Illunlx'r of dl'n1l.'Ilts of t1lt''"'SJllU' shapl:: l"lrth. sm, air, cthcr,
thl' ma.qtlac rc{ or gn'at strata whil'h constitute ollr \\orld and arc
Illi .. J,\\UI ..\ CRU,\\ ANI) ANCll'NT 1'1111 O,OI'IlY
l,(llllU'('\l'l.\ to OIW .mothl'r through imlx'rccptiblc trall!oltlons. A dt·ta-
milwli hud\" ha!o ib plan' in one of thl'Sl' rcalm~, II As this I)()(I~' IOS("S
t'llIlIl's:-l" til(' l'knwnts of its l'omposition. the rC'alm in whidl it is
imnwrs:'d olli'rs it Ill'W oill's-wlll'tht.'r it oOers tlwsl' l·knll'nts to it
dircctlv. or \\Ilt'tlwr it transmits them to it in a dt't~'nnilled ordl'r from
thl' point uf till' otht'r rt"alms with which it communicah'S, Mort'O\"('r, a
hu,h' \\ ill itsdf han- bOtlil"S similar to it in other plao.'S, or in the
\'k,;wnt whit'h prOt!un's .md nourishes it. 11 It is for this reason that
!.mT\·tius at'knowblgl's a lin'll aspcct of the priTldpk of causality: a
ho,h' is horn not onl" of lktamilll'd 1,.'It.'lllcnts. whidl .lfl' Iih' till' s('('(ls
procJuc:ing it: it is ~rn also imo a dC«'nninl'(l st.'tting. \\hich is ~ikc a
mother suite<! for its reproduction, TIll' hdt:rogl'lll'ity of tht' (hwl"Se
fomls a sort of vitalism of St'('ds, but the n"SC'lllbl,mt'I' of thl' din~f'S('
fomls a sort of panthl'ism of 1110tlwrs, II
Plwsics is Naturalism from till' spl'('ulati\"{~ point of "jew. What is
l~ntial to ph\'sics is to be found in the thl'of)' of the intinitl', and of
the spatial an:\ temporal minima. Thc tirst two hooks of Lucretius
t'onfornl to this fumlanwntal Ohjl'l·t of ph~'sil's: /0 Jl'rermme M·hal IS really
injinill' and II·hOl IS nQI, and to distinguish thl' trut' from thl' false in/inite.
\Vhat is truh' inhnih' is till' sum of atoms. the "oid, till' sum of atoms
and the "oid~ the numb.:r of atoms of till' same shdlX" and sizl', ami the
numlx-r of combinations or worlds \\ hich arc similar to (or different
from) ours, What is not inlinite art' till' parts of the hod~' .1Ild of the
atom, thl' sizcs and shapt.'s of tilt' atom. and aho\'(' all. t'\"(.~. worldl)' or
intra-worldl)' combination, We must ol>St'n'(' that, in this t1('tt'nnina~i~1\
of til(' trut: ami tilt' false inlinit<·. ph~'sics 0lx'ratcs in dn al)()(lelctic
mannt'r: and it is hat' at the sanll' time that it disc\OS('s its subordination
to pral·tict, and t'thil's, (Wh('n physics procl't'tls h~'I)()t1wticall)', on the
other hand. as in till' t'xplication of a /inite plwnonll.'non, it has little
I){'arin~ on t,thks).I~ Wt' must then'fon' ask wh~' til(' al)()(!eil·tk cider·
minati';,n of th(' trul' and til(' faist' inlinitl' is, Slx'l'ulati\'('I~" tht' lll'Ct~ry
llll'an:- of t·thies and practin·.
TIl(' goal or objl't·t of prat,tin' is plcasun" lit-net' prat,tin', in. t~\lS
St'ns(" onl}' n·commt'1lI.Is to u.s til(' nll'ans of suppn'ssing anti aVOIdmg
pain. But our plt-asun·s h.l\"l' l1luch mort' fonnidahk· ohstades than ~ur
r_ains: phantoms. sup.:rstitions. h'rrors, till' fl'ar of dt'.lth-('\"('r')·thlllg
that h'nds to disturh the soul. n Ttlt' pit·turo:- of humanit~· is one of a
272 i\I'I'I'NIJIX
IrtJubkfl hl.lmanit~'. mort' terri/it'll th.m in pain (e\"t'n tht' plagut' is
deli nt'll not onl~' b)' the pain and suffaing it transmits. but h~' the
di.turh.llll't' of th l· spirit whkh it in:-titutt's). It is this disturbancc of the
.Old which increast's sufft'ring, n'lldcrs it im indhle-although its origin
i,., mon° profound and is to IX' found cIM'\dwrt', It is l'omlxJsl'tl of two
I'It·lllt'nt..: an illuSKll1 which ariSo.·~ from till' hody of an infinite capacit~·
lor plt'a~lln': tht'n a st't.'ond iII11!oion. l ..l ...t ill thl' mind. of an infinite
t1ur.ltion of till' soul itself. which i:- l!l\cn O\t'r without rt'l<itraint to tht'
idt·.l of an inlinity of possiblt, suOi'ril~g:- following death. If> And tlw two
ilJu,..iolls an' linkt'tl: thl' fl'ar of inlinite punishnwllt is tilt' natur,ll prk('
\I) Ilt' paid for ha\'ing unlimit('(1 t1t'~irl's, [t is 011 this ground that Olle
mu~t St..,..):: out Sis~'Phus and Tityn:-: "till' fool's lif(, at length IX'l"Ol1lt'S a
11
twit on (·arth... Epicunl5 g<x"S so fM as to say tllat if injustk(' is an t·,'i!.
it gn'l'd, ambition. and e"f'n dch.llldwn' are ('\"ik it is b(TaUSl' thc,'
t1di\'~'r us up tn tlw idl'a of a pllnishn~l'nt whkh m.w occur at an~'
irhlant, III To lx- <!('Ii\'cn'd \\ ithout dt'li.·nsl· to this tumloil of tilt' soul i~.
pfl't·isdy. th(' condition of man. or tilt' prOtluet of this double illusion,
.'... A:. it is. thl'rc is no wa~' of fI'Sist,lIln' and no I>owl'r, Ix~auS("
t'wrlasting punishnwnt is to lx' ft'an'(l aftl'r death," 19 This is wIll', for
IU(Tl.'tius as for Spin07.,l later on. till' rl.'ligious man displays two asi:Jt'cts:
.l,idit~· and anguish, CO\"l'tousncs..~ and n1lp'Jbilit~·-.l strangt' complex
tlJat gl'lll'ratcs I.Timl'S, The spirit's disqui(·tm!e is th('rl'fon' brought
,lhout b~' tht' fcar of dying \\ hl'n we an' not wt dl.'ad. and also b,' the
I",lr of not ~'t't IX'ing dl.'ad once wc already a~t', TIll' I'mirc probr~lll is
that of til(' sourn' or this disturbann' or of thest' two illusions. .
It is at this point that WI' nott· thl.' inh'f\'('ntion of a brilliant. though
diOieult. i:picurean throf)" Bot!ies or atomic n)llll>ounds newr ClOdS(' ~o
('mit I)'lrtinllarl~' subtlt" Iluit!, and t('nuous d('nlt'llts, -1111.'St.' st'COnd.
lll'gfl'f' l.·ompoumls an' of two sorb: l'itlwr tllt'~· t'manatl- from tht' dt'pth
of hotli\'s. or the~' detach thcmst'ln-s from thl' SUrl:1CI' of things (~kins.
tunics. or wrappings. ('llI'dopl'S or harks-\\hat Lucrdius ('alls simula-
(ra and I:picl.lnl~ calls idol~), Insofar a.~ till'\" afft'cI til(' anlmllS dllli til('
, ''''lnla, thl'~ a(Tount for sc·nsihlt· <Iualitit-:-, Sound~ . .\-nwll.... t.ISh'l>, and
h'rnp.:raturl"S n·fl'r t'~rllxial1~' to til(' t'mi:..~ions from till' depths. \\ Ill'rt'as
\ l"llal dt'h'mlinations, fonns, and colors fI·fer to tht' :-imulana of the \ '
"I.lrfan', Hut till' :-ituatioll i.~ l'n-n mort' l:omp!i("ah'd than this, sirl<'e 1',1('h
""'bt' ~t't'llb to ('omhilll' information or till' dt'pth \\ ith infomlation of
lilt' ..urfan·. I:mis... itm~ arbing from the dl·pths pob.\- through tht' ~urfan..
anti tilt' :-lllX'rbdalt"mt'I"Iw!o, a!'o tht"~ tlt.·tach tht'ms....In'S fmm tht' ohjt.'Ct,
Mt' fcpl.Wt'tl h~' li)rnwrl~ t Ollt't"lk·tI lotr;na, NoiSt'lo from till' tll'Ilth, for
l':\;,II11pk, 1lt.·cUIllt' \oin'.~ \dll'n tlll'y lind in C{'rtain IWfforatt'tI s{lrf,u.:<-'S
(tIll' mouth) tilt' nlllditions of lIwir articulation. t:onwrsd~', tilt' simu_
Iat'fa of tilt' !oufran' .In' abk' to pm\·itll, t.ulors alUl fonus onl~' if there is
light, \\ hid1 b t'mittt.'d from the depths. In an}' t.·a!>t', t'missions and
:-~nlll,wr" an' ob\'iousl~' llndt'fshxxl, not as atomic l'ompollnds, but as
qu"litil':- ,'ppn·ht.'n(!t.'t:! at a distann' on and in tht' object. Distance is
giH'n In' till' stream of air th"t cmissions and simulana push before
~Il\'m, a.~ it pasSt's thmugh till' St'nSOf)' organ. lO 'Illis is why till' ohjt.'ct is
pt'rct'iwd as it must be pt-'rcl'in'd, rdati\'e to tilt' stalt, of simula('ra and
emi:-!>ion!>, tht.' distdncc tlw~' ha\'t.' to (:fOSS OWf, th(' olhtadt.'S the)·
t.'nt.'Hlmh'r, tilt' distortions to "hich tht')' submit, or the t.'splosions of
\\hich thl')' an' til(' Ct'nter, At the t'nd of a long journe~" tilt' \'isual
('11\ dopt.'S ti~ not strikt.' us \\ ith tilt' samt.' \'igor; shouts lose their
db-tinction. But alwa~'s, thl' prOpt·rt~' of being rdatt'tl to an object
subsists. And. in tilt' ca.<;l,' of toud,-tht.' only sense whidl grasps the
objl't.,t without an illternwdiar~'-tht.' sllffat.·e denwnt is fdated to
depth, and "hat L'i apprdlCmlt'tl when Wt.' touch the surfat.'t' of tht.'
obj(X,t is p('rcd\wl a!o r<-'Siding in it.. inncnnost dcpth. lI
\Vhat is till' origin of this appurh'nanC(' to till' obje(·t, whoSt.' emis-
sions and ...imulat'ra are nt'\'crthdt'ss detad1cd? It st.'t:ms to liS that their
...tatliS. ill the I:pinm·an philosoph~', is inst'parabll' from tht.· tht.'Ot)' of
timt.'. Tht.'ir ('sSt'nti,,1 dl'lrat'lt'ristk, in fa<-'t, is tilt.' spL'l'd with whieh th<')'
tr"\t'rSl' spaec, It is fClr this n'alion that Epicllnls lI~S the SJllle fommla
for till' silllulalTum ami the atom (though pt.'rhaps not in the S31llt.'
",'USt'); it mow.. "<ll> ","iftl~, 3l> thought," On tilt' basis of the analog}'.
thi..'ft· is a /II/nll/wm of q>nJlb!C time no It'sS than tlwrt.' is a minimum of
thinbhlt- tlnw. fllsr a~ till' :,>WtTn- of tilt' atom UlTlirs in a time smaller
th'lIl tilt.' minimum think-llll., tiuw, so that it has i1lft.'"ady happened
"ithin till' :'>malle:'>t tinlt.' that (,,1Il lx' thought, I,kelnw the l'mbsion of
:-imulana Otxurs in ,I timl' ~mallt'r than tilt' minimum st'nsihk' tilllt'. SO
that tlll'\'. .Irt' .llrt.'ad". tlwrt' ill tilt' sm'lllt'St timt.' that can 1)1.' wnSt'(! and
M't'lll to Ill:' still \\ ithin till' Ohjl'l't aft"r tllt'\' hdH' ft.·adlt.'(! u~. ", .. In
llllt' monlt'nl uf tinll' IlI:'tlt'iH't1 b~' L1li, thaI is, "hilt~ Ollt' "onl is being
lIttl'rt'd, Ill,my tim.'", an' lurking \\ hidl rt'ason untlt-not.mlls to 1)1.' thert."
th,ll i" \dw in am' gi\t'o mOlllent all tht.·lot· \arious imagt':' an' prcscnt.
ft'at" in t'~t'r~ pl;tt~ ... ,,·1 TIll' ...imulacnlm i... thus imPt.·n·l.!>tibl('. lnc
274 .... 1'1'11'<.IIIX
Illiagt' .llom' b 1<t'n~iblc, \\ hidl t."(m\l'~·' clualJt~" ami \\ hidl is mac It' up of
till' \I'n. fapid MICC('ssion, ami till' ."ulllnl.'tion of m"n\'. idt.'ntic.,1 simll-
ba.l. \\·h.lt Wt.' ha\"e said with n'sllt'\'t to the SIX't'tI of till' lorn,ation of
'lOwl,lC ra .1pplit·... also, although tu ,1 It',~'r t1t-gn.....·. to l'm"nations fmm
tht' t11'pth!<: :-imulacra af(' s"iftc.'r th,lII t'nl.lnationlo, as if thert' \\l'n', in
tht' l.l"t' 01 ,~l'nsihlc' timt.', c1ilTt'n'ntial:- of din-r-'\.' ortll'rs. Jl \,-Vl' .In' thus
.II-Ic' to ,t'C' on what til(' originalit~· of tilt' I:pkurt.'an nwtlmc! i:- loumlt'c1.
lIl!<ol,'r a:. It lumbint'S the rt'SOun't':- uf analogy and grddation. 'I'll('
t1lt'on of time and its ·\'shau.~thl''' dKlraclcr aSSUfi.· tlw unitt, of the
t\\O ,~"Pt'('l,~ of tilt' method, I'or tllt'ft' is a minimulll of :-t'nsihl(: timt' as
\\1,11 a" .1 minimum of thinkablt' tilllt'. anti in both l'ast.'S a tinl(' smaller
than tilt' minimum, Hut, finally, tilt.' andlogous timl's, or their analogous
dt'tt'mlinalions. aI"(' organiz('(! in a gradation, a gradation, which cauS('S
u" to pa:-s from til(' thinkable to the St'nsiblc. and vice versa: I) 01 time
. . mal!cf than til(' minimum of thinkable tinl(' (an /1)ct.'rtum tempus hmught
dhout hy lIw r1momcn); 2) a minimulll of ('ontinuous thinkahlt' time (the
!>1lt'l~1 of tllC' atom tra\"ding in a singlt' din'clion); J) a tilll(' smalll'r than
thl' minimum of M'llSihk tinw (puncrum h'mpoflS. Ot:Tuplt'c1 b~' tht, lJrrltllQ-
aum): and 4) it minimum of continuom. ~'n...ihk' tim.' (to \\ hkh the
mw,qe t'nrrt·~pJlld:-. \\ hich aSSlIl"t'S tilt' l>t'rcl'ption of th(' ohj('('I), -'~
TI1l'ft' is y('t a third lilx't.'ies. distilll:t from tilt' cmanation... is.... m'<l frolll
tilt.' c1q)th and from til(' simulations dl,tadlt'd from the surface of things.
Tht~· an' pll.lnta:'llls, \\ hich t.·njo,. a high c1t"grt."t." of indt,pt'nd('ncc with
rt·...Ilt'(·t to nhjl'('ts and an ('xtn'nw mobility. Of an t'xtn'nu' inconstanc)'
in thl' imagt's \\'hich they form (sincc,' thl'~' an' not fel1e\\,('(1 by thc
constant ...uppli('s ('mittt.'ti by the objt.'<.1.). It Si......·nu; that here tht' imag('
stands for tilt' obj('('t itSt,lf. 'l1l('r(' an' thn'l' main varieties of this new
Spt't.·il'~ of ."imlilana: tlwologi('al, olwirit', anti erotic. TIl('ological phan-
ta"m~ Mt' tll.ll!t- up of simlilana \t hidl inh'fM't.·t sponta'lt'ousl~' in tilt.'
"k\, lomling immt'nSt' image... out of thl' clouds-high mountain., and
"gun':'> of gianL.. ,t' In an)' ~aS(', simulac,:rd an' c\·er~'\~IU'n'. \Vt, do nut
Ct'.h\' 10 1>1' irnmt'rst,d in tlWlll. and to hI..' b.lttC'red h~' th{'m ,1S if by
\t.l\t'~. Bdll~ \t'n I:lf from til(' objl't.-lS from "hil·h lht'\' t'manate. and
ha\ ing I()~t '-" ith' thl'm an~' din-ct cOllnt'('"tion. th('~' fo~n tht.·l>(' grand
aUtll1101l101l!< hglln·:-. Tl1I'ir indt'fX'l1dt'f1('t' mak(':-, thl'm "II tht' mon'
"lIb],,!"! to tli,mgt': 0I1t' might S.l~' that tht·~' dam'(', that tllt'~· sl>t'ak, that
tht·~ ll1otlil~ ad inhnitulll tlwir tont':- anti g(,:-turl':'. It b tnll', th.·n'foft',
ii' Ilunw \t III latt'r n't·all. thdt at till' origin of tilt' hl'lit,,, in gOt:l:- tlwn' i:.
I HI ,!.\lUI At HUM ANJ) -\Nl'II" I I'HII O\OI'IlY 27{
 u
not IX-rIll<lm"/ln', hut rather whim and the \'ariability of passions. , The
second gl'llrc of ph.lllt<lSmS is constituted by simulacra which arc
partind.lrly suhtle ami agil,', collling from different objel:!s. Thh), arc
apt to nwrgl' wgdhcf, to c:ondcn.,"~and dissipate., and an' too swift-and
100 h'1ll1011S to offl'r thcmsclws to sight. But the)' an' capabl..: of
suppl~'ing dll' (III/mus with dsions which pertain to it in its own right:
ITntaurs, Cerberus-like creatures, and ghosts; all of the images which
corr"spond to <il'sirt' or, again and especially, <in'am images. Not that
desin' is c.:rcati\"l' Iwrc; rather, it renders the mind attentive and makes
it choose till' most suitabk phantasm from among all of the subtle
phantasms in ~vhich we art' immersed. The mind, moreo\'er, isolatl.'(l
from the ('xttornal world and collel'ted or repressed when the body lies
dormant, is op('n to these phalltasms. 27 And as for till' third genre, the
('rotic phantasms, the)' too arc constituted of simulacra issuing from
wry diverse objel'ls and arc apt to be condensed ("what was before a
womall sel'ms to be changl'd into a man in our grasp"). The image
constituted by thl'se simulacra is doubtless connl'cted with the actual
100'e object; but, unlike what happens in the case of the other needs,
till: lo\"e object cannot he either absorbed or possessed, The image alone
inspires and resuscitates dl'sin., a mirage which no longer signals a
consistent reality: "But from man's aspect and lx'autiful bloom nothing
mmes into the bod)' to Ix' ('njo)'ec! ('xcept thin imagl's; and this poor
hope is often snatdll'd away hy the wil)Jp-l1L-
Tinw itself is afiimled in relation ~mo\"('lll('nt.)rhis is why we speak
of a time of thought in relation to tht' moveml'nt of the atom in the
void, and of a s('nsible tinl<' in relation to the mobile image which we
peru'i\'(', and which causes us to pcrn'i\'c the <Iualities of atomic
l'ornpOlltlds, And \\'(' spl'ak of a timl' smaller than the minimum of
thinkable time, in relation to till' clmamell as the determination of the
mon-nwnt of the atom; and of a time smalll'r than tll(' minimum of
sensible time, in rdation to simulacra as components of til(' image (for
thes(' ulinpOnellts, then' are ('n'n diIT('rential onll'rs of swiftness-
profound l'manations Ix'ing less swift than surface simulacra, and surface
simulacra IX'ing ll'ss rapid than the third spl·cies). Perhaps mon:llwnt,
in all of thesl' senses, is constitllti\'{' of "e\'ents" (erenw, what Epicurus
('alls symproms). in contra.~t with attributl's or properties (cQnjuncw). SO
that tinll' must Ill.' ('alkd the l'\"l'nt of e\'ents, and til(' "symptom of
symptoms," which is ('lltailed hy mm·('tlwnt. 1<' For attributl's arc prop-
27(' AI'I'I·NllIX
l'rtll'S which cannot be abstracted or Sl'p"ra('c! from Ixxlics: for ex-
,llllpk, tl1l' form, dimension, or weight of Ihl' atom; or the qualities of a
n)mpound which express till' atomit" disposition without which it
would n'ase to he what it is (the w,lrmtlJ of the tire or the liquidity of
\\',lh'r), But the ('wnt expresst.:s rather what is happening, without
(kstroving the nature of til<' thing-thus, a dt.:grl'l: of movcnll'nt
l,omp.;tible with its order (thl' mownwnt of compoLinds and their
~imulal'ra, or the movements and collisions of each atom). And if birth
and lk,lth, composition and d('('ompositiol1 ar(' cvcnts, lhis is so in
relation to dements of an order inferior 10 til(' ord('r of compounds,
whosl' I'Xist(~I1CI' is compatible with tIll' variation of movements in a
pass,lg(' at the limit of the corresponding times. ,
\Ve are thus able to provide an answer to the question of the lalsc
intinite. Simulacra arc not perceived in themselves; what is pl'rcciw(1 is
thl'ir aggn'gatc in a minimum of sl'nsible time (imagl'). The movement
of the atom in a minimum of continuous thinkable time Ix'ars witlll'SS
to the declination, which nc\'crthcless occurs in a timl' smaller than this
minimum. Similarl}', the image bears witlwss to the succession and
summation of simulacra, which occur in a time smaller than the
minimum of continuous sensible time, And, in the same way that the
dmamen Il'ads thought to fals(' conceptions of freedom, til(' simulacra
lead tht.: sl'nsibilit)' to a false impression of will and desirl', In virtue of
their slx'ed, which caust'S them to Ix, and to act below the scnsibll'
minimum, simulacra proouce (he miro,gc if aIals/! illfinilc in Ihe images which
Iheyform. The)' gin' birth to the douhl(' illusion of an infinite capacit)'
for pleasure and an intinite possibility of tomlent-this mixture of
avidity and anguish, of cupidity and culpabilit}" which is so characteris-
tic of the Illan of religion. It is particularl)' with the third and swiftest
slx'('il's, till' phantasms, that onl' witnesses the dcwlopment of the
illusion and tIll' myths which accompany it, In a mixtun' of theology,
l'rolicism, and olll'irism. amorous desire possesses only those simulacra
whidl Il'ad it to know bitterness and tomwnt, ('\'('n into the pleasure
which it wislws \Wf(' intinill'. Our bdkf in gods rests ulX>11 simulacra
\\ hidl S('1'1ll to dance, to change their gl'sturl's, ,lIld to shout at us
promising ell'rnal punishment-in short, to represent til(' inlinitl'.
J 10\\ are \\'(' to prewllt illusion, if not hy means of the rigorolls
di~tirll"ti()n of till' trul' intinitC' and til(' correct appreciation of times
Till: ",IMUI Al"RllM AND ANell-NT 1'1111 OSUI'IIY 277
ne...tvd 0Ill' ,\ ithin til\' othn. ,1IId of the pas...agt's 10 til\' limit "hich tlwy
ill1pl~'? ~lIdl is tilt' Ilwaning of Naturalism. I'hanta"'ll1' tlwn I)("l:onlt'
ohjtx·ts of plt'a urt" t'\t'll in lilt' ..tTe(:t "hidl the~' prod un', and which
linall~' app.:al'l> ul'h a... it I'; ,111 t·lTeet of swiftnt'S., or lightllt'S:. \\ hkh is
att.ldltxl 1U lilt' t'xlI'rnal inh'rll'rt'nn' of \'t'~' di\t'n.t, ohjl'~:ts-as a
t"ClIldt'll!>iltion of MI~'n'N>iun:,> ,md simultaneities. '11lt' IdlM' infinilt' is thl..'
prindpk' of tilt' t1i...turl>.<lIlu' I)f :.pirit. "111(' ... p..x ul.l1i,,' ohjtx·t alltl the
prat"ti('al ohjt,..: t of philo"0l'h~' as N.1turalbm. lo(.·jt·Il(·(' and plt·aMln'.
('uincidt' on this IXlint; it i... ah\a~'s a matter of dt'nOUlKing tilt' ilIu:.ion,
. - -
tht' f.:alst, intinitl..·, tilt' inlllllt\ til' rdigjon and all of lilt' tllt'olo£i('O-crotic-
onl..·iric m~·ths in \\ hidl it i... t'xI'H'SS("(I. To tilt' {IUt'!>lion "\\ hat is tilt' u,'>C'
of rhilosoph~'?" tht' an:.\,,'r 11111:'>t l>t,; whal otlwr ohjt"t·t \\ould hat"(' an
illtl..·r!..·st in holding forth lilt' im.lg'" of .1 fH't' Ill.:an ..1Iltl in denouncing all
of the forn'S whit:h Ilt'1.'t1 I1wth and lrouhlt"tl spiril in oHlt'r to ('stablish
tlwir power? Nature is not oppoSt.'t! to nlstO!ll, for tln-n' an' natural
('ustoms. Natun' is nut opposed 10 conH'ntion: that till' law dq>cnds
upon cOll\'cnlion.~ deX's nlll {'xdud\' Ihe I'XiSIt'IU"t' of natural law, that is,
a natural function of law II hii'll nn-asun's tilt' illt'gitimac~' of desir('s
again.~t Ihl' disturhanl.."l' of spirit which an'ompanit's tlll'm, NatlJr(' is not
0pp0st't.l to inwl\tion, inn'ntions lX'ing di:'("(l\"t'ril's of N,ltun' itst'lf, But
NaLUrc is oppose{1 to m~,th. IkstTibing tilt' histor~' of hurnanit~·, Lucre-
lius olTt'rs us a son of 1.1" of cmnpl'nSdtion: man':, unhappim'ss ('Olnes
not from his C'lbtom:., (·onlt'ntions. in\"t'ntinns, or indu~tn·. but from
tilt' sid... of nWlh , whit'h i:. mixed \\ ith tllt'l11, anti from tht' falst" intinitt,
"hidl it intnxluCt,s intu his fel'lings ami hi:. \\ork:", To til(' origins of
languagt'. thl' (liS("(l\t'~' of lirt:,. .:and the tin.t nlt'tals ro~·alty. \walth, and
proptTt~' aH' ;uMell. "hidl an' m~·thil"al in tlll'ir prindplt·; to the
eonwnlions of la\\ and juslin', the hdi~f in gods: to tilt' uS(' of hroll7.("
ami iron, til(' t!e\"t'lopnwnt of \\.:ar; to tilt' ill\"t'ntioll:' of art and industry'.
luxu~' and rH'n;t~·, Th(' ('WiltS \\ hkh bring about lilt' unh,lppim':"S of
Ill1lnanit~, art' inSt'llarahll' from th..· m~·ths \\ hid1 n'llIln tlwm possible.
To distinguish in lllt'n "hat amounts to myth and "hat alllounts to'
-
N.:atUH', and in Natlln' itself, 10 di"tingubh "h.lt is trul\' infinilt' frolll
.
\\ hat is Ilot -sIKh is tilt' pral"tkal and Spl'('Ulat iw ohjt'ct of Naturalism,
The tirst philosoplwr is a nalllr,llist; Iw slwaks ahollt natun', ratlwr than
"llI'.lking ahoul till' gOlIs. Ilis condition L, lhal his disnlUrSt' shall lIot
itlll"llllu:'t' into philo~,ph~' IW\\ myths that Ilould dt'Jlri\l' N,l{un' of all
it!> Ilt)siti\'il~" Al'Ii\l' gClll... alv til(' nwth of r.·ligion.•1S dt·...till\" i., till'
111\ th of ,1 1:11."" phpics, and Being. til\' Om' alld tlw Wholt' an' till'
In~ th 01 .1 1:11....· philosoph)' totall~' impn'gn.lh'd h~' tlll'olog~"
:\""\I'r lI,ls tilt' t'Ilt,,·rpriSl..' of "tkllw...till,,·.lIion" Iwen ('.lrri('(1 furtllt'r,
Til., 1ll~lh i., ah\a~'s tht' l'xprt,;,>.~i()n· Ill' tilt' f.lIM· inlinill' .lilt! of tilt'
tll~ltlrh.lIlt ..· of :,>pirit. Onl..' of tilt' mo~t profount! n)ll~t.lIlts of Naturalism
I' tu tI.·noun(·..· "''''r;o·thing that i:. ....lolm·:.:.. I..·It'I'}·thing that is tht' l'auSt'
of .......In.......... and t·\t'r~·thing that nlx"ll:'> 1>.1t1nl':"S to t'xl'rdM' its pO\\t'r. lO
hom Im·n:tiu:. to Nil·t:t.~dl{·, tin- 1>.1n1o.' t'nd i:. pursut't.l and attainl.."tl.
:\"alllr,lli~m makD. uf thought and M'lbihilih' all .:aAiml.:ation. It tlirt't.'t:. its
alt,l( k .lg.:aimt thl' pn'Stigl..''''of till..' nt'g.:ati\ t'; 'it dl'(>ri\t'S tilt' nt-gati\t· uf all
Ib pm\l,'r; it H'fus,:s to till..' spirit of tilt' m-gatiw tilt' right to spt.'.lk in
lilt' nanw uf philosoph~'. The spirit of tilt.' nl-gatiw madt' an appl..·arann·
out of till' St.'llsihlt-; amllinkt.-d tilt' int..tli~ihlt' to till' Ont' or the Whok'.
BUI Ihi:'> Wholt', this Ont', was but a nuthingnl..·:<Os of thought, just as tht'
,lppt'.lr,u1l"t' W.1S a nothingnt'Ss of St'nsatiulI, Naturalism, a(Tording to
IUl"rdim, is til\' thought of an inlinitt, sum, all of tilt' dt'lllt'nts of which
;lr\' not l"lunpost'd at onCl'; but, cont"('r:<od~' as WI'II, il is the SI.'nsation of
linit., ("Illllpollnd.~ which art' not addt'd up ,1S :<ouch wilh Ont' anotllt'r. [II
th('~t' 11\0 II"l~'S, tilt' multipl.. .· is aflimwd. Tht' Illultiplt· as Illuhipll' is tl1l..'
ohjt,t'l of aflinnation. just as tilt' diwrst' as din-rM' is till' object of jot',
'1111' inlinitt' is tilt' ahsolutl..' intdligiblt· dt'h'nnination (pt'rf"t:tion) or' a
Mun \\ hid\ do('s not form its dements intn .1 \\ ho](', But tht' linil(' it.;clf
i~ till' ,lh.-.oluh· St.'nsihl(, dl..·II..·m1ination (lX'rfix:tion) of t'Hn'thin£ which
is ('OIllIXIMXI. TIlt' pun' prn>iti\'it~' of th" linitt· is tl1l' Ohjl't.:t ~f th~ scnSt.'S.
and thl..' Illbll i\ itt' of tht' \·l·rit.:abl... intinite is tlu' olljt't.·t of thought. ·111t'rl·
i:. no oppo~itio;l 1)('I\\("('n lht'St, 1\\0 points of llt-W. bu~ ratlwr a
mrrdatioll. LUlTI,tius ''Stahli.~lu-d for .:a long timt' to ('Orne th.., impli('a-
tlon:. uf naturali...m: tilt' positi\ it~· of NatuH'; Naturalbm as the phillbO-
piJ~· of af1lO11atiun: pluralism linkt'tl \\ ith multiplt' allinnation; St'nsu.:al-
I~m t'l)lIllt't.·h't! \\ itll the jo~' of til(' di\t'rst.'; and tl14' practil..'al niti{lu", of
alllll~·:'>tilll".lti()lh.
1111 "'I.\IUI ,\l Ittl:t.l " .... " .\:,>>\ 11 .... 1 1'1111 (1'01'11' 179

