Productionof Presence Vhat MeaningCannot Conuey
Hans Ulrich Gumbrecht
Productionof Presence WhatMeaningCannot Conuey
Hans Ulrich Gumbrecht
STANFORD STANFORD,
UNIVBRSITY CALIFORN IA
PRESS
Acknowledgments
Perhapsmore than any orher clan of aodemia, scholarsin the Humaniriesindulge in compiainingabour the insdrutionalaspectsof their working condirions.I have no ambition to be recognizedas an exceprionro rhis venenbleml+bur I would like ro add roday,very gntetullv and very fondln rhar working on this book gaveme the convictionofliving in the bestofall possibleinrellecrualworlds, both ar StanfordUniversiryrnd in rhe largerRepublicof Lerters.So many colleagues and friendr indeedacdvelyhelpedme in thinking firough, in witing, and evenin revisingmy small book rhat, for banal reasonsof space and proponion,I shalionly be ableto ackrowledgethosewhose supporrBs verv specificand palpable(many othersare mentioned and quoredin rhosechaprersrhat fall under the generic definition of being a "generarionalfable"). I shatl divide the addressees ofmy gurirude inro two groups,one ar Sranfordand one in the Republicot trners ar lrrge-and I cannorevenre memberall thosewho, with enreme (and I fear:poorly rewarded) pariencewere lisreninsover more than a decadero earlier versionsol'my ideason 'materialities,"followedby the "nonhermeneutic,"follorvedby "presence."
Ar Sranford,I wrnt ro rhark, rbove all. JoshuaLrndv. M.rt thew Tiews,and MargarctTompkins,wilhout whoseinsistence morivarcdin eachofrhcir cases)I "ould havesinplr (dilTercnrl.v givenup on rhis book. I am cquallvgrarefulto Robcn Harrison, for I can no longerimaginen,y intclleourl lile wirhour his prcs
(more rhan)approld I sould neverhavcdarcdro counr ,vhcn r sr.r.r.d$rnins; ro Luiz Cosm Limrrat Rio de Janciro.rir r sc.rry momenr;n r horcd dncussionrro HermannDotschar Munich, for rhe ven hard rimes(live rnd cpistuhry, u,aL,,c savcme: ro Vrlenrnr Fff
ence;ro Keirh Bakcr,for thinking drar writing is shat I should mainly do (l rvishhe werc righr); to John Bcnder.fbr brcalfrss ar Prinreis lnc.; to RoberrBuch, for rhc erquisitcpolircnessof in ml manuscrigsand offprinrr ro BlissCar be;ng inrercs(ed nochan, for feeling an agendaGhat I onnot spell out hcre)
hcanfelt inrcntionsto read;ro V/erner Hanr,rcher.rtIrankfLrrt, for bringine up problemsrhat I had not seen;to Josi LuisJobim
through rhc wall thar separrtesorr libran orrck: to Niklas Damiris,for alienatingll'e\ciring rcadions(or \!s it mernt ro be ro CharlotteFonroben,for dnqing a linc benveen a spanking?); theologyand a "religiousthinker"i ro (lary Howie, for bcing the firsr who readthn * a bookr ro liina Marmar.lli. for being so graceful(and such a gcnius rcadertoo)r to Aldo Mazzucchelli. Io for convincingnc rhar e'en semioric can be about prcsence: GabrielleMo1cr, for accepringrhat the abscnceof mcaning is meaningless; ro And.eaNighringale.fbr the comnot necessarily plimenr of rrying ro t.rlk me our of academic.vriringr ro Nico Pethcs, for rcmemberingAldterialini. ro Norris Pope, lvho slrowedevenmore paiicncethan somc of my orher fricndsrto Darlenc Reddawlv, for her benign bur ncret condcscending smileon acadeniclife; to Tom Sheehan.for callingmv Heideg' ger "eanhy. From wo difi'crenr(and nor onlr geographi.allr'opposite) Atlanric shoresMigucl Tamen and Jo;o Cdr,ardc Casro Rocha have accompaniedand fosrcredrlre protractcdchildhood rnd adolescence of rhis book *ith a prescnceand .rn inrellecrual sharpnessrhar no real presencecould hare outmatched.Mv thankr also go our ro Henning R;ner at Frankturr on shose
ar Rjo de Janciro,for his rongucin-chcckklnd ofr blesing;to Ulla Iink Heer:rt Haninsen(andar sevemlorhcrp)aces), lbr ncvergening riredrro Vrldei Lopesde Aranjo at Rio dc Janeiro, for his quier enrhusiasm;ro AlfonsoMendioh ar lv{exicoCiq, for rhe long.srofrll conrcr.rrionsrro l-elicir.rs Nijske at Hrnl burg, for nevcrlertingme pax like a rrrin in rhenighq ro Carherine P;ckro.k ar tlambridgc. for the onh. etcctronicnrail th.rt haseverdese^edro be called"L,eauritut"; to JoanRan<jnResina ar Corncll, for so kindlv overcsrimaring me; ro Mrds Rosendahl ar Coprnhagcn,for his inrenscGlztsenheir,ro VioleraS:inchez hrbach at Berlin, for agreeingto be Ihe godmothecro Thom:rs Schleichar Elsfleth,fir the gili o1 r picrcing;to Tony Stephcns a! Sldner, for not lik;ng nrr "parenrhetic srvlq ro Bernd Sricelcrar Frrnklirrr, lor nevergcning enough:to David Wellberv ar Chic.rgo,rbr rhc Gomerirncsnqging) quesrionabour bcing a "relieiousrhinker"; rnd ro Gujllerno (v Pilar de) Zcr mcdo ar NlexicoCin, for m urtbrgcnablcoct<,s,us.
Contents
Marerialities/The Nonhermeneutic/Presence: An AnecdoralAccounrofEpistemologicalShifts
2
Merephysicr: A BriefPrehisroryof
at k Now Changing
BeyondMeining: Posirionsand Conceptsin Morion Epiphmy/Presenrification/Deixis: Furure for rhe Humaniriesand Ar$ To Be Quier fo! a Moment: About Redemption tJj Notes
rii
tI
9r
User'sManual
KEv CoNcrprs Th; shon book usesa nunber of more or les "philosophical conceptsin an unfamiiiarway. Bur it needsso niny Pagesro explain 'vhv it doesso that invould not bc far from the rruth ro sav ofconceptsis thar the ongoingexplanationrnd complexificarion rhe book s rna;n purpose.In order rc avoid misunderstandinss readedvfrustrationsright from the stan,some and rhesubsequent initial-and ven elemenun-definitions mighr be usetul.The 'presence" doesnor refer(at leax docsnor ma;nlyrefer)ro a *ord remporalbut ro a spari.rlrelationshipro rhe world and its obieca. Sonethingthat is preseni is supposedto be tangiblefor human it can havean immediare hands,'vhich impliesthat, conversely, 'Producrion," to rhcn,is usedaccording impacron humanbodies. the meaninsof iis etvnological rcor (i.e., L ar\t protlucere)rhx refes to the act of"bringing ionh" an objectin spaceThe word "production"is not associared herewith the manufacturingofar rihcrs or of indusrrialmerchandnc l herefore."producrionof pointsro all kindsofevena and processsin which the presence" impacrthat"preseni'objecahaveon humanbodiesis beinginitiI itl be olled Allobiecrsavailabhin "presence" atedor inrensifred. rbe rhingsofrbe rvorld. Alrhoughir is posible to claimthat no vondr objecton everbe rvaihble. in an unmedialedwav, to human bodiesand human minds, rhe concePr"lhings of rhe
.'-'
I
world" clocsinclude,.tsa connoralion'a r.fcrcnceto lhc desirei;r suchimmediac. Thcre is no ncedto consuI linguisricor philo sophicalhandbooksin order ro un
lhis book seelsro make a pledgeagrinst the rcndcno in contempor:ryculturero ab:rndonand evenforgetthc posibilia ofa
pnrencc,basedrclarionshipro e sorld. \.rorc specifically:ro makea pledeeasainstthe srvcmaticbr.rckernrg oiprcsence.and aglnsr rhe trnconresred ccntralitvof interprctarion.ir thc academic disc'plinesrh.rrwe c.rll the humaniriesand a.rs., \irhitc moden (inch'ding conrcmpo.xn) Y/esrerncu,Lurecan oe dc_ scribedas a processof proeressive ,rbandonmentand tbrgctring ofprcscnce,sonrcofrhe spcc;alcficc* producedtoday by thc rnostadvanccdcommunicrtionrcchnologies nrayrurn our to bc insrrumenrrlin reasrkeningI desirefor prcsencc.The s.rrura, rion ol sucha dcsire.hoscver.crnnot h.rppcnrhroueha sirnplc replecemenrof meaning wirh presencc.Vhat rhjs book uhi marcly argucsfbr is r rchrion to the rhings ol the r.orld thar could oscill.rrebcnvcenpresencecffecrsand meaning effecru. Prcsencecifecrs. ho\rvrr. c\clusilel! appcar ro rhe scnses. Thcrchrc. rh. rsrcrionsrhar tho. prorcke have rothing to do wih Fi'|fti/,lk|q.rFJrrr. $ irF ilrrgrninqw . L i. gornton , .,._ orherpcrsons psrchc. AFrtNrruis Thcre is no sineleacidemic school"or "schootofrhoughC, ro which the conrcntofthis book bclongs It cr:n.rintydoesnot ad here ro rhe Europan rndition of hern,encuri.s"(on rhe coo, rnrl), nor k it rn exercisein 'dcconsrruaion,' .rnd ir is rr an evcn larser disrancction "cultunl studies" or (cod forbidt) ''Man;s'n. No spcci:rlchims for ethically meritoriousvalucs suchas irrcrcrcnce, resistancc.' or"indepcndcnce,, rremrde, ho\\eyer.For rhis book orvcsmorerhan it can possibllexprcs to the ide$ provokcdbv rhc *.ork of nvo much admiredfriends and collcagucs. la fire ch.rytersmark a tr.tjecroryinspircd,sincc the r98os.b! F.icdri.h Knrler'sdncoreq ofr rc\r sebibilft n], tell,rnd/e for all ki|ds of mrrerirliries. l-his trajccron.has,
horcver, bcen genrl' derailcd rnd veru subrl. nro for mc hr R o h e n H a n i s o n s u n i q u e s q l e o f d e a U n gr v i d s o , r r cc l a s s rtcr s t r c s o f p h i l o s o p h i c r lc x i s t c n t i e l i s ma, m o n e t b e m t h c i m p o n a n c t o f
morc puncrual ,rffinities bcrween this rcflection on "ptcscncc a n d r n u m b c r o l r c c e n rb o o k r m n d i f l c r e n rd i ' c i p l i n e ss i t h i n
fir or r choiceof rhebooks dncursive decision r[erarions.peF haps. ho*cver, rhcsealterrtionsarc not merelya penonal .rnd individu:l reactionto an intellccrualenvironmentin which longvalid cerrainricsrnd posirionsand schoolsare liding, rvhile no new ccnaintiesrnd posirionsand schoolsseemro appearar rhc horizon.As onc ofthe aurhois n,orc insish&l (and very gerero u , f r , c n J .r - , r , r l r . u g g c s c Ju: n J ,r . u . l . , ( u m . r J n . . . .$ c
rhe humanities. Bur rhcsc multiple allinities do not conlerg< rn rhe promisc (of rbrear) of r ns' inrellectual posrron or a nc"
cannot help beine our o*t intellccm:l envrronment,ano we evenh.tle ro be rhc framesofreferencefor the work we areinrer
s p a c c ,o f t h e e a r t h .a n d o l r h e d e a dt n r h u m a " l i r , l n r d d i r t , n rhc rhird chaprcr ( B.yonrl Meanlng ) oflers an accounr ot son,c
aodcmic paradigm. Finallv. rvhilc dtc ruthot admits rhat ir hes b e c o n , cd i f i c u l t f o r h i m r o i m a g i n eh i s o w n
rhe "ork.irhour p h i l o s o p h vo f M r n i n H e i d c g g e r .r h c h n r h i n g r h r t h e . t o u l d b e . v i l l i n g t o a c c c p ri s t h e l a b c l H e i d e g g c r e a n .H i s r c x s o n sf o r r h i s refusrl are nor philosophical reasons.
S o m c r e a d e r o f t h i s b o o k \ o r i g i n a ln i n u ' . r i p r n o t i c e da s t r i n e e a l t c r . r t i o nb c n v e e ns u r p r i s ; n g l r ' ( n o r o s r v o u n r g c o u s l r ) . r u r G biographical rones in the first and last chapten rncl r n,ott .tcr d e m i c s r v l ei n t h e i n t e ^ c r i n g o n e s .O t h e r l o u n d t h e m r n u script unacceprably sel|ccnrered alrogerher rvhich. gncn the s c a n d r l o u sn u m b c r o f b o o k s a n d r n i c l e s o f h i s o " n r h r r t h c a u t h o r r c f e r r o i n & e t o o ( n o r e s i,s r c r i t i c i s n r h a r h e c i r n n o l casily rcjecr. The ruthor rhereforc fecls obliged o rdnit rh.rt hc does nor have rn' good crcuse (but r thcre e'er r "good crcLrse anrv.ry?), lcr alinc convincing reasons.iot the srv in shich this book cxpreses irsell. Surc enough, hc panlv lik conpclltrl to writcinsuchrspccific*avbcc.ruschcrboughtit
R E r ' !r r 1r o N s A N D S r R U c r u R E Sonr. inrcllccruulmodfs,sonrequorarions,someargumenrs,rnd evcn some dellnirions surf,rceseveralrimes in rhe following chapren-as if rhel' serc a poorlv rdired collecr;onof ess.rys madcinrorhescmblance ofr book,andnot whrr thcvrally.rre, namclr. a book rvritten,fron rhe firsr ro lastpagr. rn onesrrcrch ofsusrrinedconccnrrarion. lhe rersonfor so reperrrons ",rny nusr be that rh< book s llrt inpulse c.rme irion {rnd ir rctniin€drn intuirionrhroughout), ratherthan in rhe sequenrirlshrpe of an rrgument. The aurhor has done his bc* ," ' ,, ,h.. nr'..r;orb"ur pre,er*i inro ,nrr " "i,,, venrional.atrarive (a friend and readcrsaid inro r "generarional fablc') rharsr.rnsin rhc pasr,cutmin.rtes in thc pr w;rh i vi.!r inro posible tutures.Despirerhis nanarivesurfrcc, ho*cer. rhe inrellecrual rnovemenrrhat the rurhor wcnr L h r o u qthe l rl i \ ( r m o \ . m ( n ro r o n r p ( \ r r . c r . o inn . o n . c n r r i .
ro find a specilic plece ior his vcn ptronal pledsL land ior rhe
circlcs.Thrs is rvhv. at somepoinr, he er"e up his valianrlight ag.rinsrreperirnrr and rhis k alsorvhl he nou hopesrhar rhcse
way in rvhich this plcdgc had emergcd) in an intcllccrurl space
repctirionsmrr rvorkr prcem.rleat-ortiture rcadcr.
w i t h s t r a n g e l vL l u n e d c o n r o u r s .B u t r h c a u r h o r r e ' e t m r i l c r
?
.<e
ties / The Nonhermeneutic / An AnecdotalAccount of lstemoloqrcal Shltts
one car call the daim of dLisbook "rntidimaaic"-bur this were an adcquate word at alt the antidirnactic claim cenainly not go as far as someFiends Fom my gcncntion wish it did. lt would not imply thac cvcrything anticlimactic also "rwolutionary" (in an intellectual or in a political sense). a time whcn, not withour rcasons(some of 6em cvcn good many scholars ard most of thc studens in the huiries have becomeweary of "theory," that is, of a rypc of ab-
thin.king oftcn imponcd Fom or inspiredby philosophy, "application"we uscdto tbink could cnergizeour cachand wriring-in a time when we havc becnmc drcd of this book will sugge-stthat a cenain "theoretie.l" move ," inderd reencrgizeour dcalings with a.ll kinds ofcr nral ifacs and ma16eer"enenablc us to reconncct with some pheofour orcsent-&v culrure that now seemto be out of for the hunanities- The shonestway of announcing how I try to arguc tiis daim is ro saythat tic book will challenge broadly institutionalized tndition according to which interion. dat is, the identi6cation and/ot attribution of mearir thc corc practice, the o
l\Itr(n.rl,n.. Tl'. N. ,ltrrn (fet,.
l(\tr.r
I Tl. Norherncneurici P(r€n.e i$arerialtries
hunanities.Corccprslike matcri.rlio,rhe nonhcrmencutic. ''presence,' rgainsr 'rill srandboth for rhn challcnec rnd c,thers rhe uri"errlirv claimof intcrprcurion but alsolor schol:rl. rh.rrwould be collplemcntan'to inreryreretion\\'irh pracr;ces
be norc or lcssrypicalofa generrtionofscholarswho, today(for no orhcr r son rhan rheir rge and for betteror !vo6e),dominarerhe scenein the humrnnies.Ar rhe samerime (and this is such a rhe secondreasonfor openingrvith a shon rerrospecrive),
our rrying ro .s.rpc irs anriclimacticsrancc, cpisrcmological would probablr be a rnorc appropriatcadiccri\c rh.n ihcore' rhis book's dominant le"cl of rrgumenr.r' ical" to characrerize for a ftthink;ngrnd, ukimarcl',ior . re.onrion.For it pledgcs of kno"lcdgcproduction 0gurationof someof the conditions w i r h r n' l r , h u n r " n ] n , .r . r r h c l h : ' p ' . J u ' i r ' e n u $ t n \ . r \
genenrionalrrajccron,canbe secnas pan ofa much largcrand shift, a shilt whosenarrative much longertern epistenological
kno*lcdgc or rcvising traditionrl knowlcdge.Challcngingthc hos sithin rhe humanirics. statusof inrerprctation cxclusi"e lr cver,doesnor mcanrhatthisbookis againstinrerPrcrarion. is inrcrestedin shar ir {ill suggesnvcrhirk rnd. c trr as possible,dcscribeas prcsence"but it bl no mcans.rims.rr beingan riherncneuric.In rhis spirir, thc book rvill sugtcst,tor exrmplc. that we conceivcof aesrhcriccxpericncers an oscillrtion (and somcrimcsas an intcrference)benrcen prcstncecflens rn,l ''merning ' cffecn. (!vhi.h, sr.ingel' so'rchos. Being $us both rururc-orienred mav seen old-rishioned todat) and bcing onbcdded in ,rn awarenesof us anriclimacticgcsturcGvhichrs u rrndom .esurr ratherrhrn a dcliberrtesnaregv:I sinpll wrotc this mLrchlarcr rhan I shouldh,rve),rnr book rvill lcad,ou back inro rht inttllecrualpast.se"cralrirnes,s irh rhe goalof larine opcn-Jn !.r! dil{ercnt lcvelsand with ditrcrcnt inrenrions rhtrc n con:cs viervofthis openingchaptcrrs chroni, from. Thc rerrcspecrne logic.rllvdrorr and, rlmost neccsarilv.!cn' pcrsoml. k rriesro narmtcthr aurhois navigrrioDt,ovcf thr pasrnvenn-five le.rrs roughly,on rhc lake (rathtr rhrn on the ocean)oi rhcon. rnd it doesso for nvo rcasons. Onc rcrsonis thar thcscnarigal;onsnu!
rhe secondchaprerseek ro recounr.l-he secondchapterbegins ofcrlv modun zubjecthoodand triesto ar with the emergence gue rhar our presenrepisrcmologioland cultural situation is crisisrhar carneup with r new overhadowedby an unresolved form of sorld-obscnrtion in rhc middle ofthe nineteenrhcenrury. l-hc short and anecdotalaccounr of this irtroductory chapter,however,sranswirh a scenereminiscenrof rhe famous 'spnit of t968"-a spirit thar th; book rvill makeno aftemptto r e v i ' c , - J r r b c g r n , . n ; . u u n r nr h , rn o l o r g e r e r i r , For reasonsrhat he hasnevcrquite undersrood(bur they are of no inponance anway). rhe author and a Brazilianfriend, who lvasrhcn a visningprolssor in Germany.had beeninvited ro participatein a colloquiumon Functionsof Fiction" (he cannor vouch lor rhis rirlc) ar rhe lnrerUniversiry Cenrer in Dubrovnik. Yugoslavia.\Vlile therer"as norhing ounageously bad about e rveeklong debates of rhn colloquium,what really impressedrhe nvo friendswas rhe beauryand rhe livelinessof IhaI Croatiancin an imprssion that thev rhcn quire dcsperatelyu,anredro associate wirh Yugodavia'sofncialsntusas a socialnt countr,,-.On rhc veruearlySundavnorning beforerheir deparrurernd aher r long night on thc beach,rhe rwo friends were rvarchingrhe sumise Gnrware of how much tbn nade rhen resemble All ofa sudden,the BnBouvardand Pdcucher). zilian friend,ivirh thc selr'-indulgenr nosralgiapropcr to .rll culLrres wirh Po(ugueseroots and rvith nrher unch.rracieristic
Y I l . r c r i , r l i t r crs' l h t N o n h t r i r . r L u r t r' l ' r c s c n . .
loudncss.beganro exprcs hs rtsnt o'er ho* unlikeh it .cented rbat drel rould
2 \\rh.rrthc purposc(rhe tuncrn,n. rs sc tl,cn prcldrrd ro s!!) or this colloquiumshoul.lbc .rs rlmost nor .r quesrionLrackin re-9. The rudrt,rfch (conccdr)rnd regrcncd($irh a \pirir or ro rcshrpeth. urgencv andol hefoicr$strncc)tharthc;rnpulsc. hunrniricspronrpred b. rhefarnous vcrr,e68.rvhichrrcreb.rsc,l on:rll kindsoflehistrhcorics rnd politicrl cals,srrc no* fasr pcteringout.As onc ofrhc nov intcr.stsrhrr hr.l emcrgcd.rhrr r968rvrsan intcrcsr in rhehis'on ot {he (rctrllcmic) hunraniries. 3 synposiun tircusingon this topic.rnd gcrrettro$trrd rc(nergizing thc tiltring rhron rnd relirrn deb.tc' sccrnc.in, b. (perhaps nor rhe onlv. but ccnainllran obviouschoicc.lhu' beg.rn, in thc springol r98r.r serics oicolloqLrir. untlerrhc lohr rubrics inrcrn,rtional rnd intenliseiplinrn.*h;ch s,rull last until re89,,rndwhich,he fhrrrn hrlselr rodrr. n:de r ccnair i r : p . r . r u nh < . 'r h , , r . g r ' , r , ^ t , r r n r . , - r .\ " r l l : n r , r i . ' .r n wuh ary orhcrprujto rh.rronc judgcs.in rtrr,rpcer, ro h.,'r
Itrr.rirlirl.! fh. \,).h(nndriuri.'l\rnf.. bcensu.(c\+ul. rhc I)ubnnik lott,xtui.,succccdcrl r h r r s . r . , u r r ., l , l r . f ' ' , . , . , o i . , r t , , , r . - r . u r r . borhconrpll.ri
7 Il.rrciiltri.''
lhc\,'nhirmencutic/Prtsence
I{rrerirliri..' Ih. \.nhern,dRtri., l\t'€n.r
tharoncmighteall rhercrrigool connn'cttrism ilanalasthis nra{ \,und tod.,v.r"e incvirablr discovtr.d thc hard q'av. or !)ti *r\-thar arr kind of pcri ir rvasrhr frusrrrringl! perhaps rhrr rht mrterialtron rhc p.rsr odizarrt *as posibte..fcoursc:
-ci,nrmuni.x satisli-ingrc hl. Bur. aborc all. b"th conccps. sccmed ro promisc.rn .rlrcn,.irnc ro thc rion"trnd mar.ri.rliries. endlesrcs of inrcrpretatirnand ot narating the prsr in erer ir *rs nor clcrr.rrall rvh,rran alto, dillirenr*rrs. For.rlrhoLrsh
did not offerrni narurrl resistancc oflirclrtureanil l.rngurge to rhc samedirapand tl,rt. ad
nrdt'e tu rhe pr.,.ti.e of inrcrf.eritior miehr look likc, rvc .rll to rhe inrcl were-quirc na^clt lonqinqlor romc resisnnce (son,c sar .rlmo* inelir.rbly) .omes wirh lecrusltclati\isnt thrt
ceprof srle. Six iear aher rhc nostalgicsunrnt on the beach volumesof pro of Dubro'rik ;rnd thrct surpisingl,vsuccessfirl quircprrrdoric.rllr.borhdisappoinred cecdingr'larer. "c "crc. cnoughto look ti,r.r dcciJedlrdill.rent oricnta' and cncouragc.l rion ilr our dscLrssions. Sundar I h. dccisircinrL'irion c.rmcin '\pril IeS5.on rn<,ther momirg, r'hcn rvc wcrc nrlking dorvn Strrdun, the m:rrblepavcdsrrecrrhrt runs d,roughrlrc old cin ol Dub(rrik. R.trhcr than continuingon our imagincdparh r,".ard r posibleintcllecrurlturure,rhc Longilcrour rbroughthc historicsofour disci plincs.slvtre rll inn,cdirrrl\c,,n\in..d (;r i'as indeedlikc the nnmenr of .onrc^;on) shen one of us parodyof a collecrivc Ghcrurhorrendsto bclioe rhrr ir sas-\nton Kres.\ho rhcn.as rt Ilcrklei. bur ir nighr jurt rs *ell ha'e todav,u'rs tc.rching beenKarlheinzllrrck. thrn nom Erst Berl;nand not from Bcr lin) Dorc d lcs casLr,rlliprop"sed rhc ropic materiJirics of conrrunicarior. This tcnratirctitie hrd r trulr hrturisticring it promrsing because toir. l-heso comnrunicarion sound<1 aband"nedrvhrr sc tiln rnd roo r.rdirionrl r fo'lircrrture (this cusof lirera^,studieson sas, .ttierrll, rlso a timeshcn nunr ofus in lirer.rnstudieshrd jusrgivenup the hopc th.rrthe ccnmr)'k'ng eliins ro tind r metahisroricallv and ranscLrhuralhvi.rblcrorion of litcrarurc cver lead to a "ould
\'ithout thinkingnuch abourrhe the culmrcof intcrycratnrn. reasonsii,r our scrrinessor askinc.vherhcrtherc qrs re.rlly,rn (but sin,ph-norrskingsuchqucsrions h rhcsrrength ahernatne of momcrts of intellecrualch.rnge).sone of us rvrnrcd r nue sobercuhureor c"mplei dcscriprionrs *i s.N! i! rr rork in rhe \\'c ivercrlso sonrcwlic..bcorecncynic.rllvrnd naivcly sciences. hopeftl rhrr thc ovcnvhclminglrobrious conrergrnccbenrccr "marcrirliries rnd marcrirlism rrculd, firrh, obligeLLsro be hirhtul r<,\{arsirm ($hi.h almosrrll of ur had cmbracedin oen nrorcrourhtulr<ars..rndrhrr lnne olu5-sirh r ven brd consciencc had lrrst bcgLrnro find lessrh.rn convincing)rnJ thar,secondlr.rhir sould .rllo" our colteaeucs l'rcm screralErstern Europeancountries-*hich rhcn ncin( liom rhc socirlisr states-ro rcrufn ro Ilubunik nvo v*rs l,rter.For in addition to rhe b.rur! of rhc D:rl'nrian -1dri. i.. ir *rs a *rrresical rca, sonrharhrd mrd. us opt lbr Dubrcrnikasrhesireofour coll
\hr.rirliricslh. \onhdnr.(rri./l're\rnG r i o n r h a r i . d . . d o ( ) k p i . t c €n \ o v c . , r sr r i c r t h . r ! u f b . r , S u l d r ! n o r r r i r g c o , , v c n a r i o no n S t f u d u n . i t l r t c r i r l i r i c s o f c o m n : u n i c a r i o r . ' w c n r l c d , , r r er l l r h o s cp h c n o m c n a. r n d e o n d i t i c m r h a r c o n r r i L r u r rco t h e p r o d u c t i o n , , f n , c r n i n g . * i t h o u r b e i n g n r r . r n ' ing rhemrclrcs. N"s. :|hough m.rrcrics ol on. \ rourh rcnd t o b c c o m cr o o g o l d c n . r h c a u r b o r n a i n r r i r s t h a r i f . r n r o , r c o i r h e ( m o r c o r l c s l r c r d t n i c n , c c r i r r g sr h r r h . h l r n c n d c , l d c s c n c s p r , r i s cl o r h l i n g
btn
i n t e l i c c n r , r l lp. r < , d u c r n e . i n r t t d i -
rior ro cncouraging." upbcrt." Dionrsio.
crrnnrlesque
( i n r h e b c \ r s c n s eo i r h i s \ r o r d . o n c s r i l l f < e l so l , l i g . d ( o . r d d .c \ e n r l i c r s o n r i n r r c a b ) , a n J p c r h r p sc ' c n . < 1 u i t ci r o r i c a l l r . n r c r n ingfirl
i r i s t c n e i n l v \ ' 1 e r e r i a l i r i *o f C o n n u n i c r r i o n
h rhc
s p r i n g o t r e 8 - . f h i s r r l c , L ssr r s o L r rc o l l e c r n t e u p h o r i ci m p t e s s i o n . \ \ ' e J l h , r d d r r c n c r g i z i n ga n d i n r , , x i c r r i n gl i c l i n g o f b c i n g part of and coruiburing to r dramrrn chan,ic. and ir
onLr "as * ' i r b r h c g r o r v i n gd r s r , r n . eo i , , L r r o s r r c r r o s p c c r n crsh . r rr v c b e s a n t o d x c o r c r m u l r i p l c . r Hnl i r i ( s i n o u r i n r c l l c e r u rcl n r i r o n m e n r s h i c h . a r l e a s ri n p r n . r s p h i n c d r o u s o u r r h c m . r t i cc h o i c ea n d tlreinroricrrirg cnrhusir*n d,at ir hrd produccd. I h e r c * r s i n r h o s ed . r r s .h r r i n s r a n c c . i * i d t . p r e e J e n r h u s i a s m f o r r l , e l c ' c l i n \ \ ' , r l r e rI l e n j t r n l i n\ s o r k d : r r . n r h e r r h a n t n i r g t o b c p h i l o \ o p h i . r l , c c l e b r r t e st h c i m m c d i a t c p h * i c r l ^1.,h r ....ru I o...,. 1 , . , ,r l ' r r . . . r n r ' , clcrrlr distin{uishcd tiom
l}cnirmin s arrcnprs rc' cmt'rrc<
M a r x i s m m a d c i r o n l i n r o r c , r p p c r l i n qt o u ! ) . T h l r e \ . r s . i n o u r m u c h c l o s c ri n t c l l c c t u a cl m i r c n m c n t . t h e r h r n s t i l l g r " ' i n g ' u c c e s o l F r i e d r i c hK i r r l c l
rulr p.rrhbrc.rkinb gook Arlilu,ibt11tot. rtaa/rNa, shich ollircd borh r "psrchohisroricrl rhcsn f o r r h c d o m i n , L n c co i r h c p r r r d i g n r o i i n r c r l r e u r i o n u i r h i n r h t h u m r n i r i c sa r l a n r h c m a t n c s t v l c 0 1 i n \ i \ ' i g a ( i , ) n . . o n d c n i e d i n t h c c o n c c p to i p s r c h op h . s i c . . l h i s q r l c o l i n r c s r i e . r r i o n
N I . c r i . , l i r i e s /I h . \ o n h ( i i n . n f u ( i . 1
1)re\.n.c
cornccrttlro rh. qu.\rionof hos inrc ecrurl a;ggere.lbr tcchrolosicrlinnor.rrionr rnd L,vrt,ejf.,ppli.irio,) in rhc inrcnrronoi nc* .on)muni.arn)n nrcdir. I hcrcwrs .rlso, as diliir.nr iom Kirrlcr in hr inrcllccrurlgcsrurcsas onc eourtr pos\ibl!in.irinc ($hi.h did nor prevenrbothfn,m dcveioping.r murualinr.llccru.,l iilnLlnessl, thc erc,rrm
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conrru!'r screcnio' tn t 'ce a1*,'i"g on 3 PrinrcdPasc on tr -,it nesrsc But *c didn r tluirc knorv ho* ro derl rvith th( ;*-ri.c oi rnernins rnd nrattrialin l)iftircnt $cr'6re from other scholarsrvho. csPcciallvin Ccrmrnv imrnediarelv --t Ai..ct"a thtir enrirercsearcheiirns ro thore ncs topics'nrostof to rrcklcrhem rllr prcparcd us felt rharsc scre noncr corccpru i",.ore rhanncmphoricrlrvrv.Sccredt.rve"ere quirehappv to bleme,onccrgein helncn'uricst.'r h'\ing rcduccdrhc con' to shrt srs reccprurland discurnc rangcof our disciplincs phcnonenaSo qunedfoLthernrlvsisoibrrclr meaning'rclared srephrd r<'push quircnrturallv'lor .r. ncxt,iirmard'oricnted ol conctpts rhrr "ould be 'rble to grasp thc rhe <1c'eloprncnr topics ln choosing"l'rradoxcsl)tssonances ncllv discovcrcd :rnd llrcrkclownr'asthe rirlc tor rh< tgse colloquiumnr Du' to en cnd) it brornik(shichsould bringrhc Yugodarirnseries con q'asorr bct $rr.r focuson hisroricrlcascs and inrcllectutl stclhrionsrhar-lir r mlriad rcasons-hrd posedproblcmsto sould ricld rt inrc4reurionird nrciningpt uoi"n in generrl. lcastsomcinnirl elcrncrr.lc,r the dc"clpment ot an tllernrrivc-"nonhcrmencutic.rs *c bcgrn to sav dncourt Ahcr had Ieamedthar rlcm.rtizingoch rhc r9s9 colloquiLrn,. "c hatl not iieldcdant'ptog' and Iinit-sinrrtions limit-phcnomcnr dcrclopnre.r(;s' \tudiesrhrr rcs in our agendrofconeepnrrl prem could tesrthc Iimirr of our corceprs.rnd cpnn-nrol<'sicrl ises\erc one rhingr the rlrcanrof overcorningthescrvasI vcn
\ i r r e n r l i ( i e rr f h . \ o n h ( d D . . . u r i . r P r e r . n . e
I]
ture/Schrili.\\'hrr sc crpericnccd ofthis nrcering-aldtbedis sls qunc inrcnre-rrs rhrt *c hadlosrrhcepistc, appornrmenr momcnrumrhath.rdinrpireilus in thc rnidre8os' l:or mologic.rl rvith rhc ropicof \\iiring, *.c gor cnnnglcdin r rhcnhighlv conrcnrior.rldebrteahout thc philosophicalliunrJ:lrions.rhc dif fercntvarieticsrnd. in our nrosri.o.oclasricmomenrs,cvcn lhc limirrtions oithc tlcconstrucrncp,rradiem.As deconsrrucrion, on rhe one hantt..rhr:rrs inshrcdon rhc impossibilitrofposiringsrablesrmcturcs of n,cmingandhrd loneabandoned. on rheofier hrnd, its inir;rl interestin dre cxtenxiry of rhc signifier, rve to losrsiehtoitbe constclhrion seemed ofproblcnrandinrcresrs rharsr hadconqucrcd rrndcrrhehead;ng"nraterial;ties ofcom nun'cxrion. Ar rhi sanrctime,ho*evcr,andIargrivunnoticcd, r tnnsformarionoiour b:rsiciluestrning snlc oc underrhciDpacrofan intellccrurl environmenr in whichthc intenrionoi shrpin{ a ncN dirciplinarv programcrtlcd,,culrural (tukurrtstudies studier'sasbcconr;ng prcdominrnr. promisrdro describc and anaIze culruralph.nonrcna.rndcultur!t insrirutions,rrther thrn.rsigning n,caningro rhcm. \[tcn, thcreiorc,in r99;, thc aurhorr rore,rnepilogrcrbrthe FnglishpLrblic.rionofa numbcrofcss.rrsiiom thc lvlarerirlitirsand pr[dores volumes, helaun.h.drhcrhcsis, r;r rhcrirsrrin,c,rharrheInln ,rrercsrin hisinrcllecrurlenrirorn,eni hrd shili.dtionrrhcidcnriiicarion of meaning(fror, inrerprcrarion")to prohlemsrcgardinsrhe cnrer g€nceof mcining. on bo rhc historicallyqecific and mcrahrsrori.rllcr.ls.
rt Dubro'nik thc A fes monthsalicr rhc flJih colloquiurn authorrn<^edllon hisCcrnrn univcrsnrro I canpusir notthfinrn'ial{rpPort quitcgcnerous ernCalilornir.I herc.her
4 Tenrarirely,rhc rrrrhor callL.ilrh. new peBpccriy.s1;r rescrrch and refl
Y \lrLri 'l rr.
fl. N nh.rr,.n.Lrrr.'l,.rn,.
I ' 1 . t r . rr l r . '
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l^\.,,!f
n ) s r r u ( r u . eJ o u n J l o u r p o l c s t h . r t c o t t c s r l , n d c dr o h i \ u n d . . s n n d i n g o i l . o L , il'l i c l m s l c rs c o n e e p r , ) t r h c s i g n H i ( l n r s l d
c a u l r ' s" , , r k " . r c r c l u s i v c l rc o n c c r r r e ds i r h \ r r u ( t s o r ' m c a n ing, $irh{tr,{ c\(r rh(nari/i!-g rhc hun,Ln l,odr' ,,. anr ffh.,
\i,joiti.. rfJ conbinc *e ,rlrLlr.rli,r diqinction |ch\c(. " s i g n i l i c d ( l , r r t i n r o r h ( s i g n i U ( r3 s e r t r c s s i o , , r r , l r o r l r (
p h c n o m . n r r h . r rh a d r , ' d o * i r h r h c l i n n o f c r p r e s s i ( ' nl F , u c ! u t '
s i g n i l i c ( l. , s ( r , r ) $ i r h r h . . \ , i i r o ( . 1 i r n d i s r i n . r i o n l , c n r e r n ''drtrncc" . r n J r i n n . - l l , c f o u r c o n t c p r sr h a r r h i s c o n r b i n . r r n , n y i c l c l sr L i s u i , , r , r , r c c o l c o n t c nr ri r d i o r n , o f t o n t e n r . r r n J ''srrbsr.rnce ofcirr..ion rtd htrn, ot (\pr.$io. \\'irh n,t, s r l r n c c, r f c o n r e n r .l l j c l n , s l e vs o L r g hrt o r c f i , r o r h . c o n r ( n ( s( , t
nic' . Brrt rbo'c rll. rhis rrn,cruringof thc nonhcrmgrcurr
r h c h u r , , r n n r i r : ir c r o r c . r n r * n r c t u r i n g i n r c n e n r i ( n l r h c . o n -inr.rginrrion or c c p t i s e l o s er . r h r \ i o ( l ) e N i \ ( r . t c r r o . r \ ''thc i m . r g i n r n . f o r m o l c o n r c n r . i n c o n t r . r s ts. o u k l n o r c o r r c q o n d r o r n , , u r i . r l n , . u , i t c s t r t i o no l m c . r n i n so m p l c r c s L r r r r
h i n x e l i h . r d c c n . r i n l ' n c v e r p r o i c s s c dr n r i n r . r c s i i n fieltl suggcstcd ,r
vcn schcnnrit
n,.,rerial
seqLrenci.of three qucstiors
t o n ' i d c r r l ' 1 . . o n r p l . \ i l ; r h ( i i r s r \ e r s n i t ro t o u r o n c
$rt "oul.l question rcganling rlre dlerqe'rce oi mcrning
fhcsc rhrcc
q u e s r i o n sr h e m . r t i z e d( r ) r l , . c m i r g c n . c o l l o . n r o f t o n r r n r o u r o f n b , r . r n c c o l c o n k n r . r : t r h e c n r c r g e n coc i l i r m \
.fe\p.csidr
o L r ro f l l ' . r a n c c o i c r p r e s \ i o n ,. r n d , i n r l l v , { r r t h t c o u p l r n go f f o r ' n so t ! o n r . n r . L n . ll o r m s o i e r p r c s i o n i n r o , i e n s 0 r i n r o l a r e c r s i g n i Fi r g s r n r , : r u r e s | . o r. \ i m t l ( .
inr. i wriren rcrt, a spcech,
e x c L u s i ' c Lr vo r h ; a n t e n r s( , 1r h . l , u n u o n i r ( l i n \ r c l l + u r r c r u r < l l i , m ( r h c r c i . r ; L r . r rr H i n i n b r n r c c J lr h i s ( o n c i r r r n d \ l i c h ( l r - . o u c a u sI n o r i o n o i r ] r c 1 1 i s . o u , slc. S L r b s r r n coc l c r p r c s s i o n ' < n l d h c r h o . i r : r e r i r l s r l , r o u g h r r h i r | c o n r c n r se . r n b c m r n i l i s r e d ; n s p a . r h u r t r i o f r o r h l i f s h i r l l i n gi n t o . r n r s r n r t r u r s : $ u s p r i n r q r . r r hroh , r r c o [ , r l s o u l d b r s L r b s r r n c ot i e r p r c s s i o n . l'oa,r ot.rrr sorrlclink. orr conrp,'.r rs ., r..hnical rnar ..lJ\' tl'. ",,,, ,,,J,,1,,, "..r',- ,. rr I'r.. .r, i' . ' ( r r l h ( r prr( rhan inkt. r,r rht displl on.r r . r s ,c h r r r c r n r : r . . r 1.
l
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t o o l f o r r h c i J c r : i c r t i o ni ) l d i f t . r c n r r i \ . a r . h . r c ! n i r i . s . r l i $ i . . n r r h c o r c r i c r lp . r n i o n sr.n d r h e l r p o L e n r r . rrle l . r t i o r n , i p s l r m r J c u s a s . r r < .i i r l : r r f l c . o i . r c . r t . r i n a i l n i n
I'cnv..r a thcn pr.
r i c u l a r [ i n r c n r p h i l o . o p h i c a rl c l ] e c t i , ' no n r h e n o r i o n o i r l , c ''imagir.rn :lljDLrridrs Jcron.truttirc unLiemining,'isnblc n , c a n i n gs r n r r u , ; , .l r h c J l ) . du \ u n d e ^ L , n d ( \ o n r c r h i n sr h , r r\ . , ' I'r no mcan' irn*r lv rcccprc.l onlr r
.,go) rh.rr Forr
t Wid,our ,r.! d,rbr {rnd c,pcci.rJlr in .onprrison r0 rhc inrcllecnraldcprcssl,,n cruscdb! rhc rrer .,,lloquiumon 'N riring"). as .r srnreturing dc\i(.. rh( nonhcnJrcncutic lield proJuccd.r certrint..ling .l pn)!ri\s .{r lc.r.t.ir prcdueeLl rt)einrtrrssio,r th rh. i rpul\ccon,inelrrm rhc rofi( n,.,rcrirliries ot conrnuni(.{ion $,,ul.l nor .}ilr ,liI tr$.r Bu{ ir s.r alro rrut. unfi,nun.,rclr. rhrr rli( uiplc quesrionrbour thc cmcrgcrccot mcrring rh.rrrhc n,rnhcr|cneutic ti.'lLlh.rdcnrblcilus ro }ir, rnul.rrc sluld onlr 1r.,11 br.l,. som(houincvir.,bl\. ri)a \rn con v . n r^ , l . o r . ( r . l . c r s n , r , , 1 ( , r i r r l r , r . . r . , Tlesccontcpt.r.n.,in mcr.tphr\i(.r1. inrsnu.h asrhcr c,,ntinuc to tfcsu|pos. rhrr (o,n uni.,,r;onir prctlominrndvrbour mcrnins.rbour *,n,rrhingspiriturlrh.llis.].ri.d br un.lnc.J. to bc id(i(itld bcrc.Lr|rhc purclr n,rrcrirl" rrficc. ol $. mircrirl \..ond1', rli. noDl,crnrdreu(i. ticldwoul.lnor hclp u'
\lirc'i:hiesi
I6
l h e N o n h c n n e n e u r L/ l l e s e n c c
M a t d i . r l i r i e/\ l h c r " o n h c r r c r c u r i c/ l ' r t s e n c e
i n d c v c l o p i n gn e * ' a n s r c r s t o t h c q u e s t i o nr h I h a d b c e n a t r h c c o . c o f r b e n r i r e r i a l i r i e so f c o n m u n i c a t i o n p a r a d i g m .t h a r i s . r h e ( p c r h a p sm n c ) q u e s r i o no l h o $ ( i t . t I . r l l ) m e d i r : r r d m r r . r i -
wonhs'bile ro r.rkc a scnrinrr lrorr somebotlv rvho hrtl unsrrccessfirllrsousgl-l tir rc.,n *irh uncrhins thrnvs pl.rinlv ob-
a l i r i c so f c o n r n u n i c a t i < , ,c, o u l d h r v c a n i m 1 ' . r cor n d , c m e a n i n g '
Orr rhc othcr hrnd. dri' vcn rb'cncc ofit, invenu grve thc aurhor rhe opforrunirr r" unfold thc fornrula "production oi
t h a t r h e v r v c r e c a r n ' i n g . O n h r h i s q u e s t i o n .h o s r c r .
trould
nansccnd rhc d'n,ensior of the n,ctaphlsie.rl. beceusconl. rhi' q u c s t i o nw o u l d a b a n d o r t h c r l l t r n n e a t s e p r r r t i o no i n , a r . f i r l -
p r e s c n c cs i t h h i s o r n c o n c c p r s . u * o r d ' . I ' i n t a n < lr b o r c r l 1 . he *rntctt ro understand rhc rvord presencc in this conrexi as ,r spati.rlrcferenet.\\'hat is prcseni ro us (r'rrr much in thc scnse
o r c c a g a i n : t h c r c i s n o r h i n g i n t r i n s i c a l hr v r o n g r v i r h m e a n i n g
ofrhc Larin linn 7,.ar .rn.r i5 in lior( otus. in reach ot rnd ran gible nlr our boLlics.Likc,vise, the rtuthor *tntcd ro usc the rvotcl
p r o d u c r i o o .n r c r n ; . g i J c r t i i i c a t i o n . r n d t h c m e t a p h r s i c : Jp r n -
" p r o d r r c r i o n r l , r , g t h c l i n c so f i t ' c r r m o l o g i c r lr n c a n i n g .I f p r a -
dignr. Whar our modex rcademic rebellio* tricd ro problemr
d a f t n n . u \ r . L i t c r a l h . a , L , r i n e6 n h .