II. Phantasm and
Modern Literature
J. KI O~~OW~KI OR ItUUII-::'-LANttliAGI:
Klossowsk.i's work is built ulx>n an astonishing parallelism lx'IWttn
lxxl~' and Ianguag\". or radWT on a reflection of one in thl' other.
Reasoning is the operation oflanguage, but pantomime is the operation
of till' hady. On tht, basi.. of moth"lOS ~'('t to be dt'(t'mlincd. Klossowski
thinks that reasoning has a thrologi<:al ('SS("net' and till' rOml of the
disjul\ctiw s~·lIogism. Al till" other ('xtn:mc. tht· botl)"S pantomime is
(-'sscntially pc:rn'!"Sl' and has the (onn of a disjullctin' olTticuJation.
Fortunatd~'. \\'(' haw at our disposal a guiding Ihn'ad in order to
llndl'rstand bc.:ttcr this point of dcpanUTt'. Biologist.'>, for {·x.lmpll', (each
us that 1Ill' dl'\'t:lopnll'nt of thl' Ixxly proc('("(ls by fits and SUrts: a butt
of a Iimh is dt'h'mlim'd to IX' a paw IX'fore it is dl'temli,wd to be- the
righl 1l.1W, t'te. It is possible to sa)' that tht' animal Ixxl~' "hesitalc.-'S,"
and that it protTi.'(ls h~' wa~' of dilemmas. Sill1ilarl~', rt'asoning procN..'tls
by tits :mcl starts, hesitates and bifurcates at cal'll len'l. Tht' body is a
disjunctive s~'lIogism; langllagl' is an t'gg on the ro.ld to difft'rt'ntiation.
Tht" Ixxl)' seals and conn'als a hidden Ianguagt', and languagt' fonlls a
glorious bod)" Tlw most abstract argllnwntation is a mimicry, but the
body's p:mtominw is a SI'(lllt'nCe of syllogisms. Ont' no longer knows
wl1l'tlll'r it is the pantomime which reasons, or reasoning which mimics,
In a n'rtain r\,,~p\'l·t, it is our elxx-h which has dis("()wrt,d pt.'rwrsion,
,"0
It dOl'1'> not tWt'd to dl'serill\' Ilt'h,willl'S or undt'rtak\' ahominabl... <1,'-
("(lunts. S,lde Ilt,\,tbl to do so, but Ill' i., tllIll t,lh'n lor grant\'d. \Vc, on
th.. otlwr h'1I1d, look for til(' "stI'UI·tUI'\'," that is, the ~mn which mOl\'
III' lilkd h~' tht'st' deSC"ription.~ ,1m I .l("t·ounts (sinn' it makes tllt'l~l
pm.~ihlt')' hut till' structun' dOt'S not m't'll to Ill.' tilled in onkr to Ill.'
\ ,llll,d 11\'l"\'t'l"St'. \Vhat is pt'l"\'I'I'M' i1'> prt"ci:-.d~· this ohjn·tin' power of
hl'~i',ltion in the body: this pol\\ \\hieh is Iwitlll'r I\'ft nor right; this
ddt'nnination b~' fits and stJrts; thi~ t1ilTt,rt'ntiation m'n'r suppressing
till' undilTt'f('ntiat('t1 \\hich is di\id\'d in it; this suspl'nS(' which marks
t',1\"h moment of dilTereun'; and ,hi.' immohilization \\ hidl marks ('ach
mOIlWllt of til(' fall. Gombroll io t'ntitll'l> Port1O!Jwphw ... pt'r\"('l"S(' nOn'1
\\hich l'ontJins no oI~nt' t...lt'1'>, hut onl~' shows ~'oung suspend('(1
Ixxlit'" \\hich Iwsitate and fall in a frozl'1l mOl't'ment. In Klossowski,
\\hn mJkt·~ usc of a rompl<.'tdy difTl'l'l,nt tt'(·hniqu<.', sexual dcscriptions
apll\'Jr II ith gn'at fora" hut onl~' in order 10 "fulfill" tht' hesitation of
1)()(lil':' and to dislribut(' it into till' I)'lrtl> of till' disjunctin:' s~'l1ogism,
TIlt' Pf('S('Il{"C of such dt'S<-Tiptions aSl>um\'~ tht'n'fol't' a linguistic fulU.--
tion: bdng no longa a Cjllt'Stion of ~Ix'aking of !)()(liL'S such JS th('~' arc
prior 10, or outsidt~ of. languagt', tllt'l foml, on thl' ("ontran', II ith
\\onl1'> a "glorious body" for ~pu~ miJl(i~, Tl1l'rt' is no obsct.'ne i~ itself.
s.l~'~ I\.lossowski; that is, the ohs(.'<,Ilt' b nOI tht' intrusion of Ixxlics into
IJnguagt', hut rather t1lt'ir mutual rt'ilt'(·tioll and the act of languagt'
\\hkh fahricah'S a Ixxl~' for tilt' mind, Thb l~ tilt' ,It't b~' which languagt'
tran!>t't'nds itSt,lf as it rdk't.'b a I)()(I~'. "Tlwl'l' is nothing more \'('rhal
than tht, t'X("('SS('S of tht' Ilt'Sh.... TIlt' rt'itt'ratL'(1 deSCription of the
t'arnal act not only n'l'il'\\S till' trJnsgn'ssion, it is it.~'lf a transgrt'Ssion
of languJgt' h~' languagt'," I
In anothtT n'SI}('l't. it i.~ our \.'Ixx:h whkh h,lS disco\"t'rt'(l theology.
Ont' no langt'r nt,(,ds to 1ll,'lit'\(, in Gutl. \Vt' St't.'k rathl'r the "structurt',"
that is, tllt'It-lllll whi('h llla~' II\' till('(! \\ ilh 11\'Ht'[~. hut the structurt' has
nl/ nt't'd to 1)(' tilted in ordt'r to Ill.' t..lIlt'd "tlll'ologit'al." Tln'Olog~' is nO\I
tilt' ~\'i\'nn' of nOllt'xisling ('llIitit'S, tilt' m:\lltll'r in Ilhieh tlwst't'mitit,.,
-di\il1l' or anti-t!i\'int', "Christ or Antidlrist-animatt' langllagl~ and
I1Mk t' for it Ihi~ gl()ri()ll.~ hod\' whit'll i.' di\'idt'd into t!i;jlll~'ti()n.~.
:'\il'I/_,dw\ pr\'dit'tion ;ahoul th~' link IWt\\'t't'n (;od ,lilt! grammar ha~
1'II'I'n n"lli/.l·d; hUI thi~ tilll!' it b a I't'("ogni,.t,t! link, \\'illt'~I, ,lctl'd out.
lllln1l"1, "hl'~ilatl'd," dl'\l'lopt,t1 in tilt' fu~ st'n~l' of till' disjunt'lion, .lIlt!
pl,lll'cl in lIlt' .'I·nin' Ill" tllt' Alltkhrist-llilln~·...m tTucilit'd. If p,'rwr-
l'1I \ N I A ... ,\\ A N I) M (J J) I I( N I I , I It -\., U H I' 2~ I
sion is til\' PO\\VT Iwtittillg the hody, "<Iuinx:ity is tilt' POWl'I' of lIwol-
ogy; thl'~' aTV I"ctkCh·d in 011\' anotlwT. If OIl\' is til\' p,lIltominw paT
n:n·lIl'lll"t·, till' otlwr is n'asoning par excdlencl'.
Th,lI II hich ,In'Ollnts for tilt' sUTprising charach'r of KlossolI'~ki's
\\{ll"k tkrilt·s from this: till' unit}· of tlll.'olog)· and porntJgr,lph~' ill this
It"'~· l),Irtit'ular Sl'n~', 'Wt.' must call it a sup"'dor pornnlog~" It is his
IlIIIl 1\.1\' of transn'nding nwtaplwsics: minwtit, Jl)!ull1l'ntJtion and
~~'lIogisti~' ll.lIltominw, t1\l~ dilt'mma' in tht., bot.l~· .lIlIl ;Iw db'juIll·tion in
till' !>~·lIogism. TIll' rapt'S of Rohertt' pun<.1.Uah.' n',lsoning ami .l!t.·rna-
tilt'l>; <'oll\·t·rsd\" ~\'Il~isms and dilemmas an' rdlt'Ctl'tl in till' Ix.v..tun'S
am! tIlt' amhigu'itit~ of~hl'llO(l\'.! Thl' bond of n'asoning anti (!l'Moription
ha.~ ah\a~'s I:'l'n till' fon'mos; logical problt'm-its ;lost nohll' form.
\Ve l'an Sl,(' it d ...'arh' in till' work of I~idans who cannot gl·t rid of thL..
problt'lll, p('rhaps 1~,(~llSl' thl'Y raiS" i~ in \('~' genl'ral m~l(litions. The
difiicult and dt.·t·isi\'(' conditions an' thOS(' in which the dt'saiption
t'onCt'nlS tllt' jx'rH'rsion of hod it'S in l),1tholog~' (tht· disjulll,tiw organic
caSl-adl·). and n'aS()I\ing com"t'nlS the l-quil·odt~· of language in tht'(llogJ
(til(' disjUlwtin' spiritual s~'lIugism). The prohlem of till" 1'l,lation he-
tWt'('11 n'asoning and dt'SCription had found a tirst solution in tht' work
of Sadt.·, \\ hkh was of thl' gn'ah'St theoretical and It-chnical, philosoph.
kal am!liu'ra~' importanc;, Klossowski 0lx'ns lip somt.' w~' nl'\\ p,lths,
to the extent that Ilt' POSt'S tht.· conditions of our moc:lem t"Ont't'ption of
IX'rwrston, 11lt'010gy or .1Ilti-t1l('olog~·. he~·thing IX'gins with this hla·
:lOll , anc:1 thL.. rdJ('('tion of tilt' hoc:h·. and languagt'.
~ ~
'l1w Il.lralll'lism pTL'Sl'nts itsdr in thl' tirs1 instant't' bl·twl'(·n Sl:emg and
spe<lk"W' Alr('ad~' in tlll' Des Fon~ts' non·1 and its gossip-\'n~'l'ur, "Sl'('ing"
d.'SignJh·d a l't'r~' spt'<"ial 0lx'ration or t·ont('mplation. It d,·signatl..-'(I a
pun' \'ision of rdlections which multiply that whic:'h th(,y rdk'l1, Th~
rellt·t,tions offl'r Ihl' Hly"'ur a mon° illtt·nS4.· J><lrtidpation Ihan if Ill' had
himsl'lr l'xpl'rit'nn'tl tlu'St' passions. till' douhlt' or till' rdll'ction of
\\ hkh Ill' now surn'vs in til(' fan's of otlwrs. This is tilt' CJSt· in
Klossowski's worb. ~1"I1t'1l Oc:·taw l'stahlisl1l's till' law of hospitality
,,,"t'ordill" 10 which Ill' "gil'cs" his wif,' Rohertt' to till' gllt'st.~. He
~ ~ ~
;\ltt'mpts 10 multipl)' Rolll'Th"s t'SSt·'1l"t·, tu ~'n'at.· as many ...illllllalTa and
rl'!ll,t:tions of Rolll'rh' as thnt' an' pl'rsons l'stahlishing Tdalions with
IWI", .11111 to impin' Rohertl' to l'llmlatl' sonwllOw Iwr olIn tlollhlvs,
th;lIlks to Ilhid\ (kt.l\l,.', till: I'nyt'ur, IXISSl'SSl'S and is abl.· In kllow hl'r
", \1'1'I1\UIX
Iwltl'l" than if hl' had k,'pt h"r, tplitt· sill1pl~', for himsl'lf. "It was
lll'ct':-:-,lrY th,1\ Robertc 1'Il~il1 to ,1ppr.Tiah· IWTS..rf, that sIll' I'll' intt'r-
,·...tnl in limling hcrsdf ag;in in till' on., "hom I (,Iahoratt·d with Iwr
.1\\11 dt'llll'ntsoand thJt littl.·!I\, littl.' ~IIt' might wish, throuoh ,1 sort of
t'T1Il1l.ltion of Iwr own douht(·, t:1 ~lIrp.,:-s "n'l~ tho:-.· asp..·t·ls ~'hit"h dn'\l
tlll'rn~t'J\"l's in m~' mind, H('nt'l' it 11.1S import,lIlt th.lt sh.· I'll' l"tlll~tantl\'
~urTuumlt-d h~' idJl' ~'oung nwn in <I'lt'~t of nppurtunitit'S," I Sm'h i~~
\ bll.ll IXlss<..ssion: Il"l' posSt.'Ss tlltlrollllhl\, onl\' thaI whil-h is alrl'ac:h'
po.~:-t·~~l ... l; not simpl~' poSS('SS4.·tI h~' alli:th:'r, fo~ till' otlwr IWT(' is hUI ,1;1
iilwnlll'tli.lf\' amI, in tht., IJst an.1h~i~, has no t'xistl'ncc:'-but ratha
h;'
1)(I~l,~.......1 a dt'ad other, or b~ ~piriL~, We' posSC:'SS thoroughh' onl\'
111l,l{ i~ l'xpropriatt'(l placed outsitl.., uf itsdf, split into two, n,flt~1.lxl i~
tht· gUt·, and multipliL''(1 b~' lX>SS('S..,ilt' minds, This is "hy Robcrtl" in I,I!
,\(JuDie",. is the objl."Ct of an import.lnt problem: l-an t1ll'rt.' lx' "OIl(' and
1Ill" ~nll' d('l.'C:'.asc:'c:1 for two widO\\:!>?" To POSS4.'SS is thus to gil"(' owr to
I:IO!>.....-ssion ,'Inti to S« tht' giwn muhiplil'(l in till' gift. "Such common
partaking of a dt'ar hut liI'ing l)t'ing is not without ,lnalog~' to thl~
dt'\Oh'(l gazt' of an ,lrtist.... (thi!' strang"' tht'llll' of theft and gift, it will
h.,. Tt'('alllxl, appears ,llso in JO\'(."'(·'s l:.u/('.J). ~
'I'll(' function of sight COnSiSL'i in douhling, <!iI·iding. and mUhiPI~'ing'i
"ht·n'a:. till' function ofthl' t'aT consists in Tt'SOnating. in hringing ,lbout
rt'wnalln', Klossowski's t'min' work mOil'S to\\anl a single goal: to
I
a!>~ur.· till' luss of pl.'rsonal idt'ntit~· and to t!issokt, till' sd{ This is the
:!>hining troph~' that Klo!:oSO\\ski's CharaCI('rs hring ha('k from a \'o\'age to
tilt' ,,·dgt· of madm'ss, But a~ it hapl'Il'ns. till' dissolution of Ihe S('lf t';:aSl"S
to I'll' a l)dthoJr~j('.ll dl'l('nllinJtion in order to 1'Il'Conw til(' miglltit"St
pow"r, rit'h in I~siti\l' and ....'IUI,l":'· promiSl's. 'I'll(' St.,lf is "corn~ptl'tr'
onl~' I)(·('au~t'. in till' lirsl inst.l1U"l" it is dissoll'l"'<1. This hapP,,'ns, not onl\'
10 tl1I' M·lf \\ hil'h i~ OhSt'n'l'tl .lIltl lm-l'S its iel.'ntih· unda tIlt' gaZl', hu't
10 11ll' oh~t'nt'r also, llIlO i~ M'I out.~idl' or Ill'TSt'lr and is mul;ipli,·d ill
Iwr m\ 11 gall'. (kl.H't· .1illloum'n hi., 1'Il'f\·.'TS.· projl'l"t 1\ ith n'sl'll'r't to
Roh..-rtt.. "Til hring her to antit'ipah' thai ~hl' is ~t'l'n .... to l'/KOllraUl'
I '- ~
'.'T 10 fr.·.· th., g('~tUTt·., from this ~l'ntillll'nt of M·JI' I\ithollt l·\.'r losing
'l~IH of h..-r~.'lr" , . to attrihllh' tlWIll 10 Iwr I"dl(·("tio11. to tIlt' point of
1llltllkkin!! llt'r,~.'lr in MIlT\\' IlMlltll'r,'" Bm Ill' also knO\\~ \\'dl that, ,1S.l
I"."ult of hi, oh....·t"\·.ltIOll. Ill' 10~t·s his oll'n id"ntih', M·ts himsdf outsitk
l,t hilllM·Jl. ,1Ild b rnuhipli,'d in tilt' gall' a." r~lll("h a." till' OtlWT is
Illll!tiplil'd undn tllt' !!a!"-.llld th.lt this b till' tuost profou11d l"OIlh'nt
l'IlAN'l,"M ANI> MtllJllt'i IITI'l(A'lllIU, 2S1
, of thl' idea of I::vil. TIll' 1'~sl'lltial rdation. thai is, till' complkil}' of sight
\ " with sIx'I'ch app.,..ars. For what can olle do. \>is-a-\'is doubles, sim~lana,
or rd!l'("tiom. utlwr than speak? With fl'sfX't-"t to that which can unly
Iw Sl'l'n ,mil Ill'.lrd, ",hidl is Ill'wr c:onfimll.:d by 3nutllt'r organ and is
tlw ullin'! of Forgl:uing in Illl'mof)'. of all L1nimaginahll' ill imagination,
ami of an Unthinkable in thought-what clSl' Gill DIll' do, otlu..'r than
spt·.lk of it? L"lllguagc is itself the ultimate double which I'XPn.'SS(.'s all
doubks-lhc hight'Sl of simulacl'"a.
Freud daboratl'tl SOIlW actin·-r.assi\,c (:oupk's conct'ming till' \'oYI'ur-
is!
. ami exhibitionist modes. This schl'ma. howewr. docs nol satisf"
Klossowski, who thinks that slxx"t.'h is thl' onl~' acth'it~' corrl"Sponding
to thC' pas.~i\·ity of sight, and thl' onl)" actiOll corrl"Slx>nding to the
llassion of sight. Specch is our acti\'C' conduct with rl"Spect to rdk'C-
tions. cchoes. and doubles-for tht, sake of bringing them together and
also of eliciting t1ll'm, If Sight is pen·cl"SC. so too is slx'CCh, For dearl~' it
is llot a matter, as in the case of a child. of speaking 10 doubk"S and to
simulacra. It is a malll'r of speaking of them. To whom? Oncc again, to
spirits, As soon as we "name" or "designate" something or someone,
on the condition that this Ix- done with the nea.."Ssary precision and
alX>H' all the nea..-ssan' st\'le. we "dl'nouncc" as well: we rcmo\'c the
name, or rather cauS: th~ multiplicit~, of the denominatl'tj to rise up
under the name; we divide, \w refll'Ct the thing. we gin-. under the
same name. many objl'Cts to sec, just as S("Cing gives, in a glance. so
much to slx'ak about. One nC\'er slX'aks to soml'Onl', but e!f soml'One to
a pO\\t'r apt to rcllrt1. and dh'idl' it. This is wh~' one dOL"S not name
something without also llel10uncing it to a spirit. which scr\"l"S a... a
strange mirror. (A-tan:. in his spl('ndid conceit, says: I did not slX'ak to
Hobent', I did not nanll' 'a spirit' for her. On the contrary'. I nanuxl
Holwne to til(' spirit and, in this \\'.1)'. 'denouncM' hC'r-in order that
the spirit might n'wal what she hid. and in order that sl1(' finally
lil>l'ratt' what was gathel"l'd undt'r Iwr namc. 6 Sometimes sight induces
spl'el'h, and sOI111'tinll's spet'l-h It'Mls Sight. But there is always the
Illultiplication and th(' rdleetion of what is secn and slx>kt'n-as well
as of the pc.'rson who sel'S and speaks: the slx'akl'r participates in the
grand di...solution of sel\'l's, and e\'en commands or pro\'okt's it. Michel
hlucault has written a fine article on Klossowski. in which he allalp~l's
11ll' play of doubles and simulacra, of Sight and languagl\ I k attrihutes
Kloss()\\'skian cah'gorit's of sight to them: simulacrum, similitudt', and
21f4 AI'I'I-NlIlX
simulation. Call'gories of languagl' nlrn'~l)(llld to thc.'m: ('\'ocation,
7
prol"()(."alion, and rc\·ocation. Sight .'pHIS what it sec.'." inlO two and
llluitiplies tilt' myeur; likl'wisl', languag\' dt'nOllnccs what it says ami
multiplies thl' speaker (thus tht' rnultiplidt~, of slllX'rimlx>sl'd \'oicl"S in
I,' .'WUUJ':lIf).
That Ixxlil'S slx'ak has bl"'11 known for a long timt'. Klossowski,
hO\\t'\l'r, dL'Signatl"S a Ix>int \\hil'h is ,llmost thl' cc.'nh'r at which
I.lngu,lgt- is formed. Bdng a Latinist. Ill' inmh"S Quintillian: the lxxl~' is
cap,llllt· of gl"Sturl's which prompt an ul1dt'rstanding contrar:' to what
. thc.'~· indicate, In language, thl, ('(Iui\',llt'nts of such gc.'stures are call('(j
8
"so/«ums... For example, one aml may IX' USL-d to hold ofT an aggTl"SSOr
\\ hilt, thl' other is held open to him. in SL'eming welcome. Or the samc.'
hand ma\' IX' USl-d to hold ofT, but is incapahle of doing so without also
offering ;n open palm, And there is also this pla~' of the fingers, some
bdng held 0lx-n, and others, dOSl'lI, l1ms, Ocun' has a collcction of
S("Crc.'! paintings by the imaginaf)' paintt'r Tonnl'rrc. who is c10S(" to
Ingn'S. Chasseriau, and Courbet, and knows that painting is in the
solecism of bOllies. as, for example, in Lucrt'"l;ia's ambiguous gesture.
His imaginary' dl"SCriptions are likl' shining Stl'reol~'pes punctuating La
P.bOCQflon. And in his own drawings-canvasses of great beaut~'­
Klossowski willfully lea\'es tht, scxual orgao indett'rminate, pro\'idcd
that he o\·t'T{letl'mlin<-"S the hand as thl' organ of solt'Cisms. But what.
preciS("I~', is tht' positi\·it~· of thc.· hand, its ambiguous gesture, or its
"suspl',ultxl gesturc"? Such a gl'Stun' is tht, incam,ltion of a power
which is also intt'mal to language: dilc.'mllla. disjunction. and disjuncth'('
s~·lIogi."m. With Tc.oganl to till' painting rl'j)Tl"SCnting Lucrl""l.ia, Octan'
writl's:
If ~hl' ~'klds, shc otl\"iousl)' b(,tr... )'s; if she docs not }'tdd, 511\' will still lx,
con~idl·rc.'ll a.s h... "ing b\·tr.l)"e~1 sinn', killt-c.1 h)' her aggl'l.-'Ssor, she will lx'
~Iane.! ..n:'d 011 top. Do WI' St.'l' her ~'ield, Ix'l:.lus,,, she is rcso]n'(l 10 be done
J\\o1~' with, a~ MJOIl 01" sIll.' makes Iwr llo\\nf.lll kno\\n? Or did shl' first malt·
U~' Iwr minll to ~'idd, r"o1ll}' to disaplx'ar, Jftt'r having sl>olt'n? No doubt. ~Ilt'
~· ...Id., 1)t'l'aUM' ~Iw Tt'/Il'l'IS; if .,11l' did not rdlt'l't, ~Iw would kill Iwrsdf or
\\tJuJd hall' Iwrsdf kill,',1 imnll·,!iald\'. No\\", ...., "Ill' rdl'Tts herself in Iwr
d",nll j1Tfljn·t, silt' Ihrows Iwr.,,·lf in:o till' arms of Tarquin ,me.!, as SainI
AUgth~il.lt' in"inuah·s, \Irg"d I)<'rllap~ h~' Il<'r 0\\ n c.·O\·,·tousm·ss, she punishl'S
h"n,t'lI tor (hb nmfusinn allli Ihb Soll·dsm. As (h'id s'lid, tilt' thing amoUUIS
.
to 'un'urnhlug lu th.. f,'ar of tlisllonor. I \\ould .'i..l\'. thai silt' sUlTwnhs to her
PIIANTA",\\ ANIl M01HI(N I lTH(Al"UIU, 2S~
0\\11 O'\I'IOU'IWS,', \\hi.h ~plib inlo lWO: tI\I' COI"I'r"'lI~llI','~ of Iwr
lllod."'I~' ,1h,mdoIlS nll,d",'I~' in onlt'r 10 n .. liM'owr ilsdf t",lrrl.lI."
I krt·, in t1lt'ir idt'l1lil)', tilt' prolifaating dilt'mma ami tilt' 1>usp•.'mkd
g.',,,un· r"prt'".·nl hoth till" d.'t<'nllination of thl' hotly ,lilt! till' tllO\'('-
1111'111 of languag(', But till' faet that till" common .·II·nwnt is r"/I,'c//OII
indi('illt'S sunwlhing dSt, IlI.'sid.'s.
TI1I' Ixxh' is Ianguag.' Iwe,lUs(' il is .'sS('ntiilllv "lIt'xion." In rdl{'(-tion,
IllI' .·urport:.lllll'xi;lIl ;''('ms to !)(' dividtxl, split in I\\U, 0PIKJSl.. l to itst.'lf
and rdlt'('\("tl in itsdf: it aplwars linall\' for it,sdf. libaah..1 from ("\Tn'·
thing that urdinaril~' {·onn'als it, In al~ ext'dll'llI Sl'{"ll" of 1(1 RlrO("o//;",
Rulx,rt.., thrusting Iwr hands illlo tilt' tabanade, fl'(,ls Iht'm graspl.. 1 h~'
twu lung hands, similar to Ill'r u\\n. , ,. In I.e Sm!ffI,'ur, Ih.. t\\O Rolx,rtl'S
light, dasp hands, and loc'k lingt'rs while an invitl.. 1 gUt'St "prompts":
makl' h.., S('I>.lrah'! And Roberl ce scm ('mls \\ ith Rohl.. n(·'s gl'Sture-lwr
holding out "a pair of kl'~'s to Vit'tor, which he toudll"s though IW\'I'r
tak{'S," This b. a suslx'mled sn.. ne, a genuindv frozi.'n caS('adl', \\ hich
rdle(:ts all thi.' dikmmas and s~·lIogiS;;S \\ ith -which "the spirits" had
aSl>olilt'(l Rubl'nt' during Iu-r ralx". BUI if the body is f1..xion, so too is
languolgt'. An t,ntir(" rdll'(.'tion of words, or a rdlt.'(1.ion in \\onls, is
nt·l.'I'SS.l~' for the lIuional d)aracter of languagl' to appI'ar, tina II)'
!ilx'rah'(! of ('\"e~,thing thaI l·on'rs it up and l"Ono,-'als it. In an admirable
translation of till' ,"I'MW, Klos.~wski makl'S this point ob\'ious: st~'listic
rl'Sl'arch must bring forth thl' image out of a IIl'xion rdll'(-h'(l in two
\\ortls-a IIl'xion that would I>t., opposl'(l to itSl,lf ami n,n,'ctl..1on itself
in words. Sud) is 1111' pusitin' I>owt.>r of a sUlx'rior "sol.'{·ism,'" or the
lorcI' of PClt.. t~· l"onstitutt..1 in tilt' dash and t·opulatinn of \\onls, If
languagl' mll/Of{'{ IXltli.'s, it is not through onolllatopoei,l, but through
tll'xion. Ami if Ixxlit'S imit,l{(' J.mguagc, il is not through org,lIls. but
throllgh 1I1'xion, There is an entin' p,mtominU', inh'rnal to langu,lgl" as
a di~I·Ollrst' or a stor~' within tlw hod~', If gestllTl's spt'ak, il is tirst of all
IWI'ausI' words mimic gl'stlin'S: "Virgil's ('pic IX)('tll is. in fal't, a t1watl'r
II hl'l"I' words mimk tilt' gt'stun's 'lnd tilt" nwntal ~I,lh's of till' ell.uach'rs,
\Vords, not botlit's. strikt· a IXIS!'; words, not g,lrnWIlIS, an' WO\'en;
\, (Jl'Ils, not ,1rI11tlrS, sparklt,...." HI Tlwn' would Ilt.' a gn'at dl'al to sa)'
alllllll Klossowski's ,s~'nl,lx, which is itself madt' of t'ascad•.'s, suspt'nsc,
;md rdk('h'd t1.'xions, In 1I.'xion, .ll"l"ording 10 Klossowski, tllI'n' is a
(1Illlhl., "tran~gn's~i{lI\"-of langllage b~' tI~t' tlt'sh ,md of tilt' lIl'sll b~'
ll'lh AI'I'I NIlIX
own 1,H1gu,lgl', II I [I' was ahl t ' 10 tll'ri\!' from thi~ ,1 st\'11' alld a rniruicr\'-,
l"lI~tin~I'lr langllagl' and a particular IlIld)' al onn':
\\'h,lt i~ til(' rull' of tllt'SI' suslx'llIl\'d ~t'I'IlI'S? [t is It-s~ a {IUt'stion of
~r,l~ping in Ihem a Ix'rs{'n'ration or ,1 nmiinualiull Ih,ln of grasping
tllI'm ,1:' tilt' obj.,!"t of a funtlanwntal rt'fll.'tition: "Lili' rdh'Talillg itsclf
in onkr to n'{'Owr its hold on il~df during it~ 1;"II-as if holtling it:,
hrt'.lth in all instant,lIlt'ouS appn'lwnsioll uf i;s origin; but tilt' rt'itera~tion
of Jill' h~' itSt'lf would Ill.' hopdl'~''i \\ ithnllt tilt' simulacnllll of tht' artisl
\\110, h~' repr<xlucing thi:. Spt'('tadl', ~IIl"I'I.....ls in (!t'li\"('ring himself frolll
ft'ilt'r.ltioll. ",I! This is till' strang~' t1wnw of a Sol\"ing Tl'lx,tition, that
~\I'!> (L'i tirst and fOTl"IllQSt fron~ n'I>l.'tition, pS~·t-hoa~lalysis, it is tnll',
tJught us that \\'(' olr(" ill from rt'I",..titiun, hut it also taught us that \\"('
art' Iwal("(1 through repetition, l..e Sm.!Uklir is, pTl"Cisd~" thl' an'ount of a
:.dhatioll or a "cure.'" This cun', hOWI'\'I'r. OWl'S 1t.'SS to tht" attention of
tilt' disturhing Doctor Ygdrasil tholn tu t!ll'at~'r Tl·hearsals and to th(".1t-
rK-al Tl'lx,tition. But what must thl'atril'al Tl"lx,titioll lx, for it to be
(-aIMbll' of Sl"Curing sah'atton? '111(" RcMX'nl.' of l..e ~ffI..ur pla~'s Robe",.. ce
SO" ,md shl' di\·id{'S herself into two Rolll.·rtt'S. If sht., rept'ats too t.'xact!\',
if silt' at'ts tht.' rol{, too naturall~', Tl'!x,tition miSSl'S its mark. no k'SS th~n
if sill' pla~'e(1 the role badl~' and rl'l)r()l.lun...1 it ,)wkwardl~', Is this a nt'w
in~()luhlt' dilt'mllla? Or should \\1' ratlwr imagine two sorts of repetition,
Olll' fdlM.' and till' otlwr truI', 0111' hOIX'I{"S.~ and the other salutan', one
(·oll:.lraining and til(' otha lilwrating: Ollt' \1 hit-h would haw cxa·ctnl."SS
a~ its {·ontradictor~' crill'rion, and anotlwr whit·h would rt.'Spond to
otl\l'r critt'ria?
Onl' tlwnw runs through till' ('ntin' wurk uf KIQSsowski: thl' opposi-
tion Ilt:I\\I'I'n I'Xdlangc and trut' n'lX"tition. For ('xdlangt' implil'S onl~'
n'M'mhlann', {'\"I'n if til(' rt'S('mhlant"l' is t'xtn'nll', Exactll<'SS is its crilt,-
rion, along \\ itll thl' ('clui\",lknn' of l'xchangl.. 1 products. This is thc' false
n'lwtitiol) \\ hi("h causc'~ our i111lt's.~. Trm' rl'I>t.,titio!l, on the othl'r hand,
apIlI.'ars ,lS ,1 ,'inglll.lr Ix'lIa\"ior thai \\1' displa~' in rl'lation to thaI \\ hidl
t"1I1I10t Ill' .'xch,lngl'd, rl'plan'd, or sub,stituh,d-likl' a poem Ihal is
r\'IWJtt'd on lilt' I'ondition Ihat no \\onl ma~' IX' chilngl'd, II is no lung\'r
,1 nJ,lIt.'r of ;111 \'lllli\",lll'IWI' IlI'twt'l'n similar thill~S, il is nol ('\I'll a
n\.lth'T 0"" ,n II'I ('11 ,', 111',s' ailH'. 'I' ru\' rl'lX'tltltln
1 ~'o ,'I " ...a\ IIt fl'sses snnWI Iling
'1 gllJ.ll", lIllchallgl'ahll', ,1Ild din~'I'I'I1I,
l1
withullt "idl'lltit\"," Insh'atl of
I'XI h'lIlging II\!' similar ,md id.'ntit:\"ing tilt' S,1I111', /I ,;ulh('nIlCar,'s lh.,
I'HAN·I \\:.1 \NII ,\10111 HN J I"lIIC"TllHI" 111'1
<lIffrrem. Tlw oppu!>ition i~ lkwlop('d by Klossowski in thl' lollowing
~,alUll'r: Tlu,:'()(lof('. in i.e _\()~ll'u" takes up again lh1an."s "laws of
hospitality," \\hich ("oll~ist of multiplying Hoherte h~' Slims Ill'r to the
gUl"Sts, No\\. in this fl'liumption. Thlooof(' (:ornes up against an o<ld
~irl"lII1l!>l<lIll'l'; the hotd dl' Longchamp is .. statl' institution wlwre ('ach
!ipOU~l' must he "dcclart'(I," in accordance with linanl'ial ruk-s and
nom)~ of l'qui\'alcncc. in ortla to .serve as the Objl'l't of l'xd'.lngl' and
l'U1urihute to the sh.lring of men and wornl'n,ll Thl·odon.' however
cuml'S to st.'C. in the institution of Longchamp, the earicaturl' of. anti
tlw mntrary to. the laws of hospit.llit)', Doctor Ygdrasil tells him:
You insist absolutd)' ul>on gh'ing without n'turn and nCl'l'r rt"n'i\'ing! You
("annol Ii\"(" wilhollt submitting to the unin'rs;al law of \'xchange. ". '1110.'
pr3('tlee of hospitality, sudl 3S ~'()U ('OTlccit'c it. (.'annot be uni13h'r31. Like an)'
hospit3lit~', this (and cslx'("iilll~' this) requin.-s an absolule n'ciprocit~' in .order
to lx' \'iabll'; that's the hunll<' vou don't W.1n1 to o\"t"rcolll("- th(' shilnl~ of
woml'll b\' men an<II1ll'n Iw w~rJl("n. You lun' to C.1",:,' it through to tN' end,
to conS<'~t to cxchangl' R~ne for otN'r WOI1)('n, to aen'pt being unfaithful
to Rolx.'rto;- as ~'ou fX'rsist in dl'siriog that she be unfaithful to ~·OU,·4
Thl"()(lorl' dOt.~n't listen, He knows that thl' true repetition is in the
gift. in thl' econom~' of thl' gift which is OppOSl.-d to the ml'rcantile
econom}' of exchange (, , , homage to Gl-'Orges Bataille), He knows that
the host and his rdlection. in both scns('s of til<' word, arc 0PI>osed to
thl' hotd; and that in thl' host and the gift, repetition surgl's forth as
the highest power of till' 1Illl'xchangeablc: "the wif.... prostitlltl.'(1 h)' her
husband, newrthell'ss n'mains his spouse, and thl.' hushaml's un-cx-
. ,,1~
C hang<'a II
>C l>OSSt.'Sslon,
How is it that Th&xlon' gets Ix-tter following his trip to the <.-<.Ige of
madnl'SS? H<.' was ill and W(' arc now ronceml"tl with his fl-'COw')', T o
IX' precise, he was ill so long as the risk of an exchangl' had come to
compromiS<' ami gnaw away at his attempt at a pure rq>ctition, \Vcre,
not Holx,rte and K's wife cXl'hange<lto the lX)im that on(' could not be
distinguished from til<' otha. <"'cn in the struggl<' in whkh the)' daspco
hands? And was not K himSl,lf exchangl-tl with Thco<lon', in order to
lake l'\'Cr)'thing from him anti to di\"l'rt tll<' laws of hospitality? Thl'O-
don' (or K?) g('ts w<'Il, when Iw undl'rstands that rq>etition is not to Ix~
found in an extrl'ml' rl'sl'mhlancl', nor in the exactness of th... l'X-
('hango:d, nor e\"l'n in a rq>ro<lul'tion of the i,knti<"al. lking nt"itl11'r the
288 AI'I'I·NIlIX
i~ll'ntit,\' of thl' Same flor the l'(lui\'al~'n<,'e (If IIll' similar, rl'lx,tition is
Imllld in tilt' intensit)' of til<' I )iO~'n'nt. Tlwf(' an' no two women who
I(>ok alih,. and \\ ho can Ix.- uk.'n for Hol:>I.'rtt'; then' an' not t\\"o Ix'ings
insidl' Robertl'-inside the Silnw \\oman, Hut Hol'ICrt<, (I<~ignatl-s ;n
""intl'llsit."" in herst'lf; she l"Ompri~l'~ a diff('n'ocl' in itsdf, an i~l-qualit~·,
thl' l'hara<.1('risti<.- of which is to rt'lurn or to 1:>1., n'pl.'.:Jh'll. In shurt. thl'
(Ioubll..', thl' rdl('('"tion, or the simuranum opl.'ns up at l.1st to sllrrendl'r
it!> sl.'en't: n'pl'tition docs not pn'suppo~' the S<aml' or thl' Similar-
tllt'S(' arc not its prl'n'(luisites. [t is rq>dition, on th... contrar\" which
]>nxlucl's thl-' onl)" "same" of that \\ hil'h differs, and till' onl~' n'S('lll.
blance of the difT('rcnt. The l'OIwal,'s<.'l,nt K (or Thl-odore?) ("dux's
Nict-/sdll"'s cOllvak'SCl'1lt Z.,rathllstra, All "deSignations" arc brought
dn~I.'n an~l.arl',"dl'nollnC(:d" in unlt'r to mak<.' room for til{' rich s)"Stl'm
of mtl'IlS1tll'S, I1)C couple Octave-Rolx-rtl' rcfers to a pure difTerl'l1cc of
intensit)' in thought; the names "Octa\'l'" and '·Roocrte" no longer
de~ignatl' things; the)' now express pure intl'nsities. risings and falls,lf.
Inis is tht' relation bct\\'rtn frozen SCl"n<.'S and relx-tition. A "fall:' a
"lIiIT('rence," a ··suspension" arl' rdl<'Ctcd in the fl'Sumption, or in
rqx,tition, In this sense, thl' !xxI)" is rdll'Cted in language: the charactcr-
biti<.' of languagt' is to !Oke bad.. mto itsclf the frozen s<.'cnc, to make a
"spiritual" e\'ent alit of it, or rath('r an a(h'ent of "spirits." In language
-at the heart of ranguag<.,-the mind grasps the Ixxl)', and th(:
g~'stun's of the bod)', as the Ohjl'Ct of a fundamental rC'petition, DiITer-
t'm~I.' gil'l.'s things to be seen and multiplies bodies; but it is repetition
\1 hl<.:h olT(,rs things to Ix' spokl'n, 311thenticatl's the multipll", and makes
of i,t a spirituall.'\·l'nt. KJossowski sa)"s: "In Sade, 13nguagl'. intolerable
to Its(.'lf, does not reach exhaustion, (k'Spitl' being unleashed on the
1loiInw \'ictim for days on end, , " -111cre can lx- no transgression in the
('arnal a<.'t, if it is not Ii\'(-<.I as .. spirituall'\'l,nt; hut in order to cease the
oI*,(:t. it is IWC<."SSary to look for, and repro<luc<' til(" l'\'em, in a
rl'ikrat<>t.1 d~'s( . ription of the l'arnal .1ct,·' 17 After all, what is a Pomo:g-
~aplll'r? A Pornographl"f is one \\ ho fl'IX'.1L'i and iterah's, 'Inat an auth~r
I' ~'!\st'ntiall~' an ito:rator must tell us sollll"thing al>out till' rdation
1\I,'I\\I.'t'n r"ngllagt' and bod~" of till' mutual limit ami trallsgn..'ssion that
('aeh 0111' finds ill the other, In Gomhrowicl's no\"("1 POfllOfJraphlO, the
~~'nlral .~t'I'll.,S an' til\' frozl'n sn'nt's: those which tlw hero (or Iwnx's?)
-loyt'ur-sl>l'akl'r_miln of Il'th'rs, man uf the tlll'ah'r-imposl~s) 011
1\\0 ~'ullng Ix.'opk; !>C('no.:s which dl'rin' tlwir l>l-,rn'n;it~' from th.., mutual
I'IIANTA~M ANI> MODI,H.N IITI-H.ATUH.I, 289
indil1;:rclln' onl\' of lilt' vuung rl1.'opll'; but also !>ecrU's \\ hidl culminate
with a dtmlll:,11 or a liitl;'rel1~'t' of It'wl, n'sunwd in ,1 n'\Wlition of
blll:!.u.'~t· and \ bion; sn'11I'S of pOsst'ssion. properly Sl><"lking. sinn' till'
VOl:IIL: ~I)<'opl,' haw thl'ir minds IlOSSf,'ssed, IX'ing fJh't! ,md dt·floum·l·d
i}y th:' \o~·I'ur-spl",kl'r.
No. 110, till' 1\ holt' !>('t'n,' I\oultt nol holn' Ix...·11 so slu)I:king hold it nol I"...·n so
illl·ul1lll.llihl,· 1\ ith t1wir n,ltural rh~1hlll, so S\.·t, Illotionl,·,.!>..Iml "tkn.. , . OWl'
Ih"ir 1M,'ollls, t1wir hand!> loudlt'd "al·dlll·null},." :\rll\ olS t1w~' toudll"'!. tlw~'
pull,...1 th"1ll dOlI n olhnlptl)· olnd ,'ioll·lltl~·. For "nnw tinw tlw~' both gol''''II
,11h'l1li\"\'I~' oll tlwir joim"t.l h,lI)1.I,.. Thl'n tht,y M .. ltlt'nl~· fdl IIO\ln-it l\olS
inlpn',,~ihll' 10 tdl \\110 h,IIIIX'1'1l pu"h......1 b~' \\hom-it Iookt"t.\ ol$ though t1wir
IJolmls I~d pUl>lu...1 thl'lll OWL II
It is goo<l that two authon;, l>O nl'\\, so important, and ~'l't so diffen'nt.
1·Ilt.uuntt'r ('at·h other on tlw theme of boc:l~'-languag(', of pomograph)·.
rl'JX'tition. pomograplwr-R'pcater, and writl'r-itl'rator (lJllfriJfl'ur-ltha-
fCllr).
What is tl1l' dilt'mma? 1-101\ is thl' disjunct in' s~'lIogism, \\ilk-h t'''presses
tht· dilemma. made UI)? Tht· lxxl~' to; language; hut it mJ~' mnn'al the
:'Ix'('('h that it is-it l'an hide il. "111(' boc:l~' may, anti ordinaril~' d()('S,
\\ish for silt'fll1: with r'l'Slx·t't 10 its works, In this ('aSt·, rqln-s.-.t'(1 h~' the
hod~' but abo proj('('h'(I, d,~kgatt-d, ami alit'nateel SI)('('('" bt'('onws the
diM'our'St' of a Ix'auliful soul that sp'·ak... of la\\~ and \'irtUt'S while
kt"-,ping sil('nl OWl' thl~ I)()CI~" It is dear, in this (·aSt." Ihat Sl)l."('('h itsdf is
pun'. sn to slx'ak. hut that tin- silenn' on which it n's!:; is impur\', My
holding its sill·Ill'\'. at Ollt·t· ('()wring up ami ddt'gating its ~I)l.'t'('h, tht,
hoely (kliwr'S us O\'t'r 10 sill'nt imaginings. In tin- Sl'c'l\(' of Iwr ralX' by
till' ColOl!!sUS anti thl' Ilurwhh.1Ck (Ihat is, h~' spirits \\hieh in tlwlllsdn..'S
Ill,uk a difl~'n'Il('I' of I,'\'ds as till' ultimah' n·alih'). WI' Iwar Hohl~rh' say:
"Whal an' \'flU goinl:!. 10 do with liS, and what ;r\, \\"1' going to do with
\'our 11\'sh? Shall\\"I' :'al il sinet· il is still ablt' 10 spl:ak? C)r ~hall W(' In'at
i, as if it had to mainlain sill'nn' lon'\"I'r? ... Ilow could <yuur hody) he
so ddil'inus if nol b\' I'irtul' of Ihl' Spt'I'('h wIJid, it l'onn'als?" IY And
()ctaw ...a\'s to Hol'll:rt\': "You haw a l'IOIh' with ",hii'll to ,,'nVt'r ~'our
sP"ITh,"ll) In la('t, RnlM,}\t' is til\' pn'sidl'r;t of Ihl' ('t'nmrship t·ommis·
sion; sill' sp"aks e,f \'irtuI's and of laws; sht' is not without austnity. she
h;'ls not killl·d tlw "Iwautiful ...oul" wilhin Iwnwlf. ... I kr words ,If'-'
2'JO 1\1'1'1 NIIIX
pun', though 11I'r ~i1t.:Ill'l· is impun" I'or ill thi, silt'm'I' ,..ht' imitJlt-s till'
spirit'; thus sll\' prm·ok...' S tlWlll, silt' prol"okt·, tlwir ,lggn·sl>ion. Th\')" ;'It·t
I'll ht'r IWllly, insid"'Il(~r l)(x!\·,Il.llillg takt'lIll1l til(' form tJf"Ullelt-sirahll'
thought..." .It ono' colossal'aml dl\:lrlish. SIIl·h is thl' lirsl tl'nn of til\'
dilt'mllla: either Rol)(·rte kt·c'Ps (Iuid hut provoke':'!! tilt' .lggn's"ioll of
,pirit:., l1<'r silt·net· lwing all till' Illon' impurt' ;\10 Iwr spt·l·dl is I·\t·r mon'
'0. ' . ' Or tln-rt' mU:i1 be an ill1pu ...·. oh"n'nt" .lIld impious langu,lgl' ill
ol'lkr for silt'net' to l"lt,· pun', for l,mgll,lgt' to I'M,' J pun' languJgt.' whit'h
rt'l>idl'l> in this silenl't'...Sp.....:ak ,md 1\1' dll!!olppl'ar," :iay tilt' spirib 10
I{ul"lt,'rh', 'I
()Ol-:- Kloss()\\ski sirnpl~' mt'Jn that ~1'II·.:aking pn'w!\ts liS from think-
ing ahout na.st~· things? No; till' pun' IJngmg..., which proclun..' S an
impure sill'nn' t'i a pronxul!on of thl' mind b~' till' bod~'; similarl~" till'
impllrt· Iilnguagl' whic:h protlul't'S a pun' sill'Ill'(' is a rCHJCUl!on of thl'
bocl~ b~' the mind. A.'i Sad(·'s heTOl'S SJ~', it is not tht, Ixxlit'S \\hich an'
pn'S('nt that (·xcit(· thl' lil)(·rtin(', hut ratlll'r tlll' gn'Jt id"a of what is not
-
th"'rl', In SOldt', "!lOnlOJ;?,rall!w ,
. is a foml of till' hattl...' of tht, mintl aoainst
th..., ll....~h ... Mort, pn't.'ise:h', what t.. rt'mh..d in tilt' Ixx,,"? Klosso\\ski's
illll>\\l'r is that it is till' i~tt'grity of til\' hoc:l~'. and that 'lx'(OlUS(' of this
tilt' id"lllit~, of tilt' I)l..'rson is SOlllt·\\ h,ll susp('mlcd anel \"Oliltiliz("(1. This
anl>l\t~r il> undoubtt"t.lly "'-',:"' rompk·x. It l>u01t,(·:.. how('\'er, to makl' us
M'!lM' thill thl' bod~'-Iangllagt' dilt'nuna is t'Stahlbhl'(l Ix·twt'(·n two rda-
tiolll> of Ihl' hod~' i1nd languag"·. '111t' l'tlUplt· "pun' 1.1llguagt'limpun'
...i1"lIn·" d"l>ignilh'S a ('('nain rl'lation, ill \\ hidl languau(' brings tilt'
idt·ntit~· of J p..·1'"S01l and tlw inhogrit~, of a hotly togl.t111~r il~ a n'Sl~nsihl('
...d f, hut maintains a :.ill'nl'I' ahout all Ih\' fOKI-s \\ hich ('auS(' till'
db,,'\olulion of tltb M·lf. Or langu.lgl· it.wlf 1M,'('om...'S OIl(' of tht,St· fOrn'l>
and tdkt.... dl.:arg'· of alt till'S<' fi~r'l"~'" gi\'ing tlwrdlY to Ih.... disinhograh'd
hod.,' dnd tilt' di,'\snlnd St·ll· al'n':,!!s 10 a sill'IlI'" which is that of inno-
n·IWI'. In Ihil> t',lM,', \\1' han' tilt' olllt'r tt'rm of tl1I' dikmma: "illlpurt·
Iilnguilgt'/purl' l>ill·/1(·I·... In ullwr \\ord..., tilt' aht'rIlillill' i.'\ 1M,'II\I"'n t\\O
purili,''', thl' f,llsl' and till' tnlt', lilt' pllrit~· of n·sl)()nsihilit~· and tilt'
pllril~' of inm)("'nn', tlw purit~· of l"ll'rnor~' Jnd lilt' purit~· of I;orgdful.
n,"~. J'u~ing tht' prohlt-rn from a Iinguistk point of I'it'\\', l,e Baphomel
'.IY~: "I/ha tlw Ilords ,In' r,'(',llll'd hut tlwir S,'I1."" rem.lins ohseun'; or thl'
.'t'lhl· allpt·.1(l> \\ IWIl tilt' Illt'mor~' llf tl1I' words dis.1Plwars,
Mon· profound I\' ."ill. til\' n"tuft· of tI\I' dill'mllla is tI\I'ologit'al.
(htalt· i,~ ,1 11(()li·~.,or ill" tht·(llll!.~" Il' RUl'hom<'f is in its \'ntin~t~· ,1
I'll .\ " 1 .\ ... M t\ N II M () til H N i l 1 I Ie t\ T tl R I, 2<) I
 theological nowl, which 0pp0S('s till' s)'Stl'm of G()(! ,llld thl' sysh'm of
thl' Antiehrist as till' t\\O tenus of a fundamental disjwKtion.: 1 The
onkr of dh'itu' l·rt.'atio/l in fal't depends on bodies, is sUlilx'mll'(l from
thl'm. In tilt' onler of (;Oll, in till" order of existt'nl't', Ixxlil'S gin' to
minds (nr ratln:r impost· on tlll'rn) two propenk'S: idt'ntih' and irnl1lor-
lalit~·. IX'rM)nalit~, and rl.'SuITl,(.-tihilit~·, inmmmunkahility 'aml int''grit)'.
Sa~'s till' docile nephew Antoint' with rt:.-ganl to (X'tan"s Sl'(!ucti\'c
tht:.'(Jlog~': "What is iIKommunkahilit)'-lt is 11ll' prindpk' according to
whkh the being of an indiddllal would not !'It. attributahll' to sC\'t'ral
individuals, and which constitut<,s properl)" the sl'lf-identical pason,
What is till' prh'atiw function of tlll' person?-It is that of rendering
our substancc incapabll' of Iwing assumed by a nattln' t'itlwr inf('rior or
slIlxTior to our own.'dJ It is insofar as it is ti('d to a hod)' and is
incama{{'(1 that till' mimi aC(luin's pc..'rsonalit)': M-parah'(! from the bod)',
in dl'ath, it rlX'O\'lTS its l'quivocal and multiplt· power. And it is insofar
as it is hmught back to its I)(XI~' that thl' mind acquin;-s immortalit)'. the
n'Surrcclion of Ixxlil'S being thl' condition of th(· sun'i\'al of thl' mind.
Libt.'rah'Cl from its bexl~'. declining or revoking iL.. bod)·, the spirit would
['{'as<' to {'xist-rather, it would "subsist" in its di'i<juieting power.
[kath and duplil·it~·, death and multiplicit~' an' thert'fore the true
spiritual dl'!('rminations, or tilt' true spiritual l'\'t'nts. We mllst under-
stand that (;0<1 is thl' t'IWIll~' of spirits, Ihal the ord('r of (;()(! Tlms
cOllilter to the order of spirits; in onl('r 10 t'stahlish immortality and
Ix'rsonality, in order to impost' it rorn.full)' on spirits, GOl! must dq>end
upon the Ixxlr Hl' suhmits til\' spirits to the privati\'\' function of the
!X'TSOn and to 11ll' pri"ati\'(' fun<.'tion of f('surn.'Ction, 'Illl' outcome of
.
(;lXl's wav is "the life of til(' Ik'sh,,,l~ God is cSS('ntiallv. till' Traitor: he
commits Irl'ason against spirits, tn'ason against bTl'ath itsdf. and, in
ordl'r to Ihwart their ripost(" doublt'S tht' tn'ason b~' incamating him-
S<'1f. H "In Ihe IX"ginning was tn'ason."
Thl' ordt'r of GlXl includl'S t1w following delll('l\Is: the identity of
GOl! as tht' ultimate foundation; Iht' idl'ntih' of the world as th(' ambient
l'n\'ironml'nl: tht' identit~' of tlw pt'rson as a wdJ-folilltlt'd ag('n~'; the
id~'ntity of Ixxli<'s as the baSt'; and finally, til(' idl'ntit~, of language as the
pO\wr of di."1I0IJII,q l'\Trything l'lsl', But this order of (;()(I is l'onstrllctcd
against ;lIlutlwr order, and this order subsists in (;()(I and \wak('ns him
li!tk' hy liull', It is at this point that til(' SI0I")' of Baphomet ht'gins: in
tilt' s('r\,in' of God, the grt'at mastt'r of thl' TClllplars has as hi,~ mission
292 AI'I't'Nl>tx
tilt' :-orting out or spirits and till' prt'\Tlltion of thl'ir mixing togethcr
\\hilt' awaiting till" day of r('Surrl'('tion, '111t1s, thac is alrt'J.(lv in dt'ad
!>uul:- a (,(·rtain rd>l'llious intt'ntion, an intention to I'Sl'alx' fr~m (;lX!·S
judgnwnt: "TIll' most ancic..'nt soul:- lit, in wait for till' most rl'Centh·
,lrriH'1I. and merging b)' m('ans of aOinili('S, ('ach agn'\'S to dract' withi;l
tilt' otlwrs his own rcsponsibilit~,.,,16 One da~" tht~grand mastlT r('cog-
ni;<t'l' a spirit whkh has wornl('11 its wa~' into his PTt'SCllcc-lhat of
~lint 'l1ll'rt,sa! Da;..zlt.-d b), his prestigious gUt'st, the mash'r complains to
her about the "complication" of his task, and about the ill will of Iht~
spirits. Rather than indulge him, how('vcr, Theresa bt.ogins an extraordi-
nar~' discourse: the number of till' dee! is dosc.,d: no longer is alwone
danlllahlt, or sanctil-iable: spirits art' .~omehow lilx-rat('d from G()(j's
onkr; tllC)' fed themselvcs rclo.::aS(,d from R'Surrection; and the\' arc
Prt'Il.1Tt'(1 to pl'netrale up 10 six or sc..'\'I'n of them in a single emb~'onic
bo(I~' in order 10 unburden thcmsdves of Iheir person and their ~pon­
5oibilit~·. Theresa herself is a n:-bcl, a prophet of rdlCllion. SIll' announo..'S
til(' dt'ath of God. His overthrow, "I am eXl'luded from the number of
till' dt'Ct," For a ~'oung theologian whom she 10\'(."<1. she was able to
obtain a Ill'\\' t'xistenll,' in anoth("r lxxl\-, then a third, .. , \Vas Ihis not
proof that (;0<1 had ahandont'Cl His or~I('r, Ihat He had abandoned the
m~,ths of till' incommunicable pt'rson and the dclinitiw n'Surrl'(:tion, as
\\ell as til(' them(' of "once and for all" implied in these myths? Indeed,
an ordlT of pt"r\'('rsit)' had exphk'(j til\' divi!\(' order of integrit),: a
pI·n'l'rsit~· in til(' lo\\'er world wlll'n' an t'xubcrant, storm)' nature reigns,
full of raping, shanll'ful ddlaudwry and traR'St)', sinn' sc\'eral souls
l'nter togl'ther into th(' same body. and the same soul ma)' posscss
l>('\'t'ral Ixxl.it'S; a pt.'n'ersity up abo\'('. sinct' spirits arc alread~' mingled
~~ether. (;0<1 ,~an no longer guaralllL'l' an)' identil~'! This is the great
pO~lOgraph~', tilt' n.'wnge taken b~' spiriL'i on bOlh God and lxxIit'S.
And I1wrt-sa anllounCl.'S to tht, grand maSIt'r his dcstill)': he himself will
no lungl'T ha\'t' tl\l' l'allacit), to sort out spirits! '1'11<"0, sdz('11 bva sort of
ragl' and jl"al()us~" but also by a mad tl'mptation and a dual dlosire to
(h,hli~ TIll'rl'sa and to tn' l1<'r, ,lIld linalh· Iw tilt' t1izzilU'ss of thl'
~Iil~'nllllas \\ hidl trouhlc hi~ thoughts (for h'is c~nsdOllSnt'Ss had sunk
uno "t!isconCt'ning s)'llogisms"), the grand lllash'r "insufllah'1"I" tfw
hr(·~th/', Splfll '/1 IC SOI!flJe) of ..I ht'I'l'sa into Ihl' ambiguous Ix)(j\, of a
., (IflSI!/,"
~OUllg man, J ~'oung pagt' who had once trouble(1 the Tt'mplars an:1 had
1....·t •1l III IIlg IIllrlng
' an 1I11t1atlon
, .. , S('('Ill'. I lis, hod~', suspt·ntk-d and rotating,
I'IIANTA",\I ANIl ,\\Olll'/{N IlTt'/{ATU/{t· 291
marb'd hy han/;!,in~. lllir.wulousl\' l"()ns"rn'd, .Im] rl's"l'\cd li,r a funclion
\\ hid, b ,~oin~ ,
"to ~lJwrthrow <;;)(J's ordt'r. n'n'iwd Tlwl','s.l '" hn'alh-
, I'or t'X:Ullpt\,. "mortat"lwing ,I \'O!l\"'pt .1Itrihllh'd to S()l"rah's. (;rw ~l'l'ks
an an,11 insulll.ltion \\hidi ('lidts in th(' p,lg\''s hod~' ,1 stwng gl'nital
rr,l\'lillll,
Thi~ i~ tlw otlll'r h'nn of th\' diknmu. the SyS!I'lll of ht""llhslspirits,
Ilw onlt'r of tilt: AntichriM, which is oppoSl'd poinl for point 10 th('
lIi\ inc ordl'r. It is dIJr.lCtrriz('cllw tilt' dl'ath of (;IIc1. tlw dl'Stru('lion of
tlw \\Orld, tilt' dissolution of th,~ I".. rson, th(' dbintl'grJtion of 1_lil'S.
.mt! tlw :o.hilting funt1ion of l.mguJg" \, hie'h n(l\\ ('xpn'S~,'S onl~' inh'ns·
iti\'s. It is rn"(llll'ntl~' SJid that philosoph~' Ihroughout its hist0T':" hJS
d).mg''li its cl'ntt:r of pcrspt1.:tiH", substituting till' point of \'il'" of thl~
linih' sdf for that of till' inhnih' dh'inc substann', Kant \\ould ~tJnd at
Ihl' turning point. Is this (.'hangl', ho\H·wr. as impon.mt dS it i~ d.liml-d
to he? Is this \\ Ill'n' till' imporl.lnt difTcT\'nn' b to lx' fouml? As long as
WI' nl.lintain til(' fomlal idl'mit\" of thl' sdf. doc'Sn't th,· self n'main
subj,'c:t tool di\'ilw ordl'r. .lnt! t~ a uniqu(' God \\ho is its foull{l.1tion?
Klos...owski insists th.lt (;ocl is tlw solt' guarantor of till' ill(·ntit~· of the
sdf anll of its subst.lnti'·l· haSl'. that is. of th(' inh'grit~· of til(' Ixxl~" One
('alUlOt ('OI\Sl'rH' thl' Sl'lf without also holding on to (;oc.l. Tlw cI,·... th of
(;ocl ('sSl'ntiall~' signifil'S, and (~sentiall~' entails. tilt' dis."OlutKlll of the
sdf: Gocl's tomb is .llso till' tomb of till.' sdf,.!7 Thus. til(' dil('mma finds
pnhal:t:- its most al"uh' "spn"S$ion: th\' id('ntit~' of thl' sdf alwa~'s refers
to thc' idt'lltit\' of sonwthing outside of us; thl'n,fon', "if it is <..;cxl. our
id\'ntit y is pu;c' gr.ll'\'; if it i; till' ambit-nt world \\ Iwn' c·\\'T':'·thing l>l'gins
and ('nds h~' dl·notation. our id,·ntit~· is hut a pun' grammatkal jokl'."~·
In his own \\a\'. Kant had forl'Sl."t'n this whl.·1l hl' subjt'c:{('li to a
('ulllmon. at I('a~t Slx'l'ulatin·. dl\llh rational pS~'cholog,\', rational cos·
Illology. and rational tlwolog~' alik\·.
As it happ"lls, it is with rt'gard to ont' of Kanl's tlWSl'S on 11ll'01~,'. an
odd and particularly ironic tlll'sis, that the probl,'m of the JiiJllrJCrire
5,.1l/09,sm takt.·s on its full import: God is pn'Sl'nted as tilt' prinl-'ipk or
master of till' disiulll'tin- s\'lIogism. To um!t-n;tand Ihis Iht'~is. Wl' must
1'\,(,,111 Ihe link Ihal Kant I~St"~ in gt'neral h,'hn1.'n ltkas .1Ilt! syllogism.
Ikason is nol dditlt'd initi.lll~' h~' sl'wl'ial notions" hiI'll OIl\' might call
"I(]l"'s," It is ratht'r (]dim'c]lw a n'rt.lin wa,' of tn'aling th\' ('onn'!'ts of
till' unc1"r,'lOllUling: a ('f)llt"('pt'l'll'ing gin'll, ~eason sl'eks allotlwr which,
t.lk\'n in tilt' totalit\' of its l'xh'nsi~l~. c'onc1itio!l... tilt' attrihution of Ihe
2<)4 AI'I" NDIX
tir.,t to tilt' ohj\'t't to wllil'h it rdi.n. This is til\' natur(' of tilt' svllogism,
tht' l.'tJllI.Tpt whit-h, takl'n in tilt' full r.lIlg,· of its eXh'nsion, conditions
thi~ .lttrihlltion (aJ! men). 'l"hu." lilt' tlt-pl;J~'nwllt of n'a:>on would pOSl'
no IMrticul.u pralll('m if it did not rllll lip .lgainst a ditlil'ulh·-tl.lllll'l\',
th.ll tilt' um!t-rstanding Inak(·s u~\' of origir;al ('onn'pts cal/e(1 "('ah'g~­
rl\'~· TIll'S4.· an' aln'ad)' attrihuh'd to aJ! ohjt'l'ls of po~sihl,' ,'xlx'ril.·rU",'.
"-t,. "Ill'n n'ason ('n('Olillters a ('.It\'gor\". ho\\ is it going to lx' abk· to
irnd Jllotlll'r ('onn'pt (·al>.lhk. in ~II 'it~ "stl'nsiol~ to" condition tht'
,Ittrihution of the l'atl'g0T':" to 011 Ohjl't'tS of possibl,' l's!x·ril.'nel'? It is at
Illb point that n·a.~n is forn'tl tn inH'nt :o.upra-conditioning notions,
\\hidl will lx' calk-d "Ideas." It is tlwrdor(' in a ii\'l·onda....·" wa" that
rc'a~n is ddilll.'li as the ranllt\' of Idt·as. W,· will (0111 "Jde~" a ;lotion
laken in all its extension whk-'; c-,onditions tlw attrihution of a (OIt('g0T':"
nf rdation (substance. causalit}'. (·ommunit~·) to all Ohjl"C"ts or possihl,'
l·Spt'ril'Il(·l-·. Kant's gcnilL'i lil.'S in his shO\\ing that till' sdf is the Idea
\\ lIich ('om'Spon,L" to th,· catl'g0T':" of sllbstdr~'('. In(I('('(1, th,' Sl·lf condi-
tium not onl~' the attribution of this ('ah-g0T':" to plwnonU'na of illlll'r
:>(·ns('. hilt to those.' of OUh'r S('nSl' a.'i \\dl. in \'inlle of tlll'ir no kss gn'at
inmU'diac~" Thus, til(' Sl'lf is rl.·w.. . ll'(! as the uniwrsal prinieplc of thl'
(dt'-gorkal s~'"ogism. insofar as this rdatl'S a ph"nolllt'non d('temline<.!
a~ a pn'llicate 10 ... suhjl.'«t cl('{('mlinl'li a~ .'iubstann'. Kant shows also
th...t the world is tlw Idl:a whidl ('onditions tilt' attribution of til('
l"ah'g0T':" of cauSJlit." to all plwllonwna, In this \\ . . \., the world is thl'
uniH'rsal principiI' of the h~'I>otlwtkal s~'lIogism. 'Thi" l.'straordinar:o'
th'1Jr~' of till' .'i~'lIogism. \\ hidl nll\~ists in diS('ol't'ring the ontological
implications of tlw lalla. \\ ill thus lind itsdf facl'tl with a third and
IlIlar t,lsk. a task \\ hich is h\' far tlw most tldieat,·: tlun' is no choice. it
i, It,ft for G()(I as till' third ilka to l'nsurl' till' altrihution of Iht' cal<'gory
of l"Iullinunity. th,lI is, duo mllsl<'I} <!I fhe dliJlIIlCfIl'(' ::,lIOf1lsm. God is hen',
.11 Ito,lst pro\"i~ionilll~'. t1q>rin'tl of his tradition.ll daims-to ha\·l.· tTl'-
,Ut,1I :o.Uhjl.'l·b or mad\' a \\orld-and no\\" has \\h.lI is hut an .1pparc·ntl\,
hUlllhte I.lsk. nanlt'lv, to l'll.wt disjulll'tiolb, or ,11 Iv.bt to I(HIIle! t1WIll, .
110\\ i~ Ihi~ pos~ihl,'? At this point till' iron\' t'Ol1lt'~ through: Kant i~
~oil1g to shott thai. lIndt'r tilt' nallW of tlw phi"'osophical Chri~li,lIl GO(I,
t
l10 hlllg hut thi., h,l:> t'wr Iw\'n llne!,·rsIO()(1. In f.H"t, God b ddilll'd In'
th,· ~lllll tolal of ,III po~sihilit\", insol:1r .b this ~utll nJJ1~liluh's a;l
""ri~itl.lr~·" mah'ri.ll or the \\h;,I,· of n'.llit\". TIll' realil". of t"ll'h thing,
.
I'll \:-. r ",\\ \ N I J \ltJ l) I I{'" I rI J I{.-l. J Ill{ I
"is dl'rin"tl" fmlll it: it rt'sts in dTl·t:t on thl' limitation of this totality,
"inasllludl as l>.lrt of it (r<"Jlit~·) is asnilx"(1 to til(" thing••mil th· rest is
l"xdudl"(I-,l pnK't"tlurl' \\ hid, is in agn'f"ml"nt with til(" 'dtlU'r-or' of
til(" di,jwKtiw major prl"miSt, anti with til(' dt·t...mlination III' thl' ohject,
in till' minor pn'miSt·, through 01U' of til(" nwmb,,·rs of tlw dh·ision."19
In :ohort. tlw sum total of the possibl(' is an original":" matt'rial from
\\ hidl tilt· t'xc1usi\'(' and ('ompletl" dt'{('mlination of tilt' conn'pl of ('aeh
thing is dt'rh'("(l through disjun('tion. God has no othl"r sens<' Ihan that
of founding this treatment of till' t1isjun<.1iw s~'lIngism, sinn' distrihutivc
unih' dOl'S not allow us to t'ondudc th,lt his Idl'a n'prt'sl'nts a col1l,(·tivc
Dr singular ullit~· of a Iwing in itsl,lf which would hI' rt·lwCSl'lllt.'d hy the
Idl'a.
[n Kant, tlwrdore, WI' St.'l· thai <.;od ;S rt·wal("<.l as the mastl'r of the
disjullcti\'(' s~'lIogism onl~' inasmuch as the disjum.1ion is til"(1 to (·xclu·
sions in tlw rt'alitv which is (l<'ri\'I"<.1 from it, ami thus to a ne90/ll'~ and
hmlfOfm· U~. KI~wski's tlwsis, with th{" Ill'\\ (Titiqllt~ of rl.'ason that it
implit'S, tah'S on tlwn·fon· its full signiti("'ano': it is not God hut rathcr
tlw Antidlrilot \\ ho is th(' ma:.lt."r of th{" disjun(1i\'(' S\"lIogism, " ~
"1'Iis is
l)('("J.uSl' thl' anti-God c!etl"mlilU'S thl" paw~ of l'aC"h thing Ihrough all
of its possibl(' prl"<.licatl'S. GOt!, ,1S tht' I:k'ing of \wings. is r('plac("(1 h~' thc
Raphollwt. thl' "princt· 01';'111 llloditiealions." and himself moditi(.'ation
of all modi/il·ations. Then' is no longl'r am' origin,lr" n'alit\'. The
di~illlKtion is always a di~jllnction; 1Ill' ':--dthl'r~or" i; alw;ys an ':l'ithcr-
or." Rathl'r than signifdng that a n'rtain 1l1l11llx'r of pn'dil:.lt('S are
('xclullt"(l from a thhlg in ~'irtlll' of tilt' idl'ntit~· of till' corrl'spollding
COI1("('pt. tilt' disjunction now signitil's th.lt l'adl Ihing is 01)("lwd up to
th(' inlinit~· of prl"llit'ah-s through whit'h it pas.-.<'s. on thl' ('ondition that
it lOS(' itlo idt·ntit~· as conn'pt .1I1d as ~df. '1111' (Iisjunctiw s~'lIogism
al"('("<.II'lo to a (Iiaholi('al prindpl,' and lISt'·. and :.illluhalU'()u:.I~· til(' dis-
jUlU,tion is aflimwd for it..df \\ itilOut n'asing to lx' a disjunC1.K)Il;
diH'rYi'nt.'(' or din;'·n'lll.'(· h('("OI1lt':. obJt"l1.$ of pun' ,lninn.llion. and "I'ithcr-
or" ht'('onlt"s thl" powa of aninllation, outsidl' till' ('onc"lltual ('ondi-
tion... of tilt' idl'ntitv of a God. a world, or a sl,lf. Dilt.'l11ma and :OOlffism
aClluirl' as such a 'sllj>aior positi\"it~·. We hal(' ~,.'n, hOll"en~,. hon '!fum
rJe,qatln: or nelus,!"e ,1J.~'lmcl/om JI/I! wb3'w In K/oswn.,k,'~ Irork: Ix'/lfeell
ndwn,qc (lml rc/Jt'tIl101l: belln','1l /,mlJlllI.'Ji.' (Om"('oh,d h) lite hody and Ih,' ,q/Of/OW;
hod.,l formc.'! h"l /'1Il9uogc: olld.llfltl/~l. PcIIl"('1.'l1 God'~ orda (/lui Ihe order of thc
.tlll/fhm!. But it is pn"t'i:od~' insidl' l;OtI':. onl,'r••md onh· tlwn', that
2<)(, -\1'1'1 .... I)IX
t1i:.jullctions haw the n('gatin' \',llw' of ~'xdusion. And it is on Ill(' other
..idc, insidt· the order of th t >Antichri:.t. that the disjunction (dHrl'rl'nn'.
diwrgl'nn'. d~·n·ntl.'ring) h<."<.unws a:. louch an aflimlatiw and aflimwd
PO\\I....
\\'hal is this other sid('. this Baphonwt lo~·:.t<·m of pun' bn.·aths or mortal
..pirit:.? TIll'~' do nol ha\'c Ihl' pl.'TMlll·lo id~'ntit~,; tht."~, 11;1\'(' deposl"<.l and
rt'\Okl"(1 it. But thl')' newrthdl'ss haH' a singularity, or ('\'en muhiplt'
:oingularitil's; th('~' have fluctuations fonning tigurt."s on the crl'SIS of
\\.Hl'S. We readl here the point ;'II \\hid1 the Klossowskiall m\'th of
bl"'athslspirits Ix:cornes also a philosophy. It Sl'cms that br('a;hs, in
tlwlTlsdws ;'Ind in ourselvcs, must Ill' (·onccin"<.l of as pure intt'nsitil..'s.
In this fonn of intl'nsivc quantitit"s or dl'grl't'S, dead spirits ha\'c "subsis-
t(·nl'(·... despite the fact that thc)'llan'!ost the "existence" or extension
of till' bod),. In this fonn tht''), an:' singular, though the)' ha\'c lost the
id(·ntit~· of the self. Intensitics compn'lll'nd in themsel\"cs the un<"qual
or thc different-each one is alrcad\" diffcrcnce in itself-so that all
of tlll'lll an:' l'Omprt:"hended in the m;nift'Station of C\'('')' onc, '11'Iis is a
\\orld of pure intcntions, as Baphomet ('xplains: "no self-estccm pre.
\'ail:."; "C\"l'I":" intention may yet be pt'm1ealed b)' other intentions";
"only th l· most scnsdL'Ss intention of till' past hoping for the futun."
('ould triumph on'r another intention"; "Wl're another breath 10 comc
to l'n('Ollllh:r it. tht.")' would t11('n presuppose cal'h oth...r, but each one
~l'(:onling to a rariab/e ill/i!/lSil)' '!f inumioll." Thl'se an' pre-individual and
lI11pl'rsonal singuJarilit's-tl1(' spll'ndor of till' inddinite pronoun-
mohilt" cornmunicating, !x>nctrating OIU' another across an in(jnit)' of
~k'gr,:,'S and an infinity of modific,ltions. FaSC"inating world where the
Id('nllty of the sdf is lost. not to th(' lx'nefit of thc idcntit\, of th(' Ont.
?r tht' unil~' of Ihl.' Whole. hut to the advantage of an inlt'I;Sl' muhiplic_
lt~· and a !x)\wr of metamorphosis, when' rdations of forn' pla~' within
0Ill.' olnoth('r. It is thl' Slate of wh,lt must Ix' eatl("(1 "comphcallo." as
oppoM"lIIO thl' Christian stmplifieo/Jo. ~rtt" (t" SOil had alrl'adv displa\'cd
~_kta\t··s I·ffort to work his wa), into Kobo:rt(', to inSl.'~ his ~wn
II1h·ntion (his inlt'nsiw intt'lltionality), and to giw Ill'r therein' owr to
IIthl'l" illtt'lltiolllo- I '\'l'1l if this \H·n.· lw "dcnounl"ing" her to ;Iw spirits
\\ hu r~I)'' , III·r. HI Ill(
\ I·111 LC DlIJ!
" I10mC(, "" I "I u:resa is "insuOlatt'd" illio till.'
I..-)(k. of,lw .\. o..ng
, pagt·, .111 on. II'r 10 'IOnn t I1(' all( Irog,\'I\ClllS or Prince of
Illotlitil'ati nn \\.,"" rr
10 IS Om'rt.'l I up to II It' · "
mkntlons of otlwrs ;'Ind gin's
I'IIANTA~M AND ....IODI-ItN IITI·ItATUItI· 2<)7
him:.df 10 otlwr 'pirib for l>.lrtIClIXlllon: ,,' am not a l,"n'a.tor who
ell:-I.H\'" Ix'ing to \\hat ht' nt'alt'S. his C"r't'ation in a singll' !'o\·Ir, ami th~
:odf in,l ~ingl:' IKKI~ ...... 'l1w s~'stem of till' Antichrbt is tilt' s~'stl"m of
sinm1.lcr,l l,1)IJCN,·,J to th,' \\orld of id"IHitks. But • .l:- lilt" :-imlilacnim
di:-lllb.,,'!'o i(klltit~" SIX'<lks and is spokt·n. it takt-s hold at till' :-;'IOW tim~
of hoth :-vdng and spl.,... king ,lnl! inspin:s hoth light and iiollnd. It opens
up to it... dill.......l ,ll<.·(· and to all other dilli'n'net's. All simulan" rist' to the
:-url:,n'. lilmling this mobill' ligurl' at till' cn'S! of th... walTS of intensity
- a n inlt'Il.'it' phantasm.
Ont' ('an S("(' hOll KIrn.Mlwski got'S from on... sense:' of tht, word
"munflO" to anotht'r-c0r"!>orl'ai intl·nsit~· and spoken intt·ntionalit)'.
'I'h~' :-imulanul1l IllXOm('S phantasm, int~'Ill>it~' lx'(ul1les intenti()llalit)· to
till' ('xlI'lll that it takes as its ohjel·t another intcnsit~· which it ('omprc-
In-ntis ant! is itslM l'U1nprdwmkd, itsdf takcn as its Ohjl'ct, on to the
inlinit~· of inh'nsitil'S through which it P.1SSCS. This is to say that there
is in Klossowski an ('mirl' "plu'nonll'nolog~':' whil'h borrO\'S from
S(:holJ.:.tic philosoph~' as Illul·h as "llL<o;Sl'rl did, hut \\ hich tran'S it'S own
l)J;ths. A:. for th~' pas.ggt· from inh'nsity to intl'l1tionalit~" it is the
1)J;s..'~agl· from sign to Sl'nSl·. In a hm' analysis of Nil't".f_~·hl·. Klossowski
inh'rlwl'ts the "sign" as the traCt' of a tlut'tllation. of an inh'nsit)', and
"scn.~l''' as thl' mO\'l'nwnt h\' which inl~'nsit)' aims at ilsdf in aiming at
thl' other, nllxlilil's itsdf i;l Ill(xlitying thl' otlwr, and rdurn:- finally
onto it:. 0\\ 11 tract'. II ~dissoln:ll $l,lf 0lx'ns up to a seril'S of rokos,
, -
in itM-'lf, thl' lllW(!lIal in ilSClf, and wllidl Ix'ndrat('S all otlwrs. a~
-
sinn' it gin'S rist' to an intl'n:.it\" whicll alrl'ad\" lUlllj>rd\l'nds difTen.."'I1cc
and \\ ithin multipll' 1)()(!il'S. 'l1wl'(' is always anothl'r IlI'l'ath in my
hrt'.lth, anotlwr thought in my thought, anotlwr posSl'Ssion in what I
P0:,>SI'SS, a thOllS,lIlt! things and a thousand heings implicat{'(! in my
l'omplil'atons; l'\"t'r~' trllt· thought is an aggression, It is not a <luestiol1
of Ollr undergoing inllucncl's, hut of Iwing "insutlIations" and lIuctua·
tions, or nWf£ing \\itll t1WIll. Th.1t I'\·t'r\·thing is so "(ump!it'ah.-'(I," that
I m,)\' hl' ,)n Loth~'r, tllat sonll'thing d~ thi~ks in liS in an aggression
\\hili, i:. thl' ilggrl'!>!>ion of thought, in a multiplication "hi('h is thl."
multiplil'ation of till' hod~'. or in ,) \'iol~'lll't' "hich is thl' \'ioll'ncc of
I.lllgua~,\'-this is till' jO\"fllJ nlt'ssagl', For WI' .11'(' so sun' of living ,)gain
(\\ ~ho~Jl n'Mlrr~'l"tion) 0;11\' llt'l"lllS~ :-0 mall\' Ix-ing:- and things think in
liS; Ill'l",lll:'I' "\\t, :.till do' nut kllt)\\ I'xal,tl\" if it i:. not otlll'rs \\'110
I'ontimw to think" ithin us thut "ho art· tht.~~' othl'rs \\ ho foml the
2'}~ A 1'1'1- ;\. I> D,
oUbid,' in n'lation to this insid.. \\ hil'h \\t. Ill·lil·\'I' ourscht'S to IX'?)-
.,\.,~ thing is brought back to ,) :.ingll' t1i~·olln.e, to IIl1ctu,)tions of
IIJtI'II~il~, for instance, whid] ~'orrt':-polld to til(' tllougilt of I'\l'~'on('
,lIld nu tIIw." U At tilc sam~' tinl!' that hotli~'S lOSt:' t111'ir unit\· and tht'
~..[f it,~ idl·IHit~·. language 10M's it:- denoting funaion (its dislil;ct :.ort of
int('grit~·) in onkr to dist'O\'l'r .1 \"alllt' that is pun'I)' expn'ssiw or, as
Klo~.~ll\\.~ki S.l~·S. "l'motional." It t1is~'n\"t'rs this \·,)Iu~.. not with rt'sl>l'(:t
to :-Ollll'ont' wllo ('XpfL"SSl'S hilll.. . dr ,lilt I \\ ho would lx' mon'(l. hut \\ ith
n'~lx t to something thaI is pun'I~' l'Xprt':-S!.'(1. pun' motion or pun'
"~pirit"-wTl!A' as a pn'-intli\idu,)1 :.inglilarit\', or an int('nsit\· \\hit·h
l"(>Illt':- hal'k to itself tllrough others. 'rllis is how thl' naml" "Rolx,rtc"
did not (!.-signate a person, but ratlwr ('xpn'ss('d a primal)" intl'nsit~" or
th,lt B'lphomet ~'ruits the difl'cn'nn' of in1<'nsit~' that constitutl's his
n,lllll'. B-A BA ("no proper nanw sub,~ists in lht' hyperbolic Im'ath of
m~' n,Ulll', any more than the l'Il'\'ah'(! idl'a that eal'h one ha~ of himself
is ,)hk to withstand the tli7,,7illt:s..<; of m~' staturc").11 Tilt· \'alues of
t'xpr~...:-i\t, or t'Xprt's.'iionist languagt' an' proHx-ation, rf'nx-ation. and
I'\lx·,)tion, b-ok~'{1 (t'xpn"SSl-'f.1) art' tilt, !>inglilar and complicated :-pirits,
\\hilh do not pos.'iCSS a body without multipl~'ing it insidl' tht' S~':'>h'lll of
rdll'ctions. and whkh do not inspirl' languagl' without projt'<.1ing it into
till' inh'nJ;iw s~'st<'m of f('sonatl<:t:.'s. R('\'okt,d (d('notltl('cd) an' corporeal
lInil'jt~, 1)l,'fSonal identjt~'. and the TalSt' simplk·it~· of languagc insofar as
it i:,> suppnst't-I to dl'llot<, Ixxlics and to m,)nifl'St ,) S('1r. As til(' spirits sa~'
to Rohl,rt~" "\\C l'an hI.' ('\'okt'(l; but \"our IJO(h' can al:.o be rc\·ok('(I." H
I'mlll lIltl'nsit\" to intcntionalit\"; ~'\'cn' int~'nsit\" \\iIIs itst.'lf, intcml.,
it~df. n·tums Ol~ its 0\\ n tran', ;('IX',)L'i 'aml imit~tl's itself through all
tilt' ot!wr:-. 'l1lis is a mO\"('l1ll·nt of $l'n$l' \\ hkh must Ix' deh'mlilll'd as
till' ~'h'rnal r('turn. I.e SoI.IOIellf, a novd of malad)' and cOfwalnl'('rll"I',
aln·.Hly l'ntll,l! with a n'\"l'lation or thl' t.'ternal return: and \\ ith I.e
Rupilomt't, Klosso\\ski cl't.'alt'S in his \\ork,) grandiosl' M-'"t!ud to Z,lrathus-
tr,). TIlt' djftillllt~, hO\\l'\'t'r, IiI'.. . \\ith tilt' intl'rpn·t,llion of till' phr<bt·
"the "ft'rtJ(11 ""11m oj lhe .\ami!. .. For no foml of i<!entih' b Ilt'rt, ~'ntl'rtailU,(1.
~IIlU' 1,,1111 di....,oh.'(1 !>~·If rt'turn... through ih,df onl~: h~' pa:-:'>ing into til('
otlw.......1Ilt! \\ ills it.~I·lf nnh· through a Sl'ril'S of roll'S \\ hkh iln,' nol its
"~\ n, Intt'mi'y, Iwing alrt'a~I~' difl'(;"-'ncl' in it.~I'If. opens onto disjoint or
d'\I'~"llt M·ril.·..... But sinn' till' sl-rit's .lrl' not SUbjt'l·t to till' condition of
th l, itlt·lltit~ of a l'mK"pt in g,,-·Ilt·ral, no mort.' than til(' l·ntity \\hkh
tr,l\ ....... ~." tlwlll b :-Uhjt't1 to tilt' idt.·ntit~· {If a :-df il:. imlhidual. til('
1'1'''''-1''''':'1 " ' I ) :'1111111l' 11'IIIl"Ttllll
disjullLlions sta~' di.~junctions. Their syntlwsis. hOWl'n-f, is no longer
l'XdllSh'I' or llt'<I,lIin',
t-./
and the\'
take on, to the contrar\',
,
all allimlati\'('
Sl'n.~t' b~' rlWJns of which Ihl' mobile entity pass('s through all the
disjoint SI'rit's. In short. di\'l'rgl'nn' and disjunction as sudl Ix'conn- the
ohit'I'1 of aAirmation. The trw: subject of til(' ('h:rnal return is the
inh'nsil~' and Singularity; ,hI..' relation bctWL't'1l til(' ('I('rnal n'tllnl as
actuali:tl'(1 inh:n1ionalit~' and thl" will 10 power as 01X'!\ intl·llsit~· d('ri\'cs--_
from this fact. As soon as th...· singularit~· is appn:·Ill'mll·d as prc-
indh'idual, outsid(· of Ih(' i<!Lntity of a sdr. that is, as fomlllol/s. it
t:ommunil'ates \\ ilh all Ih(' otlu'r singularitil"S. without ('t'asing to form
disjunctions with tht'm. It dQl..'S so, howcwr. by passing through all of
the disjoint tenns that it simultanl'Ously affirms. rather than b~' distrib-
uting them in exdusions. "Thus, .1111 ha,·c to do is to "ill mysdf again,
no longcr as thc outnmu' of pre\'ious possibilitil'S, not as OIW aC'com-
plislmll'llt out of a thousand, but as a fortuitous moment. til(' \'c')'
fortuit), of which implit'S th{' nen..'SSit~, of the intt-gral rt'tum of the
wholc S('riNi," JS
\Vhat til(" {'t{'mal r{'turn CXPIT'SSl'S is this new seilS<' of th..• disjuneti\'c
s~'nthNiis, It follows that tht, {'t{'mal r{'tum is not said cf tht' Same ("it
dl'Strop idcntitit'S"), On th{' contra~', it is th(' onl~' Sanw. \\ hich is said
of that which difT('rs in itself-the intenS<'. the lIIu'<{ual, or the tlisjoint
(will to powcr), It is in<lc'('(1 tht' Whol(', which is said of that which
remains unl'<{ual; it is Nl'Ct'SSit~" whil·h is said of the forlUitous alone,
It is iudf unin)(:al: uni\'ocal lking. language or sill'nl't', Ilom:wT.
lllli\'oc:al Iking is saie! of Ix'ings \~'hich ~ ar; not uniwK"al. unin)Cal
language is applil'(l to 1)()(lks which are not uninx:al, "pure" si!c!ll."(,
surrounds words which an:' not "pure." Oil(' could thus St.'arch in \'ain
within till' {'tl~rnal r('tllrn for the Simplicity of a drdt· and the c'Oll\'cr-
g(·nct· of sait·s around a centl'r, If there is a cirdc, it is the circulus
\'IIIO;I:IIS deliS: difference here is at the {'('nter, and til(' l'irnllnft'rcncc is
t1w eternal pass"'gc Ihrough the divl'rgcnt st·rk·s. It is an always (kecn-
tt'n'd l'irde for an t'x-c('ntril' l'irl'lllnfcr(,lll'(', Tlw ('tt-rnal Tt'turn is
indt't·d ColwTl:lll:e, hut it is a coher('nl'(' which dOt·s 110t allow Ill)'
l'ollt'relln\ tilt' colwrenn: of tlw world and the coht'rt'nn' of GOtI to
slIhsisl. il. TIll' Niet"L"chean rqx·tition has nothing to do with the Kit'r·
k~'gaardian r('petition; or. lllor(' g('llcrally, Tt·JX·tition in tilt' ~'tcrnal
rdurn has nothing to do with the Christian n:pdition. hlr what the
Christian rqwtitioll hrings h.lCk. it brings h,Kk ann', and only OlK~': the
AI'I'I NDIX
II ('alth or Job a~l~1 fhl.' child or Ahr;lh,ull, tilt' Tt'SlIrrtTtet! hody and the
rt'(,o\'lT~'d sdr. I hl'Tt' is a diOi-rI'IKt' in naturt· betwcell what returns
"on('(' and for all" and whal retllrns for ('aeh and cver\, timt·, or for an
inlinih' numbl'r of times, The d~'rnar n·turn is indt'l"tl t'he Wholt" but it
i., dw \Vhole which is said of disjoint lllt'mlx'TS or di\"Crgent seril'S: it
do~'s 110t bring e\·er)·thing I"'l'k, it dOl's not bring about ~h!.' return of
th.lt \\hidl returns but oncc. nanwly. that which aspires to reet'nt!.'r lhe
drde. 10 render the scril'S cOllwrgl·nt. anti to r~'stOT(' the sdr. the
\wrld, and God. In thl' cirdl' of DiorwSllS, Christ will not r!.'turn; the
ordt'r of the Antil-hrist chast'S till' athl:r or<It'r away. All c1lhal II·hlCh IS
founded on God and mak~ a t'Ie!JOlln: ar t.\dllS"·~ use cf Ihl' dlSjuTl(tlon IS dl'nled
and e.\"rlool'd by d~ I'ttrnal return, All of thai which comes once and for all
is rl'fcTn><1 l>ack to the order of G<XI. Ttl{' phantasm of Being (et{'rnal
n·turn) brings about the return onl}' of simulacra (will to power as
simulation). Being a cohcrence whil-h dOl'S not allow minl' to subsist
th~ l'tl'rnal return is the nonSt'ns<.' which distributes scn..'iC into di\"('_rgen~
sent'S on'r the entire cirnlmfcrcnct· of the d<.'Ct:ntcrro circle-la,
"madness is the loss of the world and of ollCSt'lf in view of a knowledge
\\ ith nl'ither beginning nor cnd." J7
4· ,\lIelll:l TOURNlt:R AND Tilt: WORlD
WITlI(lUT OTIlt:RS
·n.w goat abruptl~, stoPlx-d grazing and 100kt"(l up with a st.l.lk of grass
~langl.ng fl"~n.l its. lips. llwn it Sl.'t'nwtl to grin and real"("(1 up on its hind legs;
In th~s p~lSlt~()n It look Sl'\"I'ral steps tow.ln! I:rida)'. waving its forcfct.·t and
,1lO<..IJlI1g II~ 1I.mm'nSl· homs a:, though ackoowl('(lging a throng of sfll,'Ctators.
11m a~lolllJShlllg Ix-rfomlafll...· turnt'(l Fri(Ia)' rigid with dmazl'"ment. \\'hen il
I\d" \1 it!lin a f{·w yards of him the goat dropp~'(1 its fort·f('"(·1 to thl'" ground and
"ud.tknly charg('d lib· a hath'ring-rdrn-or a gr"ilt arrow f.'atlwrN! with fur
-:-It" head 10\\"1·"..1 and its horns aim,'(l at Fri{Ia,,'s dwst. Frida\' flung hilllSl'1f
'111"1\.11" 1 Ii ..
." I Ilk' , '
ra~ lIon 0 a ...-'l·om too ate. A mus ')' smdl fIJI,·" his ll(lStrils.... I
Thi" Iwautili,l passage n,lah's Frida\''s hattie with tIll' go..lt in \\"hi"h
1 'I " "
'rh <'y \\ ill Iw \\·ound.·d, but til\' goat will dic: "TIn- great "oat is
d.·ad .0} "1"1 .. I ~ ~ 6
.. wn hit ay announCt·s his tl1vstcriOlls project: the dead goo,
\\ III f Iv illl I ' . ,II 1 1 . ' . .
, . ' t slllg-it \\1 )('.1 t .\'lIlg and mUSICal goal. In the first stage
01 till' l)r{)I'~'Ct • h'• l,,'k
.. ~'S' liS.' 0 I' Ill'S
I k'In, '1'11,' Ilair
' is remo\"L't:1, the skin
I'IIANTA\'" ANtI "'{JJ)I'I(N J ITI'KATURlo lO'
is \\a...lwd. pumin'd ••llld "pro'at! oul 011 a \\O(Mll'n stl·ut·lure. BOllnd tn a
lishing pok, lilt' gO.11 ,unplillt':. tilt' It'asl rnO\'('nWlH of tlw lill\'. assunws
the roll' "f a ~il!.antit· n'll'Stial hobht.'r. and transcrih.:l' tlw \\,lh'rs onlO
till' 1'1.:\'. AI' fo~ ~Iw ~'(.'ond sugt., Frida\' rnak,'s USt· uf tilt' Iwad ami Ihe
gut .1I~cI f.lshinns from tlwlll a~l instnll~,'nt; Ill' plan':> it in ,1 cI,'ad tre'",
in order to produCt· an instantant"'Ous s~'mphon~' \\ hos.: ;,ok pc.'rfomlt:r
!1lUl't ht, til(' \\ Ind. 'nlis is how tilt' din of tilt' ('anh is in tllm transpont'C.l
111 tilt' ht'an-ns ami h,'Colll'':> an organiz,'C.I. Cd('Mi.ll :-cnllul-pansonorit~·
- a "nm:;k Ihat was trul\' of tilt' d"ITlt~nb.'· I In th,·S(' 1\\0 \\a\'s. the
gn'at goat fn...'S th.· I::lt>nw;lts. It \\ ill 1)(' nOIl'(lthat tht' "arth and '.IiI' act
1,'Ss as I),)rtit"ular <'I('nwnts Ihan as t\\'o COlllpld(' and oppost"(l tigun·s.
I'.u-h OIl('. for its 1),11'1. gatht'ring Ihl' lour d,'m,'nt:o.. 'I'll(' ,'anh. ho\\e\'cr,
holds and suhsunws them, ('ontains them \\ ithin 1111' depth of bodit.'S,
whereas tIlt' sh. with til(' light and tilt' sun, ~ts t1W!1l in a fn',' and
purl' stat,'. d,'li~','n't1 from th~ir limits, in order to fonn ('osmic surface
t'm'rg~·-heing Olll' and ~','t characteristic of .'a{·h "I,'nll'nt. There is
then'fon' a tern'slrial lin.. \\"ah'r, air. and earlh, hut tlwre is also an
a,'rial or cel"slial earth, water, lire, and air, TIll'n' is a struggl,' bClw('Cn
,'arth and sk~" with til\' imprisonnwnl or libc.'ralion of <111 four t'lcm~nts
at stake, The islt' is tilt' frontit'r or licld of this stnlgglt" This is why it
is so important to klll)\\ which \\a~' the struggl,' \\ill :<wing. and \\'Iwther
il is ('apahl., of pouring OUI into til(' sky its lire, 1'.1nh. ami \\"a«'r-o,
of hc,,:oming solar. '1'111' i~I,' is as much till' h('ro of tilt' nowl as Robinson
or Friday, I; changt':> ~hap': in tht· (·ourst· of J, sc.'ri.~ of ditbKlIlS. no less
than Robinson him~·lf dlang,'S his foml in th.., t'ourse:' of a series of
nwtamorpllOS('S, Robinson'~ '-:,>Ubj.'(1iw st'ri,':> is ins..'I>arahl,' from the
sc.'rit'S of th.., slah~ of till' island.
11l(' .'nd r..'Suh is Robinson Ix.'(.'orning d"Ill.'nl.l1 on hi:!> isk. with the
bl(· itst,lf I't'mkn,d to tilt' d .. nwnts: a Rohinson of th.. !'oLiIl on tlu' solar
isle-a lIranian on Uranus. It is nol tlw origin Ih,'1l which matters
l\I're, hut on til\' t'Cmlran'. tilt' OUlt'onlt' nr tht' tin.ll rt'!'ouh. \\hich is,
n·.l{"lwd thmu~h all sort." ~f a\'alars. This b til\' lir:.l important diAi.:rl'nce
Idtll I.>.:fo.:'s '-Rohinson, It h,lS ofh'!l I)('o'n said lhat til\' t1ll'nw of
Rohinson in D"fi)o,"s work was not onlt' a ston'. hut an "inslrUllwnt of
I'l's.'arc!l"-a n'St'ardl which starts ~lIt frOl~l tilt' tkl'l'rt island and
.lspirl's to rl'l.·onstiwt\' tilt' origins and rill' rigorous nrd,'f of \Iurks an~1
t'ClIltlUt'sts whidl happ.'n with lillW, But it is dl',lr that til\' ro'st'arch IS
tt\in' fal.~ili.,d, On Ollt' hand, tilt' imagl' of Ill\' origins pn'slIpp0sc.'s that
" "
102 ,'1'1'1 "I>IX
\\hil'll il Irit's tn gt'IlI'ralt' (!'o''t',/or I'x.lmplt-, all th.lt Rohinsnn hal> pull.'{!
from tilt' \\ft'('k). On the otlwr hand, lilt' \\nrJd whit-It is f\'produn't1 on
Ihl' h.bis uf this origin is til\' ''(Iuitalt-nt nf til(' r("al-Ihat is, t"('ollOlnk
-\\odd. or of lilt' world as il \\oultll)(" a:. it would ha\\' 10 Ix· if t1lt'n'
\\I'ro' 110 s,·xualit~· (SC:'C th l ' \'·limin.llion of all :o.t'xualit\' in Dt'foc"1' Rubin-
• I "
"011), f\ list \\1' t'ondudt' that ~'xllalil~ i:o. tilt' onl~' fanlastit' prindpl,'
.lhl,' tu hring about th., de\ialinn uf Ilw \lorld from th., rigorous
.,\ollomit' onlt-r as.sign.'C.1 h~' the origin? I>"foo.·'s \\ork \las, in "'short.
\\.·II-intt'llliOllt'C.l: \\hat 1)('Comt":S of a man \\ho is alolle. \\ithout Otllt.rs,
1111 a dO'M·rt isl.lIld? BUI Ihe problt'lll \\as poorly POSt'C.1. For, inSh'.ld of
hringing .m d .... ·xual Robinson to .1Il origin \l hich rt'produn's an 1'(.'0.
lIt/mi(' \\orld similar to ollr own. or to an ardlt't~·I>C.' of our own. one
l'hould h.Wt, 1,'(1 an ast'xllal Robinson to ends qUIl(" dlfft'rt."n/ and dllw9cnI
from our,:, in a fantastk world whidl has ils,'lf dt·\·ialt·d, B~' raising tilt'
prohlem III t,'nus of ~nd, and nOI in It'rms of origin, Tournicr mak"s it
impossibl,' for him 10 allow Robinson 10 le.wI' Ih;' island. Tht' .'nd, thai
b, R~JI~illson's li~laJ g~ll. is "dehumanization," til(' coming togt'tlwr of
tI~1' lrllltio and of tilt' /n"1,' d"'IJl(,nts. Ih.. dis('on'ry of a cosmic (·ll\.:rg~' or
01 .1 greal ,'I"/llt'lllal I-It'alth which t'an ,~lIrge onl~' on lhl' isle-.lIlt! onl),
to 1I11' <"Xh'nt Ihal th~ islt· has I>ccoill" a''fi.ll or solar, Henr\' Mill('r
l'pokt' of til\' wailing of the fllildanlt'ntal t'I"l1wnt:; Iwlium. ox"g;n. silica.
.lIld iron, Undoubh"(lIy. llwn' is something of Mill.'r and 1''''''';l'-Lm'rl'IlC('
in Ihis Ruhins()1l of Iwlium and OX~'gl'n: tilt' d.'ad goat 011 read" organiz.es
Ihe \\ailing~ of tht, fundanwmal t'!.'nwnts. ' '-
Bm till' r,'ad,'r al:.o ha.~ tht> impn-s:.ion Ihat Ihis gf{"al I-Iealth of
Tourni,'r'l' Rohin:>Oll conn'als somt,thing. \\hkh is Ilot ;t all Hh' Mill('r
or l..a\\ ft'n(',', Could it not 1)0,' that t1~(' l'SSt'ntial cknatlon which this
Il"alth implit-s is inSt'I>arable from d.'StTt ~·xll.llih'? Toumit'r's Robinson
1~ 0pp0l't'C1 to IkfOt··s in ,'irtllt, of thrl'C' strit-th,'rdat."(1 eharaetrristit--s:
Ill' b rdalt'd 10 ,'nds and ~(),lls ratht'r th.lll to ~ri"ins: Ill' is sc:xual; and
I '- ~
~ II",' t'llll_" n'pn'.wnt a f,Ultastit' d,'\-ialion from our \\01'1.1, under Ill\'
Inllu"llt., 01'.1 tr.ln"lilnllt·d sexual it \', ratlwr th.lll .m 'Tonomk rt'Proclm _
tUIII of our \\orld, undn til(' i;llpaet of a t'ontinuous dlilrt. Thb
Roh ll1MJIl dnt,l' nOlhing pl'ft,'rl't', prop,-rly I'pc:akillg. )'I·t. hO\\ an' \H' 10
11'0'1' our"I',,"'• l' '"nlln ,It'I '1Il1pn'SI'IOIi
'I t lal I11' 'IS "llmM'1" p"rHTsI', ,)(Tonlilll!.
to hl'ud' ," IIVI 1111','Ion u I" t l\' mit' \\ I\0 tI '
o'\'Iat.,1' \\ it II rnpn't to ainh! rO!,
"
I)dlk' it \ II , ' I I '
\ ,l!o It' .",11llt' t ling 10 n' ,H., Ho 'JIbon to till' origin ,md to
L
h.h'·hillll)rIk I til.I ,1 \\01'II·
I t onl'lM. lit \\ II lour 0\\ n: II 11' tlU' sanlt' IhllW
. , . , ,. '- •
,
I'll" 1 \ .. ,\\ " ' l l \101)11(' 11111( \ 11l1(1
for Toul'lli~'r to n'l,lll' him to aims and haw him dl'vi,lh' or diwrg~' with
rl'spn" to til\' aims, H.('lal~'d to origins, Rohinson must P\'{·~'ss..1ril}·
rl'lm~llll'~' our world, but rdatf.:d to t'nds, Ill' must dl'vi,lh'. This is an
(wid d..\ ia(ion, although it is not one of thosf.: of \\ hkh Frl'ud spoke,
...inn· it i:- :-olar and take's clements as its ObjfftS: such is till' sense of
L1r.lllUS. "If this Isobr ('oitionl is to be translatL'll into human language,
I mu.-.t ('onsidf.:r nwsdf femininl' anel the bride of til(' sh, But that kind
of anthropomorph'islll is nl('aningl<'Ss, The truth is that 'at till' height to
\\ hidl Frida\' and I ha\'(' SOdrt,d, difTerenn' of sex is It'ft behind, Friday
" .
ma\, lx' idl'n'tili~'(1 with Venus, just as I ma\' lit' said. in human h'mlS. t~
01X'1l m~' Ixxl~' to til(' ('mhran' of the sun." S If it is tnll' that nf.:urosis is
tilt' llt-gathL' of ~n·crsion. would not JX'n'('rsion, for its llart, he the
dememol J.spc("t of Iwurosis?
TIll' ('Olll·('pt of IX'f\('rsion is a !lastaru conn.'pt-half juridical. half
nll'(lical, Kut lU'itlwr Ilu'(licinl' nor law art' l·ntird~' suiu'(! to it, \Vith
rt'gard to t()(la~"s rt'newl'(l intaest in this corn:('pt. it Sl,('Ill~ that we
~'('k till' n'ason for it:. quih' ambiguous and l'ontingcnt l'onlll'(,tion with
1,1\\ as \\('11 as with Illl'(lidnc in the n'n' stnK'tUIX' of lX'n'ersion. '111l'
point of dqlartllft' is a:. follows: penw'Sion is not ddinl-'ll hy ,he ~
of a l'l'rtain III'Sin.' in ,h(' s~'st('m of dri\'Cs; thl' Ix'n·('rt is not someone
\\ ho d~'~irl~, hut sonll'on(' who introdUl'<'S {!<'Sin.' into an l,ntin.'I~' difTl'r-
;'-;It S~'stl'm and makt's it pla~', within this s~'stt'm, till' rolt' of an internal
limit, a \'irtu,,1 ("('ntt'r or Z('ro point (th~' w<'ll-known Sad('an allath}').
'l1w p~.'r\'('rt is no moft· a d{'Siring sdf than the Otlll'r is. for him. a
d~'sift'(l ohjl'Ct cndowl."(1 with real l'xistenn'. T ourni('r's non'l is n('\·cr·
t1ll'k's!> not a tlwsis on Ix'rH'rsion. It is not a 1)0\'('1 with a tlll':.is (roman
a ,hew). It b lwitlwr a 1I0wi of ehara(·!t'rs (roman Ii pasonflases), since
tlWft' an' no Otlwrs, nor a non,l of intt'rnal analwi:-, sinn' Rohinson has
\'\'1"\' Iittl~' inh'rinritv. It is all .lmazing novel of (:Ollli<' at!n'ntllft'S and of
t'os~nk a\'atars, RatlU'r than Iwing a" thesis on pl'n'('rsion, it is a no\'('\
\\ hidl 1I('\'\'lops till' \Tr~' tin-sis of Robinson: till' man \\ ithout Others
on his island. Tht' "thl'sis," howt'\'('r, makes that much n1Ol'\' s~'ns('
sinn', insh'ad of ft'ft'rring to a prt'suppos\'d origin, it JnnOunlTS ad,,('n~
tun's: \\ hat i:. going to hJpp('n in thl' insular world without Otlwrs? W.e
\\111 initiJIh- tr\, to lind out \\'h.lt thl' lI'nn "Others" llwans on tilt' basIS
or
of til\' L'll~(~~ Ii till' 01111'1'1': \\T will Sl,t,k t11l' \'ITI'l'b on til\' i~land til('
,1hst'nn' of Otlwr:., \\'t' \\ ill inlt'r till' dl~'cts of till' pn'S('tKt' of Otlwrs in
AI'I'I NI)IX
our lullitual world, and WI' will condudc wl"'t thl' Otllt'r is, Jntl what
il nl\'.lllS for thl' Otlwr to Ill,' a!lsvnL TIlt' dTl'ets of tIll' absen<"l' of
()t1wrs ,1r~' the n:al adn~ntlln's ortil\' ,"pirit: this is all l'xlx'rinU'ntal,
indut,ti\T novd. Under til(' l'irnlillstann's, philosophit'al rdk'(·tion can
g,lrrll'r what the novel rt'\'l'.ll... \\ith ...n mudl lore(' and lift"
~ TIll' tirst dlt'l1 of Otlu.'rs is that Jf(}uml ('Jch objt't:t that I ptTn'i\'('
or t"lt'h idt'a that I think thl'ft, h. till' nrg.lnization of a marginal world,
,1 l11.1ntlt' or background, \\her~' otlll'r Ohj~'l't,~ and otlwr idl'as ma\' l'onw
I~)rth ill alTonlance with law... of transition \\ hil'h regulate th(' jlassagt'
lrolll one to .ltlother. I Tl'gard an ohjt,(,t, tlll'n I {Iin'rt m\, attl'ntion,
Idting it fall into the background, AI tlw sanw time, there ~lTll.'S forth
from the background a 11('\\ Olljfft of m~' attention. If this new objt'ct
dOt'S not injure Illc.', if it dOl'S not mllidt' \\ ith ml' with the \'iol('nn' of a
projt'Ctil~' (as wh('n Oil(' buml:lS again~t sonlt'thing unsl'('n), it is lx-cauSt'
till" first objl-"l't had alread~' at its disposal a co;;'plete margin ",h('re I
had aITl'ael~' fdt till' pn',.'xistt'lln' of Objl'(1s \'('t to l'OlllC'. and of an
C'ntin' tidd of \'irtualiti{'S and poh'nti.llitit'S \\h'ieh I alrl"ath' knew \\en'
('a'labll' of lX'ing aClualizl"(I, No\\, such .1 knO\\ Iftlgt-' or ·Sl.'ntim('1lt of
marginal uistence is pos.~ibll' onl~· through other proplt', ", .. For all of
us tht' pTl"SC'nct' of other Ix"Ople is a 1>O\\l'rful dement of distraction,
not onl~' Ix>cauS(' thl')' constantl), bn'ak into our acti\'itK"S and interrupt
~ur t:ain of thought, but I)("('ausc till' mt'ft' I)():>!>ibilit} of their {Ioing so
,
IlJumlllt'S a world of cooo'ms ...ituat('(1 at tilt' l'(lge of our mnsl'iOllSIll.'SS
hu~ callabl(' at J.n~' momellt of !>('('oming its ("('llI('r.'" '11l(" llart of the
Oh/l'('1 that I do IlOt Sl'l' I posit as \'isible to Otlwrs, so that when I will
ha\'(' \\alk('(1 around to ft'ach this hidden llart, I \\i11 have joined th('
Others l>l.'hinel til\' obj('(,t, and I will haw 10taliz('(1 it in tht' wav that I
had aln'ady antidllall'tl. As for tilt' obj('(·ts lX'hind Ill\' back, 'I sense
th\'1ll coming togt,tlll'r and fonning a world, pr~'l'isdv b..xausc th('\' are
\isihl t' to, Jnd an' s('~'n b~" Otlll'rs, And \\h.lt i,~ ·dt'pth. for m;', in
at'('ortlann' \\ ith 1\ hich ohjf.:(·ts ('nno.1t'h upon orw another anc! hid('
I""'hi.nd 0I1l' .lnotlwr, J also lirl' thmugh as Iwing /'On/ble w/J,h for Otlwr:.,
J. \1 Icltl~ UpOll \\ hit'h tl1\'." an' aligned and pJcilil'd (from till' point of
\1('\\ .1~1 anotlll'r dt'pth), In .~hort, till' Otlwr ,l~,'lIn's tht' margins and
Ir,1lbltlons in tlw II odd. I Ie is till' S\\,~·\'tll(,.~S of n)lltiguiti~'s and rl'St'm-
hl,111l"\':-.. 1['"
~ Itgu Iali'S t Iw tranSlOrmatlon.~
' " 0 f"lorm Jnl II lal'kground and
~,.
till' \ ,1"I.ltIOI1:- I" I I "
0 I t'pt I, I!l' prt'\'~'nls a....'ault.~ lrom Ilt'hind. lit' fills till'
\1' 'rid \\ ilh a IlI.'nt'l'nknt murmuring. I k nl.lb'.~ things indinc (O\\',1I"t!
I'll '\ N r ....... ,\1·\ 1\' l) MOD I It N r 1 r I· It " r u It I·
OIW anotlwr ,1Ild tintl tlwir nalural compll'l1ll'nts in OIl\' another. When
011,' l·olllplain.~ ,lhuut t hl' ml';UlIll'SS of OIl1l'rs, Olll' forgd~ thi.'> olher and
l'\\'n mort' frightt'ning Im'alllll'SS-nalm'ly, the ml'amll'~S oflhings were
tlU'fl' no Otlll'r. Th,' I,lttn fl,lath'izl's Ill\' oot-knO\\ n .md lIll' llon-
p,:rn·in.. 1, 1)('('auS(' Otln-rs. from m~' Ix,int of \'it''', intn)(lun' the sign
of till' llllSl't:n in \\ hat I do S("('. making nlt' gra~p \\ hal I do not !)('n'\'i\'c
•l~ \\ hat is (X'n't'ptihle to an Otlwr. In all tlWSl' fl'Spl"t1.:., tn~· desire
paSo'>!.':. through Otlwrs.•mt! through Otlwrs it fl'('\'i'l'S .lI1 obj''('1.. I
dl'Sin' nothing that cannol lx' St'l'n, thought. or pos."l's.~'(1 h~' a pos..'iible
Ot!1(.'r, Thai is thl' basb of nw d\'Sirt:'. It is ah\a\'s . Otlll'n. \\ho fl'late m,' .
dl'sin' 10 an ohj,'(,t.
\Vhal happl'ns \\ hl.'n Otlll'rs art:' mis-'iing fmm tilt' stnJ(.'1.urc of the
world? In that 1"1.'1(.'. tlll'rt· r\'igns alolll' tilt' hrutal opposition of 11ll' sun
and t'arth, of an lllll:lt'arahlt- light ami an oh:,{'un' ah~'ss: the "summa!)'
law of all or nothing." TIll' known and till' unknO\\ n, till' pt:'n:eh'cd and
unpncein,d nmfront (JIll' anotlll'r ahsolllh'I~' in a hattl" with nu,mccs,
"My vision of till' island is redllct'd to that of m)' own I'}<'s, and what I
do not st't' of it is to Itll' a tolal unknown. J:n'rvwlwfl' [ am nol lotal
darbws..'i reigns." 7 A harsh and blat·k world, wi'thollt IXltentialitics or
\"irlualitit'S: tilt' t'ah'gory of till' IXls.~ihll' has mllaps,'(1. Inst<'ad of r('\a~
ti\"('I~' hamlOllious fonns surging forth from, and going hack to, a
h;Kkground in an~ortlam"t· with an ordl'r of sl),}{'(' and tim(', only
abstra{:t lines no\\ exist, luminous and hannful-onl~' a groundless
ah~'s..;, rclx,Uious ami dl'\·ouring. lothing hut Ell'Ill('nlli. '11ll' ah~'ss and
till' ahstract lim' haw n.'plan-....l the rdit'f and Ill(' 1);I('kgrounti. [\'l"l)'~
thing is implacable" I laving n·ast.'t.1 to slr('tdl out and 1:It'ntl toward one
allOtlwr, ohjt't.-ts riSt, thn.'atl'ninglv; Wt· diSt'OH'r tl1l'n \\ id;l'(ln('Ss which
is no longt'r that of man. Olu' might sa\' that (·at·11 thing. ha\"ing been
rid of it's.. .f\·lit·f alUl n'(lul"t"'t:1 to its harsht:st lint'S, 1>lapl< us.. . in the face or
:.trikt'S us frum Ix'hind. TIll' .11)Jit·lln· of lilt' Ollwr il< fdt \\ ht'n we bang
against things, ,mil \\ Ilt'n till' l<tu!x'f~'ing lo\\ iflllt'S..~ uf our actions is.
re\'l·al(·d 10 liS. "Nakt·tlllt':.S is a luxurv in \\ hit'h a m,ul mav indulge
himsdf wilhout Ii,mg('r unly wllt'n 11:, is \\annly surrnlllld:·d h~' his
l"l:lIow man. Fur Hohinson, while his soul had nol ~'d undergOlll' any
change, it was a tr;al of dl'sl>t:ratl' t('nwrit}'- Strippl.·d of its threadh..1rc
garments- ,,'orn, t,lth"n.·d, ,md sullil'd, hut thl' fruil of (·il'ilil.l·d Illilll'n~
~li,l, anti impn'gnah'lI "ith human assol.'ialions-his \"ullllTahlt' l)()ll)'
\\as al lilt' nwrcv. uf I'HTV. hOlotik dl·nwllt."~ Tlwn' ,In.' no longl.·r any . 1·IIIOIll1M:.M's Ilr I·XPI·I·:':"I·.' till' h.:a!"h ,lilt! thl' hrt'aking of till' wan's: "Jf
tr,ll1.. . i1ionlo; gOlll' is till' S\\·l't·trll'lol< 01 l'Ollti~lIl1lt':' ami rl.·S\·mhl,lIKl·S
\1 1m Ii ,11l0\\t·d us 10 inhahit till' \\orld. Nothit;g suhsists but insup,:rahle
d"ptlb, ,lh... . ulu!t· di:-tann'S and diIT<'fI'IWl'lo or, nn tilt' COlllrar\" unl>l·ara·
hk rl'pdition:., luoking Iikl' prt'l i~l'l~' 1>upo:rimpoSo,.. lll'nglh.. . . "
B~ t·Orlll>.lring tilt' prima~' dl;'·t·b of tilt' Otlwr':. pn':-\·nt"t· .md Iho:-.t·
01 hi.. . ahlol.·nH·, \\t' art' in a pu:.itiun to '\,}~ \\ hat till' Otlwr b. TIll' elTOr
01 philo.. ophit-al tllt'orit':. il< to n·dUlt· tilt' ()t1wr :-ollwtinu'S to ,I IMrtil·•
111,11' ohjn. t, and .-.onwlinlt's to anutlwr ",ubjt·cl. (h<'n a ("onn'ption likl'
...,lrtn·'.... in &'lnH und Soth"wness, \\alo ....1IilollI'd \\ith tht' union of tlw 1\\0
t1dl'nnitl,ltions, making of tht' Ollll'r ,m Ohjl,,·t of m~' gal.l·, l'wn if 111' in
turn g.,l/I'!'o at llW and transfomls ml' into an ohjl""I") But thl' Otlll'r i:.
nt'irlll'r all objl.'t..'1. in tlw lidtl of m~' rH'rt't-Plion no;-a subj,'(-t \\ hu
p.:rn·i\l·lo 1111': tlw Other is iniliall~' a l<tnlt·tun· uf tlu· pl'rct.'ptual lit'll!,
II ith"ut \\ Ilieh tilt' entirc fidel cOlild not fUI1l'tioll as it dOt·s. That this
l<lrut·tun· may ht· aetualizl.,,1 b~' real th,nat·h·r:.. b~' \'ariabk sllbjl't:ts-
1Il1' 11)1' ~'Oll ,11111 you for me-dOl'S not pr\'\I'nt its pnTxisll'nce, a.~ till'
l"Illulilion of organization in gt'l1l-ral, to till' tl.·rms whkh al'lualizt' it in
1',Kh org.lni:tl·d p.:rn·ptual lidd-~"OlirS ;\lld millt,. Thus the u !'''Oft
Olhl'f. •1S til(' absolutt' structurl', l'st,lhlislws Ill\' rdati"it\' of others as
t\'ml~ al"lualizing tilt' stnJ(1.urt' \\'ithin I'at·h lield. But' what ill this
:-tnll·tun'? It is tilt' stnlCtUrl' of tilt' po:-sibk·. A frighh'nt.. lt·ollntt'nana.'
ilo thl' "xpn'ssion (If a frightening IX)s.~ihl(· \\urld, or of something
frighlt'ning in thl' \\orld-sonlt'thing I do nOI ~·('t Sl"t.·" Ll't il IX'
ulltln:.tood thai tilt' possihl,' is not heft' an al~tra("t t"atego~' designating
l<tlllwthing \\hidl dot'S nOI I'xist: tht' eXI)ft,:>~'(1 possibl(' world ccrtainh.
~, ... il<b, hut it dOl'S not I'xist (at·tuall~") OlilSidt' of that \\ hich ('Xprt'SSl"S i;"
nit' terrilil.. lcoUnlt'nant"(' ht'an. no n'M'mhlann' to tht' h'rrif\'ing Ihing.
It imrli~att'S ii, it t'mdops it as sonll'lhing I'i:.t'. in a kirul'or"-torsion
"hi, h :.ituah':- \\ hat is l'xpn':'M'(1 in tht, expn'S:.ing. \Vht'n I, in turn ami
lor m~' part, grasp tilt' n·alit~· of \\hat the Otlwr \\as t'xpn'Ssing, I do
nothing hUI l'xl'lit".lh' the Ot/wr, as I llt-wlnl) ami n·.lli/.l' th" I'orn'-
"'!)\lIlding I)\)lo:.ihlt· "()fld. It is IrUI' Ihal till' Otlll'r aln·ath· h('sto\\s .1
~l'rl,lin rl',llil~ un till' pO:'loihilili,'s whidl Ill' t'l1t'oml),ls.';t'l<-~·Sp':l.'i,lll~· h~'
'llt·,lkil1g. TIl\' uthl'r i:. tl1I' I'xistl'm"(' of till' l'n~'OInpassl'd polo:-iblt'.
r .lIl~lI,lgl· ilo till' n·,llit~· of thl' pussiblt' alo sllch. TIlt' 1o"lf is Iht' dl'\"elop-
ll1\'nl .md til\" "xplk,lIion of "hat is [los.. . ihll.·, the prot'I'loS of ils rt'aliz,l-
(If'll III thl' ,ll'ttloll. I'l'Ou.. . t l<,lys of tilt' /x'In'iwd Alht:rtim' tlMt slw
1"1 .\ ' I \ ~ M ... :-. I) ~l (I I I I It, J I I I It A r u It I 1°7
shl' had ~"1.'n nU', \\hat could I han' r('pn'S('ntt--d for her? At thl' hcan
of what uniwrst" \\as sh(' pern'i\'ing nw?" Love and jl'alous~' will lx' the
attempt to dewlop Olnd to unfold this possible world naml'(! "Alber-
tine." In short, th(' Other, OlS structure, is lhe ~.'presslOn '!f a possIble warld;
it is thl' \'ll:presscd, grOlslx'd as !lot yet l'll:isting outsil!(' of that which
l'll:pr,'ssl"~ it.
I-.,'Kh of tI1l'S(' n'lt'n lIas a f'OS'SIb/f world, ha\'ing it." OW11 ('OlwrI'lK(', its "alues,
its S(lUrn-s of attraction ami n'pulsion, its (Tllh'r of gfil\'il~" And ,lith ..II the
diff,'n'nl:l-s hel\\"('("n th.,-m, t'adl of thC'St' l)OSSibl(" worlds ..t that moment
shan"1.1 a ,'ision, (".;Isual ,lIld SUI)\·r1K-ioll. of th(' hland of SpeunJ:a, which caused
them to "l1 in C"OmnlOn, and \\hk-h inddl'lltally l'Ontailll"1.l .. ~h;p\\n"1.-h'd man
("all('(1 Rollinson alld his half-('ash' S('f'\·ant. For tlU' pn'S('nt this picture
OITupk'(l thdr minds, hut for ,-'ach of tlll'lll it was purd}' II'mporar)", t!"stincc.1
IT'}' soon 10 L)(· rt-'lUrtll'd 10 lilt' lirnho from which it had hel'll bridl~' pllll"~C(1
Iw Ihe arddent of til\' lI'hlfcbmfs gt,tting 011 mufS('. And each of thl'S(' possIble
'\:orlds nail'c1v proc.·lainK'(1 itS(·lf tI)(' r\'alit~'. '111at was \\ h,lt other lX'OI>t... were:
tb..· possible ~tin,lId~' f»SSing for the rca!'''
Ami wc can go ('\"('n furtlU'r in our und{'rstanding of the df('Cts of
the presence of Otlwrs. M{){lern psychology has c1alx>fated a ri~h series
of catl'gorics to account for Ihe functioning of the perceptual held and
til(' \'ariat;ons of til(' objl'ct within this field: foml-background; d('pth-
length; thcme-pott'ntiality; prolil{'S~unit~' of the objcct;, fringe-center;
text-contCll:t; tlll'tic-nonth(,tic; transit in' states-substantlvc parts; etc,
But tht' corresponding philosophical problem is pt'rhallS not wry well
raised: one asks whctht'r th('5(' ('atcgoril's Ix'iong to thl' percq>tual field
it.self I)('ing immanent to it (monism), or whl'thcr the)' rc.fu to sU~jce­
ti\'{' s)'nthl:ses oplo'rating on the subj,'ct mattl:r of pl.'n:q>tlon (du~hsm),
It would be \\'rong 10 tah' l'xception to the dualist interpretatlon on
thc pn'tt.'xt that IX'ret'rtion doc'S not {XTUr through a ,judgme~tal
intellt.'<.,tual svntll<'Sis; Olle can ccrtainly concl'in.' of 1>a5SI\'(' S('llSlble
smtllt."Sl.'S of ~Il cntird" diffu('nt sort 0lx'rating on this matuial (in this
~'IlSl" IlusS(.'r1 nc\'('r ;(·noun{'('<.l a ccrta;n dualism), Ewn so, wc doubt
that dualism is corrt.'ct!" ddim'd as long as it is t.'Stablislwd 1><'t\\'I.-'('n Ihe
matll'r of til(' IX'r('('pt~al fidd and till: pn'-rdkt,tin' s)'llthl:sl..'s of the
l'gO, Thl' Irue dualism Iil'S ds(,\\'lwre; it lies bl't\\'cen til(' l,/TCl'tS of the
"~tru('tUf(' Otl11.:r" of the perceptual lidd and tho.' "O·"l·tS of its absence_
(\\hat IX'f("eption \\ould lx' \\l:n' there no Oth('rs), \V{· mu.st undt.'rs~d
~oS AI'I'I'NIlIX
lIl.1t tilt.' Otl11.:'r is not ont' stnl('tun' among others in the field of
p,'n1:'ptioll (in the senS\', for examplc.', that OIl\' would n."(.'ogniz(' in it a
dil1;"f('nn' of nature from obje(.'ts), 111$ ,he SlfIl<lIIre K-hKh conJmons the entire
1,,;IJ .uul its functioning, b~' n'nd('ring I)\)s.~ibl(' the constitution and
,lpplication of thc prectxling (·atl'gori,·s. It is not th(· ego but the Otlwr
,l~ slructlln' which rend('rs lX'r('eplioll possih]e. Thus, till' authors who
inll'fpret dualism poorl)' are also tilt' authors who ('annot l'xtrka\('
Iht'lllsdws from the .. hematin- a('('orclirw , to whil·h th(' Other would be
t'itlwr a particular Objl'Ct in th(' lidd or anotlwr subject of thc lidd, In
<Idming til(' Other, tog(,thn \\ ith TOllmier, as the l'xprcssion of a
po.....ihk world. we mak(' of it, on til(' contrary. the a priori prindpk' of
tilt' organizdtion of (','cl)' perceptual lidd in accordance with the cate-
guril's; \n' make of it the structUfl' which allo\\'s this functioning as the
'\'ategorization" of this fidd, Ikal dU,llislll then aplx'ars with the
3h~l'n("(' of the Othcr. BUI what is happ.;ning, in Ihis case, to tilt'
IX'rn'ptua] licld? Is it stnt(·tllrl'(l arcording to oth('r l'atl'gorics? Or d()('S
iI, on th(' contral')', open onto a n'r~.. slx'Cial suhjcct matter, allO\\ ing
u.. 10 p('n('tra\(' into a particular infomla] n'alm? This is Robinson's atl-
\('ntun',
The thesis-til(" Robinson hypotlwsis-has a great a(h-'antage: till'
(lisapp,'aranC(' of til(' structure-Otllt'r is prt'SI.'I1t('(! as the rt'sult of
drcumstanC('S on thl' dl'S('rt isle, To IX' Sllrl:', thl' stnlctllrl' continues to
,un i\'(' 3ml function long after Rohinson on the island encounters an~'
actual temlS or charact('fS to actualize it. But t1ll'Tl' conl('S the moment
\dwn this is O\'er: "'111OSC lights have \'anislll'li from my consciousness,
I;or a long time, fed h)' m)' fdntas)'. the~' continu('ll to reach me, Now it
b O\'{'r, and til(' darkness has c1os('(! in,,,lo And, as W(' shall St'('. whcn
Hohinson ('rKountl:rs Frida)', ht, will no long('r apprdu:nd him as an
Otlll'r. And Whl'll a ship finally approadll:S, Robinson knows that he
{'an no ]ong('r fl-ston' ml..'n to t1wir funl'tion as Othl..'rs, sinct' tlw
'trUl1un' th,'~' would thcreb~' fill has it<;c!f diS.lplx'aTl'(I: "ThaI was \lhat
nlh(T 1){'Opl(' w{'rc: til(' IXlSSibl(' ohstinatel~' passing for tht.' n'al. All
Hohin;,on's upbringing had taught him that to rejN:t their aOlnnation
\\,h ("(ud, (-gotistiral, and immoral; hut this was an auitud(, of mimi
th,ll Ill' had lost during thl' ~'('ars. and now Ill' womkn'd if Iw could
t'\l'r n'o)\'('" it."'l Is not this progn'ssi\'{' though irrewrsihk' dissolution
ot Ill(' .'tru(·tun· what till' pl'rnTt, on his int{'rior "isle." attains by otll('r
IlWan..? To put it in Lal'anian h'mlS. til(' "forelusion" of Others brings
1'IlAN'IA:O>M AND ,\\OI>l,ItN IITI,ItATUIt .. 109
it about th.lt otht'r~ (h·s tll/If"S) an' no long\'r apprdll'lldvd as O\I1I'rs (dc.s
awrws). sinn' til\' :;;trlll'tun: which would gin' 1Ill'1ll this plan' and thts-
function b lT1i~sing. But is it not t11l'1l the whole of our pvrcl'ivvd world
that ('olbps,':'; ill til(' inh'n's! of sOIm.'thing clsl', ..
1.1'1 us rdurn to til\' l'fTl'('ts of till' pn'S('lln' of Otln-r:.. such as they
IClllow fi'om til(' d(·tinition "Otlwr = an cxpn'ssion of a possible
II orld." TIll' fundam('ntal dll'('\ is tht' distinction or Ill\' consdOllsncss
and its ohj\'l't. This distinction is in t:WI the result of lIlI" structure·
Other. Filling the world with possihililics. hackgrolllHk fring<'s, and
tr.lIlsitioIlS; insnihing tilt' possihilit~· of a frightening world \\'IWll I am
..
not ,WI afraid, or. on tlw contr,l!"\". the IlOssibilitv of it rvassuring world
\\ Ilt'll I am r,'ally frightcn ..d by till.' world: "/lCompassing in dilll'rent
rcspl.:cts till' world which prl'SI'nts itsdf IX'for.. nw dcn'lupcd otlwrwisc;
constituting inside the world so many hlistlTS which contain so man)'
Ix,ssible worlds-this is till' Otlll'L I l I-Icncdonh, till.' Otlll'r causes my
consciousncss to tip n,'c('ssarily into an ,,' was," into a past which no
longer coincides with til(' ohjl'ct. B"fon' till' appearanc(' of the Other,
tlwn' was, for t'xampk. a r('assllring world from which my conscious-
/wss could not Iw distingllislll'd, Tht' Otlll'r thl:1l makl's its aplwaran(.'c,
('xpressing till' possibilit~' of a fright{'lling world which cannot be
d{'\'('lop<'d without the one pr,'('('ding it passing away. ror my pm"t, I
am nothing other th,ln m)' past ohj('cts, and m~' self is madt' up of a
past world, the passing a\\ay of which was hrought about prcdsd)' by
till' Other. If th.. Oth..r is a possihl,' world, I am a past world. The
mistake of t1lt'ori,'s of knowlt'dg" is that th,'~' postulatl.' the cont<'mpor-
am'ity of subject and obj,'ct, wh,'r('as om' is cOllstitutl,d only through
till' annihilation of tilt' Otlll'L
Tlwn sudd.. 1l1v tlwr,· is a dick, TIlt' subj,'ct hr",lks .l\\",W from tlw ObjL~'t,
,Iin'sting it ,i,l p,lrt of its ,'olor ami suhstann·. Tlwf(' is ; rift in the ."Chcnw
of things, ,lnd a whol,' r.mg" of ohj""ts tTumhl,'s in Ilot'con1in1: m,.. "Kh obj<'Ct
Ir,ln.-I''I'"ring its <!lIa1it~· 10 ~n .lpproprialt· suhjl'l·1. TIlt" light 1)('t:IlIllt's Ihe 1..')'('
ami as sudl no long,'r ,'xbt.~; it i~ Simply till' stimulation of tilt' n'tina. Tht,
sm.. 11 I)('('onll's the nostril-.md tht' world ded'ln's its,'lf odorless. TIlt' song
of till' win,! in till' tn';'s i.~ di.~,]\·o\\"t'd: it W,lS notl1ing hut ,l (Iui\"('ring of thl'
timpani. ... Thl' .~uhj"1."t i.~ tilt' dis'lu.llitinl ohj,'I.'1. 1"1~' "~.,, is th,· l·orp.>;(' of
li1:111 all'!l·olor. M\" nos,' is alltha( n'mains of odon \\11l'1l tlll'ir unf('ality has
I;"n d"1l10Iblralt"i. i\'I\" h.m'! r..ful ..s Ill<' thin1: it holds. Thus IIH' prnhkrn of
a\\".lrt'l\t·s.~ is hom of ,u;,ldmmislll. It impli,'s t1~,. Sillllllt,m..ous "Xbtt'/K,' of the
po AI'I'I'Nl)lX
_ulljn·t \I it h till' "hjt,,:t, whos,' l1I\'slt'riotls n·latiol1.~hip to hims,·lr Iw s" ..ks to
d,·litH'. Hut suhjn·t and obj,'et '''ll~not ,·Xl.-I .1lMrt from ont' anoth..r .~in('t· tilt'\"
,11'" onl' and tit" .'\ilnlt' thing. at tir.~t ilH,'gr.n,·d into tilt" 1"",]1 \\orld Jm! tl1I';l
. Il '
,,1',( (Jut h~' It.
Th,' Other thus assures the distinction of <:onsdollsrwss and it.~ obj\'Ct
.IS ,1 It'mporaJ distinction. TIll' !irst "nl'n of its pn'sl'l1l'l' conn'rIll'd
l'>p,1l'\' and till' distribution of Calt'l~lIri,'s; hut the s<'cond cff(,('t, which is
IlI'rh"ps th.. mon' prolound, I"lm;,'rns tim.. ,md tht' distribution of its
,lil11('IlSill!ls-what <:onws I,..ll)f(' and \I h'1\ ('OIll,'S aftt'r ill tinlt'. Ilow
("ould dWf(' still Ix' a past wh\'11 tIll' Oth..r no long,'r fl.lm:tions?
In tilt' Otlwr's .lbs(~ncc, consdollsl1l'SS Jnd its 'Objl'Ct arc one. Th.. r..
i.~ no longl'r an)' possibility of error, not onl~' J)l'caus,' til<.' Otlll'r is 110
long\T therl' to hi' the tribunal of all rt'ality-to d..bat(', faJsifv, or
\t'ril~' that which I think I sc.'c; hut also becau:.., la('king in its stnl~tlll'"("1 \
it altows consciousness to ding to, and to coincidl' with, tht' obj('ct in
,m eh'rnal pf('s<'nt. "And it is as though, in cons('(lueIlCl" my (Ia~'s had
rt'arrang\'d themselves. No longer do they jostle on ('aeh otlwr's hcds.
beh st.lIlds separak and upright, proudly allinning its own worth. And
sinn' t1wy arc no long,'r to he distinguished as til(' stagl's of a plan in
pnx'('ss of execution, the)' so resemble ('a,'h oth,'r as to bl'sulX'rimposl'd
in m~' nwmory', so that I s<'em to Ill' C(,.l.~dessl\' rdi\"ing the same
I "1·1,,
',IY· .
,,-ons'·IOUSIll·S.' ecas<'S to Ix'a Iig IIt cast upon. objl'cts in order to '
1)(,t"Ol11l' ,1 jIun' phosphon's<.·('ne(' of things in tlwmsdws. Robinson is \ )"
but tht' consciouslwss of tlw island, but thl' l'onsciousn,'ss of til(' island
is .hl' nlllsl'iouSlll'SS tilt' island has of itself-it is the island in itst'lf.
WI' undl'rstand thus the paradox of til(' desert isle.' thl' OIU' who is
shipwf(,(·kt'd, if Iw is a10l1l', if Ilt' has lost tIll' structun'-Other, disturbs
nothing of the dl'sert isle: rather 11t' conseCTah'S it. The island is nanwd
SIXT.lnza, but who is til<' "I"? "'I'll(' <pll'stion is far from an idl.. Olll', nor
is it "\"'11 ullallswl'rahlt-. Hl'GllISl' if it is not hWI then it must lx'
." ....· mn/tl." I'; Thus Robinson pro:grt'ssin'h- nl'ars a n'\"t'lation: initial\v he
"·I(fll'l"i,'nn·d th(' loss of Oth'TS ~~ a fumiam"ntal disorder of till' w,~r1d'
l10 thi ng suhsistt·d hut tilt' 0plXlsition of light and night. E\"t'r:·thin~
1WI,ll1lt. Il.lrmful, ,1m 1 tht' wortd had lost its transitio/lS and \·irlll,llit\".
.B.lI t Ill' disnl\"t'rs (sIO\,J~') that it is tilt' Otllt'r who disturhs till' \\"ort;1.
I hI' OthlT \\,lS thl' tl'Ouhl,·. HJving disappl."lrt'd, it is no lon~,'r onh- tIl\'
d,l~"~ \\hich an' l",'dn'ss,"tl. Thing.~ .In' also, no 10tl~\T IX'ing ';lllkti (lown
h.\ (Jth,·rs Oil,' Otl top of tilt' ~,thIT. So too is d7'sin" n~ long\T Iwing
l'II,\N rt1~.\I,\NI) '\\()I1I'KN IITI'RATllHI. p'
drawn dowll 011 lOp of a possible objlTt or a possihlt' \\orltl ('xpn'sS<.x1
by OtlU'r~, The t1t.'~'rt islt' initiatt's a straight~ning out and a gl'll('ralizl,.'(l
en'(1.ion.
ConM-ioll1>IU'S.": has !x'COml' not onl~' a phosphorl's("l'nn' intl'rnal to
thing1> hut a tirl' in thl'ir Iwads, a light owr ~ach one, and a ":.oaring I,"
In thi~ light, somt'lhinS eM appears, an ethereal doubll' of ('a,.-h thing, '"
s(':01l',1 to glimpse anofher Island, ,. Now I h,H'c \)("('n transportl'(l to
that otlwr Sp,·ran7.a, I lin' pcrpetuall~' in a moment of inlUx'cnc'·," If.> It
is this l'xtraordinary' birth of til(' l'rect llouble that the non:! cxcl'!s in
dl'scribing. But what exaetl)' is till' dilTerentl' between thl' thing such as
it app"'ars in the presenet' of Otlwrs and the double which tcnds to
detach itsdf in their absenn'? 'I'll(' Oth~r pn'sides O\'er the org.lllization
of the world into objL'l:ts and o\"er the transiti\'(' rdations of thl.'Se
obj<.'Cts. TI1l'se Objlx'ts exist onl), through the possibilities with which
Others fill('(1 up the world; l'ach one was doS<.'(1 onto itself. or opened
onto other objects, onl)' in relation to passibll' worlds eXJ>rt.."'SSCd by
Others, In short, it is the Other who has imprisone<1 the dements
within till' limits of Ixxli<."S and. further still. within the limits ol{h~
earth, For the earth itself is but a great Ixxly which retains the dements;
~ earth onl)' to Ihe ext'ellt that it is pL'Opk-d b)' Others. The Other
fabricates bodies out of the d('mpnL~ and ObjL'Ct.~ out of Ixxlks. just as
'itfabricat<."S its own l'Olllltl:llanCe out of th~ worlds it ('xprcsscs. 1hl!!'
the liberate<1 double. WhCll the Other collapses, is not a replica of
J\ings, It is, on Ihe contrar)', the nt'W upright imag(' in which the
clenll'IlU arc rdeased and rcnc\\'l'(1, having beconll' celestial and fonn'"lng
a thousand capricious dmll'ntal figurl'S. To begin with, th~rc is t e
figure of a solar and dl:humaniz('(1 Robinson: "Sun. arc ~'ou pleaSl.-xJ with
me? Look at me. Is nl\' transfonnation suflil'ientl)' in tht, manner of
\"Our own radianc\'? M~: I>t'ard. \\ hich pointL'<l earthward lik(' a cluster
~f l'arthbound roots, h~s \·anished. and now my head carries its glowing
locks like a flame reaching ul>ward to thl' sk)·. I am an aITOW aimed at
\'our heart. , , ." 17 It is as if the elltirl' l'arth \\'l'rl' tT)'ing to l"SCapc b)'
~\'a}' of till' island, not only restoring the other dmlCllts which it undul)'
h'pl untll'r the inflll('nn' of OtlWTS, but also tracing b)' ilself its own
l'tlwn'al double which n'nd('rs it cdestial and makes it conn'rg(' wilh
the nlht:r dements in thl' sk}' for the sake of solar figurl's. In short, the
Othl'r. as it encompasses Ihe possible worlds, pn'Wllts thl' dOllblt's frolll
standing t'n'<.1. TIlt.· Other is till' grand lewler, and con:>t.'<IUl:ntl)' the
112 AI'I'I·NlJIX
dt'_.,tructuration of Ihe Otlwr is nol a di:-.nrganization of tIlt' world, but
,Ill upright organization as oppoSt'l1 to IIll' n'cumbt'nt organi7.ation; it is
till' nt'\\ uprightn~ss, and thl' dl'udlllwnt of an imag" \\hich is \·('rtical
.11 l,l,t and withoul thickn<'SS; it bill\' dl'lal'hmellt of a pun' dement
\\ Im'li at last is liberah.-d.
l'.lI.l1>troplll's haw b..'Cn nCCt'Ss.l~ for this pnxluction of <Iouhlcs and
t,lt'lllt'nts: not onl)' th(' ritl'S of tilt' grt"lt dcad goat, hut a fom1idahll'
t"pln:-ioll in \\hich thl' island gan' l:p ,111 of its lire and \'omitl'(! iL'>l:lf
tlut Ihrough one of its grattos. Through til{' catastraplws, hO\\('\"('r, thl'
Ilt,\\I\" ('n'l·tl'd desirl' learns til<' natun' of its trUl' ohject, Isn't it the l'asc
tlMI ;latun' .lIld the earth had aln'ad\' told us that the object of dt'sirt' is
lll"itlwr til(' Ixxl)' nor the thing, hu~ olll~' till' Image? When Wl' desirl'
Othefl', .lr(' not our d~sires brought 10 hear upon this l'xprl'SSl-"<:! small
IXNihlc world whieh the Otht'r wrongl~' l'n\"Clops, inst~ad of allowing
it to IIndt ami II)' abo\'(' th(' \\orld, dl'\('\op..'(1 onto a glorious c1ouhll'?
:\nd \\hC'1l \W obsen·..• a butterfl~' pillaging a lIowt'r that t'xaetl~' fl'St'm-
hlt':- till' alxlomen of Ihe femal(' of till' 1>1X'Ci('S and then lea\'ing til('
1I0\\l'r l'ar~'ing on its head two horns of pollen. we arl.' tempted to
lundudp thai l>o<Iics arl.' but d('touTS 10 til(' attainnll'nt of Images, and
that :-pxualit), readu"S its goal much Ix'th'r and much morl' promptl~· to
the ('xtl'nt that it lxunomiz('S this dl'tour and addn'S.~<.'S itsl'lf din'ctl~' to
Imagl'1> and to 11ll' Elements fn'L'(1 from Ixxlies. lIl Robinson's c!<'\'ialion
is tht, l'()njlll~~of t1~ libido and t!ll:..£I~; hut till' full stor~' of
this dl'\'iation, so far as ('nds arl' conel'TIled, ('ncomp,lSS('S til(' straighl-
('ning up of things, tilt' t'arth, and dl'sire,
Ilcm lllaTH" drofts and fahulous ad\"l'ntures Wl'fl' nel'l,'Ssan' for him
to arri\"(' at ~hat point. For Robinson's tirst reaction was <k~pair, and
thil> real1.ion I'Xprl.'Ss('S the pr(x'iSl.' moment of n('urosis at which tht'
lltrul'tuft'-Othl'T b lltill functioning. though Ih(~re is no long{'f an~'onl' to
fill it OUI or to al1.ualize it. In a (·('rtain manner, an<1 sinc... it is no long('r
oo,:upit..1 hy n'al bl'ings, it funl1.ion... all thl' mon° rigorousl~', '11l(' otlwn
ric, <III/us) an' no longt'r attadwtl to til(' structure: tilt' structure fum:-
tiwh in .l 'acUlllll, \\ ithoul IX'ing any [\':-'s t'xal1.ing h.xauSt' of thb. It
t'ndlt'~:-I~ drht':-' Ruhinson hal'k into an llllrl'Cogniz('d IX'TSonal past, into
Iht· 'Ilan'~ of lllt'tllOry ,lIld the pains of hallucination. This monl('nt of
I\I'ur·II~i., (in "hieh Rohinson is wholl~' "repressed") is ellllx}(lied in till'
1l(ll/ullmH_plun: that J{ohin1>oll sh,1ft's with till' pl'n"lril's: "Only his ('~'l'S,
now, and mouth ,\,'n' al·ti\l', al..rt for I,tlibl., \\I'I,d ,lIld load spa\\n
I'll,\.;-'; ..... , ,\\ "'''1) ,\tC)I)1 K'II IITI KA·IIlKI· J11
 drifting on till' surlJ.('l·. Iud of all terrestrial homk hi... thoughts in a
half .~t~lpor pursued wstigl'S of nWmOf)" which cnwrg,·d likl" p1lantoms
from til\' past to d.mn· in 1Ill' hlue gaps between motionlt'ss foliage." 1\1
TIl\' st'{'(md moment, ho\\,('n-r. rcn.., ls that till' strllclun'-Othe.r
h<'gin~ to lTumhle. Pulling himsdf from tht' wallowing-plan-, Robinson
SITks a suhstitute for Others, something <.'<Ipabl(· of maint,lining. in spite
of \·\'l·rything. till' fold that Otlwrs granh·d 10 things-nanU'I~', order
and work. Tht' ordering or tinn' hv nwans of til(' deps\'dr.,. Ihl' \'stab-
lishmcl1l of all o\Tr.lbll~dallt prod~lCtion, or of a code ;)1' I:II\S, and the
multiplicity of official litll's and functions tll.,! Rohinson takes on-,ll
of this hears witllt'ss to an dTort to repopulatc the world with Others
(who would still hl' himself), ,md to maintain till' dlccts ofd1\' prl'scncc
of Others whell till' stnl('((lr<' has faikd, But the anomaly makl's itself
fdt: I)efol"s Robinson dOl'S not allo\\' himself to product' Ill'yond his
ll('ed, thinking that ('\'il Iwgins with surplus production: TOllrnier's
Robinson, ho\\'('wr, throws himself into a "frcndic" pnxhll·tion, t c
~sole ('viIIX'ing that of consuming, since OIU' always consumes alone and
for olll's~lr. In linl' with this work activity, ami as a lwn'ssar~' correlate
to it, a strangl' passion for relaxation and sexuality is developcd. Some-
times stopping his dq)s~'dra, getting used to till' ho!toml('ss night of a
grotto, or coating his Ixxly with milk. Robinson mow's de~-,p illto the
illlwr n~nter of till' island and linds an ah'eolus to curl up in, as in a
lar\'al ('IWelOP(' of his own I)()(I~" This is a n'gr('ssion much more
fantastic than the r('gn'.~si()n of lll'urosis inasmuch as it readll's h,wk to
\