A t t h e s r r D ed l l 1 e ,( h ( a u d r o r n r n r s o s r r t c r h r o b v i o u s
ro pull ionh. then
c
rize was. rarhcr, an intrirnianal /Jnfigurarion sirhin shich rhc
phrasc producrion of prcscnce"*rruld emphasizethat the effect
abw,lure doninrncc of ncaning-rclated qu$r;ons hrd long le,l
of r.rrgibilia rh,rr comc' lion
r o r h c a b a n d o n n e n ro i , r l l o r h c r r v p e so l p h e n o m c r r . u d q u r ' -
don is also in ctllcr ir c"r*anr
rhc nurcrialitics of conmunicrmoencnr.
ln orhcr rvords, to
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6 I r h a sa l r c r J r b c t n n o r c t l .i n p x $ i , r c . r h r r r h e n . \ t e h r p r c ro f r h s b o o k p r c * n t ' r c h n , n o l o , r i c r L hr n u c h d c t p c r ( . u , ( ll c $ t ) c r s o n r l ) h i s r c r i c l n . r r r a r n cr h a r ! . c l \ o ( l ( ' n o n ' r l r r e h o * t h e . r n c c d o r , r l a c c o u n to l < , n r c p i s t e n , o l , g i c rsl h i f t sp r t s c n r c J1 , r t h i s o p e n i r r g c h t r p r e ir. t . , ( o f . , h f s . r L l t r t l q r r u c n ri n r h € h i \ ( ) n o l \ \ c j i c n , p h i k x o p h i . I h i s h i s r o r i c . rcl o n r c r r u r l i z . r i o nr i l l l c a d t o r r h c s i r : r b o u tr h c i n s r i r u r i , ' n r l i z . , r i (o, nt h ! n n . n . u r i c s i n t l i n r c r l , r c r a r i , r n a r c o r ec . n i p o n . n ( \ d r h c . , c i d r n r i ch u n , , , n i i i e sS. r a n u , g* i r h d , c t h i r l c h r p t r . h o " c ' c r . t h . b o o k . 1 . r . l o r \ . . n d i t l i - , e n rl c \ ( l s . r h ( n o t i f o f r r r i n t c l l c r t L r r l l r n d . r c s r h r t i c r l l l p r o d L r c i i l er c n s i o nt . n v c c nm c r n i n g r t l r t s , r . t l p k * r r r c c f i i t t ' . \ \ i r h o u r n r k i n - q r l , . c a s cf i , r a c o h c r c r r"r p o s i r n n o n t h c n u p o f c o r r . n r t o r , r r l r b c , ' r i c s . t h e t h i r d c h . L 1 , r ct irr r d t r . u \ ' ( \ r h t s o r k o l s e r e n l r u t h o r s w h o . l r o m \ ( . ' d , t t ( r e n rP c n p e c r icr s .l r , r v ce o n r r i b u r c dc i t h c r ( ' . r cririqui oi rlic uni\c6alirr .lain, .finiirP,craiio,, sithirr rhc hu m r r n i r i eo s r o t h t c o m p l . r i r l . e r ! , n o t r n o r r . n , } ) o r a lc ( , n . e p ro i p r t s c n c c .I l , e b o o k r h e r c r r i ( .. o n ( c n r r l l r ( 5o n H . i , l e g g r i s n o r i , , n oi Ueing. *hich i'prcsrnttdrrhcmosr
inspirinephil,rophic.rl
r e $ u r . e i r . , i h b l . I i , , a f i , n h c r d . \ . l o t n l . , , r o f r d l r c f l o Do n p r c \ e . c c .T h . r l , i d . h . r p ( e r . n ( l \ \ i r h r \ r o r c n r . L r Nre\ r r l o g i c r . O n c , r f t h c m p o p o s c sr b l n a n r l i s t i n . r i , n b c r * c c n p r s c n c e e u l r u L e s ' a n i t m e r n r n gr u h u r s .
p r s u p p o s i n e r h , r rr 1 l . u k u r c ' . r n d c u l
f t t r . r lo b j c ! ( , c a n b c r n i t l r / c d . r \ c o n l i e | r r t i o n s o f b o r l , m c a n i n g e f t i . r s a n J f r . s i n . . . h . . r ' . r l r h o u g h r h . i r d i h i r . r r s . m . r n r i c \o r ' s e l t r d c s c r i | r i oont i ( J ra c . e , r m a r e c i c l L r s i r e loi n c o r r h e o r l , r r s i d c . l - h ( ! c . o n . l n o n b ; n r n n p o l o g r p t ' . n r . r g . r i nb a ' - l o n r h c r n c i n i n g it r ( \ € n c . c l i s r i n i r i o n ,t i , L r rd i l r c r c n Ln r e l s o i c u l r u r r L a p p r o p r i r ( i , ! r .t j , , r h n p , , l , , q i c , rrcmpliI hos .r s r r o n s e r . o n . e n f f . n i o no n r h e p r c s c n c cL o n r p o n ( n r . o u l d e n r ( h t h c r n a l n i d l s o r L s i r h i n r h eh u n , r n i t i . . .
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A Brief Prehistory l\4etaphysics: of I*{hat Is Now Changing
I What quite r numbcrofscholarsaml inrellccruahofmv gencreconfieuration hare becn reactingagainsris an epistemoloeical wirh tion whosctrats rvecan idenrih in our oendar l.rngLrages surprisingea\e. lhat rhescrracesand, rhrough rhem, this cpisremological contigurarionarealw.l: in our lansurgernd on our rnindsis rhe reason,vh1 ir is so diflicrrk to escapefron rhen ancl m come up rrirh plausiblcalrernirn.es,ar leasrin Wesrernculture. The instinrrionallluncontesreci cenrr.rlposirionin the humanitiesof intcrprctarion drat n, ol rhe identificarionand of dre anriburion of meanine for ex.rmple,is backcdup by dre positivevrhe rhar our hnguagcsqunt automaricrlll.anach to dre dimcnsionof depth. lfwecall an observation'decp, wc htend ro priisc ir lbr having given a no, more complex,par, ticularlv adcqu.rtemcaning ro a phenonenon. Wharcver wc deem'supe.fi.ial,"in conrrast,hlLsro l.rckall thescqualities,bc causewe imply rhrt it does nor nccecd in going beyond or -under" rh€ firsr inlp.csion p()duced bv rhc phenomcnonin qu€.stion (Ne normallvdo nor imagincrhar myrhing or anvbody rntghrdesir. ro remainwirhout deprh). In borh cases,'vc also nornally presuppose rhar thc quali$ of.,bsenarionsand intcrPr€hrionsdcpend\on rhe 'adcquarcdistance $at an observeris
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.\ Brtl Pft'hi{on
ableto takc in relationro thL phenonrenonon which hc locuscs l herefore,'re nust makc r ryccilic intellecru.rleBbn to realizc of the world' or of bow problematicit is ro spcrk const:rnrl,v ''rhesociet\"as if ""orld" rnd socien scr< obiectsat a dir nncc-in relationro i"hich we can (or cven nrusr)occupt a positior ofrcmotencs. Taking litcrallv.r rord rhar has derclopcdso m.rnr dillcrcnt meaningsin its historv thdr ir is inrpossiblcI., rcsrr.t 't ro iusr one de0nition.the con'ergenceof such and other nr,xili into r tharis inhercntin our evendrr configuration of prcsupposirions 'evervdarmttrphvsics. \\rt canrhen sav hnguagccanbe called lirm. rhc huntnidesclerflvhrle rh:rr,in rheirinsrirurion.rlized "rnetaphvsical"inplications. For b<,thout ercndrl hnguages and shat sr somcrimescall. a bit prcrenriousl'.rhc n,ethods' goodthing ofthe hum:nitiesimplvdut n is an unconditionalll ro go "bcvond" (-mcra'") shar is purelv mrtcrial" ( phrsics"). 'I hat *e normallr',rs I srid. do nor
L,{ctrphrsic.,\ Britl l'rehi*orr
specificallrinrerestc.lin Onc suchqucstionofspecill( inre.esiis w h c nr n J . . d c s l ' r . \ r p c , r f i ,h r . r u r . : l, r r . u m ' r . r r r ' r. r r r , r preradonrnd irs rrtcnph|sicrl undcrpinningsbecamtrs cenr"l impormnt1i,rrhe hun,rnitics.rs a clusrcr andas Lrn,tucstionrl'lr ofacadcnricdisciplinesas ther ha'c beenuntil the prcscnrd.rv. Secondlv,ir ncedsr,, bc exphincdrvhv,over rhe pasrthirtv lcrrs, ar lcrst,r leclingofdn therehasbccn.3m,ng mrn\.humanisrs conrentin rca.tion to this cpktemologicalind disciplinlry dishumrnistsarc frr lionr posirion{rhhoughrhescdisconrcrrcd a mttjorin .rnrong tl:cir colle.reucs). In other rvords:if thc bdng srory rold ir rhe lirst chaptcr is that of su6sequcnr recent reacrionsr. dre nrcraphvsicrlimpli.arions of the humanitics, how are wc to expl.rinrvhv this rcsknnce did not rrise ear hope lier-and shr did it eriserr rll? Fiullv. sc crn ot coLrfse thar findins rnslrcr. to rhcscr*o qucsrions*,ill help Lrsto decidc whetherit is deshblc at all to overcomethc exclusivcrnd centrrl sretusof inrcrprcutionrvirl,inrhe humanirics and, if thc rn swershoulclbe rflirn,arivc rr all. n lvill aho heLpus ro rmagrne how rvenright eo trbourit.
2 Likerhehisronof.,nvphiltrophic.rl morir,the slorvrhrr I vrnr to tell conccrnschrneing 6rms oi human sclf.-reflrcnce. I mcntion rh;s l)c.aus. ronnecrin{ such tornr antl nrotil! of humrn selfrefcrcrccro thc n.rmcsof difi,;rcnt hisroricalpcrioclssccns almosrun.r'oidal'lr to proilucerhe .langerof a spccificmisun' derst.mding. Thk nrisundcrsundine rould bc rhc in4rcssn,n that rhe conceprsin questnrnrefcrro chengcsin the "rcrlio" of human lifi. rarhcr rh.rn r,, rrrnsrirrn.rrionsin thc conceprsof self'desc.it)rion.Rcnrisancc and Earlv Modernirv, thc rwo namcsrhrr we usc lir rbc period sirh rvhicll I shall begln nrv
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l\.1ertrphBi.\:\ li n I l',chi{or' * o d d d , . r rr h . , , l ' . c n c r o b s e n c r l . r n Ji r r c r l ' r t t c d r \ . s s u p p o s . dr o b e p u r e l \ m . , r c r i r l ( ) i c o u f s . . r h i \ r l i . h o r o r n i z r t i o nb c n v c c n ..spirimrl .rn.l n rcrirl is rhc orisir of .u cpisremologic,rl sgucrure on s'l,ielr \\ esr.rn philo$phr \'{r,lJ tion nolv on .ch a sr h e s u l ' j c c r / , n ' i c cpt r r t r d i g r n . l i 5 v t f l c l e m c n u r - rb i n a q l o e i c
s p h e r c sr x c l ; h e r d o m e . S u c hs c t n t s r r . n c c c * a r i l i p r e s e n r . d, r ' r, d. p. t .. i . \' r'. r i p . . . ' l r . , r r ',
a n r i b u r c sr h . h u n , r n b o d r r o t h c s i d c o l r h c o L , j e c tos f t h e w o r l d $ h e r s a s i.r n r c d i c \ r l r h o u g h r .s p i r i t . r n ( l D , , [ r c rw e r c b c l i c ! . d r o
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b e i n s c p r n t r l r .b ( , r h i n h u m a n b c i r r s . r n t l i n r l l r h e o & . r r l . m e n r so l r h c d i r i r r c( l r c r r i o D .T h c e \ p . . r . , r i ( , , r n d t h e i c o n r g n
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o l r h c s t r l . l . r n d m r n b c i n g s c c n, n r l r i ' f o \ i r i o n r r a 5 i ' r , p ( o n , ofr nc* corligunrion ofsclfrelinrrer in rhich mcn bcgrn to s e er h e n r s . l ' c s . r se c c e r t r i ct o r l c r o r l d . r n r l r h i s p o s i r i o ns . r . of thc (ihristirrn \'lid diBircnt lion, rhc rlominanr sclirtiirort d l e . \ g c s .s h c n n , r n u n d e r s r o o .hl i n , . ( l i . r p a r o i a n r l a s s u r r o u n d r d b r r s o r l c l r h , , t s r s c o n ' i . t c . . l t , , t ' c t h c r e s u ko f ( l o J . ( : e r r i o n . I ' c c o n d e h a n g ei n t o m p . r r i t n t o r h t - \ l i d d l c \ g o l i e s i n r h c i n , p l i e r r i o nt s h o s c c o n ' c q L r c r r L*eosu l d b e t o n c c p t u a l l v u n t o L l c . i, , n l i c c n m r i c sl r r c r r r h r r t h i s h u r n r n r i g u r c i n i r ' c c c e n t L i c i rr i r : , r i s
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b o d i c d c n r i r r . l r c r n r h o r < l .r o r o ' p c , r k . r o b c r p u r e l v i n r e l l c , : ir rserplicnlr r."hich iun.. s i g n c di s r l , . r r, ' f b c i n g a n o b s e n c ro i r h c * o r l J . t b r "hich ' c r n , t c ' b e s u r r i r i e n r .O t rion $cIri'cl. cognirnc hcultio r u a l c n r i r . b e c r u s er h e o n h t u n c r n , nr o
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\ v m b o l i c r c . r L i s n r l.n s r n b o l i c r c r l i s m , c . r e ho f t h c o b j e c t sr h , r r m a l e u p r h t s t r L i h r s i t s i n h e r c n rn , c , r n i n r .g i v e r rr o i t b v C o d i r r h e a . r o t ( : r c r r i , ! r f t h i s c r a c r l r * a s r h c k e r p r e s u p p o s i r i oonf s o m er c r r u r l s e n r c s . r so b s e s s i r c l ri u l r n , r r c d d u r i n e r h c \ l i d d l c A g e s a s ' h ( n ) . . r i l t d l a p i d a r i e s -r n d l t s t i r r i c s *hcrc rl,r m.anrngs.!rd {nnrrinr.s.\.n rhc nr.,gi.xllualiries prop{ r(, dlllerenr npc, ,,i stoncs .rnd ditirrcnr sp(.ics oi animals s,cfc m e r i c u l o u s lcvr p l , r i n c d ) I. n r c r c s t i n g l v( . r n t lr v p i c r l l v ) ,i t * a s o I l l y t o r v a r dr h c . n ( l ( , t r h c \ l i d d l c i g c s , i n . r t i n , < * . t r c nL t sb a s i ce p i s I e n o l o s i c r l r ( . , r u , c \b . S ! n r o l o s cr h r i r r p p c r r a n c co f b c i n g ' n r r u r a l , r h r r ' u . h r n p i i t r r i o n s $ . r . i n . r c , r \ i n g l !n r r d . "e \ p t i c i r . F o r r h c n d \ $ f c . c l t r c l i r c r c e ( h . 1 rp o ' i r \ r i r a rh u m a n sa r . . . c e n r r i cr o r h . $ ( ' r l d . h o \ i \ c r . r h i \ \ 1 , r t ( t i r p r i n r r r i t ! a n d t.r h a p sx c m i e h r o c n s I . \ c l N i l c h r n , . r r . r i r l s u r t r c et o b t i n , terprered T,, i,,r.rt)re( 'hc rorll ne.urs rr go boond irs mrrcLirl
r b . t r h c . l , r i , ) ro l b ( i J , s g c n d c r l - . ' r n c . t r s r s h i c l dp r o r c t t i n g
s u r f a c eo r t , , p c n c r r . r t ct h a r s u r i c c i n o t u l . r ( ( , i d e n t i h a m e a n i n g ( i c . , s o m c r l , i n , r . p i r ; r u r l )r h a r i s s u p p o \ ( d ro lic bchind or L,c n e a t h i r . ( : o r \ ( ^ c l \ . i t a l s o b e c o n r c sn r r L r n c l n r r e c o m e r -
t h e s t q u g n , . r l tb i r s o i m o d c m c l ' r c u , l , ' g r
I i o n a lr o r hi n k ( , r r h c $ o r l d o f o b i c c A , r r r Jo f r h c h u n a n b o J r . r ,
of nrod.m ctj5rrnologl br the rrenreent| cenrun {ahhougl, l e n r i n i s rp h i L x o p h r h a s r e c e r r l vl , l
rluitc comincinelr .irgur.l ..\r am oenr. rhL
I 1 , r . r p h r ' . '.,\ l l r i , l l r c h L ' r , , r g r f a c c . r h r r " c . p L e s sd t c p c r t r c r n i n g ' l n d i * 1 t h c p r r a d i g r r 1 t sirh rn'l rs'tcmattit Lr c\pfc*i,,n i.hn,noloqi.rllrr .nrcrgc' 'i b c l o n g , rso r h c s . r m ct p i s t c n r o l o g i o lc r n t e r t r s t h c P r r r d i s t r h' ''' i n r c 4 r . r i r i o n . \ \ o r l . l i n t e r p r r t . t t t o nh \ g r n \ I r ) "n11'rno'(r m tittlr r n a c r i v cp r o d u t r i o n o l k n o ' v l * l . e r l ' o u t r h r " o r l d : i t t s oi th' s c c nr s c r r m r i n . s i n l r c r e n rn r t i n i n q ' f r o n r I h e o h i " i \
Md6phrsi.5,.\
B'itl l"'his("\
o a n r o n l l y i l l c g i r i n r r t c b r t t n o n n . L l l vn o r f u l l v rhe.onscquc..c hurrrrn inttnenri.ns in rhc dninr or c o n s c n u so r J c l i b c . , r r t $,is rh. .on..|t in det \]tB'nbiLa!. i.c., hunr.rn rlckl(ncss ( i o d s iust punishmtrt tirercr; Fir.rlh. : q g e s r i o oh e r . r o r r .
rvorld -rnd
subjeci rhrr bclic\.\ rh.rt ir c.rn pulLrcc knoslcdgc *ill rl'o t-eel c o " l e d g e \ i g n i f i c . r n t he n o u g h . a b l er o h i d c . r n d t o m . r n i p u l . r t b in rhi5 scn\.. n,edier,rl cLrlm,c had onlr aekno,vlcdgt.l thc hrnh
medicr,l rnd crrlr nrxlc.n.ultu.. linItrPI'rrr;'i ""uld n"t b: u r d e r s r o o d ,b m d l r ' . r s r r r t r r i b u r n ) r rn t h ( r r h a n r ' r n i d ' t ( i r i ( r r i o n o 1 l r r i r r i n s u n r i l r h e n i n e r c . n r l 'c c n t u r r l l l u t h u n r r n -
d n r i n c r i o nb c r s c c n t r u t h : n , l l i e , i r h a d n c r d . \ . l o P c d . o n ' c e p r sc o r r . s p , ) n d i n gr o o u r u n , l e r t . r n d i n g , , i t i . r i o n " r o i " f e i g n i r g . l h c c r i l n e s o f r h c p r g r n s i n r h c s o r g o l R a l , o u /i s { r p o nr h c i r b , ' , l i c s .8 u r r h i ' . r l s o n * h r ( i h r a t i e n r h u si n s c r i b c .L d eT o e s h l r u c h r h r r d r i r r c c x p h i n i n g r h r t c h i t r t r l c s ( h e
in rh* ,r.pcct lic' rhe .l.cisne 'rcp ro"ril nltlc; itthcr nio. For rhc.*tnpriorr rhrr rhc phcnon'$'' hrc thcir c n t n r c , r n i n g \* o u l d r r o t l c r c h r n g . o n r h c r h r e s h o l db t t s c t n
k i n d l , r . l n c v c r d u r i n g r h e n r c < l i c v .er lt n m r i o - r c c i v e J o i i r ' e l i dcr'ril' rs acrirclr prtlucing kno.lcdst Kooslcd!" rborrr thc ( rc:rion .rrd .rbour rhc o\cr.rr.hing fearur$ oi tio'lr "r' (or i' \ r' r * l a r n ) n l , r i h b l c r h r o u g hd n i n e rhoughtro bc "nlr t h o u g h t o b i r i t h h c l . l . b r ( i o L l .t i o n rh u n r ' r ni n ' i c h t n h t h ' r
c : l l sr h c m r . r l c .o r r i ' l l . , r h , r th ; u ' - r o c . t . r b l i s hr h c p l o r so t h i s r o m r n c e sa r c c , r p a b l .o f c o n ' c r i n g n r o r a lr n r t h s .t h i s a l s ol l n a l l v
o: c o u r s c .s a s i m , r g i n c rrl o b c i r r d c p c n J c nor f r n r h u n n d e r i n o b ' c ' s r'r n e e d . I h r n r . r i c r p l . r r ns h r m c d i o r l c u l t u r e s r r with tl,c thrcrr rnd sith drc li.rr ol Lxing knrnrlcdgck is prrtr tr' rblr no cv*gcndon indetd ro sar rhrt tlshting thr thrcrt t h e s r ( , r g c s r o f , r l l r r r < ' r i v l r , , r r$s , r r c r r i c J t h ' i n r c l l c c m r l t u t -
c a p a h l cm l c r o r ' h i s r i m e b c c a u s ch c t h o u g h r h i n , c a p r b l c o f
tureol rhe \fildle {9c.. O n l r s , i t h r h c s r r l ' 1 c csr l , r r l r c ' r ' r b l i s h i n gi t s c l t r s a n r t r n ' r o l e r l , r t i n 1 ' l i e s r h . c . L p a r i r .: n d r l r c r i s h r o f p r u d u c i n g n c t ' d i . i r h c , d c r o l r . c u m u l . r r i n gr n t l d r u s r r f t i r n a t ( l \' \ ' knowleclge r e n d i r s t h c . r n r c L r not i k n o s l e d g c . r r , r i l a b l cr o h u n r n r b c c o n : r h i n k , r b l er n . l , r p p e r l i n g l n r r n d c n r s t r b r h i r o c r s e l i r r r r i b i r tion, hoscro. rgcncr {i.c. rht idcr ol hunltn! \'inrLng rrid b' i n g a b l c r o c h . r n e cr n J r r a n \ r i ) r Nt h . $ o r l J * o L L l J r p p u r ' L n r i L t h e n . c h r n g c . p c r c c n c di n r h c . r o r l l h a d l ' c c n r c r r r i n c l rr c c n : '
e x p l r i r ss h r u r l r n t c i c r n s r . t l . . r i n g o n r h c t o n c . r n d s o . l c g r e s o f g o v e n m r n t \ e r c r o l i s c i r r t c d s i r h d i l l i L e n t r c c h n i q ' , c so t r . r l l c d F c m . r n d o( n 1 r . , S 6 n r l ) r n o s r m a n i p r l a r i o n .\ l a t h i l J l i f e i g n i n g .r h . , r i s . o i r o r t r i n g h i s i n r c n t n r n sr n d p l . i n s . r . \ { a c h i a v c l lsi a r s , u m l c r r h c r , . r n d e o t p r c r c n d c dr c l i g i o u sn t o t n r tions. Thc rtiqin ol .r mo.lcrn eonerpr oi
idcologr" crn casih
Vtn
schtn,rtic.rlh. m.r. rbcn dc*ribe rhi. ne". crrlv "c m o d c r n! i . $ i n s h r h \ \ e s r c r n r u l m r c b c g i r s , o v c r s e r c r . rcl c n turics,ro rtl.iin. rhc rchrion b.t'rcen humrnkind rnd $e r o r l d r s r h i i n r . . \ . . r i o n o r n r o r r c ' T h o c i s a h o r i z o n t r lr r i s t h a t o p p o s . \ r h c s u b i r c r l r n e c c c n t r i c . l i s c n b o i l i c do l , s c n c r a n d t | r s o f l ( l i s t r n . , \ , . m t , 1 .o i p r r r e i r n , . u r r i a lo l ' i c c t s .r n J i r d t n g t h c h u n , . r nb o d i t h l c r r i c a l . r r i , t h c r r s t a n d ' l o r d r . r c t o f world inr.ryd,,r;on rhrough rhr,ubjccr pcnetr.rr* rl'c "hich s u { a c co f r h ( \ o r l d i n o r d c r r o c x r r . r cht o r l c d g c , r r r d t r r r h , r si t s
\1.uph\\i.\: -{ Bi,t, I'rehir.r\ the her underlf;ng meaninss. I pr,4'osc ro crll rhis ""'ldri* m e n e u t i cl l c l d . " O f c o u r . . I k n o r v r h r r i r s a s o n l r c e n r u n t s l a r e rr h a r " H e n n c r c u t i c s b e c a n er h c n a n c o f t h c p h i l o s o p h i c . t l *rbfield rhrt conccntrateson tbc ttchniqucs rnd thc conditions of inrelxcrador. Rut long belirc $c enrcrr.enceof this acrr demic strtxisciplinc. inrerf .erarion {and. \irh ir. c\p.cssion l
I
soon rticniard. rhe cclu had become the predoninlnr-rnd. sive-prrrdigm rbar wesrem cuhurc madc arailablt for thotc rvho rvrnred to tl,ink rire rthdonship ofhumrns to rhcir rvorld
3 .rndot cul Of counc,rhercis an intinio ol culturalsiruarions thisrnrsirionfnn medierrl thrr cenilhrsrratc turalphcnomcnr p.rnd;gm .rnd to thc hermentucosmologvto rh. subjecr/obiecr lnr uhat *c oll (andarestillusedto .tr) r;c 0cldrs foundrrional ind rle n,iern sorld. |robabh. nonc of thoscsilu.rtions phenon,cnais rs cenrnl rs rhe cortrast rnd rhe tr,rnsir'onbcneen rbc medierrl ("Crrhcnic."ilrou like-akhough rhe strd fir thc \lictdlcAgcs)and rhc Protcsis.ofcoursc.ar.rchronisric trnt (i.c.. errly nrodern)thcologvol rhe F.ucharist For rvithout rharis, the produc anl doul't.rhc 'rcrrmenroi thc Fucharist. r.t: on trnh and .rmonghttntens, rion oi (lod's RcJ Prescnce (ielebr.uing thc rnas srs the corc riturl of med;o,rl cuhur.oi(lhrisl trst Suppcrsirh his then.not iustr conmenri,rrrion but a ritualthrouehrvhichthe rcrl las Suppcrrnd. disciplcs, aborc .rll. Chrisr'sbodr'.rnd Chrisrs blood could reallt bc madeprcsenrrg.rin.Thlvord prcscm doesnor onli. and nor evenpriD,arih,rcferto a rtnrporalorderhtrc lt rncansabovcrll that Chrisis bodv and (lhrkis bl,rodrvould bcconrcrrrsiblt as substarces in drc "lorms ofbrca,l rnd ofrvinc \{hrt sbapesrnd bcol-the relrrionship explain\rhis prcmodenurderor.rnding
ovecnChrisr'sbodl rnd rhe brcrd. an,l bcnvein chrisfs blood co ccpto1 rhc sign rvhichis ard tht.rinc. is dre.\ristoreli.rn d;tirction. r, rimilirr ro us as 1un of thc hcL on rlc nor based nencurici.ld. bersccna mrrcrialsisnilleras surtacc.tnd an immarc.ialn)crnings dcprh. fhe Arisroteliansgn. rn contran, (i.c..rharslich is prcsen! becruse a sub\rrnce ir bringsroserhcr (i.e.. shich r sprcel rnd a fornr thrt through r subden,.rnds pcfccftil,lc),rpects rhrr includcr conceptionof sra'rcebecoorcs "meaning unrmili.rr to us. lhe dichoron,r'bcnreen n,ateri.rl and immateri.rl cer rainlv does nor hold fi'r rhc Arisrotclirn conccpt of thc sign. There n no inmarcrirl ncrn;ng dcmchedtron a rttrre.ial ' h " | . ' r r w o J . / . , ! , 4 1 , 4u ' p h ' t . u 4 rignifi< | l'r. . "h' ("for this is nt bodv ). through *tich rhe transubsranrirtion tharis, the rrrn+ornr.rrionol rhc nbsrucc ol brcrd inro rhesLrb the sranceof(lhrisr's boclvin thc srcramentofthe Flucharist.rnd deicricgesrur<s thar wenr alongrrirh n rvereptrficdr phusible ro medievrlcuhure.t hcre*,.rsno problemwith breadbeingrhe "form' thrr n,ade rl,c sub'rrntiai prcscnce of Chrisis body percepriblc. lhis all, is shr sc might sar. fiom rn anthropologic.rlpoinr ofvierv. rhat rhc prernodcrnand (irtholic [.ucharisr tunctionedlikc an rct of mrgic. an .rcr throush rvhich .r sub stanccdisrrnt in rimc.rnd sp.rccwas madeprcscnt.And it was precnelrtht presenc of Chrisr'sbodv rnd of (ihrnis blood as subsrances rl,,rrbeomc prol'lcmaticin Proresr.rni(rhar is, earlv modcrn)rhcoloev.ThroLLghirrienscrhcologicrldiscusionsthat lastcds.r.r.,l dcodcs. Protcstrnrtheologrredefincdrhc presencc of Chrrsis bodr anil L,loodinro an cvocarionof (lhrist s bodv and blood !\ -nreenines.'lncrcasinglv.rhereforc,rhe 'is" in thc s€ntence. . rh'5 r\ m\ bod! nusr h:rrc bcor undcrstoodas ihis sisnitl!! or "dris srandslor'nrv bodv.1hc rncanings ol
h l c t : p b . s i c s\: l l r i r l I ' t c h i s t o n ( l h r n i s 6 o d Yr r ( l ( l h r n i s b l o o d r o L t l d t h e n ' r r ) [ ' r h d t \ c n r ' t the ksr SLrpper-but rher scrt not rpposcd ro nrkc the Lrsr r ndcr.r.rncliro girh. S u p p e rp r e s c D t . , g r i n t h i s n e " , I ' r o r c s t a n u first conc.prualized L,r oi commenuarrn "rs r l i s r r n c et h r t John Calvin. lr ".rs onll no'v tl,rr thc remporal scparatederch irdi. idual mas liom rhc r:st Supptr as its poinr ol refircncc bcg.rn to rurn intr .rn unbridgerhlr hsuical di; '" 'rn,lrr.r',rrh dr r ' . ' r " ' t " t r " : r.rr,. rld nrr. "cL,p betwecn the cnrcrging, specificrlh' modern conccprnrn of signili c r r i o n a n d r h c d i m e n s i o no f h i s r , r r i c i n - : s a c o n q u c s ro f m o d c r r r i n . I o r i n n , o d e r nu n d c r t r n . l i n s . s i g n s : r l t . r . r p o r e n r i r l l lca'e the slxnnccs
thar rhcr ooke rr tr r.nlfor.il rnd spalitrl
ygnphrsicr: ,\ llriet Prel,i't,ry s . € n e ,e s { x m a s r h c n e a n i n g i n q L r c s r i o ni \ l ) c i n s d c c i p h c r r d . N f o s r o f n r c d i c \ e lr h c r r e r . i n c o n t r a s t . tioned in r rtn ditlerenr "rv (if rhcatr c,rn br r precisc enough rvorel .,r all for r .uftofe in which rrln,o* rnv acr oi communicali(r, *rs bodi-b,rscd pcrfornancc). if ,ve lool, rr s o r n eo f r h c m c d i e \ a l m i n u s . r i p ( s r h a r r h c p h i l o l o e i s r o f r h c thc crrh nrendeth ttnrLrries l.rbeled ninereenrh rnd "Jrearricrl (not ah.avs ior eomplctclv runsfircnr rcisont, \t o f t e n d i s c o v c rr l r a r i r i s i n r p o s r i b l er o i d e n r i l v r n v . r t r a l i v c t h a r i s , a n ! p l o g r c s s i \ ed e r c l o p m c n to f a D r c r i , , n , l c r r l o n e o 1 charactcrs.\\ h.rr these m.uuscriprs lbcus upon, thc siruadon f o r s h i c h t h r r p r o r i d c : c h o r c o e r r p h r .i s , o r r h e o n e h a n d , t h e e n r n o i . r n a c r o r ' s( o r r . l o \ f n 5
As rhe subsrrnce of Uhrist s bodv and dr. $rbsrurcc oi (lhrisis blood wcrc bcing rcphcc.l I'i bodr and bl,'"1 rs mean ings in Prortsranr heolog. o rhc rncntion oi the s1'tctator.rr
s p a c er h r ( i r r i l l s h a r er n h joker ivill rk.
or ! iokcrs) bodr inro a t h e b o d i e so l r h c s p c c t a t o r . T h e
lbr eranplc, *hcrher he is rllo*ed to comc
in," and .rficr a supposedlv .rliinnrrn.c ansvcr liom the crowd,
rheatrical pcrrirnmnces ssitchtd tion the :cnn ,sn hodies t" rhc charicters rh,rt rhcr emboditLl \\ h.ir rvc h,rtc.onrc ro c:rr'r ''chrnctc|'-rhin1. o i S h a k e q r c r r sc i l a n r l . r . i o r c r r ! r P l e . o r o l Racines lrhidrc is a co,rplcr conccpr (nomrllr r conccpt dc
h e m a l r s k . r g a i n .a d d i n g r h . n h i 5 p r e s e n c c nor be plers "ill anr at all ti'r rhc spccrrrors. Inrsmuch as thr n,:rnuscnprs vcn
s c r i b i n ga c o n p l c x p s r c h e ) .A s . r s p c c i f i cc o n c c p r .r s r c o n p l ' r m c a n i n g ,t r c h c h r r : c r c r i s p r o g r c * i r c h u r i o l . l . d . t i , g c t h c r" n h o$cr chrr;crc*. rhrough rhc plor ol the dran' \lo'l'm rh'rr"
this <entrrl prn sas bcinq inprovised. d.p.ndine on drc c o r n p o n e n bi n e ! . h s p e c i l l . , i r u i r i o n . \ \ ' h r r r h e m r n u s c r i p r s rhen again conccntrere upon, or rhe orher h,rncl. is rhe exit or
s r i l l m a k c s i r s p l i , t s a v a i l a b l cr h r c u g h r h c i n r e n c r r r n o f t h e a r ' . ' n b " d ' . ' ' r , , 1r l ' . i r ' " r ' ' ' r ' t l r I ' g B u ' r n r ' " ^ \ J r i '
r h e f a r e * c l 1o l t h e a c r o r s . l n o r h c r r o r , l s , t h c n , . r n u s c r i p r s provide u p.llh for thc un.loing of rhc prin,rrr "thearicrl situadon-in$'lrichd]clcRtr\.L'odics}vek|j(,l
o f e a r l v m o d c r n s c c n o g r a p h r .r h e c u n a i n n o s \ . l a n r e s r h ' rhc plot is produccd. irom dr. sP.r.. ot rh. sPe.r'r' stage, "lrcrc tors. Thus rlrc rcrors bodics 6.c.rmc remorcd t,rr 1..\r in thcofl fron the spectrtors rcach. ln orher words. rvhrtc'rr rs trngiblc w h a t c v c Lb e l o n g sr o t b c n u r c r i r l i r v o f t h c s i g n i l i c r .b c c o n e ss e c o n d a n , ,a n d i n d c c d r c a r o r e d J i , m r h c e a r l r n
cn rigniFin5
ofren proriclc no chorec,grrphv 6. rhc subs.qucnt rnrencrions becrecn rhc rcror
rnd thr sp(crilors, lvc nrusr imagine rhrt
a cunein. ti,nr the bodies ol rhc spcctaror. ,rnd in $h'ch ir was cle,irl) Dor rhc tllncrion ot drc a.rors bo.lic' ro producc .r complex rrcrning that rhe 'pcctrror li.f. supposcd to indu.t'vely drcip|cr. The co prcscnee of actors rnd spcctators in rnedieval culNr. seems ro l . becn a rc.rl co-prcsencc. in
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\ Briefti!hi\r
,\
rvhicb mutu.rl phrsiol contactsas L'v no n,cans*duded-r, lirde excludedindccd thar the specrarrrsor'hre medi.ral pr' sion plavssonrctinrcs execur.d the borlr of the actor repr. senringChrisr, br rhrorvingsrorcsar him. Italian conmcdia dell'anewas perbrpsrhr onlr staeingcol ventionrhat pfcscrvedsimilarprcsert rflcctss ithin the cuhur.rl contexrofearlv nroderniry.The on-sragcbehaviorofirs differerr acrorer'as roughlv connectedand coor,linrlcd.ror ea.h ;ndn id ual perfornnnc<.rhrough the choiccofr n.rrrarnebv rhe di.c. ror of thr group, a namrir€ wirhin lvhich rhe a.rorslvcri sur posedto play (but rherevas no joinr scriprreprescnring the plor 'l of this narr:rivc). hc emphasisof connrcdir dell.rne lar, ho" ever,in thc (oricn obrene) gesturesthrr individual actorsdis plai-cdin endlcssvariatiors for their spccotors(rhcs. rr?e! ol rhe.rrricalgcsrurcs-"carchlnga flr. for cr:rmple.or "crossing.l forbidden thrcshold srr..AI{J Lrzn. The derelopm.nt ol , h , r u .- c " n . c p r r, h r o r E h, h . p l o , , J r r . : . , r ' . " n r r ^ ' . "r ". not somerhingthar cornmediadell ,rnc cvcr crredabour.Irs linl ited set of gerrc+pccificrolesremaincdstrble rhroughout th. entirchistorvofthis stagingconvention. 4 It is ven intcrcsting to seethat dur;ngthc sc\enreenrh cen{un in Prris,the sragingfbrm of thc commedirdellan. especiallv Ghen called,7 .oni.lie det ],il;e,)i) *,rs cornpeting"rrh a nc" sr,vlcof Frenchthertcr rhat n besrreprtstnrcdbv the nancs or the threegrcrt classicalFrenchphnvrighrs, Corneille,N4oiiirc. and Racinc,in rvhoservork the productionotsemanticcomplcr iry dominarcdrhc sccnein the mosr o\c^rhcln;ng lashion (, the derrimcnrofanv presence effccn.Thc rcrorsin Con,cillci ot Racines tragc
geraphr,.' t lrr.l l'rrh sror.
ll
ten highlv.rbsrrrcrrcxrsin rhe hean vcnc fonl of the atexanfiine. No \\'tstco, rheatersnle cnher bribre or aftcn"ard was more "Canesi.rn rhan Frenchciassicaldrrmr. Ofcourse, I am 6fening hereto dre proverbiallvfamousrellcctionofCorneilles and Racines conrcmporaryRena Desca(cs,*ho for the firsr r i m em a d er l ' r " r r r , ' r . s r l - u m , * . r c l , c .r , , a . a g ; M , ,e. ^ . " plcnly and exclusi'ch dcpendon the ability ro think and rvho, sLrbordinared nor onlv rhc humanbody bur all * a consequentc. olthc strld rhin-qs as ti ar.rra.aa to rht nrind. rhe This mal seen,ro :uggen &ar I an s.rringrh.r Descanes was for tren'rhing rhar rvcnr *tons, in a historicalfanrespoosible rasyabout modcrnVcstcrn cukL:reundcrsrrxxlaspersccutionof the bodv and rcprssion ofatl presencc cliccrsrnachedro it. But I 3m nor reall! rvririnq about Dcscarres s uork in any specific sense(and evcn lcss,of course,about Drscrness life).,Rather, his nameand rhc adiccrive"Crnesian" rcfcr ro thc cndpoinrofa cnrurJone dercloprnenton the levcloflrirarz 1s mentatitls,a doelopment rhrt spansthc earliestmanifest.rtions of Renais sanceculturc .rnd thc rnlly unfilderl strrc of rhe heroeneuric field. In rhe san,chistori.alconrexr,rhc inrcnscdiscussion about the relarionshipbcn'ccn thc culrural prescntof the sevenreendr centun and rhc chsicrl Greco-Romanagcrhrt took placein rhe Acadimie lianEris<.[ound r-oo, $h'ch wc rodjv call rhe Q4. teltz/z: antier: t det noLuc-,. $as one tirrrherstepin the dncc tion ro*ard unlolding rhe nultiple implic.rrioDsof rhe herme, neudcfield. \\'h.rr I find so inponrnt.rboLrt the Qaeral1a is les whefie. irs dillir.nr xL'rhorsfavoredonc or thc orhcrproro form within rhar $i kl bccomca new srvl. of "historicalculrur." during dre eiehtttnrhand, aboveall, c ninctccnrhcenrun. The,r.'r rnd rhe mosr imponrnr-episrenologi ql feanrre"lcncnra^ rhrt cvcnrslike the Qarrzllr begrn ro insrirurionatirc
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A Btici l'jrchrrcn' M.raphvsi.s:
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in nrodcrnWcsrcrncuhure*rs rhe prioritrof thc dimcn\ionoi time over rh:r ofspacc.in a cultureth.rnvesno longerccnierd on r ritual of producing"real prcsencc"bur brscd on thc prc donr;nanceof rhe .r.grra prcdominrnccthat hrd lcr rr, cn.
pcrf.cdyad"pted to thc nec,lsof the |urnan rxce.Ar rrresame ;,n", t """*., the trperiencebcgan to emrrgc rhat, rhhough g6ed on rhe nosr .rdvanccdknowlcdgeas rhcir sharedorienra' ,;on,individual plansabouruars to producethescnerv insriru-
mllizcinroa rimalol itsown. 'l he ageof Iinlightcnmcnr,rhcn. \'trs the rime'shen htrman agencvin rhe productionof kno*lcdge bccant a .ondiln,n i;r knowledget<, be acccptable.rnd rvhcn human rgcncv :rs drc
rionswould not rlr'.,rs and nrturallv convergc.lhis is wherer 6e ideaof the public spaccand ol politic strncd ro develop. Thc public space*is imaeincd as rh:rr sphcreof delibrration whereall participerrswould btacketrheir peroml and group speciGcintcrestsin order to rcach consensus.Srch rvererhe prcmisestbr rhe crrll in{irurions of politicrrl represcnradon, rboveall, ibr the prdiamentasa phcc rvherethe competitionof
chim, base
difrerenrop;nions.rndofdiri.:renrrisn,nsolrhe firrure!*s n,p' and lnro a joinr punc al posedto bc transrined inro consensL* visionofrhc furrrc. I'erhapsse could go so frr indeedrs ro sav rhrt, for rhc norv lullr unfoltlcdmeraphrsiol rvorldv;ov,parliamcntarypolitic beclne as ccnrraland asemblcnatica rirual as thc Eucharisrhad hccnfor nredievalcuhure.ft $as rhe comperidon benvccndr0ir.nr minJ, "rd rh.ir cir.rlr compeiirionIhar producedchsslike inrellecru.rl.rnd rherorical srnreglesFor certrin woddvi.vs, rhc momcnrs of rhcir culmination coincide*irh the rppearenctof their llnr sYnptomsof crisis. More rhan cvcr bcllre ancl ever rtier-merrphisics (or rhe hermeneuric field) sas firmlv esrablishcd as rhc dominanr our line for human selr'rcrirencc.and rs rhe basisfir anv kintl of collectivcpricrice in l-uropc, around the nictdlc of rhc c;ghrctnth cenruqr Bur-rt leasrin our rcrrospcctive ir is preciselv thcnrhar thc 6nr crrck in rhc edlficeot noderniq appc.rr.Seer from th. hi*.. ol Westcrnphilosophvduring the ninetecnth ccnturv,th" uf lmn,rnu
j\l(r.,t'hrsicj: A llri.i I'.ehi.rf ',
l6
o u s l r a . u l n i n . t r i n s a . h i d . n l t n t o 1 - F l n l i g h t e n n r crnhro ! ' g h t . r n L l (PIst''noi a s ) m p r o m o f r h e L , e g i n i i n go i r h c d i s o l u r i o n o i r h e ogy on *lich rhe Enlighrcnnenlvrs l'.rsed l-ound its cmbltn, . or thc initial pooclrion of Kunr's criri(.rl r r i c c x p r e s s i o nF writing scemsro heve btcn tht a*arents ot.r drstrn.c bcrs.if rhc subject rnd rhe sorl.l of objccts. .r Jntancc th.tr aPP.rr(i r v i d ec r o u g h r o c h a l l c n g ct h e c u r r e n r p h i l o s o p h i c r il s s u m P r i o , .rbout modcs ol 'vorld rppropriation llut cren :o'c sho holil r h a r K a n t s . r s u l t i n a t e h s r e c e s f L rilr c l i n r ; r a t i n gt h i ' d o u b r . b s h o r v i n gt h r r r : r a ns i r r c l l c c r u a l l c u h i c s s t r e s u l i i c i c n tt o g r i l rhc world, will admir rh,rr his primarl morilarion crnrc liom rhc bcginning ol doubts .rbour rhe 'i.rbilit ol rhc subicct/obltcr 'lhe
srn,e problenr .uc nuch
urc
rertuall. obvious in
ano$cr hcroic entct Diderors rnd d'Alemben s Eucldol,ilk prise of thc rgc of Enlighrtnment ln their tlrsr (rnd ncvcr oill c i a l l r m o d i l l c d ) c o n c c p t i o nt i r r h e s c c u h r c t r o n o l p u t t i n g r r gether a1ldrc rvailable hnosledge abour rhc sorld rhrr had bccr reltt,l subjcctcd to critical rcvisioD,rhe editffs ol rhe tqch'pldit o n a d o u b l c c o n r p l c n r c n t , r r i n .T h e . s c r c h o p i n s r h . r t d r e c o n ' r r i b u d o n so f , l i l l e r e n r a L r t h o r rso i n d i ' i d u . r le n u i c s o i r h c i r , ^ rlna;s conrc togerher in unnocal dr scripdons ol rhe object or ol drc concept in que*ion {ttnsions c'r conrradictn,nsrverenor erptcred). Thcr rlso ;nticilircd rhat rh' tio tan. t?iio,ni *olld
c o n p l e r i o no t r h e i rx o r k . o u l d r i e l d I c l t a r o u d i r r ( ( \ o m e t h i r t S likc an "onrrnogical lloori'hn ) l-or ell l,rilable knoslcdsc. rn o u r l i n e t h r t w o u l d c x a c r J lc o r e s p o n d r o * h a t r h e r r s s u m e dr '
A llici l\thrton M.raph*ic\:
t7
onlr onc)b.ric ructurc lor ofidenrihing ont {.rrrd lrors hope rhroughelcoi rhingsand its represcntrtnn rh€ en.ire\Lorld Ir not e"tn tirliillcd in rhc vervhvpo cri,1enrsofknor"lcdgc prteededthe iirnolumc ol tht @l?r?, rhat, asr folding sheet, glqcbptdu, rcantisinz linle mp rhardntrihutesia itents(i.c. *irhdredifl'erenr6cldsoi knos ledgc)on the surlicc of the paee our anydomin.tntp.inciplcof pl.rtrsibiliqr" If kno"lcdeethu. rurncdout ro be much nrorecentrihrgal dran evcr expecred.tht gro"ing intelleaual tiscinarion "ith "'naterixlisr"thouShrrnd oen thc cmcrgcnccol re\ihetics..r\ d subfieldc'l philosophv,in the eightccnthccntrrw' make it clcrr thar, counter to thc prcmiscsof drc hermcncuricficld. rvodd' approprirrionrhnngh rhc humrrr bodr. rhrt is. through thc hurnanscnscs,srs no" also rcrppcrring as .rn tpistemologic.rl opdon.Irocusingor tht no'cls of rhc MarqLrisdc Sadc,Michcl Foucaulrhassho"n ho*. undcr rhcrcconditionsol .r beginning "crisisof reprcscrt.rrion.rhc activitr ol-n.rrningthc thingsoi tlte cn and thercforeobsessivc *orld *as rurning inro i prec.rrious ray oi his' opcns up r ncw terprisc.' I his pcrspcctive.finallv, toriol underrandingon a scricsol rcrrs and .rn"orks tlut, toin paintirg w:rd thc cnd oi rhc righteenrhccnmn. incitrlgcd surprisinglrskept;c.rlpicturesot rhc purclv inrcllcctualrvodd' observer.For krn-J.rcqucsRousc.rus Tro,irgaro 'alitn;rc. the distanceliom rhe *orltl is no lorrgcrjusr a madrcnratical condi tion thar helpsthc productionoi.,rlid kno*lc.lge;ir nos rlso
r x i s r a s a b : r s i cs t r u c t u r co i t h e
ol objccs ln thc publish"orld ing rerlirr. ho"ever. ma,rl of rheir lruhipl*rurhorcd enmi' r u r n e d o u t r o b e c o n r r r c l i c t i n go r c o n r P c t i l g r c n d i r n m o i t l l r
hgins to rnark.rsen'itivcsouls zont of retrcarllom a *ond thrt L increasinglv perccircdrs aggrcsi'c. In I.r Riut ,l A/eubctr.lor etamplc,Diderorilcseribes his tii.nd ind.o-cdilor, the mrthcrnariciandAl.mb.n, ,rs shakcnbr ,r lirerish dclirium; rnd in oneoftlre etchingsofhis Cap,ith,t,,l nnc\su Lc (lova crerrcclr
o b j e c a a n d c o n c e p r st h r t r h c v r h c n , a t i z c dA t t h e s r m c t i m e . d r r
new,emblcmaric bv dc philosophcr ric* ofrhc Enlighrenment
Meraph'sis:A B.iefPrehisrory
J8
liberatelyplayingwith the semanticambiguiryofhis famouslegwhich neans end "El sue6o de la raz6n produce both "tne sleepof reasonproducesmonstes" and "the dream66 convenrionalv reasonproducesmonsters,"''thus sirnultaneously praisingand grotesquely debunkingthe powersofreason.
5 en the Europeansocietiaemerged,during rhe seconddecade of the ninereenth century, Fom almost thirry year of revolutions md reformsrhat had stanedour wirn dre hope of making rrue what Enlighrenmenthad promhed them-rhat is, a new, collec dvely happy order of life based on the perfecdon of human knowledge
crn.'Ifthe observerrole that arosein early moderniry x a key element of the hermeneuricfield was merelyconcernedwith finding the appropriate distancein relarion ro its objec6, t}re secondorder observer,rhe new observerrole rhar would shape the epis'
19 of the nineteenth century, was an observerconrher than privileged-to observehimself in rhe act observarion.The emergenceof this self-reflexiveloop in the observerhad wo major consequences. ofthe second-order , rh€ second'order obseir'er realized thar each element of and each representationthat he could ever produce dependon the specificangleofhis obsenadon. necessarily thus began to realize that drereuas an infinity of renditions i each potendal objecr of reference which proliferadon ultiAt ttre shaneredthe belief in stableobjeas of reference. the human dme, the second'orderobsewerrediscovered and, more specifically, the human sensesas an intesral Parr any world-obsewation. This other consequencecoming irom the new observerrolewould not only end up problemarizing gender-neuaaliryof the disenbodiedfirst'order ob(rhisquation can indeedbe reprded asone ofthe origins feministphilosophy);aboveall, it brought up the qu€srionof by conible ornpadbiliry betweena world-apPropriadon (which I shall call "*perience") ard a wond-obrervadon (which I shallcall "perception"). rhe senses philosophyand scienceweresoon domr Nineteenrh-century by the €ormulaofa ternporary solutionthar intellectuand scholarsdweloped in rEaction to the first of thes€ two . In very absrract rcrms, we en characterizethis soluas a switch Fom a mirrorlike style of world-representadon' which each concept or one element of knowledge was sup' to corespondrc a singlephenomenon,to a stylein which phenomenonwould be identified through a narrative. I am' course, referring to th€ paralel dhcourses of (the Hegelian ofl philosophyof hismry and to (the Daminian rype oQ donism. How could t}re discunive structure of narradon
\l.rrfl,\'.'
\ B r r al k h ,
Meraph'si.j
.\ ll'Ld h!htrton
crolurion . r s c q u e n c c I. o g c t h c r s i r h p h i l o s o p h ro t h i s r o r r r n d discou^' i s m , n i n e t e c n r h - c e r r u rlvi t e r . r r r"' r e r l i s m s t r n o d r c r rcr r h ; r tp r o d u c t d . r p l c r h o r ro f r c r c r i o n sr o r h c c h r l l e n g e os l t h c
dc|(h of thc signified lhc poetof rhe s-rmbolisr conceprual) rnron.s rhenr Vcrhir: and Rimbru.l 5gool. lor ex.rmplc. ,ir .nqoJ.i\. n',,r * a r r e dr o . r ' ' . . , k . , n i n g .J . l c J . r. . ' ol rheirrNts \ poemlikc \1r1 ings,inro rhe "rrrd srrucrures 'Un CouP dc di s..ns ro $rgs.sl $r the larout ol ir larmds ro its nering and to its po' sords on thc prgc crn corresporrcl 'Vu!ih' fiDJ)v. s(l renrialsound l{ich.rrel\\'agners I'h,eLth inro e sounrl'rrJ rhrhmsol onhesrrrl ourro inscrrnreuning
tsronishingl' n u l r i p c r s p c c r ia' l i s m i n r h c v i e s o f t h t " o r l d in rlr' p e r h . r p si.t s a s r h i \ J i \ . u c n . u a d i r i o n r h r r p r o d u c e d t s.. r or:u F"r ,ikt r ", r" llrucrrr' r '. n" r lr''mi s v e r s t o r h c q u e s r i o no t s h c r h c r n u h i p l < s o n J v i o r s c o u l t l h ' (lor evnpl' n r c l e r o c o n v c r g c .I h c d i f i i r e n r p e r o p c c t i ' c st h r r
olrhc nin.r.rnrhc.rlun.Philosol']hY. Duringrh
I i t l r i n r h c c r i s i so f t p r c o , r n i n t o a s o l u l i ( , r )l i ' r r l r t p r o b l e n ol po*ible rcprr' s c n r a r i o nt h a n v . r st r i g g r n d b l t h e p r o l i l i r r r i " n 'rnsrcr lii' irr s c n r : r r i o ntso r c r c h p h c n o m e n o no f r c t c r c l c c i l - h c in I t h c i n s i g h r t h r r n r r r . L r i \ ! d i s c o r L 6 ' so p c n t ' p r c c "hieh rnr' n,uhiplicitrofrcpr*cnrrtionr can be inrtgr'rt'l rnd $rped
j : t a u b e ns p r o r r g o n i s r s. r r c e m l r o d l i n c n c r o c n d u p c o n r r t r t o g c t h e ri n a h o m o g c n c o u sr i e s t h a r " o L r l ' 1b e t h e i r ' r ' o d d (andothcr rurhob ol his rifi' . r n . l* c h o r h o " h r n l F [ u b c n s e r c s o r k i n g o n t h r sr t r r c l + l c r . T h c s e c o n de p i s t c r r r o l c ' g i cp r lo b l c ms t c m t u t n gI r o m t h e ' n r ( i c , b s c n c r .r h c p n r l n r m o i r h c t n . r scrcc of the sccon.l-orilcr sonJ c o m p r t i b i l i r l o f w o r l d ' , r y p r o p r i a t i o nb r c " n c e p t s a n d rlLtL r p p m p r i . r r i o nt h r o u g h t h e s c n s e sd' ; d n o r e ' e n p r o d u c ei h e ,ion of r solutnn. '\ll *t crn obsenc bcrsrcn rhc ntnetcrntt: 'irL" c c n r u r i '; n d o u r o " n i n r c l l c c m a pl r e s c n r i' \ ' r n c ! ! r ' n c l n r S b r i l grr:r o t r r r e m p t s .s o m c r i n r c r i o l c n t b u r n c ' c l u ' : ' c * t u 1 ; r sith tr erprr;ence rnd pcrccpri,n rogethcr-rnd rh'v conrcrge r l o r e t h a r r r i < l r o e l i o i i n a r cr | ' l e r s r o n e r a d i c a li n s t i t L r r i o n . m p r o b l e n . S o m eo f t h c e . r r l i c sor 1 - t h c srec l c r n n r r n b c s l r b s u m i ' L t u n d c r h e m c t a p h o ro i r s i g n d c r e g u l r t i o n l l ! s ; g n d e t c s ( r L r r i o n , l r c f e rt o . c . c r r l s p c r i n e n t s t h r r r r i c ' l t o n r o d i h r h c " ' l ttr' r r e r t d i s i n c t i o n , ' n I c r e n t i r r r h e h e m c n c l r r i et l r l J b c m c < r '1 p u r e h m a t e r i r ls r t r t i c co l r h c s i g n i t ) c ra n d r h c p u r ' l ! s P ; i I u r l
throtreh rhc rhchi.r,,noisc\cralgene.r(ion\otr,rmih toexplain t'cn'ccnits geneticdisporirion rr'l the;nflrrnd ol: convergcncc muhiplesocirl.nvirorments. Fri.dri.h Nic?(he.\rho fininaredHe;degscrr rhchsr mcrrphrsici.rrtor rshe firt Eurpe.rr philosophoft, h.rvc overcornem(irfh!sics).ne\er sropPtd I(, praisethe schohrLreoncentntionon thc philoigicalsu.faccvrl' rhcrcby uesoftexts.rncl on thc material*rpcrricirlity,fmasks, trurh ridiculing.rlletlirrrsro tind ulrin,.rren,c.u,ing.rd belorvor behindrhem (rc. l;on\ rhi! anglc.Nicrzsch.iscenainlvposrmetaphrsicalr. rs Uttorchving rheioundrrions o psrchoaralrss an exclusi\el\inrcrPr.rrr^e n,erhodin his 6ak n1ndt./ n,,r (TheIntetprcrarin,l Dtdai,r, publishctlin reo, SigmundFrcud hadworkcd,lir n,rr thrn a dccrdc.on strcr.rlrurl,ncstl,3t $'crc trtant ro i'rrcgrarcrh( hurnanpsychovirhhunrn Phvsiologv. Iri nally,amons',rr! orh.. thinkcrsoi hi' rink. Icnri Bcrgson wrs convinced rhrr rl\. hunr.rnnrnon s,rs rhc )ne phenonrcnon whoseconccprLr,rl Ji'secrionrvouldlrr tF connccrionsI'c"p.n tweeD rheD)indJnd rhetriin.
I i . r r p h \ \ t r \ : . \ I t . L eIt' j r i h i n , , r
tr
I t i s c e r t a i n l vr c l l ; r g t h r t t h ; n l < e nl i k . I l ( r s s o n . F r . u d . r n { t c n u u r l l r p o p u l . r r . r n , o n sr h t g c n - . , 1 N i c v - s c h e s, h o L ' e c . r n r u l i r r o p c a n r e r d c r h i p r f u L r n . 1r g o o r n d rrtion. marr of us tth, *ruggled
.r.\ hrj "honr. "rthoul c o u n r a n , o n g o u L i n r c l l c c t u a hl c r , . .
m o s r l vs i t h , ) u r s u . c e s s - l o r r c . r t l e r r i t t e s p c c t r b , J r c
in rheir orvn time. Ior thc ollicial acrdtn,ie rrorld rrs
nrr
q u i c k l y m o v i n g t o v r L c l r i d i c e l s o l u t i o r s i n f c , r c t i o nr o t h c p r o l r l c m c o n c e r n i n gr h c n r c c l i l i o n b c n a . c . . x p . r i c n c c a n d p . r . c t l r i o n . r o r v a r ds o l u t i o n ' t h r r r l l e n d c d u p ' u q l r c 5 i i n ed i f t . r . , r f < r n * o i s e p a r a r i o rb c r s c i n r h c s en o d i n r c n ' i o n s .O n r h c c p . rcmological cvcl, onc ,uch solurionsr\
n,rrkcd b1 Ed\rr,: -phenonr
I l u s e r l s r o u n d r r i o no l t h c p h i l o s o p h i c r *l r l c s e c r l l
c n o l < t 5 . " l n . r p o l c m i c , r lr u m a g a i n s tt h c r r a r i r ' b e l i e f o 1 - r h . r a r u n l s c i e n r i s rtsh . r rr h c r c o u l d g r a s p t l r t r l , i n s so f t h e ( t h r r t l c a s ti s l l u s s e r sl u g g e s r c d
mut
"orlJ. or his rcadcn ur
"hrt d c r s r o o d )r h a r a l l o b i c c l o u r s i d et h c h u r r r t r nm i n d N e r e s i m f l \ one hisroritrltn.ling oithe subirrt "rs o b i e c tp a r a d i g n , o t r h c l r . r n ( n e u t i c r l . l d . r n d o i \ \ ' c s t e r nr , . t : i n r c c c s i b l et o u s . T h i s
p h y s i c s .I ' h e n o m c n o l o g i c rpl h i l o s o p h l s o r r l c l s o o n c o n c c n u . r t . . cxciusivclv.on thc irnrrpectivc cfforts to describc those mccfr r i s r r s r h r o u s h r l , i c h r b c h u m a n o i r d i t s t l l p r o d u c e s( c o , r \rrJ!r\ , \re$!nl rh, 'r.rJ,
J. lr r.. f(. , " , ;. "or o r h c r c o n t c n p o r . r n ' s r ' l e s c , r s c h o o l si n p h i l o s o p h r L m e n r , ' r rhcm belonging ro our frescntl, shich rc chrrrcterizc.r' ''consrrucrlvisr' o n 6 c h r l l - o f t h e g c n c r u lp r c m i s t t h r t r v h a r t r c r thev mlv uallzc or .lerl rrith rvill bc constnrctions (or Prutt. r i o n s )o f r h e h u n , r n n , i r d . A p a r a l l c li n s t i r u t n n r l m o r e t o o k p h e c t r t r h c U n i \ e r s i N t r l l c r l i n d u r i n g t h e h s r d c c r d eo f r h e n i n t t . c n t h t ( n r L l n . f t s : ' . r b o v ca l l , i n r h e f i r l d o i p s r c h o l o s r h r r r h c t p i s t c m o l o g i c r lr t t conparibilin. benr.cn pcrccprionand crpcriencc r
I'iLr l'..hi{on Me.aphlsici:.1
+l
rcnsionbcftlc.1,on rlrcoDehrDd,rn c\,lizingin r fist-S(nvine schoolol tscarch, brscdon nrcrsuremenrand odrcr perirnenral oi invcsrigurion ,rn.l.,rn rhe orher,a phiLr scienificrnctho.ls sophicalapprorchthrt rclied on rhc r.rditions and intuniorr o1' In r59r. rht philo5or)hcr \\ ilhclm Dikher *r' undersrandine. sgccessfulin bl(,.kinc rhe ts.rlin !fp(,inrmcnr of HeLm,Lnn of scicnrific psychology, lbbinghaus,.'n en,incnrrcprL5cnrtriiv. into rhe lield ofphrriology." whomhe accu,c.lol rrrnsgressions pxacdva decrdchtcr, Dihho rnd r;Lrnccnofhn collcagucs plr the Ilinisr^ ot ro Culrure trn in:rirurionrl separurion l;onl posed all thoseschohn qho "crc pracrieins{,.h i scienriEcsnlc ofrcl his (i'r rhc endsu.c.$tu1)sccc\ion $rs rhc 6cginninqof scarch. rhe insftulion.,l irdcpendenceot ntt { ;u trotui::ex:thdliert t c l u v eor f d i . . p i r r c r. l r - r .' u l u s i n cl t i h h . r . p , r . , . , m - . . . t 1 h , p o s a si .: . , u r r r * c J r " h , . . , . " , J . , 1 , , , n iJ, , , , ' p , n J , , . i , . " corepracrice rnd hcdne.eur;cs rs is rtllcrirc space.Oncc thc methodsofscicn.crnctthc diminsionoi r)crccprion cxclu,lccl "en Fomthe (n,wtrrrl;rzr A,,4ar.Dikhcv bclicrcd. an( Lind ofnrrcF pretarion,uboy. ril lirc.an and psvcholoricrl inreryrcrirlnnr, would uhimrrilr uncovcrdre imncdirc! ol lived expericncc (Er&6rz)undc l.rrcn ofmeanins.1hus. p.rndoxicallr,invrs tl,< at-sis ofmcr.rphrsics rnd ofrhc hcnlcrrcuticCcld,h!r fro\oked theenthronenrnrol philosophicrl hcmcncuris ar rhecenr.rol' llreGeite'tit\1tr'/mt!, asthe nervlrsh.r1,cd rcderarionofthe hLrmanistic disciplincs. I hc pricethrr r\c hun,rnitics hadro prv ti,r thismovcrvasobrious:it *as the lossol rnl non,Canesirn,:rny non experiencc,brs.d r!pc of rvorld-rclircncc. 6 On m"h;pl" t","t,.,nd in mrrnir-ottl conrcrrs. rhcrcrbrc. rhc c.rrtr rwentieth centun nrrncdour a complcrnr<,mcnr of inrcltc.turl
A Brief Prchisron h{eraphvsics:
depanurewnhin the nervlvshapedhumaniries although not clcar so emblemaricallv everynarionallyspecificdevelopmennv.rs benveen as rhe eventsat Berlin. Morivaredbv the convergcnce the *ideranging (almosr"populai') and enlhusiasticfecepiion of phenomenologyall over Europeand the instirutional inflLLence of Dihhey and his school,the humarities concenlitt€d. more rhan everbefore,on the dimensionsof meaningand on languageas placesand insffumentsof world construcrionHcrc 1icrhe beginningsof a rype of culruralhistor-'-and of sociologr rhat, during the secondhalfof the rwent;cthcentun, sould fo' cus on evcrydavworlds or on mentatidias socialcon$.ucrloDr of realiry."' This spnit of intellecrualinnovarion also aficctcd humanisticdiscipliresregardedaslesscenrralthan philosophror Throughour rhe nincteenthcenrun, for example psi-cho1ogy. lireraryscholanhiphad dcvelopedin cwoclearlvdivergingdirections. Sinceirs beginningsin early romanticism,dre acadcmic the inporranceofns srudyofGerman litcraturehad cmphasized chronologicallyearliesttexts,whoseanalysissas expcctedro rc' of thc German narion.\Uhile such .tn aPveal the true essence during the next hundred proachfound ar lcasrso years,ln all thoseEuropeannarionsrvhere,as ;n Cermanr dur deemedrhcn latherland ing the ageofromanricism,intellectuals crisis, a differenrsolc ofliter to be in an intellectualor political ary scholarshipemergedat many universiriesin Creat Brirain and rhe United States.lts dominantpracticei"as a closereading gearedtorvardethicalquestionsasI'ell as torvardmoral instnl'rion, and without paying any Programmari.anention to qLtc; tions of nalional origin or hlsroricalconrexr' Facedsith lhi insrirutional,and,from \(rorld War I on. poltttepistemological, 'rational philolocal challengcsof the earlv ventierh centur;, gies' tendedto shed the conccprof the nation as a dnciplina{
Melaphvsic:,{ Brict P.eh;tor
It
horizon,which had until rhen appearedro be an indispensable frarneofrelerencefor their hisroricalresemh. In reacrion!o rh;s for bss, the rlzos becamea producriveageof experimenration dre national philologies,wirh ncn paradigmsof rransnarional aid intermediaiiccomparnon,and rvirh nov, alsotransnarional, senceptsof hisroricalperiodiarion thar rvodd renrativelyin dude an hisron, the h;sroryotrnusic, and somerimesercn polidcalhistory or thc soon energing socialhistories.Ar the sme drne and under similar pressures,rhe Anglo Americansrj'le of lireraryreading developeda ievel of philosophicalself-reflection-to which iMovarion ils r..aming as "ns criricism" re fers.'"\Tithout normallvexplicidyrejecringclaimsor at leasrimof ethicalvalidity, the nervcr;ricismcenainlydid not pJicarions conrinuero occupvan institutionalpl,rcethat was rnainlydeter, nined by the funcrion of moral insuucrion. Those were rhe years,afterall, when rhc lner.rryauthorsol'high nodernism and drc anistsof rhe surrealisrmovemenr,reacting,ir secns,ro the Fusrationofrheir arremprsro reconcilethe dimensionsofexpe rienceand perceprion,besanro t reakloosc,in muldple direc tiorx, &om the pr;ncipleof representation rhar had ac, ",orld conpariedthe rne ofmodernir.v. But phenomenotog_r, consrrucrivism,and comparativecul turalstudies,nsv criricismand high modernism.in all rheir intehal varie.t as intellctuall,v revolL:rionary" reactions and novements,madeup onll.one ofthe two branchesof reactions oiggeredby rhe long,term effecr of the ninereenrhcentury's ePaftmological cisis. This rvasthe branchrhar, eventoday,we tendto call "progressive." The orhersequence ofreacrionsgoing backro thevme u iqinrrr. chrra.re izedby r reel.ng ,i tu,. and D y an o v r l B i r ,. r i r . , o r m o r d . - o . I n " ' u r t. o , r F J rr c t c - c n .r co tre world of objecrsin uhose availabilitymeraphvsicshad so
Y_ \ 1 c r : p h . ' i c s : . \l l r l e i P r e h ] l o :
j{e6Phsi.s: \ ll..t l'ktri\tun
17
Iong.rnd so srrorely belicvcd. Llurine scrcral decrdcs. schohr. f i o m m a n l d i f i i r e n t 6 e l d s p o i n r c d , s i t h s o m c r i m c sd r a n l , L g e s t u r c so l c o m p h i n t o r r c g r c r .t o t h e l o s o f t b c l i ( f i l ) a $ o . l d
'B.i.g ( i n r v h i c h c o n t e x tr h e rt c o a c e r l n e n to t B c i r g "ord to somcrhin.s rcfcrs sL,Lrsiin.i,ll as a rcplaccmenr lor rtre rvals r l '.' r o ir r 6eraplrs
r e f c r c n c c . 'A n . r l l r i c p h i l o s o p h r ,i n i r i n s t i m r i o n r l b e g i n n i n g s ras easef to prorc th.rr rr lcasr a minimal dcsree ot r!.lLr
ide". t hcse itdecd erc son,e of the rcasonsr.hv, cven norv, no , r c m t r a r o r . r . o m i r s m e u p h r s i . s . t n d i r r c o n s e q u e n c ccsa n
rcfirencc coulcl alier all bc achie'ed rhrough hneurqc or. at icr.t in carefirllv cralicd clen,entrn sentcnccs At thc samc rrn. trn,l
r ork. disregardHerrle.e.ecrs
d l v c r g i n g .i n r h e i r i n r c l t c c n r r sl w l c s .a s m u c h f i . m a n a ht i c p h i I o s o p l r r s o n c c a n p o s s i b l vi D a g i n e . s i l d r h i n k e r sr n d r i l i h g c s t i c u l a r i r ga n i s r s .q c h r s G c o r g c sB a r r i l h r n J A . t . ' r i n A , n u d , r c c u s e d\ V e s t c r nc u l r u r eo i h a r i n g l o s t r o L r c hs i t h t h c h u man bodv." Y/hile rhe oprinism o1-\hnist schohr rcgrLdirq t h e p e n i n e n c co f r h e n r r u l ! s . s r n d h s i g h r r . m a r n e ds r r x n g . L l ( o r s u s p i c i o u s l ) ?u)n p c n u r b c d i n , b i s e n \ i r o n m . n . o a i n r c n \ i f i ine epistcnrologicalskcpticisn. dre inrcllccmall. not po"crirl r c a c r i o n sr o t h c l o s s . o r , i n r h i s c a s e ,r a r h c r . t o r i r e l i a r o i : los of s.orld+efcrcnce wcre rhosc ne call rhc consenrtirr r e v o l u t i o n . ' a t e r m i n v c n t e db r r h e , \ u r r i a n p o e rr n d p l a n r r i q l t Hugo von Hoirennsrhal ir dre earh te:os N o o t h e r r h i n k c L .i n r l r s c o n t e r t . s e i r t t i r r u h c ri n c r i r i c i z i r g and in rcvisine the mcraphlsical *orldricir rhan \farin 1linl.s geL. Stanlng ivith the publicrr;on of lls t'ook 9;n rtd Zcir t: i 9 2 7 , t h i s e f l i n g a i n e d h i m i m n r c d i a t ei n r e m a r i o n a la t t e n t r c n l l e l d e g g c r r c p l a c e dr h c s u b j c c t / o b j e c pr a r a d i g m s i r h r h c n c r c o n c c p to f b e i n g i r t h e - ' o r l d , ' s h i c h . s o r o s p c a r . s . i s s i 1 ' posed to bLirg humrn self-reiirencc bacl il rouch "ith ri:: $ings of $e rvorld (in rlis scnsc, being in th*sorld rrs t relonnulation, rarLer rhan a rrdic.rl rcplacenent oi thc ur'' j ( , ' n \ j . , , p , , , . r r r . \ , . r r r 'r r..J.n, fined
t h c b o d i l v s L r b s r r n r i a l i na n d
c spatirl dimcnsiori 't
hunr.rn cxistcnce.' rnd hc bcgan ro derelop thc idea oi an Ltl-
The narional acadcn,ictradirions .rid dis.iplincs rhat rccumbed t o r h c p r o n i s c s o i f a s c i s no r c o n n i u n i s n , a n r l t h u s l o s r t o u c h wirh rhe more rchanccd episrcnnlogicrl thinking ol-dreir timc, w i i l n o t b c c o n s i d c r e dh c r e . T h c o n r o b s c n r r 1 o nr h a t i n r o e s r s m e , h o s c v e r .r n d r h e t i s m . r n n o c o n n . . r r h e e n d o f n c h a p rer rvith rhc erd of thc prerious chapro. rcfers ro rhe dccadcs followin.grhe cnd of\\'orld \i,r Ii. I gn.c dlis observerion 'lre condensediorn oir rhesisbr s.!ing rhar ih.re ryrrc mo parallct q?es ofrercrion ro the Iosso1-*orld rctirence and of$e dimen sion ofpcrception during drc flrr dccadesof drc nventieth ccn t u n : r h c r a r i o u s i i r n , s o f c o n s o u c r i r i s n ,o n r h c o n c h r n d . e n d the dilTerentarremprsat bri.ging baek r.tireice and pcrception, on the orhcr. thc conrasr and i.nsion ber,\cd, i n r o a n a l e r n r r i o n b e r u c c n s o t i , i d " h a r d " i n ( e t l c c n n ls r y t e s withh rhe humr irics around r9io. Of cou^e, rhefc were al [ j n < t so f n a r i o n a l a n d d i s c i p l i n a n . d c v c h p , n e n trso r v h i c h s u c h a b r o a dr r e r c m c n re n n o t d o j u s r i c e .B u r I h o l l r h r t , o n t h c apProPriare lcr€l oi absrrrc(ion, rhn gcneral obscnarion is .otr fecr-and rhar ir .o\ea rhc erpcrience of m' o*r generation ot s c h o l a r\si r h i o d , i h u n u n i r i e s .i n . t u d i n g ( h e c o n c l u s i o nt h r r n o Prosresscrn bc riLrnd in thcsc movenens of rttcrnarion between'hard .rod soti puradigms. I n I i t e r u t s r u d i e s . r n
\l.r
..
\1,,.
i.i ,
ol-rl). \oli rtPrur(h,'t rcu trltit!.:: r t c i n r e n r r r , o , , r l$ . . $ j ! r c r t r c ( . r i i f ( itrrnr.rn.nrsm. r..onrf.rn'.,1 b\ I rr\. ,rnd L i r c m r vh c n n c n t u r i c : . c l r L r i n gr h c I e ; o . . u r ( l i h r . . ' f L \ r . ) ( . ! ( . t r c p r n l l c x p l . L i n c d . ra r c r . { i o n t u ( l i t i i r . n t n . , ( i o , , . r.lr i n \ 1 . . p o l n i c a l i J e o l o g i r r r i , r n l.t h . r ' t . c n l i , l l , " . . . l . h , i $ . . r .
hr.lsr pr'.r o 1 { m o n g r h e n , u c r t r h c r c c . p t i , , r s n L r r n r r r l i ' n r .. r r r L .
hrc I.r;o', ['. sii,ult.,n('u\ slcs digns.
.in.. ,1,.
oi-rpprrcnrh
n r r r l l i n q u i s r i c s..r n . l t h . s o - c r l l r d R u r . i r r t r r m r l i s n r ' b r l i r L , ar. strrdis...\tlc.rr in r|cir rnl'iti,,n t,' o'.r.omi rh. \ulrrt.r,l i r r o l p ' r r € i , ) ' c r t r c r . r t i . n .r h c * r h r o r i r . . i ) t \ ( r g < l { i r h . , n . L i . D t h u \ i ! \ D 1 ; r . r 1 lh i n r l r o l s o c n l t ' g i . . r l. , t p , i i . i . h ( ! . i n L l u d i t !
I l . ( t r f h r ! , . : \ B : . rI ' , r h i . , . r f o u n h e , , l l , : ' 1 L r i un .,r r t . , l r c t . r n o r h c r\ . . , , n i n l o , r h e , , l . r ' i n r e l l c e m s. rt lr l c . r r d .n , l ) i , . t . . i i l . . r \ . n , f . r r r e . ( ' f - l , r , l c i ' I r s h o u l J 1 , . r . b c . , , r , , c \ i J . n r b \ . , ^ \ t l r r r t r r . l c r s r r n t lr l , r a l r c r n . , t i o rb c n . , c n e t r I r d h . i , ( l l r r L r i c r . s i t h i n r h t h u r , , d r c i r I ' i n h r r . r L r n , . r s(.Lr r r t u io l n.rnincs.r.r hr. r..r!rit)D n , r i n p c , i n io r ' . , i n \ . r t n L c l r d i L i o acrdcnric,li
d i l l i r c n r v a r i c t i t ro i \ f r r r i s r r . r n d s n l , r h c h i ' r o n o l l i r . , i . \ , . r c p r i o n l o r r s o n l v r d c c i r ( { (l i r . r . i n ( h . r t - ( ^ r n d I r s o \ . r r r '1. l. ll.'r",..,.r rl lr,r.'. In. c r r c co f J c c o n s r u c r r o n r n , l n c s h l ' t o , i . i s n , . J i J r v l , . r tL t c , , r r ' r
s e l v e sr i o n r r l , r r u k i n r . r . h r o i n ( l ! * r l r c r n . r r r cb i t " e , n ' o t r " -h.u.l and i r ( . 1 1 ! . u , . , p1 , r . r i ( . , . I l , o p ( , h f r c l i ( r h . r t n , r i n r c L
r o n , . L k ct h e p r c c c d i n gr l c s i r ct i t r | c o r r t i t . r l , , r d m c d , o J r ' 1 o 9 . : r i g o r l o , ' h a ' n l r c r s p , ' s i b l r . I n r c t r r n g | a r r . ld c . p i r cr l , t i r L r r
e s ri n t h c r m t r g o , i c , , i n r r ] D i n g . r n . l .r b o \ . r l l . n r h . o ' . i l 1 . r r i o , , b e n v e ( nf i c r n i n l . 1 1 i . r , : n , l p r s c r . e ( i f . r ( r s . i d i l l c ( n r l . o n r
rcmrl philoophicrl dircre.nc.s, borh,lr.on'tru.tnrn :rLl n.r hisroricrn .tarcd our qirh rJitltnrd. .rr3ucJ .ritr;ur ;: s r n r e n r r , r l , s nl ir. t . . , ' i r thcir nxt
hnl
p r r . r d i g m , .u J
rhrr tr.rlr iorr..:
l i n i l t r o c p t i o n r n , , r n q . r g c n t r . r r i , ' n! l \ n r c . i . . r n i :
ll.
,. i , ,, J,! phrsics c.m l,e'cn, in ,(rn\p(.'. .,\ in atr.mt ro r.d.cn oursrcrnr,.l .
.
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it .
t h c r o p i c o f n , i r r r i r l i r i . ' o t t o n , m u n i e . r u r , . , i l l n o L , n g c rb c a t t r i b u t e Jc r . l u r i r i h i o , , n . , t r r h . , r h d o i r l j ' e r s o r ) o l . i r i r i . . ( b c n r . c n* h i . h l i r i r . , n . r u d i c s D d . r ( ' , d c , I i l l \ . , h c h ! n , r n i t i e sa r h r g e
hIt
bctr.aurht
t i r m . r n i . l c c , l c sr o w r . l i i r ; s
srrlcot ncu Lririciir,.
n o t t l , 4s o l u r j ( , n, ' f h , ^ \ r i ) o \ c f i o n , . n r . r r t l , ! ! \ ' , ) r oJ howro l e a r e r n e r . L P h r s bb . h i n l . " b . . . , l J , , q \ i r h r l , r l r . n 1 . , r i o n b e -
I h c r . r n o J o u l ' r r h . , rt h e l l r r r h n r - o i r l . D , , b r r n r k r , ' l I q u i r r e r i n c < lr i , i n r h i t . . \ j o u . c h . , p r c r . . u l , e c r p l . r i n t J . r r r r r
r w e e , rs o r i r D ( l h . r d p . r . r L l i s n s . o u L L. lr r l c . r r 1 -. r * r " "ic'trp i n g ( o r o l r ; J { f l r i n g r D . ( . r 1 ) t , \ i L . s. , \ r f j i r c | ( ' L u l r i , , . . l l . 1 . l .
, r r p r c ' . n r - d a . r e r l r s p t c r i r c . . , .t n i n e r o . r p l , , r c r h c p o * i b i l i t L r o f r b r r , . r l h L r n , l c r t o o , ln c r , h i s r o L i . rpl r a r i s .l r s . r s p r o b . r l . l ', [ ' tron (,cn.rtrr c irholn r o r h e ( r r l . . r s rn u u c r i c r l l t l o n , i n , r n c o
Thcothc,
r r a n s c l , o l . r r sr h l
h;n b..n l,rcughr up ln rh. irrc.lrcr'r:i,.
, r m o n g t h c p a , r i c i p r n r .i n t h c s e . i c r r t s r h r r d r . d . . o n \ ' r u . r r 1 ' r p p r c a c hr o n a i n e dc o f i p r r r r i r c h m , r r g i r r l . . \ b o ' e . r l . h , " t . . . ' r h e c h o i c eo f r h c n p i c
n , . r t c r i r l i r i t sr , f c , ' m r n u n i . . r I i ( , n t o r t i r
r , o r i m p o . r t r n rb u r 1 c * t p i s t . m J ' g i . r l .rr**cr ro thc quLsrhn ,,irl,r sc r.rnr mrr.rpl,r'si.' .'
b a d l vi s r h r t $ . r i . l . i . r u i ( i \ . h r r l i J , r . r h r r h . r , c r . r p h r s i t . r l world\ie\ is rrhr.J ro \htr' J h.Ni..rll(lr I.. oJ sorld. liii. i s o n c i m p o n . r n rr c N n t ! . i ) u r l i J i d g thrr * .rrcno l,,ngrrir t o L r c hs i r h r h t r h r n e .o r r h c r o . l d .
-
SeyondMeaning:Positionsand Conceptsin Motion
I fronr Oneofnri r
tz agr(( s'nh Dcrida? Iror. riicr.rll, nor end,ng\hir hrs b.,,1 n,Lrsr look likc.r po\rroi i)t \,,11 broughtr<,r porcnrirlclosLrre tu1lvrcceptcdsrrftiring.a positionrhl rlso. noi br conr.id.r.( rhe brsicsrnrcrure ot l'.Nl d( tr{.rni -,,, of couac,rescmlnes n,urning orcr rhc inepr(,r\ o, rrurn.,n,.,,irinurllr rcircrarcd guagcto signi6,or ro refcrrc,rhe rh;ngsoi rhew,rld. I)c \l.Ln sas chinringrhrt hc hrd t'rcughrrhc illusionof$har h...,11,,1 ''scmioric rc.rding'o closurc bur br r, fiirhlirllrnroumingrl,L lossof rerircnccand of snblerrrcrnirrg, hc med( ir inpos\il,( crerto ltrrc rhtnrbchind. Now rvhr would it mcrn nd.'hrt roulct ir mkc-to pL:r rn cnd to the rgc ot the sign?\\'hat *ould ir mi.,n rnd sli.,r would it rrke ro end mt[phrsi$? Ir can cenairlr nor n,, r:, thar we *ould rb.rndonnrc.rning. sigoificar(,n, rnd inrerprcr.r tio,r.LinkingupNirhthc prertuus chrprer.Ithinkrhrtrhc l'. vond in mctaphvsics canonlv n,canJoing sonahing in rrlJ;' interprcrrrion sirhou!, of c,r15.. rb:rtlonirg inr.r rion ro prcrrrionis un clencnrrn .rndprobrbli irre.irrbJc lrrrellrcnL.,l practice. lt wouldm.rn ro tru rnd drvclopconccpts rh.rtcorL.r (' allor us,in rhe Hum.rniri-.ro.(1.r.. rlk'$o.ld in r $.ri rl,.,t n morecorrplcrrhar inrcrlrcrarion.rlne. rhrt is r:rorecompl.r thanonll rnril,utingnreaning ro rhr sorld (or. r(, us. rn olJ,r rop,'logr,rhar n nrort-corrplcrrhan $rrcring nrdring ri,'n, the qulil). Thc cftnrtthat intould trkc us to di\clop noniir,, prcnrircin rddirionro h.nlen.Lrri..oncet(*oulil rhcrelirc1.. an cfTrndireocdagrinsrrhc consequcnccs rn
s i n c c r h c c a d | n v c n t i e r hc . n ( l n , i t s c e n \ ard of hcncneotis i n o u r i n t c l l c e t u a lr v o r l d . r t l c a q r r f l n r Irerxll) iDfo5sit'lc u p w i r h c o r c e p t st h a t n r a 1 s' r t i s h t h c g o a Lo l g ' --.iir:r "rcrl,rr{ rl, ' r' r' I rlrcrprcr''rion p r a c f l c , n fi r r d - . ' . r h . . , ' 1 , ' , " u 1 , ,, , , \ . , , , i , , 1- \ . . , n . 1 ' , . . Dcrrid, l',' evenrvhcn rl,c nccd to do so has Itot bccn verv obvious Nhv s h e s o h e s i t r n t .r h c n . r b o u r c o m i n g u p r i t h $ m c n . \ r c o n c c p r t h a v o u l d , , l l o s u s t o c n d t h e , r g eo l t h e s i g n ?I t h i n k h e h r s rcFained iiom su.h rn rrrcn,pr b.crusc hc rnri.iprrcs (Pcrhaps corecrl') thrt tl,is rrruld ntake gcrring his hands diLtr" un zvoid.rble{,rlhough doimg so rs r humrnisr' is nor vcn iliny r. s r a n$ t h r . \ \ h r r I $ r n r ( o s . r ri n r h i n t h c r c o l l o q u i r lh s h i o n i s thar rhere is prot rblv no ns to cncl thc exclusivc doninrnce ol interprerari,n. o rbrn.lon hcrmcncutics rnd mctaphrsics in dr< h u m a n n i e ss i r h o u r u \ i n g . o n t p r s r h r t p o t c n r ; r l i n t e l l c a u r l opponcnts mr! polenicalh chrr.rcterizc,ts srrbsnnrialisr, thrr .ubsnncc itscli. prescnce, rnd perhap' is, conccps such r cven "re.rlirr" enci Bcing." I o usc such conccpa, ho'revcr, hrs long been ,r srn,pton oi dcspicrblr tl,l
intcllccmrl tastc in dtc
h u m a n i r i r s :i n r l r c d . r o b e l i c . c i n t h e p o s i b i l i r l o t r c f c r i n g t . the world orhcr thrn I'r' mc.rning hrs t'ccomc svnonvmoLrs'virh t h e u t r n o s r< l c g , e e oiphilotphicrl
nairttc
rnd, unril 'cn rc-
centlv. fns hun.rniss havr t'een cour.gcous cnough to .lcliber ately dras uch porcnri.rlll dcva'rrting rnd cnbrnassing ctiti c i s m u p o n r h e n , s c h c r .\ \ ' e . r l l k n o * o n l r u , s e l l t h a t s a i i n g w h a r e v c ri r r a k c sr o c o n t u t r l i e c h r r g c o f b c i n g s u L r s r a n t i r l i s r i s t h c h u n ) r n i r i . \ o n t r u r o p i k r rF . or mrnr'rc.rr no*, the 'man, i n g s ' r c c c * o f , l c c o n ' r r u c t i o n h . r s d e p c n d e i lo n o e r v d e c o n strucrois $ illingne\s r<' hun rhc charg. of n.riycra,or ar i.'sl ot o.tn* ."br.,n,i.'li*. r o a r g u c i n f . t v o r , , 1e n t t r "triocrcrrries ex.lusneh mc.u)inq-b.rsedrcl.rriorship ro rhr world ind evcn
t5 i r r h o s c$ h o , n i u c h n ! , r c m o d e \ r l ! . t f \ t u ,. r g L r ci n f a r o r o f { h c p o s s i b i l i no i i . l c n r i h i r r g a n d n , , r i n t a i n i n g . o m c\ b l e m c x n i n q D e s p i r cr l l n s r c r o l u r n , n r n c h i n , s , a n d i t s c o n i L l c n . er h . , t i t h a 5 r h e i n r c l l c c r u . rt l' o t e r r i , r lt o b r i r g r h c . , t c o f t h c s i g n r o c l o r u r c . d c c o n s r n r c r i ohnr t h u s r o r i r r g c c r r e n r r c l i . d o n n , h r e r r o r t o s l o r e u p r h c e r i s r i n go r d e ri n r h c h u m a n , t r c s . ) F r o n r r h e p o i n r o t r i c u o t r h c < . r c a d e n , irra l r o o s I. s c t n r h e n d ' a ' r f u l l i d i r n i n t h i s c h r l ' t c r .t i r I r r l i n i r r o r c r . h r n d t o t b ' n k . , l a ' c r i n c u l r u r , r lo b j c o . r n d i n o u r r c l , r r i o nr o r h c m t h . t t i s n o t r h e l . L v co r f n r c r n i n g .\ \ l , i l c I h . r t e n r , , e m p h l i z e r h c o b ' i o u s . n a n , . l r ' .r h a r r h i . q i l l b r n o n , c , r r sb c . r l i r i r h r u r c n r r s m o ! € . , ( mighr L,e gooJ ro point rc .r nurnbc oi in4r,nant .riliniti* r v i t h i n t h c c o n r e n p o r . r r ls c c n co f r h e h u m a n i r i c s i f I u r n t r r c o l l c a g u crsn . i r h c i r . r , r d c n o t o r e a dn r c .. r n d i t I s a n r ",mc t o a v o i i i t h e p , r r c n r l i m p r e s i o n r h a r r h c o n l v r l r i r i n g t o r c eb c h i n d n , r l r r g u n , e n rn r . , ! b e a ( f . n l l b c l . t r e d l r . o l e s c c n tr e . o l t lear
. r g a i n ' rt h e h i g h c s rr u r h o r i r i c so f t h c p r c f c s i o n . r ls o r l , 1 r h a r I i n h r b i r ( o r r n o c n n , o r c b e l a r e r l i n d t < 1 . ; n f r n t i l e - p l c . r s u r ci r g e n i n g m . h r n d s d i n i . F o r r l , c p u q u c o 1 - u n r l t r l i n i n gn l o * n p o s i r n ) no n r h c . o n r c n r p o r r n n , r p o t r h c h u r : u n i r i e s ,h o s c v e t . i r n i s h t b c e c o n r e n i c n ri d c . rr , ' s t a n n r l i * o l r r i l n i r i L ' so n r h c o p p o s i r cs i r l c , t h a r i s ,
"irh.r mrnr rcidirg' ,,ndquorions
p h i l o s o p h c rs i r h s h o n
I sh:tL
I ' u r s h o ' c r c c c n t* o r k . q u i r e h r
p e r b o ] i c a l l . r n . l c ' e n t r L ' e r a n n , r r i c a l l .' g o e si n r h c o p p o s i t ed t I r m r c f i r i n g r o ( i i , r n r i Y r t r i m o r n J . m o r c1 ' e c i 0 o l l v . r o h i . book ltryorrl luttpnrarioa.