th(' Earth-Mother-th(' primordial Motlwr: "I-k himsdf was that sup-
ple dough. caught in a hand of all-pO\wrful stone, I-k W,lS lIll' bean,
caught in the massiw i!ldt'st nl(,tihl(, Ilesh of Spl-'ranza." 10 Whereas work
tlS{,J to conscrv!.: tlw form of objct'ts as so Illan~' acnUlllll,ltl'd \"{'stiges,
involution givcs up ('n'r~' formed ohject for the sake of an inside of the
Earth Jnd a principle of burying things in it. TIll' imprl'ssion om' has,
ho\\,('\'('r, is that tlll'SI' two wr\, dint'n'nt hella\'iors an' singularly
('ompll'nll'ntary, In hoth f.:as('s, tllI:rl' is fn'lw,y-.l douhl(' fn'llz), defin-
ing til(' mOnll'llt of PS~'dlOSis-which appears dt'arl~' in thl' return ~o
till' Earth and thl' ('osmi(' gl"ll'alog~' of the st'hizophn'nic. hut no It-ss III
work. in thl' production of noncollsumahll' schizophn'nil' ol*'cts which
prOl'l'('ds h~' wa)' of piling up ami aCl"umulation. 11 At this point, it is the
stnKtun'-Othl'r which lI'nds to dissolw': thc pS~'l'hotil" aUl'mpts to
)
compl'llsatl' for the ahsence of n'al Otlll'rs hy l·stahlishing ,m order of
lHlllj.lll \"I'stigl's. and for till' dissolution or structurl' II\" organizing J t
~up\'rhuI11Jn fili,ltion. ' ..
NI'lll"Clsis and pS)'chosis-this i., till' ,ulwnture of dq>th. TIll' strm'-
tll!"l'-Otlwr organizl's and padfil's llt-plh. It n'ndl'rs it lil"al>l('. This is
\I h.\· thl' ,lgitations of thi.~ strul"Iun' imply J disordtT. ,1 di.~turbann' of
depth, ,1S an ,lggressive rl'turn of till" lIotloml('ss ahyss that c.m no
101lg.'r IX' conjured away. I:\"{'r~,thing h,l.~ lost its S('n.~l" 1'\'IT~·thillg
11I'l'IJlllt'S mllll/acrum and 1'l:slige-I'\"I'n till' Ohjl'ct of work, the IO\"l'd 0111',
Ih\' \\OI"ld in itst'lf or thl' sdf in till' \\orlll ... ; that is, unll's.~ th('rl' IX'
~(ln1l' "ort of S<ll\'ation for Robinson; llllll'ss he in\"ents a nl'w dinll'nsion
or J third SellSI' for till' expression "lo.~s of Others"; unkss thl' absl'lKl'
of tlw Otlll'r and tl1I..' dissolution of its structure do not simply disorga-
nllt' the world but, on til(' contrar~'. 0Fwn up a possihility of salvation.
Hohinson must return to til(' surfacl' and disco\"t'r surfan's, The pun'
surface is pcrhaps what Others wen' hiding from u~. It is p('rh,lps at the
SUrl:Wl', likt, a mist. that all unknown image of things is detached and.
from the ('anh, a m'w surfau' ('ll('rg~' without possibll' othl'rs. For the
sk~' d()(,s not at all signify a height which would ml'rd~' IX'" til(' inw'rsc
imagl' of depth. III opposition to the deep I'Mth, air and sk)' desnibc a
pun' ~llrlal'l" and the survcying of till' lil,ld of this surface. The solipsist
sk~' h,ls no depth: "It is a strange prejudice whit'h Sl'tS a higher \'aluc on
tll'pth than on hn'adth, and which al'crpts 'supl,rtidal' as nwaning not
'of \\ i(ll' l'xtent' but 'of Iittll' dl'pth.' WIll'rL',lS 'dl'ep.' on the otlll'r hand.
:.ignifics 'of gn'Jt depth' and not 'of small surfan'.' Yet it Sl'l'ms to n1l'
that " fl'I'ling such as lon' is 1)('1I1'r llwasured, if it call I'll: measured at
,111, b~' till' \'xtl'nt of its SUrf:l('t' than h~' its dl'grw of depth."H [t is at
till' ~llrfan' that douhles and l,tlll'rl"ll Imagl's f-irst ris(' up; then the purl'
and frw 1-,lcIlll'nts ,lris(' in thl' n'll'stial stlrwving of till' lidd. '1'11('
gl'IhTali:Il'd t'l"cl"tion is tlU' \'n'ctinn of :;urfan's, tlll'i~ n'('tifil'ation-l!w
~lisapPI'ar'~I1("I' or till' Otlll'rs. At till' surf:ln' of till' i.~ll' ,1nd till' owrardl- I
U1g .,k,\·, ~HnutaLT,l ascl'nd and Ix'come phOIll{ISm)'. I)oubl.:s \\ ithout n'-
"I'.JnhI.11ll"t' .11111 l,ll'nwnts without constraint-t111'sl' arl' thl' two a,"I)(,I'ts ;<
of thl' ph,lllt,l~nl. This restructuring of till" \Iorld is R()hin~on's gn"lt
J l('allh-tlll' nlll(ltll'.~t of tilt' grea~ I k"lth, or till' third SI'llSI' nt' the
"Ill" ill' ( h h.,l'.~." ..
It i~ IWrt, th.lt !Tidal" inIlT\"I'Ill'S. For thl' main dlaral'tl'r, as thl' titl.:
indil.lh'." i.~ thl' ~'oung ho),. rri(J,J~" I Ie ,llolll' is ahk to guide and
lllmpll·tl· tlw n1l't'lmorphosis that Rohinson began Jnd tn rl'wal to him
l'll,\NTt\'M ANIl ,'10111 HN 11TI·RA"l"1lIU· II~
its SCIlS(' and its ,lim. HI' will accomplish all of this innot,(,ntl~' and
supt'rlid,lJl~'. It i1' hida~' who dt'stro)'S thl' economic and moral orde
that Robin!>Oll had establislu.'(! on the isl'llld. It is he who brings
Robinson to dislikt' the coomb. ha\'ing grown for his own pleasure
anotlwr :-pt_'l'it's of Mandrake. It is he who blows up the islan(1 as he
smull'S th(' forbidden tobaCl"O ne.lr .l powder kt.'g, and restorl'S the
,'arth, but also water am!lirc. to the sk~'. It is he who mah'S the dead
goat (= Robinson) f1~' am! sing. Rut it is he. abo\'e all. who prl'st:nts to
Rohinson till' image of thl' pl.'rsonal double as the nt.'CeSJi.lry' complement
of t1w iamg(' of the island: "Robinson turned the question o\'er in his
mind, for till.' first timl' Ill' was ckarl)' CIWis.lging the possibility that
within till.' crude and brutish half-c,lsh~ who so I.'xaspcr,ltl.'d him another
hiday might lx' conceal,'d-just as he had once suslx'Cted, lx:fore
(:xploring th(' caw or dis(."owring till.' ("(>omb. that anotha Speranz.l
might oc hidckn ben('ath his culth'atl.-d biland."l1 Finally. it is hI.' who
leads Robinson to the disco\'e")' of tht"' Free EII.'mt"'nts, whi<.·h are more
radil..'al than Imag('S or J)oubk·s since th('S(' latter an' fanned by them.
What is to lx' said of frida)" if not that hI.' is a mischicmus child,
whollv at th(' surface? Robinson will al\\'a~'s hal'\.' ambi\'alt"'nt feelings
alx>ut Friday, since h(" S3\"('(! him onl~' .lccident'atly, having misst.'<I when
he shot at him wanting to kill him.
What is ('ssl'ntial, hO\\"('l'\.'r, is that Frida)' docs not function at all
like a rl'disco\'crcd Other. It is too latl' for that, the structure has
disappearcd, Sometimes he functions as a bizarre object. sometimes 3S a
strange accomplice, Robinson tn.'ats him sometimes as a sla\'c and tries
to intt.'grate him into til(' {'conomie nn.II'r of the island-that is, as a
I>oor simula<.'rum-and somctimt.'S as the kt.'Cper of a new Sl'Cret which
threatens that order-that is, as a m~'sterious phantasm. Sometimes he
treats him almost like an obj('Ct or an animal, sometimes as if Friday
were a "be)'ond" \\'ith rL'SJX-'Ct to himself. a "I)(')'ond" Friday, his own
double or image. Sometiml.'S h(' tn'ats him as if hI.' w(:re falling short of
the Othcr, sometimes a~ if he wcre transcending the Other. The
dilTercncI' is I'ss('nti,,!. l-=Or till' Ollwr, in its nonnal functioning, ex-
presses a possible world. But this I>os.~iblc' world I.'xists in our world,
and, if it is not (II.-\'('Io]>ed or rl'aliz('d without changing the qualit)' of
our world, it is at I('ast tk\'('lopl,'d in accordall('~' with laws which
constitute tilt' order of the n'al in ge'll'ral and tilt' Slll."cession of time.
Jlt> AI'''1 NllIX
"ut Frida\' fun<.·tions in an I.'ntird,· diITI'n'nt wav-Iw indkah's anofher,
;,upPosl'di)· tnle world, an irr,'(ll;dhl,' doubl(' ~\'hich alon(' is genuine,
,11111 in this other world, a doubl" of tilt' Other who no longer is and
('allllot be. Not an Other. but sonwthing wholly oth('r (lin ftJtJ/-{Jutrej
than till.' Otlll.'r; not a replica. but a Doubk·: om' \\ ho n.·\"(·als pUrl'
d ..nll'nts and dissoln'S obj('('lS, hodi~'S. and the ('arth. "It st'l,·mctl.
illlk~'(l that (I;rida)', bclongt"d to an ~'ntird)' dilTl'n'nt rl~alm. \\"holl~'
oppoS\.'(1 to his mash'r's order of I'arth and husbandry, on \\hich Il('
could hal"{' onl)' a disrupti\'C l'IT.,~·t if anyone trkd to imprison him
ltithin it." H It is for this reason that lit' is not e\"('n an ohj('ct of d{'sin'
for Rohinson. Though Robinson "Illhraces his knl'l's and looks into his
l'yl'S, it is only in onk'r to grasp the luminous double whkh no\\" bardy
rdains the fn'c elements which han' \'scape(! from his Ixxl)', "As to lll~'
~,'sualit~·, I ma~' not(· that at no tinw has Frida~' inspirl.'(! me with an~'
:.(Xlomite (k'Sire, "=Or one thing. hI.' canw too late, when m)' st'xualit~,
had aln'ad~' lX'COme elemental and was dire(:tro towan! Spt.'raro'..3.... It
\\a~ not a matt{'r of turning me back to human lo\'es hut. while leaving
nl(' still an e11.·mental, of causing nw to ('hangt' m~' ek'ml.'nl." H 11\1.'
Othc'r plllls down (robof): it draws the t,ll'lllt'nlS into the earth, thl.· earth
into Ixxlit.'S, and bodies into objct..ts. But Frida~' innQC('ntl)' makes
ohj~'l·ts and bodies stand up again. I-I{, c.lrrit'S the I.'artll into the sk~'. I-Ie
li-vI's the clements. Rut to straighten up or to n'Ctif~' is also to shorten.
TIlt' Other is a strange detour-it brings Illy desires down to objects.
Jnd Illy lo\'e to worlds. Sexualit)· is link('(1 to generation only in a detour
\\ hieh lirst challlwls the dilTerence of St.'xes through thl' Other, It is
initiall~' in til{' Otlwr and through til\.' Other that thl' diITen'nC(' of the
s\"X('S is foundctl. To l."Stablish the world without Others. to lift the
\\orld up (as Frida)' dcx'S, or ratht'r as Robinson pt.'rn'i\·I.'s that Friday
does) is to amid the (I(,tour, It is to S{'parat(" desire from its obJ«l. from
its detour through th(' lxxi,,, in onlt'r to rcl.lte it to a purt' couw: the
l-J"l1wnts, " ... So also has perislled the framework of instituttons and
111~·th~ that pennits dt.'Sire to Ix'COnlC' tm/xxlleJ. in thl.' t\\ofold St.·nS\.· of
tilt' \\ord-that is to sa". to assume a positin- foml am! to expl.'nd
ihl'lf in thl' IXMly of ,1 w~lllan."2" ~obinson can no long,'r apprdlt'nd
hinN'Jf, or hiday, from the pOint of vil.'\\· of a dilTerelltiated sex,
I',,~·t'hoanalysis ma~' wdl s('e in this abolition of till' d{,tour, in this
"'paratinn of till' (':lUS!' of dl'sin' from its ohj('ct, and in this n'turn to
l'IlANTA~M ANIl ,\\ODI·H.N IlTl·KATtlH.l· 1'7
 tilt' d,·nwllls. til<' ~igl\ of;l t1".lth inslin('I-an in1'oliml \\hich halo
l....'(·onw so1.lr.
".\t'nthing Ill'''' i-, IM:tiliou~ (romancsque), ilX'llklil1£ l111'on. \dllth nll'f'£l'S
\\ it I; J I\l:"t'~"'lr~' 'iclion-nJmd~'. a o,rt.lin Ihl..';;r~.. of ~Iw (>111\'1', H~I.
\\t' must atl.ll"h .l gn..'JI importann' 10 tilt' notion of til<' Otlll'T as
.,Inll·wn': nol at all a particular "'onn" insidl'.:t I~rccplllal twld (dbtinct
frotn till' form "objn~I" or till' I'llI'm "anim.11"), but r,ltlwr .1 s~'stt'm
\\ hich nmdilinns 11ll' functioning of tilt' "nlin' pl.·!'l""ptual ti,·ld in
g"llI'ral, \Vt, must thacfon' dislinguish til\' a prlO" Orh..,. \\ hil'h dl'sig.
1l.:t1t'S this stntcturl', and til<' concrete Olha, \\ hich d('Signah'lo n'al tl.'nUl>
aClu.llizing thl.' stntcturc in l'Olll'rd(' lid&., If this COO<rf:1I: Orhcr is .lh\.lYs
solll('olw-I for ~'ou .llld you for nw-tllal is, in {'ach p"rl't'ptu.lliidd
tilt' SUbjl"(.-t of anotlll'r lidd-Ilw a priori Otl1('T, on til\' oth{'r halld. i"
no Oll{' sinn' stnKtUrl' is lransn'nd"1ll \\ ith n'Slx'C.-"t to til\' h'nns whidl
al'tualizl' it. Ilcm tlu.:n is it to 1)(' t1dinl'd? TIlt' exprl'ssinoness whit'h
ddi!l('s till' slructllrl'~Otlwr is cOllstituted hy til\' cah'gor)' of Ihe pos-
sibil', The a priori Otlwr is tI\\' 1'.\'ISlI:lJre of till' pos.~ihll' in gl'lll'ral, insofar
as til(' possihl,' ''xhits onl~' as I'xprl.'ss('(I-that is, in sollwlhing c'xprl'Ss.
ing il whkh dOl'1'o not n"S\.'mbll' what is t'xpn'S.';;(·d (a torsion of thr
('Xprl'SS(,(! in Ihat \\ hil,h l'Xpn'SSl"S it), Wlwn Kkrk<'!!.aanl's hero Jt'·
mands "tll(" possiblt', tht' l)l(N:ihll' or I :.hall suffocatl'," "hell Jamt'S
longs for the "OX~"gl.'ll of pos..~ihi'it~,." thl'~' an' onl~' ill\"oking tllt'.l priori
Othl'r. W(, ha\'(' Irit'Cl 10 sho\\ in this Sl'nSl' hem th(' OlheT nmditions
till' I'm ire Ix'ret'ptllal l-idd. till' application 10 this tidd of tilt' ,'att'gori('s
of till' l>l'rn'iwd objl'l..·t and Ill\' dinll'nsions of thl' 1X'rt"d\"ing suhje('t.
_and linall~', till' distrihution of l'OIlCI'l'h' Otlwrs in each lidd. In facI,
l:h'r"l'ptual laws alT('(,ting Ill\' l'nnstitutioll of olJil'(,ts (lonn-hackground,
t·tl',', till' tl'ml>orai dt'tl'nnin.ltion of til\' ~uhj,'ct. and till.' sUl'("("Ssi\"('
dl'wlopnwm of worlds, S('(.·m('(! to liS to dq:h.'lld on tlw 1>OS.<;;iblt, as th('
1'otntctuft,-Otlll'r, h'('n dt'SiTI', \\ ht,tlll'r it hi,' dl'Sin' for tht' objl'(,t or
dl""irl' for Otllt'rs, dl'I:h'mL.. nn this stnll'tUTt', I ch'Sin:' an obj("('"t onl~' as
l.·xprt·sSl"(! by til\' Otlwr in thl' modI' of til\' possibll': I "('Sin' in thl'
OtlWf only thl' Ix)ssihl(' \\orlds thl' Olhl'r l'xpn'sSt's. '1'1](' Other apl)('arlo
as that whidl organizl's Hl'll1l'nts into I:arlh, .md l'arth into Ixxlil's,
1)()(lil's into obj,'c·ls. ,lIld which n'gulah's and nwaSUl'I'S (Jhjn·t, pt·n','p·
lion, ami dl'sin' all at onn'.
\Vh,lt i., til\' M'IN' of till' "HohinMln" til·tion? \Vhal i.. a HuhiINIIl.ld,'?
\1'1'1 \,1111:\
A world \\ ithoUl Otht'TS, Toum;"r .1"uml·S th.lt Hohinson, Ihrough
much sufTlTing, dist:m'l'TS and ('onqlu'n- ,1 grl'al 11,'alth. to the' ('Xh~t
th.lt things "ml up ht'ing organi7l'(l ill .1 lllal1lwr (Iuih' (lifTrn'nt Ih.:tll
t11l'ir orgalli/.ation in th(' prl"S\.'nl'(' of til\' (>tlU'l'S, Th('~' lil.,.,'ratl.' .In im,'gl'
\\ ithoul Tt'1'o('mhlanC"e, or thl';r 0\\ 11 dOll iii,' \\ hkh is nonnall~' n'pn'Sst'(I,
This douhl,' in tum l;lx'ratl'S pliTt· t'!"IlWIlIS wllid1 arl' ordinariI\' Iwld
prisOlwr. 'I'll\' world is not disturl)('d h\' til\' ahs('n('" of tilt' Olh"'r: on
till' contr.lr\', il is till' gloriolls doubl(· 0'; til\' world whi('h is found to Ill.'
hiddt'n Il\' its prl's('n('~', This is HohirNm's disl'o\"t'l'\': thl' disl:owr\, of
thl' slIrl:,'l'l·. of the ('knwntal l)l,'\'ond, of till' "otl;l'rwisl'-Ollll'r': fd;
/'.lulr(" qu'umrw), \Vh~' tlwn do \\~, haH' till' impn,""sioll that Ihis gn'at
Ilmhh is 1",'rwl'Sl" ami that this "n'( tifJ('alion" of 11ll' \\orld anti of
c1l'sir<' is also a dc\'iation and .l p.,'rH'TSion? Rohinson l·xhibit:. no
I>o.'rwrst' hd1a\'ior, But ('\'cry' stlld~' or "H'~' nowl of Ix'n'('rsion stri\'C'S
10 manif,'st thl' existence of a "lX'n','TSl,' 1'otnJ(1IlTl'" .lS till' prilll'ipll' from
1\ hich IX'r\"l'rsl' hella\'ior e\'entllall~' prol·',(·c!S. In this s('nSt', the pl.'n"t'rSl'
.,truclurl' llla~' Ix, slx'ci~il'(l as that whit-h is 0PI:h)sl'd to till' siructllr....
Other and takl's ils place'. Ami just as l'IlIll'I'l'tl' Otlwrs ar,' actual and
\',lriabll' t{'nns aClualizing this struclun,-Otlll'r, till' pl'rH'rt's Ill'ha\"iors,
al\\a~'s pn'supl>osing a fundalllt'ntal all1-\'!KI' of tlU' Otlll'TS, an' hUI
\ariab/(' h'm1s aC"tualizing thl.' pen'I'TS(· slnll'tun',
\Vh~' dOl'S the !X"n'('n ha\"(' tht, knll,'m'\' 1'0 im.lginl' himSl,lf as a
radiant angt'!, .In angd of h(,lium and lin'? \\;h~' dOl'S ht' haw-againsl
till' t'urth, f(,rtilization, and till' objt't,ts of dl.·~in'-tllt' kind of hatn'(!
\\ hidl is "lrl,.:td~' found sysIl'l1laliz(,d in Sadl'? Tourni,'r's nowl dOl'S not
inknd 10 "xplaill-il shows. In this matll1\'r, il n'joins, Il\" WI'\' difTl'n'nt
\1,l~'S, n'("'m ps}·cho.1nal),lil' studks whkh mal" n'm'\\' tI~(' st.~ttlS of tl1\'
conn'pt of I:hT\"l'rsion and disentangl,' it from ;h(' moralizing IJll("l'rlainlv
in \\ hich il was mainlaim'tl hy till' ("omhitl\'C! lorn'S of p;~'chialry an;1
lilt' la\\, 1..1l'.l1l and his S('hool insisl profoundl\' on th,' Iwn'Ssit\' of
undlTstanding pen'('I'S\' I".'h.u'ior 01\ tilt' ha.,is 'of a flrllC'fllf", am'l of
ddin;ng thi" lotnt(-IUn' \\ hil,h l"Omlitions I)(,ha\·ior. 'l1w\, 011..;0 insbt on
11ll' lll,llllwr in \\ hieh d,'Sirl' lII11lc'r:gt>o.'J! a M.lrt nf Jispioum..m in this
~trllclur,', ,md tilt' maru1l'r Iw which till' Caus.: of d,'~irl' is thus (ktadwd
from Ih.. on,,'rl: nn till' 1\"1)" 'in which till' dlf!i:rcfln: ?f ~'.u'S is t1isa\"O\H'd
h~' til\' 1)('1'11'(1, in Ihl' intl'n'st of ,111 androg)'nous \\orld of douhh'~; on
lilt' alll1ulnwnl of til\' Otll\'r insidl' p\T\"l'rsion, 011 thl' position of a
..I....·\"onll th,· Otlwr" (11/1 UII-Jrlti ck /',IIIIrI') or (If an "otllt'l'\\ is(' 01111'1'''
1'9
 (un Ilmf.. qll'OWfUl). as if till' Utlwr dist'ngage<1 in the ('W:- of till' Ix'rH'rt
his 0\\1\ mi'wphor: linall)'. the)' insist on perverse "dl~ubjl'l'th'ation"­
for it b n·rt.lin that nl'itlll'r til(' \·i<.-tim nor the ac<.'omplin· function as
Others,n l"Or t'xample. it is not Ix--cause he has a 11(...."<.1 or a dl-'Sire to
makl' thl' other suffer that the sadist strips him of his qUJ,lit~· of lX"ing
an Othl·r. The con\"Crst." is rather the case: it is hccaust: h('" is lacking the
stnl<'"tun·-Othcr and lin~s within a compll"td)' different structufC, as a
<"O!u/ition for his living world, that he appn"hcnds oth('TS sonll'timcs as
\'ictims and sometimes as at:complil'cs. but in neither case <!~s he
apprelwnd tllt'm as Otlwrs, On the contrar)', he alwa)"S apprdll'nds
them as "otherwist' Othcrs" (Ilwm' qu'aulrll;). It is striking to sec in
Sadc's work to what l'xh'nt victims and accomplices, with their neces-
sary re\·eTSibilit)'. arc not at all grasped as Others, Ratlwr, tluo)' arc
grasped sometiml-"S as d(,testabl<-' bodies and sometiml'S as doubl<-'S. or
allied elements (certainly not as doubles of the hero. but as their own
doubl<-'S, alwap outside of their bodies in the pursuit of atomic de-
ments).llJ
The fundamental misintcrpn·tation of pl·n·ersion. based on a hast)'
phenomenolog~' of pen't'TSC bch'l\'ior and on certain legal exigen<.:il'S.
consists in bringing p<'rwrsion to bear upon certain offenses commiUl-'t!
against Others. E\'e~·thing peTSllad<.'s liS. from the point of \'il'\\' of
behavior. that pt'rwrsion is nothing without thl' prl'scnce of till' Other:
\'oyeurism. l'xhihitionislll. ('tl', Hut from thl' point of dew of the
structure. the contrar), must be asserted: it is Ix:causc th<.' structure-
Other is mis.~ing. and is n'placed by a compll·td), difT('fcllt structure,
that the n'al "otlwrs" an' no longer able to pia)' the rok' of temlS
actualizing the lost primar~' stru<.1.ure. Real "others" can only pia)' now,
in the SffOnd structure. til<-' role of bodics-\'ictims (in til<-' \'cr:o' particular
sense that th(' JX'n'<.·rt attrihut<.'S to bexlit-"S), or th(' role of aC<."Ompli{'(~s­
doubk-s. and acromplices-c1cmt-'nts (again. in thl' \'<.'ry particular sense
of thl' pen'crt), The world of thl' per\"crt is a world without Others,
and thus a world without II\<.' pOSSible. Thl' Otlwr is that which fl'nders_
-possible. The..' Ix'n·us<.' world is a world in which the catt'go')' of the
n('cessar~' has completel)' rCJ>lacL't.1 that of tI\<.' possible, This is a strange
• Spinozism frolll which "ox)'gcn" is lacking. to tilt' bendit of a more
l'I('ll\<.'ntar)· t'Ilerg)' and a more ran,llL'(1 air (Sk)'-Nl'c<-·ssit)'). All pern'r-
sian is an ..Otlll'r-cidL·... and all "altrucidl,... and t1wrefofl' a murdt'r of
the possibll·. But altrucidt, is not committ(·d through lX'rH'rSl..' bdla\'ior.
320 AI'I'l.,NDIX
it is pR'SuppoSt'(1 in the !X'n'('rsl' ~t1'tlt'tun'. This docs not ket:p thl'
pc:r\"ert from lX'ing a pen'ert. not (,omtitutionall)·. hut at tlw end of .lll
adwIHuf(' whi<"h surd)' has paSSl'(! through Jl{'urosis and hrushCfI ul>
against pS~Thosis, 'Jltis is what Tournil'r SUggL'Sts in this l'xtraordinar:o'
no\·d: we must imagine Robinson as pl'n'CTS("; the..' onl~' Robinsonad(·
possible is pcn"t"l'"sion itself
lj. ZOtA AND Till:: CltACK-lIl'
In I.a Beti' ill/maine the follOWing C(,Il'hrah..d passag(' can be found:
-111l' fall1il~' was rcalJ)' not quite nonnal. and many of tlll'm had sonw flaw, At
n'rtain timt'S. he coull! dearly fc..'C1 this h('f\'(litar;' taint. not that his health
\\',u bad, for it was onl\· nen'ousll{'SS allli shamt: about hi.~ attacks that had
malic him los<.- Weight in his carl~' da~'s, Hut tht·ff' WCf(' ,utat:ks of instabilit~· in
his IX'ing. Ioss<'S of equilibrium lik(' (Ta('k.~ or holC'S through whkh his person-
.Ilit~, seemed to It'ak away. .lmKl .lI sun of thkk \1\pour that defonnl.'tl
t,\,(',":"thing.... 1
11('fC Zola launchL'S an important theme. one that will be taken up in
other fOnTIS and by other means in modern literature and one alwa}'s
found to have a pri\'i1cgl-oO relationship with alcoholism: the theme of
tlw crack-up (Fitzgerald. Lowr)'),
It is important that Jacques Lantier, the hero of l.a /lEu Irumaine, be
sound, Vigorous, and in good health. for tlw crack docs not designate a
rout(' along which morbid ancestral elements will pass. marking the
h<KI~', Zola in fa('t happens to express himself in this manner, but this is
on!~' a matter of n:mwnience, It rna)' ('\'('n lx, the case for ccrtain
. .
dlaract'Cr!i-t1w weak and thc jitt('I'"\', But to be I)rt-'Cis(:. the\' arc not
tlw on<.'S who t'arn' the crack-or it is not b\' \·irtu<.' of this alonc that
the..'~· carr:o' it. I-Ien~it~, is not that which pa~-s through tlw crack. it is
tlw crack itself-the imtx'rcq>tibk' rift or the hole..', In its truc SCIlSt"
tIll' nJ,t-·k is not a crossing for morbid herl't.lity; it alom' is the hCR'(litary
and lhl' Illorhid ill its l'lltirety. From one health)' Rougon-Mat:<luart
hod~' to anotlwr it transmits nothing other than itself, E\"I'r)'thing n'sts
on til\' p.lfadox. that is. lhl' {'onfusion of this heredity with its whick'
or Ill{'<lns. or thl' ('un fusion of what is transmitted with its transmission
-till' l>.lradox of this transmission whil'h transmits nothing other than
l'liANTA"M ANI> ;\!OUJoltN I l'l1·ltATUIU· Pi
ill-l,lf: tlw n'rl"lJr,11 l'r,lek in a \'igorous hod~' or tl1l' IT,'\ in' of thought.
\Vith lilt' "XCl'ptioll of Jl'ddl'nls, as w(' shall Sl'l', till' '$ow,," is \'igorous
.1IId Ill'altl\\', HUI tilt' ':9amen" is tlw nal'k-nolhing hUI till' naek,
Linder Ihe~' l"ClIlditions. thl' nack lakt'S on thl' apP"d~r'1IIn' of .Ul l-pil'
llt-:-tim',
,- going from onl' sian'. or 0111' b(xh'- 10 anotlwr, fonninlJ till' red
~ ~
thn'del nf til<' RougolH\bequart,
What is <IiStrihutl'(l around tht, naek? Whdt is il that :-IIJmh at its
1'1lg1'S? It is II hat Zola l,.. lIlo til(' h'mpt'ranWnL'i', till' instim ll-, "till' big
.1pIJt'tih'S," But "tl'IllI:ll..ranwm" or "instill<:t" doc'S not tll'~ignah' a
p~~'dlO-ph~'siologieall'ntity, It is a notion far mon' rich amlmmTl'h'-
a "non'listie" notion. '1l11' inslincts dl"Signatl' Illl' conditiolh (If lift, and
~un'i\'al in gl'm'ral-tlll' nmtlitions of thl' l'onscn'ation of a kintl of lift'
d,'h'nni!wli in a historical and loudal milit'u (hl'rt'. thl' SN'olltl t:-.mpire).
This is why 2ola's l'IOurgl'Ois l'an casily naml' thl'ir Viel'S. their lack of
gl'rwrosil~' and tlwir ignominies as \,irtul's; l'onn'rSl'l)', this is wh)' til('
poor arl' oftl'll n'ducctl to "instincts" Iikt' akollOlism, which t'flxn'ss till'
hislOricall'ondilions of tlwir lin's and thl'ir onl), wa)' of plltting lip with
a historicall\'. dl'h'rmilll'd lifl', Zol:i's "naturalism" is alwa\'s . historical
and soda!. Inslinct, or appl'titl', has thcn'forl' dinTsl' f,ln's. Sonll'tinll's
it l'xprl'sscs tilt' manru.'r b~' which thl' Ixxl~' l'ons,'n','s itself in a gin.'n
la\'orahll' 1'IH"ironml'nl; in this Sl'nSl', instilU"t is itsdf \'igor and health,
Som,'timl's it I'Xprl'SSl'S lilt' kind of lif(, Ihal .1 hod~' im't'nts in onlt'r to
tum to its own ad\"antagl' whal thl' l'nl'ironnll'nl gi\"l's, 1'\"1'11 if it hds to
dl'Stro~' olher Ixx-lil'S, In thi~ l"St.', instinct is an amhiguous power,
SOI111'timC'S it CXprl'SSl'S tilt' kind of lifl' without which a Ixxl~' multi not
support its historit'all~' dl'h'nnilll'lll'xistt'nn' in an unfa\'orable ('m'iron-
me-nt, t'n'n if this nll'ans till' dt'Slnll'tion of it.sc:,lf; in Ihis scn.sc:', akohol-
ism, pt'n'l'rsions, iIInl'SSt'l>, and l"'l'n st'nilit~· .In' in,..tim'ts. In!>tincts tend
tn tUnSt'n'I', insofar as Ihe~' alwol~'s l'xpn'Ss til(' ('!Tort of Ix'rfX'tuating a
wa~' of lift', But this 1Ie1) C!f f!f~, ami the instinct ill-df, m.l~' Ill' no less
c!estnlcti,'e than '\·on.sc:'n'ath'C" in tilt' strkt SI'ns,' of tilt' word. Instincts
manifest d'~"IllTatioll, tilt' suddell arri\'al of .In illrll'ss-the loss of
Iwalth no less th.1II health itsl'lf. No Illath'r what fonn it takes, instinct
is Ill'\"t'r l'onfus,'d with the crack. Rather, it maintains slrict though
\'ariabl,' rdalions wilh till' na('k: sOllll'tinws, and thanks to Ihl' health
or tilt' I)()(I~', it CO\'l'rs il O\"l'r and nwnds it, as Ill'st it can, for a gn'atl'r
or sllOrh'r Il'ngth of timl': sonll'tim,'s till' in.~tinl"1 Ilid,'ns till' lTack,
pm\'itling it \\ ith anotlll'r ori"IHation whidl l'OkUSl'lo till' pil'l"'s to splin-
P2 AI'I'I-NI>IX
tl'r, pro\'Oking tlll'n'h)' an aCl'id"nt in Ihl' decrl'pit ."atl' of Ihe hotly, In
1. 'Jhwmolf, for l'xample, in tilt' hou!>l' of l;l'n'aist.', lilt' ak'uholil' instim't
l'Onlt'S to dOllhl,' till' original dl,fl'l·t of 11ll' nal'k, W,' 11'<11'1' asid(' for till'
moment till' <IUI'Stioll of kno\\ in~ \\ 1ll't1ll'r that' an' am' t'\'olutin' or
ideal instim'ts l'apablc of tran~fo~lillg till' l'rack. '
Through thl' nack, instinct~ Sl'('k till' ohjt'(·t whit-h corn'Sponds to
Ihl'm, in tlu.' historical and ~ociJI l"in'UI1l:-tJIl(",'l> of Iheir kiml of lift':
wim', mOI1l'~', pO\\l'r, WOIlll'n, , , , One of thl' fl'mininl' t~·JX'S pn'farl'll
h}' 20la is thl' Ill'n'ous \loman, l'n1:-lll'(l undt'r an abundann.' of hlack
hair, pas...,iw, hidden to Iwrsdf, :.o1ll''OIll' \\ ho II ill unleash hCl"S(,lf in Ihl'
romantic t'IKounter (such is tht, t:aSl' \\ ith Th('ri'Sl' in 'lhlrese &qum,
wrillt'n bl'fon' till' Rougon SlTil'S, dnt! .llsa with SC\"l'rinl.' in La Bill'
hI/maIne), A tcrrihle l'ncolmtl'r betwl"l'n m'nT'S and hiOOlI, an t'ncountl'r
betwl'C"n 11l'n'OliS and sanguine ICmpaanlt'nts rl'produl'l'S till' Rougon's
origin. 'l1ll' cncounh'r ('aUSl'S thl' nal'k to n'sonatl'. Thl' eharaetl'fs who
arl' not of the Rougon famil), (like S[.wrirll', for l'xampl,') may inter\"enl'
as Ohjl'CIS to which the instinct of a H.ollgon is (asll'lll'(1, hut also as
IKing thl'msl'ln's pro\'itl('d with instincts and h'll1paanWllI, and linally
as accomplicl's or "Ill'mit's who providl' ,'\'idl'nCl' of a secret nal'k
ant.'cting thl'1ll and linking lip with thl' otlwr. Thl' spida-Iike nal'k: in
till' ROlIgon*Manluart famil)'. c\'eryt.hing culminJll'S with Nana, a healthy
and nil'l' girl basically, wit.h Ok \'igorous botl~', \\ ho makes hl'rsdf int'o an
Ohjl'(:t in onll'r 10 (asl.'inall' th(' others and 10 l'ommunil'atl' hl'r cral'k or
to rl'wal tht' l'ral'k of others-a foul scrmen, TIll' pri\"il''gt-d rok' of
all'Ohol al.sc:) IJt'longs hl'rl': it is undcr conr of thi~ "Ohjl'Ct" that till'
instint't brings about its most profound linkagt.' \\ith the crack itself,
'Ill{" I11t't,ting of instilll't and Ohjl'C't fomls a tiXl'(l idl'a, not a fl-'t'ling,
If Zola Ihl' non,list iml'n't'nl~ in his nonls, it is primaril~' in orut'r to
~~' to his n'a<ll'rs: louk out, don't think that it is a qUl'lolion of ft.'t'lings
Ill'rc. \Vl' know wi'll til(' inloistl'nCI' \1 ith II hich Zola, in I_a B;f~ humalllf'
.1'- \\dl as in Thb;~ Roqum, l'xplains thdt lTiminals haw no n'mofS(". Ami
there is no low for 10\"l'r..-l'Xn'pl whl'n thl' in:-tinct i~ lrul~' abl,' "to
pall'll owr" (thl' nal'k) ,lIld to !}('('onw t'lolutiH', It is not .1 (Iuestion of
1m,' or rt'morSl', hUI of torsions and hrl"lkings or, on till' contrar\', of
11I11.~ .lIltl appl'as,'nwnts, in n'lations 1ll'1 wl'I'n"lt'mplT'Ulll'nts \\"hid~ afl'
,lhl~Ys sln'tdl\,tl out owr Ihl' nack. Zola l'xl'l'ls ill thl' tlt-scriptioll of
-. --
11ll' hrid' (",11m l'oming hd()f(' til\' grand ,kn)llIIXlsition ("it is now
l"lorl.lin; IIlt'rl' \\.1:- ,1 !lrtlj.!ressiw disorganization, lik(' a niminJI intiltra-
l'IlAN I '''M ANIl ~1011l1tN I t l l l t .... Tllltl
 tion ... "). TI1I'n' M(' ohviollsly sen'ral reasons in Zola's wurk for this
rdilsal of feding in the interest uf the fixell idl'a. First, \\"1' lllust recall
til\' st~'I(' of till' Iwriod and the importance of tilt' physiologic.ll schema.
"Physiology," since Balzac. had played the literary rok that is today
wstt·d in ps),choanalysis (tilt' physiology of a ('Ountrr or region. of a
pro!,,'ssion, I'tc,), MOfl.'O\·C'r. it is true that. since FIa:llx,rt, f;'('ling has
IX'l'n insl'parable from a failurt" a bankruptcy, or mystification, and that
what the nO\'e1 rdates is the impotence of a character to constitute an
innn life. In this senSt:, natur.llism introduc('d into the nOH,1 three sorts
of characten;; the man marked hy an innr.:r bankruptcy. that is. the
failure; tht' man living artif-j('ial lives. that is, the p(T\"(~rt; ami the man
possessed b), rudinwntar~' sensations and fixed ideas, that is, the Ix'as!.
But in Zola's \\'ork. if the en('Olltllt:r of imtinct and its objl'l't does not
sue('eed in fonning a feding. it is alwa),s becaus(' it occurs OHT the
crack, from one l'dg(' to the other. It is due to the existence of tht'
crack, the great internal Void. The ('Ill ire naturalism therefore aCCJuin's
a new dimension.
In Zola, therl'for(" two lllle(lual ('(X'xisting c~'d('s interfere with eKh
other: small heredil)' 'md srand hcredil)', a small historical ht'rcditv and a
gn'.lt epical heredity, a somatic ht'redity and a germinal hcr~dit\,. a
Iwn'dit)' of instincts and a het(,<!ity of the crack. No mallt'r how st;ong
or constant the conrwction between the two ma), be, tlwy are not
conftlst.'d. Th(' small hen:o:lit\' is the Il('rt'llih' of instincts, in the S('ns('
that till' conditions or kinds 'of life It,d hy th't' an('(.'stors or parellts may
tak(' root in the desn'ndant-sometimt's sewral generations lata-
and act in her as nature. A Iwalth)' foundation. for cxampl(" is rl.discov-
('n'd; alcoholic dt'gradation is passed from one 1X>d)' to the other; or
instinct-object s)'ntlwses arc transmitted at til(' sanw time that life-
styks are rl'constitutt·d. vVhat<'\'er k.lpS it rna)' umlt-rtake, this 11l'n:'dit)'
of instincts transmits something wdl-detl'rminl'd. It "repnxluces" whatt'w'r
it transmits; it is a hereditv of tilt' Same. But this is not at all tht, case
with till' otl1('r l1l'reditv-'tht:' Iwrct!ih' of the cral'k-for, as we h.1\'c
st..'t'n. till' crack transn~its nothing oth~r than itst'lf. It is not tied to a
<.'t-rtain instinct, to an internal. organic tklt'rnlination, or to an ('xt('rnal
(·\"('nt that could fix an objtT!. It transu'nds lift'-styl('s; it therefOr<' runs
its cotlrs(' in a ('ontinuous, imperceplihle, and si/(';/I wa\", fonnin~ the
l'omplt'!t' unity of the Hougon-Mac(luart. Thl' crack tra:lsmits onh' til('
P4 AI'l'I'NDIX
crack, That which it transmits dOt's not allow itself to be dett'rmined,
hcing nl'l"Cssarily \,agut' and diffusl·. Transmitting only itself. it docs not
r('product' that whi(:h it transmits. It dOt,S not r<'produce the "s.lme." It
f('prOtluces nothing, being ('ontent to a(h'amx' in silence and to folio\\"
the lines of least resistancl', A.~ the )It·qx·tual heredity of till' Other, it
alwa),s takt's an ohlique line, being read)" to change dirL'l·tions and to
alter its canvas.
Zola's scientific inspiration has ofh'll lx-en noted. Hut what was th(>
import of this inspiration which was tkrin·d from till' mCi:lical research
of his time? It bean; precisely 011 the distinction Ix,twccn th(: two
hercditi('s, which was e1aborate(! in the contemporary medical thought:
a homologous and wcll-dett:rmined heredity and a "dissimilar or trans-
formational" heredity, with a diOtls(' clla'racter. which is defining a
"neuropathological family."l Now, this distinction is interesting because
it easily f('places the dualism of the hereditar~' and the acquired, or cven
because it renders this dualism impossible. Indeed, the small homolo-
gous heredity of the instincts mOl)' vcr)' well transmit aC(luirl.'{! charac~
teristics, This mav, even be inevitable to the extent that the formation
of the instinct is inseparable from historical and social conditions. As
for the grand, dissimilar heredity. it has with the aCCJuired charal·tcris-
tics an entirely different, though no less essential. rdationship: it is a
question hert' of a diffuse potentiality which is not actualized unless a
transmissihle aC'luirl'd propl'rt)'. whether intern.ll or external. were to
gi\'c it some particular dt'tcnnination, In other words, if it is truc that
the instincts are formed and find their objl.'Ct onl), at til<.' l'dgl' of the
crack, tl1(' crack com'en;dy pursues its course, spreads out its web.
changes direction, and is actuaJizt·d in eacll body in relation to the
instincts which open a way for it. sometimes nwnding it a little.
sOllletimes widening it, up to the tinal shattering-which is always
.1ssurcd b)' the work of th(' instincts. The correlation between the two
onk'rs is thus constant and reaches its hight'st point when till' instinct
has I)('(:onw alcoholic and tlw crack a ddinitin' hreak. The t\\'o orders
are tightly joined togetll('r, like a ring within a larger ring, but they an'
nt'\'t'r c()nftl.~ed.
No\\', if it is fair to note till' influl'net' of sdt'ntilic and 1l11'(!ical
tl1l'orit's on Zola. how unfair would it be not to emphaSize the transfor-
mation to \\'hkh Ill' submittt,d them. the \Vav in whidl he rl'created the
notion of tilt' two IWrt'dities, and thl' puctit' 'forre which he ga\"{' to this
I'HANT;'~M ANll MODI,ltN lITI;H.A"l'Ultl· p~
 notion ill order to Ill,lb' of it the rw\\' Slructlln' of tllt' "familial
romann:," In this e,lS('. till' IllWl'! intl'gratt's two hasic "ll'nwnts which
Wi'l"l' pr\'\'iousl~' foreign 10 it: Drama, with lilt' historic Iwn'dit~, of
illstinds; and Epos. with till' t'jlicallwl'('dity of the crack. A.~ Ih,'~' cross
('a('h otlwr. tlwv foml tht, rhythm of til(' work, that is, till'\" assun' thl'
distrihution o(sollnds and ~il('IlCl'. Zola's no\"(,ls are lill,:d with tilt'
Mltlllds Df tilt' instincts. and the "big app,'tiH'S" of til(' charactt'l"S which
limn a pr(Kligiolls din. As I'DI' tilt' Sil,'IK" which nills from Ollt' nowl to
tht' other and h,'neath ,'aeh nowl, it t'sst'lltially 1X'longs to thl' crack;
Iwneath thl' noist' of tilt' instin("\s, the crack silt'ntlv, I'xh'mls and
transmits itself.
TIlt' tTack (!<-signat"s. and this ,'mptiness is, Dt'ath-tlll' dl'ath
Instinct, The instincts ma~' spt"lk loud, m,lke noisc.', or swarm, hut the)'
.11'1' unable to l'o\"er up this mon' profound siknce, or hidc that from
which they coml' forth ami into whidl till')' r<'turn: the d('ath instinct,
not merclj' one instinct llmQnH olhcrJ. hut the nack itself around which all
of til<' instincts nlllgregalt', In his homagl' to Zola, at oncc profound
and relicl'nl, Ctlim' 11mls ~n"lldian tones to mark tilt' uni\"crs.ll pres~
cm:e, lx-neath the nois\", instiTl('ts, of the silent death instinct:
Th~ s.ldism wllieh i.~ \1)(1.1)' 1'\"lT~'wlwn' Sprillg.~ from J (l,'sin' for nothingn,'ss
which is ~slJbJisllt'd ,k,'p within nUll, t,,~pt,t'iall)" in th.. n1J,~S of mcn-a sort
of amorous, almost ir.... si~tihk and unanimous irnpatit'no' for d"ath.... Our
"'ord, reach lit" mSIIIlC!J (lnd ~m1<'IUll"S touch Ih,'m, bur al lil., wme /lm.. "'e learn Ihm al
11m pollll andfor.-rer, our poll-a com... to II ha!l. .. In the pIa)" of man, till' (!toalh
. . -
Instinct, til(' silent instillt'!, is (!t-dd..t!lv w\'ll pJan'd'I)o.'rhal)~ Jlollf:sid., I,£OiSIll. J
But whah'\'(T C{-line thinks of it. Zola l1<1d alreadv disl'Owred how the
hig app('titl's gral'itatt' around tilt' d..alh instinct; how th..)' swarn1
through a crack which is till' ('I',ll"k of till' {It-ath instinct; how dt'ath
,1ppt'a1'S Ix'neath l'wrv tiXl·d ide,l; hOI\" tilt' death instinct cOllles to he
recogniz('d lJ<'nl'ath ('\"n~' instinct; ho\\' it alom' constilutt,s tilt' grand
h..r.. dit~r of th~ crack. Our words n'ad1 only as far as th.. instincts, hut
it i)'; from till' otl1('r agt'llC~', that is, from til(' death Instinct. that Ihe)'
n-n'iw tlwir st'nst', nons,'ns,'. ami combinations th~rt'or. UndtTlying
t'\".. ry history of th.. instincts is til(' ('IXl),; of ,It-ath. W,' could say initially
that tilt' instincts cO\"t'r on'r death and CllIS,' it to rdn'at; hut this is
temporary, and l'\','n tlwir' noise is fed h~' d..ath. LII Rht' hummlle, with
I"\'gan! 10 Roubaud, stalt'S that ". in tilt' trmrhll'd darkn,'ss of his
ph AI'I'I·NllIX
lIesh, in his tlt'sin' that had IWl'n ~t1l1i('d and was hlt,,'ding, tlwn'
suddenly ruSt' up the Il,Tt'ssit\" of d",lth." Misanl's lixI'(! id..a is thl'
disco\"t'r~' of his wifC"s sa\'ing~; hut Ilt' is unahl(' to pursue this idt'a
without tilt' murder of his wif.. and tilt' t!('molition of th.. house in a
silt'nt facl'~to-l:lCt' strugglt,.
In fA B;rc JWIn/line, the ~SSI'IHi,ll i~ th.. d..ath instint't of tilt' main
charal'h'r, th,' cerehral crack of Jan]ut':o. I ~lntil'r, thl' train l·ondu,·tor. As
a ),oung m,m, ht, has a elt'ar pr..monition of tilt' mallllt'r in which tilt'
death instinct is disguisl'tl lx-neath I'\"(T~' appl'lit('. till' Id,'a of dl'ath
lwnl'ath ,'wr)' I;x~d idea, til(' grand h......dity h..'neath til(' small, which
is Iwld at ba)'-women, at tirst, hut .llso willi'. money-that is,
ambitions whi....h he could quit{' It'gitimatdy ha ...... He has gin'n lip till'
instincts; his sok' object is till' mad1im'. H.. knows that the l'I'ack hrings
death into "\"('1')' instinct, that il pursuI's its work in am! through tht'
instincts; Ill' knows that at thl' Ix--gillning and the end of t'\T~' instinct
ther.. is a <Juestion of killing, and perhaps of b<:ing killed as well. But
till' sil"IKe which Lanti~r cr('atcd within himsdf. in ord.... to 0PIXlS(' it
to tilt' deqX'f silt-nn' of the (Tack, is suddenly int('rrllptl'tl: Lantier has
SI'I'n in tilt' lIash of an instant a murd('r l'ommitted on a passing train
and has Sl'l'n thl' \'ictim thrown onto till' track; hl' has glil'sst'd th..,
,lSs.lssins, Rouhaud ami his wife. S{>\'t'rim'. And as he Il(.'gins to 10\'1'
SC\'l'rim' and to dist:owr th~ n'alm of tilt' instinct, death ~~pr~ads out
within him-for this lo\'(' has l'OI1W from dl'ath and must return to
dt'ath.
Bt'ginning with tilt' (Tinw that till.' Rouhauds "Olmnitlt'd, an ..ntin'
:o.~·stelll of id..ntilication)'; and rq>t'titions is tk\"t'lopt.'d which forms tlw
rhythm of tilt.' hook. Initially, Lanticr idt'ntilil's immediatel)' with til<'
criminal: "Th... oth...r, til(' mall who hdd till' knifl' in his tist, had dan'dl
Oh to han' tIlt' m'r\"(', satisf\' hims,'lf and thrust tilt' knif.. in! It was Ilt'
th,u tilt' dl'sin' had tortllrt'd for tt'n \"..ars!" HOllhaud kill..d tilt' I'n'si~
t!('1H out of jl'alousy, ha\"ing ull{J...rstood th,lI tht' fatt.... had rap,,'d
\{'\"(':-irw wh...n silt' was a child and mad.., him marl'\" a taillt~..d wom,ln.
But alil'r tilt" crim.. h.. id..ntifit,s in a t't'rtain mannt'r I\"ith till' I'I'l'sid..nl.
It i.~ his tum to gin' Lllllil'r his I\"if(' taint"'11 alld criminal. L,ntit'r IlI'gins
to lon' S{-\"l.'l'illt', Ilt"l'aust' ,~IJ(' has pMticip,llt'd in tilt' (Till1\': "It "",lS as
thou,gh ~Ilt" \\t'rl' tilt' dr.'am \\ hieh h,ld h,lrhorcd within his III'sh." At
thi .. point, the tripl,' (".llm m,lb',~ its appl'ar,lnn': tht' e,llm of torpor
I'IIANT \-.,\1 '\NIl MOIlI HI" I I rIIL\'! tllU <'7
 f,llling on'r til\' Illarri,lgl' of till' Houbauds; Ihe calmm':-., of S{on-rim',
redisn.wering Ilt'r innOlTnn' in her lon' for Llntil'r; and el'pel:ially. thl'
('ahum'ss of Lanlil'r. rl'(lisc(Jwring with Sf\'l'rine till' spllt'rl' of instinC"ts
aud imagining that 11(' has lilhl in till' crack; he bdi{'\l's Ihal he will
rW\{'r do:~ire 10 kill stn'rint·-thl" Onl" who killed ("to pm~'S~ Iwr was
to pu:'>.'it'S.'i a pO\l't'rful ('ham1, and sll{' had CUrc'(I him. __ "). HUI thet"(' is
aln:'ad~' a triple disorganization mming to tah' til{' plal'l' uf till' calm,
and following ulICfjual cadl'IlC"L'S_ Houhaud, aftl'r the crinl{'. holl' n'plact,<1
St:~\'erine with akohol as till' objl'ct of his instinct, S{owrilW h...... found
an instincth'(' Ion' whi('h gin'S Ill'r innoc("nn'; but sill' ('annot hdp
gl,tting it tangk'(l up \l ith thl' Ill'l'(l for ...n ('xplidt mnfe..,sion to Iwr
lonr who has nOll("thd('Ss gUl's~,<1 (·\Tt:"thing. And, in Iht' SH'Il(' in
which S{on'rinl' had I>e.·('n waiting for Lantier, just as Houbaud h;lll !x-t'n
waiting for hl'r lX"forl' the (Timl', sill' tdls her IO\-er th(' wholt' storv;
shl' dl'tails Iwr l-onfl'ssion and thrusts her dl'sir(' in Ihl' r('lIll'mbrann' ~f
dl':nh ("th(' thrill of desire lost itsdf in anollwr shudder, that of death
which had l-oml' hat'k !O her",," Frl'l'l)', sill' conft'.~st's till' ainU" to
Lantit'r, just as, llIult'r constraint, sIll' had confessed to Houbaud her
rdations with tilt' Pn'sidt'nl, pro\'oking Iherehy till' (Timl'_ SIll' is no
longa ahle to conjun' awa~' and to diwrt Ill(' image of til-ath which sill'
c.lus(,11 to raise." (·X{·l·pt h~' projecting it onto Houhaud .lIld b~- urging
l...tntier to kill him ("(I...tlltkr) saw himSl·lf "ith the knifl' in his hand,
plunging it into Rouhaud\ throat as Houh...ud had don(' to the throat
of till" Pnosident _, ,"). S
As for Lanticr, S{o\l'rin(''s confl'SSion did not Idl him anvthing n('w,
~'et it terrin('(! him, SIll' should not han' spoh'n_ The wOIll~n he"'lowd,
ami who was "S.lcrc'(!" to him to tht, ('xtcnt that shl' l·t\\"l'Iopctl within
h('rsclf tht:' image of dl'ath, lost her po\\('r as sll{' conft'Ss(·d. and
d<"Signatce.! anothl'r lX)ssihll' \'k1im. Lanlit'r dOl.'S not suc('l'(.,d in killing
Houhaud_ 1-1(" knows that 11<' will be ablt' to kill onl}' til{' Objl'(.-t of his
instinct. This paradoxical situation-in which thos l' .1bout him (Hou-
haud, S(o\'erin(', Misard, HUrl') kill for rl'aSOll~ t1ra\\n from othl'r in.
stim'ts. but Llntil'r (who Iwn'rtlll'lt'ss I)('ars Iht' pUrl' d('ath instinct)
l-annot kill-can 1)(' rt'solwd only through the murdl'r or S(on'rilll'.
Llnticr It'ams that 1111' min' of thl' instincts had t1t'l't'in'd him, that his
"instim:ti\'l'" low for Sc\'erin\: had onl\' sl'l'nwd to lill in tIl\' cral:k, and
thaI till' noise produCl'd Ill" till' inslinl'~s l-o\'en,d OWl' tilt' silt'lll Instinct
of (kalh only for a rnon~enl. Ill' Il'arns that it is S{on'rint' \\hom Ill'
ps AI'I't-NDIX
must kill in ordl'r for the smalll1l'rl'dit~' to link lip with Ihe grand, and
fix allllw instincts to enter the tTal:k: To haw Iwr dead, like Ihe earlh!;
"the same kind of stab as for Presidl'lll Grand morin, in the saml' plan',
with thl' same sa\'agel)' ,. _ tlll' 1\\0 murders were coupk'(! tog('t!wr_
\Vas not one t!l{' logical OUlconw of til{' other?"6 S{owrint· senses a
dang,'r all around her, bUI sill' inll'rpn·ts it .lS a barrit'r Ix,t\\"('('n Iwrsclf
and Lantil'r. due to Roubaud's l'xiSh'un'_ It is, howen~r. not a barrier
bctwl'Cn th(' two of them, but till' spida-lih' crack in Lantier's brain
-its sil("nt working. AftlT murdering Sl,\\"l'rine, Lantier will ha\-(" no
remoT"S4.': alw:",s this health. this sound Ixxh'-"Ile had ne\"<"r felt
\,...tter, had no'rl'nlOrsc and M-"Cml'd rl'lit'n"ll of a bun.len. happ~' and al
pt'acc"; ..... e\'('r since tht, murder hI' had fdl calm and balancro and
had cnjo)"("'(1 pcrfL'Ct hcalth_"7 But this health is cn-n marc ludicrous
than if thl· Ixxl)' had fallen ill, undermined by alcohol or by another
instinct_ This peaceful, health)' Ixx!)' is no more than a terrain ripe for
Ihe crack and fOCKI for the spider. He will ha\-e to kill other women_
Wilh all of this health, "hc had finished H\'ing, then' was no longer
anything before him cxu'pt this profound night, a limitless despair in
which he f1 L,<I." And whl'n his old fril'nd. Pl'C<!UCUX, ath~mpts to throw
him ofT the train, C\'en his IxxJiI)' prot'('St, his reflcxt'S, his instinct for
prl'scn-ation, his struggle against Pce<!ueux. arc ludicrous reactions
\\ hich ofTer Lantkr up to the great Instinct all thl' more dearly than if
Ill" had committL,<! suicidl'. and carry him away. along with PL"Cqueux,
toward a common death_
-111(' force of Zola's work is in scencs with differo:'nt partners which ceho
ont' anoth£'r_ But what is it that assures the distribution of scenes, the
rangl.' of characters, and till" logic of thl.· In.'itinct.? The answer is dearl}'
til(' train. The no\'d opens with a sort of balll,t of engim.'S in the station_
In !larticular, the f1l.'Cting sight of the PR'Sidl'llt's lllurdl'r is, in the case-
of Lamia. pn'(:("(!l,<1, glimpSL"l1 at, and followeJ b~',!lassing trains which
al>,'iUllli.' di\-crst· functions (l-h, 2). The train appl..·ars first as that which
rusIn'S hy, a lllobilt· slx'ctade linking the "holl' earth and nwn of e\'{'~'
origin or l'n:r)' cOllntrr ~'et it is already till' slx'ctad,' spTl'MI Otlt Ix'forl'
a d~'ing woman-an immobile crossing guard being rnurlkrl..,<1 slowl),
by Iwr hushand. Tlwn a s('<:ond train aplx'ars. sl'l'mingl)' this tinw
lilrming ,1 giant hod~', tr,lCing a crack on it, and communil-aling this
lTJl"k 10 lilt' \'arth and 10 tlw hous('s-aml "on l'itlll'r sidl' . __ ('It'rnal
I''''''NTA"M "NI> MOlll-ltN 11Tl-ltATliRI' P9
 passion .md l"t"rnal ITinw... A Ihird and fourtll train ~hn\\ tilt" I.:k,m·nts
M
of 1111' Ira\·k: dl"'p tn'ndws, ,·mbankllwnt's·barri(:adt·s. ,md 11ll1nds. A
lilih. "ilh its lighl.~ and Iwadlamps, <-drrit.·S ninw "ilhin ii, sinn' tilt'
Houhaud;. an' ('ommitting tht.·ir llmnl,'r insidt.· it. Final]\., ,1 :.ixth train
link.... logdlwr tilt' forn'S of tht: lllleons<.'ious, indifft"rl'nt·~,. Jlld nWllan'.
l!,r.uing on Oil(' side' tilt' hl'ad of thl' Ilmrdl'R't.1 man and 011 1I1l' otlwr
~11l' IJ(;'I~' of til(' \'o~'l'ur-a purl' dl'ath Instinct. hlind and d,·af. Ilow-
l'\t'r damorous til(' train mol\' 1)(', it is dt'af-and in Illis \\,1\. ~i1,·nt.
Tilt' rt'al !1waning of tilt" train appl'ars with Ijson, tlw'I()l:omotin-
tlrin'n b~' Lantit'r. Initially. it had ukm th,· plan' of all tilt' in"tinctual
ohj("Ct.., that Lantk'r had rt·110UI1CI't.1. It is itS<'lf prest:lul't.l a!'< ha\'illg an
instilwt and a h'l1llx'ralllt'llt: ..", slle 11I't.'(lt·d too mudl oiling, tht'
c~'lindt.,rs in lX1rtkular l'\msurm·d quitl' ullreasonahk· qualltitil"S of oil, an
insatiable thirst. a n'al dd>.l11dl...... Now, wllat appli('s to tilt' lacomotin-
applies also to humanity, wht:Tt· the din of till' instin<:ts rd~'TS to a
.,e(Tet (Tack-th... human Ika.~1. In Ihe chaph'r whkh tdls of Ihe trip
urul"T1aken during til(' snowstorm, Lison plung"s Ill'adlong ova till'
Ira(·k as if into a llarrow crack in which it ('an no long('T advanl'.... And
wlll'n it linally fn'l's itsdf, it is thl' engine that has na('k(,d, "slricken
som('wlwrC' b\'. a mort.ll hlow." Till: jOllTlU'\' -
. dul!, out til(' nark that the
illstinct-tlle appl:titt· lor oil-Ilad mnn·alt'(l. Ik~'oml the lost in-
stim·t. tlw ma<-,hilw is Tt'\'t'al,'d mon' ami more as tilt' imagl' of dt.'ath or
as til(' purt: death Instinct. And wllt'n Hon' pro\"okt's til(' d,'raill1lt.·nt, it
is no longer d"ar \\ hl'tlll'r it is till' machint.' that is 'L"Sassinatt't.l or
\\Ilt'tlll'r it is tilt' mal'hillt· that kills. And in tilt' tinal Mo't'll\' of tht.· no\"e1,
till' nt·w mal'hin<-", without a l'orulu<-,tor, l-arri,'S its ('a~o of dnlllkl·n.
singing soldit.·rs toward lI'·.lth.
'Ill(' I(x:omotiw is not an Ohjl,(1., hut an "Ilk s~'mhol, a great I'han-
tasm, Iikt· till' ont'S wllil'h ofll'n appear in Zola's \\ork, rdlt'('ting all of
till' th('nws and sitll.ltions of the hook. In all of till' Rougon-Mat'quart
nowl.~ that· is an ,'nOTlllOUS fantasiz('tl olljl"Ct that pl.lyS th<-" roIL'S of
pial...·• witl1l'SS, ami ag,'nt. TIlt' "pic C"haral'h'r of Zola's gl'nius has often
l)('t'1l "rnplusiz,"'tl, \"i~ihl,· as it is ill til(' strlll'tun' of lilt' work and in the
Sll('(·(·s.~ion of plaru's. "adl on,' of whirh ,'xhallsts a Ih,'m,·. This is
t'videllt if one t'ompar,'s /.(/ &~IC hUI/l(J//lc with n,h,~,q: Roqwll. a non.:1
pn'l'('ding tilt' H()llgoll~Ma('qllart s,'ri,'s. TIl\' two hooks sli,ln' many
sirnil,lTiti,'s: tilt' nlllrtlt'r \\hidl ti,'s tilt' ('ouplt'; tilt' progl'l'ssion of d,"lIh
anti til\' pron'ss of disnrg.lIlization; tilt' r,·s,·rnhl."ll"· of Th{'rt's,' and
1\0 :\1'1'1 NlllX
S"wrint": ,lml tilt' ahs"!\ct' of n'mor",' or tllt' lit-ilia I of inh'rioril)". But
rhhtse Ro"ul/l is lh,· tragi<' \·(,r:.ion, \\ Iwn·.ls I (/ Bill.' Ilul/lom.' is 1111' l'pil'
wrsion. \Vhat Tt'alh- tak,·s n'IlIt'r :.tal!,'· in Ihir,~s•." Raqllm is instinct.
tt:lllpt:ranll'lIl. and till: opposition uf tl~" h'll1llt'ralllt'nt.<; of TIlt"'rl'Sl' anti
. -
l.....lln·lIt. Alill if t111'rt' is a tran:,u'ntl"!\l,l', it I:; onl\' Ihal of ,1 judl!,(' or of
an illt'XUrabl" \\ itllt's" who ~\'mholi/t'~ Ihl" tral!,il- tll·slim·. Thi~ i:. \\ It\'
till' mit- of til(' :'~'mbol or of ~Ill' tragil gutl i:. I~dd by M~danlt' Raqui';,
Ill(" mutt.' ami l>dral~~I.I't.1 motlwr of th,' mUTtI!'T \ it't im, pr''Sl'nt through-
out the d,'('(>mpo:.ition of thl' lawn.. TIlt' JWllkJ. thl' .It.!wnturl· of tilt'
in:;linl.1.s, is rt'ik'(·t('tl only in tilt· losm rt'J>n~'ntl'tl h~' Ihe Ilmt\·!\t'S., of
the old \\oman anll b)' Iwr t'xpn~i\t' lixit~. III 1111' ('an' l.l\"islu'tlujxm
heT I)\' l.....un'llt and the' theatril'al d,'(·lar,ltioll:' m,llil' Iw 'l1u"rt'S(' on hl'r
1>I'half, then' is a Iragic intensity \\ hich hJ..~ ral'd~' I>I... ·I~ 1'qll.lIlI,(1. Kut 10
1)(' precist." Ihis is onl}' the tragi<' prdiguralioll of 1..0 &~rc humtJIrn:. In
Tht!ro:se RiJqlllll, Zola dOl'S not ~'et makt· u:.,· of tilt' qlk method wllieh
,lllimatcs thl.' l~ollgon-Mac(lu.lTt entl'rpri~(',
\Vhat is ,'ssl'mial in Ihe l'pic is 3 douhl,' Tt-gish'r in whieh thl' gods
,lCtin:J~' pl.l)' oul, in thl.'ir own way anti on allotlwr pl.lm" the ad\'cllllll'l'
or lllen and of tll<-'ir instincts. TIll' drama in Ihis ("lS,' is rdll'l.:tl.'tl in .111
"!X1S-tlll' small gl'ncalog), is rt'ill'cll'd in a grand g"nealog~', the small
Iwn'(lit~· in a big Ill'Tlxlity, ami a small mam'lIla in a lars" mam.'lIlw. All
~orts of l'OIlSl.XIUCnl'l·s follow from thi:;: till' pag.m dlara<-'ter of tilt' cpk;
til(' opposition lX'tw('Cn ('pi<-' and tragi(' d(·~till~·: til(' opc.'n sp.ln· of the
<'POS as 0PI)()S('(! to tlU' dOSl.-d span' of trag,'tl~'; ami {'S1)('('iall~', tilt'
din~'n'nCl' of til<-' symbol in tht.· t'pic and till' tragic In 1..0 Bire humam.... it
il' no 10nl!,I'r a men' witll<-'SS or a jUdgl'. but ratlll'r an ag'-'nt or a lidd of
.ll'tion (11w train), \\hkll plays the ml,· of thl' :'~'mhol \\ith rC'Sp<,t:t to
lilt' ~ton' .lml l'nacts till' larg(' IllJl1l'u\t·r. It Iral't.'lo tlwn'fon' an open
'I>.ln· or; tilt, st:all' of a nation and a l-i,·ilization. illl'ontrast to Ihe d()S('(1
'I>.ln' of 1hCr~se Ro.,lIm. \\hkh is dominall"ll sold~' h~' tilt' old \\oman's
gol/t·. "So man)' nwn ami \\Ollwn \\l'n.' ru;.hing pa:.t in tilt' tllund,'r of
tr.lin... . It was a (.lei that all till." world \\I'llt tw, ... But tilt'\' \\I'nt Iw
in .1 !lash and ~Ill' \\a.' rwwr quilt· ~lln' :.Ilt' r,:ally h.ld l""'n't1lt'lll,"IU
TIlt' douhl,· rq~i . . tl'r, in 1..0 R;/c hi/malllc. ('olll'isls uf nois\' instinct:. .Iml
.
p"lh l)t'('ur~ Oil t\\O "'\'I'k till' InTis of 1m'" and death, of ,wnw ,\lid
-
til\' l"r,lCk-lh~' sil,·nt d,'ath Instinct. A..; a n'sllh. "wr\,;hing that hap-
.'I"TI1h."ll. or tilt' t\\lJ Iwn·diti,'s. TIlt' StOl')' is duplie.llt'd hy an <I'0s. 'I'll\'
inl'tint"l.. . or tl'mpl·r.llllt'llb no longl'r ()('t'upy thl' "l'S"lllial IXlsitioll. Tlll'~'
1,,1,\:-'1 ,\,1\1 .0\1\11 ,\II)lll'KN IIIIKATUKI ll'
 tield and agl'nt, I.e f)octclIr Pascal, till' tinal nowl of till" scril's. shows this
swarm "hOll! and within till' train, but the train itsdf is till.' t'Pi<:
n'pn·.~t·ntalion of till' death Instinct. Ci\'ili.....ation is l'\'aluatt'd from two
l'pic Ix>int ~f till" Hlrning I)'l~k of tll'alh 1I1XlIl itself, of till' transmutation
1>1.'1":'IX'('1 in-s, from til\' point of "it'W of till' instim:ts which it d...· II·nnint's
of instincts and of the id('alizJtion or till' (T.ll'k. in thl' pure ,'kment of
and from tilt' point of "ICW of the crack which dl'tl'nnilll's it. "s<'ientil;c" and "progressi\'ist" thuught wherein till' gl'lll'alogical tn't'
In til\' world of his tim(', Zola disco\"{'IT'(! ,he possihilit~· of restoring of till' Rougon-Manluart burns,
tht' \'I>lt" Filth as an dCffil'nt of his litcrature-"pulrid litl'r.ltun··'-is