\':rrrino bclongs ro rhose nr.rrrrnrl-
i s t ss i r h i n p r c s c n t ' d r r h e m c n . u t i . : a r e c , , n ' j n c c r lt h r r t h r "bhcol i c f ' I rh.,' inrcq)rct.rlio,, b e l i c l( r i r h i n , . o f c o u r c . m c ' n r h r r
;5 our onl' poril,le ".,' oi rcrcrins ro thc *oLld h.s long rhc ri.nccs .u,d hascrnsequcnrlidilL[(d rll s(;o]riti. reached rnd faaicirrchim', lhc sorld r ., confli(rof inrdpre(ari,,ns norhingmorc ls not rn imagt ot rhc \!{,dd rh.rrhasto be rle fendcdrgr:nsrIhe rerli.ruandprxirnisnrotsci.ncc.Ir is rr< ern heir.rrrlcomplcrion of ncnphvsics, rh.rrmrnsrhervorld sciencc, inro r phcc sl,crc rhcr. are n,' rlonscr)facrs.onlr inrtrprer.r*ho dons. Oi.rll hcrnencuticm.rrimrlisr.oiall humanisrs ro hc hunrrnkind\ crclusirtrrar of rclrring hold inrcrprention worLl. I choosc ro quorc Vaftim) hcr. bcc.,us.hi\ book thc o ternrs,that alsosho"s. in cj'ilized rnd let sullicicnrlragercssive oiinrllccrurl inrimidrrionag,rirsrrhoscNho nrishrbe gesrurc' ' renprcclro usc,rn' substrnti.rlisrconcprs havr irdc.d bccon. supponshcm.neuricnr.iin,rlism.1n asrratcgrrharporvcrtullr rhisspirit.\'.rrrimopr4nscsr r,.rrimrlh hernencuncrc.rctron "againsr thc gr.rin ro I lcicieggcis co').cfrionol r "hisrorrof Being lt'/r,?nr l,..)-a conqxion to rvhirh I shrll retun, laterin rhisch.rpter. rc.rdingit mrsclfrs ,rn cnc,,Lrrrgcn,cnr tir breakine rhe t.rboocqrl'1i5h.d br rhe hunlani(i!s.rgainsr rll porendJllr nonh(.rne.c'rric.rh.rris, substanti.rlisr,' Lanruagc. Nos \'.rrrimo .ind I \1n,ld p )rblv rgrd on nh.l Heidegger mernrbi histon oiLlrinq bu( onr r(iction\ r<,rhisc"ncepr areasJillercnr.rscan hc. \\'hilc I Frnr ro rurn $c substantialiw ofBeingaeainrrthe unircrrlirr claimoiendlc\\ inrerprcrarion. Vattin,o*anr Bcing(rhcdesir.ior Bcing?)ro oMppcrr unocr an endlcss r.ir.rrrionol inrerprcrrtioni:rhe rcrJinerhrr I lrootrhc h;ft,n oillcing is irs readinglasrlrr ston or r '|(',g Pose *crkcnins oi Being.In rhis casc, SoodbIc.oftrn intem,inable theortr,;omingol Bcingis undcnroodonh as r rccollc.rion of ' h en L lr . n U r , r ' 1 r . , r \ , , , . r ' ' , , " 1 : . rl , i n b t , , . . , . r .
t6
BeyondIlcrning
c.rlls hisu,\ripre\cncc, anlinlbs(anrirlisr p. Vrainro.in adclirion, "lcftisr $hrr I ncar she. I rc.rding,nHeidcggci'sho$r sirionr *nhin thc hu am srvingthrt hcrmcncuticrn.l inteq,rctation. gorurcs prorecred of intellecturl il discourse. arc bv manisrs
;on-\rirhour rycn ..iricizing tl,c highlv sophisricatedand highlr'selr:reflcrivcrn ofintcrprcftrion rh,rrrbc hunrinirieshalc longesnblished Thn rlso n {hr' I feelsucha srrongat}iniwvirh thepoinr ol' depannrt oflern-l.uc \rncr's book Tht Bidt ro Paeua, whereI cren find r (iir nrc rt lcrsr) ven. rimiliar fuclingof liuw 6ation*ith the kind oi positionin conrcmporanphiloophy rJrat\irtimo reprcsenrs,A l o n g e r' c ( l . r u h , n , - b r r r , I e e . . , r rr b . " l , , r .r n F . , .J : " ; n ! . u
rimidrrion.For sho in the humrniric'eouldrfiord to bc ai in rddirion ofbeing subsranrirlisr".,rd. cused,simuLnncously. of ror-bcing olrthe-Lcli ? ro su^nc such . UmbenoF.comighr be rhc rnc collcague Hc hrs indcrd n,rdc rhc urrime]. daringdoublcprovocrrion. clairn of reruming ro r Iirm ot rcrrual interpr.rarion'har, i! oi urians, miehrpoduc. steadof beingrn cndlcss producrion definitivcresultsor might at lerst rield criterir rh.tt allos one r. I he limio disringrrishbcween bcrreror rorc inrapretaux. ' of inrcrpretarnnr. salsLcos hcn rn irg ro crp[in the titlc oi., collectionof his essavs,coincirlcsirh the rightsor e rerr (whicl doesnot mcan*ith thc rishrsol theautltor). " flut "hjl. Eco nrusthopc ro grounclsuchrrrdirionrl inrerprctrriont/n i:.: ro rhc rc\, ir somekind ofsoricfrcferencc,ir leasrin r rcr-crcncc .rsan objecrsithout rmbiguitics.and '.hile hc is thus rlread, leavingrhe continesrh.rrphenomcnolowand thc hun,annic. had$bscqucrrlvscrfor thernsches rhc hcmcneuticficlJ "irhin .rnd/asrhe ch.sical sut)ica/obj..r prndigm, rhcrc is rcrrcn t,, douL'rrbrt, rJicr rll rhc crisesin rhe hix,rv of nlcntierh-ccnnr, \X'cvcn philorphr, sucha s;Jlful rerum ro eptrcmologic.rln:prrr iverl ..n ukimarclvbc 'i.rblc.|or ir is thc subjccr/objrct digm that rodrr cxcludcsanr ersr '.orld'tefitcncc and ir is th,. ven p.rradign drar F-c. le.rvesunrouch.d (or inadrcncntlr tt srorcs)*'Loi hc comn,irsto rhc rlghts ol rhc toit." I his p(' cisell is *]rr I bel'ercrhrr xc n,ould rn to reestrblishour corpar,r mct wirh the thingsol thc rvorltloutsidethe subjecr/object dicnr (tr in a rrodillcd \ersior ol ir) anrl br avoidinginrcrprct.t
minv dis.ourscs.so n,anl rerts rh.rr haveno ou,er caretn.rn to mai<ea littlc morc sense,to redoor to perficr delic,rrervorksof significarion. TLc pr.srnce for shich Nrncr is longine,rs an ahernarncto atl duc diso,rses dur prcducejusr ".r linle nrore sense, is ccrraiDhnor rhc self-rttlexivepresenccthrt Dcrrida in Huserl s philosophrNano. onrhcconrra^,is hrd crnicized alludingto a conccptionofpresenccrhar is dif0cult-if nor impos'ible-ro r.concile wirh nodcn Nr.srcrn episrcDrologv, bc, causeir bringsbrck rhe din,cnsionofphl:icrl closcress and lin, gibiliq: I he deliehrofpresenceis rhe mvsricalfonnula prr cx cellence, and rch prcscncethrt cscapcsrhe dimension of meaninghrs ro bc in rensionui the principleol reprcscntation:'P'cscnc.e docsnor.ome Nirln,ur eftr.ing rhc prcsence thar repraenrrrionirould likc ro rtesignrrc(its tirndanrcnr,irs origin, is subjccr). Ar rhc sanrt'time.u,ong rhc authorsro *hom I want ro rcterln ordcr to nHrk contemporrn amnirics'virh n) own poinr ofdeprrrure.N.rnc is rlso rhc tlrsnvho pointsro rhc cenainn(rn alnrosr "pracricalccn.rinn,brscdprinurilyon erperience. rarherrhrl a ccrr.rinwbrscdon concepnurldeducrr<,n) thar,under rod.r s conditionsar lc-,rsr. and ditTerenrin this scnsc from th. .nn..pti.,n oi rcrl prscncc" in nredic".rlthcotogy, P r e s c n . c . . , n nho, .(" m , I . . , 1o l . , p . r n , r , , n r. : r r r . , r i " n r .. . , r
Beson(lNIeaniDq
rhrr. r ro sptrL,(c Nouldb. rblc ro h,,ld neverbe sonrcrhins I his nLrsrbc rhc rcevr, $lr\ N.ur.! (and.\irh him. quir( a r u l b c o l ; ' l , 1 , - " p h e . t n r . r . ' r e d r " p l . e n o n 't,pr '-'c . . n . . , sociatethis corccpnvirh what I crll conditionsoi poralin. Prcscnce, for Nrns. ar lc.rsrprcscncc undcrconrorpo n condirrx. is L'inh. thc conringrlur c*rcc! i(scll.r.d bringsiaclf brck. No otherthinktr, probablv.hasdcrclrpid rhc vcn morii of "errrcmcrcrnponlin $irh richercoDccfru.l rcrIs rhan Krrl Heinz Bohrer.Unlikc Nancr. ho\rcr.., Ilolrrrr hrrctlv ever6cuseson drc conccprol p.csen.cirsclr.For him. . . r J Jn n < , . r h . . p h . n r . r . ',.l ' . . * r . r .py.,',,,, "f,.rrrrn rnd dcpanures.is rhe ccnrrrl fiamre ofaesthcti. .\perienc(. .,n,1 he relirs ro irrs ec*hcricncgrrivirr: thc nrglririn oi rhi awrrcncs ol v.ulishing|resence. l hur $hich bcconcsrpprl ent. undersucLcondiriors.in ilc,hrcisconceprof resrhcric crperiencc. is obriounl srbsrance. not ncaning.But ir sctn,stc, bc, exclusivc\',the subsr,rrceof rhc signiOeL.It<|.:ring, rirr crarnple.ro Krll
of K:nr uJ ot eyenP|r((.rrtF rh,t ol l)escanes.
trt. compo\c, of whonr we hayr .\fli.;t
rt.o'(t
prtdicrtc'
the
p n s r n c eo i r r . r l n c * . o i r s o h { r d t r t r i , n t ' h . I h . o l o g i ( . 1r . . r h " f rhis rord is obvr[sj sithiD l.,nguJg.rr.l k,rm. Ir nrtposesr tr\g s ! g c ,b e ' o n dr h ( l i c n e o r r h r p u r e l .p r . r , r m i r i ct r, . n r n r e a n i n n '(iod i. n,r b--r,'' ,',' I h e t o n i r c r u r e i s r h r r m.rninsiirlni* gramnur is ounrorn: bur th.,r Srannrl li'rs rntl gcncrtcs rvor,{s b e c r u r et h e r ei ' r h c s a g c r o n G o d . s u . h i . o n j c c n , r ( n . v , w h . , oar ir his bein or i. f ut I;^..,rd. b. \ hdll\ cirone)u' L e r u s l e i r e . s c t h e q u c s r n , no f s h t r l , c r s p e a k i n ga b o u t r h r r doirc l,'. pr 'n..r.u. el rrl ".1 '.l' "r .. ' 1'rri.ipri.,rr lit once hc brs laid open his osr, in rhis theologic.rl srgc.. . r c i r c r r e n d so l l l l t h e p h c c o f r b s r r n ' r h e o l o g i c ai lm p l i c . r t i o nS tial prcscnceu ith rhc materi.rl tirtures of dillercnr rvpcsofworks
f t , o k ' di n . u b { a n . . . L n( h € h u . t . r n Thc rns rre no.r "onrluliLlh b o d r .i n * o n t . i o p i g m c r r ,i n t b c n l : n s i n g o f g u r o r t h e r v t i g h rr n * i n d o n r e e d .. \ l l . i o o dr r r , u r dl i r ; r : r u r . b e g i n i n i l $ . r . e . l n r r t h s < J on o r s r 1 ' r h c r e\ \ ' h i c h n o s l . ' e n p h i n l r . L h a t i r r t h c e n r c 4 r i s cu r l p r n i l e g eo f r h t a e s h c r i io q u i c k e oi n t o p r e s c r r c c D!trfr t h t c o n r l n u u n t, ' e n e e n r c n p o r r l i n r o L l ( t c m i f l . l ) c t \ r € e n a n J r p L r i rb. c . \ r . n m a r l
r h co r h e r
I n a d i f l c r e n rc o n t c r r .S t e i n r rr " r i t c sr b o u t r h e c o m i n g i n i o b c i n g 'lhe o f " c n c r e i z e dr r r d s i s n i h i n g l i x m f i o n , fom,rl' "ithin. d r e * o r k o f r n i s c n e r g i z c L l( r h i s i s h o s I u n d e r t . r n d S t e i n c r ) beeus< irs prcscncc has btcn
exrem,rlizcd. acm,Llizcd" in .,
nove'ncnr prob.,trlv iriggcreil bv rhe spccitic snu.rion.rl conttrt rn Bhich rhe $ork of ar c.rnunrold iI\ posers 1l shrll renrm to some quc*ions rcgrrding rhi. spccirie conrext in thc folloving chapr.r). Bur rr rle srne time. thc fi'rrn of thc work of rrt c . n l i n u c s r o b c i g n i h i n * t i ' n n . p r o d u c i n ga r t , r s i o ns i t h i i r m as being -encrsi,ed. A t h i r c l . r s p c crth r r I f i r r d i m p o n a n r r n d c n r i c h i n gi n t h c t * r k
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B e \ or d l \ l e r n l n q
rhe endpointofa millenar,vphilosophicaltrajccrorvin Ihich the subject/objectparadigm that is, thc conccprualconfigurarion of rhe ongoing dlvergerccbenveenhuman cxistenceand the as purell world, basedon t[c contresrbet*'eenhuman exisrencc spiritual and the rvorld as a purely r:rarerialsphere-had led \flesterncuhureto an extrcne srateofalienationfrom the ivorld. More than Hu$erl (who, rvith good reason.liked to call hn 'Canesian"),Descancsrvas the expl;cit object of philosophy
formarionour currentconceptualsr'le rvouldhaveto mdergo if we serioudr rried ro developa dlscoure rhat sas more su,rrble inrelleaual)fas for rhe inrellecrual(and perhapsnor exclusivelr, rvirh presence. Ar anv event, it is much les the idea (or cinadon
ll ?r Presenlsthe Heideggcrscrnique: rhn ;s slhy Being a CartesiangrouDdinsof hLrmancxistenceon rhoughr (and o, benveenhunran dnsociarions thoughralone)and thc subsequent
dre utop;a) of a tull appropriarionof Heideggels conceptof "Being" for sucha projectrhat hasnotivated my concentrarion here rhan thc hopc rhat a confronrarionrvith thn conccptof "Being" might broadenour minds (to use an embarnsinglv
and subslance and spacernd benrcn human existence exisrence as rhe original snr ofmodem philosophr'.'Seenfrom rhis per movein Heideggeisbook i, as spcctive,rhe decisiveconcepmaL I have alrcadynentioned, the chancterlzationof hunan exn renceas "being in thervorld," that i, es an exislencethar is af wavsalreadvin a substantialand rhercforein a sparialcontacr
erpresion) and thus help us to think beiond the "pedagogical" rradirion. linirs of the metaphvsical In s.har follo'vs.rhen, I shall try to establishfour different perspecd'esthat at leastbegin ro give an accountof the complexiw and of rhe rhoughrprovokingccccnuicitvof rhis notion ("eccenuiciry"wirhin the meraphvsic.rlrradition that has so
wirh thc thingsofthe rvorld.' "Being-in rhe rvorld" is a pcrfecdl suitableconccptfor a wpe the Ptsencc of reflectionand analysisth.rr rries to recuPerare of thc xorld. {)i to the things in our relationship componcns
thoroughll permeatedour thought)." Mv firsr thesis is thar "Being," s'ithir thc architectureof Heideggers philosophy. tales overrhe placeoftrurh (or, rnoreprecnely:the placcofrhe conrenrof trurh). rvhichhad beenoccupied,sincerhe tirnesof Plaroard of erll Platonism,by the "ideas' (or by otherformsof
the follorvingpages,horve'er.I rould like to unfold rhe corn' kel conccpt,a conceptthat sas plexiq ofanother Heideggerean hardlv developedyer in Bcing and 7;ua bur that I rhink is This is rhe concept closclyrelatedto the aryecrofsLrbsr.rnr;aligv. of "Being" and I have nvo rcasonsfor emphasizingir. Fnsrli. "Being" is rhe norion in Heideggers philosophythar hasposed the mosr problcnr for all rhe dilTerentanemptsat inregraringhis thought into moreconvcnrionalqxems. Bcing hasalsobccndre one conceprrhat can neveravoid falling under rhe anathemaol "intcllccrualpoor raste" in conrcmpora4mainsrrearnrhinking
L-
laboveall. in "constructivisni).Secondlv,I hope that the ellirr to unfold severaldirnensionsof Heideggeisconccptof "Being" witl produce a clearerararenessof hoiv profound a trans,
conceprualconfigurarions),and rhat Being is zar somcthing conceptual.Heidegger is indeed concernedwith redefining trufi bLrrBeingdoesnor sirnplvsubstitutctruth. Rather,Heideggerralksabout rrurh assomerhingthar happenslein Gcstb* ,az)." 1n principle,this happeningn a doublcmovemenrc'fun concealinsand hidins-*hosc strucnueI shalltn ro describein more derailas we go along in this rcflccrionon rhe conccptof Being. Beins is thalihich is both unconcealed ard hnlden ir the happelng oftruth. Due to this positionin rhe happeningof
6.)
68 t r u d r , H e i d e g g c rl c a v c sr o d o u b r . B c i n g . a s i t i s b c i n e u n c o n ccaled. for erample, ln r rvork of an, is nor sonethins spirirurl c o n c c p r u r l .B c i n g i s n o t a n r c a n i n g .B c i n g b c l o n g r o Ls o r n e t l r i n g ro rhe dimension ofthinss.'lhis
is rrhv Hcideggc. can sir aboul
r h e h r p p c n i n g o f n u r L i n r v o r k so l a n , . { n s u k s u n n c r s . r l l , display .r dringll character, albeit in a whollv distinct sar.' Saving tllat ir is drc tunction ofr work ofan ro shos somcrhing dtat hrs the charrcter ofr thing, the Cerman orisinal tcrt sia(! this poirt in a nuch lcs ambiguous fashion. IfBcnre has rhc c h a r a c t eo r l a r h i r e . r h i s m e a n sd r a t i r h a s s u b s r r n c ea n d d r a r . rhereforc Gnd unliLe anyrhing purelv spiriruJ), ir occupic! space.This cxplains lvhv Hcidcggcr srircs in his I !1altudia, tu IfetaThyti* ol "enrering a hndscape"-and the referenceis neraphorical
I don t rhink rhar
ivhen hc tries ro describervhat ir
means ro hayc rccupcrrrcd, in his philosophr. rhc lons lorl q r . r i " no l B e " g : T l , . o B o . , q L , , u n , n g . landscrpe;to bc in this landscapels the tundaneniaL p.ercqnsLti for restoLing the rootcdncs ro hisrorical Dascin. ' Having r s u b s t a n c ca n r l r h u s o c c u p l i n g s p a c ea l s o i m p l i e s r h e p o s s i b i l i r r 'Being ol Bring unfolding a noremcnt: asplawi is the merging
to seeins But phrr' as ard onlr inrilu as, n stards opposire To be mrc' i' i5 iusth:r emc.gins$ral is alro Jrerrh .tp€ling' 'Lcnotesthe sell apperring has h\o tr\...Ings. Firn, alPcrring of btingin.t irseltrtostand rnd rhus rtrnLling in ..."'f'a^* ncrns: rs somedrils rhat is larhe,c
\ ' \ ' € , o , ' Jr l , e . , to bc nuhidhensional
,l,,be,n..mu
nr.n in.p.,r.n','
Gridimcnsional, to bc prcc;sc) and rhrr.
i n i r c f u l l c o m p l e x i t r , r h i s m u h i d i n r e n s i o n anl for rvhar lleidegger calls the "happening of rruth.
The folio"
irg passrgcfron Heideegeis Imoductiod to t\letapl,trir refersrc thc first tlo (out of thrcc) rlnectn,ns in the niovemenr of Being. w h i c h , c x t r a p o l a r i n gf r o r n H e i d e g g e r ' so " n s o r d s , I $ o u l d l i k . to label "vertical" ("swav') and hoLizontal (' i
.rnhdrarrl
(of emogemc rnd irs rcsultr being rherc) :nd rhe hor'zontrL movcmenr of ider' las presenting itselt, appcarancc) But shv rvould the irappenine of truth consisr of a doubLe vc.rors go in opposire direcrions? Anv attempr ar sohing rhis problern mrkcs it nccessaq loL us to vcn ture a lirnher ,rssumprionabout irh.rt Being might bc-bevond ia baring .i substance, an .inicLrlation in space and a rriplc
movemenr rhos
.or."'.,,,.
rl' n.A'..
a b o u t t h c c o n c e p to f " B e i n g "ssumption
iI
is. thcn. drat it is mernr to refir ro rh. rhingsol rhe srxlcl inLltot (or prhr ro) rh(ir inrerprerarion rnd rheirstmcrurpcndcnrlv or culruralllspcciric ing $rough rny nerork of hrsroricrllv In orhcrrords. Bcing.I rhink.rcfcrsto thc thilss,ri concepts. the world beforcthcl L'ccomep!ft oa r .ullure (or. usi,rg rl,.
I
rhctoricalfieureofd,e p.rrarlor,rhc conceprrcferoro rhe rhnr!, ofth,: world ltlbrc rheybecomcpan ot r rorlcl). lirve crcluilc rhe idearhrr BeinsDiel,r iusrbe rhar hasno srruc(ur. "hich thc doublenorcmenrof unconcerlment rnd sirhdnsal could rhen& cxphinedin rhc tbllosing s rr, tseins\ ill onlr be B.in.!: outsiderhcncmorlrsofrenrnr;csrnd otherculturildisrincrion\. lor u5ro expericnce Bei,re,Losder. ilrould. on rhconc han(1. havcto crossthc thrcsholdbcnvecna sphcreGrhichse crn.Lr lcastimaeine)frecfrom rhc eridsof anr q,ccilic cuhurcard. {,n tlrc otherhand,rhewell-srnrcnrred sphcres of
th]( arcicnt(lrcccclul .rn $rN.on\inctd.ior e\.rmPle. degger incompafi'blvbctrercharce of I'cins prcsentin rhe uncorrce.rl nenr of lleing$rn. sar.inhrbit.rnlol rhe carlrNrnticdr cenfl'ry.Seenfrom rhn.rnglc.lrom thc angleo1r wirhdnsrl rlrrr "bcnign'-or at can nevcrbc cnrircl'o'crc"n,c.Bring is ror t asrnelcrrs benignrs rharthich is giYcnro hunrnkird in tl,e ' Chrisriancon.eprol rc!.hli,,n lr'1r'rhird rhcs( n rbour the role of 1).aar (lJcitlcggos s'ord ho . rdertoun f o r " h u m r n e \ i s t e n) ci ,crt h c h r p p e n i n g o t r m It n in mind rhar rrjcnr is it is impofl.rnr r<, kcep denrandrhisrspcct. nor svnorvrin^Lssirh rl,c ,randrnl dctinitions of subjtct o "subjecrilin, r'hich is ro s.rv,ir is rliRcrcntfton rhe conceptol \ubjecrivini rh,rrbclonssro the epixcmologicalconrcrt ofrhe rodJ, that is, p,rradigm. Da,ra, is bcing-in'rhe subjecr/object humanexisrtncthrt is.rh,ls rlreailvin bo$ sprtirl.tndtunc -l rional-.:onncr s irh thc sorld. hr *urld s ith rvhichD*rtr is in touch is re.rilrn, hrnd, ir is rn .rhrars.rlreadvinrcrpetcd Flcidcgworld.Prcsupposing thc sirurrionoi being-in-the-"orld, gercharucrcrircs D,r'ais posiblc c"nrribution to the unconccrr mentofllrirrg rs con,po'ur (6,1arral,rir).thc cp,rcirr oflenine ofllerlringsb.. l hc impulse,,rinirirrivcfbr theunconccrlment ing (ilsuchsordscrn bc aclcqu,Lte,tt.rll) thereibre Iiom fir sid. ol-Beins.not fion, rhc s e ol llarrb. Intcrcstinglv, dren,a rirnhcrdcrcminarionot con\nxuf. is i* statusoibeing ''oulside rhc dirtinctionbcnvtn .'crnirvrrd pessivir)."Inrsmuch as ,,n,t, for tleidegger,hrs to be in-the-world{ard ct'n not be irr-fil)r)r olrr|. world,like r subjecr),ir is alvr pl,rusiblc thathedcscf;bes.onrposurc to rb.rndonany r.Lnasrhc c,rprcir-1 scendinsinxgi,rrrn,n.rnd projecrion. CIcrrll, D,rla, ts not suPposed ro oc.up! a position rhrt crn bc rsoci.rtcclivith ntanipularine, drewortu. rran\tbminc,or intcrprering
g c r o n dI l e r n i n g
l:inailv, I rvanrto discussHcideggos tendcrcr' manifestin his *ork r<'prcstrr m.uv diirircntbooksan,l rcrtsrhroughour rhc s,orkol rn rs ,r pririlcgcdsitc for rhc hrppcningof trurh, rrnd thesirhdr.rrrrl)oiBeing' ln rhrt is,for the unconcealmcnt of insceurinth rr Ihar.dcspite.rrtacks I mLrstsrress rhisconrcx(. corncorcr m. as I lircrrn criti. \cnruringinro IL( sonrcrimcs ilrarvanv iubil'urtor tL; licld ofphilixophr',I do nor,oi course. umphanrliclingslion rhc prlilcgcdcpistcnol"gic'lsrrtu5rlr'r( Htideggcrgnest. the rvorkol rn' lor trom thc rrendrmon5 conlenporur! \\'rstcr. philosophcnof rce'alu.rtingthe impor ranccoficsrheti.stron,i simihf pcrsP((rl!c,\li mrtn intercr ol thest'rk of rn is sinplv brscdon tlr' an;rlrsis in Hcideggels thrr he gnc', in rhisconrcrr.to rhcconccproilleing Hoe pl,rce is r prsrgc frorn fhe Origin ot rhc \\itrl of,{rr' rhat bringstir someoi thc asptctsthrt I ha\c trccnPuta point oi convergcnce rhusfar rhc hrppcningol truth rs makingus 'cc ring rogerhcr iliRercnrrionrthe onlinan r.rr. ror cr:mplt rhingsin r "av ard this Jifferent wal bcingrsociartd n'ith rothing rhrl i'' aLrsenr: rvitha dimrnsionshert rll cukunl disrincrions.rrc lulf ,!4n1th l)rrs ruth- Ih'r trr tlrtt i:rlu lrtottt4a l Jocsindtrdiil'r nothingl meinith' nr'f' .rrncourofrorhinS: n o i o t r l i ; r { h i ( h s , . n d i i N t f t r c t h i r l o f t h l " h i c h i s a sa n o l ' s h i t h L h e r e r t i ecro n r e st o l t 5 l r t re.t pr({ni in rheo irrn "l d d i se h r l l e n g cbt lr r h ce r i $ t . ( . o f d r . s o r k r i o n h f r r s u m P n r (L \ r u u c l ) c i n g .L u r h i s r t r e r g r r h c r e dl r m o b l c r i \ l h a t r r e P r e \ ( t l r n d o ' ( l i n a n .I t i t h e . ,r h . o | t n i n s u P o i t h c O P . n . . n d r h €' l e r rI n E o f . r h r r l s .h a p p c nor n I r s r h . , ' l ' c D n c $i s P r c ] . . r d . N o r ' . r ' l , c r c n i g h t H c i d c g g e r ss p e c i t l cr * o c i . r t i o n b c n v e e nr h c r o r k o i r n a n d r l l c u n c o n c c r l m e n ro l t s e i n gc o n r c f r o n i I h c l c . r s l v c c r n s a v i s r h a r . i n i t s b r s i c o u t l i n e , r h t b a c k - a n dt i r r h r r r o v e m c nrtb r r h c s e c s; n t h c u n c o n c c . i l m e nori B c i n g i s a s t n r ; -
7l
rurc rhxt, on dillerent le'els rn,l in dirlirenr contern, he rlso frequenrhpoint. to rhcn hc rhcn.rrizcsrhe *rxk oftrr. Therc is cenainlvno re.rtn to bclie'e thrr Henlcgg.. wrnrcd t<,dcscribe ol lJc rhe'vork oi arr.,, rh. onlv sir. $hcrcr|e unconcerln,cnt On rhc odrtr hand,his rcxr suge.srritr ne ing was possiblc. slr thc *ork ot rrr as .r rncdiunshcrc rhc hrppeninqof rruth I s.wmorcofa prcbrbilirl-?) wasnorc oi.r to$'bilin (ot sh,,ulct Bur " l he Oriein oi rhe \\irrk oi.\n :lso prorid.sturrhcr ansrvcnti, *hat rhe turd "Beins"miehrpossiblvmc,rn(as,4> ol tleing can posedo thc qu.srion ol ho$ rhe unconcealnrcnr happen).ln 6c ntiddlc ,n the tcxL Hcideggerdweils.ior sev.,al prges.on his rrcollecrionof rn rncicnr Greck renrpl.. and i( is nvo iirnhcrconccpts,rvorld rnd"eanh,' thererh.uhc derelops llcing.Of.oub., the rtl.rtion,hip in hn.ttcmp' ro thar:rctcrize tbe tenrpleas r sork ofrrt.rnd uncorccalccl Beingis berween ol rcprtsenrarior, A building. not one i Crcck ren,plc.po.rrils nothing. A complex,Lnsrerro the quesrionofho* rhe prcs enceol rhc renrplc can.ontributcto n,rkingd,c uncorcealmcnr of Being happcn rs oticred in rhe .onrrasriogdescriprionsof ''world" rnd crnh : l he is rhc self-disclosing openncs "orl,l of the brord prths of rhc simplc aml csenri.rl de.isnns in rhc destinlof.r hkuical pcople.l heeanhis rhc sponrancous fonhcoming of dr.rr shich is conrinuallr sclf:secluding.rnd to rhat ertenrshclrc.inqrnd.orccalins. ' \\'hrr cracrlvis rhc diffcrencc benveenthc rolcsth.rr canh .rnd *orld trrcsuprDseoro f,.l m the h.rpfenirrofrrurh?Regrfdingrhc asplctof trrh." rhe elemenrsrhar sc hare .rccumulrtcd rhus frr ri,r the unclenrrndingofrhc conctprof'Bcing, on thc oneharLl,and llcideggrls cvocationofrlr. rcmpl.. ox rhc othcr.con.ergcin rhc itrprcssion thar rhe rheerp,csenccoi rhc rcrrplc rriggen rhc unconcerlrncnt
of a number of drings-ir
lheir dringness-drar sufound rht
t h o s ep r t h s a n d r e l a r i o n isn w h i c h b i ( h a n d d . i t h , d i s r n { : . d ble*ing. rictorr dd disgrrce.enrlufurcc rnd dcchrc .1.!utre rhe s h : p eo f d e s n r . l i t h u r n r nb e i n g .
Sunriirg there,thc buildnrgrcstson c rockr ground This 'e{ing of drat rocl': of the *'ork dfu'vs up our of rhe rock rhe nrcr clunsr rti spontan.ou\\upporr.St$ding therc rhe buildirg hold; ts gtourd aganrstthe sorn r.ging ibole it a''l so i:in makesrhe 5torn itself mrnife$ in is riolenct. I he lun.r lnd than oi rh' iorc, rhoughilsclfaftartnrlr gld.nrg onh b\ the era'c oi Ih' sun vet firr brings to light rhc light of thc d:r. drc breadthof rhe skr ' d r cd r r k n e so f t h e n i g h t . T l c c e n t r a li d e r i n t h c s . s c n r e n c c rsb o u r " e a n h i s d e c e p t n c l r easy.Onlv lhe presenceof cenrin thines (in rhis crsc. the prev e n c eo f t h c t e D P l e )o P c n \ L r pt h e P o s s i b i l i no f o t h c r r h i n g s a p pcafirg in their primordial narcrial qualirie,-and rhis cRicr miglt be considcrcd as onc irav (and as a parrl of un'onccrli'S
is nieant to have a yrtial a(iculation, and n is
describcdas an inteerativc dimension. .rsa dimcnsion rhai brings things rogcrhcr. Brscd on thrs prcnke. I scc t*o solulions ro th. 'earrh," and Bcing .orrLl be relared p r o b l e mo i h o " * o r l d . One possibilirr is ro in and undersnnd Heidcggers Lefcrcnces ro concepG like dcstinr" or to rh€ Grcek "god" rs relcrcncesio jnregnrive dinensions thrr are less cLrlrurallr and historically speciilc rhin sc might hare imagined at fi.sr glancc lt is thLrs 'desrinics" or of ditrercnt nor inposible ro rhink, of diflerenr "gods, thrr rhel L'elong ro ihe side of Being (it is indeed quite conrenrional. ar lerst from a rhcological poinr ofvien. ro drink of'gods" as sirhdraivn from altr hisroriallv specitlc clervdav worlds). lfivc F.rrdrertn to imigine
thcir Ileing. It is ntuch more complicrt€d ro figurc our ir rvhich 'rr rhc concepr "ivorld can help us grasp rhe conccpr oi Bcing t'or ii unconcealcd Beirg has the character ol a thing ($us our fl'sl ,h.L..ul .
Clearl". \rorld
' v r n d . r . r ' - . n ro i r
'errrri"n
dc netlvork. ftis seems to be inconparible wirh $odd L'eing soDcthing es cuhuralh specific (it appcar) as the simple end essenrialdecisioDsin thc dcstir' of a listorical pcoPle Nnh s'hich rvords Heidcgger rries to illLrstrrte the crample of a sorll givcn b1 :r God's preserce in thc (lrcek rcmple .\nd he connn
B r m e a n so i r h e t e m p l c ,r h e g o d ! s p r t s c n ri n I t e m p l e t h ' p r . s e . c eo f r h c g o d n i ! i r s e l f t h cc r t e n s i o nr n d d e l n n i r a r n ronf r h e ptccircr as a holr precnrct The t.mPle od tr5 Prdcincr'hosctet' do nor li.le inlo rh€ indcnnite k is rhe ter4rlelorl tllar firr tits rogcrhcranrl ar rhe samc rime ga rcc rdrrd i*elf rlt unitr ot
desrinies and "gods as
overa.ching. as integrarive nodrlities ivithin Bcing, rarher than 'things' r v i t h i n t s e i n g ,t h c n s u c h m o d a l i t i c sc o u l d indnidual that irould nor depcnd on historicallv spe"al cific culrurcs. This rould mcan, fbr erample, and alwals on thc side ofBcing. rhrt carrh. and sea,rnd s\ are dlfferent cach rime, shapc rhings in a
in rhc presenceofor bclonging to dillcrcnr go
ings as pan oi Bcing. th.rt is, indcpendently of the
shap.s imposed upon rhem bv historicellv specific cultures, does not mcrn that these rhings ha.c either no forms at al! or neces sarili unchrneing ("erernai ) tbrms \\re should thcn not assumc thar, for cvnplc. tleine unconcealedro a,r ancient Grcek peasant or phllosopher rvould ha'e becn rhe sane rs Bcing that couLd b e L r n c o n c c a l ctdo u s , n r o r n d a h a l f m i l l c n n i a h r c r ' E a n h "
could relir ro Being as substanceand rvond ro rhe changing (3rl conligurarions and srnrcrurcs of shich Being as substancc becomc r pan. Bur dese changesof 'torld .oLrld have nothins to do ivith thc dimension to nlich ire normallr rcler .rs hkror icrl" or "cuhural' change. The orhcr solution rcgarlirg tlle st.rrus of ..orld n sonrcq h a t c e s i c rr o g r a s p , a n d i r l e a d st o t h e e r c l u s i o no i s o r l d fLom rhe diniension of Bcing lt interyrcs I lcideggct to mc;n rh.rr Being ahravs and onlv unconccalsitseli in rhe firm and ir rhc substant (rs well as againsr or throush $e forn and th. substance)of rhings that are prrr of specir)ccuhures ( beingr 'ivodds' 3 s c o n f i s u r a r i o n so l s u c h t h i n g s ) F o r . u n l i k c t h c and Plrtonic ideas.tseing is nor supposcd ro bc sonerhing generuloL s o m e t h n r gn e t a h i s r u i c a l " b e l o l " o r " b e L i n d " a s o r l d o f u i i c e s . P e r h a p si r i s a s s i m p i e a s r h i s p r o p c , s alli r a d e f l n i r i o q : Being s ransible things, seen independcndi of rhcir cultutrllr qtcilic situarions which rs neirher an easl f.rt o rchicve nor,r ' o ne "'p o h . o r l rr r s r " r p r " . I r ' r e e stnrgglc in rhe rclationstlp betl'cen vor1d" {corfigurarrons or things in drc contexr of specificcuhural sirurrionsi) and canh (hings seer independentlo r f t h e i r s p e c i l i cc u h u r a ls i r u a r i o n s l "t-arth" or Being (-t.,, und llorld or "beingr' l1a-' Srhaat ' a c c o r d i n gr o t h i s r e a d i n g .b c l o n g i n s c p : r r b l t ' t o g e r h . f b u l r d order "ro selfasot their nrrures, rhel ha.e ro dreree uiihur t h i s t o g e r h c m e s s :T h c o p p o s i t i o no l . x x l d : n r l e r n h i s a s r r i n g . B u r . v e ' t o u l d r r e L l r l l t o o e a s i l lf a l s i f r i r s n a r u r e t t \ i $ ' r t ro conlound striving nith discoLd and dnputc' and thus s'c 'r onLyas disorder and desrrucrtun ln csential *rning, r.rrhcr' rl:e opponents raisc each othcr irto rhc self:a**tion ot rhcir nr O n e t h r r g s e e n t t o b e c e r u i n . i n d e p e n d c n d ro i o u r i n t c t -
"world " \nXenever a specinc cuhunl prenrions of (h. concept ( ifthe god flccs fron rhc temple"), rhen the ,r"".ion '."i'hes no longer be rhe sraning dings belongin-qro thar siruarion can 'r'orld" thev lack poinr for.rn unconccalmenr ofBcing, becausc rhen viralitv: 3s rhc integrarnc dimension, rvhich secms to give "The temple. in ns sranding rherc, firt gives ro things rhcir look ard ro men drcir oudook on rhcmselvcs This vierv .enalns oPen as long as thc "ork is a ivork, as lone as the god has not fled from ir' However provisional my ancmpt at unfolding rhc complexi ries ofHeidcggcis concepr of Bcing" mav rcmain, there cantrot be any doubt rhat this concept is vcrl close to the concept of "presencc (i'hich I hare rried to idenril,r, at the bcginning of tnis chaprer. rs rhe point of convcLgencebet-..n diflercnt contemporan retlcctions thar rr to go bcvond .r mctrphvsical cpir remologl ancl an cxcluiueh meaning-basedrelationshiP to thc world). Borh conceprs, Being and presence, implv substance; borh are relarcdto spacerborh can bc associatedwirh movcment Heidegger rrav not ha"e claborated the dimension of "extrcme temporalin" rs nuch as somc conremporary thinker try to dor but *,har I hare tent.rrneh crlled "rhc morcments ot Being irt Heideggers conception mrke n imposibie to think of Being as something irabie. The most imPortitnr point or convcrgencc, howerer, is rhc rension benveen mcaning (i e , rhat 'vhich makes things cultunllv specific), on rhe one hand and presenceor Be' ing, on thc orher. It k truc rhat on\' ir the second of the nvo readingsof 'eanh" and rorld" rhat I ha'e proposcd do thesc wo concep6 conespond epproximatelv ro the idea of a rension b.nu"en p.esen." and n,eaning. But rhe rcason *'hy I rake some encouragemenl for mv orvn project from conccprssLrchrs "eanh. \rorld, or "Being" is independcnr of dillrerent intcr
fl
78
Bevondllelrltrs
prerarionsofthesc concepts.Dccisnc tirr nc is rhc gcncrrlcrf. riencetharthcvall-rhroughouttLeirdiffercntinrcrpret.rrnns ofler a dcgrtc of rcsisranceto a snooth intcsr.rllor inrc r.l meraphvsiclrvorldrierv.Heidcgeeisconcpts. it scems.arc.rl
dcscriprioD of Drcdie\.,1 and (earh) len tiom .r cotrrtusrnc I shouldpcrhaps savtharrhcr arc nreantto hc, modern.ulru,c, all. illLrtratnns of \haI iI (ukc\ (o im.,sin. r culturc fun"6ove thcil 66enrallv dillercnrlion, ours. Scenliom Ihis perspectivc. hntoricrll! sp
waysalrcadyon drc sideof a depanureinro . diller.Dlepis,. mological andonrolo$cal dimcns;or.
4 Onc ol n,r reasonsfor thc dccisionro rn ,rnd erplorc l leicl.r: gers conceprof"Bcing crn,c riom tht imprcsion that inras r,, Iongercnoughfbr us ro snr< continu,rllrhos rircd sc rre in rl,c thrr canonli gi\( humanities ofa repeno;r.of anrlniceonccpts us acccssro the dimensiorrof n,canirg. ln orhrr $o s. on.l again,ir is rime (, brerk cenrindiscursncraboor(rimc to gcr one s hrnds dirq'), time ro dertlop conceprsrhal .rn tr( leasrl)( instcrdof just hring to sin ro sraspphenomenrof prcsence. (.tndto experimenr rvirhrhcm).As I hlr blpas thisdimension :rlreadlsaidsercrrl rimts in this book, the onc v'rtegr rhrt crr helpus makcprogresshcreis d,c recoumero pre-o physical cuhures .rnddiscoursc. o{ rhc pasr.I hiscrrcdr crpl.rin' He;deggcisliscinrtion with thc rcxrsof rhc pre-Socr.rrics.I ,,r ;r rhetlcldof.u,cicntGreckcuhurc,I n,.shcerlackofexpcnise rnd theconrnsrbcr\r.cnmedtrsclfhavcuscdmcdicralcuhure', and early rnodrrn culture,.r a sinilar v,urcc of inryirari.rrt. "al and I shallnow rerurnro rharrtt.lerial. \flhrt I w,rnt to proposc.thcn, brscd mrinlv on rhis spcciri' historicalcontrasr.are.r rrurnbcrofconccpt' {rhcr rre hrrdl. n Iined conccptsso 1,rr)rh:rt mighr hr\, us ovcrcon:cthe cxclusirc ror rhatnrighr.'t rvithinrhe hunr.rniries starusof intcrprerrtion leasthelp us imaginean inrellcctualsiturtion shere inrcrprtt,i tion uould no longer bc exclusne).As rhescconccpn arc rli
produceand prcsertthcst tent.rtivecoo.eprswilhin two rvpolo gia. 1-hefint of theseoro rlpologicsproposcsa clntinctionbtrweensbar I call mcrnin.e tuLtutc and "prcscncccuJrurc' oi cou*e.beingcloscto nrodcrtculturc (wirhmcaningculrLrre, culturc closc to mctlieul cuftur<).' Ai i krorv fror, andpresenct frustrrringcxpericnce rhat rhc impli.rtioos longand sometimcs of such npologiei .Lreoiicn
8o rieriesof whar onc mighr describcas "cvcnrsof seltruncorcealasI saidbcfbre.for suchcvenrs pent ofrhe*orld. l he impulse. of self-unco"-"I-" " r ".vcr comesfiom the subjecr.Rcvclarion if vou believein rhtm. iusr hrppen, and and unconcealmcnr,
Aboveail, onc shc,uldnot forga nandy nrernins-cultu.e-brsed. rhar rhis brief lmd doublc) npologl is meant ro suggesrd,e m e r .p o * i b i l ' n . r r o r . r . 1 . ' i ' , t , h o n r n , - r i , r . p o r " i r "l conccptsfor cultural:rnal1'sis. ilrt, rhedoninrnt hunan sclf-referencc in a meanineculrrr. u ,r.i ro11 is, rhen. rhe mind (,re mighr al5osa\'consciousn.ss
oflc€rhcv havehdppcned,thcv can neverbe undonc in thcn effiom rcvelationrnd uncon Fcrs.The "knorvledgerhar emerges rnd exclusivclvoccuf, howeler,1n cealmenrdocsnot nccessarilv culture,think ofas wharwc, in a prcdominandymeaning'based 'val for knowledgeto occur that is. knowlthe onll onrologicrl
rarr), r'hereasIhe dominanrsell-reference in a presencc cuhurci\ rhe bodv.Srrazl it is an inplicationof rhe mind brirg their dominrnrself-reicrcnce rhar humansconccneof rhemschcs ar c . . c n r r ri n r e L r i " nr n , h . $ " , | J , s L i . \ i . . c c - - . r n , c ' n i : culrure,:rs exclusively consisring of marcrirlobjecis).lhrs \ic\ makesir obriousrhatn is'subjccrnin]or "rhesubjecr" rharo.
cdgeis nor erclusnell concepturl.Thinking along the lines o1 Heideggcis conccprof Being should h.rve encouragcdus to inagine thar "krorvlcdge"revcaledor unconcealedcan be subrhat presrntsirselfrous (e"en$irh i$ inhcr stancethar appc:rrs.
cupics thc place of thc doninrnt hunun 5cltrfefirin.c i. l meaningcuhurcwhereasin presence culrurcs,hunans considir their bodiesro be parr of a cosn,ologr(or pan of a dn inc crer
ent meaning),wirhour requiring inrerprerationas its transformationinto meaning. Thesefirsr rhr,:cconrastsbcmcenaspcctsofmeaning culture andaspecrs ofpresenceculrurc maken phus;ble,/artl, thar explicidyor implicirly-drey operatervith dillerent corcepdons
rion). I-hcre.thel don'r seethenxchesastcccntricin rtl:tion rc the world bur as bcing paruof rhe *odd (rh* areindeedin rhe world in a sparialrnd phvsicl *ay). in a prcsence cuhure.rhc things of the world, on top of tl,cir narcrirl bcing. havc an ln herentmeaning(not jusra meaningconr.!(d ro rhen rhrough interprctation). and humrnsconsidcr theirbodiesro bc.n int gral p.rn ofthcn exisrcnc (horc. in latc n,cdieralsocicn. rht
ofwhara signmusrbe. Of coursc.a signin a mcaningculturc ncedsro haveprcciselvrhe metaphlsiol srructurethar lcrdinand de SaLrsurecontcndsis the universalcondition of tht sign: it rs drecouplingof a purcly mater;alsignilicrwith a purelyspnitual signified(or "mcining ). Now. it is important to add rh.rt, in a rncaninscuftu.e. the 'purelv marerial signifierceases to be rn objeq ofaftennon assoon as irs 'underlying"meaninghasheen identified.A (for us) much lessf.rmiliarfixrn ofthe sign thar the typolog;calconrrrsrber*een mcaningculrureand presence cul
uirh rhc rhemeofrhe L,odill rcsurrection of rhe dead obsession Th;nI, knowledge,in r meaningculrurc,crn onlr be lcgitim,:t: knowlcdgeif ir has been producedbi a srbjecr iD rr acr ,'t *orld-inrerprerarion(and undtr rhe spcc;liccondldonsof sh.n I have, in the previouschaprer.called rhc hermcneurictield 'purch thar is, by pencrratingrhe narerial surfaceoi thc rotlr ;n ordcrto lind spiritualrrurhbcnearh or bchindir). For r preencecuhure,legir;matc kroslcdge;s npic.rllrre'caltdkro"l edge.It is krorvledgereveaiedbv (lhe) god(s)or b) ditlcrenl \r'
ture can help us ro tunher im:rgineand ro graspis closeto thc tuistoreliansign-deiinitionthrt I haverlrcady explan,cd,wherc asignis a couplingbenveenr subsranr (somcthingrh:rrrequircs sPace) and a form (somerhingthat makesit posible ibr rhe sub'
t
lll 8l
thc De:lrdis sranceto be Perccived).This sisDconccPM'ids materiallor rinction bcoveenrhe PurclvsPirituslurd the Purel{ Consctbc tvo sidesof what ir brc,uqhttogcther in drc sign thar *ill rani'h qucnrlv,thcreir no sidc in dris sign'concenl oncca mcaningis securcdwirhour rn'ingro ( cul r'rllv')o!(soulJ extendthe rangeof Ihc Aristotcli:rnsign conceptherc { touristguidsvho tlrt likc to mcntion mv memor.rof.r Japanese b' one, lirr the JilTerenrrock in 'L sive me eraclneaninss.onc famous stone gardcn-rnd rhcn 'venr on t' add: but rhcsc sronesare alsobceurinrlbecauscrho Lcepor coming closert'r our bodi<srvnhout evcr prcssingus Such r rvorl
/uced knor"ledgc.Rarher,ir rclieson rccipes(ofien s.crcrre.ipes 6r reverledrecipcs)rvhosecontcnthrs beenrcvealedto be a pan of rhe never-chrngingmovcmentsin .r cosmologyoi rvhichhLr' mansconsiderilr.mscllcsro L't pan. Ifrhe bodv is rhe domhrnr in r prescnce culrure,thcn, ril, space,rhar is, lhat self-refcrcnce di'nen\ion rhrr consriruresitseLfrround bodies, nust bc rhe primorlial dinrcnsionin rvhich rhe rcladonshipberu'eendiffer ent humrns an,l the relationshipbenvcenhum:rrsand dre thirgs of rhe sorld rrc being negorirlcd. fime, in conrrrsr,is rh. Pritheresecms mordialdinension for anv mc.rningculrure.because and to be rn unrroidablc rsocirtion benreen consciousness 'srrcrm of con (rhink of Huserl'sconccprof th. remporali$ -{borc trll, ho*crcr. tim< is thc primordiatdimcns.iousness'). ro n or. r ; o no i . r n r - , . , i n g . u i t u r
Y 84
BeronJ \1.rnins
B u t t h e l i n e sa l o n g * ' h i c h l a o " l e d g e ; s d i s t r ; t ' u t e dw i l l o n l Y c ( , ; r c i d e u i t h r h c l i n c s o l p o ' v c r r c l a t i o n s. t sl o n g a s r h . s r . t b ; L n,r' i
benvcen ficrion-nor of rhe conrrasr and rhc fhrtulnesvllc(iolr seriousncx,,ietcnday inr.ricri.ns. If. in .r rrrc.rnrng currLrre, findsrn irkrnrl conrrast rheseriousn$oi e\endai inrcrrtrions .ud iicrru, prcscnce cuhurcs nc.J ro nNp.nd rll(n in plar' during nr.rrp[
thc lines ofkno'vlcdgc distribution is ulrimartlr corered. cvcn Ln a m e a n i n gc u l t u r c , b v r h e p o ( c n r i d la n d t h c r h r c r t o f p h v s i r . r l ln a n,eaning culrurc. a.gl,r/,.rhc concepr or rh. elcnr is it s c p r r a b J vl i n k e d t < , t h e v a l L r co i i r n o v r r i o n . n d . N r $ c o n \ ! q u c n c . , i o r h c e H i . r o a \ u r p r i s c .l n a p r c s e n r cc u h u r c , h o \ . \ . r . t h e c q u n a l e n ro f a n i n n o a r i . n i s t h c n c c c s r r i l v i l l e g n i r n a r . dcprnurc froni rhc regularrticsol . cosnlologv and its inhcr(tr c o d e so f h u n r n c o n d u c r .T h i \ i ' $ h ! i n a q i o i n g r p r e s t n c e . r : l t u r c i m p l i e sr h e c h ; r l l e n g co 1 t h i n k i n g r c o n c c p to t c l c , l l r c s s ( l c r a c h e dl i o m i n n o v : r t j o r r n d s u r p t i s c .S u c h r c o n c c p ts o u l d r c r n i n d u s t h e r e r e n t h o s e r c g u l a r c h a n g c sr n d r r n + o r m a t i , , n . c a n p r e d i c ra n d c x p e c ti m p l r a n , o m c n t o t c l i s c o n t i n u i r r ' "e \(te how rh,rt, shi'nh rlicr cighr o clock in the cvcning, thc or rhat
c h e s r r aw i L l b c g i n t o p h v r n o r e n u r e r h l s c h l c h c r r d n r , r . ' rimes.And rcr rhc disconrinuin thar ma,ks rh< moment ir s'hich the ll*t sounds .rrc prcduceil will
hn
us-producing
.ur
r h a t i m p l i c sn c i t h e t $ r P n s . n o r n r n o \ r o , ) n
e t l e c ro f o r n t n e s 'fhe r r i n g su s . r n r r l , . r o p l l f i l n e s s , , n J e r r n p l r o f a s t a g e ' c . e nb fiction rs concepts rhroueh rvhich ncrning culturcs ch.rra.rfrLi. i n r e r a c t i o n sr v h o s cp . r r r i c i p r n t sh r e r l i m i r c d . r ' r g u c . o r n o all of tht mori'rrions rhrt guide rl:eir bcharior. T h i s a b s c n c co f ( r n l r r r e n * s o J ) m o r i v a r n , n st h r t g u i d e t h c i r in sirurrions oi ptu or liction' b c h a v i o ri s t h e r c a s o n "hr, rules eithtr precristirg rults or rules tltar rtc being m:tde up .t,; rh, I'r'.. | ,h. p. . f,',. , r' v a r i o r s .\ ' i t h a c r i o n s ,c l e t l n - l a s h u n , r n b . h r \ i o r s r r u ( t u r . d b \ rhcpl:. unl Jo'
||t.,".r
c o n s c i o u sm o t i v r t i o n s ,h a r i n g n o p l a c ci n p r c s e n c c u h u r c s ,r h c r crnnot produce rn eqLrivalcrt of thc conccpts of pll tulnc* ot
Mik}:il Baknrin m.roDrmi.rlh c.rll ornnrl. Finally, rc ill ven bina6 pol,gr sith sonc lisrorieal in.ginlrion. \'c dis discussions,rre couldsl. rg,rin.rharprrlirn,enr,rrv a ritualthar 6rs for m*ning eulrurcs.r'hercr rhe liuch.rristis e protoo?ical r i r u , l " r c r . . c' . . 1 .r r r . l r r l r r r rr,, r n J - - . . , , , ) t , . i , , . : ple,arc a cornperirionl)cnvccndilLrenr individu.rlnrotivarn)ns, rlnr rs,ben'cenditlirrnr visions,rfarororc iirrurerhrr canor'enr indi.idurl rnil collcctivcbchrviorin .rn inn,cdirtefurure. Ahhough p.rrlianrenr,t^. dis.u*nrrs, doivn ,o u,c p.cscnrdav! hlv€ counrcdon rheph\ii.rl prc'.nccofrhcir prniciparts,the]' stagelhcr:ts.lves.rs bcineerclusivch'decidcd Lrrrhe inrcllccrual qualiwofd,c conrpering vbionsrnd rrgunrcnrs.I'hc l,uch.rrisr, in conrrasr.r a rirual of nu.eic bec.ruseir makcscod's body prcsenr rs rhc ccnrrJprrr ofr p r siru,rrion (!s I s.rid Ph)sicalh in the proious chrprcr,ir *.r onlr carl; nroclernl)rorcst.rnr theologl rhlr rurnedrhe lluch.,ris( inro .r rr nnnmenruarion). "f Bur*,hrtc.rnbe thepoinrofa rirurl rh,rtpl uccsrhc rcelpres enceof(;od iirhis R.,lprscnce ofclorl alrcrdr is r gcne|.ttized frarnecondirionof hurrrn lit!? -l he onlr possiblcansrvcris rhar the celebrarbno1 $c [ucl,rrisr. dav aher dav, rvill not onLy rnainrain bur inr.n5i6rhe.rlrcrd\crisringfc,rlprcsencc o1-(iod. Theconccpr oiintcnsilicarior m.rkes us unLlersnn.l thrr it is nor unusual, for prescnce cLrlrurcs, ro qurnti6.*hrr *,oul.lnot bc availabletor qLrantilicrrtion in a meaningcuhurc: prc.encccul
Y
86
llt\ondt{erninq
I
ri. g€\'ond
ing
87
or' nues do quantitu fcel;ngs,for example,ot rhc imPressions ofapprovrl rnd rcsistmcc. or rhc degrecs closencsand absence, of uch npologiesthar ft belongsro tbc inhcrenrpossibiliries rhev allorvfor almosrcndlcsscontinuationrnd rellnemcnt.ard
appropriation,however,about which we don t likc (o r.ilk trnd jpt we const.rndystruggleto projtct towardand, aboverl1, beyond the rnarginsoiour orvn meaningculture The most ob"; ogs reasonfor this nor onlv inrellcctualanripath,vis, of course,
bccauscthc ren contrasrsnoted appearro bt r rrndom enouel) number, I concluderhc binrn wpology ol prcsencccuhurcs and "mcaningcuhures"hcrc. I would like to Iirish this cbapter. ro dedicatcdto variousaltcnrprsat inagining.r relationship texrs,to culruralobjccts,lnd to the rvorld at largcrhai rs nor an
rh€ rension benveenour cuhurc rs prcdominantlv me.rningcenrcred,on rhc one hand, aod. on the other hand, earingthe world asrhe mosrdirecrlviv oibccoming one wirh rhe thingsof Bur perhapsthereis yet anthe world in drcir tangiblepresencc. od,er mechanisminrcnening in this rcacdon,a mechanisnfor
exchrsivclv interpreratnerelation.rvirh ver anothcrnpoloS. ln srcadof tning to complcrih conceptionsoi difftrent n?e' oi culturc.rhissecondwpologvti'cuseson di&irtnt c'pesol humar world-rppropriation(with thc conceptof rvorld ircluding orh-
*trich sc shallfind equivaleotsin rhe threeother wpcsofwodd appropri.rrion.For in each rvpe of *orld-appropriarionthose rhe fear who arethe:rgenaofappropriaringthe wodd experience ofbecoming thc objectsof the samcqvpeof appropriarior.Eat-
Insteadofbcingbinan. our secondrlpologldistin cr humans). guishcsbet*'eenfour diffcrcntnpes ofworlrl'rpproPriition. Th. order in."hich I shallpresentthesefour dillircnt nles ofsorld appropriationcrn be cxplainedrs movine tiom I modcof'vodd
ing rhe world, thcn, will alwaysrriggcr the fear, for humansas bodilv prns of rhe world, thar thcy m;ght thenselvesbe eaten And rhis is preciselv'vh,vmost humrn societiesmakc rhe cating ofhuman fleshtaboo,'vherhera seneraltabooor a trboo asa'Dst
appropriationthanvould corlespondro an iderl $Pe or Presen.. culrurcro*ard the opposircpolaritv,rhar is, thrt of pure meaning culture.Whar rvill nor changebenveenmv t,rsi and mr scc ond rypologris their argumcnlativctuncdon.As I did in mr dc
eatiogthe rlcshofone s own kin. Paetlati g things and bodics-that is. body contrct and sexuality,aggres;on, desrruction,"and murder-
of'presencccuhurc and meanine velopmcnr ofthe concepts culture, l shall nou disringuishfour diicrcnr rvpcsof *ond' and !r appropriation.againin thc uhim.Ie hop. oi sL,ggtsting spiring imagesand conccptsthrt might helPus gnsP noninlcr ' in our rclationshipro the rvorld. pferrtile componenrs Izrlz.q the things of rhc world. including thc practicesol an .r' thropophagvand throphag, chering \{adarnc Bo'an. Friedrich Nieasche oncc imagined, or e.rring the bodi rnd drinkingrhebloodofChrist.rll belongro onc obriousrnd crLt' cial mode of rvorld'appn,pri:rrion a crucitrl 'node of world
daire and for reflection.'lhb,I think, is the contextthrt explains rvhy scxualiw alloss for such r srrong connotrtion of death,of ovenvhelminganorhcrbody or of being overvhelmed by it. As.r longing lor deafi. rhis connotationmay coDrehom the desircro m.rkea rransiron union erernal.But rs I fcar of death,ir seemsto be triggered,oncc.rgain,bv a fcrr of revcrsal' Fearofviolenr penerrationmav producethe nighrmarcoi being nped. Thcre.rrc muhipie cuhurrl rrrafs to copc with this fear'
88
B c r o n Jl l e r n r n s
r
ot \(\ and hienrchizrlion a srrictdisrribution In sorneculmres, ual rolestrics to scvcrthc righr ro Penemrc from dre rhrert "i -or' to Ltsc 6eingpenerraredA seeminglrmuch more cn ilized discoure' a much norc a conceptfr
L I l I
almost gcnerallvlccePred;n our o*n cukure, of spiritualizing seruali$ up ro a Point Nhercir rurnsinro mutuai self'erpression andconnrunicarion. -rhere is a modc of *orld'appropriationin 'vhich on the onc of the sorld or of rhe orher is srill Ph\si'llh h.rnd,the presencc felr atthough.on the other hand' thereis no perceprionof a real objectthar *ould.rccounr for this tieling This is $hat ve ciLl n/tirlr'r. lr is inlcresring,vithin rhis t1polog1,that our culture all rirms of mvsticismas forms of spiritual liti caregorizes which teavesrs a problem rhe double experienctrhat sm(esoi mystic.l mpore arc ofren induced b' highl\' ritualized bodr pracrices.rndat*,ryscome$th rhe perceprionofa phvsicalim' pacr.Ofcourse, rhc desireofshich mvsricismallowstull aware' of lhe nes is srill a desircoi lasting posesion-a possession rh;ngsofrhe world, ofthc bclovcdone' ofa god. But mvsticism' and that meansar roo, mav rurn into the ferr of beingposscssed we can relatemysticismrv;th rn ar leasrrudimenrarilrdeveloped subjectposirionrmong irs pracrnionem,rhrr ir k relatedrvith connolovcronescllltnthisspeLos;ng rhefcaroipermanendv cific fearthat hasoblisedmov ofdrc famousmvsricsto dedicare long and complicatedreflecrionsro the qucstionof rvhich pre' migbt gu.rranlec(he Possibilirrot rcventionsrnd mechanisms turn;ng from a state of mlstiol posesion Ntore intercsting' perhaps,and cen.rinlymuch more radical,is rhe oppostrestrrr egyofdeliberatelvopeningonaelfro a violent acr ofbeing P'rs' ,..r.a Sy g.a ln this case,which is rhe caseofrhe so-calle'l "
B e v o n d\ l c r n i n g
pan lo Nrro t rxhtrs ol rhe godr/srinrs) in nosr Alrc Bnzilian cults.ir scemsro Lrerhe desireto bc posessed.turncd into r lirll, fledgedintcnrion rnd srrrreg of being posessed,thar deflects fie fearofbcing oveniheln,cd. and rc) nI ;.ntia, as exclusilelr Oi co\ttse, "tterprc'ttion correspondro thc meanspiriturl sars of rvorld-.rppropri.uion pole in rhis opologr. Everv cltbn ro think rnd ro ing-culturc shorcth,rt this is nor the onlr rur of refening to and appropri' aringthe thingsofthe rvorld is a porentialxep bcvondthe exclusivin ofrhe merningdimension.But it .rt rhis poinr. rheresere in this context,th€ stanstill a needto erokeor evento describe, dard impliorions of inrerprerarionand comnunication, this book rvouldbavebeenpoinrles. So se c.rnimrnediarelyrurn to 'total rhe specificfear producedbr *harre might wanr ro call communicarion.This is, ofcoune. rhc fcar ofbcing accesible, in ones innermosrrhoughrsand feelings,ofbeing accessible and open likc a book to rhe interpretatirecunning of parenrsand teachers, ofspouscsand inrelligenceagenrs.There is a rirurl ro dcflectrhis fearshich, in its basicsrmcrurcs,corrcsponds eracdv to the dclibera(e openness of $e pdi rla nnto to $e acrofpossession bv.t god. lrs cquilalent in a communicationcLrlureis psychoanalvsis and psrchorher:pr'.Coutd ir nor bc rh.rr.more lhan the raulr ofbeing read,rvharrerlll marrcrsin psvchoanalysis is overcomingrhe iiar ofbeing read br dclibcrarelvopeningonesclfandb\' evenp:rling handsomcxmounrsor tr!,ocy r! oncr o rnaLehappen$har one mosr fears.The complemcnraFr srrrreg] is rie an offeigning. rhc :rn olhiding onc'sin.c,'nos! rnousns and feelingsbehind rhe nraskof an 'exprcssion rhar docs nor cxpfessaDlrhing. Thn. rs I alrc.rd|mcntioncd,is the rn rhat convinccdMa.hilvclli rh!r rhe CarholicKing lefrrandodc Ara86ntras dre firsr incarnarionofrhe modernpolnician.Tht mosr
t6 for eirn,plc.or rl). impr.l\i,,n\.' turesdd quanririr-eelings, o, dcg'ccs ol .rt,proulird resist.,rcc alr.cnce. rl,c and elosene* ofsuch '\PologL(. rh.r ft brlongso rhc inhcrcntposlbilirics continuariorr and rtrlnerrtnr.arJ thcr.rl|rr fnr rlmosrcnrllcss the rcn tonulr' norcdrppcrr ro bc r r.rndomo,ou!: becausc .uLIUr.\ rbc binarr trpologrd prrscnce numbcr,I co,rclude rnd mcrningcuhurcshrre.I w,uldlikcto tinsh rhiscl,.rprr to !uriousrft.mp15rt irnrgrning., .clarlonshif!, ilcdicarcrl at litgc rharis nor rr rnd tu rhc rexa.to culrunlobjecrs. "orld rtt rirh anothcrnpo|,gr. Il rclarior. cxclLrsivclv inrcryrctarivc of Jillirent rrpcs,,: sreadol tning ro coDrtleri6ronccprions on .lihlrerr t\ p.s oi hui::l cuhurc,rhisscrondng,log iicLrscs oi rvorld incl'r,li,,S oIh world-rppropri,rrion hvirhthe concepr rrpologr Lli'iir er humrnn. ln.tcadofLcin-ebinrn. oLrrsecond guishcs bctntn fourdiflerenrrvpcsof".rld-;ppn4rirrion Th. rhcselnur differcnrnpesol ro,lJ orderin.'hich I shrllprcsenr rpproprirtionc.r'rb..xphioerirs noring &om.rnrode.i \olli rr:,.rn idcrl r\?c ot fr(!en.. rppr4rirrion rhar*ould .orrcspond rh.rtis, rh.rtor'purcnic.:,r cuhLrcrosardthc opporirepol.rrrn-. ing culmre.Wh,rr*'ill not chrngebcnv.cnmv li,st rnd tr)' (. ond n1'ologri' thcir:rgl rncntrne iirncrion.\' I did ir mr J. culturc .rnd n,c.rtirtg oithc conccp*oi prcsencc "clopnrcnr culrure, l dlll nov distingrishiour ,tirltrenrnPcs ol -oil,l 1 l | 'r ,. 'r'i " -Pl'"1,r" nn 'crin rl, ul , rl'r,. l',1 .;:,rnu.rag.. ro thc s0rld prelrri\econiponents in our rclrrionship lzrnig the rhingsoi rhc norlLl.incluilingthr tradi.cs oi .r1rr' thropophag.rnd thcophrgr'.chsing \ladrnrc Borr^ l r i r d r i , l r\ , r r . . . h , r . c ; - : r . c d ' r . " r - l . ' . 1 drinkinethc bloodof(ihrisr.rllbclongto onr ,,1'rious.rnJcnr cial nrodeoi rrorldrppropri.irion-r rtr,cirl n,od. oi $or1'l-
8; a p p r o p , i r r i o n .h o i ! . v c , . . r b o u r N h i c h $ c d o n r l i k e r o r . r l t
r eener.rloboo or a laboo agairrr "herhcr eatingthe flcsh ofone s own kin. P'rttrari,g
rhings .Lnd bodits-rhrrt
is, bodr confucr rnd
s e x u a l i r ya , ggrc$ion,dcstrucrion. .rnd murJcr
anorhcr bodr ,,r oi bcing ovcFrhelrncd by ir. As a lorgins lor cleath, this connoration mav con,c fion, t h e d e s i r er o m a k e r r r r n s i t o n u n i o n e r e r n r l . U u r a s . r l i a r o l ' death. ir sccn' to be rriggcrcd, oncc rgrin, bv r tiar oi rcren.rl. F e a ro f v i o l e n r p c n e t r r r i o nn u v p r o d u c er h e n i g h t m a r co f 6 e i n g t a P e d .l h . r .
rrc nukiple culturrl ar.ivs ro copcrith rhs tlar.
8li
YI
In somccuhures.a srricrdntribution and hierrrchi,.rtionor \.1 url rolcsrrics ro scverthe rieht to penernte from the threat of A s.emingli much more civilized-o., ro usr bcingpenerrxred. a much morc discourse. i.oncepr fron a long-fadedinrellecnr;rl alicnaring-sratca oIdef)ecringthis for is. ofcourse.the habit. almosrgenerallvrcceptedin our o*'n culture, of spnitualizins sexualiwup to a poinr rvhcren turns into muru:l self-e\pression andcommuniqtion. Thereis r modeof world-app,opfiationin which. on the onc hrnd, rhe presence of rhe rvorldor of rhe orher is srill phrsicrlli felr afthough,on rhe orherhand.thereis no perceptionofa rcal obiectrhar would accountfbr this f.eling. Th's is whar sc call rzirrrrrz. lt is inreresring,rvirhin this q'polog, thar our culrure categorizes :ll fbrns of mlsricism as forms of spiritual litirhar staresof *hich Ieavesas a problem the double experience mysricalraprure are olien induced by highlv rnualzed bodr pracrices and alwa.vs comewith the perceptionofa phvsicalim' prcr. Ofcourse. rhe desneofrhich mrsticismrllotts tull asarencs n still a dcsireof lasting possesion a possession of' rhe rhingsofrhe *orld, ofrbc belovedone,ofr god. Bur mr-sricism. roo, may rurn into rhe fearofbcing possesedand lhar means.aJ wc on relaremvsricism*ith rn ar lcasrmdimcntarilvdaeloped subjectposition among ns prrctnionerc,rhar rr is relatedsith rhe ferr ofpermanenrlvloring controloveroncsell.lt is this specific fearthat hasobligedmostofrhc lamousntsticrsto dedicltre long and complicaredreflectionsro the quesrionof *'hich preventionsrnd mcchrnismsmight gurranreerhc posibilio of rcIllorc inrcresring rurning from a starc of mvsticalpossession. perhaps,and cenainlvnuch more radical.is rhe opposirestr.rF egyofdeliberrrelyopeningoneselfto a violenr acr of being poi sessed bv a god. In this case,*hich is rhe caseof the so-cailed
! B
89
pai do :ano ( ttiers ol dre eods/srinn ) ir mosrAfro,Brazitian €ulrs,ir secmsro be the dcsirero be possesed.turncd into a 1ir , fledgedinrcnrion rnd srrareg]ol being possessed, rh.rt deflecn drefearofbeins ovcnvhelmed. Of couse, ittetprctdrion and nnwntcatian as cxclusivelv ion cofrespororo rnc mcanspirirualrais of s odd-.rppropriar iflg-cultur. pole in rhis npologr'. Eren etron ro rhink and ro sho* thar this is not rhe onlv *av of relirring ro .rnd appropriating the rhingsoirhe *orld is a potenri.rlsrepbevondrhe exclusivin ofrhe meaningdimension.BLrrlt, rt rhis poinr, rhere*ere srill a needto erokeor eren ro describe,in thrsconrexr,tne standard impliotions of interpremtionand comrnunication,this book sould ha\e beenpoinrles. So we can immediarellturn to rie specificferr producedbv s.hat m mighr sant to call ,.total communi.arion."This is. ofcou6e. lhc fcd ol]bcing accessible, in ones innennosrrhoughtsand feelings.ofbeing accessibte and open like u book ro rhe inrerprerari'ecunning of parenrsand teachers, ofspousesand inrelligenccagcna. There is a riual to deflecrrhis ri!r which, in its basicsrructtLres, conesponos exacrv to the deliberare openness ol thepdi da wn rc thc acrofpossession br a !:od. Its equnalenrin a communicrtionculrureis psrchoanalvsis and psvchotherapr'. CoLrldir not be rhat, more rhrn Lheresuhofbcing read,xhar rerlll.m.rtrcn in psrrho.rnalysis is overcominerhe iearofbeing read-br rlelibcrrretvopenjneone selfandby evcnpavinghandsomermounts ol rnonevin orderro male happcn*har one rnosrfiars. The conplemcrrarysrrrrcgy is the an offeigning, rhe arr ofhiding one\ ;rrcrlno! rnougnb and feelingsL,chindrhe nuk of rn 'e\prcslion" thar does not cxptessarvrhiog. 'fhis, as I alreadvncnrioncd, is thc rrr rhar convinc.di\lachjarclli rhrr rhe C,rrholicKing Femandode Ara, t6n ras rhe firv inc.rrnarionoithe modcrnpolirician. fhe rnosr
o i h i J n g h . h i n d u r r ; r k i ' r o b t . r b s o l u r e l ;' i i . r , r A n d s i l e n c tc o n n r r s r i r h r h c m u t c n c * o f I h i n g s P r . s c n l s r r l rhc nutercss thrr prcduis rhcir pre'.nic lh.rc i' no inrrr peric.r {r!
g c n i c o f n c r n i n g . , , n t h r , , t h c r h . , n d .r h . r td o s n o r r l l o i a t c t h e
tification/Deixis: Epiphanl-/Prcsen Fururesfbr the Hunranitiesand Arts
l . c c h o r m r c h g r o L r o d* c h . r r c Let us no" trk. c o l r r . d s o I . , f b t r , , r cr e e o n c c n r r ; r co , , t h e r n t L u e .l r o r j u s t r s n o r : 1 1 , " ' t dn , h r c n r r c r h . r n . rl o o l i n n , r h c p o n r i s e dh n d . s c e r e r o t r b l i r c r ( t i r r s h e c rh e k o l . L p P n r t i r L r t c . o ! c e p ( ] r o . n r . r r n i n r c l l c , : r u r *l , . L l o f p o \ r m d r p h ! ' i . . r l e t i \ I e i\to\. \r!
r h.rt m o l o ! : r r r r d r h i \ . r p h i n : o h r i t m r r r c n r o k r o $ r t L c a sw aactlr rc hli
L.ti bthrnd ousche,. Ircrrid.t*rs nght: oLtr
c o n r i r g m i r . i f h i : i r s i c c n . r i n l v u n u p h i l l s t n r g e l c .l e x s o l ) e € u J . i r i s h . , r d r , , r , , r s . r . r ' p c c ; t i . p r s r . l , o r v e r t r .t h . L nb c c . , u s ci r r e q u i r c sb o r h i n , i g i r r r n , r , r n d s r . r m i n ,rro c o n ( t u e rd r p o t e n t i a l conc.p6 ol r nonncr:phr:icrl trrrurt. \r anr c.enr. ,',srci of i n d u l g i n qs r r h D t r r i d a i n r h e s ( n t p s f . k l o {o i . , s i m . L r i o nt h . r r "e d o r o r u r n r t o b r i r g n r . r n o J . r k | , , u s h r \ . r r ) \ u r cr s , ) u t l i n c d . l r o u l < l L i k c r , : ,, r c l o p rr h c d c p . , r r d o r i h i n g , r L t i r u J co f rho\. \ho '.rdi in rurur(\
rhrt i!. ir
conrrodiris or sr,tl's
b o L r g hot r r o l d u p , , n : g r c e n c n t , , f d c l i ' c n i l andicr rs ,, rn i!r(.nl.nr oi,l.l"cn
h . r Jr l r c . v b c t n s i c n c J .
t h i s c h . , p r c r .r h c n . s r b o u r l , o * i b l c ( b u r n o ( v . r d e f i , r i ( c l t c o n q u € r e , l , r r r . l 1 ( , d i l . r n d i n r r i m r i o n . r l f u r u r c s . . r b o r r rp r " s i b l e f u t u r t p r r c r i t c ' i n r h c . r c a d c r r i cr l r c i p h , : . t h . i r w c r b . u n c u n d ( r r h e n r m . , , , ( h r h u D . , f i t i c 'r n J r n ' . B u r i r i s , r | ! , .t t f
L-
... _
Epiphoy/Proentifiation/Deix;
92
course,writren wi.I the (mostly implicit) acknowledgment thal the "deliverl' ofsuch "tutures" has not yet happened(or cannot really happen), and before rrying ro otrd a more or las pmoramic view of the promised land, it drereforestaru with a look back. This book begar wi$ academicmemoria ftom the late r97os 'heroic" inten and the r98os, memoria of that (now stnngely) tion to keep alive a "theory debate" in the humanities thar had beguna decadeand a halfarlier, in the mid md larc 196os,and that seemedto be peteringouc about a quanerofa centuryago. The very good inrendonofkeeping up drat "deory debare,"like most good intentions, produced qune an amount of boredom and repetition, but it also generatedat least one prospect thar looked immediarely *citing to ur, that is, the prospectof focusing on "mterialides of comnurricadon." Trying to figure our 'materialities of commuication" how one could possibly define and what the most adequatetools for their malytis would be, we found ourselvesobliged rc thinl ofthe humanities, as they rhen existed (ard s they still predominardy exist), as an epistemological tradition that, for more than a cntury, had separatedus from everything thar could not be describeda or trarlsformed into a configuration ofmeaning. To&y, we may add that it was most probably rhe nauma inflicted by *rirhermeneutically induad-"loss ofworld" that aplains why rhe only value (at least the highest value) that many humaniss can find in rhe Phenom' ena rhey are dealing with is the motivation ro enter yet another intellectual loop of' self-reflexiviry," md this is probably also the reasonwhy adopting anldring but a "critical" attirude to'tard the things of &e worlds in which we are living seems to be somerhing like an original sin, at least in $e eyesof the average humanist. In contrast, trying to esrablisha posnion within rne humani
dfiotion/Dei{is
93
and am rhat could mark an exception m rhen century,old and selfion ofbeine an institution in which helm€neutics ivity are dre law (arrd eom being an extensron, rnto our of what I have been referring to a.s$e "metaphisical" ion), dlus breakiig away 6orn the curently dorninanr selfing of the humanitia and aru ard from dle practices on rhar self-undentanding, appearedto be the one worthneyt step to taLe. It then becamethe double experienceof book's previous (and third) chapter that, aboveall, *rere was vvayofeven geaing closem the goal ofleaving the metaphldtrrdition behind (or at lcasrof nodi{ying it in a seriousuay) going tunher and breaking sweral raboos &at threatand sdl tnreaten to be bordersof intellectual bad taste; and even after breating $ese aboos (md after "gening our ha.ndsdiny"), it wx still quir€ a laborious undenaking to imagand conquer my conceptualtenain that deservesto be called lnon-hermeneutic." Noq what could the promise of a disciplinary tuture based a new epistemologylook like? Of course, one should anticithat all the bordersofthe humanistic disciplines,such aswe lnown *rem, would have ro be rednwr. But as so many icrioru about how exacdy they might be redrawn have out to be (sometimesawk*ardly) wrong in the past, and my interest in the future here is an interet in intellecual ices, nther than in disciplinary maps, I shall rely, in this on a verv traditional rioanidon tnat has been and still opentional in mmy (ahnough obviously nor all) hurnanistic I am refering to dre haneningly unsophisticated and largely self-explmtory tripanition of rhesedisciplin€s into "aesthetics," 'history," and "pedagogy." Of coune, dese dree 6dds were nwer supposedto belong to the samelevel of practice
f pithin\/|rerniill.Iio./l)ci\ii
x n d a b s r n c r i o no r r o b c n u t l r l h i n d t p c r d c n r s h i c h d o u b [ negative prcn,ise hrs ingircd cndlcx pn,posals ro rcrhink their i n r e n e l a t i o n s h i p1.n n l o r v n. c r r t c n d t r r c r d c m i c v o u t h , l o r c r rmple, I in,rgincd (toge .r ..;th nanr (jcrnan hurtrnisti oi m v g e n r r r r i o n . I s u p p o s c )r h r r r h t h i s t , x i c a lr r u d v o i c u l r u n ; .rnilicts rvorl
h.b us to nppfcciate rnd uodcrsrand
r h c i r a e s r h c r i c' a l u e ; d t l r e s t h c r i c r a l u c i n r a r i a b l r l r r i n r h t p o r c n r i a lo i c o n r e r i n g . r n c r h i c a l n c s s , r g c :r n d r h r t I h e r e t ; r 3 . a n d d e p c n < 1 i nl .sr r g c l vo n t h c c t h i o l i n , i g h t s t h a t t h . \ p r o \ i d . d f i c r e l r r i v e, r e s r h e t i c o - e r h i .nrllu e o i \ r b , r ( c \ . r r c x s o f s o r k s o i art rvc rvcrt r.rching nould indeed estrblish a btrsicpcdreoqicaL I u n c l c n r a n dr h . . ( h r i o n s h i p b . r $ c c n r h . "hich llelds of resthctics, historv. rnd ped.rqogi. has changed quitc Thc s.rv in
c l r a n r : r t i c r l lxvs . t c o n s e q u . r . c . n o t o n l r o f t h e g r o " i n g i m p o r r a n c et h r r r c c c i i o n o n f r e s e n c e h a ' l , . t d i n m v s o r k . b u r o i s c r i o u sd o u l ' t s m v o s n i n c l u d e d . r b " u r b o r h t h e c o m m c n a n d e r h i c a ln o r m s t r n d t h e p o s s u r r b i l i q o f r e s t h c t i ce x p c r i c n c e s i b l er c l e o t c r h i c l l lo r i c n t : r t i o ni n e c a c l c n i ct e a c h i n gi n g c n c r r l . . . \ b o r ea l l . I s o u l d r e l i : i n . r o d a ' . i r o n l i n i n g u p r h - < : r r c r . o r s u b f l e l d si n r n | i n d u c r n c o r d e d u c r i v co r d c r . l i i h i d t u g F i prioritr ro o f t h e n ( r l t h o L r g hI d o n o r s c ca n v u r g c r t n e e dr o "nr d o s o ) . I w u r l d p r o b a b l vp i c k r e s t h e t i c st. e c u s c o f d r e s p c c i l i c cpisremologic.rlrelcvanct inhcrcnr ro thr t'pc of eprlra,, r' thr t it on provrlc-sithout drtic
cl,rining. how+cr. rhar crclu'irclr ae-
erpcricnce is caprl>Jcof prorlucing such an cpiph.rn..
Vhar most inrcrestsrne roda' in rhc ficlcl of hisrow. rhe Tzrra tiJicatior ol ptsr vorlds
rhrr is. rtchniclucs dat prcducc rhr
i m p r e $ i o . ( o r . r a r h c r .r h . i l l u s i o n l r h . r r s o r l d s o f r h c p a s rc r n b c c o m er r n g i b l c . r g a i n i s r n a c r i v i w \ \ i r b o u r a n v * p l a n a t o n porver ir rtl,rtion to thc rchrne
"alues
ol dilfcrcnt fomrs of aet
t p i p h . n \i J ) r e \ e n i i t l . I i t , n l l ) e i x i s
is rrhri $. usi{lro d.ric.\pcri.n.. 1pftnidingsuchcrplun.triors shink ol as thc tirncrnn of historicrl kno*1cugcrn rerarron(o Bur rs rhc nerv conccptionof thc flcld of hisrorv aesrhctics). shares$irh th. llcl,l of rcsthcticsrh. disrincriv.priscncc' and rs ir doesnor prerendro oflir.rnr immedi.rtc componenr. rhe proerrn)ofprcscnritleth;crlor e'en politic.rlorientrtn,n, itself t,, rhe ol promotingrn traditn,n,rl,rccLrsation cadonlrnds ol hisron. Ili llrstlineofdctcnsc*ould sin,"aesrheticization plv be ro rsk back "h.rt ar rl1 coul.1bc srong rith sL,ch.rn .rcs ofhisr,,n Regarding thc lieldofrcrehing,finrllv,I thericiz.rtion havecon"inccdnrv.cll. oer rlrt p.rt rirv ycar, thrt neirherrcsc\p.ricDc.1rr lrrs( ecsrb.ricrnd hisroricrl drericnor hisrorit.rl as I scc rhcm) disposcof rm porcntial rhar sould o
E f i f h a n \i h . s . r r i l i . I i o n , I
Epiphr.)/P"\'nriicrrxrn/l)'irL
rga,n, a g'r.rer viding crhicrl orienntion nrrr ' o .*ru"l rr.,. h.r .. ". e c r i v i r i r s c a n L ' c . B u t w h i l c I w i l l h . N er o t r d m i r r h a rI acedcmic m v s e l f a n rn o t . r b l e t c , l i v e a n d r o e x e m p l i l r r h i s p o r . n r i a l . 1 o , e ncsi bet\!e.n thc humrnnics rnd tht rns, neithcr in nl
o\!n
professionalcveruda' acrivitics nor rhroueh rhc lolLxvine. more d c r a i l e di l l u s r r a t i o n so i h o r v I i m a g i r t t h e U e l d so t a e s ( h ( i 6 .
r'.rntcd ro lct rhcm <rpericnec, an,l, it so, tenrial ofacsrhcric "e mod,rlitics ot .resthcricexpcrienccther prtiencd)r dis.over Nhi.h not tn to arguc in favor ofresrhetic cxP.ricn(e secondlr,se did ' r h r e s b c r o n d r h c i n t r i n s i cl e c l i n go l i n t e n s i r v 6 y a l l u d i n gt o a n v thar ir.an flgger: ,tnd, fir.rllr, *c *antcd ro opcn thc rangc r,1 porenriat obitcrs ol aesthdri. $Puiencc bv trunsqrcssing thc (such rs lircrrlure." clasic.rl canon of rh.ir rr.rditbnal rornx
bc of equrl lengrh. Ibc mosr detailcd conccprual dcvelopn,ert
r n u s i c . " a r . i r t - g a r d cp a i n t i n g . e t c ) . l - h i s m o v t r a s c . r n e d b v the conviction rhrr, rodl. the flcld whcr. aesthclic exPcrienct aduallv !ak.s placc trust bc far n,orc cxttndcd then *har thc concepr"aeslheric.\P.ri
*,ill bc dcdicatcd to rhc dimension ofaesthetics. l-his is bec.rusiI \' I .onr.in.ciJ,n J'91,, n r h r r r kr h .r ' ' e t r r rhrt mav be found.rtbnrl for mr conccprions of hi{oriciz.t(ion
to bc x good more pe,v,nal concem |or this class "',rs enough reachcrto c'oke ii,r mr srudcnts rnd ro o,ake them fccl ol irto,Iia (hrt I rcmen,f,.r (irh fondners rnd specilrcnontl:
a n d o f t c r c h i n g . t o o . B u t i r s i l l a l s o r n d s i m p l r b e t h e c a s cb r
mosrll Nirh nosralgir-rco
c r u s et h i s i s r h e f i r s t t i m e r h a t I h a r c t r i e d t o p r o d u . c a w f l n . n
painful rvhcn it acrurlI
l c r s i o n o l m r r h i n k i n g o n a c s r h e t i c ss. h e r c a s I h r v c . r l h d r
kror'. for cx.rmplc. the rln,Lxr crccxirr,
p u b ) i s h c ds u c bt c x r so n t h c f i c l d so f h i s o n r n d o f r e r c h i n g .
that somerinrcs
h i s r o n . .r n d t o c h i n g r c d e v e l i ' p .I h o p c r h a t I s h a l lr r l c a 5 rm r . rgc ro kecpasrkc rhc clain rrr rheir nes proximin. Finrllr. I s h o u l da l s oa n n o u n c er h r r r h e t h r e ep . u t so f t h i s c h r p r e rs i l l n o r
Mvlrrr
ii in sone c,tses,rhis intensic rvrs hrppcncd. I q.inred nrv stLrdcnts t,, erubcrant *'eemcss
i"hcn a Mozan rria gn,ws into
p o [ p h o n i c c r r n p l s i n : n i l s h e n I i n d e c db e l i e ' c r h a r I c a n h c , r r ) \i'hcn, r tirv lerr
ago. r voung collcrgue froni thc musicologl
d c p r n m c n r a r s r r n f o r d l r d 1 \ c r e i n v i r e dr o r c r c h a n o b l i g r t o n ''lrrodLrction r o r h e H u n a n i t i a c o u r c f o r r L ' o u tn r o h u n d r c d s r u d e n so f r h e i n c o m i n g f i e d r r l l n c l , r $ .a n d N h e . $ e h l d u f r r d c . r J c o o , r h . S . n . , J t, " f i . r r , J r . k " t c . p " , r g u u r p r o P ( ' . .e.' thrce impli.,r' srudents ro diltercnr r.\,pcsat r6th.i( .geit rions \acr( unconrrovcni.rl benvecn us righr fron thc srrrt. \\.e j u s t w a n r c dr o p o i n t r o J i i l e r e n rn o d r l i r i c s o i t n j o v i n s b e : r u r i t u l i n g s . r i t h o u r n a k i n g a e s r h c r i ce x p c r i e n c c. r n o b l i g a l i o n i . t our studcnts (in orircr '"ords,
to olTcr rhcn an op"c ".rnrcd p o n u r i r r r o f i n c l o u r * l , c r h c r t h e l r c r c t e dp o s i t n c l l t o r h c p o -
t h e t o n e so f r l , c o b o eo n m v s k i n . I r v r n r r n v s t u d c n i sr o l i l e o r r ! I e a s rt o i m a g i n cr h r r m o m c n t o f a < l n r i r a t i o n( a n d p e r h e p se l s oo l ' t h e d c s p a i ro i . r n a r i n g r n r n ) d u r g c t s r h o l d o f m e ' " h c n I s c t the berurilil bodr ot a roune
srrnding nexr io me irl "omar F o n t o i o n c o l - r h e c o n p u t e r t h . i r g n c a c c c s sr o o L r r l i b r e r r catalogue r momcnt, b. rhc s.r.. rhar i' not rll $ar diil-ererr from rhc jo\ rhrr I lccl rvhcn the qurnerb,rck ol mv llivorite col lege tc.rm in.{mericrn ti,orball lSranfi(l CardinaL of courscl srrerch$ our his perticth scuiptcd arms o celcbratc r rouchd o w n p a s Q u i r i n i r u , t r l l i . I r l s o s . r n r r l 1o f n l t u d e n n r o r c c l I h e e l i r i o n . r h c s u c l < l e n l'vc r v d c c p b r c . L r h i n g , r n dd r e e n t b r r ' rasingl' $cr cics
"irh "hich
I n , u q h : v c r c a . r c dr o t h t r r \ c n
t , p i r u r r l ' r c o r r i t i . . r ' i i r rD t i \ \
bcauritullrcxccurcdprssand to rht *r iii nr<,\cncnrol lhr \iii. who caughrir. J hopcrh,usomcor nr studenn*ill sur receiver ,rn.tpcrhar, fer rhroughrhat srnrin,entol intcnsedcprcssion ercn ol hun:iliarionth I kno* rrom f..ding Pcqu(no\:i. vien€s."n,l favoritc pocn in l:erlcricoC.rr.ia Lor..rs l,fr,, .,r ]\h.r, li,[. a rc\r rl]ir(ln]kcsrhc read.rinruirhorvrbc liie ol .r homoserurl man emorion.rJl' ande'en ph.sicall\.rnrrurar.,t ".rs rrcL,ndI9io. \Iv quddrs shouldgrr rt h,r in Wcscm socicries a elimpscofthar illusionoflethrJcmpo"urrcnt.tnd!,olrnce..\ if I (oi ill pcoplel)scrc rn .u,ricntsod. \hi.h pcrr.rr.\ r,l bulltisl,: Lrodvar rbc moncnr ol rhee'h,, i lnLtl n r Spanish when rhc I'ullfighrrs storl silcnrlvcurs rhroughrhc bodr oi thc bull, rnd rhe bulls muscle'\.cn ro srillcn6r r m,m.nr beforeirs msne bodi bre.rksil<",n lik. r houseshrk(n Lrr in carthqurkc. I rvantmv students tu join in ihar prcrniscof rn . , , d t c . . t !, , , d c , - , , . , \ q u 4 s , , r l d ' r r . . . r . r i, n , c . . . . . r
P r . ' ( t ( i f i c i r i d r iI ) e i \ b Epiphan'i
rnanvend tl^rl! trrr\rr.rinsmonr(rrsol- lo$ .rnd ol ,.piu ;6n-rhar $crt is no r.li,rble.no gurranrecJrvo of potlLrcine or intcrsitv,r,\rl thanrc h,wcevenlcs hopcoiholcline momenrs Indecrl.I crnnorl,c rrc 6n ro rhen or crtendingrhcirdur.rrion. beforeI hcrr rt talori(c \lozrft rri,r. rvhcrhcrthrr erulrranr rvill overcon. rrrr bodv rgrin. It niu|r happerr--llurI sweetness knos and I rlrcrdt'inri.ifar. nrv rc.rcrioror'rcgrerabourrhis n sill (,nl! hafl)cnro. a noncnr (il ir rhould experience-rhir
Therc rs norhingtditiing irr rch nr(rncnts.no n,csirit I norhingthrnve coul.l rcallr lerm iiom rhtn, and rhi, is "hr 'momcrl Llketo refcrto rhcm,rs ol-inrcrsirr'.For wh,rrsc t.-il ; probaL'lrnot norc rhrn a si'ccilicrll. Ligh le.el in thc trn;
Burhow ;s it posibleth.,r\e longl;r suchnon,cnrsot irrcnsiq althoughthtr hrvc no cdihins co,r$rs or cliicrs to oUir?\ihv do rvesomcrinesreo,en,bcrrhen l hrppr rl,menrs and tme timesas sad momenrs bu( ahvrv\ *irh r tccling of lossor of nostalgia? J his is the razl quesrionthar I wrrt ro dcrl with. rhe qusrion 4 l,c tifli, appa rl* vh nnnnt: hall /itr u:. thequcsrion.rl,outrhe rcrsonsrhrr rnornareus to seerii.s ,euc cxperience und ftr expos.oor bodic\ rnd nin.l' r,r irs porcnrial. \Tirhourgoinsinroarl Ll(r.ili.r. D)yopcnirghi porhesis is rhat whatoc crll rcsrhetic cxpcrienccxlwirs pbidcs us $irh c.r t.in f€elingi,)i inrensir! rhar wc c,rnnotfind ir rhc hisoricrtly andcukurrlh gccific crcnd strrldsthar sc inhrbir.-l'hisis why, seenti,,rn r hist.ric.rl or tionr.r sociol,gicelpcroptcrivc, aeltheric expcri.ncc on indeedlirnctionas r gmprom of the preconsciou\ nccdsand tlcs;resthr I'elong ro sPccificsoci.rics.
cmorional. rntl pcrhr;. tionlngofsorneofour gereralc,,gnirivc. evenphrsicrlfacuhies. The diriircncerhrt rhcsemonrcntsmxki scemsro bc basedin qu.tnri$.{nd I likc n' combincrhe qLr:n
But I do nor to cqLnrerhenr,,tnrrionalpo$c. ol{,ch dc".rnr sires,ivhich !u' dri$ us inio sift,.Lrions of rcsrhrricexpcricncc, on lhe one hind. sith rhe inrerlrcr.rrion anrl undenrandioe of
surroundrrreshcn I grr iosrin lionr oi r p,rinringbr fd":rJ l l " p p u . I h . p . r J. - . r p o r . . . h - . 1 1 ' . . r ,n tharcomessith rhe llrt biteol grcatfood..\nd I rhemn, "anr kros rhc tiel:ngoi h,rrinq 6und thc righrphcc fbr oncs boi: with rvhicha perricrlr
u'dr !F .ur.ef,
fragmenrar;onin rhc
$i,n
"ud
L. ,,, ,nine .
"il
,cm.