.
lilt" histon' of tht' instint" against the background of dl'<lth. TIll' n;u'k is
" "
1I11' ('pit' g()(! in til(' history of the instincts and Ihl' condition that
fenders this histo,:,' l)()Ssibll'. In rt."Sponst· to thos<' who an'U"I' him of
('xaggcratioll, the writ(·,. has no loaos, but onl~' an ~pos. which ~1.ltl·S that
011(' can Ill'Wf go too far in the <iC'SCription of dffomposition, sinn' it is

n('Ct'ssa')' to go as far as th(· crack leads, Could it be till' ('aS4.' that thl'
death Instim't, hy going as far as possiblt', would tum h'Kk on itS4.,lf? Is
it not pt'rllaps tht' caSl' that the cral·k, whicll is onl)' appan'ntl)' and for
a short timt' filled owr b)' tilt, big appetites, trans(:l'nds itsdf in til('
dirt~·tion it itsdf ('n'att."C.!? Is it possible, since:' it absorbs e\·t'')' instinct,
that it could also t'nact thl' transmutation of the instincts, turning dt'atll
against itS('lf? Would it not tller('b)' cn'ate instincts \\ hich would bt'
t'\'olutiw ratht'r than all"Oholic, erotic, or financial, that is, l'itlwr l"On-
sl.'n'ing or dt."Straying? Zola's hnal optimism, his rost'·colon.~1 no\'ds
among till' hlack. haw frt"<fuentl)' lK'('n noted, It would lx' a mistake,
hO\wwr, to int'l'rprt.·t tht'm b)' iTwoking some sort of altl'mation; in
fact, Zola's optimistic litt'ratun' is not an)·thing oth 'r than his putrid
literature', It is in on...' and the Sd.ml' mon'ment-th , mon'ment of the
l'pil·-that the l"lS4."St instincL.. art" n'lh'h't! in till' terribl l' tlt'ath
Instinl·t, hut also that the dl'ath Instinct is rdlet:ted inside an open
span'. Jx·rhaps e\'('n against itsdf. What Zola's sOl:ialist optimism nll'ans
is that till' pratt't.lriat alread)' makt'S its way through tilt' l,:r,Kk, TIll'
train as all epic s)'mbol, with the instincts it transports and till' death
Instim't il repn'sl,'nts, is always ('n<lo\\'('d with a futun.', TIlt' linal
Sl'nteIK('S of /.(/ M/I,' hllnlmne an' also a hymn to till' future-Pl'cllul'ux
and Llntil'r arc thrown otT till" train, as till' clt'af and hlind m'Khinc
c,lrril'S the soldil'rs, "aln'ady sill)' with fatigul" drunk and hawling,"
tow.lrd death, It is as if tht' nack rUllS through and alit'natl's thought in
orcl(T to 1)(' also the possibility of thought. in othl'r words. that from
thl' \,antagt· point of which thought is dew'loped and n't'own'd, It is
III\' ohstadt' to thought, hut also til(' al)()l,lt, and !)owt'r of thought-its
" "
1.ItANTA~'\\ ANI) ,\\<Jl)HtN I r,.l,KATllIH ~H
112 AI'l'l·NDIX
 otes

l. Plato. Phlkbus. 2+- d.• trans. R.II.l("kforth: ParmtnKks. 'H-I{{.If;lllS. F. M.

Cornforth; in E. lIamihon ;lnd II. Caim~. ("tIs. 1'lo'O: I1tt fo/kercJ DlQlosun
(l'riflC("ton: ITirK'Cton Uni\"Crsil~' Pn.-s.... 19f>1).
2. Plato. ((my/us. 417ff. With Tt':'il"(-'ct 10 IIw p,."('('(ling. Sl,"(" "ppl-nell", I.