"m,'rrena bcc.rLrse I kno"-irurrr
6ar modvrrri,nalpo"cr rs l,!s.d in preconscn,$(lesircs,on the other.ln odr.r $ords,l do nor bclicvcrhar$.h iDrerprcnrions
Epiphan!/l\esenriti.aion/lleix\ follow iroq and the higher degree of self reflexiliw rhar might For rhe rhern should be considereda pan ofaesthetic experiencc "nornenrs sane reason,I prefer ro spe.rk,as ohen as possible,of of intcnsity or ol lived expetiencc" (dsthetirhes Erltben) nsr
Epipbrr. / l\esor ii.xtio n/ Dci! tr ro imagine fuiurr inrellecmal pracrices for rhe humrritics and 3rs. For ir k niv imprcssion rhat ifthose forns olLeaction end of 6ceprion undergo prolbund changcs at all, drc prce oI such sansformarions musr be much slorer than dre pacear s,hich rhe objecrsof eesrheticexpcrien.c erc changing. \Xrhat I havc said s, far implies. in addiiion. thar se shall not-and perhrps sltoulcL nor-l;mit our ,rnalvsisof rcsthctic crpcrience to thc side of the recipienr rnd ro thc mental (rnd perhaps rlso phrsical) invc*
itl conuast, I mcan rhcm in rhe srrict senseof rhe phenomenological rradition, nanelr', as a being lbcused upon' as a thcrnarizing ot cerrain objccrs of lived erpaienc (objats that c'trer
ments rhrr he (or shc) mr' make. For it appearsthrt drcse in' vesrmentsrnd their viekl rill depend. at lcasr prnlv, on the ob
specific dcgreesofintensiw under oLrroirn cultural condirioni *hcnever we call them "acsthetic ). Livcd experienceor E.lrlra has presupposesthat purclv phvsiol pcrceptior lwalraehnng)
This is one or'the rearonsrvhl it mancr. foL a general dcscriprion of aesthctic erpcrience. to derl with thcsc objccts
alLeadvtaken place, on the onc hand. and thrr it "il1 be folloscd as dre renk of acrs ofrvorld inrerprc b), experiore (a'tr'?,s)
rransformation makes rhcn rcsistrnr ro ntegration inro inv gen-
jecrsof hs.iiiiion
br rhich thev ere tirst acrn rted and eloked.
aldrough, pcrhaps. fte comperarneh hsr pace oi their historical
r a l r o n ,o n t n e o m e r ' Noq, if rvhar fascinatesus in momenls of resthetic crpen e n c e , " i f r v h a tr r t r a c t s u s w i t h o u r b e i n g r c c o m p a n i e db r a c l e r t awarencs of rhe rcrsons for this attracrion, ts xh'als som'rh'ng st thar our everyday.rorlds are not capabLeofotrerirrg usr and tt lirnher presupposeth:rr our everydal rvorlds are hisroricallr .lnd '\cuhurallv spccific, rbcn ir follor"s rhar the objects ofacstheti' pcrience. roo, musr be cuLtrrralll speciric Rcgarding rhe orher
erydav rvulds in rhich it rakes place, d,en ir fblloss rhat ac*
'or side of rlte situation whosc srructufes I rry ro describe' ir s clear to me uhcrhcr, for the readers,spectaror, and listeners"lio '\are anracred by rhose historically specific objecrs ofaesrheric rl peri€nce, we have to presuppose.r conesponding hinori'ln
a r\e iantioral lilncaot| t'itti, tuhirh it a1icdll n u:. As a central fearurc of this situarional frame"'ork. thc disrance between aesrhrric erperience.rnd cvcndal rvorlcls is one possible rdererce lilr rh. c\plamtion of the dc,uble isolation inhcrcnr in
iI thcir forms ofaesthctic experiencc But I do not believe rhrt " r! absolutel,r'necesan to resoLvethis verr large qucstion as lonS .ve are derling rvirh resrhetic cxperiencein the contcxr of tn itr9
all moments oi aexheric intcnsin, and this is the double iso larion rhrr Krrl Hcinz Bohrcr has so impressnclv descriLred t h r o u g h t h e c o n c c p t so i s L r d d e n n c s a s n d f a r e r v e l l . 't h c r e s ,
Ifaesrhcric crpcricncc is alrvrvs evoked by and if ir ahvay'srcfcn t o m o m e n t so i i n r e n s i o t h . r rc u n o t b c p a n o f t h e r e s p c c t i v e v rhetic Gpcricncc Nill bc necessrrilvlocatcd at a certain distarcc ftom rheseercn dl us ro a t/r,1lalcr
.'odds. This vcn obr ious conclrion brings in rhe anahsis ofaesthetic expericncc,namcly,
Epiphany/Presenrifi carion/Deixis
guannrccd on rhe one hand, no systematic,no pedagogically (or leading studens orher vicrins of p€dagosical of good way on the orher hand, intentions) "toward" a€stheticexperiencer obviousor rypicalvield thar aesrheric thereis no predicrable, cxperiencecanadd to our livesin rhe everydayworlds.For the gen eral dacription of rhis siruarionrlcondidon, I wmr ro use rhe conceptof "insularity" that Mikhail Bakhtin has dweloped il his analysisofrhe culrureof carnival,For "insulairy" seemsto carry lesshisroricallyspecjficconnorarionsrhan rhe conceprof "aestheticautonomy"-in which rhe distarcefrom the wendar is alreadyinrerpreredrs a sain of subjecriveindependence. I thereforeproposeto reservede name "aesrhedcauronomv fir rhe specificforms that rhe generalstructuralcondidonof "ins'r lariry" developedduing rhe eighranth and ninereenthcerru ries.This, ofcourse,xsumesthat the insularityofaestheticexpc rienceexired long beforethe eighteenrhcenruryand rhar it also hasa placeoutside\iresternculture. The mosr important consequence that followsfrom the insLr lariry ofaestheticexperience h rhe incommensunbilirybenvccn aestheticexperience and rhe institudonalpropagationof ethicil norms and chisseemsto be a centnl issuein Bohrers reflecrion on "aesthedcnegativiry" roo.' For ethisl norms are-rnd shouldbe-pan ofhistoricallyspecificeverydayworlds,*hsclr we havepostulatedthat aestheric experience drawsits fascination (in the lireralsenseof*re word) from otreringmomentsofinrcn siry that cannotbe a part ofspecificeverydayworlds.Ir rhercfbre makessens€.osaythat the combinationofaesrhe(;cs with.thics. that is, the projectionofethicalnormson ro rhe poren.ialobjccts of aesdericexperienc,will inevitablylead ro the erosionof rh. potentialinrensityofthe laner.ln orherwords,ro adapraesthctic intensiryto ethical requiremen* meansto normalizernd ulr
/Presenrifi arion/Deixis
dilute ir. Vhenevcr conveyingor exemplifringan erhical i' supposcd ro be rhemrin tuncrionofa worl ofarr,we ro ask and indecd rhe questioncannor be eli naredir would nor be more efficienrro articularerhar same message in nther srraighrforwardand *plicit concepts fotms.
forrth rellec:ion refers to a specifc disporlrlar that I beli*e along, quite regularly,wirh rhe srructural condirion of iry." Thereare wo principalwals ofenrering siruarions insulariry.The more dramaticone (so ro speak)is rhe modal, ofbeing caughr b1' "imposed won rclevance"lauf. zste Reb '" There, rhe suddcnappearance ofcertain objeca of perion divefts our attention ftom ongoing everydayrourinc indeedtemporarilysepararcs us ffom them. Narure turned ar evenr often tulGlls this tuncdon: rhinl of lightning, all, rhe first lightning in a rhundemtorm,or rememberrhe v€ sunlight rhar almost blinds you when, coming from Europe, you deplane at any Californian desdnation. Baudela;re:poem 'A une passanre"is a lirerarysragiDg the imposedupon relwanceofa femalebody th,rt carchesand ovenhelns rhe idle flaneurs aftendon.Suchevenrness is inly dilTerentfrom a classroom situarionwherewe try ro fa, the happeningof aestheticappearanc, ahhough fully tbat no pedagogicdefforrwill everguaranreethe coming the actualexperience.Bur rve can poinr to the presenceof io objffis ofexperience rnd invitc our students to be com" that is, to be bod open and concentrated, without let-
suchconcentrationhardeninto the rensionofan effon. The besrdescriptionrhat I know for Ihe moment when rhe
t6
BeyondIlcrning
c.rlls hisu,\ripre\cncc, anlinlbs(anrirlisr p. Vrainro.in adclirion, "lcftisr $hrr I ncar she. I rc.rding,nHeidcggci'sho$r sirionr *nhin thc hu am srvingthrt hcrmcncuticrn.l inteq,rctation. gorurcs prorecred of intellecturl il discourse. arc bv manisrs
;on-\rirhour rycn ..iricizing tl,c highlv sophisricatedand highlr'selr:reflcrivcrn ofintcrprcftrion rh,rrrbc hunrinirieshalc longesnblished Thn rlso n {hr' I feelsucha srrongat}iniwvirh thepoinr ol' depannrt oflern-l.uc \rncr's book Tht Bidt ro Paeua, whereI cren find r (iir nrc rt lcrsr) ven. rimiliar fuclingof liuw 6ation*ith the kind oi positionin conrcmporanphiloophy rJrat\irtimo reprcsenrs,A l o n g e r' c ( l . r u h , n , - b r r r , I e e . . , r rr b . " l , , r .r n F . , .J : " ; n ! . u
rimidrrion.For sho in the humrniric'eouldrfiord to bc ai in rddirion ofbeing subsranrirlisr".,rd. cused,simuLnncously. of ror-bcing olrthe-Lcli ? ro su^nc such . UmbenoF.comighr be rhc rnc collcague Hc hrs indcrd n,rdc rhc urrime]. daringdoublcprovocrrion. clairn of reruming ro r Iirm ot rcrrual interpr.rarion'har, i! oi urians, miehrpoduc. steadof beingrn cndlcss producrion definitivcresultsor might at lerst rield criterir rh.tt allos one r. I he limio disringrrishbcween bcrreror rorc inrapretaux. ' of inrcrpretarnnr. salsLcos hcn rn irg ro crp[in the titlc oi., collectionof his essavs,coincirlcsirh the rightsor e rerr (whicl doesnot mcan*ith thc rishrsol theautltor). " flut "hjl. Eco nrusthopc ro grounclsuchrrrdirionrl inrerprctrriont/n i:.: ro rhc rc\, ir somekind ofsoricfrcferencc,ir leasrin r rcr-crcncc .rsan objecrsithout rmbiguitics.and '.hile hc is thus rlread, leavingrhe continesrh.rrphenomcnolowand thc hun,annic. had$bscqucrrlvscrfor thernsches rhc hcmcneuticficlJ "irhin .rnd/asrhe ch.sical sut)ica/obj..r prndigm, rhcrc is rcrrcn t,, douL'rrbrt, rJicr rll rhc crisesin rhe hix,rv of nlcntierh-ccnnr, \X'cvcn philorphr, sucha s;Jlful rerum ro eptrcmologic.rln:prrr iverl ..n ukimarclvbc 'i.rblc.|or ir is thc subjccr/objrct digm that rodrr cxcludcsanr ersr '.orld'tefitcncc and ir is th,. ven p.rradign drar F-c. le.rvesunrouch.d (or inadrcncntlr tt srorcs)*'Loi hc comn,irsto rhc rlghts ol rhc toit." I his p(' cisell is *]rr I bel'ercrhrr xc n,ould rn to reestrblishour corpar,r mct wirh the thingsol thc rvorltloutsidethe subjecr/object dicnr (tr in a rrodillcd \ersior ol ir) anrl br avoidinginrcrprct.t
minv dis.ourscs.so n,anl rerts rh.rr haveno ou,er caretn.rn to mai<ea littlc morc sense,to redoor to perficr delic,rrervorksof significarion. TLc pr.srnce for shich Nrncr is longine,rs an ahernarncto atl duc diso,rses dur prcducejusr ".r linle nrore sense, is ccrraiDhnor rhc self-rttlexivepresenccthrt Dcrrida in Huserl s philosophrNano. onrhcconrra^,is hrd crnicized alludingto a conccptionofpresenccrhar is dif0cult-if nor impos'ible-ro r.concile wirh nodcn Nr.srcrn episrcDrologv, bc, causeir bringsbrck rhe din,cnsionofphl:icrl closcress and lin, gibiliq: I he deliehrofpresenceis rhe mvsricalfonnula prr cx cellence, and rch prcscncethrt cscapcsrhe dimension of meaninghrs ro bc in rensionui the principleol reprcscntation:'P'cscnc.e docsnor.ome Nirln,ur eftr.ing rhc prcsence thar repraenrrrionirould likc ro rtesignrrc(its tirndanrcnr,irs origin, is subjccr). Ar rhc sanrt'time.u,ong rhc authorsro *hom I want ro rcterln ordcr to nHrk contemporrn amnirics'virh n) own poinr ofdeprrrure.N.rnc is rlso rhc tlrsnvho pointsro rhc cenainn(rn alnrosr "pracricalccn.rinn,brscdprinurilyon erperience. rarherrhrl a ccrr.rinwbrscdon concepnurldeducrr<,n) thar,under rod.r s conditionsar lc-,rsr. and ditTerenrin this scnsc from th. .nn..pti.,n oi rcrl prscncc" in nredic".rlthcotogy, P r e s c n . c . . , n nho, .(" m , I . . , 1o l . , p . r n , r , , n r. : r r r . , r i " n r .. . , r
Beson(lNIeaniDq
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a e a n sn r h a r l i n r p l c d e c i s i o ni s h y n o n , c r n se n o u g ht o c h t r g c ( o n \ r r u c r l i s m s e e m st o s u g g c s tsi h a t i t r c q u i r c s o n es g e n d i r , r s are forms ot bch,rirr rnd acrionrnrinrrired orer rin]c (Burl(r usesrhe con..pl o| pcrlormancc in rhis eorrcrr) rhat arc crp.r ble of shrpins .rnL1producins dillircrt bodr lorms and bod! i d e n d r i c s .l l u r $ ' h i l < t s u t l e ri s q u i r . c \ p l i . i r i n h o c r i t i q u c o f c o n s r r L r c it snn , i r . , l s ob c . o n r e sc l e . r r h r t s h e i s w c l l a s a r c o f r h t d i s c r ' . s n .t a b o o r l N r p r o r e c i si r s p o s i r i o n . I h i s , o f c o u r s e .i s r l r c t a b o o r h a r d n q L r , r l i f i ctsh c u s c o f ; l l c o n c c p t sr e l a r e dr o s L r b " r c . t l i r \ . r s i n r e l l e c m a lp o o r r . ' s r c A n d e r . D s r a n . e -o r ludirh B u r l e rt c . k . o n , f c l l ( d t o i i e l d r o r h c r h r c . r ro f b c i n g a c c u s c tol t such bad r*rc l',r.ont-c$ing rh,rr n:c ttcls a cenain ilcert ot " a n x i e w " m n r u c hs o r h a r s h e e n d su p p r e s c n t i n gh e f s . l f i n r h c rnildlv paradoricrl rine of a conyLucrivisr rvho bclicrcs in subsranri:l bodilr diiLrcnccs: Thecriri.milhr .rl{ nbp€.i dre.on{(r.rtrir of3 .efuin sonr.tro p h o b i aa n d ' . . k . r , u r m c c s r h a rr l i ' . r l \ r r r r c r l r l l c o r L r$ i i l r d n r i t r l n t r h e r e . u r . o , i n , m : l h . s e r u . r l [d i l ] c r . n r i r c d p r b . t r . i n i r i c \ . c a p a c i r i eh! . f n ! ) r . , 1r n . l . h . o m o s o n r r L J i i i c r c n .r chia tc a r b L < n c e d e d\ v i t h o u rr ( t t r r n . e t o . o n n t r r . r l o n . A l ( h o u g hr r r h r n r ! h.nt I wrnr ro ollrr !n rbsolutc m' inrer.lo.ri(i,. s o m ea n x i . ' r r r . ! r l i . T o c o r c e r i er h r u n J e n i a b i t i no i s c r " r r i s m a r e r i r l i r vi , . r h l r f s r o . o r . r J r ! , D ( r r L i o n o i \ e \ . - ! ) r r . forharh. oi nr.,reriitis Concentrarine or rhr question ot how bodil! sul,{anc. crr t)c tnnsformed I qucstion rhar, ro nrv knos.lcdgc, excludedby rnr p|ilcxophr *orking *irh rhc concepr of sLrt, s t a n c e " - B u r l c .$ r n r \ i o s h o w r h a r r r i s p o * i b l e r o a b a n d o nr h e consrucririsr do\.r $iihour Snine up rhc political vatue ol rhc s u b j e es r ; g h r ind rbitiN ro chanse. In a simil,rrtr g.rntlhrcakine book, rvhich analrzcs rhc hu_
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p r o d u c r i o nr n n r e a n i n q .s u g g c r c d a s r c r ( e r a c k n o s l c d g m c n to i rbc ronsennntic, rhr
F, mrterial c.,nrponenrsot hrerun ic\ts
W h c n c a u r i o L r d ra s k c db v h n i n r e r l o c u r o rs h o h c r i r m i g h r 6 c '1.lr'',i.n"l . \ < r r " n . . m . r r r r it . . r r r r r . - . rr 1 . r m . l .r,rr p l c . t o c h a l l e n e et h c l c r m c n c u r i . ; d e n r i ( ! ' o f r h . t c r r . C r d r n , e r , , t . t i , Jb \ , i ( 1 . t u p ..,: . , m . - t , , , " r . , J r . - J1 , " , r . t h r r , i n d e c d ,u r d e r c u r . t h e r $ u m p r i o n r h a r m c . r n i n ei s . r h r l ' a n d n e c e s s r r i l ir h c d o n i n a n t d i m c n s i r n i r
c rcadingol r
l
r - a n u c r e a l l r . r r u m et h r t h e r e r , I n go f s u c hr e t s r r r e a C i n q e r c l u ' n c l r c o n . c n r r a t eoJn n r e a n i n gD : o s. nor rur{ rh-F Lurs [I:t L: nicht ur .\ngta]: \lould thc proccs in {hi.h r fo.n, s l l a k o n l ! b c c . i i ( J b r a m ( . , n ; r gi r r ( D r i o n il \ r l u c D o . . . t r( h . s r n r t r i m c ,r u u r h ( h l l i . 5 , D i r s p e r i i r n ) r n c ei i u \ o l l : t x t L , ; ; / , o r l ?1 h i s .I r h i n k .i r h cu \ k s i r h w h r h r h et o . n r c o n i o u s u s . C . r d r m e rc , r l l st h e n o r r h e . m c n . u r i cd i ' r ( n s i o n o i r h e l i r c r . r n r . \ , n s v o l u m c l v o h n r t n ) , a * l h c e q u r t c st h c r e n s i o nb e n ' c c n i c s c m , r n r i ca n d i r s n o n s o n a n r i t c o m p o n o , r ss i r h r h c r e n s i o nb e rwccn rvorll
rnd
c,,.lh rh,rr Heidcggcr devcl<'psin hrs essa.
" l Lc Origin ofthe \t'ork ofAn.
l t i s t h c c o m p o n r n ro l e a n l l
r h r r e n a b l c sr h e * o r k o 1 r n . o r r h e p o c n . r o s n n d i n i r * t l : i t i . c r r r l r n r r. : , ' c r h h . , \ " r
,,, \,.,! \f.n.t,.,.J
l I:or a pcropcctne ol intellccturl generl,'g.. Crdrmcis rclcrcn.. ro l{eideggcr hc I'clongc,1 ro rhi is nor.u4,riirg,rt r1l.bcc.rusc firsrgcnerarrnof I lridcggo' srudents. But rhcconnecrion thar
r o u n i v r r s i l i r \) r c n , r i n q u i t c h e s i r a nar s s o o n r s r h c r o u c h u p o n rhe challtngc ofctc.igni,,s ihe airen,.rivc rcfcrroire ol concep(s 'bcrond n,crning sould nuke ncc65an. ln r h a rs u c hr m o ' r r h e p r c v n r r c h a p r r r ,i s a i d i n p a s s i n sr h a r r h r A r n r o r c l i r n r r a d i don coull bc rr lc.*t .r lru.ce of inspirari(D for dc dcvclop m€nr oi {r(h r rcpcnoin: in (hR chlprer, I sballusc mediev.rl c u l t u r c ( r . u l i u r c t h a t x . r s s o t h o r u e h L v A r i s r o t e l i ; r nt h a t t h e name .{rirorlc
hccame sronrnroLl!
sirh rhe noun "phiios
opher')tor rhis\.r\ B u r r h c o n e p l , i l o s o p h c rf i o r n o u r n o t s o r c n , o r ci n r e i l e c r u . r l pasr Nho quir. prrgrunrr.rricJlr--rnd
ov.. scferil d.crdcs-
produc.d \uch r rcpcnoirt oi nonn,eraphvsie.rlconccpts is, ot c o u r s . .\ l . r r r i n H ( i d c e g . r . A I ( h o u g h m a n v o f H c i d c e g e i s p r c r , e n t d a ! i r r c r p r . r . a l i k c I o b r a c k c r r h k . r s p e c ro f h i s s c l l undersrrndin.q,Hcidesger hinNlf wrnred Bi"g rt.l t;ne, thc b o o k i n $ h i . h t h c l i l l s c o p eo f h i s t h o u g h r b c c a m er i s i b l e t i r r the 6rsr rinrc, ro hc rn "rarr,lael in rhr broadcstsenseof the rvorel and rvirhout ani rlilni.i.s ro c\isrins onrological dneerions rnJ t e n d e n c i $ . \ s r n o n ( o l o g r , h o r e v c r . h i s p h i l o s o p h yi n s c r i b c d t s e l f i n t o r h e i n r c l l c c r u anl , o v c m c n to { t h e c o n s e ^ ? r i v cr e v o l u , t i o n t h r r . r b o v c . r i l d u r i n s r h e r r : o , . e m b o , l i c da n d . r n i c u l a r e . t a widesprc,rddiscontcnr q.irh the n,tellecrurl loss ol rhe rvoLltl o u ( s i d eh u m a n . o n s c i o u $ c s r h . r rr h c p h i l o s o p h Io f I l c i d c g g d s rncnror Ldnrund llusscrl hrd .onrc k, reprcscnr. Fronr Hentcg S e r s p c r \ l , . . r n c r r l e . r s r ,I l L r s s e r l sp h c n o m c n o l o g v* . r s n i e r c l y
66
B e \ or d l \ l e r n l n q
rhe endpointofa millenar,vphilosophicaltrajccrorvin Ihich the subject/objectparadigm that is, thc conccprualconfigurarion of rhe ongoing dlvergerccbenveenhuman cxistenceand the as purell world, basedon t[c contresrbet*'eenhuman exisrencc spiritual and the rvorld as a purely r:rarerialsphere-had led \flesterncuhureto an extrcne srateofalienationfrom the ivorld. More than Hu$erl (who, rvith good reason.liked to call hn 'Canesian"),Descancsrvas the expl;cit object of philosophy
formarionour currentconceptualsr'le rvouldhaveto mdergo if we serioudr rried ro developa dlscoure rhat sas more su,rrble inrelleaual)fas for rhe inrellecrual(and perhapsnor exclusivelr, rvirh presence. Ar anv event, it is much les the idea (or cinadon
ll ?r Presenlsthe Heideggcrscrnique: rhn ;s slhy Being a CartesiangrouDdinsof hLrmancxistenceon rhoughr (and o, benveenhunran dnsociarions thoughralone)and thc subsequent
dre utop;a) of a tull appropriarionof Heideggels conceptof "Being" for sucha projectrhat hasnotivated my concentrarion here rhan thc hopc rhat a confronrarionrvith thn conccptof "Being" might broadenour minds (to use an embarnsinglv
and subslance and spacernd benrcn human existence exisrence as rhe original snr ofmodem philosophr'.'Seenfrom rhis per movein Heideggeisbook i, as spcctive,rhe decisiveconcepmaL I have alrcadynentioned, the chancterlzationof hunan exn renceas "being in thervorld," that i, es an exislencethar is af wavsalreadvin a substantialand rhercforein a sparialcontacr
erpresion) and thus help us to think beiond the "pedagogical" rradirion. linirs of the metaphvsical In s.har follo'vs.rhen, I shall try to establishfour different perspecd'esthat at leastbegin ro give an accountof the complexiw and of rhe rhoughrprovokingccccnuicitvof rhis notion ("eccenuiciry"wirhin the meraphvsic.rlrradition that has so
wirh thc thingsofthe rvorld.' "Being-in rhe rvorld" is a pcrfecdl suitableconccptfor a wpe the Ptsencc of reflectionand analysisth.rr rries to recuPerare of thc xorld. {)i to the things in our relationship componcns
thoroughll permeatedour thought)." Mv firsr thesis is thar "Being," s'ithir thc architectureof Heideggers philosophy. tales overrhe placeoftrurh (or, rnoreprecnely:the placcofrhe conrenrof trurh). rvhichhad beenoccupied,sincerhe tirnesof Plaroard of erll Platonism,by the "ideas' (or by otherformsof
the follorvingpages,horve'er.I rould like to unfold rhe corn' kel conccpt,a conceptthat sas plexiq ofanother Heideggerean hardlv developedyer in Bcing and 7;ua bur that I rhink is This is rhe concept closclyrelatedto the aryecrofsLrbsr.rnr;aligv. of "Being" and I have nvo rcasonsfor emphasizingir. Fnsrli. "Being" is rhe norion in Heideggers philosophythar hasposed the mosr problcnr for all rhe dilTerentanemptsat inregraringhis thought into moreconvcnrionalqxems. Bcing hasalsobccndre one conceprrhat can neveravoid falling under rhe anathemaol "intcllccrualpoor raste" in conrcmpora4mainsrrearnrhinking
L-
laboveall. in "constructivisni).Secondlv,I hope that the ellirr to unfold severaldirnensionsof Heideggeisconccptof "Being" witl produce a clearerararenessof hoiv profound a trans,
conceprualconfigurarions),and rhat Being is zar somcthing conceptual.Heidegger is indeed concernedwith redefining trufi bLrrBeingdoesnor sirnplvsubstitutctruth. Rather,Heideggerralksabout rrurh assomerhingthar happenslein Gcstb* ,az)." 1n principle,this happeningn a doublcmovemenrc'fun concealinsand hidins-*hosc strucnueI shalltn ro describein more derailas we go along in this rcflccrionon rhe conccptof Being. Beins is thalihich is both unconcealed ard hnlden ir the happelng oftruth. Due to this positionin rhe happeningof
6.)
68 t r u d r , H e i d e g g c rl c a v c sr o d o u b r . B c i n g . a s i t i s b c i n e u n c o n ccaled. for erample, ln r rvork of an, is nor sonethins spirirurl c o n c c p r u r l .B c i n g i s n o t a n r c a n i n g .B c i n g b c l o n g r o Ls o r n e t l r i n g ro rhe dimension ofthinss.'lhis
is rrhv Hcideggc. can sir aboul
r h e h r p p c n i n g o f n u r L i n r v o r k so l a n , . { n s u k s u n n c r s . r l l , display .r dringll character, albeit in a whollv distinct sar.' Saving tllat ir is drc tunction ofr work ofan ro shos somcrhing dtat hrs the charrcter ofr thing, the Cerman orisinal tcrt sia(! this poirt in a nuch lcs ambiguous fashion. IfBcnre has rhc c h a r a c t eo r l a r h i r e . r h i s m e a n sd r a t i r h a s s u b s r r n c ea n d d r a r . rhereforc Gnd unliLe anyrhing purelv spiriruJ), ir occupic! space.This cxplains lvhv Hcidcggcr srircs in his I !1altudia, tu IfetaThyti* ol "enrering a hndscape"-and the referenceis neraphorical
I don t rhink rhar
ivhen hc tries ro describervhat ir
means ro hayc rccupcrrrcd, in his philosophr. rhc lons lorl q r . r i " no l B e " g : T l , . o B o . , q L , , u n , n g . landscrpe;to bc in this landscapels the tundaneniaL p.ercqnsLti for restoLing the rootcdncs ro hisrorical Dascin. ' Having r s u b s t a n c ca n r l r h u s o c c u p l i n g s p a c ea l s o i m p l i e s r h e p o s s i b i l i r r 'Being ol Bring unfolding a noremcnt: asplawi is the merging
to seeins But phrr' as ard onlr inrilu as, n stards opposire To be mrc' i' i5 iusth:r emc.gins$ral is alro Jrerrh .tp€ling' 'Lcnotesthe sell apperring has h\o tr\...Ings. Firn, alPcrring of btingin.t irseltrtostand rnd rhus rtrnLling in ..."'f'a^* ncrns: rs somedrils rhat is larhe,c
\ ' \ ' € , o , ' Jr l , e . , to bc nuhidhensional
,l,,be,n..mu
nr.n in.p.,r.n','
Gridimcnsional, to bc prcc;sc) and rhrr.
i n i r c f u l l c o m p l e x i t r , r h i s m u h i d i n r e n s i o n anl for rvhar lleidegger calls the "happening of rruth.
The folio"
irg passrgcfron Heideegeis Imoductiod to t\letapl,trir refersrc thc first tlo (out of thrcc) rlnectn,ns in the niovemenr of Being. w h i c h , c x t r a p o l a r i n gf r o r n H e i d e g g e r ' so " n s o r d s , I $ o u l d l i k . to label "vertical" ("swav') and hoLizontal (' i
.rnhdrarrl
(of emogemc rnd irs rcsultr being rherc) :nd rhe hor'zontrL movcmenr of ider' las presenting itselt, appcarancc) But shv rvould the irappenine of truth consisr of a doubLe vc.rors go in opposire direcrions? Anv attempr ar sohing rhis problern mrkcs it nccessaq loL us to vcn ture a lirnher ,rssumprionabout irh.rt Being might bc-bevond ia baring .i substance, an .inicLrlation in space and a rriplc
movemenr rhos
.or."'.,,,.
rl' n.A'..
a b o u t t h c c o n c e p to f " B e i n g "ssumption
iI
is. thcn. drat it is mernr to refir ro rh. rhingsol rhe srxlcl inLltot (or prhr ro) rh(ir inrerprerarion rnd rheirstmcrurpcndcnrlv or culruralllspcciric ing $rough rny nerork of hrsroricrllv In orhcrrords. Bcing.I rhink.rcfcrsto thc thilss,ri concepts. the world beforcthcl L'ccomep!ft oa r .ullure (or. usi,rg rl,.
I
rhctoricalfieureofd,e p.rrarlor,rhc conceprrcferoro rhe rhnr!, ofth,: world ltlbrc rheybecomcpan ot r rorlcl). lirve crcluilc rhe idearhrr BeinsDiel,r iusrbe rhar hasno srruc(ur. "hich thc doublenorcmenrof unconcerlment rnd sirhdnsal could rhen& cxphinedin rhc tbllosing s rr, tseins\ ill onlr be B.in.!: outsiderhcncmorlrsofrenrnr;csrnd otherculturildisrincrion\. lor u5ro expericnce Bei,re,Losder. ilrould. on rhconc han(1. havcto crossthc thrcsholdbcnvecna sphcreGrhichse crn.Lr lcastimaeine)frecfrom rhc eridsof anr q,ccilic cuhurcard. {,n tlrc otherhand,rhewell-srnrcnrred sphcres of
th]( arcicnt(lrcccclul .rn $rN.on\inctd.ior e\.rmPle. degger incompafi'blvbctrercharce of I'cins prcsentin rhe uncorrce.rl nenr of lleing$rn. sar.inhrbit.rnlol rhe carlrNrnticdr cenfl'ry.Seenfrom rhn.rnglc.lrom thc angleo1r wirhdnsrl rlrrr "bcnign'-or at can nevcrbc cnrircl'o'crc"n,c.Bring is ror t asrnelcrrs benignrs rharthich is giYcnro hunrnkird in tl,e ' Chrisriancon.eprol rc!.hli,,n lr'1r'rhird rhcs( n rbour the role of 1).aar (lJcitlcggos s'ord ho . rdertoun f o r " h u m r n e \ i s t e n) ci ,crt h c h r p p e n i n g o t r m It n in mind rhar rrjcnr is it is impofl.rnr r<, kcep denrandrhisrspcct. nor svnorvrin^Lssirh rl,c ,randrnl dctinitions of subjtct o "subjecrilin, r'hich is ro s.rv,ir is rliRcrcntfton rhe conceptol \ubjecrivini rh,rrbclonssro the epixcmologicalconrcrt ofrhe rodJ, that is, p,rradigm. Da,ra, is bcing-in'rhe subjecr/object humanexisrtncthrt is.rh,ls rlreailvin bo$ sprtirl.tndtunc -l rional-.:onncr s irh thc sorld. hr *urld s ith rvhichD*rtr is in touch is re.rilrn, hrnd, ir is rn .rhrars.rlreadvinrcrpetcd Flcidcgworld.Prcsupposing thc sirurrionoi being-in-the-"orld, gercharucrcrircs D,r'ais posiblc c"nrribution to the unconccrr mentofllrirrg rs con,po'ur (6,1arral,rir).thc cp,rcirr oflenine ofllerlringsb.. l hc impulse,,rinirirrivcfbr theunconccrlment ing (ilsuchsordscrn bc aclcqu,Lte,tt.rll) thereibre Iiom fir sid. ol-Beins.not fion, rhc s e ol llarrb. Intcrcstinglv, dren,a rirnhcrdcrcminarionot con\nxuf. is i* statusoibeing ''oulside rhc dirtinctionbcnvtn .'crnirvrrd pessivir)."Inrsmuch as ,,n,t, for tleidegger,hrs to be in-the-world{ard ct'n not be irr-fil)r)r olrr|. world,like r subjecr),ir is alvr pl,rusiblc thathedcscf;bes.onrposurc to rb.rndonany r.Lnasrhc c,rprcir-1 scendinsinxgi,rrrn,n.rnd projecrion. CIcrrll, D,rla, ts not suPposed ro oc.up! a position rhrt crn bc rsoci.rtcclivith ntanipularine, drewortu. rran\tbminc,or intcrprering
g c r o n dI l e r n i n g
l:inailv, I rvanrto discussHcideggos tendcrcr' manifestin his *ork r<'prcstrr m.uv diirircntbooksan,l rcrtsrhroughour rhc s,orkol rn rs ,r pririlcgcdsitc for rhc hrppcningof trurh, rrnd thesirhdr.rrrrl)oiBeing' ln rhrt is,for the unconcealmcnt of insceurinth rr Ihar.dcspite.rrtacks I mLrstsrress rhisconrcx(. corncorcr m. as I lircrrn criti. \cnruringinro IL( sonrcrimcs ilrarvanv iubil'urtor tL; licld ofphilixophr',I do nor,oi course. umphanrliclingslion rhc prlilcgcdcpistcnol"gic'lsrrtu5rlr'r( Htideggcrgnest. the rvorkol rn' lor trom thc rrendrmon5 conlenporur! \\'rstcr. philosophcnof rce'alu.rtingthe impor ranccoficsrheti.stron,i simihf pcrsP((rl!c,\li mrtn intercr ol thest'rk of rn is sinplv brscdon tlr' an;rlrsis in Hcideggels thrr he gnc', in rhisconrcrr.to rhcconccproilleing Hoe pl,rce is r prsrgc frorn fhe Origin ot rhc \\itrl of,{rr' rhat bringstir someoi thc asptctsthrt I ha\c trccnPuta point oi convergcnce rhusfar rhc hrppcningol truth rs makingus 'cc ring rogerhcr iliRercnrrionrthe onlinan r.rr. ror cr:mplt rhingsin r "av ard this Jifferent wal bcingrsociartd n'ith rothing rhrl i'' aLrsenr: rvitha dimrnsionshert rll cukunl disrincrions.rrc lulf ,!4n1th l)rrs ruth- Ih'r trr tlrtt i:rlu lrtottt4a l Jocsindtrdiil'r nothingl meinith' nr'f' .rrncourofrorhinS: n o i o t r l i ; r { h i ( h s , . n d i i N t f t r c t h i r l o f t h l " h i c h i s a sa n o l ' s h i t h L h e r e r t i ecro n r e st o l t 5 l r t re.t pr({ni in rheo irrn "l d d i se h r l l e n g cbt lr r h ce r i $ t . ( . o f d r . s o r k r i o n h f r r s u m P n r (L \ r u u c l ) c i n g .L u r h i s r t r e r g r r h c r e dl r m o b l c r i \ l h a t r r e P r e \ ( t l r n d o ' ( l i n a n .I t i t h e . ,r h . o | t n i n s u P o i t h c O P . n . . n d r h €' l e r rI n E o f . r h r r l s .h a p p c nor n I r s r h . , ' l ' c D n c $i s P r c ] . . r d . N o r ' . r ' l , c r c n i g h t H c i d c g g e r ss p e c i t l cr * o c i . r t i o n b c n v e e nr h c r o r k o i r n a n d r l l c u n c o n c c r l m e n ro l t s e i n gc o n r c f r o n i I h c l c . r s l v c c r n s a v i s r h a r . i n i t s b r s i c o u t l i n e , r h t b a c k - a n dt i r r h r r r o v e m c nrtb r r h c s e c s; n t h c u n c o n c c . i l m e nori B c i n g i s a s t n r ; -
7l
rurc rhxt, on dillerent le'els rn,l in dirlirenr contern, he rlso frequenrhpoint. to rhcn hc rhcn.rrizcsrhe *rxk oftrr. Therc is cenainlvno re.rtn to bclie'e thrr Henlcgg.. wrnrcd t<,dcscribe ol lJc rhe'vork oi arr.,, rh. onlv sir. $hcrcr|e unconcerln,cnt On rhc odrtr hand,his rcxr suge.srritr ne ing was possiblc. slr thc *ork ot rrr as .r rncdiunshcrc rhc hrppeninqof rruth I s.wmorcofa prcbrbilirl-?) wasnorc oi.r to$'bilin (ot sh,,ulct Bur " l he Oriein oi rhe \\irrk oi.\n :lso prorid.sturrhcr ansrvcnti, *hat rhe turd "Beins"miehrpossiblvmc,rn(as,4> ol tleing can posedo thc qu.srion ol ho$ rhe unconcealnrcnr happen).ln 6c ntiddlc ,n the tcxL Hcideggerdweils.ior sev.,al prges.on his rrcollecrionof rn rncicnr Greck renrpl.. and i( is nvo iirnhcrconccpts,rvorld rnd"eanh,' thererh.uhc derelops llcing.Of.oub., the rtl.rtion,hip in hn.ttcmp' ro thar:rctcrize tbe tenrpleas r sork ofrrt.rnd uncorccalccl Beingis berween ol rcprtsenrarior, A building. not one i Crcck ren,plc.po.rrils nothing. A complex,Lnsrerro the quesrionofho* rhe prcs enceol rhc renrplc can.ontributcto n,rkingd,c uncorcealmcnr of Being happcn rs oticred in rhe .onrrasriogdescriprionsof ''world" rnd crnh : l he is rhc self-disclosing openncs "orl,l of the brord prths of rhc simplc aml csenri.rl de.isnns in rhc destinlof.r hkuical pcople.l heeanhis rhc sponrancous fonhcoming of dr.rr shich is conrinuallr sclf:secluding.rnd to rhat ertenrshclrc.inqrnd.orccalins. ' \\'hrr cracrlvis rhc diffcrencc benveenthc rolcsth.rr canh .rnd *orld trrcsuprDseoro f,.l m the h.rpfenirrofrrurh?Regrfdingrhc asplctof trrh." rhe elemenrsrhar sc hare .rccumulrtcd rhus frr ri,r the unclenrrndingofrhc conctprof'Bcing, on thc oneharLl,and llcideggrls cvocationofrlr. rcmpl.. ox rhc othcr.con.ergcin rhc itrprcssion thar rhe rheerp,csenccoi rhc rcrrplc rriggen rhc unconcerlrncnt
of a number of drings-ir
lheir dringness-drar sufound rht
t h o s ep r t h s a n d r e l a r i o n isn w h i c h b i ( h a n d d . i t h , d i s r n { : . d ble*ing. rictorr dd disgrrce.enrlufurcc rnd dcchrc .1.!utre rhe s h : p eo f d e s n r . l i t h u r n r nb e i n g .
Sunriirg there,thc buildnrgrcstson c rockr ground This 'e{ing of drat rocl': of the *'ork dfu'vs up our of rhe rock rhe nrcr clunsr rti spontan.ou\\upporr.St$ding therc rhe buildirg hold; ts gtourd aganrstthe sorn r.ging ibole it a''l so i:in makesrhe 5torn itself mrnife$ in is riolenct. I he lun.r lnd than oi rh' iorc, rhoughilsclfaftartnrlr gld.nrg onh b\ the era'c oi Ih' sun vet firr brings to light rhc light of thc d:r. drc breadthof rhe skr ' d r cd r r k n e so f t h e n i g h t . T l c c e n t r a li d e r i n t h c s . s c n r e n c c rsb o u r " e a n h i s d e c e p t n c l r easy.Onlv lhe presenceof cenrin thines (in rhis crsc. the prev e n c eo f t h c t e D P l e )o P c n \ L r pt h e P o s s i b i l i no f o t h c r r h i n g s a p pcafirg in their primordial narcrial qualirie,-and rhis cRicr miglt be considcrcd as onc irav (and as a parrl of un'onccrli'S
is nieant to have a yrtial a(iculation, and n is
describcdas an inteerativc dimension. .rsa dimcnsion rhai brings things rogcrhcr. Brscd on thrs prcnke. I scc t*o solulions ro th. 'earrh," and Bcing .orrLl be relared p r o b l e mo i h o " * o r l d . One possibilirr is ro in and undersnnd Heidcggers Lefcrcnces ro concepG like dcstinr" or to rh€ Grcek "god" rs relcrcncesio jnregnrive dinensions thrr are less cLrlrurallr and historically speciilc rhin sc might hare imagined at fi.sr glancc lt is thLrs 'desrinics" or of ditrercnt nor inposible ro rhink, of diflerenr "gods, thrr rhel L'elong ro ihe side of Being (it is indeed quite conrenrional. ar lerst from a rhcological poinr ofvien. ro drink of'gods" as sirhdraivn from altr hisroriallv specitlc clervdav worlds). lfivc F.rrdrertn to imigine
thcir Ileing. It is ntuch more complicrt€d ro figurc our ir rvhich 'rr rhc concepr "ivorld can help us grasp rhe conccpr oi Bcing t'or ii unconcealcd Beirg has the character ol a thing ($us our fl'sl ,h.L..ul .
Clearl". \rorld
' v r n d . r . r ' - . n ro i r
'errrri"n
dc netlvork. ftis seems to be inconparible wirh $odd L'eing soDcthing es cuhuralh specific (it appcar) as the simple end essenrialdecisioDsin thc dcstir' of a listorical pcoPle Nnh s'hich rvords Heidcgger rries to illLrstrrte the crample of a sorll givcn b1 :r God's preserce in thc (lrcek rcmple .\nd he connn
B r m e a n so i r h e t e m p l c ,r h e g o d ! s p r t s c n ri n I t e m p l e t h ' p r . s e . c eo f r h c g o d n i ! i r s e l f t h cc r t e n s i o nr n d d e l n n i r a r n ronf r h e ptccircr as a holr precnrct The t.mPle od tr5 Prdcincr'hosctet' do nor li.le inlo rh€ indcnnite k is rhe ter4rlelorl tllar firr tits rogcrhcranrl ar rhe samc rime ga rcc rdrrd i*elf rlt unitr ot
desrinies and "gods as
overa.ching. as integrarive nodrlities ivithin Bcing, rarher than 'things' r v i t h i n t s e i n g ,t h c n s u c h m o d a l i t i c sc o u l d indnidual that irould nor depcnd on historicallv spe"al cific culrurcs. This rould mcan, fbr erample, and alwals on thc side ofBcing. rhrt carrh. and sea,rnd s\ are dlfferent cach rime, shapc rhings in a
in rhc presenceofor bclonging to dillcrcnr go
ings as pan oi Bcing. th.rt is, indcpendently of the
shap.s imposed upon rhem bv historicellv specific cultures, does not mcrn that these rhings ha.c either no forms at al! or neces sarili unchrneing ("erernai ) tbrms \\re should thcn not assumc thar, for cvnplc. tleine unconcealedro a,r ancient Grcek peasant or phllosopher rvould ha'e becn rhe sane rs Bcing that couLd b e L r n c o n c c a l ctdo u s , n r o r n d a h a l f m i l l c n n i a h r c r ' E a n h "
could relir ro Being as substanceand rvond ro rhe changing (3rl conligurarions and srnrcrurcs of shich Being as substancc becomc r pan. Bur dese changesof 'torld .oLrld have nothins to do ivith thc dimension to nlich ire normallr rcler .rs hkror icrl" or "cuhural' change. The orhcr solution rcgarlirg tlle st.rrus of ..orld n sonrcq h a t c e s i c rr o g r a s p , a n d i r l e a d st o t h e e r c l u s i o no i s o r l d fLom rhe diniension of Bcing lt interyrcs I lcideggct to mc;n rh.rr Being ahravs and onlv unconccalsitseli in rhe firm and ir rhc substant (rs well as againsr or throush $e forn and th. substance)of rhings that are prrr of specir)ccuhures ( beingr 'ivodds' 3 s c o n f i s u r a r i o n so l s u c h t h i n g s ) F o r . u n l i k c t h c and Plrtonic ideas.tseing is nor supposcd ro bc sonerhing generuloL s o m e t h n r gn e t a h i s r u i c a l " b e l o l " o r " b e L i n d " a s o r l d o f u i i c e s . P e r h a p si r i s a s s i m p i e a s r h i s p r o p c , s alli r a d e f l n i r i o q : Being s ransible things, seen independcndi of rhcir cultutrllr qtcilic situarions which rs neirher an easl f.rt o rchicve nor,r ' o ne "'p o h . o r l rr r s r " r p r " . I r ' r e e stnrgglc in rhe rclationstlp betl'cen vor1d" {corfigurarrons or things in drc contexr of specificcuhural sirurrionsi) and canh (hings seer independentlo r f t h e i r s p e c i l i cc u h u r a ls i r u a r i o n s l "t-arth" or Being (-t.,, und llorld or "beingr' l1a-' Srhaat ' a c c o r d i n gr o t h i s r e a d i n g .b c l o n g i n s c p : r r b l t ' t o g e r h . f b u l r d order "ro selfasot their nrrures, rhel ha.e ro dreree uiihur t h i s t o g e r h c m e s s :T h c o p p o s i t i o no l . x x l d : n r l e r n h i s a s r r i n g . B u r . v e ' t o u l d r r e L l r l l t o o e a s i l lf a l s i f r i r s n a r u r e t t \ i $ ' r t ro conlound striving nith discoLd and dnputc' and thus s'c 'r onLyas disorder and desrrucrtun ln csential *rning, r.rrhcr' rl:e opponents raisc each othcr irto rhc self:a**tion ot rhcir nr O n e t h r r g s e e n t t o b e c e r u i n . i n d e p e n d c n d ro i o u r i n t c t -
"world " \nXenever a specinc cuhunl prenrions of (h. concept ( ifthe god flccs fron rhc temple"), rhen the ,r"".ion '."i'hes no longer be rhe sraning dings belongin-qro thar siruarion can 'r'orld" thev lack poinr for.rn unconccalmenr ofBcing, becausc rhen viralitv: 3s rhc integrarnc dimension, rvhich secms to give "The temple. in ns sranding rherc, firt gives ro things rhcir look ard ro men drcir oudook on rhcmselvcs This vierv .enalns oPen as long as thc "ork is a ivork, as lone as the god has not fled from ir' However provisional my ancmpt at unfolding rhc complexi ries ofHeidcggcis concepr of Bcing" mav rcmain, there cantrot be any doubt rhat this concept is vcrl close to the concept of "presencc (i'hich I hare rried to idenril,r, at the bcginning of tnis chaprer. rs rhe point of convcLgencebet-..n diflercnt contemporan retlcctions thar rr to go bcvond .r mctrphvsical cpir remologl ancl an cxcluiueh meaning-basedrelationshiP to thc world). Borh conceprs, Being and presence, implv substance; borh are relarcdto spacerborh can bc associatedwirh movcment Heidegger rrav not ha"e claborated the dimension of "extrcme temporalin" rs nuch as somc conremporary thinker try to dor but *,har I hare tent.rrneh crlled "rhc morcments ot Being irt Heideggers conception mrke n imposibie to think of Being as something irabie. The most imPortitnr point or convcrgencc, howerer, is rhc rension benveen mcaning (i e , rhat 'vhich makes things cultunllv specific), on rhe one hand and presenceor Be' ing, on thc orher. It k truc rhat on\' ir the second of the nvo readingsof 'eanh" and rorld" rhat I ha'e proposcd do thesc wo concep6 conespond epproximatelv ro the idea of a rension b.nu"en p.esen." and n,eaning. But rhe rcason *'hy I rake some encouragemenl for mv orvn project from conccprssLrchrs "eanh. \rorld, or "Being" is independcnr of dillrerent intcr
fl
78
Bevondllelrltrs
prerarionsofthesc concepts.Dccisnc tirr nc is rhc gcncrrlcrf. riencetharthcvall-rhroughouttLeirdiffercntinrcrpret.rrnns ofler a dcgrtc of rcsisranceto a snooth intcsr.rllor inrc r.l meraphvsiclrvorldrierv.Heidcgeeisconcpts. it scems.arc.rl
dcscriprioD of Drcdie\.,1 and (earh) len tiom .r cotrrtusrnc I shouldpcrhaps savtharrhcr arc nreantto hc, modern.ulru,c, all. illLrtratnns of \haI iI (ukc\ (o im.,sin. r culturc fun"6ove thcil 66enrallv dillercnrlion, ours. Scenliom Ihis perspectivc. hntoricrll! sp
waysalrcadyon drc sideof a depanureinro . diller.Dlepis,. mological andonrolo$cal dimcns;or.