,. CONI) ~l Moll ~ 01' ""MoIIUO"'" 0 .. 'UKI-Al"'· I H·I CTl>

I. ~mil(' Br{-hi,',. JA 11J/or/< IN mcorpordl Jam l'unCll:n J,IO;CIMM (l-'aris: Vrin.

1928).pp. II-II.
2. On [his {'",ampll', Sl.'t' the cumnwntary of Brfhkr. p. 20.
I. On Ill<' distiTl<'lion h..'l\\{'l'n n.·al inh'ma! cauSt"S ancl ('x!{'mal (',JUSt'S
\'1l1l'ring into limiu·.1 n·l;llions of "mnfatalil~':' S4.'4.' Cin'ro. lk Falo, 9. 11.
r~. and 10.
4-. TIll' ".pieun-an notion of th.. ,'n'nl i.~ \'t'':' ~imil.lr to that of till' Stoics:
'·pi.."uru", 10 J-IcrOt./mm, 19-40, 4'>11-71: ;11111 I \I(Tl'tius, I'\' &rum Xmura.
1:+1-,,0', i\~ Iw analrl.l'S IIw 1'\\'lIt, "t11l' r,llll' ofT~'n(br('us' dauglll<'r ... :·
J lKrt'liu~ luntra~t~ r.wuu hl·rl"itu,lt·.liIl1TI~'). p()\t'rt~'-wt\111I1, war-pl-,ll't')
\\it!l COII/IHlCtu In'al 'llI.llitit-s whkh an' insq)ar,lhl,' from hodies). EWlltS
,In' 1I0t I'xat,tly irKoqlllrl,.ll I'ntitil's. '1111'~' an' pn,s"ntl',l rwwrtllt'll'ss as
1101 ,'xi~ting by t1wm."dn·,,-ill\rl.ls~ihlt,. pun' n~suhs of till' nUJ\','nwnb
or rn.Hh'r. or ,II tion~ ,md pa",iom of ll(lIH('~, It dOI'_' nnl SI'<.'1ll lib'l\"
 thotlgll tlMt til,' l:pinln·JII., d"l'doped this theory of till' ""'Ilt-p"rhaps
1M'.'.I\lM· !l1l'\' 1"'In it tn tlw d('mands of a homog(·Iwou., '';lusalit~· allli
SuhSlUm'1l it' uu.la thdr OWI1 ('ono'ption of the Slmu/lJcrum s..•. app':llIlis
,.
~. On tilt' ,w,O\lnt of Stok l'ah'goril's, S<',' I'lotinus, n;I.2~. Sl·.· ,11...0 Brl-hier,
p·41·
b. Thh d"M'ription of tIll' pUI'S<' (·ompriSl.·s scmt' of Carrull\ I.... ~t \.riting:
~ll"., dIu/Bruno Condw;:d. ..II. 7.
7. Tlli, diM'oH''')' of till' ~urfJn' ;11111 this critiqUl' of .I"pth r"l,r''1>\'l1t J
nm~t.lnl in nlOllt>nl lih'ralufl.'. Th,'~' inspin." Ih(' work of Robh,'·(iril1t·t. In
,1Ilotlll'r f(lnll ••\<' lind t1lt'm al!Jin in Klossowski, in till' fl.,lalion !J"I\\I't'n
Rohl'rh"~ ,'pial.'mlis and Ill'r g~n': st..' Klos..wwski's r....mJrb 10 Ihis dT,,,,'1
in til(' po~tfJt,(" to 1.0'$ do: I'hmpnull/i, I>P' 1 J~, 1<J4.; Sl,(, also Midll'l Tour·
Tlil'r'~ I-rWI, trans. Nonnall D,'nn\' (N,'" York: Panlh"'011 Koob, I')S~, Il\'
alTanl!,'n)t'~1 \lith Doubl...I,w), p, '67: "It is a slrange prt'jUlIK'(" .\hich M'~
a hi£ht'r .'alU<· on .It'plh Ih.,;n on hn'adth, ;tn,1 which a(',','pl!- '~up"rlidar
a~ n;",ming not 'of \\j(I{' t"xh"nt' hut 'of linlt' d'1'th: "lwO-'as ·d,...,p: on
t1w Htlwr hand, ~ignili~ 'of gn'at d'l'th: alld not 'of small ~urfan·.' YI·t it
M...'m~ to I1W Ihat a fl't'linl! sut:h .as Ion' is Ix-ller nWibUf<...1. if it (-an be
11..'.1$\1.......1at all. Iw til<' "X;"lIt of its surf;lft· thal1 Iw ib d'~R,(" of d'·pth."
.
~ ... appt"Mlix,'li I and 4-
. -
1IlIltU q l t l l ' 01 Till I'ItOI'O,ITION
I. ~ ...'tilt' Ih''01"\ <If ··.·onn......tor'»·· (I:m/",Jll:llrS) .I~ pR-SO:'llh'tl 1)\, IknlTnbh' ill
ProbJirocs rk h~lIbl"llll: s'n}fdl (I'ari~: (;allimartl. '<)66), ('h, ;0, WI·M·!)J.rat'l'
"lOnMllTO" " from l"t'1>h·r.la\' or tOlI.l'" sine..' "tOIl)OITO\\" is lint of all ~II
l'xpn'S.,ion ofb,..lid; and ha,,' onl~' a Sl:Conda~' indit-atht' ,·alllt,.
2, I'or ,'xampl,', \\ Ill'n Brit.., Parain opp<)S(':t tknomination (,II'nol.1lion) all<1
.It·mon~trati()n hi£llilintion), Ill' understands ".I..monslration" in a man-
llt'r that ,'n('Omp;.~",,~ tIll' moral SI.'ns<· of a progr;tlll 10 be fultillt~1. a
promi",' to h,,, k"pt, a pos"ihi'it~· to I".. f1'aliZl't.I-as, for ,'xampl,', in a
"d.'monslralion of In"," or a phraso;' sudl a.~ "I will 10\'(' ~'ou ,lh.a~·s." Sec
Ikclrefrn;:$ 'llf 1"IlUIlIfi: .,/1"$ [OIlClIOIlJ du IUIl,lJa,q" (I);tris: (;.ll1illl.lnl. 1';171), ch.
I·
I. 1),'st:,lrlt·~,l'rIllClpl'{'1:10.
~. ~",. J ,'1\ b (',ll'roll, 1.lJHllJlI" ~Itl) l"'lI1<', trJIl.\. (iatt'-gno ,1I1d l'OIlIllt't (P,lri.,:
11,'rlllanll, 1'J7!). I'or tilt' ,lhund,lllt likr,lrl', logka1. ,lIld "l'il'ntiti,' hihliog-
rapllY .·om·.... ning Ihb par,ll'tox. n.f(·r 10 i:n1('~1 l'OUllwt\ (·omnwnuri.,s,
pp, 2SI-Hlll.
nb 'l·l·ONll , . HII·' 01· 1',\H,\IlOXI·.' Ol· ~tllth\"'1 11·1·I·e1"
~. Brkc Parain, eh. I.
6. Bertrand Russell, An InqUlf)' Into .l/,.t/llIllH ulld rruln (I.ondon: Gl'Orge Allen
and Unwin, '94-0).
7, Ibid.. p. 179: "We lila)' sa~' that whatl'\'I'r is assl'rte.1 hy a significant
Sl'nlt'ncc has a n:rtain kind of possibilit)'. ,.
8. Hulx,rt E1ie, ill ;tn excellent book, 1-" Compktt 1iynificabl/e (Pari.~: Vrin,
1916), exposes ami Ulmmellls on tilt' t10l1rim'S of Grego~' of Rimini and
Nioolas d'AutR"COUrt, He points out tilt' ,'streme R'SCmblant:c to Mei-
nong's theori,'S, and how a similar IlOl"mk was repeated in both the
ninetCl.'tlth and fourteenth centurks. lit· ,I<X'S nOl, howe"cr, indic~te the
Stoic origin of the problem.
'). On the Stoic differentiation of inoorport'~l t'ntities allil rational represcl1-
t.1tlons, composed of eorpore~1 traces, SI.'C E. 8rfhicr, pp. 16-IS.
10. Sec Albert l.autman's remuXs on the subjt.'C1 of the MObius strip: it h.u
"but a liingle side, which is esscntiall}' all ('xtrinsic propcrtJ. since in order
to gil'C .111 account of it the strip must be broken and untwisted. This
presupposes of course a rotalion around ;tn axis extemal to the surface of
lhe strip. Yet it is also possible to charat:lerize this unilat('rali~' b)' mc~ns
of a purel)· intrinsic propert)'. . .. " &10. $ur kJ nouons dt SUlKrun' ~l
d'uJSunc~ en morhimouqlJrf (P;tris: Hermann, I') 3i1), I:S' I.
I .. We do not h;t,·c in mind here the particular use Husser! makes of
"signihca6on" in his terminolog.\', eithl'r to idemif~' it or to bind it 10
"scnse."
I!. These tenns, "lIlhen'/)('t" and "UffQ.Bt,"8'" Iul'c th.'ir (.1)rrclatNi in Mci-
nong's terminologt, u well u in tlut of the Stoks.
I I. I-Of/K{IX SDM pmw, prefMX, pr. 19- 20,
l'UURTlI Sl:ltllol> O~ DUAl-ITlI·l>
I. The GUtlener's song, in Sy/ruo Qnd Bruno, is fomlc<1 of nint' stanzas, of
whkh eight arc dislll'rsed in tht' first book, the ninth appearillg in Syfne
and BfUno COllCfudtd (.h., 20'. A (Fn'nchJ Iran.~lalion of the whok is gin'n
by I-knri Parisot in 1.1:11'/5 Carroll (pilris: St>gher.~, I'}P), and b~' Robert
Ikna)"oun in his Anthologit du Non~n~ (Pilris: PaU\'ert, 190), pp. 180-IS2.
I'II'TH 'HUe' OJ- ~I'NSI:
1. s...... G. Fft'gC, Ub.-r Smn und lkdCIJllIllB' Zeitschrift f. Ph. und ph. Kr" 18'}2.
'11lis prindple of an inlillitt' proJif,'r,ltion of ,'ntiti,'s has e\'oke,1 little
,·II·TIl :.1' IU I,:' (H l>l:NSI: B7
 jU~litit"tl n"Si~l,lnIT on til(' part of man~' (.·ontemporar~' logid;lIls; Sloe it.
C.lInlap• .1t~"m"9 and StuUll) (Chk';lgo: Uniwrsit)' ofChil'ago Pr('S.~, 1947),
pp. I Jo-I JIl.
2. '11l\' translation h('1"l' omits a dauSl' of tlw original U·Xl. "Ill{" originill h'xt
is a.~ follows: "This l"lSSilgC, which was trall.~lated \Try indl'1!,antl\' in onl<'r
to lit, l:lithful to Carroll's tcnninolog)', (listillgllisllt'~ a serit..~ oj' nominal
l·lltitit'S." Tr. note.
J. Ilus.q·rl. Idem. trans. W. R. Bo~'Cl' Gibson (N("w York: Collit'r. 1'}&2I,
St'Ction 124-
4. S<-'(' Hllb(·rt Elie, IJ (omp/UI' S',qn!fH'ab,/I'. And M;l\lriet· til' Gandill;tc, for:
.llou<"l"mt'"m doc:ff1nol dll IX~ 011 Xf\" $.«11': (Paris: Bloud et GiI\', 19{1 I.
{. On the paradox of contingt'nt futures ami ils importanct' 'in Sink thought,
Sl...· P. M. Schuh!. Lr: Domlno'l'lIr 1" II'S ,-sibll':s (Paris: P.lI.F., 1')60).
6. Sloe Etit'nnt' Gil'iOll's coomu'nt;lrit'S, in L'Eul' tf I'~ncl' (paris: Vrin. 1')48),
PI" 120-12}.
q:>\TH SI-Itll' ON SI:IUAl lLATION
I. Janlut.'S Lu:an, F.cms (Paris: SeuiJ, 1')66)... I....• Scmin;lirt" sur Ia /wr~ ,-o/k."
2. Sl"t, Mkhd Foucault, Ro)monJ Aound (Pni.~: Gallimanl. I'}&}). dl. 2; with
n'Slx'Ct to serit'S. Srt' in paniruur PI" 780:
J. Pit·ITt" Klossowski, Ln I,OIS ck fltospllol"i (I'aris: (J;ll1imartl, 1'}6S), A\·crtis.....-
nWlll, p. 7.
4. Witold Gomhrnl\"k'l., Co.>nlOS (Nt·w York: Grovt' Prl'ss, 1')70). With rt'SIWI·t
to tIll' prl'C(."tling diSl'ussion, Sloe appt'ndix I.
S. St..... Ln,m's "Ll' M\'tlll' ind"'klud dll NcnoSl..... (paris: CD.U .• PH J). This
host is ('S,S("ntial 10 ~ht· M'rial nwthod. but l~ not r('prin 1 in f~ms.
6. &ms, p. 2~. Tl'll' paradox h('f(' tk"sc,"ribo.'d mu~t he nam II.....can·s l),lr,l<lox.
A Carrolli;ln inspiration is oftC"1I in t'\'id<"ll<:t' in L.. can'~ writings.
l. On the proct.·durcs followt"'tl b~' Rahdais ;lIld Swift, SLoe EmilI' Pons'
das...ifil"ation in Swift·s (kllrU'S (I'.Iris: G.lllimard, Pll'iatll', I'}6S). PI" 9-12.
2. l'kIth Ilellri I'arisot ami JanlUl'll B. Bnmius h,\\"t· protlu('t"d tillt' (French)
translations of "Jahll<:rwOl·k)'," I'arisot's is rqmxlu("t'd in his l.clt·ls ("rroll:
Brunills', along witb a (:ommt'nt.1r~· on tIlt' wOflls in tilt' I)()<'m, l'an he
fO\lIlci in tIlt' (a/ucrs du !Iud (194M). no. 2117. Bolh authors also .-ih· \'l'rsions
ll8 .. IXTll ~I·lt.ll-~ 01' ...·It.IAIII. ..\TION
of"Ja"I)t'rwoc,:k~'" in dh'ITSt' languagt..... WI' ooml\\ tin· h'nm that \\l' u~·
sonwtilllt'S from P;lrtsot. sonwtinlt'S from Brunius. Antonin Anaue.I's trans-
lation of tilt' first starv..a of till' po,:m will lx· considc,·n....1 Iau·r. a..~ this
.1dmirablt, text pOSt'S prohl('lll.\ whieh no l(Jngt.·r pertain to Carroll.
J. Midwl Butor, ImroJur:lion UlI.l.!flI!/IIICIll( dl' "'hnm'Hllns lI'ak.·" (I',lriS: Galli-
lllard. 1'.14.1). p. 12.
l. C. Levi-Strauss. "Introduction .ll'ocu\·rl' de Mared Mauss." in 1\'1. Mauss.
Socio/o,qli' (I IInrhropolo,qie (Pilri.~: P.lI.E, PJ{o), PI" 4-11-4-9.
~. The parallel with differential calculus ma)' st..oem both arbitral)' and old.
fashiolll... l. But wNt is old-fashioned is only the infinitist interprrtation of
c,llrulus. Alrcad)' .lt the cnc.I of the nint't("('nth ct'llIuf)'. Weirstl';lSS g.l\·c a
finite interpretation, CNdlflGI and stOIlC, \Tn' dOS(' to a llUthcmatit:.tl struc_
turalism. The theme of singularities n'~lains an essential piece of the
IIloor"}' of differential tXjuations. Thl' Ix'st stutl), of Ihe histo,)' of the
difft'rential (';llculus ami its nu)(lcrn struetural intc'l>retation is C. B.
Bo~·("r·s 1M HistOf)' <1 fhe (oklJlus and Its CrmCt'pwal Dnelopmenl (New York:
Dowr, 19S"9).
NINTH SI:.ItIl:.~ 0" Till:. I'ROIILI:.MATIl:
I. Earlier. "neutral" Sl'nSt: seemed to us to be oppoSl.'d to thl' singular no
k'SS than to the other modalities. For Singularity was ddinl-d onl)" in
relation to dCIlOU.tlon and manifestation: the singular "';is defined as
imlh'idua[ or personal. nol as punctual. Now, howe\'(~r. singul;ui~' belongs
10 tin' neutral domain.
2. !'(-gU)" Clio (paris: GalJimard, 19J!). p. 269.
J. Novalis,I.'EncydllpidJi', trans. MaurieI' de Gandillae (Paris: Minuit. n.d.), p.
J9 6 .
4· Prrx-Ius. Commenr<JIrt:S sur k prl'm,u I,,-rl' cks flimtnls d'Eucltdi'. trans. Vt'r
In--k.. (I';uis: Dt'SCI(-.., d<' Brouwer, loWl), PI" 68ff; trans. in I:-.nglish with
introtluction and nott'S b~' Glenn R. Morro\\', It (ommtnlor) on ,hi' FIn' BooJ:
~f E.Khd's Eltments (PrinCt,ton: Princeton Unin'rl'it~' Press. 1970), PI" 6J-
.,.
~. St'l' Allx'rl l.....utn1<1n, Essoi sur II'S TIOIions dc smKlUrr: 1" d'l'.tJS/cnu tn ma,h/mG-
l"ltleS (Paris: I-!t-mlann. 19J8), 2:148-149; and Nor"dll's r«ht'rches sur 10
!"IINTlI ~l"lt.ll:~ 01- Till:. I'It.OllL!:MATIC H9
 SfrUClure dJQI«U'llKcks mCfrhirmmqucs (I'aris: Hennann, 19 J9), PI}· 1 )-1 S. On
th..' rolt· of ~ingularities. Esso.. I: I IS- I J'}: 'tIld U ProbIimt dll ftmps (pilris:
Ikml.lnn. 19+6), pp. 4 1-4 1.
P'-guy, in his own wa),. had sco.'n th(' csscntill rd.lIkm of till' <,,'t'm or
singularil~' with Ill(' calegOrK'S of probk'fll and solulion: so..... P<'oguy, p. If><):
" .•• ,11111 a problem whose end I\T could 1101 SL-e. a prohlem without a
wa\' out ... " etc
(,. The D)namK'S rif a Parli-<It.
n-NTII ~l:RIl:~ 01- Till- IUl:AI (,AMl:
l.On til<' idea of a lime smalkr than the minimum of <:ontilluous tinlt'. Sl.'C
appendix I.
2. J. L Borges, Fiwollts (Nt·w York. Grove Press, 1961). pp. &<)-70. The
potra!>le of the tortoise and lilt' hart" seems to be an allusion nol only to
uno's paradox but to Carroll's as well. which we ha\'(' alre,}d~' considen.·<1..
and whit:h Borges takes up alWW in Orhtr fnqulSmons (Austin: Uni"crsit~' of
Texas PTcss, 1964).
). J. L Borges. Fl«lOMs. p. 141. In his HWOTNJ ik 10 mmHlod. Borges docs not
go so far and Sl.'1"ms to mrlo:i\'e of til(' bb)'rinlh as only circular or
{')'dieal.
Among the <'onmll'ntators of Stok thought, Victor Golds<.'hmidt in
potrticular ha.~ analrl('tl tht" t'(ll.'xisu·nC<" of thCSl.· two cofla:plions of time:
the first. of \'aTilblt, pr('S{"nLS: the S(·(:<md. of unlimitl'tl subdh'ision into
I~t and futun.'. u S)'SlblW Jloi(~n tl I'Klit IN Itmps (I'aris: Vrin. I'}B). pp.
)(,-40. Hc also demonstrak'S Ihat theTe exist for the Stoics two methods
and two moral attillldl~. But whelher thCSl.· two attitudl~ colTcspond to
till' IWO times is still ol)Sl,'ure: it docs not StX"m so, ac<-'Ording to the
author's comlm·nts. MOrl'OV('r, tilt' question of two \'c']' different etenlal
rl'tums, tlwmsdn'S l'()rresponding to til\' two tim.·s, doc'S not aPllCar (at
leaSI dircctl~') in Stoic thought. Wt' shall rl'tunl to tllt'se poinls.
4. Mallannf. "Mimi(!ue," t'kll''l"ts (I)aris: Gallimard. Plfiatk, lOUr), p. ) 10.
(. Lt "LM"" fk .Ilalfarmr (paris: Gallimard. 1978): s('(" J.lcqUl.-'S Scherer's stud)'
of Ihe "book's" stru<:{Ure. ami notabl~' his ('OfllmenlS on the four frag-
ments (pl" 110-ljS). It dOt'S nOI seem. how('wr, in Spill' oftht' pl,}ct.~.It
whkh til(' two works ml'Ct amI in spite of ctTtain common prohl,·ms. that
Mallarm~ klll'w I..n\'is Carroll: ('\'('n Mallarm,'o's Nursif)' Rhym"s. whkh
rd,ll<' tilt' star:' of Ilumpl~' Dumpty, dqx:nd tlllOn oth," sources.
140 TI-NTII ~i:dUI'''' 01' '1'111' 11l1'AI (;AMI·
.. Sc..-e Sextus Empiricus, Adt"tnus I..osKOS. 8: I H. "81l1uf/" is an onomatopol'ia
which ('xpr<"SSCS a sound lik(' thilt of Ih(" I~'n': "sJ:mdopsos" dcsignak'S the
machin(' or instnlm,'nt.
2. This di.~tinction l'orn'sllOnds to til(' two fonm (If nonS('nS(~ prOpos('(1 hy
Russell. ~e Franz Crahil)" U FormiJ[,sml·I09,co-muthimutlqlle "r Je proM,:,m: d"
non-StIU (paris: Belks.LeufCS, I')n). 1111' Ru....~ltiall distilKtion Sl'l'11lS to
be prcfenlhle to the "("J gcO\'ral tlistioction propost-"tl by HlISS(·r1 in his
Los"'a/ Ino"t.sl'gofiotU lx."twl'Cn ..nonscnso.··· anti "countCf-scns<"," and which
inspirr'S Ko)'re in Ep.mrmtk k mtnuur (paris: 11('nnann, n.d.), pp. 9ff.
I. Sec l{o,·i·Strauss· remarks with fCSlJC<1 to Ihe "zero phOfM.--me" in "Intro-
duction a 1'(}Ctlvre de Marcel MilUSS" in M. Mauss, SocIO~K! tl olllhrapologK!.
p. (0.
4· In pages which hamlOni,..c with the prindpal theses of Louis Althusse,.
J.-P. Osier proposes a distinction betw('('n thOS(' for whom meaning is to
be rcco\'crcd in 011 morc or less lost origin (wht·thl."r it be dh'ine or human.
ontological or .J.nthropologial)• .J.1l(1 those for whom the origin is a sort of
llOJlS('l1SC. for whom ffi('aning is alwa~'s produced as an epistemological
surra«.' (-'ffed:. Applying this critl"ri... to Marx and Freud, Osier cstimaws
th...t th(' problem of interpretation is not at all thl' problem of going from
the ..t!cri\'l'd" to the "origina']'." hut in comprehending tlw nl('chanism.~
of th(' produ{·tion of sense in two series: S('IIS(' is alwap.m ".-fleet." Sc..-e
prdact" to n:uemach's L'fsMnu du "hflSllOllIStIlt (paris: Masllt·ro. 1968"
l'Specially pp. I(-I'}.
1 WloLfTIi ~l:RIl:) 01- Till- I'ARAno>:
I. Boltzmann, Lecrure on Gas Theory, tr... n.~. S. G. Brush (H('rkt']ey: Uni\"t'rsity
of Califomia Press, 1964).
I. St"t: Cicero. AcuJ...m,rQ, Sl''l:1.ion 29. 5<.-.... also Kierkl'gaard's remarks in tht,
Ph,losophJ('ol Frusmtnrs. which arbitnlril)' lend support 10 C.jmead,,-'S.
I Ill"'T ...·NTI. "'I''''II'~ 01- 1'111, ~t,."HIL(lI'II"'1 NIt,." ANn
1111 IITTII ia"'l
I. "P,'rsl><:ndk·al...." is a st.:hizophrenic IlOrtmanh'au \\"ord dl'sign,ning spirits
I\hit'h ,u,· IJeld allOW til(' SUhjl-cl'S Iwad (ptrptnJ",ula"t. 1ll.·'l)t'ndkularJ.
THIKTI-I·NTII ~I'KII'" UI· '1'111, :-CIlIZOI'IIKI'NIC HI
 ,mt! "hidl ~r\' \Tn' p.:np,meIOUJ (p<.'rspka(·t~J. Citt"(1 Il\' (;"org\' l)ull1a.~, Ie
1~.lI.I·., 'I'J4-(,). p, 10J.
,\ummurd e, le< JIi'I;.l J'upr;>$ /<'$ muladles mcnlUle$ (Paris:
l, Antonill Artaud. "L'Arn: et l'Aunlt', h'ntath't, antigrJmnl.lticak ('ontrt'
Lt·" is Carroll," CArbolbe ('94-7), no. 12:
"JI '·l.Iil mp.lrant, ,·t J\'S \li"lu\'uX tar.:mds
..\lIai,·nt \'n gihm~'ant \'t .-n brirnbulk.lriquanl
jU>oIlll\' J.\lo 1.1 murglw \'l>t .a rouarglw a rangmhd\'
.·t r.lngmhc.l\' a rouargIJamhtl.·:
TOllS 1o.'S falomit.lrds '·taio.'nt 1o.'S chals.huants
I:t In GhonIlIk'llalts .lan~ J(" (;raoogt".lnWnl."
J. u-ttc-r to Ilt'nn I'arisot, l.l.'flrt1 de Rodez (P,lris: G.LM., 1946).
4· Louis Wolfson, "1.£ Schizo ,'t Ics b.ngul'S ou 1.1 phon'''tiqut, ('ht~1. 1\,
psychotiqUt,," La Trmp1,IfO<kfMS (Jul\' 1964-1, no. ! 18.
S". Fr,'ud, "TI'I(' Unconscious." in .IIeft.lPsp:-holos.r (191S"). Citing thl;" ca.'i('S or
two patit-nts, one or whom pt.'rccinos his skin, and tm., other his sock as
s~'St<'TllS or Iittlt' holt'S whK-h are in perpetual danger or bcroming enlarged,
Freud shows that this i.~ • properl~' Khu.ophrcnic s~nlptom whK-h could
not fit citha a h~'stcric or an obsessed,
6. Antonin Art;llud, in La Toordeftu, April 1')61.
7· With rcspt:'(1 to I('uers-organs, sec Antonin Artaud, "Lt, Ritl;" du pt"yotl,"
in La T/Jrohumarm (paris: ArhalCte, 196JJ" PI" 26-p.
8. St"(' in 84. 194-ll: "No mouth No tOllgue '0 t('('th No la~'nx '0 ('sophagus
No stomach No int\'Stin,' '0 anus I shall reconstruct thl' man that I am."
(rill' bod)' without organs is fashioned or bone and blood aloot".)
9· St"(~ Wolrson, p. S"J: in 'ikrtl')-o.'· "th(" apostrophl ""'t\\"("('n thl' 1>alat.Jlil.cd
o poses in the manner of .. nuse."
I' and the)' rC'pn."Sl'nls what is nll('(1 thC' sort sign, which in this word
fun(·tions in sueh a manner that a compll;"te ('onsonant), is protlOUIKW
artt'r thl' (1)alatalizl'(l) ,.; Ihis phoneme would Ill' 1>alatalil.("(1 in a n·rtain
rnannt'r without the soft sign, an,l as a r("Sult or Ih.o rollowing sort "owe!
-h,'n.' repn.'St·nh"(! phonl,ticall~' b~')"/J and being writt\'n in Rus.~i,lIl by a
single character, hal'ing the rOml or a ('apital R bad:. to fmlll (pronounl'e<1
dm!"Ja: the aec,'nt of intl'nsilv falls or course on th., M'Cond s\'lI,lhle; the i
opt'n ,1111] brier; tht' J. r, and '" palatalized or as ir ru~'(1 with ~ rod)." Stoe
also on p. 71 thOc' .'Khizophrl'nic"s romnwntary on tilt' Rus~ian word
10IlD·,I(i.
10. In a \"\'ry finc stllll)", SuuclUrUlJon d)"numique dons I/J schuoplm!nit (Ikrn: Verl,'g
Ilans Ilul)O,'r, l')~(,), (;is"la Pankow has takl'n thOc' examinatinn of signs in
schizophrenia vcr\" .
. lar, In ('ol1l1('(·tion with tht' (·a....:·s rdah·,l Iw Mrs.
!)anko\\', sp,,"dal not in' sholll(l 1>1.' ma,I" orthl' analvsis offix(,<:] alinll'ntan'
words which ,·xpIOlI\· into phOlldic bib: tIlt' I\'O~{] "l'AI~/\MEI.S:" fo'r
142 TlllltTI'!'NTIl :-I·IUI·~ 01· Till, SCIIIZOI'IlIHNI('
exalllpl(', on p. 22. Also (If Jhlrtkular inh'r,'st i.~ tilt' di,lleetic of til('
conl.1int·r and ('(lntJilll'd, lhl" tli~'ol ,'r~' of polar oppositioll, and the tlwme
of water Jlld fin.' which is ti,"(! 10 it tpp. n-60, 64, &7, ]0); the curious
invocation of lish a.~ the sign of Jl·ti\"\' rn',,1t and of hot water as a sign of
]ilx'ratlon (pp. 74,9); and til\' (Ii:.tinction of two Ixxlies-the 0l)('n and
(lissodatt'<.l body or tll(' mall-lIoll"l'r, ,lml thl' head without organs which
sc:'r\"{'S as its ,:omplcnwnt (PI). 69-7! I.
It seems to us, howewr, that Mrs. P,mko\\"'s interpretation minimizl'S
thl' role or the l'\Cold without organs. It al~ Sl."nlS 10 us that thl' f1'ginw of
Slg'lS liH'd in schi7.ophrcnia is comprdwmlt'(I, at thl.' b·d beneath ~IIS('"
onl)· through the distioction I)<,t\\"('('n J)(J(lil~' signs-passions and corpcJf{'al
signs-al1ions.
II. It is in this sense tlut, in Cnroll, int't'ntion is essentially \"()C~bular, rather
than s)nt.lctical or gr<lmmatlc;lli. As a COllS('qUl..'I1CC, portmanteau words
can open up ~n infinity of possihl!" inh'rpn.·tJtiollS b~' r<lmi("ing the: series;
!1CH'rthelcss, s)71taetical rigor dimina.h'S ;II ccrt.in number of these possi-
bilities. 'm., same holds true in Jo)'('(', as jt'an POoris Iw shown in Ttl ~I
(1967), no. JO, p. 6+- The opposite is Ilk' ('0lSe with Amud, but onl)'
oc"(.'~use there is no longer a probl,'m of l>C1lSl' properl~· speaking.
I-OUtl.TIoloNTH Sl:tl.Il:S 01- OOUI:II.I: l'AlhAIITl'
I. CJemmt of Aleundria, S,romattu, 8:'1: "Tll<.' Stoics sa)' tlut the bod)" is a
cause in the litl'r<ll sense; but thl' ifK'Orpon:al, in a met.lphJSical f;uhion,
2. P;IIul Ricreur, Idlt$ J"«IrKt$ poor Urtf phtoominoloy,e (Paris: Galliman!, 19S"0),
pp·4JI-4)2·
J' Hus~.'rl, IJeas (New York: Collin Hooks" 1972), p. Hll: "The X in th\'
(lifT"rent acts or aet-llI)("mala fumish..'<J \\;th a difTering 'detennining
conlt'nt' is n('C.~rily kno\\"n as IIw sam\' ... "; p. 16S": 'To e.uy 001«' 'Ihal
lru/y ,s' there intrinsicollly corTl'lip0lJ(l.~ (in tilt' a priori or the unconclitionetl
g(,'l('ralit~· or thl' l'SSl'rll'C) lhl.' ,rk/J oj t.I po1Slbll: (OIIKlOusness in which th('
objl'Ct itselr can be gra.~pcd in a prJfflordKJI and ,11.'11) perfeCllj aJi:qume \\'.1,'
... "; p. If>(,: "This nmtinuum is mon" dOSOc'1\' (ldirK~1 JS infinitt, in ail
din'l'tions, ('ollsisting ill all its phJsl.'s of apl)('~ranres or the sam.. d,.t\'r-
l11inahl\· X.
4-- lIusSo.·r1" ~'t:tions100-101, and IOlff.
~. s,.•. 1·-1'. SJrtn', 11>e 'frullsct'nd"nrl: It! ,he /:,'/0 (Nt'\\' York: Noonda\' I'n'ss"
19{J). Th,· itlt',l of an "illllx'rsoliJI or pn'-rwrsonal" tranSl..·I,ntkn;al tid(l,
pn)(:]udng til<' I and tilt' Ego, i.~ of gn'at importanc(". What hinders tlJi.~
l'OllHT)'I'NTH :.1· IU I'''' <H IHHIHII' CAll",ALlTY J4.J
 tht-sis from dl"Tloping all its (UflSC-'qUt·TlCC'5 in Sartn"s '''Irk is that the
imlwr.iOl1al trall."C't·n(\('ntal fwld is still llctcrmilWd as til(' ht·ld of a con-
SdOtlSIWSS, ,Uld as ...ueh it must then 1)(' unified by it.-.df through a pIa)' of
inh'ntionalitit,s or pure relt'ntions,
b. [n till' (orlt$JCln .Iledllo/lom. monads, (l.'ntt'rs of "ision or points of "i('w,
tak.' a w,)' important platt on th(' sid(: of the I as the s~·ntm'tk unit~· of
apl)t:'!"Cl'ption. Among Husst'rl's commentators, it was to Gaston I'krgt'r's
merit that h(' insislt'(l on this sli(ling; hI' was ther<'for(' abl., to Ohjl'\-·t to
SJrtr(' that the pn:-rwr:lOnal ('onsdousness I>crhaps had no 1l("('<1 of the I,
but that it was tlot ablt' to do without points of "iew or l"l'lltt'rs of
il"Klh'Kluation. St-c G. tkrge" U (OYIIO Jam 10 phllofophlt dt Hu~rl (Paris:
Aubicr, 1941), p. I S-,..; trans. K. Mclaughlin, The COYI/O in HlWt!rl's Phdo:soph)'
(E"anston; Northw('Stem L1ni"crsit)' Press, (972). Sec also Rechl'rches sur Its
colldlllom de /0 connoiS$tlnu (paris: P.L1,F.. (941), pp. 190-19). The objection
holds, insofar as the tnnsccndental field is still dctermill('(l as that of a
constituting "consciousnl'SS."
HI'Tl:l:NTH ",'·KllOS OF SINGlIL .... KJTIl:S
I. George Gun"'trn cOlplo),l"ll the expression ""olitional intuition" to desig-
nate ,m intuition whose "gi\"('n" does not limit the activit)'; he applie.:1 it
to Duns $cotus' and DCSl"artCli' God, to Kant's will and 10 Fiehte's pure
act. Sec Mora/e IhNmqUt <.'1 screll(t des maim (Paris: P.lLF., 1948), pp. S-.¢". It
Sl'Cms to us that the l'xprl"SSion is in the first instanec suited to a Stoic
will, to a willing tifthe e\'Cllt, in the two-fold SCIlS(' ofthc gcnitil·c.
l. St.'C, in the Idtos, til(' extraordinary sl'ction 114 (and with n.-gard to the
jurisdiction of n'ason, !ll.'Ction 11 I).
1. Gilhert Simondon, f.'lndn·,Ju 1'1 .so 8en~!i£ phpKO-blOfOSiqUf! (I',uis; P,U.F.,
1964), pp. 260- 26+ This emire book. it S('Cms to us. has spt--cial impor.
tanel', sill('(' it pn.':Sl'nts the first thought-out thear)' of impersonal <100
pre.indi,·idual singularities, It proposes explicitly, ~inning with these
singularities, to work O\lt the genesis of the living individual ami the
knowing suhject, It is thereforc a new l"Onel'ption of th.· transcell<lcnlal.
Tlw fi"e eharactcristK.'S through which Wl' haw trio..."lI to define the tran-
scendental fidd-Illt potenfHlI enersr 1" liltfield, flit mleffldl lNOf'KJnte 1"stnd.
fht 10pologK'ol ~u~rOC/' c1mtmbmfltS. lhe 0'lpnUlJ/lOn c1stnst, and lhe ~fOIUS c1IM
probltmOllc-are all anal~-I.ell by Sirnondon. Thus lilt' material oftliis, i10l1
of the following l>aragraph, depends din:·(:tJ)' on this book, with whkh we
l:tart COmIMn)' onl~' in <Ira" ing eOl'M:lusions.
+. S<'o,' Albert lautman, u p,obI;me du lemps (I'",ri~: I-kmlann, 1<]46), I>P' 41-
l44 1'll'Tl::l::NTlI "'I:KII:::'! 01· SINGLII AR1TlI::-'
,p: "TIll' gt.'On'k..'tria.1 imerpn·tatioll of tht: th.'O~· of dilTl·r(·ntiall'qu.ttions
dc.ul~' places in evidence t\\O absolutd~' dbtinct r('alitK'cS: tlu.'r{· is the fid.1
of din'Ctions anti the topologi('al Kddl'nt.~ which rn.l)" sudllenl)' ('rop up
in it, ;IS lor t'xJrnple the existenel' of Ill\' plane of sml{ulor pomls 10 "'hKh no
dIlUtion has bttn OIlOChtJ; and tlwn' an' tht, inh'gral nll'n's \\ith thl' foml
tN')' take Oil in the ,·icinit}· of tht· singularities of th('" field of di.....'(... ions.
1M ulstena and dJSmbml()ll of ~illgularitit'S a.....• notions n'latil'e to th.·
field of Vl,\-·tOrs (lcfilll...J b)' till' (Iilli.'r,·ntial equatioll. 11w foml of tilt'
integral {'un'l'S is relatiw to tilt' solution of this ('quation. The two
probl('ms arc assurcdl~' cOlllplenll'ntar~:, sinl.·e the IKIlIJre of the: singub.ritit.'S
of the flcld is defined b)' the fonn of tm' 1"UI"\'CS in their ,·icinit)'. But it is
no less tru.' that the field of vectors on one hand ,1I1d the integral eul"\'cs
on the other arc two ('Sscntially distinct nl.ltlwmatical realitks."
~. The best didactic exposition of traditional metaphysks is prl.'S('ntl'tl b)'
Kant in "The Tran.sc:mdcntal Idea" of tN- Crmque cf Pult Ikoson, Kant
shows how the idea of a sum total of all possibi1it~' excludes all but
"originary" pn...Jicates and in this \\''')' con~titutes the o:KnpletcJ)' deter-
mined concept of an indh'idual Hdng: "':Or onl)' in this one ease is a
concept a thing-a conapt which is in it."Clf univcrsal-completely
detl'rmined in and through itself, ..od known as the 1"l-pn.'SClltuion of an
indil·K!ual." Cnflque 1" Pun Reason. tnns. N. Kemp-Smith (London; Mac-
millan, 1929: New Yo,k: St. Martin's PTl'SSJ, p. +91. Thus, the unin'rsal is
hut the fonn of communication ill thought hl'tl,"('en this suprt'llle indil·id·
ualit~' ami thl' finite indi\'iclualitil'S: til(' thought uni\"t'rsal in an)' ease rt'fers
to the indi,·idual.
6 . .\'ltf7:K~ (Kroner, ,,01. If, Sl-"'Ction 8J~
~IXTI::;l:NTlI Sl:IIIl:S 01- 1'1Il: ... ,..... '1'1(; ONTOI.O(;IC .... 1 GIoN,-,SIS
I, A constant tlll'me of I..dbniz'~ ("orTl'Sl>ondeno: with Anuult: Gotl di.1 not
lTl'atl' a sinning A(Llm ('x,Ktl~" but tilt' world in "hieh Adam has ...inned.
l. St't' (Clrlt$lOn ,lftdllOllOns, sl'ction 48. Ilussl'l'l irnnwdiatl·I), orkllts thi...
prohll'm toward J transcl'mklltJI thl>()~' of tilt' Otllt'r. With rt'gard to til\'
roll' of th.· Otlwr in a static g<·Ill'sis. Sl'l' aplx'll(lix 4.
I· fdtos. M'C'tion 14i.
4, \V l· thus (Iistinguish thf"('(" sdt'('!iolls in eOllformil~' witll lilt' I..dhnizian
thl'Ill(': one which (Idiol's a wllrid hy means of ('onl't'rg('lll't': anoth..r
"hich tl..tint's l·ompll,lt· imlh'iduJls in this world; and lioJU)', om' \\ hkh
lI..tirll'~ ilKompll'lt', or ratllt'r ambiguous, dt'menu, l"Ommon to ....,\"(·,.11
,\orld~ ,md to lilt' t'Orrt':\IJOIKling intli,Hluals.
I+~
 \\lilh ITganl 10 Ihis Ihinl Sl"lt~..ion, or with regard 10 Ill\' "";r,gu~" 4, Apuldus, Un Inf~rpr~loflOfl (for tilt' It'nllinolugkal couplt, UhlKOIn"US.JcJKa_
Adam mnstituh~1 b~' a sl1l.lll numbcr of predical~ (bdng Ih(" tlrst I1l.ln, l/I"1Is).
dC) which must be ,:ompletc,d diffcrmtly in different worlds. §("(' l..eibnv., {. I'lolinus, !:7.1.
"Rt"lnarh lll>Oll M, Amauld's k,tter," lM f..tlbnl7.-Arnau/l (orrcspomknu. t"(l.
and trans, h)' H, T. Ma.ron (New York; Rafnt's am! Nohk-, 1')67). pp, 19-
40. II i.~ lrue, in this tt'xt, that thc vague Adam has no "xiSh't1n'; 111' exists
onl~' in nmnt'<"tion with our tlnite undcrslamling, ami his pn'tlk...tt's arc IIGIIT .... NTII Sl:KII:~ OF Till- TllK11 ),\\,\(;1'"
only g<'neralitks. In the famous teXI of the Throe/icy. on Ihe otlJ('r h...ml 01- 1'1111 Ol>OI·ltI::K~

(Sl.'Ctiorn; 414-4.P), tilt' [Iiffercnt ScxtuSt'S in the diwf'Sl.' worlds haw .l

wry spcrial objt'C1iw' unit)' which rests on the ambiguous natUrl' of till·
notion of singularity and on the calego')' of the problem from Ihe point
of vicw of an inflnitc [:..lculus. VCI)' carl)' on, Lcibnil hat! dahorah·d a
tht'O')' of "ambiguous signs" in l'olltwction with singular points, taking .as
an cxamplt, the conic set·tions: St't' "I)e 101 methodt' de I·Uniwrs.J.lih\"
Opuscuks CI Jrogmcms In/dIU de u,b",... 00. b~' L Couturat (Paris: 1'rt.'S.W'S
Unh'crsitaircs de France, I<jOJj.
~, Borges, FKClOntS (New York; c.;ro"c Pr('li;s. (961), p. 98.
6, One .~hould, howe,'er, notc Husserl's l'urious allusions to a fiat or an
originary mohile point in the trall.~ndcntal fidd dt'lennined as the Ego:
set' Ideas. Sl.:ct ion 11 2,
S I:: \'1:: Nl" I::I::NTlI SI::IUI::S 0 .. TIll:: ~TATI(.· lO(OlCAL GI·N .. SIS
I. It is slrange tholl Bachcl3nl. SCt"'king to ch3raclero,{' the Niet".t.st·hean
imagination, prcscnL~ il as an "asc"ll.~ional pS)'chism," /"A,r el les SOIl,9I'S
(Pari.~: Corti, 1943), eh, ~. Not onl\' d(ll's he reduce to the minimum Ihe
role of earth and surface in Nie;.t.sdw, but he inlerprc.:ts Niet7.schcan
"nmicalil"" as being, first of all, height and ilSCt'nt. But it is indeed rather
depth aoo descent. The bird of pre}' docs not rise, sa\"(' b)' accident;
rath('r, it ho\"C~rs alx)\"e 0100 drops down upon it. It is e"cn ~')' to
sa)' that. for Nictz..~che, depth scrWll th,' purpose of denouncing Ihe idca
of h"ight and the ideal of ast:cnl; h,'ight is hut a m)'Stificalion, a surface
effect, which does not fool the ey... of the t!eplhs and is undone under its
gaze. St:-e Michel Foucault's comments 10 Ihis effect in "Nie17.sche. Freud,
Marx," N/CIZS<M (Paris; C.lhil'rs de RO~';lumont, Minuit, 1967), PI" 186-
,87·
1. ,\'klZS<M Contra IIIOSntr, epilogue, section 1.

I, In tilt' preface to the Phcnomfflofow', H~c1 dearl)' demonstratt"(! that

philosophical (or sci("ntitic) lruth is nOI a Prol>osition tak"n ,l.~ a response NIN .. TU:NTlI Si;KII:S OF ItllMOIl
to ;r, simple question of th(' sort "wht'll was C.lCSdr born?" With rt-gard to
lhe differenc," hl'twt't'Il Ihe problem or theme 300 t1w prO(>OSition. set' I.
LcihniJ., l\'~N' f:SSOys. Book 4, (·h. I.
1, //has, sections 114, 124,
I, In a \'('n' tint, hook "ntitlt't! /.... (arlisiallisme au la r':'uable rloomlKJn des
SCHonUJ (i'aris: Gauthier-Villars, 1841). Bonlas-[kmoulin shows dearly the
diff.,",,,,c," bctw('t'f\ d...........· two expn.'Mions of dm.rnfcn.."l'lCt': Xl + ~,) - Rl = 0,
and ,. d,' + x dx = 0, In Iht· first, I 3m doubtll'M aht.... 10 attribute [Ih'ersc 2.
".llu~ t~ [,3ch h'nn, hut I must 3uributt' 10 them Oil(' "allK' in rarticular
for ,'aeh case. In the Sl'{.·ond, d~' and dx an' imlependelll of an)" I>'lrticular f·
"aim" and their rdation rt'f('rs onl)' 10 th,' singularitil's which ,1.·fi,1t' the 4,
trignnom,'trit' tang,'nt of the angl., whkh tilt' tang"nl to Ih....un'" n1<1h's
with tilt:' 3xis of the ahsds.'\t.'S (dy/dx = - x/~'). {,
1be Stoil"$ had alre.ld)' elaboratt'li a n'~' elegant thcol')' of the VoKJ,.as at
onCl' rxlra-&irrs ami insislCTKt, If incorpon:al C\'l~nts are the logical atlri-
hUh'S of hcings and bodk'S, lilt' void is like Ihe s\lhstanu' of tlwSl'
atlributes; it differs in naturt· from l'orpo(('al suhstance, to til(' point thai
it cannot e,'('11 be said that til(' world is "in" the '·oid. St.,,,, Brehicr, LD
ThiCN/C des mcorpou!s dons fOtK"lCn ,uoicrsmc, ch, ~.
Diogclll'S Laertius, IJI'~ if En"ntnf PhJIosopMfS (Colmhridgt': H"'''·.lrd Unh'cr-
sit~, Pres.~, 19H), p. 197.
Kant. C"'ltlllt ~{PlIr~ Reason. "Th.... Transcendental Jdt'al,"
Kil'rk"gaard, n" Confcp' ~{lrOl~1' (Bloomington: Indiana 1IIli\'t'rsit~· I'r,''''''.
h~' arrang"lIwnt wilh Ha'lx'r and Row, 1968), PI'. 298-JOO,
Ni\,t7...o;dl"', Til.- 8mh o{Tra!JCdy. Sl't'lion {.

..6 "'I·VI·NTI· .. NTI-l "'HU"~ 01' I OGle"'l GH\I ..... I~ NINTI:.I·NTII ~I:RJI'~ 01· HUMOR J47
TWI'N"II"11 "I lUI'" liN Tltl MOKA!. I'KOlll.I·M IN
"Tole 1'1111 "'01'11\
.. St..- Vktor Goltlschmklt, IL Sp,':nw sroiclt'n tl riJit dt 'tmps (Pdr;»; Vrin,
PH I)·
2. l'in-ro, On D,nnullon, St.·
J. On til(' irTl~ludbilil~' of th..- incorporeal "l'xprcs..~iblc" to an ,-WII ralional
rqm'Sf,'ntatinn, SC(' Hr{·hi,·r·s detinitin- pages, fA Thlor~ des I/Il'orpouls J<lm
l'uM,en Sloj'C/smt (Paris: Vrin. 1'}28), PI" 16-19.
4. Victor Golds(:hmidt, p, 101·
TWI:.NTY-HIO,T ~I:.RII:." 01" Till· l:;VI"NT
.. With R'SJX'ct 10 Jot' BoUsqUl·t's work, whie'h is in it~ f"ntirct~· a m,~litatinn
on the wouml, the e\'cnt, and language, SC(' two cs.scntial ankles in CohlC'rs
du Sud (19S0), no. JO); Rene Nelli, "Joe Bousquet et son doubk"; and
Ferdinand Alqui~, "Jot' Bousquet et 101 morale du langag......
2. Sc<- Jot' BousqUl.'l. Us COPl/uk5 (paris: Le C.·rcle du Lin.', 19H). p. 10J.
~. ~lauricc I:\landlOt. I.T.spoet IlHlnmt (paris; Gallimartl. 1<}H), p. 11>0,
4. E.'""'1~· b)' Claud.· Roy on Ging)('rt, SOUI'd Obstn-artur. 1<Jf>8.
S. Sl'l' M"UriCI' BlandlOt. p. 1 H; "This attempt to l'!nate death to itself. to
hring ..bout the luind,lt'nl'l' of tIl{' IXlint at which it disapp.:ars in itself
amI that at which I di.~apP,·ar oUbid.- of m)·sdf. is 1101 a simplt, inh'rnal
arr;)ir, but impli('s an immense r"sponsihilit~· with rt'gard 10 things ami is
IXlssihl(' nnly Ihrough Ihdr Ilw,liation.... "
TWI·NTY. 'I CONI) ~I" RII·" - l'ORel- LAIN ANI) VOl C ANO
I. 1-. Scott F;t7.g..rald, TM (r«~ Up (19J6; New York; New Din....tlons. I<).g).
p. 6<).
2. Makom LO"T..·. Urwk, fM '~(uno IN..w York: Lippincott. 1')6{). p. H·
~. M. I:\lan(;hot. i:&peKt IlIllriJlrt; PI" lC4-IO{: "By wa~' of suki,l.. I desir., to
kill fll)'sdf at a t1,'!l'mlina!l' rnOfllt'nt; I l'OI1lI('CI (11',lIh to now; )'l'S ...
now, now. Hut nothing sho.....s tilt' illusion. an.l Ihl' madn,'ss of Ihi.~ IlI"unr.
for d.-aliI is ne...cr prt"~'nl. . , . S\lidt!I·. in this rt·sp'·"t. i.~ not a \.....ktmling
of tI,·ath. It i.~ railler a wishing tn aholish it as the futun" tn llt-pri\'(' it of
H8 ',WI'NTII·TH ~1·IUI-:-' I'IHIKII·M IN :-.TOIC 1'1111 O:,>OI'11Y
thai part of Ihe future which is its (·ss.'nc(·. , " Wt' cannot proJCcl killing
oursd...l's; Wt' prepare OUfS('h'I"!o for it; \\"(' dct with an I·\"t· low;anl Ih('
ultimatt' gcsturl', .....hich newnhd.'S., 10till lx-longs to tilt' ~rmal c;atego~'
of things to do. But this gt-stun' is 1101 within sight of dt'ath, it dot'S nol
concern it. it does not hold it up ill its prt'SCTK"t'.... "
4· Fit7.geraltl. PI" 80-81: "Ion!..' .... alllt..1 ab:ooluw quil'l to think otlt "h.. I
had tle"'dopl~1 a SilId atlitu~11' to.... dftl Sdd.....'S.~. a mclJnl-hoh' allit~d.,
toward md;anchol)' and a tragi<- dttilUdt· to.....anl trag(~IJ-,,·h) I'had b«ome
ukmptJ ,,-nh flit obJCCIS 1'm)' horror or CompanIOn . ... Itlentifi.-ation sudl a..~
this spt'lls the death of ;act.'ornplishnwnl. It is soolt'thing lik<· this th.1\
kecps insane pI~ple from working. Lenin did nOI willingl)' endure tilt'
sufTt'rings of his proletariat, nor Washington of his troops, flor Diekt.:ns of
his London poor. And when Tolstoy Iri(...l 50111.' such merging of hirnsdf
with th(' objl'Cts of his attl'nlion, it was .I fake and a failure. " ." This
l>lIssage is a remarkable illustration of psyehoanal),tk th.'OriC:5 (l-'Sp«.;illI)'
those of Klein) of manic-depressh'e SIaH'S. As .....(' shall sec in what fol1o\\'s,
ho.....e..·er. there arc two points .....hich en:d\(' problems for these theories,
In the first instance, mani<! is most ofwn presentNi olS a rcaetlon to the
dcpR'SSi"'e st;ate. whcreolS il seems on tht, conlrary' to dl'1emlinc il. at least
within the structure of alcoholism. On Ih., other hand, idcntifK:aliOIl is
most often presented as a rcal1ion 10 the loss of the object......her't'as it
too S<'l~ms to determine Ihis loss. to f"lltail it ,Inti ('wn to .......iIl .. it.
{. In Lowry as well, alcoholism is inseparabll' from tilt' identific;ations it
renders IXlSSibl., and from the hankruptg' of thl'se idenlifications. Lowl)"s
lost nO\"l'I, In Ballor, 10 Ihr lI'hilt S(o. had idt·nlilication. ami the pos.~ihilily
of health and sah'ation through i(lcllIihcalion. as ils tl1(:me: sec Sd"'cIfJ
Ltmrs 1',llol(om 1.o.,7Y (Nl'..... York: LippinC"Ott, I'}6S). In any case. one
could find in Ihe fUlure lX'rft'Ct a prttipitAlion ;)nalogous to the one we
~\"(' S('cn in connection .....ith thl.' past perf("("t,
In a "'('I)' int('resting article, Gunther Stein has iutal,-,.ed the figurN of
the fUlure perfl.'CI, 11w t'xh"lltlcd fUlure. like the past perfen.. ~aso.'S to
belong to man. "To this tilll(". not ewn the specill<: direction of linw
applies-its positjo,'e seIlS(' or tlirt.'C1ion. It is r....luo:d to somelhing thai
will no longer be of the fUHm·. to ;an Aion ilT('l(·..·ant to th,' sdf. M;an 01.1\'
indt'('{l still think .Inti point O(lt tilt' l·xistcnt.'l· of Ihis Aion. but in a st('ril:·
maOlu-r, without l."Omprch('mling il or rl"alizing it. __ . Thl' '1 Ifill ~. (~
1o:rms) i.~ Iwncl.'forth changNI into iI •...hol 11'111 be. 1 11',11 nol hI" (er '1111 sao. ~
riC s<:w pas), Th(' positi\"l' e:o.:prl',~sion of this fonn is the futun- l1l'rf,·l"t: I
,..,1/ h""r beef] ((uurm III)." "I'alhologi(' d.. I;) liI)('rtc. es,Qi .~lIr la 1I0n_
i.klllilir,ltion," &(hcr(hn phl105Ophlql~S (19J6- 1917). "'01. 6.
rWI·NT"-'>I·CtlNn :-I-!{'I":--I'ORCI·I AIN AND VOlCANO H9