4 Onc ol n,r reasonsfor thc dccisionro rn ,rnd erplorc l leicl.r: gers conceprof"Bcing crn,c riom tht imprcsion that inras r,, Iongercnoughfbr us ro snr< continu,rllrhos rircd sc rre in rl,c thrr canonli gi\( humanities ofa repeno;r.of anrlniceonccpts us acccssro the dimensiorrof n,canirg. ln orhrr $o s. on.l again,ir is rime (, brerk cenrindiscursncraboor(rimc to gcr one s hrnds dirq'), time ro dertlop conceprsrhal .rn tr( leasrl)( instcrdof just hring to sin ro sraspphenomenrof prcsence. (.tndto experimenr rvirhrhcm).As I hlr blpas thisdimension :rlreadlsaidsercrrl rimts in this book, the onc v'rtegr rhrt crr helpus makcprogresshcreis d,c recoumero pre-o physical cuhures .rnddiscoursc. o{ rhc pasr.I hiscrrcdr crpl.rin' He;deggcisliscinrtion with thc rcxrsof rhc pre-Socr.rrics.I ,,r ;r rhetlcldof.u,cicntGreckcuhurc,I n,.shcerlackofexpcnise rnd theconrnsrbcr\r.cnmedtrsclfhavcuscdmcdicralcuhure', and early rnodrrn culture,.r a sinilar v,urcc of inryirari.rrt. "al and I shallnow rerurnro rharrtt.lerial. \flhrt I w,rnt to proposc.thcn, brscd mrinlv on rhis spcciri' historicalcontrasr.are.r rrurnbcrofconccpt' {rhcr rre hrrdl. n Iined conccptsso 1,rr)rh:rt mighr hr\, us ovcrcon:cthe cxclusirc ror rhatnrighr.'t rvithinrhe hunr.rniries starusof intcrprerrtion leasthelp us imaginean inrellcctualsiturtion shere inrcrprtt,i tion uould no longer bc exclusne).As rhescconccpn arc rli
produceand prcsertthcst tent.rtivecoo.eprswilhin two rvpolo gia. 1-hefint of theseoro rlpologicsproposcsa clntinctionbtrweensbar I call mcrnin.e tuLtutc and "prcscncccuJrurc' oi cou*e.beingcloscto nrodcrtculturc (wirhmcaningculrLrre, culturc closc to mctlieul cuftur<).' Ai i krorv fror, andpresenct frustrrringcxpericnce rhat rhc impli.rtioos longand sometimcs of such npologiei .Lreoiicn
8o rieriesof whar onc mighr describcas "cvcnrsof seltruncorcealasI saidbcfbre.for suchcvenrs pent ofrhe*orld. l he impulse. of self-unco"-"I-" " r ".vcr comesfiom the subjecr.Rcvclarion if vou believein rhtm. iusr hrppen, and and unconcealmcnr,
Aboveail, onc shc,uldnot forga nandy nrernins-cultu.e-brsed. rhar rhis brief lmd doublc) npologl is meant ro suggesrd,e m e r .p o * i b i l ' n . r r o r . r . 1 . ' i ' , t , h o n r n , - r i , r . p o r " i r "l conccptsfor cultural:rnal1'sis. ilrt, rhedoninrnt hunan sclf-referencc in a meanineculrrr. u ,r.i ro11 is, rhen. rhe mind (,re mighr al5osa\'consciousn.ss
oflc€rhcv havehdppcned,thcv can neverbe undonc in thcn effiom rcvelationrnd uncon Fcrs.The "knorvledgerhar emerges rnd exclusivclvoccuf, howeler,1n cealmenrdocsnot nccessarilv culture,think ofas wharwc, in a prcdominandymeaning'based 'val for knowledgeto occur that is. knowlthe onll onrologicrl
rarr), r'hereasIhe dominanrsell-reference in a presencc cuhurci\ rhe bodv.Srrazl it is an inplicationof rhe mind brirg their dominrnrself-reicrcnce rhar humansconccneof rhemschcs ar c . . c n r r ri n r e L r i " nr n , h . $ " , | J , s L i . \ i . . c c - - . r n , c ' n i : culrure,:rs exclusively consisring of marcrirlobjecis).lhrs \ic\ makesir obriousrhatn is'subjccrnin]or "rhesubjecr" rharo.
cdgeis nor erclusnell concepturl.Thinking along the lines o1 Heideggcis conccprof Being should h.rve encouragcdus to inagine thar "krorvlcdge"revcaledor unconcealedcan be subrhat presrntsirselfrous (e"en$irh i$ inhcr stancethar appc:rrs.
cupics thc place of thc doninrnt hunun 5cltrfefirin.c i. l meaningcuhurcwhereasin presence culrurcs,hunans considir their bodiesro be parr of a cosn,ologr(or pan of a dn inc crer
ent meaning),wirhour requiring inrerprerationas its transformationinto meaning. Thesefirsr rhr,:cconrastsbcmcenaspcctsofmeaning culture andaspecrs ofpresenceculrurc maken phus;ble,/artl, thar explicidyor implicirly-drey operatervith dillerent corcepdons
rion). I-hcre.thel don'r seethenxchesastcccntricin rtl:tion rc the world bur as bcing paruof rhe *odd (rh* areindeedin rhe world in a sparialrnd phvsicl *ay). in a prcsence cuhure.rhc things of the world, on top of tl,cir narcrirl bcing. havc an ln herentmeaning(not jusra meaningconr.!(d ro rhen rhrough interprctation). and humrnsconsidcr theirbodiesro bc.n int gral p.rn ofthcn exisrcnc (horc. in latc n,cdieralsocicn. rht
ofwhara signmusrbe. Of coursc.a signin a mcaningculturc ncedsro haveprcciselvrhe metaphlsiol srructurethar lcrdinand de SaLrsurecontcndsis the universalcondition of tht sign: it rs drecouplingof a purcly mater;alsignilicrwith a purelyspnitual signified(or "mcining ). Now. it is important to add rh.rt, in a rncaninscuftu.e. the 'purelv marerial signifierceases to be rn objeq ofaftennon assoon as irs 'underlying"meaninghasheen identified.A (for us) much lessf.rmiliarfixrn ofthe sign thar the typolog;calconrrrsrber*een mcaningculrureand presence cul
uirh rhc rhemeofrhe L,odill rcsurrection of rhe dead obsession Th;nI, knowledge,in r meaningculrurc,crn onlr be lcgitim,:t: knowlcdgeif ir has been producedbi a srbjecr iD rr acr ,'t *orld-inrerprerarion(and undtr rhe spcc;liccondldonsof sh.n I have, in the previouschaprer.called rhc hermcneurictield 'purch thar is, by pencrratingrhe narerial surfaceoi thc rotlr ;n ordcrto lind spiritualrrurhbcnearh or bchindir). For r preencecuhure,legir;matc kroslcdge;s npic.rllrre'caltdkro"l edge.It is krorvledgereveaiedbv (lhe) god(s)or b) ditlcrenl \r'
ture can help us ro tunher im:rgineand ro graspis closeto thc tuistoreliansign-deiinitionthrt I haverlrcady explan,cd,wherc asignis a couplingbenveenr subsranr (somcthingrh:rrrequircs sPace) and a form (somerhingthat makesit posible ibr rhe sub'
t
lll 8l
thc De:lrdis sranceto be Perccived).This sisDconccPM'ids materiallor rinction bcoveenrhe PurclvsPirituslurd the Purel{ Consctbc tvo sidesof what ir brc,uqhttogcther in drc sign thar *ill rani'h qucnrlv,thcreir no sidc in dris sign'concenl oncca mcaningis securcdwirhour rn'ingro ( cul r'rllv')o!(soulJ extendthe rangeof Ihc Aristotcli:rnsign conceptherc { touristguidsvho tlrt likc to mcntion mv memor.rof.r Japanese b' one, lirr the JilTerenrrock in 'L sive me eraclneaninss.onc famous stone gardcn-rnd rhcn 'venr on t' add: but rhcsc sronesare alsobceurinrlbecauscrho Lcepor coming closert'r our bodi<srvnhout evcr prcssingus Such r rvorl
/uced knor"ledgc.Rarher,ir rclieson rccipes(ofien s.crcrre.ipes 6r reverledrecipcs)rvhosecontcnthrs beenrcvealedto be a pan of rhe never-chrngingmovcmentsin .r cosmologyoi rvhichhLr' mansconsiderilr.mscllcsro L't pan. Ifrhe bodv is rhe domhrnr in r prescnce culrure,thcn, ril, space,rhar is, lhat self-refcrcnce di'nen\ion rhrr consriruresitseLfrround bodies, nust bc rhe primorlial dinrcnsionin rvhich rhe rcladonshipberu'eendiffer ent humrns an,l the relationshipbenvcenhum:rrsand dre thirgs of rhe sorld rrc being negorirlcd. fime, in conrrrsr,is rh. Pritheresecms mordialdinension for anv mc.rningculrure.because and to be rn unrroidablc rsocirtion benreen consciousness 'srrcrm of con (rhink of Huserl'sconccprof th. remporali$ -{borc trll, ho*crcr. tim< is thc primordiatdimcns.iousness'). ro n or. r ; o no i . r n r - , . , i n g . u i t u r
Y 84
BeronJ \1.rnins
B u t t h e l i n e sa l o n g * ' h i c h l a o " l e d g e ; s d i s t r ; t ' u t e dw i l l o n l Y c ( , ; r c i d e u i t h r h c l i n c s o l p o ' v c r r c l a t i o n s. t sl o n g a s r h . s r . t b ; L n,r' i
benvcen ficrion-nor of rhe conrrasr and rhc fhrtulnesvllc(iolr seriousncx,,ietcnday inr.ricri.ns. If. in .r rrrc.rnrng currLrre, findsrn irkrnrl conrrast rheseriousn$oi e\endai inrcrrtrions .ud iicrru, prcscnce cuhurcs nc.J ro nNp.nd rll(n in plar' during nr.rrp[
thc lines ofkno'vlcdgc distribution is ulrimartlr corered. cvcn Ln a m e a n i n gc u l t u r c , b v r h e p o ( c n r i d la n d t h c r h r c r t o f p h v s i r . r l ln a n,eaning culrurc. a.gl,r/,.rhc concepr or rh. elcnr is it s c p r r a b J vl i n k e d t < , t h e v a l L r co i i r n o v r r i o n . n d . N r $ c o n \ ! q u c n c . , i o r h c e H i . r o a \ u r p r i s c .l n a p r c s e n r cc u h u r c , h o \ . \ . r . t h e c q u n a l e n ro f a n i n n o a r i . n i s t h c n c c c s r r i l v i l l e g n i r n a r . dcprnurc froni rhc regularrticsol . cosnlologv and its inhcr(tr c o d e so f h u n r n c o n d u c r .T h i \ i ' $ h ! i n a q i o i n g r p r e s t n c e . r : l t u r c i m p l i e sr h e c h ; r l l e n g co 1 t h i n k i n g r c o n c c p to t c l c , l l r c s s ( l c r a c h e dl i o m i n n o v : r t j o r r n d s u r p t i s c .S u c h r c o n c c p ts o u l d r c r n i n d u s t h e r e r e n t h o s e r c g u l a r c h a n g c sr n d r r n + o r m a t i , , n . c a n p r e d i c ra n d c x p e c ti m p l r a n , o m c n t o t c l i s c o n t i n u i r r ' "e \(te how rh,rt, shi'nh rlicr cighr o clock in the cvcning, thc or rhat
c h e s r r aw i L l b c g i n t o p h v r n o r e n u r e r h l s c h l c h c r r d n r , r . ' rimes.And rcr rhc disconrinuin thar ma,ks rh< moment ir s'hich the ll*t sounds .rrc prcduceil will
hn
us-producing
.ur
r h a t i m p l i c sn c i t h e t $ r P n s . n o r n r n o \ r o , ) n
e t l e c ro f o r n t n e s 'fhe r r i n g su s . r n r r l , . r o p l l f i l n e s s , , n J e r r n p l r o f a s t a g e ' c . e nb fiction rs concepts rhroueh rvhich ncrning culturcs ch.rra.rfrLi. i n r e r a c t i o n sr v h o s cp . r r r i c i p r n t sh r e r l i m i r c d . r ' r g u c . o r n o all of tht mori'rrions rhrt guide rl:eir bcharior. T h i s a b s c n c co f ( r n l r r r e n * s o J ) m o r i v a r n , n st h r t g u i d e t h c i r in sirurrions oi ptu or liction' b c h a v i o ri s t h e r c a s o n "hr, rules eithtr precristirg rults or rules tltar rtc being m:tde up .t,; rh, I'r'.. | ,h. p. . f,',. , r' v a r i o r s .\ ' i t h a c r i o n s ,c l e t l n - l a s h u n , r n b . h r \ i o r s r r u ( t u r . d b \ rhcpl:. unl Jo'
||t.,".r
c o n s c i o u sm o t i v r t i o n s ,h a r i n g n o p l a c ci n p r c s e n c c u h u r c s ,r h c r crnnot produce rn eqLrivalcrt of thc conccpts of pll tulnc* ot
Mik}:il Baknrin m.roDrmi.rlh c.rll ornnrl. Finally, rc ill ven bina6 pol,gr sith sonc lisrorieal in.ginlrion. \'c dis discussions,rre couldsl. rg,rin.rharprrlirn,enr,rrv a ritualthar 6rs for m*ning eulrurcs.r'hercr rhe liuch.rristis e protoo?ical r i r u , l " r c r . . c' . . 1 .r r r . l r r l r r r rr,, r n J - - . . , , , ) t , . i , , . : ple,arc a cornperirionl)cnvccndilLrenr individu.rlnrotivarn)ns, rlnr rs,ben'cenditlirrnr visions,rfarororc iirrurerhrr canor'enr indi.idurl rnil collcctivcbchrviorin .rn inn,cdirtefurure. Ahhough p.rrlianrenr,t^. dis.u*nrrs, doivn ,o u,c p.cscnrdav! hlv€ counrcdon rheph\ii.rl prc'.nccofrhcir prniciparts,the]' stagelhcr:ts.lves.rs bcineerclusivch'decidcd Lrrrhe inrcllccrual qualiwofd,c conrpering vbionsrnd rrgunrcnrs.I'hc l,uch.rrisr, in conrrasr.r a rirual of nu.eic bec.ruseir makcscod's body prcsenr rs rhc ccnrrJprrr ofr p r siru,rrion (!s I s.rid Ph)sicalh in the proious chrprcr,ir *.r onlr carl; nroclernl)rorcst.rnr theologl rhlr rurnedrhe lluch.,ris( inro .r rr nnnmenruarion). "f Bur*,hrtc.rnbe thepoinrofa rirurl rh,rtpl uccsrhc rcelpres enceof(;od iirhis R.,lprscnce ofclorl alrcrdr is r gcne|.ttized frarnecondirionof hurrrn lit!? -l he onlr possiblcansrvcris rhar the celebrarbno1 $c [ucl,rrisr. dav aher dav, rvill not onLy rnainrain bur inr.n5i6rhe.rlrcrd\crisringfc,rlprcsencc o1-(iod. Theconccpr oiintcnsilicarior m.rkes us unLlersnn.l thrr it is nor unusual, for prescnce cLrlrurcs, ro qurnti6.*hrr *,oul.lnot bc availabletor qLrantilicrrtion in a meaningcuhurc: prc.encccul
Y
86
llt\ondt{erninq
I
ri. g€\'ond
ing
87
or' nues do quantitu fcel;ngs,for example,ot rhc imPressions ofapprovrl rnd rcsistmcc. or rhc degrecs closencsand absence, of uch npologiesthar ft belongsro tbc inhcrenrpossibiliries rhev allorvfor almosrcndlcsscontinuationrnd rellnemcnt.ard
appropriation,however,about which we don t likc (o r.ilk trnd jpt we const.rndystruggleto projtct towardand, aboverl1, beyond the rnarginsoiour orvn meaningculture The most ob"; ogs reasonfor this nor onlv inrellcctualanripath,vis, of course,
bccauscthc ren contrasrsnoted appearro bt r rrndom enouel) number, I concluderhc binrn wpology ol prcsencccuhurcs and "mcaningcuhures"hcrc. I would like to Iirish this cbapter. ro dedicatcdto variousaltcnrprsat inagining.r relationship texrs,to culruralobjccts,lnd to the rvorld at largcrhai rs nor an
rh€ rension benveenour cuhurc rs prcdominantlv me.rningcenrcred,on rhc one hand, aod. on the other hand, earingthe world asrhe mosrdirecrlviv oibccoming one wirh rhe thingsof Bur perhapsthereis yet anthe world in drcir tangiblepresencc. od,er mechanisminrcnening in this rcacdon,a mechanisnfor
exchrsivclv interpreratnerelation.rvirh ver anothcrnpoloS. ln srcadof tning to complcrih conceptionsoi difftrent n?e' oi culturc.rhissecondwpologvti'cuseson di&irtnt c'pesol humar world-rppropriation(with thc conceptof rvorld ircluding orh-
*trich sc shallfind equivaleotsin rhe threeother wpcsofwodd appropri.rrion.For in each rvpe of *orld-appropriarionthose rhe fear who arethe:rgenaofappropriaringthe wodd experience ofbecoming thc objectsof the samcqvpeof appropriarior.Eat-
Insteadofbcingbinan. our secondrlpologldistin cr humans). guishcsbet*'eenfour diffcrcntnpes ofworlrl'rpproPriition. Th. order in."hich I shallpresentthesefour dillircnt nles ofsorld appropriationcrn be cxplainedrs movine tiom I modcof'vodd
ing rhe world, thcn, will alwaysrriggcr the fear, for humansas bodilv prns of rhe world, thar thcy m;ght thenselvesbe eaten And rhis is preciselv'vh,vmost humrn societiesmakc rhe cating ofhuman fleshtaboo,'vherhera seneraltabooor a trboo asa'Dst
appropriationthanvould corlespondro an iderl $Pe or Presen.. culrurcro*ard the opposircpolaritv,rhar is, thrt of pure meaning culture.Whar rvill nor changebenveenmv t,rsi and mr scc ond rypologris their argumcnlativctuncdon.As I did in mr dc
eatiogthe rlcshofone s own kin. Paetlati g things and bodics-that is. body contrct and sexuality,aggres;on, desrruction,"and murder-
of'presencccuhurc and meanine velopmcnr ofthe concepts culture, l shall nou disringuishfour diicrcnr rvpcsof *ond' and !r appropriation.againin thc uhim.Ie hop. oi sL,ggtsting spiring imagesand conccptsthrt might helPus gnsP noninlcr ' in our rclationshipro the rvorld. pferrtile componenrs Izrlz.q the things of rhc world. including thc practicesol an .r' thropophagvand throphag, chering \{adarnc Bo'an. Friedrich Nieasche oncc imagined, or e.rring the bodi rnd drinkingrhebloodofChrist.rll belongro onc obriousrnd crLt' cial mode of rvorld'appn,pri:rrion a crucitrl 'node of world
daire and for reflection.'lhb,I think, is the contextthrt explains rvhy scxualiw alloss for such r srrong connotrtion of death,of ovenvhelminganorhcrbody or of being overvhelmed by it. As.r longing lor deafi. rhis connotationmay coDrehom the desircro m.rkea rransiron union erernal.But rs I fcar of death,ir seemsto be triggered,oncc.rgain,bv a fcrr of revcrsal' Fearofviolenr penerrationmav producethe nighrmarcoi being nped. Thcre.rrc muhipie cuhurrl rrrafs to copc with this fear'
88
B c r o n Jl l e r n r n s
r
ot \(\ and hienrchizrlion a srrictdisrribution In sorneculmres, ual rolestrics to scvcrthc righr ro Penemrc from dre rhrert "i -or' to Ltsc 6eingpenerraredA seeminglrmuch more cn ilized discoure' a much norc a conceptfr
L I l I
almost gcnerallvlccePred;n our o*n cukure, of spiritualizing seruali$ up ro a Point Nhercir rurnsinro mutuai self'erpression andconnrunicarion. -rhere is a modc of *orld'appropriationin 'vhich on the onc of the sorld or of rhe orher is srill Ph\si'llh h.rnd,the presencc felr atthough.on the other hand' thereis no perceprionof a real objectthar *ould.rccounr for this tieling This is $hat ve ciLl n/tirlr'r. lr is inlcresring,vithin rhis t1polog1,that our culture all rirms of mvsticismas forms of spiritual liti caregorizes which teavesrs a problem rhe double experienctrhat sm(esoi mystic.l mpore arc ofren induced b' highl\' ritualized bodr pracrices.rndat*,ryscome$th rhe perceprionofa phvsicalim' pacr.Ofcourse, rhc desireofshich mvsricismallowstull aware' of lhe nes is srill a desircoi lasting posesion-a possession rh;ngsofrhe world, ofthc bclovcdone' ofa god. But mvsticism' and that meansar roo, mav rurn into the ferr of beingposscssed we can relatemysticismrv;th rn ar leasrrudimenrarilrdeveloped subjectposirionrmong irs pracrnionem,rhrr ir k relatedrvith connolovcronescllltnthisspeLos;ng rhefcaroipermanendv cific fearthat hasoblisedmov ofdrc famousmvsricsto dedicare long and complicatedreflecrionsro the qucstionof rvhich pre' migbt gu.rranlec(he Possibilirrot rcventionsrnd mechanisms turn;ng from a state of mlstiol posesion Ntore intercsting' perhaps,and cen.rinlymuch more radical,is rhe oppostrestrrr egyofdeliberatelvopeningonaelfro a violent acr ofbeing P'rs' ,..r.a Sy g.a ln this case,which is rhe caseofrhe so-calle'l "
B e v o n d\ l c r n i n g
pan lo Nrro t rxhtrs ol rhe godr/srinrs) in nosr Alrc Bnzilian cults.ir scemsro Lrerhe desireto bc posessed.turncd into r lirll, fledgedintcnrion rnd srrrreg of being posessed,thar deflects fie fearofbcing oveniheln,cd. and rc) nI ;.ntia, as exclusilelr Oi co\ttse, "tterprc'ttion correspondro thc meanspiriturl sars of rvorld-.rppropri.uion pole in rhis opologr. Everv cltbn ro think rnd ro ing-culturc shorcth,rt this is nor the onlr rur of refening to and appropri' aringthe thingsofthe rvorld is a porentialxep bcvondthe exclusivin ofrhe merningdimension.But it .rt rhis poinr. rheresere in this context,th€ stanstill a needto erokeor evento describe, dard impliorions of inrerprerarionand comnunication, this book rvouldbavebeenpoinrles. So se c.rnimrnediarelyrurn to 'total rhe specificfear producedbr *harre might wanr ro call communicarion.This is, ofcoune. rhc fcar ofbcing accesible, in ones innermosrrhoughrsand feelings,ofbeing accessible and open likc a book to rhe interpretatirecunning of parenrsand teachers, ofspouscsand inrelligenceagenrs.There is a rirurl ro dcflectrhis fearshich, in its basicsrmcrurcs,corrcsponds eracdv to the dclibera(e openness of $e pdi rla nnto to $e acrofpossession bv.t god. lrs cquilalent in a communicationcLrlureis psychoanalvsis and psrchorher:pr'.Coutd ir nor bc rh.rr.more lhan the raulr ofbeing read,rvharrerlll marrcrsin psvchoanalysis is overcomingrhe iiar ofbeing read br dclibcrarelvopeningonesclfandb\' evenp:rling handsomcxmounrsor tr!,ocy r! oncr o rnaLehappen$har one mosr fears.The complemcnraFr srrrreg] is rie an offeigning. rhc :rn olhiding onc'sin.c,'nos! rnousns and feelingsbehind rhe nraskof an 'exprcssion rhar docs nor cxpfessaDlrhing. Thn. rs I alrc.rd|mcntioncd,is the rn rhat convinccdMa.hilvclli rh!r rhe CarholicKing lefrrandodc Ara86ntras dre firsr incarnarionofrhe modernpolnician.Tht mosr
t6 for eirn,plc.or rl). impr.l\i,,n\.' turesdd quanririr-eelings, o, dcg'ccs ol .rt,proulird resist.,rcc alr.cnce. rl,c and elosene* ofsuch '\PologL(. rh.r ft brlongso rhc inhcrcntposlbilirics continuariorr and rtrlnerrtnr.arJ thcr.rl|rr fnr rlmosrcnrllcss the rcn tonulr' norcdrppcrr ro bc r r.rndomo,ou!: becausc .uLIUr.\ rbc binarr trpologrd prrscnce numbcr,I co,rclude rnd mcrningcuhurcshrre.I w,uldlikcto tinsh rhiscl,.rprr to !uriousrft.mp15rt irnrgrning., .clarlonshif!, ilcdicarcrl at litgc rharis nor rr rnd tu rhc rexa.to culrunlobjecrs. "orld rtt rirh anothcrnpo|,gr. Il rclarior. cxclLrsivclv inrcryrctarivc of Jillirent rrpcs,,: sreadol tning ro coDrtleri6ronccprions on .lihlrerr t\ p.s oi hui::l cuhurc,rhisscrondng,log iicLrscs oi rvorld incl'r,li,,S oIh world-rppropri,rrion hvirhthe concepr rrpologr Lli'iir er humrnn. ln.tcadofLcin-ebinrn. oLrrsecond guishcs bctntn fourdiflerenrrvpcsof".rld-;ppn4rirrion Th. rhcselnur differcnrnpesol ro,lJ orderin.'hich I shrllprcsenr rpproprirtionc.r'rb..xphioerirs noring &om.rnrode.i \olli rr:,.rn idcrl r\?c ot fr(!en.. rppr4rirrion rhar*ould .orrcspond rh.rtis, rh.rtor'purcnic.:,r cuhLrcrosardthc opporirepol.rrrn-. ing culmre.Wh,rr*'ill not chrngebcnv.cnmv li,st rnd tr)' (. ond n1'ologri' thcir:rgl rncntrne iirncrion.\' I did ir mr J. culturc .rnd n,c.rtirtg oithc conccp*oi prcsencc "clopnrcnr culrure, l dlll nov distingrishiour ,tirltrenrnPcs ol -oil,l 1 l | 'r ,. 'r'i " -Pl'"1,r" nn 'crin rl, ul , rl'r,. l',1 .;:,rnu.rag.. ro thc s0rld prelrri\econiponents in our rclrrionship lzrnig the rhingsoi rhc norlLl.incluilingthr tradi.cs oi .r1rr' thropophag.rnd thcophrgr'.chsing \ladrnrc Borr^ l r i r d r i , l r\ , r r . . . h , r . c ; - : r . c d ' r . " r - l . ' . 1 drinkinethc bloodof(ihrisr.rllbclongto onr ,,1'rious.rnJcnr cial nrodeoi rrorldrppropri.irion-r rtr,cirl n,od. oi $or1'l-
8; a p p r o p , i r r i o n .h o i ! . v c , . . r b o u r N h i c h $ c d o n r l i k e r o r . r l t
r eener.rloboo or a laboo agairrr "herhcr eatingthe flcsh ofone s own kin. P'rttrari,g
rhings .Lnd bodits-rhrrt
is, bodr confucr rnd
s e x u a l i r ya , ggrc$ion,dcstrucrion. .rnd murJcr
anorhcr bodr ,,r oi bcing ovcFrhelrncd by ir. As a lorgins lor cleath, this connoration mav con,c fion, t h e d e s i r er o m a k e r r r r n s i t o n u n i o n e r e r n r l . U u r a s . r l i a r o l ' death. ir sccn' to be rriggcrcd, oncc rgrin, bv r tiar oi rcren.rl. F e a ro f v i o l e n r p c n e t r r r i o nn u v p r o d u c er h e n i g h t m a r co f 6 e i n g t a P e d .l h . r .
rrc nukiple culturrl ar.ivs ro copcrith rhs tlar.
8li
YI
In somccuhures.a srricrdntribution and hierrrchi,.rtionor \.1 url rolcsrrics ro scverthe rieht to penernte from the threat of A s.emingli much more civilized-o., ro usr bcingpenerrxred. a much morc discourse. i.oncepr fron a long-fadedinrellecnr;rl alicnaring-sratca oIdef)ecringthis for is. ofcourse.the habit. almosrgenerallvrcceptedin our o*'n culture, of spnitualizins sexualiwup to a poinr rvhcren turns into muru:l self-e\pression andcommuniqtion. Thereis r modeof world-app,opfiationin which. on the onc hrnd, rhe presence of rhe rvorldor of rhe orher is srill phrsicrlli felr afthough,on rhe orherhand.thereis no perceptionofa rcal obiectrhar would accountfbr this f.eling. Th's is whar sc call rzirrrrrz. lt is inreresring,rvirhin this q'polog, thar our culrure categorizes :ll fbrns of mlsricism as forms of spiritual litirhar staresof *hich Ieavesas a problem the double experience mysricalraprure are olien induced by highlv rnualzed bodr pracrices and alwa.vs comewith the perceptionofa phvsicalim' prcr. Ofcourse. rhe desneofrhich mrsticismrllotts tull asarencs n still a dcsireof lasting possesion a possession of' rhe rhingsofrhe *orld, ofrbc belovedone,ofr god. Bur mr-sricism. roo, may rurn into rhe fearofbcing possesedand lhar means.aJ wc on relaremvsricism*ith rn ar lcasrmdimcntarilvdaeloped subjectposition among ns prrctnionerc,rhar rr is relatedsith rhe ferr ofpermanenrlvloring controloveroncsell.lt is this specific fearthat hasobligedmostofrhc lamousntsticrsto dedicltre long and complicaredreflectionsro the quesrionof *'hich preventionsrnd mcchrnismsmight gurranreerhc posibilio of rcIllorc inrcresring rurning from a starc of mvsticalpossession. perhaps,and cenainlvnuch more radical.is rhe opposirestr.rF egyofdeliberrrelyopeningoneselfto a violenr acr of being poi sessed bv a god. In this case,*hich is rhe caseof the so-cailed
! B
89
pai do :ano ( ttiers ol dre eods/srinn ) ir mosrAfro,Brazitian €ulrs,ir secmsro be the dcsirero be possesed.turncd into a 1ir , fledgedinrcnrion rnd srrareg]ol being possessed, rh.rt deflecn drefearofbeins ovcnvhelmed. Of couse, ittetprctdrion and nnwntcatian as cxclusivelv ion cofrespororo rnc mcanspirirualrais of s odd-.rppropriar iflg-cultur. pole in rhis npologr'. Eren etron ro rhink and ro sho* thar this is not rhe onlv *av of relirring ro .rnd appropriating the rhingsoirhe *orld is a potenri.rlsrepbevondrhe exclusivin ofrhe meaningdimension.BLrrlt, rt rhis poinr, rhere*ere srill a needto erokeor eren ro describe,in thrsconrexr,tne standard impliotions of interpremtionand comrnunication,this book sould ha\e beenpoinrles. So we can immediarellturn to rie specificferr producedbv s.hat m mighr sant to call ,.total communi.arion."This is. ofcou6e. lhc fcd ol]bcing accessible, in ones innennosrrhoughtsand feelings.ofbeing accessibte and open like u book ro rhe inrerprerari'ecunning of parenrsand teachers, ofspousesand inrelligenccagcna. There is a riual to deflecrrhis ri!r which, in its basicsrructtLres, conesponos exacrv to the deliberare openness ol thepdi da wn rc thc acrofpossession br a !:od. Its equnalenrin a communicrtionculrureis psrchoanalvsis and psvchotherapr'. CoLrldir not be rhat, more rhrn Lheresuhofbcing read,xhar rerlll.m.rtrcn in psrrho.rnalysis is overcominerhe iearofbeing read-br rlelibcrrretvopenjneone selfandby evcnpavinghandsomermounts ol rnonevin orderro male happcn*har one rnosrfiars. The conplemcrrarysrrrrcgy is the an offeigning, rhe arr ofhiding one\ ;rrcrlno! rnougnb and feelingsL,chindrhe nuk of rn 'e\prcslion" thar does not cxptessarvrhiog. 'fhis, as I alreadvncnrioncd, is thc rrr rhar convinc.di\lachjarclli rhrr rhe C,rrholicKing Femandode Ara, t6n ras rhe firv inc.rrnarionoithe modcrnpolirician. fhe rnosr
o i h i J n g h . h i n d u r r ; r k i ' r o b t . r b s o l u r e l ;' i i . r , r A n d s i l e n c tc o n n r r s r i r h r h c m u t c n c * o f I h i n g s P r . s c n l s r r l rhc nutercss thrr prcduis rhcir pre'.nic lh.rc i' no inrrr peric.r {r!
g c n i c o f n c r n i n g . , , n t h r , , t h c r h . , n d .r h . r td o s n o r r l l o i a t c t h e
tification/Deixis: Epiphanl-/Prcsen Fururesfbr the Hunranitiesand Arts
l . c c h o r m r c h g r o L r o d* c h . r r c Let us no" trk. c o l r r . d s o I . , f b t r , , r cr e e o n c c n r r ; r co , , t h e r n t L u e .l r o r j u s t r s n o r : 1 1 , " ' t dn , h r c n r r c r h . r n . rl o o l i n n , r h c p o n r i s e dh n d . s c e r e r o t r b l i r c r ( t i r r s h e c rh e k o l . L p P n r t i r L r t c . o ! c e p ( ] r o . n r . r r n i n r c l l c , : r u r *l , . L l o f p o \ r m d r p h ! ' i . . r l e t i \ I e i\to\. \r!
r h.rt m o l o ! : r r r r d r h i \ . r p h i n : o h r i t m r r r c n r o k r o $ r t L c a sw aactlr rc hli
L.ti bthrnd ousche,. Ircrrid.t*rs nght: oLtr
c o n r i r g m i r . i f h i : i r s i c c n . r i n l v u n u p h i l l s t n r g e l c .l e x s o l ) e € u J . i r i s h . , r d r , , r , , r s . r . r ' p c c ; t i . p r s r . l , o r v e r t r .t h . L nb c c . , u s ci r r e q u i r c sb o r h i n , i g i r r r n , r , r n d s r . r m i n ,rro c o n ( t u e rd r p o t e n t i a l conc.p6 ol r nonncr:phr:icrl trrrurt. \r anr c.enr. ,',srci of i n d u l g i n qs r r h D t r r i d a i n r h e s ( n t p s f . k l o {o i . , s i m . L r i o nt h . r r "e d o r o r u r n r t o b r i r g n r . r n o J . r k | , , u s h r \ . r r ) \ u r cr s , ) u t l i n c d . l r o u l < l L i k c r , : ,, r c l o p rr h c d c p . , r r d o r i h i n g , r L t i r u J co f rho\. \ho '.rdi in rurur(\
rhrt i!. ir
conrrodiris or sr,tl's
b o L r g hot r r o l d u p , , n : g r c e n c n t , , f d c l i ' c n i l andicr rs ,, rn i!r(.nl.nr oi,l.l"cn
h . r Jr l r c . v b c t n s i c n c J .
t h i s c h . , p r c r .r h c n . s r b o u r l , o * i b l c ( b u r n o ( v . r d e f i , r i ( c l t c o n q u € r e , l , r r r . l 1 ( , d i l . r n d i n r r i m r i o n . r l f u r u r c s . . r b o r r rp r " s i b l e f u t u r t p r r c r i t c ' i n r h c . r c a d c r r i cr l r c i p h , : . t h . i r w c r b . u n c u n d ( r r h e n r m . , , , ( h r h u D . , f i t i c 'r n J r n ' . B u r i r i s , r | ! , .t t f
L-
... _
Epiphoy/Proentifiation/Deix;
92
course,writren wi.I the (mostly implicit) acknowledgment thal the "deliverl' ofsuch "tutures" has not yet happened(or cannot really happen), and before rrying ro otrd a more or las pmoramic view of the promised land, it drereforestaru with a look back. This book begar wi$ academicmemoria ftom the late r97os 'heroic" inten and the r98os, memoria of that (now stnngely) tion to keep alive a "theory debate" in the humanities thar had beguna decadeand a halfarlier, in the mid md larc 196os,and that seemedto be peteringouc about a quanerofa centuryago. The very good inrendonofkeeping up drat "deory debare,"like most good intentions, produced qune an amount of boredom and repetition, but it also generatedat least one prospect thar looked immediarely *citing to ur, that is, the prospectof focusing on "mterialides of comnurricadon." Trying to figure our 'materialities of commuication" how one could possibly define and what the most adequatetools for their malytis would be, we found ourselvesobliged rc thinl ofthe humanities, as they rhen existed (ard s they still predominardy exist), as an epistemological tradition that, for more than a cntury, had separatedus from everything thar could not be describeda or trarlsformed into a configuration ofmeaning. To&y, we may add that it was most probably rhe nauma inflicted by *rirhermeneutically induad-"loss ofworld" that aplains why rhe only value (at least the highest value) that many humaniss can find in rhe Phenom' ena rhey are dealing with is the motivation ro enter yet another intellectual loop of' self-reflexiviry," md this is probably also the reasonwhy adopting anldring but a "critical" attirude to'tard the things of &e worlds in which we are living seems to be somerhing like an original sin, at least in $e eyesof the average humanist. In contrast, trying to esrablisha posnion within rne humani
dfiotion/Dei{is
93
and am rhat could mark an exception m rhen century,old and selfion ofbeine an institution in which helm€neutics ivity are dre law (arrd eom being an extensron, rnto our of what I have been referring to a.s$e "metaphisical" ion), dlus breakiig away 6orn the curently dorninanr selfing of the humanitia and aru ard from dle practices on rhar self-undentanding, appearedto be the one worthneyt step to taLe. It then becamethe double experienceof book's previous (and third) chapter that, aboveall, *rere was vvayofeven geaing closem the goal ofleaving the metaphldtrrdition behind (or at lcasrof nodi{ying it in a seriousuay) going tunher and breaking sweral raboos &at threatand sdl tnreaten to be bordersof intellectual bad taste; and even after breating $ese aboos (md after "gening our ha.ndsdiny"), it wx still quir€ a laborious undenaking to imagand conquer my conceptualtenain that deservesto be called lnon-hermeneutic." Noq what could the promise of a disciplinary tuture based a new epistemologylook like? Of course, one should anticithat all the bordersofthe humanistic disciplines,such aswe lnown *rem, would have ro be rednwr. But as so many icrioru about how exacdy they might be redrawn have out to be (sometimesawk*ardly) wrong in the past, and my interest in the future here is an interet in intellecual ices, nther than in disciplinary maps, I shall rely, in this on a verv traditional rioanidon tnat has been and still opentional in mmy (ahnough obviously nor all) hurnanistic I am refering to dre haneningly unsophisticated and largely self-explmtory tripanition of rhesedisciplin€s into "aesthetics," 'history," and "pedagogy." Of coune, dese dree 6dds were nwer supposedto belong to the samelevel of practice
f pithin\/|rerniill.Iio./l)ci\ii
x n d a b s r n c r i o no r r o b c n u t l r l h i n d t p c r d c n r s h i c h d o u b [ negative prcn,ise hrs ingircd cndlcx pn,posals ro rcrhink their i n r e n e l a t i o n s h i p1.n n l o r v n. c r r t c n d t r r c r d c m i c v o u t h , l o r c r rmple, I in,rgincd (toge .r ..;th nanr (jcrnan hurtrnisti oi m v g e n r r r r i o n . I s u p p o s c )r h r r r h t h i s t , x i c a lr r u d v o i c u l r u n ; .rnilicts rvorl
h.b us to nppfcciate rnd uodcrsrand
r h c i r a e s r h c r i c' a l u e ; d t l r e s t h c r i c r a l u c i n r a r i a b l r l r r i n r h t p o r c n r i a lo i c o n r e r i n g . r n c r h i c a l n c s s , r g c :r n d r h r t I h e r e t ; r 3 . a n d d e p c n < 1 i nl .sr r g c l vo n t h c c t h i o l i n , i g h t s t h a t t h . \ p r o \ i d . d f i c r e l r r i v e, r e s r h e t i c o - e r h i .nrllu e o i \ r b , r ( c \ . r r c x s o f s o r k s o i art rvc rvcrt r.rching nould indeed estrblish a btrsicpcdreoqicaL I u n c l c n r a n dr h . . ( h r i o n s h i p b . r $ c c n r h . "hich llelds of resthctics, historv. rnd ped.rqogi. has changed quitc Thc s.rv in
c l r a n r : r t i c r l lxvs . t c o n s e q u . r . c . n o t o n l r o f t h e g r o " i n g i m p o r r a n c et h r r r c c c i i o n o n f r e s e n c e h a ' l , . t d i n m v s o r k . b u r o i s c r i o u sd o u l ' t s m v o s n i n c l u d e d . r b " u r b o r h t h e c o m m c n a n d e r h i c a ln o r m s t r n d t h e p o s s u r r b i l i q o f r e s t h c t i ce x p c r i c n c e s i b l er c l e o t c r h i c l l lo r i c n t : r t i o ni n e c a c l c n i ct e a c h i n gi n g c n c r r l . . . \ b o r ea l l . I s o u l d r e l i : i n . r o d a ' . i r o n l i n i n g u p r h - < : r r c r . o r s u b f l e l d si n r n | i n d u c r n c o r d e d u c r i v co r d c r . l i i h i d t u g F i prioritr ro o f t h e n ( r l t h o L r g hI d o n o r s c ca n v u r g c r t n e e dr o "nr d o s o ) . I w u r l d p r o b a b l vp i c k r e s t h e t i c st. e c u s c o f d r e s p c c i l i c cpisremologic.rlrelcvanct inhcrcnr ro thr t'pc of eprlra,, r' thr t it on provrlc-sithout drtic
cl,rining. how+cr. rhar crclu'irclr ae-
erpcricnce is caprl>Jcof prorlucing such an cpiph.rn..