1. Bo•.-thius. (omolallon e!f PhIlosoph)'. + (I<Hf-19J6), \'01. f: "E\'t~~, ('I·t'm is,.w to sl"'ak, in time where nothing is
1. Sct· DicJg"nt's Lll'ftius, 7:147.
J. Man:us Aurdius, The .ltedl//l/lom t?f Mon'us Aurtlius. Iram. G('Orge Long
(Nt'\\ "ork: P. F. Collwr. 1909) 12:14: "Aoon', 1x-1ow, all dfOUrKl art" the
mO\Tlllents of the d ..· mcnls. Rut tht, motion of \'irtut' is in nOlw of th("S(';
it is something more dh-ine, and ad\'ancing b)· a way hardly obsefn't! it
go,'s happily on its road" (Mt-.:lit.ltion 6:17; p. 1]7). W ..· liml Ill'fl' til('
doubl,' n•.: gation of tilt" cyde alUl of a superior knowledge.
TWI,NTY·FOlUtTll ~IoIOIo~ 01· TIll- COMMUNICATION
O~ IoVloNTS
I. A gcrwral theo~ of Cicero's Dt foto.
1, Dt FUIO, 8,
J' Sec G('OrgC.~ Canguilhcm, Lt Normal et Ie palho/ogique (Pdfis: P.U.F., 1<)66),
p. '}o.
4. On the rolt' of t"xdusion ami expulsion, sec thc chapter on "contr;'ldk-
tion" in Hcgo.'l's LoaIC.
{. Nict/.'K'hc, £at Homo, lrans. Wlollcr Kaufmann in On I~ ~ntof"fl)' e!f,l/owls
ami Eccc Homo (New York: Vintage Books, 1<J6'J), p. 21J,
6. On the conditions undt'r which th... disjun(:tion I,,:conll:s an a/lirmativc
s~'nthcsis through a changing of principl..· , set" appendix J.
7. St-"C loppendix ]. Klossowski sp('aks of "this thought so perfrt.·t1y coh('rent
that il cxdudes m(' at the \"('ry inst;'lnt I think it," "Ouhli ct anamnese
dans l'cxpcricn<.'C \'C<:lll' de l'cttTnal r(·tour <Ill 111':01('," Nrcl7.schc (paris:
Cahicrs de I{0raumollt. Minuit, 19(7), p. !l4- St..... also the postface to LDis
de fhospJfo/ui. In these texls, Klossowski den:lops ;'I th,'O~' of tht' sign,
SCllSl\ ;'Ind nonscnsc, and lo profO\u\(lI~' original intcrprctuion of the
Ni<'tI..st'hean eternal return. t:onc<"i\·etl of ilS an ex-centric power of ;'Iflirnl·
ing dil'crgenn' and disjunction, ami whieh allows Iwither tilt' idcntit)' of
tIl(' sdf, nor of the world. nor of GOII to subsist.
TWI::NTl··HI·TII '1:1I.1t:.!> (J!- lINIVO<.·ITY
l. Klossowski. "La P~riOlI(' turinoise ell' Nkt....s dw... L'fphimcrc. no. {.
2. Borg'~, I-1C(IQIltS
(N<,\\ York: Gron- Pfl'SS, l'}On pp. 89-101.
Ho TWI·NTY-T1IIKIl ~1'KIl-3 01' Till: "ION
J. On tiM' imponance of "empt~· tinll''' in th.., dahon.lion of tht, C\'('nl, S("("
B. Gro... thu~·st·n, "Oc <jud<ju,'S a.~JX"''tS oIu wmps," Rtchtn'~S ph,losoph"lutS
h,lppl'ning"; and there is a 1)<'nlJ,lrl('n,'" of empt), time spanning ('vc!)·thing
that hapP('ns. The profourn.! interest of Joe HoUS<juct's book, us
Coplfoks.
is tlut it raised the problem of l;'lnguage in rcLuion to tilt· Uni\'(ll:it~' of
Bdng, beginning with ;'I meditlolion Oil Duns Scotus.
r. \Vith rt'SlX'Cl to this pro<X'S.~ of n.-tum or rc;'leliOl\ ami Ihe intt'rnal
(('mporalit)' Ihat it implil'S, 51-.... the work of Gusta\"l' Guillaume ;'Iml the
anal)'sis of this work c.lrrict! out b)' E Ortigues in u
Durours et k sJmbok
(Paris: Aubier, 1'}61)' Cuill;'lumc d('riws from it ;'In originaJ cooa:plion of
the infinitive in "Epoques ct nin'dux tcrnlX)rt-!s dans Ie sJStcme de la
<."Onjug;'lison fran~aisc" (Cahiers de IJn9U'Jf"luC stfllCfUrole, no. 4. Unh·('rsitc <Ie
Lwal).
TW~NTY-SIo\'loNTlI SI:.II.IIoS O~ OIl.AI.tTY
I. s..'C Mdanie Klein, The PSJcho-Analpis e!fChilJren. trans. Alix Strachcy (lon-
don: Hog;'lnh Press, 19]1).
1. Sec Md.lnte Klein's remarks .llong these lillt'S and her rcfercncn to
W. R. D. Fairbairn's thesis, according to which "in the beginning, onl)'
til(' bMI object is intt'mali7.cd ... " (a tht'sis rejccte<1 by Klein): DcI'elopmenlS
in PSJcho.Ano~'S1S (London: Hoganb !'n'Ss, 1970), p. l'}f.
J. Mdanit' Klt'in docs not establish lo difference of rwturcs betwt"Cn ;'InaJ and
urcthro1ll s.adism ;'Ind abides b)' her prindplt' in .lcron:lo1ncc with which
"the unconscious doc'S nOI distinguish belw<.'('n the lXK.Ifs dh'('fS(' suh-
MJnc,·~," Mort, gl·ller;'lIl,., il S"t~ms to us that the ps)'C"hoanal),ti(' thco!)' of
Sdlizophn'nia ha.~ ;'I IClI(lcnC)' to rlt.'glt'Ct till' imlX)rtann' Jnd d)"nami~11l of
til<' tl1I.'lI11.' of th(' bod)· 14'/f/rotJI organs, Wt' Solid the s.an'K' thing carlier in tho;-
C.lS<' of Mrs. Pdllkow. It is, howt'n'r, mu....h mort' ('\'id"T1t in Md;'lnie KIt·;n.
s,,'l' Dc,dopmems In l'J)"cho-AooJySls, p. J II, in which a <in'am invoking
hlimlm'.,s ;'Ind a froc'k which i~ buttonctl up 10 tilt' lJ.ltk-IIt'S tlln.>'lt is
illh·'Vr'·h-.:1 as ;'I simple sign of dosing 00', without tht' thl'l11c of the hoc.:h·
\\ ithout urg;'lm being t1iscngagt'tJ from it. In fa<.'t, bod~' without organ's
;'11)<1 li<juic:1 spt'C"ifidt~' Jr" bountl togl·tho.·r, in tm' S('ll."l· thaI the Ii<jtlid
TWI,NTY-\I·V/·NTII ",1'Hr,,~ 01· (J~AI IT)" HI
 prindpl., .'n~Urt'S tilt' "ol,kring of till' pieces into on,' hlnck. ,'\Tn if this
Wt'n' .1 rna"s of \\ ;H,·r.
4. TIlt' .lh'ision \\tH.lIltlt"iJ·unhamwtl is nOI to he confusl:.l \dlh tIlt' dh'ision
pJrtial-,"ornpkh'. bot is itself applied to thc compl"h' ubj.'ct of tI\{'
.1"Ilrt-ssi\(' position: S('('" Klein. DrudopnKnu In P.~r.. ho-:tll<l~r$ls. p. 20 I. II
~hould not 1)('" surprising th...t tht" so~rcgo is "good" "'11(1 nt",·t'nht-Icss
,·rud. \·ulnt'rablc. t'tC", Fn-ud M ...Irc d~· spokt"n of .11 good .In.1 consoling
1>upen.'go in connt'Ction with homor dding that there r'nnaint..1 much for
u.~ to le....m with rt'gard to the l'SSCTICt" of the supen-go.
~. Robnt rujol T't'Ill.lrk.~. in L...c....n·s lenninolog.v: "nw lost objt.'ct c...n onl~'
Ilt· signif1t't:1 ami not rtx~\"Cn..1. ..." "Approche tht'-orlqu\> du fant.-a.sme,'·
1.0 PSJdl()IkJ~~ (19f4). no. 8. p. IS,
f.. s..,. lkrgson. L '£lH'r9~ spIT/IUd//' (Paris: P.U.E. 1976). PI}. 101-102.
TWI-NTY-UGIITII loUUI·lo (H lol'XlIALITY
I. Gililert Simondoll. I.'/ndindu rf JaBeneSl' phplco-bio1onique. p. 263.
2. This fomlS a constant tlll'IlW in Mdank Klein's work: 01 firs!. the superego
n."St.·n'cs its rq)ression nOI for the libidinal drives but onl)· for the dcstruc·
tive drin.'S which an'omllan)' them. Sec. for exampl." "l"ht PS)-,ho.ona~I'sis if
[h,ldr/,n. p. 134- It is for this reason that anxiC't)' and gUilt do not find their
origin in the libidinal drivcs. cn'n incl'Stuous on...... but in dc:"tructive
(Iri,'cs and their reprt'S.~ion: "not onl~' would it bo.' thl' incestuous trends
whkh gin' rise in thc first illstanCC' to a S("fl(' of guilt. but horror of incest
itself would ultimatd~' bo.' dcrin:d from the dl'Struetiw impulses whK:h
are bound up pemlan.... ntl~· with tht' (:hild's earliest incestuous desires."
J. The firsl point-that th... s.:xual (Irh'CS art' frt'C1.1 from th(' impulses of
conscn'ation or ft'eding-is dearl)" indicatC"t1 b~' J. LaplallCh<- and J. B.
Ponulis: l«obulOlTt lit w ps)",holkJtl~ (Paris: I>.U.E. 1')b7). p. 'u; ..nd
·'Fantasm.. originaiT"t'. falllasn'll' des origincs. origin.· (Iu fantasme." In
7tmps .1I000t1H'S (1')64). no. 21S. pp. IS6(,-1867. Hut it .10l'S not soRice to
define this Iibt'ration b)' ikI~'ing th...t the (Iri,'cs of conscn'ation have an
('xtemal object. and that this obj.:ct l~ aoondon('(1 h~" tht· st'xual impulses
for somClhing "pronominal." In fa(·t. the liberalt'tl st'xual drives do still
haw An obj('et projc("t,,1 at till' surfac(": thus. for (·xample. a s\Kkcd-oll
linger as a proi('(·tion of the Im'ast (At Ih.· limil. a proj(·(·tion of one
l'rog.'nous zone onT another), All of this is recognized pcrfel"d)' by
Lilpland1l' and 1'011tali,~, But. abow all. the sexual (!rin's. insofar as the)·
haVl' Ilt'('1) (~nr1l't:h"i1 in dq>th with Ihc alim('ntilr)' driVl·s. alr<'i1d)' have
,I' TWI:NTY-I'll;HTlI ~1·H.rl·lo 01' ~I,XUAIITY
IXlrtkul;Jr ohjc•.'ts distill(·t from til(' ohil'cls of tlwS(' drh"cs-namd",
llanial internal objl.'Cls. \Vllat must I,.. 1'ol'llarat,,1 are two stall'S of th('
st'xual drin'S. two sorts of obje('b of th.'S(· (Iri,·(-s. and Iwo mechanisms of
pro;l....tion. And what must bo: mad., til(' sobject of a criti<ju(' ...re notions
Iik.. that of the halludnato~' ob;("('t. \\hich is imlistillCtl~' applied to the
internal obj''f.'"t, the lost OOjl'ct....nd Ihc objt'ct of th.· surf.lll....
1bc imrM>nillX"t' of tht- St.-"cond point follows: tltt.· sexUloI drin'S are
discng...gcd from the destrut:th·e driws. MdanM' Klein insists On this
('()nsl.llntl~·. Thc emire Kleinean school mah'S a justirlCd attempl to t"xon-
crate sl'xualit~· ami to fn..'C il from tht' .It"Struetiw drin~ to which it l~
bouml onl~' in depth. It is in this .so.·nst' Ihat tlK' notion of the sexual crim("
is discus.'i("d b)' P...ula Heimann (lk.·tlopnwnu In Psy,ho-Ana9"llS. pp. J 28-
129). It is indct.'t! truc that sexualit)" is pen·crst." bol Jll"'n'crsion is detine(1
first of all b)' the rolc of the partial erog"nous zones of the surface. The
"scx crimc" belongs to another dom...in. in which scxualit\' acts onl\' in a
dl~pth mixture with the dl'Strut:th'c <lrin's (sul)\'ersion rath~'r than po;n·er-
sion). In an)' case. we should not mnfusl' the two \'cl)' .litTe~nt t)'pes of
regres.~ioll under the \'cI)' gcneral theme of a return to the "pregenital"
(thc rt'grt.ossioll to an oral stage of dcpth.~ or tlw rcgression to the oral
zone of the surface. for ,'xample).
4-, On thl' "Ilad" and til('" "good" penis. 5<..' Ml'ianil' Klein. Tht Psy,ho-AIkJ9'sIS
if Chi/dun. pp. 233 al)(1 26{. Kkin nOh'S foro·fully thilt thc Octlipos
complex implies the pre,'ious position of ... "good ~nis." as well ...~ the
liberation of libi(linal drives with respl"("t to tht' d<-'Structin' dri,'es: "For
onl~. if th(" bo~' has ~ strong enough belil'f in tI\(" 'goodness' of malc
genitals-his fath.'r's as wcll as his own-nn he:- allow himself to
l'Xpcrit'llCC his genital dt'sifl"S towards his mother .. '. he can fM:e his
Offiipus hatn-d ..nd ri\·al')·... [ontrlbutlons 10 PSJ..J-:ina~m '921-1945
(london: Hog... rth l'rt-ss, I<J.l.S). pp. 3S1-382. This does not mean. as w('
shall see. tlut thl' sexual position and the OCtlillal sitU.lllion do not han'
their new anxit'ties and dangcrs-for l'xamplc, ... spt"Cihc fear of castra-
tion. Ami if it is true. in the earl~' st"gt~ of Oc....lipos. that Ihe sop"n'go
diR'CIS its scn'rit~· fir:st of all ag...inst the dt-structh'e drin:s. "it is onlr in
Iht' later stages of the Ot..lipus con/lkl lhat the (Icft'nst' against' the
lihidinat impulses mah"S its apJll"'i1ranIT ... " (rht Psy,ho-AIkJ~rslSif Chddrtn.
p. I H. n.).
TWI NTl'-I-IGIITH \1·RII·lo (H ~I-Xll,"'IITY H3
TW1'NTV-NINl'll 'HI.II '-l;oon INTl:NTION~ Ali.I
INI,\'I1'AKll 1'11,\"'11"1)
.. St·t· h,·ud. &)"000 ,'''' PJ(a.urt' PrIMlple. ...11. + Thi.~ emir.' d,aptt'r is ('"sSt'ntial
to tI\I.' hio-ps)'l'hic tlll'or)' of surfaces.
2, All of thl' grt~at interpretations of o..:dipus nl'n'ssaril~' int<·grat<· dements
horrowl.'l:l from the pra-ec:ling positions. tht· schi:7.0ill ami till' depressiw:
thus. HoMt'rlin's insistence on withdraw.lol .lond turning aW<l~' n'ft'rS to a
pn'Ot-"'dipal position.
J. 'l1w tht"O'Y of dl.'SCxualiled f"Ill.·rgy is outlinl'tl h)' Frt'ud in .fht' l;go and rhe
IJ, ch. + We diwrge from thi' I:rt'udian account on two poillls. Fint.
Freud oftt'n l·xprt.'sse.~ himSt~lf as if the narcissistic Iihitlo ('Qultl as such
impl)' a dl'Sl'xuali1.ation of cn(''&.,'. This c.lonnot be maintaincJ to tilt' extl'lIt
that the phallic ego of S<.'('Omla~' IlJ.rcissism still makes uS(' of objt....'t
relations with part.·ntal images (rt'Storation. summoning). In this cast'.
Jcscxu.loli7..lotion comes about onl~' with the C<lstration compkll: ddinl'tl in
its specificity. S<-cond. Fr('utl calls this d('S('xualilC't1 l'nt'~· "1I1.·utral·'; he
mcans that this cnngy is ahle to IX' displaced and is <.'apahll.· of passing
from Eros to Thanatos. But if it is the l'aS(' that it i~ oot luntent with
joining -rnanatos or thl' dC.loth instinct. if it is thl.· case that it constitutes
it . .lot lc~t in the speeul.lotiw fonn that the instinct ilSSuml'S ,tt the surface.
then "neutral" must h;a.,·e .lo rompletcl~' difTen:nt fflC.loning. .loS we shall sec
in the following p.aragraphs.
THllt'l'Il:Tll S ...tll:~ 0" Tit .. 1'1lANTA~M
.. St't.' FI'l'ud. 1'ht lI'oIf,lIun, Senion {.
2, St" J. L.aplalll"ht' 'and J. H. Pont;alis. "Fant,lsmc originail'l·. fantasme til'S
origint·s, origin(' du fant,lsnll· ... In Temps ,1IO<krnel (1')64). no. l,{. pp.
1861- I868: "A father Sl,(!Uc<''S a daught...,-such would Ix" for ('xample,
the l'ondsl' fonnula of Ill(' fantasm of Sl,tlut'tion. Thl' mark of tl1\' primal)'
process is not hen' thl' abserKe of organi1.ation. as is Ol'l"asionall}' said. but
rather thl" l),lrticulu (-haractcr of the structure: it is a SC(·n;ario with
muhiplc entranees. \11lt.'rt' nothing s.1~·s that the suhjt'ct will liml her
I>osition straight .awa~· in the h'ml "(I,luglltl.·r" ifille); we m,l~' also S('(" it
1'l·I·oh·l' arouml the tt'nn "fathl'l''' or i'\"I'n til(' tl'nn "S('(luees." 'nlis is .an
(·s.....·nti,ll pOilU of tIl(' criti(lu,' which Lapland1\' and Pontalis addn'ss 10
tht' tht'Sis of Susan Isaacs. "TIlt' Natun' and ~unl·tion of Ph,lntas~'." in
Dnelopuwnts In PSJdlO-AI'ItIJyns. 1.·...U l'S. mOllding the phantasm 011 tilt' dri,·c.
JH TWI,NTl'-NINTIl ",1-RII·"'-l;OOIl INTI'NTI()N~
gh'es to tht' sub;"'Ct a dctl'mlint,1 .l(·tiw pl,ll't·. ("\'en if th,' .locti\'\' n'\'l'r!S
back to the passh·e. and l"Onl'ef"S('k To this L.apbnt..he and Pont,llis 00;""('1:
"I:>o..:s it suffiC(' to I'l"COgnil" in tilt' fant;lsm of incorpor.ation tht· ''luh'a-
I{'ncl.' bctwC('n I.'ating .and h... ing e.aten? InsofJr as the itlea of till' suhject's
I>osition is maintained. ,'wn if it is p,lssin·. hal'(' Wl' Teadw(! thc most
fundamental stnlctun~ of thl.· [mtasm?"
J. On tht' link hctwl'cn the rewrsal of l'ontrari\.'S lond th\.· tumin£ back 011
OJl\.:sclf. as wdl as on the "lolue of till.' pronominal in this Q;'X'ct. see
Fn'ud. "The Instilll"ts lond Their Vki'Situtll.'S." in .lfefQps.,rcholog.r.
Freud's text on COntrudlC/OfY moontn,qs In p"m",rt MTmls h.as been critkil....d
by EmilI.' Bcn\'cnistc, "Remarqucs sur Ia fonction du lang,lge dans 1;1
dcr-ou\'crte fn'udicnnc," Prob/tmt's d( IlnBlIIs/I'Il/c !lnew/e. Benveniste shows
that although a langu.age might 1I0t l-arry' .a certain Cilt\.'gOl)·. it \.';annot
grant it a contradietol)' expression. Reading Iknl'{:nistt'. howcn>r. OIl(' has
the impression that I.angWige (1oTJ[Je.w) is rlCCCSS.lril~· confused with pure
processes of rationali7.ation. But dOl."S not l.angu.age (lungogt) 1lC\-erthcless
impl)' paradoxic.al proct.·dul'l'S with rl"Slx'Ct 10 its m;lnift'St organi7.alion.
e\'cn though these procC{lurcs arc not at all rcdudblc to the i(!(~nlitication
of contraries?
.... Luc\.· lrig.ara~·, "Du F.antasme t·t e1u ,"('rh..·... L',irr (1')68). no. J+ Such ;In
attempt must of course rely on,) linguistk gerK'Sili of grammatiatol rdations
in the \'em (\·oie..•• mood. tense. person), Examples of such geneses art' to
be found in the work of Gusta\'e Guill.aunlt'. I:poques ef nll'eUI/.l umpords
duns ,( .~r;{/;Im' dc fa conjl/gO/son jron(QISt', arl(I in till.' \\'ork of D.lmourdtl' arl(I
Pichon. E.,iSai Jc Branrmuirc jrun(aise. 1"01. ~. PidlOn himself underlines the
iml>ortance of such stu,Iit.'S for l)3tholog~'.
{. Susan lsauos. "Thl' Nature .lond Function of Phant.l.~~·." in Dtrdopmems In
~r(ho-,ina~'SlJ.
·rIIIHTr .. HItST .sl,ltll,~ 0" TIIOUGHT
I. St" L.aplolnl.'he ,llltl Pont.alis. "hnt,l~mt· originain·. fantJosllll.· tit'S origin..·s.
originl.· ,Iu fant.a."nlt.':·ln Tem['f .I/odirna (1')64). no. 21{.ll. 180: l'oc<lbu-
Itllre dt' 10 psychona~rSt'. pp. 1{S-I ~9.
I. Pie "'I.' Klos."Owski. avertiSSt'nwnt and l>ostfaC(" to I.DIS dt' fhosplluJ"i.
I· It w.as I:dmolltl Pt'rrier who. from an l'\'olutionist p,-'rsl'k'(·lin·. dt'arl~'
arlit-ulalt'tl a thl.·or~' of thc "conllit."t I)('tll'l'('n tilt' moutl, and tht, brain."
Ill' delllonstrakd how tIlt' dt·\'t.·lopmcnt of thl' nervous system in wrtt··
brau'l> brings tilt' n'n'bral (·)(trt·mit~· to t.ake on tilt' I>osition (xTupit.,1 b~'
tilt.· mouth in th..· anlll'lit.ls. lit- da!>orah,1 the l'Ol'll"t.'Pt of Uf/lludt' in onk'r
TlIIRTr-HH."'T ",l:Rll'~ OE· TIIOlH;lIT JH
 to aCL'Ount for till'S<' orientation.~ ;and these changt."S in position ami
dim('w,iun. I II' ,'mplo,.t.·d ,1 JIl('lhod inherit'ro from Gt.'ofTrm· Saint·)·!il..ill.'
-th(' Ilwtho<.l of ilkal foldings-combining in;a complt'lC'm.lnIlt'T 51'''0'
,Inti linw. St-r "L'Origine des ('mbr;anchenll'nts du rCgIW .. nim,ll." hnllO.
Ma~' ''JIS,
'1110' hiological thl'Qr')' of the hr.lin has always borne in mind its
~~t'ntiall)' superficial character (ils l't.·todemlit' origin. nat un', and funl1ion
of thl.' surface). Fll.'ud reassens this ami Ilraws a gn.'at tlt-al from it in
&Jond 1M PltonITt Prinr,plt. ch. + Modem studies insisl on the relalion
betwt.-cn areas of cortk;al protection and topologk;a\ Sl);)c('. "111(' projl"C'
tion in f;act conn·rt.s ;a Euclide;an space into ;a lopoIogk;a1 space. so Ih,lt
lhe COnl'X cannot be adcquatd~' n·prcsentC'l.! in .. Euclidean mallll<'r. In a
strict St.'nse, it should IlOt be lll"Ct'ss,u)' to speak of projection with mil)('c1
10 the l"Or1('X. although there ma)' be a geomt'trical SCIIS(' of the teml
which is appli("able 10 minor rl'gions. It would rather be neeessar~.. to sa)':
a l"On\'crsion of Euclidean spat."C into topological space ... " a m('(liate
systcm of rd,ltions restoring the Euclidean structures. Simondoll. L'fnJmdu
tt JQ Btnist phpKo-bKJIoy"llJt, p. 262. It is in Ihis S('flS(" that w(' speak of the
COIl\'ersion of Ihe ph)'sk;al surfac(' into a nwtaph~'sic;li SUrf"'Cl'. or of an
induction of Ih(' latter by the fom\Cr. W(' Coln thus klt'ntif)' the ct'rebr.ll
and metaph~'sical surfaces: it is ll's.~ a question of hringing about the
malerialilation of till' met'aph)'skal surfan' than of following oul the
projection. conversion. and imlUClion of till' hrain itsdf.
'rItlKTY-Sl:<;ONI> 'I'KII') os Till· I>U'Fl-KH~T
KINI) Ol- )I:;KIl-5
I. l1\c objt'Cl ma), apl>arelltl~' he tilt' same: Ihe hreasl for n:ampk. It Illa)'
also sl'I'm 10 1)(' Ihe sanw wilh n'sl)('C1 10 dim'rl'nt zones, as is 11ll' Case,
for n:ample, of till' finger. III an)' l·aS<'. tilt' Im'ast as an illlernal partial
objt'Ct (sucking. jtJCl"lOn) will nOI lx' l'onfuS4,.'t1 wilh the Im'asl as a surface
image (suckling. sU(OUmtnt); nor will we ronfuSl' Ihe fing('r as an image
proit."'C1t.'t1 o\'('r tIK· oral '"'Oil(' or O\'cr Ihe analzont·. I'll'.
2. \V(' must notict' rrt.'ud·s usc of tIK' word "St.·rK'S," either wilh respt-'Ct to
his prt.'SCnl';)lion of tht' l"Ompletc Ot-dipus l'Omplex. in its four e!cmt'nu
Uk Ego and Iht fd, ch. I). or wilh rl'SlX"<'t to his theol)' of objt'Ct c!loiC('
(Three E.i.SQp on lilt ,(hlOfy ef Sexuo/i'J" E........), j).
\Vilh fj'spt'ct to til(' ('oncl'plion tlf two l'vI'nIS or two S"rit~s, rder 10
till' l'Olllllll'lllari('S of uplalll:he and POnlalis. "Fanlasnw originain·. f.m-
tasllW dt's origint'S. origine Ilu fant"'slllt·... l.n ttmf'$ .lIoJ..rnes (1964), no.
Hb TIlJH.TY-~I·l(lNl> ~I·H.JI·:' ON Till I)IHI·H.I·NT KINIl'"
2 I {. PP' IS j'J-IS42. 1848- I 84'J. It is t'SSl'nti,ll that the first or prt.'gl·nital
stagt' (lht, ohsc"""'lion of coitus at tilt' agt' of one and a hillf in tht- c....St· of
the Wolf M,ln. fOf" eumplt,) should ~1I0t be un<!t'rslood as such. As
Laplanche and Pont.... lis sa)'. tilt' first s-ragt· and corn-sl)l)mling pregenital
imagl"S are rragmt'nt'Cl.1 "in th.· S(·ri.·s of mOllwnls of th., Iransition 10 aulo-
crotidsm."
I· Thcsl' ."I.'ril.'s ma)' be quitl' \'ariahll' hut thl')' are always Iliscolltinuous.
Abo\·c all, the pn'genital S<'n.."S pUU into pla~' nOI onl)' partial erogt'llous
zones ,Uld lheir imagt.'S; il also St·ts in mol ion pre-Octlipal parental imagt'S
fabril-atC'l.I in an enlirel)' din-eft.,,"t m"'lltll'r lhan the:-' will bt' later on. and
fragmenled according to the 7.ones. This series IhcrefON" llI'CeSSaril~' impli-
call'S adults in relation to th., child. withoul Ihe child's bdng able to
"comprehend" wh"'t is in queslion (porcnlOl SUItS). In the second scl"ics, on
the other hand. it is the child or voung man who conducts himself as an
adult (filial seriI'S). For example, in "Laca~'s analysis of the Rat Man Ibere is
tht, series or the father who afTt.'t'ted thr child \'ef)' carl)· on and belongs
to Ih(' familiiollcgcnd (debt-friend-rich woman-poor wormn); and there is
also another series with the sanw tenns, disguised and shifted. thai tlw
subjt"'C1 Iatt.", on reco\'cn for his own .l('COlInt (the debt pla~;ng the role of
tlw object = x. bringing aboul the resonance of thr two series). See
Jacqu(~ bean. it ,I~,rr~ inJwidud du ni.'ros/ (P",ris: C.O.U .• 1'H'j). Or
another example: in Proust's Remembrance. the hero undergoes a Sl'ril'S of
amorou.~ cxperiences of the prl'gt'nital sort wilh his mother; hc Ihcn
UndergOl'S another series with Albertine. BUI the prt.'genital series has
alrcad~' put into pl.l)·. in a m~'slerious noncomprchensin' or pre-rompn--
hensin' rnotle, Iht, allull model of Sw....nn's ]0\'(' for Odettc (the common
them<- of TM Copw't indk;ating thi.· obtcct = x).
of. At tIK' dl... in·s origin. on the L.."llral)'. when the disjulll·tiuns ,Ire relau'tl
onl)' 10 the gootl objl"C1 of the depressi"e position. the disjuncti"e s)'llthe-
sis has bUI a limit'atiw and llI:gati\'t' usc.
~. St.'t~ Rol)(·rt Pujol. "Approche thl'Qrique du fantasme," La P$j"CIwno!pt'. 110.
S. p. 20: Ihe basic unit. the phoncllle as il funclion.~ in relalion to anotlwr
phorwlllc. "escapes the adult inasmuch as his understanding is henl"Cforth
.lItUIll.....) 10 the Sl'IL<;c which COllll'S from SOllOrit~· and no longer to th.,
sonorit)' ilsdf. We suggt."St that tlK- subjt"t.·t in/aM docs not hear this wilh
till' sanll' Nr, he is sensilh'e onl~' to Iht' phonemic opposition of till'
signi~\'ing e!lain."
h. S!.·rgl· !.n·lair..·. Psychclflo/yser (Paris: Seuil. 19(11), I·slx'<."iall)' pp. 90-9{.
7. With resp...et 10 tilt' word "Poord'jl'li," its lirst .1slx'Ct or tilt' first SI.·rit's il
~ul:tsunl\'s, St..... S. I..t.'t·lair..·• PI'. I r 2-, I{. \Vit" rl"SI:M.'t.1 to lilt' SI"Cond aspc..'t't
or SI.'t"01lI1 ....'rit'S. St.., pp. I {I - I {J. Lt"("l...in· t"0fT."("1I~· insi.~ts on th...' IU'CI'!>-
1 IlIKTl·-:.l-CONIl '1·H.rl·~ ON Till· nIH·I,KI·NT KINIl:-. H7
 Sih' of l'un~i(I"rin~ initiOlIl\' th,· lirst olspt-'l:t in its own rit?,ht, without wt
di~:us.~illg St·1L...•• ~\ hich l.'~l.'rg('S onl" with the second. h~ thb rt'Spt-'l."t: h,'
rt'mirt<ls IL~ of an t.~·ntial Laclinian rule. thilt of not hdllg in .I hulT:" to
diminatt· 1lO11SCIlSl' from a mixture of scrks which would want to 1)("
prt'malUn:I~' significant. Morean'r, the (Iistinl.'tions which olr(' 10 Ix: 01.1(1(·
lwlong 10 scn'ral domains-nol onl" 1)(·lwL...· n Ihe surfan' SlTi,'S of
St'"uollity hut between a series of tilt' surfan' and a .~e<Juen(·(· of tht:' dqllhs.
I-'"or eXolmplc, phonelm's tied to til(" t.·rogellOus zont:s oll1(l ('ornpkl' words
tiro to their coordination could Ill' confu5(.'(! respecth'e1)' with th...· litl.'ral
\"iIIUCli of th(" fragmcllIed word .lnd with the tonic \'alueol of tht.- schizo-
phrenic "bllX'k" word (ktters-org.ln.~ .lnd inarticulate word). In Ihis C'aSC.
howe\'Cr, th('re is onl~' Ol rt'Tllote (;orwspond('IKC betwl.'('n ol surfaC'(' orgolo
nization and the' ortler of depth which it summons, or Il('twecn the
nonsense of th(' surf.ll.1.' and tlw infra-sense. LcdOlirc himsdf, in anoth"r
tel't, gin:s all ('l'ampk' of this genr,,: tak,', for instance, oln oral Iloisc of
the (Icpth likC' "hog"; it is \'('I')' (lifT"r('nt from thl' \'crOOI rt'presentation
''croqW''' (crunch or cracklc), This reprL'Sl"ntation ncc<'SS.lril~· fomlS part of
a surfOlce Sl'rics linked to tm- oral zone and capable of being associOlted
with other S<'rics, wlwrt:as th<· oral sound i... ir\S("rt('(1 inlo a KhilOid
sequence of tht· sort "aoque, "Ollt, crollt , .. " Sec "NotC' sur I·obtt.'t de la
ps),chanal)'S("'" (ohrers pour rAllOlj'St, no. ~,p, I&{.
8. Th,· \'oicc from ahov(', on th" contral')', has at ils disl>osal (Iesigllatinns,
manift·stations. and signilil"ations, wilhoul formative clenwl\ls, dislributt'(1
and lost in Simple intonalion.
TIIIH.TY-TlllM.I) SIoM.I"~ 0" AI.Il.·I'·~ AI>V"".:TURioS
I. In both CJ,Sl"S thc (:at is presenl. since Ill' appears initially in Ihe Duchess'
kilclwn and Ihl'n counscls Alice to go 10 S('(' tilt' hare "or" the hatter, The
Ch,-shi,,' Cat'~ posilion in the trt'C or in the sk)', all of his traits, illcluding
lhe h'rrif)'ing ones, i(lenli~\' him with the superego as the "good" object
of the h<'ights (idol): "(The Cat) IookC(1 good-natun.·t1, (Alicl') thought:
still it hiltI''trJ' long claws and .lI great man)' tl'('th, so sm- felt that it ought
10 be treall.'<:I with 1't"SfX-"Ct." The t1wme of tht· enti~' of the hdghts, which
slips awa)' or withdraws. bUI wbich Ollso lights .111(1 nptuN:S internal
obje('ts, is a constanl in c.arroll's work-it will 1)(, fnund in all of its
<:urdl)' in til(' poems ;md narratin's in whkh angling ()('('urs (SCi', for
t·umple. the poem "The Two Brotlll"rs:' in whil'h Ihe ,'ounger broth{'r
scrn'S as bait). In .'ij/n~ and 8runo, the good fathn, wilh,lrawn to th('
H-g TIIIRTY-TIIIRD !>HU"~ (H ALlC"'!> ADVI·NTtlM.J:!>
kingdom of folirit.'S .lind hi<ldell l>l:hin,1 tht, \'oi('" of a dog, is ('Ssenli... l; this
ma.sh'rvK'O·. which also put~ into pl.l~· tiM' th...·nl(' of the two SUrflo(TS-
the nJl1UllOn surfilCl' .lI1l<1 th.· mOlgk or f.li~' ~urfaa.·-woukl rL"quin: a
kngth~' commcntOl')', Finall,'. in nA,uion to the whole of COlrroll's work,
Ih(· trOlgi<" I>ocm "11le 'l1ux"; Voin's" is of partk:ular importan(-t" 11lt' lirst
"VOi(T" i.~ tholt of it SI.'H're and hoisl('(()IIS woman who ('rt'atcs a t('(roro
fiJll'(l sn'rw of nourishm,'nt; tlw .o;(.'(·oml \'oin' is h'rrifying as wdl, bUI has
all of till' (·haracteri.~tics of th.. good Voin' from ahow which eau....'S til("
hero 10 stammer and stutler; Ih<· thi,,1 is Oln O<.x1ipal \-oice of guilt, whkh
sings the h'rror of tm- result in Spili' of th<· purit~' of tht' intt'ntions ("Art<1
when al El't tm- unpit)'ing sun! Smil('(1 griml~' on tm- soIt'mn fun.l·Abck:
hl' sight'(I, 'what hor~ I dond' '."
1, \V(, would like 10 cite an example whi<:h ,lPI)('ars to liS important in
dealing with such an obscure probl('rn, eh, La..;fgu(· was a psychiatri!'!
who, in 1877, "isolated" exhibitionism (and creatL'l.I th(' word); in Ihis
manner. he did the work of a clinician ami ol symptomologist: 5(.'(' Etudes
miJkalts, 1:&~U400. Now. when ht., prcscllll'<:l his discu\'erY in a brit.·f
article. m- did not begin b)' riting cases of manifest ,·"hibitionism. Ilc
begOln rather \\;th the QSC of a man who dail~' plares himsclf in the path
of a woman and follows her ('\'t'')'wh('re without Ol word, without a
gesture ("his role restrained to aeling as a ~hadow"), Lasegue Ihus lOtans
out b)' implidtl)' giving the reader 10 IInd"rsland Ihal thi,~ man is alto-
gether i(lt'ntified with a penis. It is onl)' tllt'n Ihat he cites manifesl caSl.'S.
Las(-guc's ml'thod is the method of an artist: h,' I~ins with a no\'e1, It is.
without douht. a stol')' initiOlIl)' <:rC.ltl'<i b~' tilt' ;ubjt."Ct; 001 it took a
clinician to recognize il- It is a Il('urotk no\·d. sillL't" Ih...· subject is satislit.'(1
with cmlxxl)'ing .1 l>artial objCC1 that m- Ol<:tuOllizes in his whole person,
What then is thC' difference bctw,"{'n su<:h a lived. n{"tlroti<'. and "famili... I"
novel and a novel OlS a work of art? 11](' symptom is always taken up in it
novel; hut the novd sometimes dCh'mlill('~ the acruali1.OI/Q1J of till' s)'mp-
10m. sometimes, on the conlrar~', <lisclIgages tlw ~renl whk'h it <:oun!l'r-
...ctuOllizt.'S in fil'li\'(' chara(-tcrs, (\Vhat is imlXlrtant is 1I0t tIl(' ficli\'(' lIaturt·
of the t.-haraeters, hut \\hilt cl'plains the ht."tion, namely, Ih<· nature of tht·
pure ("\"('111 and th...· m«'hanism of l:OUnter.a<:tuOllu.ation.) hlr e"Olmpl,',
~dt., or Masc~:h mak<· a !lOwl-work of art out of wholl sa(Ii.~ts or ma!oO-
l'hists Irallsfonn into a rWllroti<: .111,1 "famili... I" no\'('l-t'\"'1I if th('\' \\ rili'
it.
r1IIKTY-TIIIRD :-.1·11.11·, 01' ,"IIC"', ADVI,N rllRI,~ H9
TIlIII.TY·ltHIII.TIl '111.11,:> Of l'kl,\1I1I1.Y OKlll'K liNn
'I'L(JNI)IIK~ OKt:IINILIITIUN
I. r>"pth is not h~' itself constituted ill series, but it is undn tilt' conditions
of tilt" phantasm that it aC(;('t!.'s to the serial form. On th.· structun' of the
ph,lIlt.1sm, SC\.' appendix I.
1. It is indt:etl in ttTmS of "knowkdg.," (sa.mr) Ihitt ucan itmll"t'rtitin of his
diSl.·iples I>OSC the problem of I",,:n'ersion: St.'(" the collt~1ion i.e f),fSir tl la
ptnnnoo (Paris: Scuil, 1'}67). St..... ;r,lsa ;r,pp.mdix ....
~, Freud demonstrated the exiswncc of crimes inspired b~' tlx- supt"r<>go. But
it is not. it seems to us, int'\'itably or nttessaril)" through th<- intl'mlt".Jiar:-·
of a ~ntiITK'nt of guilt preexisting the mnl!',
4· In fact, the abuscr el,~mantls tIl(' expulsion of the \'ktim, forbids .111\'
responSl'-but also withdraws b~' fdgning till' mitximum disgust. All ~f
this Ix.'ars witnes.~ to thl' appurtenitllce of "huse to the manic dqm,.'s,~i\"l'
position (frustration), whereas obscenity refers to the l.'xcrementitl schizo
oid l>05itioll (hallucinate<1 it<"tion.passi~n). The intirmte union of insult
arK! obscellil)' is therefore not explained. as Fercnai bclie\·ed, sold~' b}'
means of Ihe repn.'ssion of ohtt-'Cts of infantile pleilSure which would
retum "in the fonn of sweolring arKl maIL·tlklions"; it n'quires rather the
din.'CI fusion of til(' two fund,llllentall>05itions.
{. We cannot here follow ucan's thesis, at least insofar as \\.(' understaml it
as rc!atL'C1 b)· l..aplanche ami Lt~lain' in "L'lm:onscient," lots Temps ,lIoJcrnes
(Jul)' '96,), PI" l'Ill'. Acconling to this t1lt'Sis, thl' prill1it~· order of
langu.age would bo.. ddilll.-od through a perpetwl slipp.tge of the signifier
owr the signifil,.od, and each word would han' ,I single SC'nSC' and would
refer to other wOrtl~ through a SC'rk'S of <'quh'"lents that this single sense
opens to it. On tilt' rontra~... "s soon as a word posl'{-'SSI.-'S SC\'eral So,'nscs,
organizC'd according to the law of metaphor, it is in a certain nlitnncr
stabilize<.\. At the sanw timc, language abandon,~ the prima~' pnx"<.·ss and
found.~ the secondar)' proCt·s.~. Unil'(x.'it)', ther<,'for(', ddinl'S the primary.
itm! L'qui\'()o,.'it~' the pru;.sibilit)" of the sccomlar:-' (I" '11). But uni\'(N,.'it)' is
hcre l"{lIlsiderN as tht' uni\'()("it\' of the word, and not as the unh·oc;t\' of
Being whkh is said of all thing; in one and tilt' san1\.' SC'nse-nor of the
language which says it. It is thought that nhat is unh'ocal is the word, at
the risk of concluding that such a word dOt'S not ('xist, having no stability
and bdng it ··fiction." [t So,~'ms to us, on the contra,]'. that <'qui\'(lCit)'
dlara<.1t'ri...('s accuratdy the Hlic.· in tht' prima']' prOl'L's.~. and if tllt'r.. is
,In C's....·nti,ll rdation 1,..t\n'Cn sexuality and l'tjui\'(Kity, it takt·,\ t1w form of
a limit of tilt' equin)(·itl am! of a totalization "hkh is going to n'nder the
unhex:al possible-as the \·t.'rilahlt' ("hara..: teristk' of the unl"Onscious
st"COIlda~' organv.oltion.
APPENDIXES
I. Sll'olULACRUM ANI) :\NCIENT PHILOSOPHY
1. l'LATO ANI> Till: :>IMULAl:KUM
l. SophIst. I J6b, 26¥.
I. JanJucs lkrrida h;r,s rcco\'enl this Plittonk figure in his analpis of the
rdation betwccn writing and logos: the fitther of thL~ logos, logos itsclf,
aluj writing. Writing is a simulacrum, a falst· suitor, insofar as it claims to
uk..: hold of the logos b}' \·iolt,t1(.'(, and b)' ruse. or ('\'en to suppb,nt it
without passing through Ihe father. Sec "La Phannacie dC' Platon:' Ttl
~/. no, JI. pp. 'In:. and no.H. pp. J8fT; trans. B. Johnson in DISSCmlfHJ'
tlOfl (Chicago: Unin:rsit)' of Chicago Press, '98,). The same figun· is also
found in thc Staltsman: the Goot:I, as father of iiI(' law. tht, law itself, anel
\'arious constitutions, Good constitutions arc copies; but the}' Ix·<.:ome
simulacra as soon as the)' violate or usurp the lOt\\' by c\·itding the Good,
J. ThL' Other, in fact, is not only a def."Ct \\ hi('h afl{-cts imagl,.-s; it itself
apl>cars ,IS a possible model, which is opposctl to Ihe good model of the
Same: sec 1hcoitml$. 176c; TimotUJ, 18b.
.... S«- TVpubllf', '0:601.11. And Sophm. 1~.
{. X. Audouanl has shown that simulacra "art· constructions which include
tilt· angle of th... obscn'er, so that illusion is produced at the \'ery point at
which the obscn'cr is found .. , , It is not n~all)' 011 the status of nOl1bo.'ing
that the at:cent i,~ placed. but ratl1l'r on this slight gap. this slight distortion
of th(' real image. whit-h hapl>Clls at the IJOint of \'iew OCCUpil-d by tht'
obst·n·<,·r, and rmkt'S possible the constitution of the simulacrum-tht·
work of the sophist." "1..(' Simulolcrt,.... Cah~1J pout rAna~I-SC, no. J'
h, With l'l'Spt't.1 to I-!Logel. Althu.s.ser \\rites: "A circll' of drck'S. consciousl'K'S.~
has but one C'Cn!er which alone dClennilll'S it: then' would ha\'e to be·
drd.'S with other cenh'rs, d('cenlerL'C1 cirdL'S, in order that the center of
l'omdousnt'ss I", afTected b)· tlwir l·fljcacy-hrief]y, that its ('s.~en('L' lx'
o\'t'nk'!l'nnin<.'C.! h)· them ... " POUt ,Ifo:m (Paris: MitSI>Cro, 1970), p. 101.
7· On till' nltxll'rn work of art, and on JoyCl.' in l:litrtk'ulitr, Sl't.' Um~rto I:co,
L n.'u.'te OUletlt (Pari~: Seuil. ''}6{). On thl' constitution of dit'l'rgt·nt SC'nL'S
 and lilt" manna in whidl thl')' n-sonate ;lnd communiG11t· .u th(' h.·art of
•1 I·ha()~. Sl...· the profound comnwnts madc h)' \V. Gomhn)\\·ic/. in the
pnfan· tn hi~ non·l Cosmos_
iI. s...... Blandlot. "Lt, Rin.: Ill'S dieux," Lo Noortlk &lW rroJrI(<JIS<t". Jul~' 196s:
"A unin'rso,' in whkh the imag(' C('ascs 10 hc sccondal)' in n·btion to the
modd. in which imrll:>sture Ia)'s cbim to truth, and in which, finally, tlll'rc
b no longer an~' original. but onl~' an C1emal sdntil\;Hion \\ IlI'«' the
abso.'nl·c of origin. in the splt·nllor of dit'l'rsion ,u1I.l n~\·ersion. b displ'rst'I1"
(I" 10J).
9. lkJollJ Good anJ £"11. seclion 2il9· English translation b~' R. J. Iiollingdale,
10. On Ihe rctiu'nl.-'C of the G«....·ks. and notabl)' of Plato. with rt'SP\'l1. to tlK·
l'h'mal rctunl, ~"(' Charks Mug!"r, f)tlJ.~ 1~1Ill'S dt Ia rosmoJcsK' yr«qut
(paris: Klincksied. 19SJ).
II. l)iefTC Klossowski. Un jijumjlt dis,r (Paris: Gallimanl, 1961), p. n6. St~c
also pp. 216-118, wh"n' Klossowski comments on section 361 of tlK' W)'
Sntm'l!:: "l1le pleasufl' of simulation, t~xpl(Xling as I>ower. llri\'ing bal.--k the
so-calll...1 character, submerging it at timl'S to the I>oint of exting\,ishing
it. "
L I.UCRl:TlUS "NU TIll- ~1'\\Ul"CIotU'\\
l. In the entin.: critical part of Book I, Lucretius doc'S nOI c('ast~ to demand
a reason for the din·m·. The diffen'nt aspects of Iliversit)· arc dl'SCrilx-..J in
Hook 2, J42-]76. Sill-S88, 6(, 1-6i1 I , and 10p-I066. 1"ranslalOrf' 110ft:
pas.Qgcs of the Dt &rum ,\'alUra l·itl....1 art' from RouS(' .lnd Smits' transl.l-
tion (Cambridge: Lnl.'!> CI.1ssil"3l Lihra')·. Han'anl Universit), Press, 1~7S)'
2. Si.'l' Hook I. the l-ritiqul' of Heraclitus, ElI1l)clloclt.'S, allil Anaxagora.~; on
the nothingness which ,oats into Ihese pre-Epicurt'an l'Onceplions, see
1:6S7-6O<}, and 70-762.
I· 1:6n-6 H..
~. I:S99-6~4,14~-7p·
S' Si...... EpicUTUS, ulltr ro HuooouJS, 61-62 (on the minimum of continUOUS
tinw).
6. 2:241-2SO.
7. This is 0111.' ofd\{" princip.d tht'llll'S ofCiccro's Dc Faio.
iI. 2:+81-499.
9· S:449-·H4-
10. 2:S4I-S68.
II. (:128-111.
12. 2: 1068: "cum lcKu5 tsl pt(l<"fla."
,IMUI "CIotUM AND "NCII'NT 1'1111 ()~OI'IIY
1I. I: Ifo8. Am! 2:708: '~mllllbUf ('(rm ('(r/(/ ,1¥n,'/rI«...
14· Si.... I::pkllru.~, I.j;/Ij;r 10 Herodotus. 7').
IS, The introduction to Book 2 is huilt ul>Oll tilt' following opposition: to
a\'oid pain as much as J>OMihll', ,1 f(,\\ Ihillg~ will suffict,; bUI 10 On"rcon11'
the soul's agitalion rl,<\uirl's ,1 mor.. pmfoulII! art.
16. LU('Tt'tius insists soml'timl'S 011 Ollt', somt'limcs On the otht'T of th"so.'
asfll."l'ts: 1:110-119; 1=41-7); PJ7i1-1021; 0:12-16. On the inlinitt" I-Jop<JC-
il~' of plea..~ures, sec EpicuTUS, .llrJl/allCNlf. 20,
17. 3:1021.
18. Epicums, .I1j;Jl/aflons. 7, 10, 14-. H.
19·1:110-111.
20. ~24S-260.
21. 4:26S-270.
n 4-'794-'798.
1 I. Viswl simulacra ha\·c two ad\'Jontagcs owr de\'p "m.anations: pn-ciS('I~'
1)I"(;i1UM' thl')' detach themsdn's from the sur(.lel', thl')' do not ha\"(' to
modif), th!'ir order or their shape, and t'onSl'(!Ucntly are rCprl.'SCntatin:; on
the olher hand. the~' mo\"c with much grt".lh.'r \'('·locit~·, since th~' encoun-
ter fewer obstacles. See ~67-71, 199-209.
24. -l1l1.' analog)' of this grallation is t'karl~> M ...·n \\'hl'lI Epicurus sa)'s of
simulal'Ta, and of atoms. lhal tI\I'\' .lIT "as swift ;IS thou~ht" (umr 10
Hm"kHus. 48); it is also apl),a,rcnt \~'hcn LUCTl"tius applit"S t; lhe swiflncs.~
of simulacra the same expressions .lS IhoSt., he USl'S when s~aking of the
swiftness of af()ms in thl' \"oid (~206-208 and 2:162-164).
2S· ~lJo-142.
!6. S:II6<j1I In fal't, Lucretius apl>cals to two ox'xisling dements-tht"
mobility of Ihe phantasm and the pcnnanelKc of tIl{' 1.'(·leslial order.
n· 4:772ff, 962fT,
!8. ~1094-I0<}6.
29. So'1' Sextus Empirkus, AJ.nm5 ,lIarhj;mallcoI. 10:219. '1111.' theo')' of tilt'
.'\Tnl, such as it is gin'n 10 u.~ in Epkurus's text (/.tl/tr la Htrodollll. 68-
HI, .lllil in Lucretius (1:440-4821, is at onn' rich .lind OOscUfl'. It is .llso
100 brit,·f. Insofar a..~ th(" \'oi<1 alone is an inc'()'l)()r(·all'fltil~'.th.:' l'\"Cnt dOl'S
not proplTly sp.'aking han' thc status of ,111 int'orporl'al ('Iltit~·. Cl'rtainly,
it dllt·s h;ll't' .ln t"SSl'ntial rdation 10 thl' simulacrum allil. ill the last
anal~'sis, \\ith th.:' mon'"mt"nt ofdll' atom (471-477). 1111' Stoks gr.;anllht'
"Wllt ,1 well d..Wnnirll....1 Slatus bt'(:ausc.· thl'~' dl'a\'(' l'ausalil~" so that
.·fTl'l'b !Iiff('r in nature from l'aUSCS; lhis l:;lnnOI lx, the case for Ihe
l:pk'UTl'aflS, who dit'kle the l.';luSOlI rdJolion in acconbocc wilh !>I'rk'S \\hich
t.'Ons;.'n·I' ;l homog.'nt'ity of t'.lUSt· .lllil efTt"(1.
lO. ()1)\"itlu~I~', w(' shoul.1 not consilkr tlw tragil.' d"scriplion of thl' plague as
~1~IUI ,,('RUM AND ANell·NT 1'1111 O~OI'IIY 36t
 till" l'ml of th.. 1)()I;'rn. It coincides too neal I)' with til(' Il'gl'nd of madness 17· UnsI.fi"'ltSlfd61r. PI" 126-127.
and sukid." wllkh Christians prollilgatcd in order to lll'monSlrate the Ill. \\1. Gomhrowic/., Porm:'8rtifl/J. trans. Alast,lir Ilamilton (Ne\\' York: Gron'
unhapp~' p.:rsonal t'n(1 of an Epicurean. It i~ I>ossihlr of ('Ourse that Pres:;, 19&8), pp. 121, lJI.
tuen'tius, ,11 th(" end of his life, had become mad. But il is ''(lual1~' \'ain to 19· RoMm. pp. 7J, 8~.
irwok.· lhe so-call('(1 facts of life in on:lcr to d~w a omdusion about th(' 20. RoIxrre, p. 13~.
poem, and to tmal the poem as .lO cnscmbl(' of s~'mptoms from which 21. RoIxrlt, p. 8~. \Vith "-'Spect to this mon-nll'lll ofthc pure and the impurt',
OIl!.' could d~w conclusions about lhe "personal" CloSC of lhe author St.'t' Un $I fUtltSlt diDr. pp. I 2 ) - I 2 ~.
(brote ps~·dlO.lllill~·sis). It i~ cert.linl)' nol in Ihis manner that lite problem H. I.e Baphomef (paris: Mercure de Franc<" I')&S).
of the relation of PSY<'hoanal~'sis.lnd art is 10 be j>OSl"i.I-S(.'t' Thirt~'-Third 2). Roberlt. PI'· -U-4+
St'ri('S of Alice's A<h·entun'S. 2+. Robm<" p. 7J.
2{. Aobalt. p. 81.
20. it Baphomef. p. {+
II. PHA TASM AND MODERN L1TERATLlRi: 27· Un SlfutItJlt dislr, pp, 120-121: "wh.'1l Nit·I:I.s(.'ht- annouflC'CS the <Icath of
God, this amounts to s.l)·ing lhat Nit·t:l_"l·he must l'lttcssaril~' lose his
3. KLQSSQwSKr Oil. ROUllo)-LANGUAGIo illclllity.... The absolute guarantor of the i<lentil)' of th.' n..'Sponsible self
disappears on the horizon of Nietzsd\("s (unSCiouSIK'SS, which in turn
I. Un si funesre disir (Paris: Galtimard, 1<)6 3), PI" I 26- I 27. m.,'rges with this disapl>carance."
2. In u Buin de f)"me (Paris: Pau\,el1. 19~6), the disjunctiw s)'lIogism IX'<"Ollles 211. uswis de /"Ilmp'falili, postface, p. H7.
a general method for the ilUcrpretation of myth and for til(' reconstitution 29· Kant, "The I.. leal of Purl' Reason" in CmkJult 1!f Pure &/J5cn, trans. K,'mp-
of the ("Orporeal in myth. Smith (London: Macmillan, 1929), p. 491.
J. La Rirocalion de I'fJil de Nanles (Paris: i\'linuit, 19H), p. ~9. This book JO. P.eberrt. p. B.
forms, with ~rII: tt: $(Jlr (Paris: Minuit, 190) and i.e SOI!/fieur (Paris: 31. "Oubli et anamnl'Sl.' dans l'cxpo:ricnC\.'" \'(''(''Ue de I'l·terncl retour de Meme,"
Pau\·crt. 1')60), a trilog)' which was rei~su('(1 undl'r the title Us loIS Ik in Nltl7.Sl.'M, Cahiers <Ie RO)'aumont (paris: Minuit, 1')67).
f'hospl/al/li (Paris: Gallimard, 1 96s). )2. "Oubli ct anamncse," p. 233.
+. La RioTX'olion. p. +8. JJ. it Buphomtl, p. 1)7. On purd)' cxpn'Min.' or "emotional" langua~, in
{. La RiITX'Qllon. p. S8. relation to the notion of SlImmu"!/ and in opposition to the function of
6. Aobme. p. 3' (this chapter is entitled"u Iknondatioll''). <k'Signation, see "La Periodc turinoisc ..I.., 'ict7.schc." L'Ephimire (1')68),
7. Mkhd Foucault, "La ProSt' d'Actl'OIl." .\'OIJI·tik Rtrtlt rronsUlst. March no. {, pp. b2-64-

8. La
' ..... pp. 11- r 2.
AATX'QIIOfI.
J4· Aokrre, p. 84-
H· "Ottbli et anamn~'st,-':' p. 129. S<-c also "La Perio<le turinoi,s(" .. k· Nict7~'i("h<':'
9. io RirOCQIIOfI. pp. 28- 29. Pl'· bf,-b7, 8).
10. Introduction to the (Fn'nch) transl.nion of th., " ..neld. If>· Us Lots Ik I'hosplfQ},ri, postfact·. Sfi- also "Oubli et an.lmnCsc:' p. l H. "Is
I I. Un SI funtSlt dh.". p. 1 2b. this to sa~' that till' thinking subjt'<"t willlosc ilS id"lItit~· \.ilh a coherent
'2. La Rbn:IJIIOfI. p. I {. thought which would cxdudl' it froOl it.sdP"
IJ. I.e Soi!/fieur. PI'· sllT.7Iff. J7. ies 1.0lS de I'hOSpIlQ/'fi, postfan', p. )4.6.
14. itSOl.lff/;:ur, PI'. 211,212.2111.
I ~. 1.1t Sol!Dleur. p. 214-
16. St'C postfacc to wis dlt 1'!l(l$plIlJlut; "A name, Roh.:rh·, has b""'n a Sp(,..·jfic .~. Mll'-III·1 rOllH.Nlllt ANIl Till· WOltl1l WI1'llOll'l" UTIII·It"
,'nough (ksigllation of till' tin;t inh'nsity"; in til(' ."<iTlll' malllll'r. tl1\' (·ouplc.
as wdl as thl' "pill,'mlis ami til(' glo\"(" do not d,,'signah' things-ratlll'r, I. l'cnd,td, {lU /('~ Iml~s du Pacifique (Pari.~: Glllimar<1, "}b7). English transla-
th('~' stand for inteTlsitil's (pp. B4-Bb). tion, hUM}. tr,llI~. NoonaTl r)(,'nn~' (Nt'w York: l'al1llwon Ik~ks, ,,~8~, hy

364 I'HANTA~M AND MODI·KN L1T1'RATliKI' l'lIANTA'M ANIl .\IOI>/-ItN IITI'/{ATUItIo j6{
 .lITange!n.'nt I\ilh Douhkday), pp. ,8&-,81. TronJalOrJ' noll': refl'rences G,ondl's Ipr"IMs de /'l'Spm (Paris: Gallirn.lf(I, 1<)66), pp. 1~f>lT. Robinson's
;Ir\' to the I:nglish tr.msl.1tion. constml.·tion of a boal whit:h cannol 1)(' Ir.Jrlsport('(1 is nol without
2. I'. 190. arwl~"
J. P.• ')8. u. 1>.67.
-4-. On I>".foc's Robinson, SL't" PielT(' Mach('r('~"s remarks, \\hif:h ~how how 21· P. '72.
til(' th('"!nc of origin is tied to an ('Conomic n.·production of tlw \\"orld and 24. P. 'So.
10 the elimination of the fantastie in th(' interest of an alkg,'tl ··r.·alit)," of 2~. l'p.21'-212.
this world. Pour unt lhiorit de 10 proJuCIlon /illlmire (paris: Masl)l'ro, 1970), 26. P. 1'1.
Pl" 266-2H· n. Sn' tl](' (·oll,-..:tion I... DeSIr tl 10 pmw5101l (Paris: Sl,'uil, 1')67). (iuy Ro!.olato's
~. P. 212. articlc, "(:tud(, (Ies lX'n'crsions sexudks J 1>'1Ttir (Ill fClichisme," (:ontains
6. P. J8. some \"l'~' inleTCSting, though too brK{ ft'marks on ".wxual dilTl,ft'nc,'"
1· P. H· and "the doublc" (pp. 2~-26). Jean CIaI·n·,II's artk..... "Le Couple pt.'n··
8. P. 12. el'S," shows tllat neither the I'ictim nor th,' aa:omplicc lakes Ihe plan- of
9. P. 220. an Other; (on "desubjcctil·i7.ation," Sl'l" p. '10; and on lhe distinction
10. I). H. betwccn the cause and the object of dNin.', S('t' th.' r;arn(' author's "Rem-
II. P. no. arqu('S sur 1,1 question (Ie 101. rtalitc dans IN I)("n'crsions," l.n P~..dl(Jll(]~rSl',
12. Toumicr's eonception clt'arl), oontains ldbni1.ian echoes (thi' monad as no. 8, pp. 29OlT.). It seems thatlhcse sludies, fO\ll1de<1 on Lac.1n's structur-
exprl'5sion of the world); it also (·ontain.~ Sartrean echoes. Sartre's lhco')' alism and on his anal)'sis of thc \I..rleuBnun,". aI',' in the course of (Ie\"clop-
in /kUla ond ,vOlhingntu is the lir.~t great tht"O')' of the Other, Ixx'ausc it menl.
tranSL"Cn(l<; the altemative: is the Other an obj('(,t (en'n if it is a particular 28. In $a(l,· Ihere is the cI'er-pfl'SCnt thcnw of mole('ular combination.
object inside the pt'rttptual field), or rather a subjL'Ct (evcn if it is another
subject for another po;-ra:ptual field)? Sartn.- is here the pl't-'CUrsor of
structun.lism, for ht' is the first to halT oonsidered the Other as a real ~. ZOLA ANI> Till:: CRACK-UP
structure or a sjX'Citicit}· irn-duciblf' to th.· object and the subtt'Ct. But,
since he ddinL'(1 thi,; stnJL"ture b\' means of the "look," h(' fell b.:lck into I. Emilt' 7..0101., l.n Bil.. hutoolnf:. trans. L Tancock (Markham: I'l'llguin, '977),
Itw categories of ohject alKI sul:ject, making of the Other the one who p. 6&.
oonstitutcs me as an object when h(' look.~ ,11 me, ('wn if this means Ihat 2. In an art ide on "Freud ella SdCllCC," Jacques Nassif hrlt.-f1)' anal)7.<'S this
the Other would himself I)('('om(' an ohjl'Ct when I, in turn, look al him. conception of dissimilar heft'dit)·, as w,' lind it, for {'xarnple, in Char('01.
It Sl'O,'ms that til(' struclUn' Otlwr precelil's the look; thl' latter, rather, It opens the way 10 a recognition of tilt' action of ,:xtcrnal ('I·cnts. "It is
marks the moment at which .IOmt'QlI" haplX'ns to till the stnlcture. The dcar th.11 the h'ml 'farnih·' i.~ ukt'll heft· in both of ilS scnM'S: that of tilt'
look brings about Ofll~' th., e"('(·tuation or the actuali7..ation of a structure t.·las,~ificaIO')· nl()(ld and that of th., parental rdationship. On onc h.tnd,
whkh must noucthd..-ss be indcpt'ndently (Idined. maladi<"S of thl' rn:n'()IIS s~'stt'm oonstitule a singk' famil~'; on the oth,'r,
• J. Pp. 9-4--96· this famil~' is irKlissolubly unitl...1 b~' Ihl' laws of hl·n'(lit~·. Thl'S(' laws ,1110\\
14. 1'. !o~ th.· "xplanation tllat it 1TIiI~' nOI bl' til(' ~nl(' malad~' thai is ..I,'Ctin·I~·
I~. 1'. 8~. tran~mitl,'(1, hul only a dilTuw neuro-patholugk.11 dislx:r..ilion whit.·h, 011
.6. P. 20~. tilt· hal>is (Jf nonhen'(litary factors, would hl",'OIn.. spt...·ifll· in a distim'l
17. P. 201. illlwss," Cahltrs pour J"analjse (1<)&8), no. '). Ckarl~" tIl(' Rougon-Ma"(luart
18. Pp. 11~-'16. "f.unil~," op.'r~tl·s in hoth of t11l'se S('nSt's.

I,). Pp.40-41. \. "l'{·lim·I,"I'I-/mlt? no. J, p. 171.

20. P. 10~. 4· fa Belt hUrIlamt. p. !27.
21. Sc.., Henri Michaux's dl."SCription of a tablt' m.Jd,' b)" a S(:himphrenk in us ~. f.ll B.:/l: hUflWlIIl:. I). 267.

,,,,, I'Ilt\NTt\!>M t\ND MOIlI:.RN LlTI:.RATlIRE PliANT" ....\! "Nil MOI>I·RN IITI·RATllRI-
'·7
b. w Bete humum,·, pp. HI, H2.
7, 1.0 Belt humum(. PI" JH. Jbl.
II. 1.0 Be/i' hUmullM', p. SS.
9. LIJ Bete hUm/J'IM', p. IH·
10. 1.0 Be,( hUiIlOIIM', PI" H, Sb.
Index
Ah>tr,Kl thinkl'r, 156·57
AI~\ml. til<', 15, 69, I J5; distinct from
nC>llSt·llso." 15; l),Ira,lox of, 35; philos-
0l'h~' of. 71
o\ll~'»' 106. 1M. IK2. 106; grourxll..'5S,
I J9·40; in NiM71'h<-. 108; n....um 10,
115; Som_jOnJ, I()6.S; urwliff.·....n·
tLlIt.. 1. 103, 106·7
An id,·nt. 151. 152. I 55, 144, Jll;
"It'llt ami, 53·54
'\"iOl'ls). 91, 94, 95,191,207; <'Orpo·
mil >ign>. HJuIO; ,llld ""'111>,181;
""'r:o',Ia~' .11111 IJUn' n "~n!o 138; of ,'x-
"'rlMl (·,,'nb. 177111; in I.lllguag",
IK4; opposition bt·""..'n int'·lld,..1
.md .i("(·ompll,lk..l, 107-8; I>lWllt"'Ill.
rt....uh of. 110
0\, hul",... tion. 114; lin-I ..·....1 of, I 1·11.
Ill, IIS,116:ullk'of, 168
·\.tuJIII.ltion ofdk' ""'nt, 146, 147,
14K, 149, 151. 186,lI0.1I1;"~ Ill<'
,1( II"n, 150; in di.-.tinn worlds, indi-
,,,lu.II>, 171; d"uhlillg ,,1',161: in,li-
,.duJb ,1lId. 177, 178~ m"nlt"nt nf, IS I;
m'I\,'nwllt nf. 167.611; ph.llIlJ'lll .lilli,
HI; It'mpor.ll, 100-"; \\iIIillg, 15"
,.8 I'IIi\NTA~~1 .... I"'I) MOIH·RN IlTHI.i\TllRt-
,o\,I..mpti"n. 106. lll. 111
.okrn'K!, 1116
A.....d"'ti..... duJlit~· of, 160·61
Mliml.1tinn. 113; of ,li>IUlX'lioo. 171; (If
tlh"rg"'k"', 171. 174, 175; POW''T of,
160·61, 1%. ~7; ill Il.lwnli"m. 79;
",'0""" Ml>pn,d,,,lm. JI. ll. H. J5:
,~·nth..... i... 1-41
Aggrt-:-.,io(lh). 120-11; thought .-s. 1911
Aggrt,\iI.·m....s. 191. 19J, 201
AiIl~" l'inf<' cr. 10
Aion, 101, 111. 116,141,144,115.
141: .Ktnr h,:I"ngs t", 150; .Iml
Chrom", 77. 131; ,·ff,.. tOil. 5; in
O'"·m,,. 51; inlinitd~ ..uhdh bill'"
tink', 60, 61, f>j·64: p.b(, pn""'"Tlt,
~Illl flllllrt·, 164-611; p"'O' Inhniuw .I~.
1115: '>lin' !ilk' of. in 'llt,'uIJli,,' fonn.
209: ...·11><.· in. l'Il. 166: ...·r...... of, 67.
Ibl-b!1: 'tr~t''gi, Illlt' of. M. 176;
>urfJn' nrganilJtinn d,'t,'mli,....l h~.
166-6K; of >Url:K"." 175-76: 1\\0 ,i-
lIlUh.ll1(~HI> dir...·lion~ "f. 7'1; lin;"".
,'.II B,.. ing ..., pun' f"rm of, 1110
,o\lml...I, li6, 161
Ak..h,.I,~m. 154. I i7. 15K-GO. 19J, 11".
,,,,>
Akoholi~1ll lr"""nU<J ,
H9nS; .In.1 IT.a<'k-op, HI; llo..p......,.i....
"._1",:'(·1 of. 15'1; ,,-_ ill~lillt."1. H2. H~,
H5
Ak.ltor~· I",inl. 56, ';14. 103. 113, 116,
lOb; A,<>n, ~tr.liglll lin.· tr....·I...1 h~·.
M; of llo..".·"w.Ii.....1 "flt'Tg.\', 141; in
.10.·\<·Lopmn'll of l.lnguOIg<-. 81; .Iis-
pl.ao...1. 65,137,141; i.It·.I1 form. 1';1,
5'); iml.ultarlt'Oll~. 167; in pmhl"Il's,
114; of ~inglll,]r 1",iIllS, 114; ill Sluir
philCl:'otlph~" 146; .. lid ~ul"i~l<',l(·t· of
Gotl, 116
.il" In ",,,",,,,,10:,,,.1 (C.lrroIh. I. <J. 10,
43.56, B4--36; .Ilimo.·IlI.1': oh",-ssions
of, B-N; (".au(·u.~·TJn· in, 5S; .liTt-.;·-
lion, 77, 78-79; ,Iouhlt-s (inl, 79-80;
t10uhk ..d"'TlI1.JTt- of, 75; I~r.l.lo..... Jl;
!),Ira<lox of Tt·pn'S.~ion, 30-31; p.:trb
of, B4-36; ~'hvot>hrt'flk ('""'mo.·Tlts
in, 92; s...rit'$ in. 134·38; St·n.-s in St'-
riali,Atlion, 41; ,ingubrilit'S of. 80;.J.s
~Inr:.. of oral Tt'gn·s.~, 37; slirfan' in
..dwnluTt'S of, I H
Alic('"'s alh.'nlUTt'S, 141-43; r.·..·n.ib in.
3; Sl.'~ of. 134·}8
AHmt'l\u,:' <Irin-,., 116. 115, 141
Alin",ntan' ohSo'Ssi()n~ of ..\ l1n.. 11-14
Alinwm,l':' s~'sl"Ill, I <)S
.... Iinwnldn· \\I>r.b. H21l10
"1"IurJ. 19,16,44. 4<J, IlW; lib,·r.uion
uf, HI; Sl·,l.....· .IS, ll, il
AlthuSSt·T. l..oui_. H In4
Amhiguous sign. 114. 116, i46n4
.imo, (au. 149,151
AmpHlud.·; rnol>lI'nt uf, 161; S"ri,'~ of.
241,244
An.llil~, 187. 219. N6--t7. 14S
.... n,tlng:.. I"N, IlW, 11f.... 268. 115
Anal ~l.J.g", 1'./6, 24S
..\ n.llll,..n"" IKIf
An.,I~·ti<, p.....li(·al"s. 112-13, 115, 116
An.lI/Ol'l<', 196, 14S
\70 INOI;\;
And.·nt I'hi1osot>h~. ~",,,,l.lf. rum .In.1.
15 1.7<J
An,..·<I<>lt"". 141, 148; In plul<>,;<'ph~,
1211. 119-30
Animu.Ydnima, 171. 176
Anon~'mil~" will of, 100·1
Answ.'no. 56
.... ntidlrist. 21U. 191, 196; unk-r of, 194,
197. 301; S~'~h'ln of, 1')8
AntinOlll~': IMra.lnx in fi,M" of. 411-S0
Anlistlwnt'S, 131, 133
Ami.tlll'olng:.·, 181
Anxit'l~, 101, 102-3. 204, lOS. lilnl
Aphornms. Illl. 142
APP,·.J.r.ilIK<'i:S). 20-24. lS3
App...m·l'lion. lOS, H4n6
Apl,,·tilt'S. 332; and d.-ath in~lin(l, 316-
n (·rum. 268
.... ri'aoel.·, 6--7. lit 154. 2SIf
Arisloh'liani.'>lTI. 105
Amaull, HSnI
Art. i.lt-al gdn.... an.!. 60: psy("ho'11lal~'~i~
amI, 237-38: 111.'0';', 160 . 166n12
Artilud.....ntonin, 87. 811.119, 91, IS7,
193, Hill II; .Iminomic" so:n...,. in, U;
ronfrnnl.llion .. itll Carroll, 83-86.
1f1_<J3; "1.lbh..-nHx-k~," of. 89-1JO.
339nl
A,"('('nt, 147; philll"opllt'r I)!,'ing of, 117-
111, I i5; s<'1l·T,tlk irony as. 131·38
~'llIs, mI,· all.1 n'lum of. 144.45
AMt,'nion. 14
A....-ex-ialiotI.S (ill langu.lgt·), liS, IJO
A~lrol{)~ ..\·, 171
Atom(s), 268-71, 174. 176, 177; "~llli­
sit,n of. 16'.1·70; ."",·I.-n,,ion of. III~;
inlmil.·, 169, 172
AlliIUllo.·I'·OIK"'·pll. liS.d
Allrilllllt.,.. 94. 27tr-TI; in Aion, 165;.lS
pn-.;li,-.J.1t' nm('('pl, 97
AlIln-,·mlid.'111. 197. 1'''-), 10l, 12');
phantasm Jml, 216
.... uwlmml of tI....·f1..... I. If')
Autn·....llIrt. 1\khol,b .1'. 19
"'\K.'t'flm', 34
B.,h~'lnniJn IOllt'ry, 61
U.l,hd.lTtI, t;L_ton. 347nl
I~(I 00;."1 b, 190. 117
K.J11.0I<·, Honorf ..10.'. 3N
fJa~l. It /K""'".;olll,ki), 191-94.
197-'Jll, 199
lI.llJill,'. t;""rg''S. 1811
B,'t'oming(s), S. 1M, 16S; of ."·ptlls,
17S-76; alllilangu.lgt-s, 8, II; p"r.iI-
t10s of, 8. II. H
Bt'('()flling-mil.l. 7, 78, 141; of deplhs,
163. 164-65; .'It'mal n·tum of, 16i;
sui.,.t.lirt-clions uf, 79-80; in sinwl.. _
",-';'oming unl1milt-.;l. 7-8, 9, lS8
H.·lng, 1,91. li9, 167, 17<J; <Iil·int.·, lOS:
"h'm;l1 n-lum. 164-
fk"'H anJ ,\'olhll'fj/ltU (Sartn'), 307,
B,.'Ii.{~, ll, 16; smsc of, 17-18. 19
Ikn...·nistl'. I i, IS
Bt·rgt·r. G"-'lon. 344n6
1~'rg>oOfl, Ikllri. 28
I~"'I (Ih.·), nlt"ld of, 59
fl.;". hllm<JIn~. I.u (Zola" 311. 323, 316-
17, 330-31
&,.,00 1M Pkuwrt f" ....,pk (m·uth,
25M3
H,rth. 217. 177
1Imh o{ r,u,qN), 1M (Nit'l:-dw/. 107
III.>IH·lllll, M,lUrin·. 1')1-52, 156,212,
'"
BlJnk "ortl, 67
1i."I".,.. 4. 94,313.143; -oI<"1lO1lS, 14~;
.I.' ..-aw,•.,., 61; ..-... nmunit.-atiofl In
.1.'Ptl" 11l'J; di~inl''grali"n of, 194;
,·;o.;pr"._.,ion._ of, 171-75; l'\hin "I',
1-+1--+1; ""-Ill.,. 181; fronl;"', 1"'11\1."'"
I.. ngu~ •. .In.I, 167; Imntit', 1"'11"..·"
I'R'I"",il""b .. nd. 115; groll'Mling I~n­
gUilg<'. I i4, Iii; humor .Iml, liS;
IIlh'rl'R'l,ltion of. 117; inlt·n-t"'liotl~ in
m"n",nl.' of, 167; -I,lIIglla~\', 2110-301;
10" of unil~' h~" 299; :ml;d.·, an.1
..I,tr..,ion '·OOl't.·ms. lOS; op,.....t;.,)fI,)1
11",,1.-1 of Un "'at/to bt- <'ill<'n), 13-N;
I),I,,-,mg 10 1IIl"l''1K>n'al, ~kin ~urfaet',
10-11; -1),Issio"s, Ill, 143; IM."iom
Jnd ,',i! illl<'mions ,I.', 143; IWTlt"-
.<ion.' "f. 186; pn'S<,'nt an.1, 161-63.
16'); prindpl., of~pll.Hlu("tioll, 171-
72; So,'Il.-e' pmdua-d b~" 124-16; "'f'.i-
r,llt'tl from Ilon:ls~' Sl"f\S('". 91;;as
~imulacT.l. 164-; SO\Jn.l-l·ff<-'Ct.~. 166;
",mnd., all.I, 181-81, 186, 187; slll'ak-
illg. 1115-116; an.1 "Ial<' of .J.ffdirs, 4-7.
Il
Ho,lil~ mnt'll. 196--97.103,118, HS;
",·xw.1 organ~.alion of, 198, 199.101
ll.o.I~': .I~ .Iggn-g.llt· of 1,'Hers, 231; dt,-
...·Iopllwnt of, 180; tlualill' of. 90;
fr,lgm.'nt<..1. 87, 92. IS8, '192; gln-
riOtl~, 88; h..,.itatioll. 11lO, 281; int.'g-
ril~ of, 194; languagt'. 13-14, 11lO.
1111. 182, lS5-87, 189, 190-94, 196.
3(I().1; schv.ophn-nit.-, 87, 88, 93; S<'x-
ual, 197; thrt'akrM-.;1 h}' ,·ok.·, 1'J4;
'I'.mnd<'tl, 104. lOS
Hod~' \\ithoul fwgarlS. 119, 188, IS9,
193, 1911. 114, iSln3; ."·alh as .Iri.',·,
19, 199; ''gf' in, 203; .,wl goo<l oil..
j,-.;·t. 11JO, 191
IlIM·lm...,. 106
Ik>t'lhiu", 161
Boh7mallll, 77
Bt:mL-..__ 1),:'ITIIIlIIIIl, 346n 3
Il.org<.,.. I· L, 61. 61, 114, 176
&>11';<11"'1. I()!,', 148. 149. I ')1, I S7.
ISln I
IIr,lin, l1louth ami. 233,140-41, 142,
15",3
Itrt·ath~-_flints. 1'J7- WI; ~~'_I<'m nf. 2"4
17'
Hr.·~th·"nr<I ... HH
Br..lm·r. 1:11111,·. 5
IIn·nun... I-r.llv. 10
!ir'''....I.I.·.m-I'i.·rn·. 140
l~n"lIIlu", 1...... lu•." Ii.• lB. H&tl
Kul ..r. Midl~d. 47
C.lIIl1ih..li,m. 130. I H. 143. Wl. 106.
13'l; or~lit~· ~m\. 1117
l'~rroll. I..." i,. 10. 74. 110. III. 11':1; .'\r-
t... ml', (__onfronl~licHl "illi. lIJ-H6. 91-
'lJ; .1.·,..·xu... Ii7....IKHl in. HlI; .I..ubk..,..
~9. 7<J-IIO; ~ll(JmlC'$ of" p"",(!t. Ihr.
55; "llliIY of II"· Iwighl. tlwnw in.
HlInl; l~lh·rit· wonl. in. 41_44. 134;
"\TnL,Jlhing",,~ul" of ... IT... il'l>. lliff"r-
,·'K.· 1)('1\",·n. 9-11. 34; gunml.lr in.
9 I; I/unllns of 1M 5oo,£:, 1M. 46; ic..·...1
g... nw in. 58; ill....ntion ill. H 3n II;
"1.. hh,·m·(I('k~." H-46; Llllgu~g...
1Ilt.·.m, of. 11; nwth".\ of prohlt-nl>.
... nd ."OIUlKHlS 111 w..rk of. 56; I),Ir.!tkl..
of. 17. 18; I),IId.l..x of logic' in. 16;
l),Ir"'llo" of .It'ulrJ.lit~ in. Jj. ~4; I),}r-
...dos of nJ:n-s... m. l<J-JI; Ildrad..s of
,,,·ril.· .\h-i:ion... III. H; p...rwrsicm in.
144; 1l'>~'c1HlJnaJ~lit ,Ii...gn,,,is of tilt'
'IOrl.: uf. 1)7; "'·(.",,·... tlOl),I1 rn.uh.Tlhlt-
iI's of. 55-56; !olhil.Oplm·IIY in. 91-91;
!ol'IN'JnooSt'n",' in. 11 I. 1 17; so·ri...1
11M-llm.1 in. 36. 41-4~; St'ric'S in. 64.
M. 116-il7; .....d ...~ ,mel &ll/W'. 10. II.
H. 16-n. 41_43. 44. 55; "Tim..'
\'oin"'. th.·... H':In I; Ihm''!Ih Ih~ 1.....-
mil-('I.. ~. 1.9-10.43. H6; 10 ••... ttto
h.· .'.I!t·II. 'p.,,·itK ...!t.·rrJ.lti",,, in. 1 I.
16-n. 37; ""1",\(. KrutIK·"'. tll<'."
1,&0 1; J>« ../<0 .tllC~ m \I 'ooJ.·ILn.I
(·.llmll "[,,,1.. 70
(·.Irmll'" IMu,lo". HOnl
('Nr.-.tM"l. 101. lU~. 106. 107. 10il.
10'J. 111. 11". lll. 14 i; ,umpl.·...
101.106. IN. BU. HI; ....nlr.IrI.'"
17'
..r. 17,-76;. nll"·I).:.·I" " ..f ll"pth
ililn l),Inial surf'"·.·... .!.!7; I ritKIUt· of.
II; dbllli.'-".II of. III IlLlmn... 136;
llt·plh. distllrt.... n'.· 01. 315; .Iri> I'" ill.
l'lg-9'); .·ff.,,·t. 110; I·g." ill. 103; .·x-
l>lor~t"..u of. 108; f,·ar. ii ln4; g..o.1
ohl'''Cl I·"lurts. \'u;'-.· fmm. 19i-94;
hi~t()~ of. 1117-95; 1",110" full. Igg-
g9; humor "Iltl. 141; inll'nul tl'mion
of. Ig9-'JO; los.... of '·'l·~,tll>ug. in. 119;
in Nit·l..:dl<·. H7nl; ()""lipu"lCll11pl.·x
",,"1. 105; ill origin 01. of ph"lll,l~m.
1111, ll'l; OtlwTl> ","1. i07; p.:ub in.
1110. 101; ph...lIus iI, "g"nt of. 137; in
philosoph~·. 118-19. 130. I ii; ph~si,",
of mb:wTl'!> in. 131; ml{1iou of
Iwight ttl. 199; n·pr.-s.......1 b~' h'·ight.
14 J-44; ri~k. 136; in :,>wici,m. 141;
:,>uhn·""ion ..f. 143; tMllke'r of. .!I9
C...,trnion Ir",-..: I>,'("on"", lillt' of
thought. 11':1·10; ll"\'t"lopm"111 ufo
.11"1 pll.lntolSlll. 1111-19; pllalli(' Ii,",
n"'rging ",ith. 118. lH
C... 1t~Oric.·.lt s~-lIogi.~m. sdf ...s uni\'l'rs.J1
prin.:ipl.· of. 29,
C<IIIt1-".rit",. I i9. 19,; di"lribution of.
311. 318; in 1""'1"'11l,,1 hol(l. WlI. 3eN
C... u......lil\·. ,9. 144. no. 271. l'J5; 11.,,,,-
:t'.
.lg•. • 6-7; N<IIlIlr...li>m in priocipl•.,.
..f.16il
C.lU!ol-/,·ff'·II. 7. II. 59.94; in hod...,.. 4-
5; inl'·n·m..· in. 13; st·rK.,. in. 95
('...ll....". ho'/i..,. .I... 4-,; .·\t'III~ ,lllti. 11().
U; irn..llldhl,· plur.-.lit~ 01. 170; of
ph"nl.l,lIH·H'I1L 111; pro",,'lll an.1.
161-63; Unlt~ of. 131. IH. 144. 16~.
16".170
('..Iill<" 116
(',·nl<·". 104; .k·wnlt·...,I. 176. 164; c1l>-
pt...n .. 1. 18!
l'h~,,,'.', lllO. 170; "Il'ml.lticm of. 60;
1\"'11 a,. 64; oli,i,ion ",,"1 app"nicm-
1Ilt.'n1 III g.lll""'. ,X. 5'J: n,u.l1 in
gdlll<.... f,o-n I
('11M"', I I·J_40. 160-61. 163. 166; ""'r-
u.-.I ...·llIm. 164
Ch"'''-''o;.m.» (Ch.IC•..,IIOSJ in Cormlt.
III. 176
Ch.·...hin· Cit. 13,. lJ6
('h,kl(n·n). 81-113; 110; in An,lud ..,,"I
('arroll, 93; good int,'ntlon, of. 104-
,; ,1('\\'lnpnll'm in. 129. 130. HI.
231; St·hi7.""1 pu-iliol1 of. 91
ChltH"". 60. 61. 64, 144. 176; ,1ml
AiI"l.77. 13l, 161. 16J. 165; l;o,1
.I,. ISO; IIJ.~t. p"''So'TIt. ,,1lt.1 futlln' in.
161-64; pn""'IIl!l of. 168
Ch~',iPl'll.~. 8-9. gO. 119. lJO. 131.
I ~4. 136. 170; ,·ff,'Ct. 70
Ck-c·m. loW
(,i"'k~s): ll''''(,'Ill'rring of. 161; .-.Oll ..\l'r_
IMt n'turn. 300-1; nlOflt)('l·ntric.·. 160;
of IWOflOSiti.lIl_ 11; of lilll('. I SO
(ImorMn, 269-70. 175. 276. 177
l'''gito. 14. 15. 101, 123. 139
Common Sl'1L..... 75. 77_110. 102. 119.
148; romplrnlt.·nldril~· \\ ith good
....·n...·. 78; (1.'Stro~·,..1 h)' p.;>rJtlo.... 3;
ill IluJo. rl. ':17-98; proc.lllCt,,1 by I~~_
M'" g<" sis. 116-17; n·prnt.·nution
In, 145
Comllillnit.-...lion: through in(umpossihiJ-
il~. 174
('nrnlulibtlil~" 170, 171; "lt~i<',1t. 171.
177
l·onllx~.. ihilil~·, III. 171-71• .!S9-60
(on.>l1I'. 16':1
l·on"·pl(",6. 19. 34. 115. [70. 171.
145; .-.Urihlltt"" ~~. 97; loss of il".'lltit,
",,,I, 174. 196: prill\~~ of tI.... "I" i,;
",·1.111<>11 to. I 'i. 18; "·,,...m .-.11<1. 194-
'J,; .iglllll( .I1ic "1 in. 141
(OII/.. /(JI..., ~
(·'''IIU'Klum.47. 174. 17$: It·btion._ of.
170.171; Clf ri.·... US. l.!6
(l>nIUll<I".· ...·n 174; III C... m.ll. lH
C"IlIIll" II'" .. ~ "tI ,... 17,. 119. 1 il; ,n
.....(lIdl ",·r,,·•. 231
('"nrwt lion. 47; "f ",·ri,·,. 115
l',,,m.,,li,,,· ,~·nth.",i.... 174. [7,.119.
lH; m (',1rnoll. li4
l', "L.. noll.m·"'~. 101· i; Ill. 113; .. Il~'. I
ufpn""·'II.',·ofOtlwl'l> .. n. iIO-II.
J I1; lmanu...m ,11"1. 1 17; 1)(»ltloll~ ur.
rOI; ",·xu.llit~ in. 144; till' tr"n-'.n·l1-
,I"uul dl1,l. 104
(·"n...umpllOllSl.·xpn-:->ion, ,11I... lit~. 8,
('ont,ng"'ll fUllln.,. (p.arJ.loxJ. H
('ontu.li,tioll.69, Ill. 173. 17M; ,1,,\(,1-
0pnl<'nl nf. 17,; of ,·",-rILs. 170-71;.l>'
1II'IIIliti,,' wonls. llJ; ",-hi/uphr"nK-
1l1JrllWr uf li,ing. 87. 811, 89. 'JI-'Jl;
principl... H_ H. 35. 74_7,
C'HltrJrit'!>; ,1fiimhltloll of .llst"fl( t· of.
171-73~ '-Ulllildtihilil}' of. 177
Con"·rg'·'lI"'·. 159. 160; cin-k' of. 183;
OIf .li"''l,'''TIt st"rit-s. 18!; it!t-,ltiorlJ.l
t'l'n\t'r of. 174-75; phallus,l~ agC'1l1
of. 117; of poilils of ,-i.·". 174; of
",,·rit.,.. 171. 171. 176. 11'). .!l6. !27.
218. 11'9. 134; w(lrlt! OlII.~titut("(1 011
th.· h.I,i.• of ",·rit'S. 1(19·10. 1 I. I 13,
114. 116
Cuonli,uticlll. 168; of ''gO. 103; of '""og_
,·noll.. I .. n,.,.. 100; phdllus ,IS .lg,·n! nf.
ll? 13 I. H; of s.:rit.~, 125
Cop~·. 2. 7. 163. 16,. 166; Pl.atonil'.
159; ,imul.lC'nml Jncl, 2SJ. 156-,8;
world of. 261. 166; alld iron. 156-,7
(0)>>lIlr. 411
('ollnlt·r-a...ttl~Ii7.;)liun. I SO. 151. l'il.
157.161,175_76.1711_79. lll; pro'-
....nt or. 168; ill ps~,hoalhll~sis. 111;
uhinuh' 1IS(" of, 178
(·nulll,·r·,..·I1 71. 141 III
Cnun ll.· l;.","·till. [40
Cr;k I.: (t1wJ. ;k·lu.llil:.~l .........kllth... of
ht"l~. lll; n·n·hr... t. 241; in d,·\o·lop-
tlWIII ph.ll1t....~m. 1111-19; in hi__ l"~' ..f
1II,lill< b. Bl; I......... l.l~ of. i!4-1'.
H6; of II... ~df. 176; ... il..,"",. 1'i')-,S.
160-61; in ..urf",,', 16$: Ir.l'·'· uf •. ~'_
171
Cr,ld" Imrnm....J I
lratll'" .I~. 208·9; III !'ul.l. HI-B.
H4, III
(r....t fir. II>" IH"/~...r..kli. 154-55
Cr.. ')<'. ~1(·I>I.... n. 1IIJ ~ ofCour~.
rM.IOI
(,,,11111$. 1, 15
Cr"..h~, 190·91. 192·93; tlwal"r uf, l)()
CUII"lbilil}', 102-3, 204, 205, 106
('mil's, 9, 119. 130, 131, I B
D..·;uh, 145. 149, 151-52. 153. 176.
108,117,221,122. 161. 1.77. 1'11.
316; .lSpt...-t.~ of, 156; b~' ,a>.tnl)On.
106. 107; in (·"cnt. 156; ligun'S of,
109; im"O'llOn'allp"fliOnal, 156; prot>-
!t'm of, IH
1:),:,ltll instinct, 1')8.108, 20'), 139. 140,
318,316·27; in ,~il('nCl', 141; in '1.,.01,1,
317·19, BO, HI
Ilt·fOt·, IJaniel, 301·3, 314
D,.'t"ll'g<lliion. 108
I),,'l"'owion(s) (indK.uioru;),. 11·13, 14,
15, 16-17. 18, 19·20, 35. n, 51, 86,
%,101,104.135-36.184.141,145;
afTl...-I<'t1 by qUoility. 'luJ.nlit~·. n·latioll,
modality, 31·3'1; (Iu.llil~· in pmpl)!»i.
lion, 25-16, 111; .In.l ,'xpr...""ions,
lKl-113; ,,,-\uil'(x:il)' of, 147; of t·I.....}'·
d,lY l.lngu.lg'·, 148; humor ;lI1d. 141;
.In,I1.l11guJ.g'·, 1111, lH; of n.lnlt'lo,
36-n. 67, 611; nonJol·lb..• of. 136; of
prop.~ilions. 167, n·...lion of. 118-19,
110; and !i("ll.....·-ol~t n·...lion. 97,
98; St'ru.ibk· n.l)f't~·m.ltion.s ;1.....1, 145;
",.rio..,. of. 37. 43; ~ignihc.ltions. 142.
144; signili...r in, 38; sour...l, 166, 187;
~Ikn·!l. Illl; n·rh ;I~. 184; of I·oit....
1')4; of \\'onl, 157; world .IS prindl,k
of, 176
LIt'prt'Min' llast, pn'l't'm, 192
l>"Iln",-,in- position, 187-88. 193, 194-
IH INDIoX
95. 197, 202, 2OS; in ~'K>tl .01*'--1.
190; mon° frum ",111",.<1 to, 219,
IH; pt·nio. ..nd, 200; I",.. nl~,m­
"\I'nt.', 111; ..,...1 pn.lllu'lIl.1tK' lif,·,
116; mK'1K>n to S('him,,1 lxo.-ilion,
198
Dt·pn'S.~i\l' split, 191
IkpthlsJ. 186. 18K. 18'). 1.01. 114. 145;
,ld'·t·ntun... of, 315; in Ali..'.. ··~ ,,,I,'(·n·
lun'S, lH·35, 137; h..·t'oming of. 111;
IX'Homk.,.~, 146; in l"Mmll, 'J, 10
Dt'plh of hotlit"l, 5·6, H. 1l7, 1l8. 94,
141; Anau,I's Iolngu.lg..· ill, lH, 93;
"'fllis!.ions from, 17 3·75. 276; mixlun'
in, 130-31; ,tnd pnxllK'1ioo of Sl'"llSt',
114·16; sil"nt l"Txl inr,trt\.lll..'ti in,
15S,IS6·)7
Dl·pth-Mlrf.ll"t, distinl'1ion, 187
1:X's(:arh-s, 1{(.11I\ 14. 15, 344n I
11t'~"n island, 301. 303, 304-5; paudnx
of, 309·30
Dt'St·.'(ualu.atKIIl. 108, 220, HIl, 142-43.
144; forn..1 m""...m..:nl n'prt'St'nts,
139
Dt-sin1.s), 13. 16,110-11; 311.12, 313,
319; f.llso.' impn.'SSion.~ of, In; in~
("()rn-spol...ling 10. 276; in I''''r",nion, •
219; .Ind Robinson. 317-18; ",,'ns<' of.
17-18; unlimilt~1. 173. 177, 178
Ikstin~" 16'J, 170.170, 278-7'); allinll.l-
tion of, 16'); .lnd m't"t... ~it\·. 6
I),,·strut·ti,,· ,lrh','S, llHl, 201', 102. 103.
10'), 211. 115. 142, 143, 35lnl; libid-
inal 'ih':r.llion frum. 10 J. 204; Sl'xu.l1
..Irin... tli.",·ngag'-'tl from. 144, 35j,,3
lliak...-ti<, 155; 1>I.nonio:, 254
l)i.lk't'llt""S, 8, 11. 118; of humor, 9; sin-
gk· "'nt"'r of, 260
Dkkt'lt" Charl.. ·~, 149n4
I)ifl,'n'nl"1sJ, 173. 161-62, 189; autlll'n-
tili"'ali"n of, 2117·118, >\'l'IJn'~sion of.
172; of inl<'Il~ili,'~, 1')7; int"n,ity "f,
289; inh'rll.lliJ... ~1. 161; in N,ltlln·.
261\; .., nhj,...-l of .If1mll.lltofl, 196.
197; origin of, 116; Otho:rs ..rltl, 17,
simul,..-nlm ,11,,1, 298
I)ilTtTt.'11ti.ltion. 2H I
1>igt"lli,,·.tk....tnK"li.... st"gt', 14S
I)ik·mn.... 185, 186, 187, 29().94, 196
l)iogt'll.'S L....rtius, 8, 12H, 119·30, 141
Diog.... lt.,. th,,·l"~·nio:. 119, 130, 135
Dinnysus. 107, 119, 139.1111,301
llisjurKtinn(sl,47, 174, 176, 268, 1115.
192; aflinnatiw po\\,{'r of, IK3, 241;
in AIK·t,'" .Itln·mul"t.... 1}5; ,lnd ..'xdu-
~inllS in r'·.Ilit~·. 296; good oi,;.....-t .lS
>oOUf'l"t' of. 117; multipk·, 66; no.'g.l-
li...ofrxdusi\'('. 196-97, 301;;as o1>j,,,(1
of .lflinn.nion, WO; in pm,nlolSm, 215;
ITl'.1tions of. 170, 171; singuluitK"l
..Iistrihuh'tl in, 214
I)i.~ju .....· tin· s~'lIogi5m, 364n2: (ilKl ;as
prindpl..· of, 194-97; in Klos."O\\'ski,
280,181. 282, 285, 190·94, 300-1
I)isjum:tin' synthesis, 67. 611-69, 174,
114.116; .If1irmalion of, 176, 177,
178. 179; in C.lnull, 13'1; of hl'l,'r-
~ S('rin., 129; portfTl.llnh'au
word, grountk-d in. 46-47; in ~xu.l1
",..rit."l, 2J 1·32; uni\'ocit~' of tking,
179-HO
l)i~I"'rit~·, 261-61
I>i~pl.ln'nlt'm, 50, 51, 53, 117, 114,
.??1I-J9
I )i.,~ymnwlr~', 161
Di.'tJIll"", 173. 176. 179, 18S, 115, 174,
W7; .If1innation of. 178; inlinitin',
175
Oi'lribution, h_'dl~ of. S9. 76. 26J; in
goo<-I "'....s.', 75·76; of "'ingul.lrilit'S..
59-60, 70. H Srl4
I)""rg"'rl("", 113. 114.16O;.Il1lnlloiliun
"f, 174, I7S, 177,265,196,197,
WO; of ,1i.'JulI<titm. 171; I,l'<.' of, 43;
',{Ix,inb,,r,i,'\\, 174; "fM·ri..·s, 111,
171-71,226, ll'J. 260, 261
J 1,\t'r~"'111 M·ri..·s. 174, 175. 176, l'J"-J.
WI; in C.lrTOn. 114. li6; ""''''1'-
~"nn' of. IH3; in simu[J.Crum. 161,
'M 1"N; <Ii,,'rsit~· of. 166,
DI"''''''' (Iht'),.
161\; 1lC"It-rogt'fl<'it~ ..ntl reo..'tT1hLml·..·
,,( \\ilh ilSdf, 171, 1.71; po\\t'r of,
271-71
Di"",on, nwtho,J of, 253·54, 259; Plain
It·Xl> on, 156; purpns(' of, 154-55,
2S6; ''''''("ond irony of, 254-55
1\1<1"1" r,,~ul. l.r (7..01.1), 3H
Do"'to~,·.",k~·. 1·<'C)(lor,
247
I>o.JUt>k1~),.
1!.l-23. 114.284,289, J15;
,n Carroll. "N-S{}; ,'I"t'ct. 312-13; .Illtl
humour, 141; b.ngUolgf';as ultinvlt·,
284; U1t....TS .lnd, J19; personal. 116.
i17; pt'f"\'tTSion ~nd. 319; in ~dt,.
""
I>o"hl.· (·auulit~·. 102. 108; l)dr~,lox of,
144; of ph.lllUSm-,-·\',·nt. 211; s.'rit'5
of, 94-99
I )r;." n'ilt'ration, s« P;lr.f{lox of slt·ril..·
tli.ision (or dr;.' rl'ill'r.ltion)
DU.lJi~m. 6-7, lB. 3OH-9; ht'n'llil\'/olC_
quin't!. 315; 11.llonil". 1 "
1>u.llit~1M'!oJ. lJ-17. 37,66; of .leS1t....'1ics,
260-61; Ick',l/inl.lgt,. 157; of "",Iil~"
1\4·85, 86
Ouns S!.u!U', 344nl, 151n3
~Iltlmla <if ram-r/r. r~ (CuTOlI), 55, 56
D~'namK' g,'n..sis, I K6, 193-95, 215,
229-30,241,246
1.1Iing, 186. 1117,140,142
I,ffl',-'Ib), 4-5. 61. 62. 170; in .Ikohol-
i,m. I S9-6O; .It1ton(,,"l~ of. 95; "\t'llb
m' (.l~J, 110; tl", i<k'ntK'.I1 i....."tIf"j)()-
n·.II, 7-8; phJIll.l",n in. 110-11: n'la-
tiom of, 169; .....·IIM' as. 70-71, 116
I:gu, 208; and ..It-alt.. 211; d"'ision of.
1'J2; t'Jnllatioll, I till: gO'KI ,uhj,...·t,
IW-'J I: id ami, 1811·8'); 1,lt'a ,md.
l'Jl;.Is kno\\ing ~uhj''t'l, II J; 'Iiln·b·
,i~tk, 197; pllilnlJMll in. 111-14; pn'-
INIH·" JH
l:eo i{.",lrnU<"J I
• rdk. Ii,,' "llIh."",.,. "f, .lOS; of ".'('"-
•,n.bn Ildr~ i"i'l1I. 111, 216; ~urf.l\'t'
in .1.·,",·lul'nl<·nl Ill". 103-4; Iran"':'I'n-
.k·IlI.l1 in. 116; uni\t'rs.ll. Iii
I-I,·",,·nt-. 148, 301. 303, 304. Kl6, 317-
IS; I.......·. 3 Ii, 316; iml)O,·r.;oll.l1. 311;
lillt·r.ll.".I. 3 I 3. 319
I·mp... lnd,~. 118. 129; ami I-uu, ~Iurt·
of. 1111 . 178; SCIlSl' "rMl. 19'9·301; plum.NIl.&>
bl1pl~ ,;qU.lrt', 47, >6,65. 72-73; drcu~
lalion of, in ,trW:lur,.. 1 ''''ri<.,.. 71; .os-
""lIliallO ,Iruetur,', 51; in non",'n",',
81; l),uadoxit...1 "kn)O,'nt a~. 66; pil.ll-
]u~ .b. 128; in signi~\·ing ...·rit.". >0,
\I
1:1It·tI:.,·, 107. 145; t"tl,mic, 301. 303; .!<--
St·xu..li>:,...I. 2011, 1111. 111. 141. N3,
145; 11nih', 110; n.·utr.ll. 11~; pott'n-
1i.l.1. 103. l().l. 110. 3....n3; ",·xl1,)l.
148; SUp'·rfK~1. l().l. 199, 103; '\Jr_
fm" IN, 315
I:n\l'lopnwnl. l'(ln.~lilulion of indi\idu...1
.IS l'"l'1lh'r of, III
I:pictctus. I ....
l:pit.·un-.lns. 6, 94, 183-114. 169-170.
27 3- 7<J
l:p;';unI.'. 166-67, 273
b:luin.:il~" ISS. 194,141,14&-47.148.
m 216; 1..·I.·rug.·,........ ~ St-rit'S of, 70;
'·mg'·lw,us "LOlli'S. 197. 199, 211-13,
119, 143; in :\Iin'" .ltlwnlUrt'S, 2 ~6;
ruo.... lin...tiOfl of. 100; an.1 languag.....
HO-31; St~ of. 115; an,1 .wxu..1 M'-
rk'S, 131
!-r",. 1 39. 141
!-ruli(' phanl.l~m, 175, 276, 177, nil
I-A....ll·rit.- I... ngu..g'·' 140. HI
,-",1<'", \\or<b, 41-47, SO, 51, 183;
hl... nk "onl dl...ignah·,1 hy. 67; in
Carr,,11, 43-4"', 114, 118; .."nSlnl('_
Ii"" nf..HI-I1; ,1,·noh'<.1 b~ porlm... n_
I,'JU "urtl. ...7; l),lrJ,I"."k.. r ,·klll,·nl
tNIH X
ill, 66; ,;oren·t of. 175: 11...1 to prt.h.
k'n\ and 'IUt."tion. 5f>; tl,.. lin..·. 62
b".·!lt·.'S). 71. US. 157. HH; Jbolilinn
of lilt' world of. 1'i3: ...IMI Jppl·aun...·•
2i3. 266; of e\t·n1. 114; n·lilJ<",..1 h~'
S('n>e>. 105;.1.'0 St"'''''. ~"'·15: ,Iat<... of,
14·15
b.·mJI rt·turn. 61. 62. 64. 1"''.1, 165.
176, 140. 263-65: ilMli, i.III..1 .llxl,
~ilt· of. 120: \Jninxit~ of Ko.'ing ... ~,
1>10
1:I],ks. 31. 149, 169: ph~·.,i,·s Jml. 171;
Sloio:. 141-44
I:wnl(s). 64. 65,131,171,176; "I'MI
K'\·io:k·IlI. 53-5"': ('(lfTllllumcation of,
174, 185,214: l·ommunicaling Ih"
uninx·ity of IJt'ing 10 langll.lg.·, 148;
comp.itibililYof. 17i-78: "OIljug..tion
of. 181; .k,..lh .IS, I 'i6: .lill'·n'OCt"
from liling~ ..Ixl ~t.ltt,. of oIffairs in
Carl"tlll. 9-1 1~ .Iislrihut.·d in IWo .<;t.-
rit.-s ('tlllSliluting mct.lph~·siol surf......,
141; ,Iouhk Slructun" of, Iii-51; .·f-
(l'eb in. i. 210: (OI~lr..tion of. Hln3;
l:picun'an llOlion of. 3-44,,4; d"nlJI
tnull of, 161; as lilt' ,·xprt·s.~...1 of
proposilion, 18.... 186; .lIxl "xpt'ri-
(,,"'-T. 170-71; 1-rt'UtIi.l.n lilt.... ~· of.
id..a'ionJVin,·o'lXln·.. I, 8; in'initd~'
,[;'·i~ihk. II. 113. 114: bek of prt'~'111
in. 6J-64; ..Tltllangu..g.·, 3, 11l1-85;
Iogit.. of. III; ..IXI n..·t.lpil~sical sur-
f...·I·, 111-12; nxxl.. lil~· of, H-H:
mm"'m"n\ Jnd, 176-77; nJ'urt· of.
'.I"', 9i; O.,.Hpus JIl'!. 111; phanl"'''11.
113-14; in propos;lio:>lI, 11. 14: pmh-
knulit. .. ~ nxx'" of, 54. 56; rt".. lu-<lI-
lion of. 117. I(H~ n'latKwI of, H. 171;
r"pr"~'I11'1Iinn, of. 145: ""n~- .." 11.
107, 167, 176, lllO, 111; ",.ri<" of,
J7. 311. 148- 5 J. 126; ,ignil;'-r;lS. 17-
3tl; ,ingul..nl"'" .&s, 53, 56; 'Ing\ll.1nl~
uf. li1-'>3; in :'>10,,-" .·,hK'S. 14J. 144 .
146; .~url:l('t·-. 1(,7: sl'nllM.\Iit:· r,.I,lli"n
"i,h ,tJIt· of Jll~irs.·140: ami
Ihougill. 110-11; IIniquo'. 1711; IN !lItO
AlIII..Ji,... IKwI ,If' ,'\'('111: l'OOllllUn,,-,l_
tiun of ""'111; Pur.' ,'\"'nl
h,·nls-dr'·<'l.~. ll, H. 145, 169-70;
lin... uf, 61-63, M
h","». 1),I,.,..lox,,·..1 .-!<-n"'1lt .IS, 66: in
1"loIn"". 217-181; in signi~·ing Io(·rit.",
48,49_50. 51
hdlolng.· .lIld n·pI·titKwI, 1117-90. 296
h,II"'lIslion, nwtlx>tl of. 169. 175
,""In 4Io~TI·j. lIB
h:prt'S...;o..1 (II..·). 131_jj
1:l(l'rt'Ssian(~" 10. 32,110-12. Ill, 166;
rl"lx)!JI'Ofl ... m!, 181-83: aml <luJlil\"
III proposilKwI, 25-26, 11l; "cxpn'SSi_
10k'" of. 116: fuul1dt-d in "\"1'1\1. 181;
n-!alian nf. 1m; rt1l1"l'St'matkwIS UKI,
14S-46, 168; .~rks of..17, 311,43;
,igniliol.'r as sol.· ,linll'IL,inl1 of. 311
1,--"trJ-h•.'ing. 7, 11. 31. 81. 113. lllO,
lll; i"'ros-,ibk· (lt~'("15 in. .IS; Voicl
in.147nl
FJlrl>.llrn, W. It D.• Hln2
1-..1".., I 3, 68, 110-21, 163; In profxlSi-
lIun. 14-li, 17. 19; illliniti\'t'.171.
277, 178, 179
1·.11,,;11.11 ronUIK"l'. l().l. 137. 138. 316.
lS'Jnl
btll<'r. 10)·6. 107
1·,ltllO'r il11.lg." 104, lUi
!-ink. l·ug'·11. 'J7
''"n<,'f<Jn'~ lI'tlU. "'0. 160
I r1',;...·r-ikl. I· "'0111, I n. 159-60,11'<1.
111; (,Jt"t II/'. 1M. I i"'-i 5
Il.'uh,..rl, IN
11... ,.·d .,igl1lt",d: IloJr.I,ln.~i'JJ t1lt'IIW ill,
""). b6; "h..llu, -i.'. 118
/-I,UI",!! "gml,,·r....9-iO; luu.I".,,, ..]
.·I,·m''11t In. 66: ph..llu, .1', llH
h,r, ... III,,"'·m,·nl. 13'.1-...0. 161. ,Ul1.
165
"h>r.I>L,.on" nf Otl..·rs. JO'I-IO
"h",rth P'''''''''''l singul.lr:· HI
I-r.~,", llolr."lnx, 29
h,'wl, ;o.iglllund, 71, liN, I'll, .10\.
1011.11 \.11 ... ,131.14.... 161,284.
kH. \04, I4ln". Jiln1: /k,onJ 1M
NN<ur~ I'mr'pk 3500 3; .1"ali'l1I in.
ll~; "(,,"iliaJ rom,ln.....·" ill. 104:
phJm.'-'llL~ in. 210; R.. l MJn. 357n3:
'" IJlmpilrl'llu ill, 87, lilt~ of d...
.·\t·nt. 126: u".· of wonl " ....·rit.",,"
356..1; lI·oI{.lf,m. 40, 130. 357n1
huun' (tlwl, 80. ISO. 151; in Ainn,
164-6); in -ikohnlislll. I i9-60: in
Cilrnno.,. 162-63, 164: ,It:ath irl. 156:
IIlUnillt"111, 63; I.. ngwgt·, 167; in lilt·
nnk'r of linll:. 63; lJnguJg''. 61-61:
III<' ulllillWly in n·lJtiul1 Ill. 165
!-ulun' pnf...·,. 159-60. 149ni
G'lIl11~S): irnplidl !Il'MI,·I, in, 59; lIll'or\'
uf, 5H_61 -
"(.;Jnl'·Ill'r's ""'ng" (l'.armllj. ...., 46
G"tlt'!i:IltJ, ).·.. n. 11
G"niul ".·xwlil~·, 1011; serit"S of. 11);
WIll', 100. 101. 103, 106. 107. 211-lJ
(j'~Jll·rn~· Solinl-lliIJin' E. 3500 3
I.><MI, 711. 110. 138. 139. 14). 147, ~1.
Jot"'n I: I...lirf in. 181; nk"llbting.
dll,,>;.ing, 171: a~ ('hrnn,,~. I)(); "x_
Ill·ri,·m..· of pn'",·n!. 161; Jntl dL,.
iurK·li,,". 176: ...Illi gr,lI11lll.lr. IHI;.ls
gwr... nlor of itk'''III~ of ,,·If. 19...; Im_
mutJhilil~ of, Wi: nu.k· nun 111 In,
r.
Im.lg.·, 157-5H; nn"'r .. 191-94, WI;
." I'rilwil'l,· Ifr th.· .1 isjull< I i\<' .,~ lIu-
gl,rn. 194_97; "'·ll~· in. 71-7J: ...
TUllor. 1'11; t\url.; • I~.r.
177
(;nl.l'....!lIliiotlt. \,,,tnr. I·H. I·n. \~i
(d>rnl""", ..·,. W'lolti. l'J; PlK""!I'<1p1!ltJ.
1111.1X9-'JO
(;n...! intt'nllOns, 116. ll6; punislm... m
"f. 101-lJ
(;'>oK1 "hj"d, IS7-81l. 1119. I'JO-')I, 10.1,
145; in Ali,....·s J.h'l'lllu~s. 1.16; .Iis-
IU'1o<"IIOO. sul>s<Jnlt'll umk'r. 104; l."l(-
tr~ to, Voio- frolll Ill<' .k'plh. l'H; f~­
lI"'r of. 101; 10.-1, 193.117; pt'ni<
.Ind. 101; p<~ili..n." 189-91. 191
(;,....1 ohj''l'ls of til<' IU'igl.ls, 103, 1O.f;
ill Alin"s ilclwntun's, HS; ",·ri.'S <,·on·
""rgt' to\\.lr,I, 117
GoodIM:nis. 103, 105, 117
Good ,,-me. 3. 74-76. 78, 97. 101.148;
chu;t':h'ristics of. 76; .In.1 nlmmon
""'11,,.'. 78; .!in't't'oll of. 1-3, 75. 76-
77. 7K; indi,-i<.luJlioll. 119. ]),lr"dOll
of. 80; produn',l h~' passin' g"IIt'Sis.
116-17
Gn..·k philosoph~" I);)rildo;< of. 17
Gn-go~' of Rimini, 19
Groul"!, 105; undilTt"ITflti.:l"od, 106, 110.
139-40
Gun'ilch. Gt'Orgt.·. H4n I
Hilllln...r-blow phil'J:>('f'h~', 118-19
".·gd. 19, 173. lIl, 153; ~nomt~l.
l"6n I; rt'pl"('S('nlation, 259-60
""ighl(s), 101, H7nl; in ."'Iin·'s .1(1.<'0-
lun'S, 136; castr.llion of, lO6; good
subjt'l'1 hdongs 10, I89-<JO. 191; hu-
mor .m.l, 136, 141; .11l<1IJngu.lg'"
N6-·f?; o....lipu.. "nmpl,"~ ilml. lOS;
pellls .II..!. 100, 101; in plJilosoph~"
117.118.130. I U. 13i; prt'-So·nso.·
of. 194; rt·.l<:lioll 10.1'1111.. 19K; rt·_
prt-s....'S dqllh. 14 ~"'4; unlimitt..l.
146; "uin' fmm. 231
II.-im,mn. l'ilUI.I, 14.1• .15.1".1
Ikrildi"'iln world, 1.11-.11, IH, 16S.
lOS
17' rNIHX
11,·n..lity• .l! I; .!is._inlll.lr. 367nl; gmlll
mull. 314-36, 31'J, HI
11.·!t·~'I"'OUs s'''rM'S, 11'). 116. 1 ll;
'"OIlll1lunic.lting. 161; .onlunetin· s~·n.
111<'.,i, of, 1.11; coortlinJu"n "f. 47.
67; ,Ii,iunni.... s~'lHl\l"~i~ of. 1l'J; .'S(,-
I\'rk "onls .sUI~urIlPli,,". "5. 46; in
O<>ll.....n...... 70: IloIr,l<lo:<it oil .-I.'lIlot·nl.
66; pO\\t'r 10 oIfliml. 160-61; ~;ngu_
l.lritit,...·,·tTlIS ,·ornpoun<ltn. lOlA
1It"lcrog"Il<"ity, 161, 163
II0II'HJg"Twity, in ",'ri."S. i6. n, Ill. 115
lIugo. Vk'tur, 100, 101
Ilun1\'. I)J\'itl. 13, 175
lIu.",..rl. t:<lmun.1. 10-11. 31,99. 101-1,
113, Ill, 198. W8; (urlnJOn IINIfU.
faJRS,. H4n6; I<krn, 96-98; 'oOSlfu1lnod'
f'!l""0m. Hlnl; no.:m.uk t"On', 111;
lh.'O~· of C'On~liIUlion, 116
lIunll'W of ,h~ Soork. Ih~ (Cilrrotll, 46,
134
"," (1h.·I. 13. 14.78.99. 101. 105;
n ...·x!t·miw with n·pn'SM'lloillon. 138;
cra,'k...l, I'll; primil(~' of, 15, 17-18;
singul.lrili.'S, .Inti. 103
Icun, 15'), 161, 163, 165
M. I<JO; 011,,1 ''go, 188-89. 191-'Jl
M.·oI. 7. 118. 131, 163; Ktion of, 1, 7;
oIuth.:nlih<-oIlion. in .!i\-ision. 256; ....-
pri"..I. 195; .III'! inl.lg''S' 156. 157;
kn.m I...lg.· of. 158; prohl"m ~uh,ists
in, 54; pUrl'. 1.17, 138; uni\·'·rs.-Jlit~·
uf. 139
Id"ill ,',,·nl(s). 50, Sl; spatio-h'IllIl<lral
n'.IlvoItion of, Sl. 54
Id"011 golrt'lt·, 72. 116. 180;, so'Th of, 58-
65
Id.,,I,; n,mhin.llioll tlf, Ill; fOllll<l.J.tioll
of IJllgll'lg\' in, 134; moli", of IIl<'or~'
uf. lSi-54; p"n"'pli,m of Ollwl"S Jlld,
lO5-6; .1/,,1 s~·lIlJgi .. m. 1')4-'J5
1.k0 (lIu....,,·rl). %-'J8
1,It'mil),·oIlioll(sl.97. 116, 191. 193,
H9n4; III ilkohoiNn. 160, l49n5; III
rom",Oll "'·Il.....·• 78; .1t-prc5.siw. 188;
~~'mllt..,.i_, "f. 113
l<I'·lllit~ .. II'J, 175.113,161,161, l'Jl;
ofb,lotli.·" 191; in dlild. 1118; ill nml-
mon ."·n,,,·. 711; nt' ,ullinrit.,., 171.
173, 175, 176. 178, 179.11 l; of
,"'(TIb, 17Q...71; of Gtkl, 191; of liln·
~', 191; ~ of, 78. 141. 174,
175. 193, 1%; 0pllO.sitt"!l oIflimw.!
Ihrough, 171; llando,'{ of Ihe in.inil<'.
1-3; of I,,·rson. 191. 191; of Sdf, l55.
194, l'J7; sinml.J.cra all'!. 165, 29K; of
Ill<' workl. 191
Idol(sl, 191,103,116.119.111.173;
origin;; of im.lgcs. 117
~'1I1UI. 65
[m.lg.'(sl, 19. 197.107,116,119,111.
l63, 31.1; hI"a ami, l56, 157; ill
o.·.lipoil inlt'nlion, 1111; in phJnusms.
17'); in St·ri.:ll form. 117; Sl'rit.-s of,
116; SO'rM'S of Prot<'<:tWJns o....r, 115;
StK'O'!>.~"·'· sumrn.uion of simulKT.I,
177; il., surfKe, 315
hllJgt'>i-idols, H6-57
Impassibilily, 144; of ph,ml.J.sms, 111; of
.",rM'S, 'J5, 96. 100. 101
Implit'.Ilion, 14, 15. 16. 18,11
Imp'JS.~ihk· ohjN-ts, S« 1'00r~lo11 of tilt'
oIhsunl (or I.... irnpl_ihlt· obr..'tsl
InH'St, I W. IJI. 143, WI. 101. 104.
105,106.110.111
[nmmlloltihi1illt-s. alogil·.II, 171.71, 177-
"
IIK.lfnl>os>.ihilitit'S. Ill. IIi. 114. 171-
71,160; n'l,lliolls <If. 170-71
Inmrpon'.Il: .·IT''lI. 147. 165. 166, 169-
70, 18'J; •·...nb. ill AMIIl. 16S; Itx-u~
"f, I W; philnlasm I~ t·...l.,liluli"n ur.
llO
In,ldlll;1t' prrolif('r,ltinn. "... I'JUI[ox of
r'-gn" (lIlcldmih' pmlif"ralitlfl)
Illtldmill' prnn"un. 1'J7
In.I.·xi.:.Ib, 13
In.litillion. IN D'''II<ll~liot'l
In,lilT"n'n,,', I....
hu!j,'i'!Uill (Illd. 99, IIK.ll0. 140. 141.
145; h.·jng an'l. 147; .111.1 l"<)IInnu_
ni<'JI;'>I1 of'·I',·ms. 177, 1711; d"ril"t~l
fmm troln"'Tlxl."llaJ .it,I.1. I()<J, t 16-
17; .Ii"·"'ll~· .Imong. 166; .·l(pr''S.......1
"orItl ":o;i~1S onl~" III. 116; ~s fOf'-
luiwu~ (,bl·. 178;,1., inlinih' oInol!<-tK-
pmp''''itit''''', 118; pl"OCt""--, (If r"II"",I1
in. 110; ~ingul.lrili,-s, 103; .I .. ~p.· ... k,·r.
137-311, 140; unil"t'l"Sal fonn of til<',
117. 1311; l·is-.1-,·is tilt· workl. 110.
II ~. 116
h"l;.itIU.llil~·, 138-39.166; finilt·, 106;
supn'nlot' origillol~·. 138; uniH·rsal.
I}'
Inlinill'. 159. 160, 269, 170. 171, 179;
,llxxl,·i.'ti.· .ktcrmin.llion of til<' ITIl.,
Jlltl f,ll...·• 171-77; th'~l~' of, 17l
Inhnili...., S. 184-85.111,148; ph.m-
tol.'olIl .11,,1, 114-15. 116; pun'. 141
Infr.lH'cllS<·, 93, 175; noiso.' of <kl>l/u.lS.
m
Inll<'n'n.·.·. 11, 81, IlJO; Void .IS. H7nl
In~l"nl Ilh"i. 147, 165, 176; a.'tor in .
I SO; di~pIJCt~1 in lin.· of Aion. 166-
67, 168
Irl.'lil'l("ls: h.·"'t1il~' of. .114, .Il5, 316;
0I1'1<! oo;..'t't. JB-14. BO. HI-.I1;
lr.lnsmUliltion of. 3Jl·Jj
Insufilialion, l'J7-98
Im,·nsity. 189, 198; IJrl·,l\h.~ J.~, 197; dif-
f"n'IK" of, 189; '·llpn'SSt.~1 I>y 1,111-
guag.·. 1'}4; 011'1<1 int"ntiof1illil~" 19K.
199-.KXJ; ...·Tl."· .Is. 199; ,I~ SU,*, I of
,.!t.rn.lI[ n·!Urn. .KXJ
Int.·,l1ion(s). 111. 110-21. 197; Oo:..lilloll.
205,118.144; rt'l"ils<' nr. as "lhit-oIl
(·alt'go~·. 106-7; f<'~ ul,tl1 (;"".1 inlen-
tion_,
Inl<·nliofl.llil~·tit"I. lOS; m.w(' fmm in-
It'I''';h tn. l'JK. 1'J9- 300; spokt'n, 1'J8
INIll'X 179
[mwl,... ,,,'n, Ii" lIn. lXX. I'Jl
Ir'~M"', J u,,', 21,
h":"""'" 1~1. !4b-~7, 148; .1..""10. .. 1 hg.·
urI"> 01. 1 J7.40; in KJnt'~ ,11<"ol"g~"
!'H, 1'1;-%; III 11.>,,,. 1'i+-i5, 1,6;
.... "r.. 'I<, 115. 137·38; In.1 IrJgK
em"",t 1"0
I....:;. " ...u,...,n, 11 5-16
J .. hh,·rwo.:k, 67, 9[,114
I,lhl"',",,ul k~, H~. B6
"J"hh("r\"'" k~" lC.lrml1j, 61. l \6; ..\ r-
uuJ'~ "'I... I,·nng nr, 8i-IH, 119-':10,
i !'Jul; I""un.mt,·,m "<lnb. 45-~6
J..kol>M)ll, Kom,m, 71
!Jm.",. Wi1liJm. U8
jun'", I..n."" i9, 56, l(1IJ-61, 164,
Hv.II;l:.uh ll1i
LUI, JrnmlllUt'1. 5~, 'J7, 98, [05. 131!,
I ~'J, 176. 1')1. 19~, H5n5; t .. u",,1it~
ill. 6; forlll~ tlf I.""illility in, 18; un
th.'Oltl:." 1'J4_97: "ill Ill, H4n I
KkrktJ:.I,ml. S(i...·n. 100. Utl
KIt·m. ~1t·LIIlIO." 187·89. 100. 101. 101.
104, ll5. l[6, 114. 14')"~' 351n3.
35!nl
KIt ........"',ki,I..·rn'. )9, ~O. 176, 17X.
11<),264. 2110-3UI. BOO7; ILphm'lfl.
k. NI·'J4. l'J7-911, 199; "PI)("'lt,,,n
1...·',,,·,·.. ",,:.·h.lIlg'· Jnd Inl,' '''I)<'lili"n
tIWllll', 287·<)(); AA",""'>n, Id, lS;-X6;
'Iol"/I(II'. /(, 1113, 185, lX6, 2H7·8x,
2~1; ",·xu.. 1 d,·" npllon, in, 281
Kn<J"I... ~",; .I1""I.·'dK, 14,; ,-,.oI,·rlO..
24\; [11111" "I. I1l7; .,I'["ltl,on,hlilJlI
"I, 10,; .1,... 1 IlI·'.......KIO. l6On!; tllI"'-
fIl" "I'. HI; lnll'. 2,11; 1.11)<" of. 1~(,
Ko..... 116, HZ
l.."n" H Inl
Lun, J.w:(lu,,:,, 38. 4U, 41. lOU. 1111,
119-30, Hl, KJ'}-lU, 31<), 3bl),n1,5;
.;. . ul~'~lS or IYt M.. n, );7n3; uc..n',
l).IrJ.lox. 48. 33111,6
l.it:k. Jl.lr~loxk<ll1 ..I.'nwnt ..,. 66; ill
plloll1US, 117-18; in "glllh•.1111 St·rit",.
411, 4'J-'iO, 51
1..l1>gu.1!-"·' 8·9, 111, 115. 158. lIB; oll...1
till" ..\ inn, [67; an.ll\i·in~. IIlU. 1110,
181,182.185-87. 11S'J, 290·~, l%,
300-1; d,,·a\'Olg., nf ,·am"JIII~ .In.1. 6;
..n.! \~.>l11ll1Ol1 ""lb<YgOlKI ".·r",:, (·il'n·
pl,'nwnl', 78. 79; l"O_'~"I'"1n or ",'x-
II,,·.
u.. 61.143·45; dillwmion.., of. 1-
3; .1~ ..lil\' of. l)5; .·thin. of. 141;
1''''nL, .1;1.1. 21, 56; Il.-x;ol1.l1 1"I1arolO:'
t.'r. 186; rnnn,loIioo of. 193_94. Hl;
foullll.)\ion of, 134-35; in h.'ud. 113;
or tilt' ground. 140; height aOtI, 146-
47; iroll\' .llltl, I iJ·311; Irn..., of ,1"llIlI-
ill~ fUrl(:lion of. 199; n1.1.1.· pos__~i1l1.,
I)\~ thaI "hich .li'lil1~ui,ht..,. iI, 186;
n~.l,I., p(l1>~ihl., h~' ,,~rltl "I' ~Urf.K"l' d·
f." b. II. 166-67; 1l<'g"'lillO or "\('nt'"
,·n',-cb 011,,1, 11; on"'r "f, 18. 48, 181.
141. 144, 145-46. 148·49; org'IIIU.a-
til.lI10r, 157. 1113, 18~, 141, 141;
p... ,atlo.~.,:, insist II ithin. 74; IMl'....r
"r. 19; prim.>l ~ of sagnih'-olliOI1
"', [5-16; in primoll'~' ord.'r, 11U;
proM"m of. in rd.ui",n \U uni\"(lt'il~'
of Ikmg, 151n3; and pun' !>''COf1l-
ing. 1; <l), rt·.llill· uf tilt' pos.,ihil-.
II'J, .307; n'I"I~:Jiip uf lm..ntaM1l
ttl. 115-116; Ml;rit ,.11m", or. 246;
';I:hu."phrl'1lk-, 1l2·8i, 84-85. 88.
'II. '}1_9~; .1ntl ",,'nso,', 15, NO; ,hifl-
ing, fUlll·tinn of, 194; ~.o..., of. 1111-
85; ",,·xU.l1 origin of. 129_B;.I~
~ig,n "lllpl~ of m,·.. ning. YO.'} I; "11-
gul.lntK':' "illlul. 'iO; I..hl.· of .1.,,,,1·
opm"lll of. .I, 11,,-- Mld.l'·'·, 110·81,
146; t....ti.l~· .I'r.>Ilg<-·nlol'llI ul, 1111-20.
.!-I7. Nil; .., ultima\(' ,I..llh.... lH4;
.llll! UII;"" il~ "f ",;.o..-s. 1411; "illln...t
... rticll[.lllOnS, 8'J
1.1pl.l1ld1('. J.. 111. 11l. 116. 15!n3
I."""-gll." Ch....b. )5Yn1
l.luln1.ln, :\II",rt, 54
!..'C[.lin', ~'rg'" rj.uh<JflQl.p~'. 2W-JI
1.'illllV.,99, 110, 111. Ill, 116, l7i-74.
177. J66n 11; ,--h,""~-pl.l~·iT>g liutl, 59.
60; ""mIMlMihilil~" 171-71; 1)('rsol1 HI,
I i9; r"lm..,...·Iltatinn., in, 15'J·6O; tI...·.l-
It'ro( 113-14
I .'nin. J49n4
[<"'i-~tuu~, 48, 49-50
Ilbit..... 103. 114, 303. 313; Iroll\SIllUl;a·
lion of. lOll·'}
I ihidinal I!rin.,;. 1118. 19l), 105; liIM'r...•
tit"10r, 199, 203, 104
!.if." 84,104.157.158; as proo-s.s of
hn,..king "o\\"n. 15+-55. 109
1 itt-ratun', Sl'rnl nWlood, 19, 40. 41-4i
tugi<'. 19.96-99; in Slok ('Ihies. 144-45
I '>git· of "'·IL<e. 20. 111.148; l..nll'ti .. 1
tl1(' su,fol("t·. 9); probl.'m of. 67, 97
1000Iobj.'Ct. [93, 194
I "\"t', 179. 191, 191-'-H. 110-21. 308
1 uw ohj~...'t. 176
I "wn·. ~bk..,lm. 151·55. 157. 159, 11'J,
HI. )49n5
I IKn'tius. 166-79
MJllolnlll" 6\, 64-65. [J6
.\bnit ,1"I',,-,;.,i"lI. 164, 190. I'll. 117.
~4'J1I4. ~6lk>4
:\l.lIlif,."t.llion. I i·H. 15-17. 19·10, lS.
51, %, 'J8, 9"), [01, 104.141,14');
,'mlll<'nn' "f. 147; uf ""'~{b~ I.. n-
gU'$'" 1411; hum"r .11...1. 141; elf in--
It'IlI'''''', 197: .IrKllal>gIl.lg.·, 1111.
liZ; p.·..".>n.ll. 111; n'bti"n "r. 1111-
I'J, 120; ",If 01' prlnnpl,' of, 176;
... ·"U.l[lt~ .In' I. 142. 144; on ,;gnIIK·r.
ill; ""UI"I in, 166. 11I7; "'rh .Inti,
IH4; Ill' '''K'·. 194. of Ill<' "ort!, 117
:\I.. n.,,, :\un·lou" 144. 166; I/rJ"dllDm,
,.1
.\In", 141n4
M" ...... 11. 117. 159nl
.\1.1'<" hi~ll1. I 'J J, 117
.\kg.lrnn,. 129
.\kin"ng. I". 10. IS
~kt.lph~'K.ll ,urf.lO.·. 1!S·16. 107-11,
H~. 141. 156n\; ,·\(·nlbl.lllll. 111--
11; '~,n."IIIlO\t·llll·nl .lllli. 140;
n"''''IllI'II1 of. 145; pllJnu,rn ,1.-",1-
"I" In, 1 III; ph~·sit'.I[ su,f.ln" pn-p.l-
rat""l for, 141; pm;.-ctioos 'lillO,
NZ.~~; ""p... ,:,so.,:, ",-'... u.ll "lIrf.uT, 14~;
or I"'"ughl. 119, 111-1)
!l-hlkr. I "'n~· • .303
Mlrmr, 1.1" of (L'olrroll), 43
.\tlxlun'. 5·6. Ill. 1.30-il. 133. 150-52.
163; rr.lgllll·n'slli'lui,1. U19; nf intli·
,itlu.lI,. 116; ill\l'T.w:lion of mo....-
"l<"nt~ of. 167; physit"s of, 131; IM,i.
......... )IJ~, 131. [43. 163, Ix7; linl(' of.
161, [63
Mixlun." of IMllli.·s, 4, 5-6, 9, [1, 117;
•...'1lI .Inti. 182; humor ..Iltl. I is
MIKI..I. 26~, 265. 166; .IilT,'...'nt fmm
......lK':', 261; .li~lilll·1 rrom silllull·
cnnn, !53; '!ol11.lin or rt'Pn~'ntJlions
tlt·lulI.. 1 h,' rd"lion to. 159; idl'oll,
I n, 1)8;' I'blunit". 159; simul.w:nml
..Iltl. 153. 156, 157, 158
M.... I''TTIit~, .1t'hIM"I"~ Iht' I)(),,,'r of tI....
,imul.1..rum. 165·66
",....I,·rn lJlt'r.1tun·, pl1.lntolsm ..ml, 1110-
III
Mon.ullsl, 9'J. 260, H~rl6; "go Ir..,,·
,,·''!lIl,. 11); ..., .·xp,,-,;.,iol1 of "","1.1,
[10.111.111, [[I. [14, 1[&. \661>11
Munt"agll". f'l<llt, 138
Moral pmhl"lll, In ~l"it.' philo",'ph~"
141-47
M"tlll'r. \ ..'tr.all"\. 105-6, 207; .., Ill'
IlIn'll h'Kh, 10 I
.\-I"mh. IH7; olll.1 !>r.. lIl. !lJ, NO·4 I,
MOUlh (,-om",,,eJj
141. 155,,1; ,m,ltl",ught. NO; -.lI1m,
loB
,\Iuhiplidl~'. 17'-1. 1'J1. 197
M~lh. 15-1-55. 164, 27'S·79. 364,,1; dr-
.ular. 155; f"umling. 156.163; Na-
tur., Jml. 27'S
N.lm,:(s~. N; .k'notaliou of. lb. -H. 67.
68; Il.lrad.ox of rq:n...... 1.9- 3I; s~·n­
tllto'sis of. 31
Narris.~j"lit· wuund. 1011. 113, 116. 118
Nb.'if. ).k'qut,». lb7,,1
Nalur.loli.Ql,. 166. 168-71. 178-79. 314;
of l.c>l.a. Jl1; 1~1~'s~ as. 171-77
N.uun·. 178. J I I; alltl unilY of uw.o."".
270: '"OOlpo..ilion .md cornhin.llion~
of rk·mt'flts of. 168·71; ,Ii.... r.m~ in,
166-68; infinih' in. 178; mixtun'S in.
IJI; posit"·it~· of. 179
N,,'t~il~·. 131. 169.270• .100: ,k'nial of.
169. 170; d.... tin~· anti. 6; h~l)Oth.:sis
of..B-j4
Nt'galion. 11 I • .206.7; !It'IN" "'U~Pt'fltl<.
II. jl. H 15
N.'gali.... (tht·). 179
N.'opl.-atonism. 155
Nt·ufdlatNU. An.ln< ,I." 10
Nl·llro"i.~. 111. JO-l. 313. 314. J15. j1l
N"ulralil~" Ill-lJ: of "iugul,l.rit~, 51;
.'SI.lI•.,., p.u.:ulox uf, 31·15; of .....·IISt·.
95,96. 100. 101-1. 10-l, 105. I!J-N,
125, H'Jn1
Ni.,t1_....-II<'. 71. 100-M. 157. 171. 174.
17i1. 103, 1119. JOO. 347nl; BUlh o(
IrIJ.qN), 'IM, 107; t'h'rnal n'llIrll in.
..164; t;o.Vgullllnar link ill• ..1111:
Klo,.""' .•ki'.• In'll)'sis of, 1'111; rnJ,I-
1lt'.'S in, 1'.18; ,lIld orit'nl,lliun of
thoughl. U8-30: ta.• k h' n'\'t'!'>o<' 1'1.1-
tonism, 153; till' ulllinlt'11' in . ..165
Nihilism, 166 . n·a.-Iion 10 ",·n.,,·, 97. WI; ""ri,·s of
IS> INIH-X
NOt'rna (not·nl.llit·), lU-11, 11, 'J6-'J7,
'IS; Jllrillul.· no,'IllJt i•. I !'ll, I!lfl,
111,114.111. 11!'l. .140; ,''''111 n··
bh~1 10 So'rit'S .I,. 14 I: p,·nTpllJ.ll,
10-21
NOI.-"is, 98
Nois.·, 181. 189, 219, 131. 146, N'S,
174; fl'l's.-g" frufn-Io ,,,itl·. 194: of
.k-plhslh.·iglns. lH: mo\<' In 'oi...·•
148
Non'l.:"Iit: .Ii~tribulion, 75. 77. 101. II I.
161
NonSo·l1St·, 8-9, 91, 1j4. I 56- 57. 146,
j58n7; in enroll. xiii, ,'n-Ilf't'!o<'nl
with [0('"",-'. 116-17; of (1'11d'.•. I J6;
./istillct from absunlil~. 15: ,")OhI.·.
98; ,·It·mal n'lum ...... .loQ1: in lho.·
' ....·t'1II, 95; tigun"l of. 91. 95: fonn.'
of, Hlnl; funclioru. of. 81141: it"'al
gUll<.' Ihougllt .as. 60: alltl tht· nll.·u.
ph~'Sit-a1 surfKt". 144; mooik·. 86: or.
ganv.ation of. 141; p.1ssin·/Kliw, 90;
ph.:tllus roIt· of. 118, 141; of pun'
noi..",'. 189; ami SC'flSC". 67. 69_71. 81,
91. 106. 107, 1j7. 141, 176, liI.t
1 B; !I<'rio.". of, 66-7 J; !I<'xUoIlil\ mim-
it.,,_ 14j; of Iht' surf....·••. 116, '166;
Ihn'al 10 surfit(·.· i.~. 81; 1"0 ~id,,, of,
67; uo"o':al lking .IS. 180
No\itJi~. 51
Ohl''1'I('" 119, 1H: .Ik-olMlli,m, 160;
<,{'Olmon, I I 5: of .1<-ptll, 116; of ,I.··
'i'ion. 313; of .lrin'S. JBn3; .'xn.
l"rit', 5I, 66; of hdght.., 116: ill~lin.:t
and, 3B-N: illlmit',·h..l, 196; inlm-
i.TIt.. llpwj.TII..I, 116; los.~ of. 159;
p"r,·.'ption of 0111<'1'>1, 305·6, 307,
315,318; in Iwr("'plll,llti"I,I, 3011-9:
.lnd p...·....·n,·.·/.Ih."'·m·t· of Olh,·r.',
105-6.307. 3UII-9, 110-11, 311-13:
(Carroll). 46: ':1Il.l suhi''''l, 310-11;
SlIhSlilUli\'t". 1911-9'J
lkkharn. 1. I 'J
o.·cUI>.1ll1 wilhuut.l plal't·, 41, 47. 66.
"
O.~lipoll so·rit'S. 116. 117, 118, Hl, 141
Ot..lipoll siluollitMI, N. IBn4: ill Ah..··,
a,lwllIun.,.. 137
O.~liptl.•. ISII. 101. 101, 105. 106.7,
111,211.116. H7, 144: ",olulion
of, 130, lJI. HZ
o.-dipus "olllpk'x, 100-1, 101-.1. 10-l-5,
108. 137, 35Jn4. J56nl
On.:iric phitnl.nrns, 175. 176, In, 178
OnloKJgK-al gt'11I-Sis: logical go..~ and,
119-10; ,·k'men! of, 118
Onilliog,.'·. 17'I-SO
()r.a1-it~1 n-gn-ssion. in All«s ..\J\'tnrur~
j7. 136. H7
Uralil~" 37. 44. 84-85. 86, 181, 187.
188. 196, 199, 119. 113, 115, HI:
s<'.n...-s of, 186--95
Origin. 301-3. j();f
OsilT.). P.• Hln4
Odwr(sl. 148. 14Snl; it priori, 107. J18:
'"UIlO\'I", J18; "ff('{'1S of. j();f-ll;
Ol<-aning of, .loQ7·1O; n1O<1..I of. lSiI.
161: pn'St·n....· of, 304·5, 107, .lOS-
10; SlnJ,lun'-, JIJ-15. 319·11; tilt.'.
u~· of, jUl. J66nll: workl "ilhuul.
101-11
"On·rm.an," 107
Panko", Gio•• 'b. 141nlO, 151nJ
Pan.lox. I, 16,69.110; Jrgum"111:< ill,
145; of Cafwll, 17, Ill: ,lif,...·lion of,
75-76. 7l:J. 7'J; of .Iouhlt' .. au.'alit~·,
144; in fon.. of ,lIllim'IIl~', 4!1.50:
filrllling lll<'''~' of ",'IN', I I 1-11: in
go .. ,,1 "'n,dnlllllno,, S"I1"'·. 117: in
Gr",·k philo''''plly, 17; in n,m",'ll"",
7U; in r..t.lli,,· di.,pb...·llwnt of so'ri,'S,
·10-41; uf "'·fi.·,. 111-15; sai," "f, 74_
'SI; of .'1.....-.::11. Hl- B; in til<' Sluin,
'S-'); of til<' '·uin·. 194; in tr.ln~lation,
g5; of tfolnsmi.'lSion. HI
p,lu,lo,;: of Ih.· oIlisunl. IS: Aetuf'~,
I )(l; of ('onlingt:lll fUlun'S, B: uf
,Iualil~·. 37; of inrlnitt· id.·ntit~·. 1-1;
of lI<·ulralit~· (or of ''S'''''ll<''''~ lhinl
.."Uh·l. 31-35: ..fpun· bo....··ollling.. I-
I; of n'gr.'S.~ (or of illlk·finit.· prulif-
"follionl, 18·JI. H. 36-37: of ~igniti­
IoIlion; of ",l..ril.. di,·ision (or ,I~'
....·;!t·raliun), II-jl; of surfJl'" ,·ff.........
4.11
l'u...k':lM:al ..I.'fllt.'fll, 81. 95. WI, 119:
dur...'tt'lbtic's of, 66-67; t:'OIl\'C'f-
go""'-" of .liH·rg<.'flt !it..n...-s., 18j: fig-
un'S of. 67-68: iru;tant as. 168: is at
"'It·,- "onl itntl thing. 67; phallus as.
118: mid as, I J7
1'00f.....Jxit-aI..l...llt.'tl1 in Sl·n..'S, SO-51. 51;
b Io.-us of lho.' qll<.'Slion, 56, )7
I'arain. Brun', 17
l'oIr.lnoitl-schiwttJ position. 1117-88, 191
Paris. ),';IIn. J4Jnli
I'ari-ot, 11,·nri. 8j. 90. B8nl
r,mn~n~ (Platol. 164. 165
I'artial u1'1''ttS, 188, 190. 191, 196. 114,
15J.d; oIntl good obtt-~, 190: inln>-
jt...·lioo .11,,1 pro;.....·tion. 187. 197.
1911. 199; p,:nist.'S ant!. 10-l
l'.Irti.lI/Ofl<..., 116. 117
1'.1....·.11, 59. 60
1'00",.ion(sl. 1111-8';1.90,91. 95. Ill. 187.
191. 107, 176; I")t.lil~· figuft'S.
H In 10; of hod~" 161-63; .Iml """Ills,
181: ""'r~'day and pun' I:\<'nl. 1311;
phant''''ll JIlII, 110; ",·nS<.· Jml. 94
I'a".,i,,· gt:ll<'~i." 116-17
1',ISl,80, 150: Aion, IM-65; of tilt' 31_
tllIUlli<', 158, 159; in Chrnnos, 161-
63, 164; of ." (·m. 151; languag.· and.
167; in Ill<' "nl"r of tinl<'. 5. 75. 76.
INlnx 1'1
I''''~lkl!llllllll"JI
77; unlimi,,·,l. (.1-62; unlinwly in r.'~
1.llion h •• 26l
1'.1~1 p,·rf''''l. "I' til<' ,llnllmlie. 1511-59.
160
I"):U\, l·ll.lrlt.,.. 5J. J4On5
I"·~li;. 100·1. 102. 104. 105. 106. In.
117; "'1 .....·!'M.'t· of. 2211. 14 I; h."VgotJ..l.
100: inh·ffI.ll. 104, 105
I"·n...·ption. jill; no,·nl.) in. lO-ll; pr.'S-
,'nn' of Otilt·flo ,111<1, illS-6. ill7.
JOII·9; ,"t>mcioU>n,'S.., ~~·~I ..m. lOJ;
p"R·i1lCWI hoM, J08-9, jill; Utlwr
.IS ~tnK"tuR' ufo J,()7-10
I',·m·r. ",lmun.l. uSnJ
1'.'nOfl. 911. 115. I J9. 140. 145; .16.soIu-
tions of• .N4; Imil.. S~-nl}Wlio. form
ufo 106;.Is hnih' s~·ntht·lit' pmposi-
lions. I Ill: .oint.! iocompatiIMlltio...,..
177; .Ir~1 i!'M.lhio.lu.ll. U8-J9. 140;
nunif•.,.l.llions ~"tlJ.llizt"(l in. HI;
R1Jn'5/;"111.ltitlfL• .I1~1. 147; rom.mlit·
Imll\ of. 11'J; ~;nguLuitit'S of. 10J;
.I1~I'tum"·'"1~I.·nul philosoph~"
116; ......g...... ~1,)/"it'S. 117; \.okt- .Ind.
'"
I'.·r..clful: C'Otl"'·jO....,nt...., . 98. 99; d'~.Ilh.
156; donuin of. I I; itit·lll;t~·. J; Jos,.
of itk·mit~. J. III. 175, 18J; ",-rf. s
I'....~onalih·. 191
I',·rwrsiun. IH. 1')7. I'N. 180-111. J04-
5. J5j,tJ; krwl\\I.'tlg.- .In,l. J6Onl;
m....·h.lrli~rn of. N J; .In.1 Rohin.'oOtl.
JOJ"'; of "IM"h. 1114; .111.1 slrtKlurt·.
J 1'1·11
I',·r"·floll~·. 106. 14J. 1'13; "f g'K,d in-
h·11Iinn~. 107
1"'rH'rl (tll,·I. '11. W'-J. Jl9-11
fhl1<-Jws (p1.lIn). 154, 155. 156
I'h.llIi,·: "g". 1 I 1; lil\(·. ZIII. l2.s, 131;
.lag'·' 119. Zm
l'hdllu,. ZOO. 101, 10J. 104. 105. 10;
in t'Ii,,"~ a,I-,·mun·, 1 J6. 117; of 1'0'-
or,lindli"" .1,,,1 ,.I~lr.llion, 117. 111-
1N 1)1 X
n. B7. 14J; in 1I".uI1I 1Irain ,·on-
Ili'·I. Hl; alld p.·tlI•. 217·ZII; .l~ im-
ag... !Ol. 10J. 105. 106. Z07. lUI.
115,117; as .}tl.l~i-,.Il"''' 111; in rt·~·
orUIU...· of snit·•. 111l-1'1
I'll.lnldSm(sJ of. 171. 175·76. 177. J15;
of K,·ing. J,()I; ..· h.lf.u·t.·n.lin. 110-
16; .llwi tfin'~"'lIl ",·ri.'S. 1 ~9. 140;
formul~ of. 1111-19; l·n.I.:a~ "'•. U6;
inle,N'". 198; nMlbil,t, 01. 117; ;n
nlOtlt'n\ lit,·r.lIUrt'.2W- ~ I I; J.) ..b-
jt.'cb of plt'.bun·. 171l; ung"l of. 117-
18. 119-11;.l..~ n-';()(l.l'X·'· h... I\H...·II
pn-gt"flit.ll .I'MI O'... lip.:a1 :-<.·rM'S. 116;
rtl'rt':lefltillg t·""fIlS. llJ -11; ",,·Iit'S
of. 110-16. 141; ..IMI ""'xUolI S<,-rit'S.
HI; of .Ill ~imulollr.l. 16S. 165; ~illl­
uLlIion b . 263; \\()/"l<! ~. 161
1'tk"nolllcllolog~.ll. %.100·1; in KIo,.-
so\\ski. 198
I'fwnornt'noIos,. (I kgd I. H6n I
NlIkbuf. 1511
l'hib;oph...r(s): inwgt· of. 111-IZ. 117-
H; b 11.l1unlist. 178
l'tlilosoph~" 107. In 117. IJS; h... iogs
~n<l COClt"t'pIS ob. 6-7; of bre.lllb·
spirits. 297.J,()1; ,Iolluins uf rqlrt·.
"""fII.lliotl in. 159-60; fal",,·. 179; mo-
ll("mil~' .Inti. 165; Ill'\\ ,'OCl("('pl~ in.
116; ~ntl omulog.\. 179; 1)(·I1<I)(-cth.,
dung•." \,ith. 194; prt·'~>l."r"'tit'.
1111-19. I JI. I J!; .,~·nC'rt·li"lI an.1
pn.·tle",1 ohj....ls of. 166. 171l-1'J; II""
uf. 176; JU <llro And.·nl phi'O!>Oph~';
Swio.- philO!>Oph~'
I'lwsi"·.I1 surf;J.\'t·; lllolt'nwnl in, lJ9; n'-
·IJlion wilh lor rn.·taplJ~~Ieal ~lIrfJ''''I.
141. lH H6r,J
1'1.1.'" "ilhuUI 1>l....1I1l.l1l1, III; p.lr,l,lusi,.11
.·l,'nwnt .l~. 66; ph.lllu~ .1.'. llll. in
~il!nif..·il1l! s,·ri,·s. 50. 51
Pial';, 1-·1.7.1111. DU. H2. I II. l14.
115. l'JI. 264; ('o1l.oI"s. 1. 15; b-
",·nn.,.. I ~5; un tI... "t,t,m!. 166;
irnn~' in. I III. 147. 154-55. 156: m,,-
li'·.lli"ns in. 251-54. 156·57; r,mrwn-
ttkj. 164. 165; JIllI simlllacnllll, lSI.
66; fhdc&"j. 1511; Ph<Wrus. 154. 255.
156; Irillil~ nf us...r/prOtluC'f'rlimil.:a_
lllr. 1:511-59
1'1a1.mism.7. 19. 191.154. 26J. 265;
.lim of. 159; .1"Cluin of r'·prt-s<·nl.l.
tiorb. 159; .Il1<1eh·nwl rt'lurn. 1M;
inugt~ of tilt· philosoplln in. 117-
111; n'"\t'fS.l1 of. 5J. IJ2. 25J. 156.
161-6J. 165
1'1t·-...IT. 171·7J. 177. 178
I>\otinus. 114
I'luun-h. 146
Pot'. blg.:ar :\]1"'11. 38. 40
l'ont.llis. J.. N.• 112. llJ. 116. nbd
Pol' An. 165
P""nosrul'/Jlo {Gombrowic-I:j. 181. 189-90
l'ortffi.lllh....U words. 81. 140. In.78.
HI-Jl; in An.lucJ·s "J.lbbo:t"\\och."
84; .100 Curoll. 1l4: dnigfuling .......
OI.·~ wortls. 67; hctf'rogtTlt.';I~" 8J.
91; illhnil~' of imtT])I"<'1.11iom•
J4.Jn II; I'IOllst"l\.<;t. f'Xllfl'Sl,(''t1 in. 86;
.IfKl prohkms. 56-)7; n-guLlling ......
lit'S. 44-47; in 5t"hizophn'llic Lln-
gU.lgt'.90
l'u~~ibilil~"(it'SJ. III. 1I S. I n. I JII; Gotl
,!t:·lillt..l h~' tol.ll. 295-%; origin.ol~·
~lKl clerin,.!. I J9; of per:SClll. I J8- J9;
p'·fSOfl.lltindi, irlu.ll. 1111. II ':I
I'o".,ihl.· Oht·l. lJ8. 1110. ID6; IM'ing of.
H; tllo: Ol/wr i~ lilt" "Xish'lltT of.
W7-8; as Slnl~'IUrt'-OIl\t'r, jill.
110
l'''s~il>lt- ""rid; lilt· Ulll.-r .IS '·"prt'S.,ion
"r. mM. J~. JIO·11. JI6
I'n·dit:dh"(.~!. 11; ,Idining IM'rsons s~'n­
1I\(·lil·.IIJ~·, 115, 116~ •·....,·IU.•itlll CIt:
174; prim.I~·. 106, 1117; I"gi, "t: 111
I'n·g,·nil.ll ,,·ri,·,. l!6, 111l. H1. 142.
l'i7n1. J511" J
l'n··ind"i,[u.ll (1Iwl. I"'U. 144111
I'n·-"'n,..·. 194; ",i.T from l1l"ighl.~ as.
IB
I'r"""l1l (th'·I. 1..... 5,61-62.75.76.77.
166; in Aion, 164-65. 1611; "I' lh.·
.:ak"I."lio.·. 158-59. 160; in 1>L'C'tlflling.
I. 1; in Chronos. 161-64. 168; .Ii-
'11M'. 150. 151;of"\,·nl.6J_64. 151;
1;...1 1;..':'0 in. 150; lunlt'ning of. ISS.
S'J. 160; nlt·.Inings of. 1611; rt'lath'it~
01, 161. 16J; unlimt'''· rt·I.llion 10.
26); "I' ,,·rh. 18... .
I'rt·-~r.llio.- philosoph~·. 1111-19. lJI.
I H. IJ.... 191
1·R'lt·mlt·r{Sj. 159. 160: distinguishing
Irw: fmlll fal....·• 154. 155. 156. 157;
fal",,·. 156. 161-6J. 165
l'rmlJ~ I1.ln·wism. 10J
l'rinu~' onltT. 91; ..... riC'"s of. lJ9-49
l-'nrnilin' \\ORb. llJ
"mhlt·m. 56. II J. 114; t·....nl.. Ix-u on.
54. 56; g.lrnt' of. 60; minimum of
ht'lI~ in. 56; n.-'ulr.lliIY of. 111-11;
""'n.<;t. "xl>m>st...,j b_ I11-H; spatio-
It'flll)()/".Ir !it·lf-<!t:·1t"1'TTtiI1.l1ion of. Ill.
III
"mllk·m.llit'. H4nJ; .IS n_1t- of cwnl.
54. 56; ob objt"t"t of tilt' 1......_ 54:
S<,'rit':'o of. 51-57; of world of s<'·nsr.
104-5
l'mdll~. 54
l'rt~t,(,lion. ISS. 187. 191. 19J; mt...lu-
nL_IllS of. l)jnJ; .IS surfoK't.· opt·r.l-
litm. 197; ",iII...1 dC'lion im~gC' of.
107
I'mlM'r nanw. J, I J. 24, 70
I'mllt·rlit·~. 611. 70. 76. 176; grouml....1 in
lilt' onl"r of Ih,· pt'fSllll. 115. 116,
I I II, I I 'J
I'ropo_,ition(.I,II, J2-ll. 69. 91.134.
1116; a\tril>ul.· of, 11; dn·r.· o( 1114;
... ,ndiliondJ. 14. 16. Ill; ,'olllw,'liOl\
.,( 69; n,rr""IK,mling II) pr()hl\'m~,
111·l!; din""L,ion "f. 44. 162; oIu.II_
ih in. 11. 14.115; ""'111 in. 1111. 1111,
Prup01>ilion kQ'lIlnUN I
214; fonn of p.",~ibi'ity of. 18-19;
frontk·f'. Sb-ln. 115, 131-B. 166.
Ib7. HI1-81; hyp(){h,:t~:..I. 170; log;'
of. 10;; mo,ulit~'S of. 101; not.... l.Itk
.Iunl>Ul<· of. 181;.100 ~r.l(ioll: of n'-
gro"','., 19. 31; "nd l),lr~ll: of )I<'ril.·
,I;'i)ion. 31-31; n-gulning so:ri<." of
'·....nL' (in C"rmIl). 43; n·I<lliom "ith
~\JI,'S of afT...in;. 241; n·lalions of. 11-
11, 118-10; s,..nse in. 19-11,14, lS.
31,32-33. 14-35, 37. bS. 80, 81. 95-
96. 141; s<'ri,·.~ of, 37. 38,43,44;
signifi"T ...s, 38; signifi"d ...s, 38; n'rh
in. 215
l'roposilioll.ll nlO<l.'S. IWUlr.lJiI~' of 1.... ,lS<·
as. 101-1
Proust. M.lm4, 210. 301-1; }kllM'm-
!wun(~. 357n3
..
"~,lY,,,llt IJl~7. l~. 1.o-"CuiIT'). 230-11
PS~·l~nalysis. 91-93. 111-1l. 187.
317-18.319.314
I's~'chosis. 314,15. 321; OlwlIt,uion of.
m Rl-gn-ss, ""riAl fOnll of. 36-37; pa....ooll:
Pujol. RolwTI, 351nS
l'unislmll'nt. 113; t,-,IT of infinih·. 173.
277; of g,xlll knuwl,·dg'·. 201-9
PUT(' ",-,'nt(s), b3, lB. 114. 141, 151.
1 n. 107, 11 I; in C...rroll. 1; l"OflSti-
tutin- ,·I.·m.·Iils of. 166-67; _·tcTThlI
n·tum of. 176. 178-19; ilnpri>col.. 1
in its .Ic:1u<lIV..llion. 161; 1ll·U1r.ll inl;-
niti.... for. 115; noetna ..... 21; non,
nalunlil:.Ihk ~rt of, 138; opposition
to. 35; pll,lntasm as. 1l0. 111. 118;
ps~·dlO.lnal~·srs as S"';('1lO.' of, 111; .In'
R'SUltS. 121; ...·IlS<· as. 19; in ~tUk'
phi'osupll~" 147-48; .IS "urf.w.·. 13b;
uniwl(.-il~· .IS. 180; wouml a.~, 141:1
Qua1iI~', l. 7.11.178.187; in
Cllron"" 16;; .In,l d,·nul.llion, H-
B; "...n",· .Ind. 101; .Iml 'igm. 161
Qu... ntil),. 7,11; ,111,1 d'·IMJt.ltiun, 31-H;
:It.·n.w.ln.l. 101
Quasi~'.Iu:lt.'S. 6. 148. 166. 111, 138;
"n'nl .Ind. 144; go'odic furm of ",'-
riL-,,; inIK·riu'Cl. 114. 11i/116; ill)l.lnt
.IS. 168; p".....loxic<l1 ,·I.·II1<'flt .IS. 183;
of pll.lnl....~m.'·"'nb. 111; r.,ution of
S<'fl.<;l;' 10. 94. 95. 98; in ~IOk- Imilos-
oph~', 146-47; subsish'fl('(' of Go.l.
176
Quasi~·.Ius;(litr of "\'<'IlL~, H; ,·xpn·ssiH'.
170; i,I~.lliol1al ~nd not·m.lli,·. 171;
rdalions of, 8. 169
Qu,'SliOll{s). 136; g~nlt' of. 60; lo,:u" of.
;6; minimum of bdng ~S. 56. 57
Quintillian. 1lSS
1L-.lllit,·.96-97. U7. 160; irom' .Inti.
138; of 11K· 0Ih<,.. 307; of 'ph.Jn.
t.lSlllS. 110; llho!l' of. 195-96
Re·..,;on. Ill. 194-95; critKJUl" of (Kb<-
soll·ski). 196-97
of (il1<l<'Iini1<' proHf"I".Ilions). 18-31.
n 36·37
lkgn·.~sion, 146. 314; nu'C'hani"ms uf.
144-45
R'-gn'ssin- s~·nlh,."is. 67. 68. 69-70
R,·lation(s). 11.97; as aoal~'lical p li-
....1'.,. of mfluuR.'S. 111·13; anti ' ·110-
tuion. 31-B; of force" 197; 1l<'-'('l'S-
s;(1"\' to th<· C'CJfl<lit~JI1<-d. 118-10. Ill;
~llS<' .lOll. 101
R'l)Ctilion. 296. 300-1. 307; fal~IRIt'.
187-88; funo.l.lm.·nul. 187-'JO
R~pR'S(·nulionls). 141. 166; ,K·tor. 150.
157; <lol11.1in of. 1;9-60; .11111 (·\t'rn.ll
H·lurn. 1M; of (',·,·nb. 121; "xpn's-
sion, 168; K~nl'" ..ritiqm' uf d~.,sk~l.
138; l<.>gil·al u.,,· of. 144_46. 147; .lnd
p<'Tson. 247; Tt-w!"S.l1 uf. 105; n·rll.ll,
141. 145-46; "url<l of. 141. 161.
161
R'·pn",-,ilMl. N3-.....
Re·prOOul·lion. prir'K-ipl(' of. 271-71
Rl'S(·mhl.lnn·, lS7. lS8. 161 168;
diwr,.,.. I,ith ibdf. 171. 171; ,·",,11
.Ig<' .100. 11S7. 288; 1051 in simul.llr.l,
1>7-58; of nl,n'St'1lution. 14;; Ik'-
t"'TIl Tt'SOnaling SlTic$. 161_61; M-
mul.....!"Um. 161. 165
R'·MWliltlCt·. 183; inlt'mal. 161; "Iullus
in, 118-19; ph.. nt.L~m proi.....·....l .IS.
239. 140; of Sl·ri,.,.. 116. 132; ";<'ll:1I~1.
141
}kll('lIIlmWI, 149. I Sl
RinIC'<>IWtJ, 1.0 (Klos.'iowski). 285-86
Rko•.'ur. Paul. 97
Rimini, <.;....rrT<'~' of. 10
Robbo.·-(;rill,'I. 39.40. BOO7
Robinson (M_ Toumicr). 301-4. 311-11.
313.315.319.311; dehumani7....I.
311;.100 fri<:u~" 315-18
RobiTlSOll's p"rar.iox. 49
Rorna.ntic iroo~·. 138-39. 179
Ronunticism. 138·39. 140
Rougon.J',,!~(,cluart sen,·s (Zob). 321.
311, 3l3, 314, BO. HI. 333
I{ous.st,~u. J,·an-J~nlucs. [MjaS/om, IllS
I{oussd. Raymond, 39. 85
Ruks. 58. 59. 60; la..k of. in id,'al g~nl<'.
58. 59.60
Ru"sdl. I:krtran'l. 10. 83; two fOnlls of
Il<)Il.wns... in. 141,,1
$.1(\0. (Marquis ck). 137. 181. 181. 189.
191. 319. 310. 359nl. 367n18; S.III·
MI. 193.114.137. 316. 35ln3
'-'.nw Itiwl. 61. 78. 164. 324; "It'nul
n·tum of. 165, m. 300; ;,I"lllil~' of,
187. 11S9; I'btonk 1ll0<Id ill. 259;
,imul.llion of. 163
".lrtn" J,·,m.l'.lUl. "8. 101. 105; &''''.'1
an,] \'OIhl1l.~I"'.I$. 107. 3600 11
".I, ilt-. Lord Arlhur. 145
..... himphn·nk·. 151. 1)7. 193.119,
114
"hiJ.Oplln·ni...: '''Mllra,liclion limit in.
87. I:ItI. 89; ,lu;\lil~' of. 91; I.lIlgu.ag.·.
!H-85. 194-9'); nlO"'n><'nt of, 164;
ImilosophM:<1I. 119; p"~Tlio;ltulylM:
111<~' of. JSlnJ; ....·hil:..ill po"il~"I.
11S9; ",·ric." of, 81·'H; thoughl <11"1.
109; 111 "ork ofC.llrTOll. 91-93
So hil.Oplm·nil': l<lngu.lg". 114; poslIilm.
191, 197; "plit. 191
So·hi/ui,ll'usitillll. 191. 191. 1'14.101.
lOti. IN, l6On4; in good ohj'·l-l.
I<JO. 191; p... ni, .In,l, 100; phJIll.l,m
Iii." 116; n'a,'tion of lkpn·""ion. 1915;
tr~n"ilion to ''''prt'Sliion. 119. Hl
Sc:hop.'nh.lUt·r. Arthur. 105. 107
xh ·r. I'n'Sk...·llt. 114
:-.. Ml<U~' turcis.srsm. 103. 108. lll;
_-go of. Ill. 116
:-"'{'t)fl(u~· org.lniution. sc'm of, 139-
.-
:-.. ing. 198; .lr'1<1 sp...aking. 281-87
:-..· '(1ion. 153. 161; in di\·il;il"l. 154.
155; d,'(1i.... ~nici~tiorl "'< n..-
"IICltl."· 10 pmhl.-m of. lSS; in ,'It'rnal
n·turn, 178-79.165; humor amI.
IS I; ~nlllng prl'l'·l1llns. 15'). 160
S•.-If (th,·). 7t1. 9'J. 103. 175. 245. 147;
(·r.....k of. 176; as dl·..,.lopnwnt of tit"
~ihk 307-8; di....-'IOIution of, 141.
183.194.298; .lncl dilill<' onk:r,
194; 1,10.,.1 .... MT\'Slx'nding 10 11K· uh'-
~. of .\oUh"I.lllCl·. 19S; ~knlit~· of.
18; bel. of ill.·nlit~· of. 174.2%.
197; nar<'is"ist~·. 111; p"rsOnlbocl~'
.L~. 191; ,JOinl uf ,it'" of. 101; signi-
f1<~1 mo.....·pls in r,.[alio'l tn. IS. 18;
s<,lf-cl''''lnK'tion, 154; sUI>pn-s..,MMl.
106; ....~ uni.... n..>1 prindpl,' of cal.·_
gorkal >yllogism. 195
~·nt·ca. 111·31
:-"·I\s•.-. 81. 171. I li4, 146; in Ainll. 166;
JtllOnOm~' nf. in ...·blinn to ,]moca-
I""'. 1 I; .I, ho.md.l~' 1"'1" ''''n propo-
I N Ill- X 3S?
s.·n,,· (ronrIlJlJ..J l
,iti"l1s dnd things, ll; in C.lrrull.
xiii. 26; "'llI"'_dl'Tt ,lI1d, 94, '.15; or
'·Olllr.lri,·s, 175: .1'·llOtdtioll uf, in
rlOIL",·n."·. 67-68. 69-71: .lirtx·tiun in,
I. 77. 78, MI; di'lribution or, h.·-
l'''','n ""xudl Sl'rit's, 242; dOI1,lIion
or, 67-M. 69-71. 76, 80-81; ,Imlhl~'
gt'llt'rativ,', 10, I 20-1I , 125-26; as
.·O;X·I, 70·71. 86, Hln4; ,·lahora!<xl
.1long lim'S on surf.l"'·, 86; ,·,s.'m;,·
in. 34-35; dml tilt' e",'nl, 107, 149,
167. 176. 180,11 I; ,·xprt·s.~,·c1 h~'
nOllSl·IlS,·. 67-68; ,·xpn·s.~,'(l .IS pmh.
1"11\ to which proposition, n,rrt'-
spolltl, 121-23; figurt'S in. 81. 82;
form,}1 and trdnsH'ml"ntal I~it:. 96-
99; fragility of. 9-4-95, 120; g"IWli"
pown of, 114-16; illt'0'l>on"ll "wnts
in. IH; l.tnguag<· ami. 25, 240; locus
of. .It surfal·.·. 125-26. 133, 136; .lnd
tlw logical proposition. I 19-10, 116;
lo~ of. 87-88, 315; dlUI th,' llwta_
plwsit"dl surIJt:•., 244; monwnt 01: d.~
th.· ,·km.ll H·turn. 299-301; m'utrdl·
it)· of. 113-24, 115, 145; an.1 non-
M'n",'. xiii, 106. 107, 139. 183,133.
241; 0l>t'ralion of, 16b; <>rgani1.ation
of, 241. 344u3; in p.lradox uf nt·u-
tralily, H-J'i; in par.1dox of r"gr,'S.~.
18- J I; in para.lox of st"rile division.
JI-Jl; pdradox.'s of. 75. 77, 81; P.lr-
adoxil"dl eI"nwllt h,'S1Ows in signify_
ing/signitinl s...ri,·s, 51; p,lssiw g"lw_
sj,~ of. 116-17; of Il<·rt·"ption. 10; in
philosophy, 71·72; .1, pn·-imlividu.ll
sing(ll.trit~·, 299; in pro]>tn;ilion. 17-
18,1')-20.14.15. JI. 12-B, H-H.
65. 115. 118; PSYl"hOdndl~·sis. ')2-'H;
relation wilh nonso.·ns,·, 67, 69-71.
81; ""'<"orl(br~' orgdni1..1tinn of. 120.
115. 239·49; "'ri,'s of pdradox.'S. 28-
J5; and "'xud!in', IB, 24J; sign and,
2')8; in Sil11ult.11;''<lUS ,,'ri.·s, Yl-J8;
lNlll·X
.lIId trdns<:·,·ml'·11I.l1 I'hil""'ph~" 105-
6;.1S truth of prohl,·m,. 111; uni,'o('-
il~' of, 148-49
S.:nSl·_ohj('i,·! Td.l1ion. ''1. WI
Saiat I')nll. 36-J7. 125. 2U,-17. 119
S.·rialization. 36-41
St·ri.11 nwth'>lI. in Carroll, N. 41-47
S.·ri,ll fOnll. in .~urfd'·" or,g,uliz.llion. 224
S.·ri,'s. 146; uf tIl(' Aioll. '161-6~; of
Ali,"<"s adn·ntur.'S. 2J4-311; l'arrotl'~
Ill<'"r~' of. 56; l"har,Kl"ristk of sp.·d.
tic.ltioll of rdation ,lIld di>trihutio11
of. J9-41; ("Ut'1(islt'nl"~ o( 225. 116;
of lummuni,'ation of .'wnts, 169_76;
,·ornx·tinn of, 175-76; ron""rg"Il<""
01: 160; diO'·r.·nti.lIion. 38; ,li';'l!'_
p",Hann' of, in s.:hi/.ophr.'nic lan-
guag~. 91; ,lin'rg"IK" of, 160, 161;
of dOIl!>I.· causalit~·. 94_<J'J; of tIlt'
''\'''l1t. 148-53; tirst stag'" 356-
57n213; in Ganlt-n..r·, .'iOng /.\J},;e
anJ 8nmo). 16-17; good inl<'ntiol1s
an' illt'\'itabl~' punisl1txl, 102-9; 110-
mng,'n('Ous. 98; of humor, 134-41;
of i.kal gallW. 58-65; intt·nl.ll sorrow
of. 144,,3; kind.~ of. 214-33; of 1.111_
guag.·, 181-85; dnd moral probl"lll in
Stui.· philo!ioph~" 142-47; of nOll-
,,·n,,·. 66-73; of or.1lity, 186-'J5~ of
th.· par.1tlox. 94-81; of lilt' ph,m-
1a.'IllS. 210-16; [>lln·,·lJin .1Ild \"01_
(·,uU). 154-61; primdr~' onlt'r .1I1d
"'"i"(}l1lb~' organi1.,lti"n, 119_49; of
till' prublt-mati,', 51-57; n'gubl,,<l hy
l>ortm.11lt,·au \\'onb (C,lrrotl). 44-47;
r.lIl1ifi(·ation of. 18J; n·"lll.lIK"· of,
104,17'), 2J2; r.·\t·rs.1Is of. 8; "'IM-
r.11ion. "'riJliz,}tiol\ of: ,It surf.ll:'·'
183. 186; of "'1(uality, 1'.16-201; of
~ingul'lriti.,s, 100-8; Of,l.llie logil"dl
g"Ilt',i~, 118-16; of ~l.lli(· outologi('al
g.'llt'sis, 108-17; "I' ~lnl('tun'" -18-51.
52-51; "f thoughl. 217-2l; of lhr,·.·
imdg"s or phih""phns, 1!9-B; of
unin)<:I1~. 177-80; world nm'ti'Ul,~1
till("(>IIdiUon of (·,m'·l·rg~I1C'· oC IlN.
III. 114. 116
Sf'Xtll.' I:mpiri,·u.~. 6b. 114
Sl·xu.11 dril""~. 201, 103, 116. 214, 115,
14~, Hln3; ,1,·t,1<"h,'<1 frOIll ,1IinWll_
ldry drin,s, 142; 1iI>t'r,lliol\ of.
235. 139, 144. 147; an,1 sirnul,U-Td.
19M
S,:xll.llit~,. 197. 199.117,119, 2B, H2,
245,247. H J; "n-sJStt'l11 witll lan-
gUdg", 119-33, 143-45; ..n.·'1:.'· of,
2411; preg,·nital. lIS; and pr,·s,:n,·t:!
,lllSl.'nn· of Oth...-,;, 3 I7-1 8; rqlRS.
.~ion nf. 144; dnd St'Il,,', lJ3; Sl.'ri.,s
of. (96-101,124-33; and surfa,,('
"Znr\t'~. (99-101; an,lthought, 118_
20, 121-23
S.'xual, hist0r-:'·' 233, 143. 247·48; 1.111-
gUdg" in, 119-3(; organization, 142;
IXlsitiun, 188. 197-98, 199-201; l'r..-
tiguration of organi/.dtion of 1.111-
gU.1gC. 141·41; surfan', 119, 132.
2J9; third ag\"llt of, 131-Jl
."'·xll.1l s<'rics: phantdsms ami, 139, 240;
allli rtVrL'S.~iOll, 244
Signls).63, 104.161.264,198; pun·,
176; in S(·hiwphrt'nid. 342n10; in
simulalion. 263
Signiti"ation, 14-15. 16- HI, 19-10. 25,
H. 15. 51. %. 99. 101. 104. 167.
184, N I. 1-45; andl'>g," of. 247; db-
.~ur<lit~· of. 136; in Couroll. ll; a,
"ondil;on nf trUlh, 122; ,·onnl'i,·tion
h,·t",,·n pro[>ln;ilions. lin...·s in. 69;
.I'·l,·rminations of, 68-69; of .·,,·r\'-
d.,~, bnguag'·. 1411; g"Ill'ral, Ill; (;,,,1
.1- prindpl,' "f. 176; humor dll,l.
141; h~p.,.,t,lti,.,·d. 114_J5; in I.1n-
gU.lg'., 2 H; IMr.ulox,·, "I: 75; r.l_
1"'Il.lII"t'PI"t·",·nl,lli"n, ,11"<', 145; I"t.],,_
lion "f, dduwd I" 1Ill' fi.rrn of
p.,."lhilil~. I I·J. 1·lU. Ill; "itll ""1""
.1' pr,·di.dl.·. 97, 911; ,mtl ,,·ri.·,. 7U,
III, 1!6; "'xualily anti, 244; "I'
""lImls, 166. 187; and sp,·,...·1.. 181;
\.-r!> and, 184; of ",it',.. 194; of
\\onl. 87
~ignih.·.1 writ:s, 48. 48-51. 91
Signiti"r, J7-38, 40. 41. 70; phallus as,
2 ~l: primordial, 48
~il,·n...·, 194; ho.ly and. 2'Kl-91; <I.·.lIh
instilll"l in, 241: in 1',.01.\. Hb
Simil,lr Ollt'). 164, 189; "I<'rIMI return
of. 265; !'tunni{' ('opy, 259
Similitud.·.<, 145,16(.284-85
Simun,lnn, Gilllnt, 104. 195
.'umplljlc.,l/lo. 297
Simu!an'(almll, 2, 7-8, 94. 116. 119,
221. 27 3-76. 21l4-85, 189. 3 I 5; and
and"nt plliltlSl)ph~', 25J-79; I,,'("om·
ing phalllolSms. 165; being of. 256;
cupy .Inti lllo.l.-l. 156; d"mOllic arbi-
l"r of. 158; diwrg.·nt s'·r;.·s in, 261-
63; in l:pk'IIr.·an tlu'Ory of tinl<',
174-76.177; o1Iltl.·tt-rnal n'!urn,
164-65; Friday and. J16; in thc hit'r-
dr<'lly uf particip,llion. 155-56: in-
""ntion .lml. 166-79; and lllo.J..mit~·.
265-6b; [It·rl·..., ptioll of. 277; phdlllas-
mati<" [>ll\\<'r of. 161; Plato, 25J-66;
as n·al·tiOllJr.,·. 263; .<cxual ,lri\'t:s,
198; '<lri.·ti,·~ of. 275-76, 177; ,,"orl,1
of. 187-88.261_61
Simula,·ra_phdllta,rn,. 256-57
Simul,nion. 162, 163-64, 165. 1115
~ingul.lriti,·s, 51-53. 73, 99, 116; a,·tual·
i'.dtinn of. 10'). 110; auw-unilil'Jtion
prindpl.· of. IOl-J; ,·,mtim·,1 in .In
in,li"idua] or 1l<·r"'lIl. I 19-40; nllltin_
uunl or. III; tlj,'trihmion of. SJ, 54.
55-56. 57. 59-(,0.64. 104-5. 111.
11·1. 214. )45114; ""'nl', IUJ-4. 116;
in g'M>t1 ,,·n,,·. 7f>; imp"l"Sllll,ll .1Ild
pn·-intli,i.lual. 107. IO'J. 1 II. J4t1-
41. 152. 176. 177.111. 2'n. H4IlJ;
iml'ri"Hwd 11' .'I1I'I"t·n1<" ~,·If. 10f>; in-
."·I•.lr.lhl,· from lilt' ,on,' of irrdd"r-
 "mgul.UlIl<'" (lOflUnU.J)
min.nKMI, II!; In~Unl extrKt,; frum
lilt' pn,,,·nt, 1&6; in ,m..nl.l-~m, 215;
prill< 'pi,' of ,·nlis..~iun of, 51; pUR",
156; n~li,trihuti"n of, 56; ",'n",' .IS
pn·.indh·i,hl.ll. 9'); sail'S of. 100-8;
ill ,trll,·tun·. 50; .IS .,uhi~"ct of ,·!t·m.ll
rt·lUn!• .JOO; ~ t1·,ul.~mut.lhlt· ,·,rnts,
101-5
'\Ir>gul.ar points. Ill. 167; (Ii~trihution
of. in !ot·ril'$. 51
~K·r.lh'1', 7.107,118,138. lJ9, 263,
165
:-.nlutiom. 56, 114; "ng"'l<krt~1 in the
S(·lf-d,·tennin.uion of prohl"m, I 2 I.
Ill; in phant.asnl. 21 5; singul.arilM'S
in. i4, 56
.'>aphlSl. 254. 156; Sophists. 9
.'iot'f!I..ur. f .. (Klosso",~ki). 183, 1115. 186,
187-88. 2<J9
Soul, 78. 169.171.173
Souls. m~'lh of <ilX'ulation of. 154, 155
Yiun<l(s). 4J, 134. 166,173,298; alMI
bo<.lK-s. 181; ~ ,·I,'IlM.'l1lS of LlIIlgUolg<.'.
186; ""oIutivn of. 219; in<lq"'rl(l"IM'"
of, 140.·41, 149; lih''r,)\(-.:I ami llla,I,·
ind~'Il<'ll(I~'nt of ["Klks. 186-87;
prolXlSitions, in rt·!Jtion to. surfan'S,
115
~IMI-dr,'i.·t.s of lxxIM'S. 166
¥a/III11S' 91. 156. 191.201, lO6, 109.
m ~lirlM'r, Max, 106
~p,·ak,·r. impoh'IM'" of. 19, indhi,lual as,
137-38.140; Il<'rstlll a" 138-39, 140
Sp,·aking. 186. 191, l'J8; ami ,·ating.
186·87; by til<' Oth"r, i07; .....·ing
and, 181-87; s,,,xlUlit~· ""l\""'n ,'.al-
ing an,l, 241; an~1 the ....rh. 141
"p,"{"il",. ,h"·T"Sit~· of, 166
"llt....·II. IS6. HI-B. 141. 146. 147.
NO; till' "I" in til\' "nh'r "f, IS, 1M;
and '~'rh, 1411, 149; unl"r of. 181;
'ight an.l, 284
"p"n"'r, 11"
J<)O INlax
SpilltV..I. 173
~pirit(s., 192; .aocll"lll".,.-Iangu..g<'", 181.
284. 286. 191; .li,lun>an....· nf, 178.
179; God ami. 292; rningl.'tl tu-
g.·tll<'r, 293; mnrhi.l. 2'J7·JOI
Spfilting, 187. 188; in LJrroJl. 4J
~tatt· of JtTairs. 6, 7, 65,11':1.113; ancl
bodil'li (in Stoic thou~III'. 4_7; .litT~·r­
,'n! frum ~'n"llts .an<I ~hing, in Cu-
roll. 9-11; ewnt i'l. 34. n. IK1.
186.110,140; frontit'r Ilt''''''''n
pmlXl>ition amI. 167; gl'm·ti<· IMl\"'r
of M·ns.·, 114; illfflrpon>,ll pOIl"'r in.
18.1; mbnun'5 with, 6; phJlllJSIIl ,Iis-
tinct from. 211. 214; in ps~·dlO,)n.Jl~·­
sis. 211; n-lJlion of proposilioll to.
11-13. 16. 19. 11. 11.!9. 142; n".ali-
,.... tion of '...·('nt(s' in. 5.1; sen",' in.
21-ll, 14. 31, 81. 95. 96,141; signi-
ti"r/signiti('(I, 37-JK; II'llrd and, 88
Srar~.<mt1" Wl,llo). 154. 155-56
StatM:-g~·Il''5is. 98_99. 114-16. 141. 144.
186,2.41, 146; S(·nsdnoo.~"llS(' in.
141; alMI .....illing tho:- e\·("fIt. 149
Stalic logM:al gt'nl'SL\, ",'rkOS of, 118·16
Stalic ontofogk.al g"ll<'sis: first ,tag" of.
109, III; ",-,rics nf, 109-17
SIt·in. Gunllwr, 349,,5
~1t·lMlhal. 100. 101
SI.'ril,· .I"·ision. p.1r.l<tox of (or d~'
n;trr.uion),ll-Jl
SlOiC" I),)r;ulox, 169-70
Stoicism. 10. 136. 148, 158; in Carmll.
10; "ausal n·l,ltions, 169-71; lJnguag"
in, 183-84; .imlmonl pmhlt'lllS,
141-47; l),)r.iI.lox of futuR' ....)ming<-'Il-
cit.'So U-J.l; S<'nSl'-~''''n! in. 11-31;
alMllngt.. I~·. I JI-H; IWO ",·<JIdings.
of lilTlt· in. 61-61
~lOi,'s, xiii. xi\", 20. 6J, 96. Ill, Ill.
IN, I JO. Ill. 161; ho.fi,·s/,IJIl'li of
.ltT..irs. 4_7; .·onllit.-I \\ ith l-"i.·u"'·Jn,.
no; ('{)fll,,"l'"tion "I' prup'J>oitinns. 69;
.Iislin,t,,'" I"..t\"...·n corport·..1 mix-
tun'S. K9; ,Ioubk' nUSllit~,. 94; .Illoll
..lIitutl•.,. "I' OMl'ilk'l1O.· .and m,xtun'.
16J; " ..I1 ·n'"'-' in, 66-67; par.idnx in,
K-9. Jl; ·IlS.· in, 19; tll("ol")' "f th.·
V"in·. H 7" I
StructurJlism, 71-72.92. 366n12
StRICtun', 71, 281; minim,,] COlllliliom
for. 50-51; OtIM'r "S. lO7-10, 313-
IS; pn-",·nn'• .I 19-21; .....rK'li of, 48-
51,51-53
~uhje("l(sl. 'J'J. 107; analyti<' pn-.:lit-ah'S
01: Ill. 115; as,signalion of. I: fn..·,
1l0ma,Ii<' ,ingularitks, 107; knowing,
H4n3; mallifest<'tl SI..tes of, 96; amI
oo;.."l'"t, .JI()..I I. jI8;.and phallusm,
II1-IJ; fIO"lition of, 116; signifies~'
souoo. 187; \'is-l-"is III<' worl<l. 11.1
Suhj....·lj,·il)·. IJ9, 140; di.ak",'kaf whol.·
of. 1.18
Sublimation. 208. 112, 116. 219-10,
lZl. lZl. 237; k$s successful. 124
SuIM'"'gO,94. 188. 189.203.143, 145.
35lnl. JiM4; <IICOU51ic-origin of,
193; "goo<l"krud. JSln4; goo<l 00-
it"<.'t as, 190, 191; all.llihidinal
dri....s. 105; anti so'XUJ] .lri\"t'~, 198
Sup"muma~' OOjt."{"t, SO, 51, 65, 66, 81;
1),)I';l.toxil·..1 d<'l1ll"n! in. 66; Im..llu,
.IS, 118
"urf~..., :<:.i\. 131. lB. HI; Ktion .11,
207-8; .aggrt-galt'. 145-46; in Ali<.-r·s
,ld...·lllUrt'S. 137; as<Tnt to, 2.47; C.lr-
roll', language .llld. 9_11. 84. 117-'}J,
114-15; nmfu.....I, in Chronos. 165;
nMlIr.ilrK-s .at, 175·76; in th,· d.·",I.
opnlt'nl of ''gO, lOJ-4; t!iscu,,'~ of.
II; 'TlI~"~IOlI' from, 17J-74, 175.
176; hUlllur is .In of. 141, 2.48; itl.,.a-
lilll),)l. 111; ,nlt'lItit"l is ph"lIofl)"nnn
of. 107; ill bnguJg~" 18J; l.·.lp 1,,·-
t'''~·n. 1111; " lo<'u, of "'·n....·, 104· 5;
IM>ll... n,,· uf. 136;,1s "11,,..·t uf ......
" ..,I,I~ n-gn",~ion. 2.44; (),,-.:Iipu, .mt!.
105·6; OIl<Tation of boo.lit'S .at. 14;
org.allu..IIi<>n of. lOO. 2 B; in origin
of Im..nu.,m. 118; I),)radoxic.al 1'1,'-
nwnt nmning III<' ,,·ri.'S. IU; phalli.·
""ordinations of. 103. Zl6; ph,lllus as
in.,tnmlt'nt of. 201; ph.lllic fill<' .. t.
!Ol, 106. 108. 209; phanl.lSm is
pllt'rM>I1l('llOIlof, 116; in philosoph~"
119, 1.11-33; ph~'sK'5 of. 94-95; pri-
nl.l~· fornl,ltion of, 141; pro<luction
of, IK7; Ruhinson's histu~' of. 319;
Rollin.,,,n·~ n·tum to, 315-16; "II ing.
168; S<'hi~oill fragnwnls at, 92; ""nM'
.11.19, 1.16; so.. xualit~· .alit!, 199-101;
,imul.K-r.a .II. 298; singularilK.'li .al.
103-4; splil. in schi7.ophrellio:' Ian·
guagt'. t\6-87; in Stoic Imilosoph}"
146; Ihillk.'r of. 219; as (r.ilIl."C<'IIlI,·n-
t,ll lid,l, 125; tr,l\'t'rs.Il of. 206; is
whJt "rt.'n(lcrs possihf.·." 186; wn....s
art' f.wls of, 197, 198
~udJn' dT,'Cl(s). 7-8. 111, Hl; in MOil.
165. 166; .appeanll('(·.IS. 11; dual.
141; t.'liSl'IK't' of e\"l'llt is. 181; in lan-
guag.,. II, 183; alMI nl<'ulm}sM:al
.\urfan'. 144; p.aradox of, 4-11; in
proll<lsitions, 12; s<'·nst· in. 70. 72
Sudan· organil..ltion: .IS t1ct<~mlint.-.:1 II~'
Aion, 166-68; M·ri.l1 foml is.. 214; of
traJlS("t'Il<It'T1tal flt..k1. 99
S\\ift,4j
~l/"~ and Bruno (Carroll), 10, II. lJ, 26-
17. 42-4.1, 44, 55,61.79. .15&11;
"Gar""n~'r's Sling." 16-27, 14; p.UJ-
dox of lI<·utralit~· \\ilh, i I. J4
"~'mhori7_,Jlion, 188, 108, 111, 116. l19-
20,111
~~IlII"",,"'S. 174-75. 176
"".mgl,·" T.1I..... 5t. 55. 56.67
Th...l1"g,v, 10 i, 17'J. 181·111; in KJIIl.
294-97; ra(jnnal, 194
fhi~ &.,lIIn 11m). JlJ. B0-31
INIlI X 19'
TI"I1~(~', I. "_II. IS6; ,1\Irihtll.· of, 21;
,1~'n"l,lll"n, f"lhll.·,1 in, 141; fronti"r
hl'l"'~''', S6-S7. l.H·H, 166, 1111-
II J; J' I",inl' of ,i.,,,. 173; sa"." of.
n, Ul; ",murou, (Iualili•." nf, 1111
Thmg'_I'l"<'I:><"ilion, l.lualil~·', 13, N-l~.
"
n",ogl'l. Jggn.......ion in. 1911-99; JPI)l""-
h"n,ion of. 169. 176; ('r,ltk of, 160.
1011-9; 'k'n''g~tion .:and. 1011; "rosion
of. 157; id"JI g,lnw J" n'~lil~ of, 60;
inl<'nsil~ of, 11~ n'>I1)<'I"'" JS '1.·ro
pOil1l of, 14 I; ohl''l''t uf, 179; O("io.·n-
l,Ition of, 117. 118·30, Ill; IMr;l-
dosl':l in. 74; possihilit~·. 3Jl-H;
l"<..Ll\ion of ,11<)<115 tu. 168; ,...."''S
of, 117·lJ; ~'xwlil~' ,1011,118-
20; Mlrf.......• of. 1011; link' of.
17.
..11m·... Voi....-s. lilt·... 359n1
lhr~" l/wo 1~",S·C;1.m (Cnrolil. l. 9_
10. 43. lJ6
Tim.'~). 144. 147; of .actor/ofGo<l. LSO;
Aion ~ "h'm~1 mull of. 165; of ,k·-
nllllpo"ition. Ill; ,k'fonml,un uf. in
,1!c..holi"m. I S8-60; hpiC'ul"('~1I Ih.....~
of. 169-70, 174-7'1; of M',·nLvdT.>ct".
61-63; in i<k',I1 gilm.·. 59, 60; inlini!<·.
60-61; l,Inguag<' ill, 185; minimum uf.
169-70. 174. 175, 176, 177; n'Slful.
177-711; onk'r of. 75. 76. 77; ,In,1
pn~'IIO' of <>th,·n;. 3 II; mutings
of, S. bO-61. 6), 64. 161-~; rdalion
In lllO\tllWnt. 176-77; "'rh in. 184-
"
To "at/ltl I,,· ,·.l!{"ll, 13-14. 16.
116. 91.1111. 1'''',138. NO. 141
n.
115.
To .·.lI/ln II,ink. 140
Tul.'lo~·. lUO, 101. H'J1t4
Tu .• hillio 'I",.lk (.luJlily'. 85. S6
/"""'1 <Jml fa"'", (h"wl" 111
Tuumi,·r. Mid,.·I. 301·11
Tr.1IlS<"'I"I,·nulli,·1,1, 105. 10". IB;
dlarJ'·h'ri'li.·, uf H4u I; imp...rsonal.
I?' IN IH X
"II, ')<),101,116. 144. 1411t~; ,,,r(w,·
a.•• 115
TrJnst"'n,I"'nul p"ili""l'h~. 107; "'·n....· i_
dIJr.lfh·rislit; <li",·.,,,·1'\ uf. IUS-6
Tr.lIL · llJ.·nl.-.1 prilldpl.·. '16-'1"
TraIL ·nJ.·n!al suhj.... I.·JK
TrUt'ltllt'). 13. 6Il. 120-11; III ProlxlSi-
tioIL~. l4-IS. 17. 1'1
Tnuh. 18. Ill. 211; nm.!ih.m of. 14_
15,19; <'1"01'-'1. 111; I,~it of, III;
l>hilosophic.ll, 340n I
"T\\o Broth"n, dlt''' (Carroll). 1511n1
Um..~k 113.116
lInt'Ufl.-lition.ll, Ill, 113·14
lIocoo,....ious (tiM'). ):iii. 71. 104. JSlnl;
p.lr.-.dos .b fon:'C of. tlO; l>h.J.nl.L"",,
~OII. 117; ",-·rio." in, 40
lIniqu.-.. "'\<"nl, )6; lking ..~. ISO; LIIl-
gwg<'~, 185
lIni'·(J(",IIIk'ing. 175-SO. 2041. JOO
lIni'·(J("il~·. 194. 2041; pso'Udo-, 180; St"-
rio'S of. 177-SO; Ir~ru.mill<...1 from
Iking lu Llllg~, 185
Ummllln. 91.91, 136. lH
1IIltin'lo.. ly (tll<'). 1&5
IJrrJola. 97. 98. 101
V,IIt"I'\·.I',Iul. 10
Vui.lbb. liS
V.. r,-,..-ih·, 14
V,·rh(si. 5. 204-15. 111. 37, 1111, 1113·114.
111. 246; as Jttrihlllin~ Aim.~. 21; 011
nlt'lapll~'~icJI ~urf,}(".·. 140; 11Im.' frum
sl"....·h to. 1411, 249; pli."'I.1.~m .11I.1.
lJ4~IS; pol,'" of. 1114-115; "'~"HMlar:-'
0'l1-.lni;..u ion uf, 141; ..... ·IIS<· ill pm1"'-
silion ,·xpn",,,,..1 h~'. \1·31; '1,,·.1king
an<l.14I; unh(ldl~' ,,f1.mgu,lg.·. I~S
L·...lr",<;lllItii/·NI
Voi("<' (lIw), 195. lOU. 214. 115. IN.
lJl, 141. 146; in Alin··.' .1,h,'nlUr<·'.
136; Iking 'Ill, 17'ol; .lis<'ng'1g,·n",nl
of. 140; in 1,1IIguag", 193-94; fmm
,1hon·. 145. 147; of til<' lH'ighls. 141
V"id, 26M; I"'ginning' in. 1111; illlu"l'·.
16'1.171; ....·xual surfat't· ,-,s. 111;
Slui<' tlM.....r:-· of. 347nl; unilo,:it~ uf.
Hl()
Vny.. uri~m, 114. 181-83. 184. 310
W ag'lt'r. I U7
Irrk113.116
Whol,.' (tilt·). 267, 161l. 179. 300; .'It·r-
luln'lunl ,IS. JOO. 301
Will. 149, 157, 1ll, J44nI; f;lb<.·
impn-ssion of. 177; p.lrtioruLrr. 131
Will 10 po'WT. 107• .300. 301
Wittg<'fISI("in. 146
Wolf M.,ln. 40. 130. 357nl
WoIfsoo. Louis. 84-8S
Word(s). 81-83, 87-88. 147-48; .action,
90; conlrKting. 47; t1u;llit~· of. 8S;
~1"Tic. 45, 46; 00\\1-. 88; monlil~
of. 141-41; Ill"ulr.,llil)· of. 65; obso.·IIt·.
146; passion. 90; prim.-ll)· fUlX"tion of.
141; rt'.action to OJITUl't, 14. 15·16;
S<'hizophr...nic. 91; S<'1),Intt...1 from
botlio."", b~ S<',,-w.91
Wonllim,-,g.· "~Iion, 11-13, 16
\\'orl.l(s). 145, 147; ,Iml ,I1lS<'II<T of olh-
,·r_. \19; 1>00loml,·"". I'}'); t h.lIa,·!<·r-
i_li,~. 103·11; .·ollll1lo,lili.·s, IL5. 116;
"ll1'lIIUlnl h~' Ill,' C()ll\"rg"I1<"" of
,,·n,·'. 10"-10. 111, Ill. 113. 114,
116. 176; d,·stnl,,·lioll. 194; di.... r..il~·
of. 166; ,·k·In,·nts in, 171; <·xpn..".....1.
110-11. 114, I 16; J..' ;"-on. 161; in-
">IIII"",,,hl.-, 113. 114. II S; org~ni­
;JII"11 i.l. Ill, II J; ot!wr. 160; p...r-
",,,I In. I ~'J; p"nTTSt.'. 310; ,-,~
pJiJIll.l,lII. 1&1; prilX"ipl., of n·pn ...
,ltH It,," m. 171; n·;l1. 160; of simul.l-
...-fa. 187-1111.161-61; uniqUt'. 161;,.",
unl\t·n..ll I'rirw;ipl., of h~'IIOIII<'lical
~~llogL,m. 195; \\ithout otht'T!>. 301-
11
\\'(l(ll"i(~). I·n. 148. 149; f"I,·m.,l1 n'tum
01'.157; nlOf1..i1. lSI-52
.z.ar.lthu~lra. 164. 189, 199
/...·n. I J6, I H. 146; Buddhism. 8; Zm'"
par;at.lox. 340nl
/.01;1, HI-B; Aoomoot. L'. 3H; Bil<' ",,-
,"",'M./.d. HI. 313. 316-17, BO-31;
D.vU"f f<Ntli. Lr. H3; optimism or.
BI; "I·knlifit· inspintion of. HS-26;
lhM~ ""sum. 313. BO-31
/...-IIM"'. nllllUIKtion ..f. 119; "'tt('f'S in.
130-31; ..... tllSt> Bodil~' 1.o1'K'S
INIHX I'Jl