Vhar most inrcrestsrne roda' in rhc ficlcl of hisrow. rhe Tzrra tiJicatior ol ptsr vorlds
rhrr is. rtchniclucs dat prcducc rhr
i m p r e $ i o . ( o r . r a r h c r .r h . i l l u s i o n l r h . r r s o r l d s o f r h c p a s rc r n b c c o m er r n g i b l c . r g a i n i s r n a c r i v i w \ \ i r b o u r a n v * p l a n a t o n porver ir rtl,rtion to thc rchrne
"alues
ol dilfcrcnt fomrs of aet
t p i p h . n \i J ) r e \ e n i i t l . I i t , n l l ) e i x i s
is rrhri $. usi{lro d.ric.\pcri.n.. 1pftnidingsuchcrplun.triors shink ol as thc tirncrnn of historicrl kno*1cugcrn rerarron(o Bur rs rhc nerv conccptionof thc flcld of hisrorv aesrhctics). shares$irh th. llcl,l of rcsthcticsrh. disrincriv.priscncc' and rs ir doesnor prerendro oflir.rnr immedi.rtc componenr. rhe proerrn)ofprcscnritleth;crlor e'en politic.rlorientrtn,n, itself t,, rhe ol promotingrn traditn,n,rl,rccLrsation cadonlrnds ol hisron. Ili llrstlineofdctcnsc*ould sin,"aesrheticization plv be ro rsk back "h.rt ar rl1 coul.1bc srong rith sL,ch.rn .rcs ofhisr,,n Regarding thc lieldofrcrehing,finrllv,I thericiz.rtion havecon"inccdnrv.cll. oer rlrt p.rt rirv ycar, thrt neirherrcsc\p.ricDc.1rr lrrs( ecsrb.ricrnd hisroricrl drericnor hisrorit.rl as I scc rhcm) disposcof rm porcntial rhar sould o
E f i f h a n \i h . s . r r i l i . I i o n , I
Epiphr.)/P"\'nriicrrxrn/l)'irL
rga,n, a g'r.rer viding crhicrl orienntion nrrr ' o .*ru"l rr.,. h.r .. ". e c r i v i r i r s c a n L ' c . B u t w h i l c I w i l l h . N er o t r d m i r r h a rI acedcmic m v s e l f a n rn o t . r b l e t c , l i v e a n d r o e x e m p l i l r r h i s p o r . n r i a l . 1 o , e ncsi bet\!e.n thc humrnnics rnd tht rns, neithcr in nl
o\!n
professionalcveruda' acrivitics nor rhroueh rhc lolLxvine. more d c r a i l e di l l u s r r a t i o n so i h o r v I i m a g i r t t h e U e l d so t a e s ( h ( i 6 .
r'.rntcd ro lct rhcm <rpericnec, an,l, it so, tenrial ofacsrhcric "e mod,rlitics ot .resthcricexpcrienccther prtiencd)r dis.over Nhi.h not tn to arguc in favor ofresrhetic cxP.ricn(e secondlr,se did ' r h r e s b c r o n d r h c i n t r i n s i cl e c l i n go l i n t e n s i r v 6 y a l l u d i n gt o a n v thar ir.an flgger: ,tnd, fir.rllr, *c *antcd ro opcn thc rangc r,1 porenriat obitcrs ol aesthdri. $Puiencc bv trunsqrcssing thc (such rs lircrrlure." clasic.rl canon of rh.ir rr.rditbnal rornx
bc of equrl lengrh. Ibc mosr detailcd conccprual dcvelopn,ert
r n u s i c . " a r . i r t - g a r d cp a i n t i n g . e t c ) . l - h i s m o v t r a s c . r n e d b v the conviction rhrr, rodl. the flcld whcr. aesthclic exPcrienct aduallv !ak.s placc trust bc far n,orc cxttndcd then *har thc concepr"aeslheric.\P.ri
*,ill bc dcdicatcd to rhc dimension ofaesthetics. l-his is bec.rusiI \' I .onr.in.ciJ,n J'91,, n r h r r r kr h .r ' ' e t r r rhrt mav be found.rtbnrl for mr conccprions of hi{oriciz.t(ion
to bc x good more pe,v,nal concem |or this class "',rs enough reachcrto c'oke ii,r mr srudcnts rnd ro o,ake them fccl ol irto,Iia (hrt I rcmen,f,.r (irh fondners rnd specilrcnontl:
a n d o f t c r c h i n g . t o o . B u t i r s i l l a l s o r n d s i m p l r b e t h e c a s cb r
mosrll Nirh nosralgir-rco
c r u s et h i s i s r h e f i r s t t i m e r h a t I h a r c t r i e d t o p r o d u . c a w f l n . n
painful rvhcn it acrurlI
l c r s i o n o l m r r h i n k i n g o n a c s r h e t i c ss. h e r c a s I h r v c . r l h d r
kror'. for cx.rmplc. the rln,Lxr crccxirr,
p u b ) i s h c ds u c bt c x r so n t h c f i c l d so f h i s o n r n d o f r e r c h i n g .
that somerinrcs
h i s r o n . .r n d t o c h i n g r c d e v e l i ' p .I h o p c r h a t I s h a l lr r l c a 5 rm r . rgc ro kecpasrkc rhc clain rrr rheir nes proximin. Finrllr. I s h o u l da l s oa n n o u n c er h r r r h e t h r e ep . u t so f t h i s c h r p r e rs i l l n o r
Mvlrrr
ii in sone c,tses,rhis intensic rvrs hrppcncd. I q.inred nrv stLrdcnts t,, erubcrant *'eemcss
i"hcn a Mozan rria gn,ws into
p o [ p h o n i c c r r n p l s i n : n i l s h e n I i n d e c db e l i e ' c r h a r I c a n h c , r r ) \i'hcn, r tirv lerr
ago. r voung collcrgue froni thc musicologl
d c p r n m c n r a r s r r n f o r d l r d 1 \ c r e i n v i r e dr o r c r c h a n o b l i g r t o n ''lrrodLrction r o r h e H u n a n i t i a c o u r c f o r r L ' o u tn r o h u n d r c d s r u d e n so f r h e i n c o m i n g f i e d r r l l n c l , r $ .a n d N h e . $ e h l d u f r r d c . r J c o o , r h . S . n . , J t, " f i . r r , J r . k " t c . p " , r g u u r p r o P ( ' . .e.' thrce impli.,r' srudents ro diltercnr r.\,pcsat r6th.i( .geit rions \acr( unconrrovcni.rl benvecn us righr fron thc srrrt. \\.e j u s t w a n r c dr o p o i n t r o J i i l e r e n rn o d r l i r i c s o i t n j o v i n s b e : r u r i t u l i n g s . r i t h o u r n a k i n g a e s r h c r i ce x p c r i e n c c. r n o b l i g a l i o n i . t our studcnts (in orircr '"ords,
to olTcr rhcn an op"c ".rnrcd p o n u r i r r r o f i n c l o u r * l , c r h c r t h e l r c r c t e dp o s i t n c l l t o r h c p o -
t h e t o n e so f r l , c o b o eo n m v s k i n . I r v r n r r n v s t u d c n i sr o l i l e o r r ! I e a s rt o i m a g i n cr h r r m o m c n t o f a < l n r i r a t i o n( a n d p e r h e p se l s oo l ' t h e d c s p a i ro i . r n a r i n g r n r n ) d u r g c t s r h o l d o f m e ' " h c n I s c t the berurilil bodr ot a roune
srrnding nexr io me irl "omar F o n t o i o n c o l - r h e c o n p u t e r t h . i r g n c a c c c s sr o o L r r l i b r e r r catalogue r momcnt, b. rhc s.r.. rhar i' not rll $ar diil-ererr from rhc jo\ rhrr I lccl rvhcn the qurnerb,rck ol mv llivorite col lege tc.rm in.{mericrn ti,orball lSranfi(l CardinaL of courscl srrerch$ our his perticth scuiptcd arms o celcbratc r rouchd o w n p a s Q u i r i n i r u , t r l l i . I r l s o s . r n r r l 1o f n l t u d e n n r o r c c l I h e e l i r i o n . r h c s u c l < l e n l'vc r v d c c p b r c . L r h i n g , r n dd r e e n t b r r ' rasingl' $cr cics
"irh "hich
I n , u q h : v c r c a . r c dr o t h t r r \ c n
t , p i r u r r l ' r c o r r i t i . . r ' i i r rD t i \ \
bcauritullrcxccurcdprssand to rht *r iii nr<,\cncnrol lhr \iii. who caughrir. J hopcrh,usomcor nr studenn*ill sur receiver ,rn.tpcrhar, fer rhroughrhat srnrin,entol intcnsedcprcssion ercn ol hun:iliarionth I kno* rrom f..ding Pcqu(no\:i. vien€s."n,l favoritc pocn in l:erlcricoC.rr.ia Lor..rs l,fr,, .,r ]\h.r, li,[. a rc\r rl]ir(ln]kcsrhc read.rinruirhorvrbc liie ol .r homoserurl man emorion.rJl' ande'en ph.sicall\.rnrrurar.,t ".rs rrcL,ndI9io. \Iv quddrs shouldgrr rt h,r in Wcscm socicries a elimpscofthar illusionoflethrJcmpo"urrcnt.tnd!,olrnce..\ if I (oi ill pcoplel)scrc rn .u,ricntsod. \hi.h pcrr.rr.\ r,l bulltisl,: Lrodvar rbc moncnr ol rhee'h,, i lnLtl n r Spanish when rhc I'ullfighrrs storl silcnrlvcurs rhroughrhc bodr oi thc bull, rnd rhe bulls muscle'\.cn ro srillcn6r r m,m.nr beforeirs msne bodi bre.rksil<",n lik. r houseshrk(n Lrr in carthqurkc. I rvantmv students tu join in ihar prcrniscof rn . , , d t c . . t !, , , d c , - , , . , \ q u 4 s , , r l d ' r r . . . r . r i, n , c . . . . . r
P r . ' ( t ( i f i c i r i d r iI ) e i \ b Epiphan'i
rnanvend tl^rl! trrr\rr.rinsmonr(rrsol- lo$ .rnd ol ,.piu ;6n-rhar $crt is no r.li,rble.no gurranrecJrvo of potlLrcine or intcrsitv,r,\rl thanrc h,wcevenlcs hopcoiholcline momenrs Indecrl.I crnnorl,c rrc 6n ro rhen or crtendingrhcirdur.rrion. beforeI hcrr rt talori(c \lozrft rri,r. rvhcrhcrthrr erulrranr rvill overcon. rrrr bodv rgrin. It niu|r happerr--llurI sweetness knos and I rlrcrdt'inri.ifar. nrv rc.rcrioror'rcgrerabourrhis n sill (,nl! hafl)cnro. a noncnr (il ir rhould experience-rhir
Therc rs norhingtditiing irr rch nr(rncnts.no n,csirit I norhingthrnve coul.l rcallr lerm iiom rhtn, and rhi, is "hr 'momcrl Llketo refcrto rhcm,rs ol-inrcrsirr'.For wh,rrsc t.-il ; probaL'lrnot norc rhrn a si'ccilicrll. Ligh le.el in thc trn;
Burhow ;s it posibleth.,r\e longl;r suchnon,cnrsot irrcnsiq althoughthtr hrvc no cdihins co,r$rs or cliicrs to oUir?\ihv do rvesomcrinesreo,en,bcrrhen l hrppr rl,menrs and tme timesas sad momenrs bu( ahvrv\ *irh r tccling of lossor of nostalgia? J his is the razl quesrionthar I wrrt ro dcrl with. rhe qusrion 4 l,c tifli, appa rl* vh nnnnt: hall /itr u:. thequcsrion.rl,outrhe rcrsonsrhrr rnornareus to seerii.s ,euc cxperience und ftr expos.oor bodic\ rnd nin.l' r,r irs porcnrial. \Tirhourgoinsinroarl Ll(r.ili.r. D)yopcnirghi porhesis is rhat whatoc crll rcsrhetic cxpcrienccxlwirs pbidcs us $irh c.r t.in f€elingi,)i inrensir! rhar wc c,rnnotfind ir rhc hisoricrtly andcukurrlh gccific crcnd strrldsthar sc inhrbir.-l'hisis why, seenti,,rn r hist.ric.rl or tionr.r sociol,gicelpcroptcrivc, aeltheric expcri.ncc on indeedlirnctionas r gmprom of the preconsciou\ nccdsand tlcs;resthr I'elong ro sPccificsoci.rics.
cmorional. rntl pcrhr;. tionlngofsorneofour gereralc,,gnirivc. evenphrsicrlfacuhies. The diriircncerhrt rhcsemonrcntsmxki scemsro bc basedin qu.tnri$.{nd I likc n' combincrhe qLr:n
But I do nor to cqLnrerhenr,,tnrrionalpo$c. ol{,ch dc".rnr sires,ivhich !u' dri$ us inio sift,.Lrions of rcsrhrricexpcricncc, on lhe one hind. sith rhe inrerlrcr.rrion anrl undenrandioe of
surroundrrreshcn I grr iosrin lionr oi r p,rinringbr fd":rJ l l " p p u . I h . p . r J. - . r p o r . . . h - . 1 1 ' . . r ,n tharcomessith rhe llrt biteol grcatfood..\nd I rhemn, "anr kros rhc tiel:ngoi h,rrinq 6und thc righrphcc fbr oncs boi: with rvhicha perricrlr
u'dr !F .ur.ef,
fragmenrar;onin rhc
$i,n
"ud
L. ,,, ,nine .
"il
,cm.
"m,'rrena bcc.rLrse I kno"-irurrr
6ar modvrrri,nalpo"cr rs l,!s.d in preconscn,$(lesircs,on the other.ln odr.r $ords,l do nor bclicvcrhar$.h iDrerprcnrions
Epiphan!/l\esenriti.aion/lleix\ follow iroq and the higher degree of self reflexiliw rhar might For rhe rhern should be considereda pan ofaesthetic experiencc "nornenrs sane reason,I prefer ro spe.rk,as ohen as possible,of of intcnsity or ol lived expetiencc" (dsthetirhes Erltben) nsr
Epipbrr. / l\esor ii.xtio n/ Dci! tr ro imagine fuiurr inrellecmal pracrices for rhe humrritics and 3rs. For ir k niv imprcssion rhat ifthose forns olLeaction end of 6ceprion undergo prolbund changcs at all, drc prce oI such sansformarions musr be much slorer than dre pacear s,hich rhe objecrsof eesrheticexpcrien.c erc changing. \Xrhat I havc said s, far implies. in addiiion. thar se shall not-and perhrps sltoulcL nor-l;mit our ,rnalvsisof rcsthctic crpcrience to thc side of the recipienr rnd ro thc mental (rnd perhaps rlso phrsical) invc*
itl conuast, I mcan rhcm in rhe srrict senseof rhe phenomenological rradition, nanelr', as a being lbcused upon' as a thcrnarizing ot cerrain objccrs of lived erpaienc (objats that c'trer
ments rhrr he (or shc) mr' make. For it appearsthrt drcse in' vesrmentsrnd their viekl rill depend. at lcasr prnlv, on the ob
specific dcgreesofintensiw under oLrroirn cultural condirioni *hcnever we call them "acsthetic ). Livcd experienceor E.lrlra has presupposesthat purclv phvsiol pcrceptior lwalraehnng)
This is one or'the rearonsrvhl it mancr. foL a general dcscriprion of aesthctic erpcrience. to derl with thcsc objccts
alLeadvtaken place, on the onc hand. and thrr it "il1 be folloscd as dre renk of acrs ofrvorld inrerprc b), experiore (a'tr'?,s)
rransformation makes rhcn rcsistrnr ro ntegration inro inv gen-
jecrsof hs.iiiiion
br rhich thev ere tirst acrn rted and eloked.
aldrough, pcrhaps. fte comperarneh hsr pace oi their historical
r a l r o n ,o n t n e o m e r ' Noq, if rvhar fascinatesus in momenls of resthetic crpen e n c e , " i f r v h a tr r t r a c t s u s w i t h o u r b e i n g r c c o m p a n i e db r a c l e r t awarencs of rhe rcrsons for this attracrion, ts xh'als som'rh'ng st thar our everyday.rorlds are not capabLeofotrerirrg usr and tt lirnher presupposeth:rr our everydal rvorlds are hisroricallr .lnd '\cuhurallv spccific, rbcn ir follor"s rhar the objects ofacstheti' pcrience. roo, musr be cuLtrrralll speciric Rcgarding rhe orher
erydav rvulds in rhich it rakes place, d,en ir fblloss rhat ac*
'or side of rlte situation whosc srructufes I rry ro describe' ir s clear to me uhcrhcr, for the readers,spectaror, and listeners"lio '\are anracred by rhose historically specific objecrs ofaesrheric rl peri€nce, we have to presuppose.r conesponding hinori'ln
a r\e iantioral lilncaot| t'itti, tuhirh it a1icdll n u:. As a central fearurc of this situarional frame"'ork. thc disrance between aesrhrric erperience.rnd cvcndal rvorlcls is one possible rdererce lilr rh. c\plamtion of the dc,uble isolation inhcrcnr in
iI thcir forms ofaesthctic experiencc But I do not believe rhrt " r! absolutel,r'necesan to resoLvethis verr large qucstion as lonS .ve are derling rvirh resrhetic cxperiencein the contcxr of tn itr9
all moments oi aexheric intcnsin, and this is the double iso larion rhrr Krrl Hcinz Bohrcr has so impressnclv descriLred t h r o u g h t h e c o n c c p t so i s L r d d e n n c s a s n d f a r e r v e l l . 't h c r e s ,
Ifaesrhcric crpcricncc is alrvrvs evoked by and if ir ahvay'srcfcn t o m o m e n t so i i n r e n s i o t h . r rc u n o t b c p a n o f t h e r e s p c c t i v e v rhetic Gpcricncc Nill bc necessrrilvlocatcd at a certain distarcc ftom rheseercn dl us ro a t/r,1lalcr
.'odds. This vcn obr ious conclrion brings in rhe anahsis ofaesthetic expericncc,namcly,
Epiphany/Presenrifi carion/Deixis
guannrccd on rhe one hand, no systematic,no pedagogically (or leading studens orher vicrins of p€dagosical of good way on the orher hand, intentions) "toward" a€stheticexperiencer obviousor rypicalvield thar aesrheric thereis no predicrable, cxperiencecanadd to our livesin rhe everydayworlds.For the gen eral dacription of rhis siruarionrlcondidon, I wmr ro use rhe conceptof "insularity" that Mikhail Bakhtin has dweloped il his analysisofrhe culrureof carnival,For "insulairy" seemsto carry lesshisroricallyspecjficconnorarionsrhan rhe conceprof "aestheticautonomy"-in which rhe distarcefrom the wendar is alreadyinrerpreredrs a sain of subjecriveindependence. I thereforeproposeto reservede name "aesrhedcauronomv fir rhe specificforms that rhe generalstructuralcondidonof "ins'r lariry" developedduing rhe eighranth and ninereenthcerru ries.This, ofcourse,xsumesthat the insularityofaestheticexpc rienceexired long beforethe eighteenrhcenruryand rhar it also hasa placeoutside\iresternculture. The mosr important consequence that followsfrom the insLr lariry ofaestheticexperience h rhe incommensunbilirybenvccn aestheticexperience and rhe institudonalpropagationof ethicil norms and chisseemsto be a centnl issuein Bohrers reflecrion on "aesthedcnegativiry" roo.' For ethisl norms are-rnd shouldbe-pan ofhistoricallyspecificeverydayworlds,*hsclr we havepostulatedthat aestheric experience drawsits fascination (in the lireralsenseof*re word) from otreringmomentsofinrcn siry that cannotbe a part ofspecificeverydayworlds.Ir rhercfbre makessens€.osaythat the combinationofaesrhe(;cs with.thics. that is, the projectionofethicalnormson ro rhe poren.ialobjccts of aesdericexperienc,will inevitablylead ro the erosionof rh. potentialinrensityofthe laner.ln orherwords,ro adapraesthctic intensiryto ethical requiremen* meansto normalizernd ulr
/Presenrifi arion/Deixis
dilute ir. Vhenevcr conveyingor exemplifringan erhical i' supposcd ro be rhemrin tuncrionofa worl ofarr,we ro ask and indecd rhe questioncannor be eli naredir would nor be more efficienrro articularerhar same message in nther srraighrforwardand *plicit concepts fotms.
forrth rellec:ion refers to a specifc disporlrlar that I beli*e along, quite regularly,wirh rhe srructural condirion of iry." Thereare wo principalwals ofenrering siruarions insulariry.The more dramaticone (so ro speak)is rhe modal, ofbeing caughr b1' "imposed won rclevance"lauf. zste Reb '" There, rhe suddcnappearance ofcertain objeca of perion divefts our attention ftom ongoing everydayrourinc indeedtemporarilysepararcs us ffom them. Narure turned ar evenr often tulGlls this tuncdon: rhinl of lightning, all, rhe first lightning in a rhundemtorm,or rememberrhe v€ sunlight rhar almost blinds you when, coming from Europe, you deplane at any Californian desdnation. Baudela;re:poem 'A une passanre"is a lirerarysragiDg the imposedupon relwanceofa femalebody th,rt carchesand ovenhelns rhe idle flaneurs aftendon.Suchevenrness is inly dilTerentfrom a classroom situarionwherewe try ro fa, the happeningof aestheticappearanc, ahhough fully tbat no pedagogicdefforrwill everguaranreethe coming the actualexperience.Bur rve can poinr to the presenceof io objffis ofexperience rnd invitc our students to be com" that is, to be bod open and concentrated, without let-
suchconcentrationhardeninto the rensionofan effon. The besrdescriptionrhat I know for Ihe moment when rhe
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t h u . r t c u i . h n g a l o n S t t r r L . ,1 , . \ \ : . r J d j r . . l r , ' r h t : . - : : 1 't,cing losr in io.us.d ,frJ.Lrr. H i \ , 1 , 1 , 1 . .. i i i , , . i ''inrcnsio . , ) n l i r n r \ r h r t r h c l i l l c t n c c t h . r r. , t . r l , l i . . \ 1 . r , r . . r , . L k c sn . r l ' , " . . r l l . r d i t t i ' , 1 , . . ( , f q u r i ( i , r , \ r 1 d n . . t : : . 1 . . p r , r d u c c r r r u n . 1 . \ . 1 !, n f . J r i i r n r . r n . !i n , " 1 , d r L , , . it.r : , b o d i e s .l h . r r \ l , , r . r l c .r r n r r L l r , r L , c l o q . , , r r o r o n d , r
:.
s r m c t u r rcl l . r r . r t o f i n . o h r i , \ . k i r h . . l . n r , j i , ( i i J i i r r f . f . . l v i s r h c o c n ( l , r r q o r l d r l r r h l , ' r g s , o i h + i ( r . r r , i f o t . L . . , l. , . c \ f e . i c n ( c . l i L n . , l L \\.{ o r r l c . r . r L l . Jr h c i n t n . r r l , . r r . n r r r : r . -roru,cdr l , . h s i i n r i r . , , , . l i . . i r . . h r r r 1 , .J i . f , , . , r . , i , r .
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p o ' c d o p r n n . . . . r n r i . i i r r , \r l ) . . n r r g i / i n s f r ( \ , ) f , . i , . , , , . . . r , ) 1 . \ p e . i . n ( ( l l ) . d n ) c . N o \ . r l r u r \ 1 o r r l r . $ . , ' r . , l l i i n r :. r . , 1 s A t h c c h r l l . , , , r . o l p a n i r p . r r i , , g! n t r r 1 , 1 ., , . , , m f . l ' , . , 1 , . L r,,,ti , r. {h:uDinq sril, 'irurrion. ,,1 .,'n)t.rirn,r rL,r.1(r " . i c * h c r i cc r l t r l o r t t . I l L r rL . c n r h t n r h . !u(..i,,. r.dr)if. I u h i r e c n c r . r l ( . , r , t u 1\ i c i n l J ( , , r i l \ i n r h o . , , ' L j r r \ o i r . r . trrt e c s r h . r i . , , nr o r r h . I . ! . r . , ! s r d J ] l L , h , , , r o i r ' . . o r ' b c r n e1 o ' r i n l i , i u r r d i n r t n . i r r .
I hi\ p..ci\cl\ i' nw lilrn qrr..ri,'n.rnd pi,h.,1..rl,. mo.r ,,. o u \ l r r e l i \ . 1 , ,rrh. Ld t c : s r rq r r , . r i , , irn r h i , . , ' , , 1 . \ r::, ' . . : tM.1111i,1., t. i,] !l\. ri)i,,!,,,i,riji,irl
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r h ' ' i l " r r s n ' ' r ' ' r r l c s sr i ' l J n t J t : i t t h r t ,f"*. t" '".,,.t,''a,1" u. r" rr'rn'ter'1 "rrr conten;r'nr' 'rendrr ."'n-. .*', rl$ mirrt\ (hIr se rr'r(r'RLngr(rc\oi ''{r" w o r l J s1 s h i . h . L r r Jr o n d j r i o n ' r i t h s h i d r s r ' r L c o u L r ."4"i' pr..*-,.,., or I moru't)runclng 'n's\(r rn'u' tn' s a r u r u t c l rI. d o n , ' r I r r o L \rner in his 6oak I It Ititt' tt t'rtwttL o n eg i \ c n b t l . r n - l ' 1 . h c r r 3 r ' * t h ' r r t h t r c i ' r r o r h i n gv c i n r h t o p c n i n go . r g t ., ' r " h L c h ru pr"Jrrric'r f i n d n t r t r i r r < n r . r , t l l r l ' , r nr h c "i'"r'rn"rhcr \ \ - hr t i r r ' o n r r a s t a n c eo i n r c r n i n q ,. r l l u r r l i t d r m o r c t n s c thcreq ' i r l r mtrnine' rn'l r v em i r s i l r * o r l J * , ' . r t u r r r c d "hrt ' l c s t t et n f o r en r r n ' i n r o r p r r r r r . , r o b . ' r o t 1 r r ' { )f ri r l l r c o n < i r r t ' l LntLL ''rnrcrt ol' our cu|uLc. r,r rrn un.urrrisingl' tl nos ,- . . . 1, , , ' . . . ., ' " l .t . ,, I m, b.,,t | rrd l ' r c s c n t c, r , d n , c . r r r i o g . r l " . r l si p p ' r ' r r g c t h c r ' l " ' ' r ' " c r ' a r er h r . l ' i n r c r . i o n I ! , r r t r n . u . r r o l n r k i n g r h c r nc . n l a t i phcble or ot L.ringirr rlr.n togcrhrr irr "nt scll-t"rlrneul n o n r c n r l* r u c r u L t . I , l , r n o t * . r n t r " q ' r i n r c ' r c o r r r p r r i o n a n d | ' | . r. I lr'rl ri'r | d(r.,I..i ' '. ''mernine ol indlor .tn.c 1rh.r. rL$r\\ \'c r t'r l" r''' mrnv then .irh:r I'rLr I urJrrrrn.l thrr *tit nrrhe' nrtrning' r c h o i . r r h . r rh r i r r t t n p l " L o r r h r a\arrcn!'! of pi,*ll'1. .rlrtrnrri'rs r'r "l'tr h'" h(n 'l'o'tnl is l r rhc npe ot r h e v e r r J i r r r c n s i o n, , l r o n , c i o u s n c sr, h t t t d c n i c c b rhrhinrplv docs P h \ s i . . r lf r . \ i n . . t i , , r l r i t h * t r r . l " n g i n g o r n o r . , ' n . i n ( o p l . , ' . l h . n * h r i : r s \ r r n l i S h (o ' r h r r r s h r n ! n g ! r ' h . n1 1 , . \h i r r n , . . , r r r , , , rc r p r r i t m r l r s d i ' o r l r ' I ' ) i r l i r thatir. rhc:*rrcr.*,,i
106
carion/Dcilis Epiphaov/Presenrifi
luminousday or ofthunder. Typologicallyspcal;ng,rhe dimersion of meaningis dominrnr in Canesianworlds,in worlds lir (the arvareness of alrernatives)constnutcs which consciousness And are we nor preciselvlongrhe coreofhunan self-reference. is our desirefor mrgibility not so intenseing for presence, because our own neryday environmenris so almostinsuperablr Ratherthan havingto think, ahvavsand consciousness-centered? seemto.or' uhar ele rherecouldbe. wc somerimes endJessly. rhat simply wanrsthe thingsol nea with a layerin our existence world close to our skin. the NowJean-LucNancy doesnot only (andsimplv)point ro rhis very layerof a daire for presencethar reacrsto specificcond; rions ;n our conremporaryculrure.He also obseres-and this rhe doublemovementofa "bnth ro indeedis why he empharizes
'i
presence"and a "vannhing of presence" rhat those Presencc effects that we can live are always atready permeatedwirh ab' sence.From ar only slightlydifferentconceptualangle.r'e coulil phenomrephraseNanry s poinr by sa/ng thar, for us, presence ena cannothelp being inevitablyephemer;rl,cannot helP teing .effeca what I call of" prernce-becausewe can only encoLrntu them rvirhin a cuture that is predominandya n€ning cuhurc For us, presencephcnomenaalwat'scome as "presencecffecrs becausethey are necasarilysurroundedby, wrappedinto. an'l perhapsevenmediaredby cloudsand cushionsof meaning lt is nu' extremelydifficuh-if not impossible for us ,rt to ".*d to try ard anribute meaningto drat lighming or ro rhar gl.rllg California sunlight. This may well have bcen the reasons'ltt wnh (and so concePtu.Il'cnlin' Heideggerbecameso obsessed gled in) rhe dupliciry of and the relationshipbetween"eardr and.wodd" in his asay "The Origin ofrhe work ofArr. \ll my answerto drt own (modest)reacrionto theseobservations,
Pres(nrificadon/D.ix;
regardingthe specificfearuresrhar mark thc objcctsof is, then, ro saythat objecrsotaesthcricexpe ic expericnce (and hereir becoms ;mporrant,onceagain,ro insisrrhar 'lived experience,"of Erkbex) are chancrerized speakingof an oscillarionbevecn presenceefllcrs and rneaningeffecrs. ile ir may be rrue, in principle,thar all ofour (human)rela ips ro rhe thingsofthe rorld musr be both meaning,and ed reladons,I still chim that, undcr conremporary condirions,we needa specificframervork(namely,the ion of insulariry' and thc disposnionof "focusedinrenin order to reallyexperien. (d?ben) $e productiveten, the oscilladonbemeen meaningand presence-insteadof brackeringthe presence side,as we seemro do. quite auro in rerv ically, our so Canaian everydaylives.I think (and I c, of course)rhar rnv rheis about the oscillationbetween effecaand meaningeffecrsis closeto whar Hans-Georg meanrwhen he emphrsizedthat, in addition to their ic dimension,rhar is, in additionto the dimensionthat and must be redeemed through interpreration,poemshavea " a dimension,rhat is, thar demandsour voice, that ro be sung."" I also suppose(and again hope) rhar my ion conrcrgeswith Niklas Luhmanns rheis accordingro the arr svstem is $c only socialsysren in which percep(in the phenomenological meaningofa human relarionship tfie world mediatedby rhe senses) is nor only a precondirion s)6tem-inrinsic communication but ako, rogerher with ing, part ofwhar this communicarioncarries. Iglat Luhmannhighlighrsas a specificfearureof the an sysis a simultaneirvofmeaning md perceprion,ofmeaning ci and presence effecrs and if thh i not too nruch ofa subpenpecrivem be appliedro Luhmanns philosophy,
E p i p h t r rr\P r ( s . n ( i t i . I i o f l ) i j , .
r(r8
I ' v o u l d v c n r L r r ct o s a r r h a r s h a t h e f o u n d t o b c s p c c i l i cr o 1 . . ar s)srcm nav rvell bc rhe possibiliri ro c\pcri.nc. 1.,I1i,.,r n,caning ellects and prcscncc cfticts in sinuhancin. \\'l,ro.,rr . . 1 .. . r ' , . i . . l f r " ' . . . . . i . . r l , or as;rn oscillationF . . s c n r i a ln r h c p o i n r r h a t . r i r h i n r f i s , 1 . t c i f i c c o n s r e l l a t i o nm , e a n i n g* i l l n o r b r r c k e r , * i l l n o r n r r k c r h . presenceeffcca dnappcar. rnd rhrt thc'
Epiph..i
I h.srnrii.trrnrni Dci\b
\ h o \ c l e m a l ea n d m r l e . h o r c o g r a p h i e s i s ,r h e f o m s o t r d a . c --I ' o J ' J r rrr r-rir ' ' rje n.\.r "r wr.tr I ud ihtr is rn cxrn e\a rPle ol mean slren odersords t sperk of r r,rrsion" or rn oscillation" bcnreen prcscncc el' fecrsand rncrning ellecrs: rhocver tries ro c.rprure the semantic
unbrackcr.d fhr \ir.,i ( o l r o i c e . p L e s e n coef t h i n s s a tdr, ol i ol u caila\ $irh .ohr!. !i br r tcam) i'ill not ultlnarch reprcs: rlr a pla1 pc*inrcd -.. -g,l r.r . . No ' rh. . ,,,o, l'... r . .-
@mplexin rh,rr mrkcs rango lr'Licsso nclancholic, ivill dcprivc heaelfofrhe lirll plcasurethat ma" conre lrom r h,sion bcnvcen
ard mcaring elTecra s r c l a t i o n o f . o m p l e m r n t a . i t \. i n n h i r h . l l i r n c r i o r a s i g n e d r o c a c hs i d c i n r c l a r i o ni o r h e o t h e r r o u [ ] s i , r
meaning cilicts. it mav bc good to cr\tl,rsire lhrr thc opposirc is also rrue' *hilc $cv rrc dancing, e"en the nost p€rfect tango
the co presence o f t h e n r o s i t l e st l e s r a b i l i r i o f a s r r u c r u * l r r t
performcr cannor iirllv .er:sp rhc scmantic complcxiry of tango lvrics.
tcm. Rathcr. rvc can sa' rhat the tcnsionioscillarion bculc prcsenceeflecrs rnd n,caning cffccs cndors rllc obi.-( oi ri.r h c r i c c x p e r i e n c cr r i t h a c o r n p o n e n ro l p r o l o c a r i ! . i n s ' r b i L : , ,
$e mnso nrov.mcnr rnd her bodr'. And as I harc no specific inreresr in a.guing iir r dominrncc of prcscnce effncts o"eL
ln saving rliat cicn human contacr
dte thirgs o{ d,e "irh world conrains borh r mcaning and r prcscncc-conponcnr, and drat thc simation ot acvhetic erperienct is spccific inasniuch es
'l
h e r e i s r r u l c , a p r c s c r i p r i o ne. . o n \ c n r i o n i n . \ r g c n t i r L , n
I : m c m p h r s i z i n gr . "hr m u c h r h i s n o n c o m p l e n c n r a r i n i n r h t r c l a r i o n s l i i pb c m r r n culnre rhat ven beaurilulliillusrrres 'or'r'
\r-
.
,..en.c.f..r'. J,l{.r n p p o s e d t o d a n c ea t a n g o t h . t t h 3 s l r r i c s 3 l r h o L r e hn r c o t i r n s t r i k i r g l i r c m r r q u a l i n o f u n g o l r r i c s h a s l o n g c o n s t i t u r r . l. t t r o b j c c r o f l e g l t i m . t e c u h u r r l p r l d e . T h c r a r i o n a l i n b c h i n L lr i t r , c o n v c n r i o r s c c n r r o b e d r a t . s i t h i n a n o n b a l a n c c rsl i m r t n t r o r ; ,r,l l' . i n g , r r r c n r i o nt o r h c h L i c so f a t a n e o* o u l d n a l c i t \ e . \ . l i r l i . r L t to follos the rhr din ofrhe nusic onc s bodr: rn.i {.h ,11 ";th vidcd artcnrion vould protlbll make it ncrr to imposiblt rl.tt ' i m . r . r o r . L r e.r. . r r
e.
one lct go. rhar onc-quitc
cI.r'
litcr.rll'
ler rill
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t h c r h 1 ' t h mo f r h i s m L r s i cs, h i c h i s c c r a i n l r n c c c s s a nt o r r r r -
it alloss us o lne borh thcse componenrs in their tension, I do nor mean rr: implv rhat thc rclative iveighr of thes. tlro compon e n r ss i l l . i h a r s b e e q u : 1 .O n r h c c o n r a r , I r * u m e t h a t r h c r e arrJ\.. . t'. I b.nn Io Ji. ib , "n. nenr and (he prcscn.. .onponcnt rvhich clcpenclon dre ria(e r i l i n ( i . e . ,o n r h c m e d i r { i c m o d a l i o ' )o f m c h o b j c c ro f a e s t h e t i c experiencc.For craniplc, the meaningiirnension rill aJl'a1s be dominant *hen are rcrding r tcxt but literan rexrs hrvc "e w a t s o f e l s o b r i n e i n e t h e p r c s c n c c i i m e n s i o ro f t h c n p o g r a p h v , o f l h e r h r r h n r . J r - l , r n g L r : gr.n. d c i c n o f t h c s n e l l o f p . r p e ri n t o P l a y .C o n \ . t r . l r , I b e l i c y et h a r d r e p r e s e n c ed i n r c n s r c n , r i l l J ' w a y sd o m i n a t e* h e n * e r r c l i s r c n i n gt o m r i c and ai dresttmc rirne ir is rruc thrr ccnain nusical srrucrures cf,n oolc ccrtrur sernanri. connoi.,rioos. BLrt howcvcr minimal rhe par;ciparion
cation/Deixis resenrifi
cation/Dciri\ Epiphad\'/Prese.tifi
becomeunder sPecificn)rof one or rhe other dimcnsionrnav experiencc-ar leasr;n diaric condirions'I rhink rhat aestheric the lension' or o\cilour culture-will alwavsconfronrus with and mcaning This is the reasonshr 1n Iadon,betweenpresence semioric(in my terminologv'e'tclusiv'lvmeiaPh\\iexclusively justiceto aesthelicexpcricD'e' cal) conceprofthe sign cannotdo to descrihc Ve need,on the one hand, a semiotics;gn-concePt the orhcr hrnd' and to analpe its meaning-dimensionBur on coupling we aho needa differentsign-concept-theAristotelian the Ptescncc of "subsrance"and "form," for example-for as I havt r dimensionin aestheticexpcrienceAnd if ir n rrue' into a slablc gued, that rhe Nvo dimensionswill never grorv tndersrandthal ir n ,t^.t,'.. of.o-pl.-.ntaritv' then rvemust but indeedanalrticallvcounterproducrirc not only unnecessary fusing a complexmetaconcepr a*"top ,".,y ".o^bination' "na sign the semioricand nonsemioricdefinitionsofthe ot stgnOne might objectthat rhis iuxraposidonof tso npes i" e semaroc strucconceptsrhat will not b€ broughl rogether is a svmptomoffailure more precisclr' t,tr. oft'igh., "o-pl.*ir1 reallvowr
'n the'r envtronthe taces of rlis dcsnc tbr prescnce meantns-and Panrv chargeduith neaning' arealsoPaftlv
a r:rrll srcp oF mv argument'on the ehallnow concentrate'as efecrs presence ]i. -.a. in which rhe oscillationberween
'r :-.:....,r.nroiJe.rhe'ic meaning.ttects Presents - t- ^ - - L h ; h h ' h E 1 6 .^ o r i o n r h . r r | * a n t r " u " e a n d u n f o l ' l
againto rhe I am not rcrerring oi "eprphanv," andpres meaning andoscilhdonbetwcen tension, "rlmneiw, mentionedand rheorizedbv ;t;..J..
ro thc lecling' but, "bor" "ll, rhosepreence efi"" N*o, ,r'* *. *'not hold on to beueen Presthat rhev-md with rhem the simukaneitv I wanr to and meaning-are ephemeralMorc preciselv' on rhrecteJrurc' nenr,underrhe hcrdrngoi epiphrnl and shapethe vay in rvhich the rcnsionbeveen Presence rcnsion that the i"g p.*."" i.*ff - *, "n thc imprcssion ou,t or and meanins' when ir occurs''ones ='";".*. rensionas havingr spatialari"g; o".h..-..g.n.. "fthn GmPoralrryas 3n rtionr on the pos'ibilirv of dcscribingits
aestheticexpelfwe assumeQs indeedI have)rhat thereis no eff'ct without effccr'and no prescnce withour a presence order ncein playi if we funher assumethat a substana.in I also be percei'edne.,ts. i"'mr and if we finallv assumeGs xr ve in the previousreflecdon)that rhe presence-compon€nr exPerlencecan tension or oscillarion that conslitutes aestheric
,. i. ir.
an objectof '-tr., rhenit iolloqsthat whenever
p'oducesin us etic erperienceemergcsrnd momcntarilv nothing For no feeli.e of inrcnsiw,ir seemsro comeour of
s u . b . ' , b s r r r r .r. , ( 1 i o r d ,$ . r ( f , i i . , r t o L L b' . n i i ! \ \ L r h . r ' ' o n r ' l , , g i c . i li n r p l i . , r i o n ' r h r t I f l r r d L , . r i n . r r i n eh r L rr h . r l , l r , l - . n o r r r c . c s r r i l v h . r re r o . r c c p r L no r l c r r , , r g . t r \ r r h l i ' d r . . i I r i o n . H c r l . g r . r n r . r k c 'c \ r . r j \ I h j j f o i n r : . ) t t 1 t \ ) : : : ) , '
r h e . . , ) r r l . l ' m . n r o i r l , . F : L t , , r n t , , , ' .\ l l . t . r ( ) , .\ ( ) , , i .k r , l ) . s t a g . . r . ( , \ \ . r L , r, 1 , : rt h . r r r u t . r h r o ( r g ht h ! . r u t lf n . c . . rr d r \ . l a6nrplilrtJ .horr,,gnpi,' or 'rrps 1.,.k rnJ iilrth. rh,' con,inq
.. ,t ,,. ... t, J,. In s h i c h i s . r r r d i f " c h c n r h i n l o f r h . , rr l , i c l , i s . t ' . 1 n , , 1 , . i tI ' , , .
F i n . r l h .r l , c r r . , , . r h n . . , . p c . r . r l , . r rg i , . t h c r f i P l r . , n r - r o , , , p o n . n r t r i r l r i , )r t ' r l , . r i r L r p t r r n r e r h c s u t ' , \ o t . , , t . \ ' . , , , 1 n , l i e
r n r i , , r h c , , r e L i n . , *, r r
f i r s rp l r t c . ' n . t I l , . n i . , l r c r . l . f r . n ( i , ' n i . l I h i ' i , , n J i t i , ' n e , r n i c r o r ) . * . k \ . , k n r r Ln h . r h i r , ' r $ h d , \ t r . h . , n . p i p h i n v s i l l , ) . nor lno" ql,,rrii,on ir sill r.rke c u r .S < o n . i l r . i i i r , , r c L r ' . "r.1,, a r l d h , x i r r r c n s ci r " i l l I ' c : r } , . r c a r n o t s o b , r l t ' o l l i s h r r i n g i n d e c . l r. h l h r . . r h c s . L n rr. ; ' n , . r n J f o s ! t ) o f . l , . s r r . Ll ) . r t o r n r
\ ' r h r r s l , i c l ,r c e n , sr o c m . r g c . r r o l n , ' r h i n :h r . , . u r . , . .
..l ..r',,,
.r'
. 1 . L '|, . ' . , ' 1 .
( l i n . n s i o r 1 o r . , ' l c : s r . , n i , , , f r i $ i , , , rI l , . r . o i . f h j , i . . : ' , : r , - : D r o r i li n I I r i d . g g r f s ( ) r i g i n o l t h c \ \ o r L o ! . \ r r . ! r . r i n [ . 1 . , . opc,l in r.Irron ro $. tontepr ..rrrh .rnJ jr rl,r.tr,It.Lr'::,
1 . r n dn r o r e . r r r . . r i , i n ro rhc 't.rg. !h!,r o..rLfi.,for. rini. r m o l s r h . . t , c t r . r r , , . r r h . r nr i t c . r r o t ' r . r t r . r lp l . v ( ) n ' l r . \ t . r s (
lagc.r1urrrhc{irr-ckr.rrlplc:..Ihcrcrlp|r.t)lll r i s i b l L t h t i n r i s i b l r s p . r c co l r h c . , l . . l l , . s r . . , , 1 t . 1 i , , r .,\, : , i .
e n c e \r h . r rs i l j i n r , r p r t r r l , t i n r t s i , ' r t i r c r , : c t l t t h c ' . r r r t r . t r ' F i n a l h t a n , l . L h r . . L l l ) . t i f h . , t ' " l r h i n I s t h . r i t e x p e r i c n c ci s Thi'isol'ria n e ' t n r L ' - . , u s . r u n J , , r 't ' t l i r h i r i r t n c r q . .
lorkcono.rsrssirhrhcsur3Loirhc'u't.rlJ
o u s ,r p r o r l , r p o i r r , , i l , , i n g l , r n r l . r o r l i s h r n i n so r t i ' r m u ' i c .
6 r m g s o u r t h e r . u L n go l r h c ' c r . l n c r n J
gr*.. c.rqlc.rn.: l,
snrk. rn.l trLkcr riA, .nr.r inI,i rhcir Jiqin.rLrr .hl-
:r:
c o n c L or p p c a rr s x h . r r t h t l r r c . l h c L i , c c k s . . r l l c d r h i ' , , , . r : i n g . r n dr i ' i n g i n , , s . l i . , n . ii . . L l l r h i r r q s r , r r r l i i ' l . r , . i ! r . n i n r t s . . , 1 ' o .r l , r t o n r h i c h . r n t l i , , s h i . h m r , , h t r \ ( . h i t . ' , . L . :: \\ irhir \\ rstl n . ; n g . \ \ e r . , l l r h n g r o u , , L lr h L r r t i , s c l i n d r p . , n i i r r l r r \ . , ) \ . o i ( h i l p . r L i r l , l r r c r r . i o n, , t . : . r r ' ' : : ' i n ( : l c l c t j r r s d L . r m a r, p t c i t i c r l l r i r r r h . ! r n . . , ' l r h ( r r , n r' r : u i r t , r 1 " l , , , . c p c r l i r n , . r n c cn t r \ . . ' r n . J I . I l i . , | \ , , r ( : r ' ( C h r i s r i , r h . i l h r r c h h o l i d r r r h r r c . l c b r . , r t sr h c F u . l , . r r i \ i r r 'r ':rr r: t r ..i r' ., . .r'" ,t, "r mrrLri:l ti'm. (o .nicrS.. ro ri't. ,,, ro '.rni'1,. rrr. rir b o c l i c sr c c o r t L c l o s r r o r h c \ f L ! t . , , o , . r n . l , h . n I t i r n . ' !
L i k * i s c . i r r \ r , r n d K . L b u hri h. c r r r J i r i o o ..,rl , q i , , rr , , ' : ' ' l e p : r n * c r h a t c , . r l , c . 1 r , r r i eJl i n r r . i o n , i l t t i P , u r
\!inr'
b u r I r h i . k i r r 1 . , ,h o l J ' r n r r t o r ! , , , . . J ( l i n S , ' rl i L . r . , t u r . . , , t d \. . e!f" r.. . . . n . . . . r , i r , , _r , r "r a n d n o s i n g l . i n , 1 , r t s s r , 'o, i . r r h r r h n t p . r t r c m . r t , t . \ . , n 1 f 1 . . i s * t r p r c s t n r i i r r r r , , r rr h . r n r m , n u t i n r h c r . r u i L I f r . l r n S ( r l i s r c n i r sp r r t c s , . , n d I r l , i n k r l t r r . ' i , , , i l r l v . r h c r e n 4 " , , r i i t ' u n d e r s h i c h . L p r , , ) r i , r g. . , n r r . , l l . l , i r ' u ' . r h . r c n p , ' r r 1 i r . i n w h i c hq e t i i l . i ! , . \ . i n , t l i . r h . r t i r e , , n o r , * r r l u s . s i l l r h r . r r s b er h e r c m p , ' r r l i r r, , i l , , o n . ' r Th.rc i. ptrhrp' no i)tncrrn
@tion/Dei\i\ Epiphany/Pres.ntifi
we do not predicrwh€rheror when it will emerge;if it emerges, we are rble know what it will look like (evenif, retrosPecrively' st have s€enbe to discoversimilaritieswith beautitulplars rhar fore); and it undoesitself, quite lirerallv,5 ir is emergins No singlephotographcould evercapturea beautitulplay.
For some readersat least, my seoenthqrestion wil follol quite naturally,afterthe briefreferencero tean sporrs.Ir is rhe ques tion ofwhether aestheticepiphany,the way I havenow tricd ro dacribe ir, necessarilyinvolves an ebnnt of uiobnra. For other readers,at last for thosewho do not *arch spons,I shoulder plain this questionby specifringwhat exacdyI mean by riodefinir;ons two presence-based lence."My quesrionpresuPPoses lasr "violence" I launched in the thar of "powei' and of Pafl oa the previouschaprer.t had proposedto define "power' as rhc potential of occupyingor of blo&ing spaca rvith bodies' rnd "violence"as rhe actualizarionof power, that is, power rs per formanceor x event. Referringback to our discussionol th. and accordingto rhe epiphaniccharacterofaesth€ticexPer;ence, observationthat epiphany elwalt implia dre emergenceof a substanceand, more specificallv,thc emergenceof a subsrance that seemsto comeour ofnothing, we may indeedposrulatethrt no genuinelt therecan be no epiphanyand, as a consequence, aesthedcexperiencewithour a moment of violence becaust withour epiphany,$ar is, \Lirhthereis no aestheticexperience out rhe eventofsubstmceoccupyingspace. But will this conclusionnot inevirablyProvoket}re polit'crl)' ofviolence' corect objectionthat by such an "aestheticization we are contributing to its possiblelegitimation?Can acsrherics and violencego togetherat all?The first, obviousanswerro su'h
rcsen.i6cJhon/De,\rs
gridquewould be rhar rhereis a diffcrencebeaveenlabelingan ofviolencc as "beauriirl" (rh;s mighr well be a way of..aesi(izing !iolencr)and posrul;ring rh.rrvrolenLe r, on
n6
Epiphany/P.escnrinc.tion/Driii\
this mxy IurD out ro and again-howeverdiff:icultand expensive h* long beenxsociateduith be. Afrer all, aesrhedcexperience welcomingthe risk oflosing conrrol over onaelf-rt le*t tcm porarily.
ro do rvith this feclingoflos My e:grrl quesrionhasever-rthing ing conrrol.If rhereis nothing edi$'ins ;n aestheticexperience. no$ing posiriveto be leant, what is rhc cfect of g€rdnglost in etrectsand the fascinationthat the oscillationbetweenpresence meaningeffecacanproduce?Once rveunderstandour dcsirt for pr€senc€ s a reactionto an €verydayenvironmentthat has becomc so overly Cartesianduring the past centuries,it nrakes sensero hope that aerrheticexperiencemal help us recuPcrate the sparialand the bodily dimensionof our cxisten.q iI mrkes senseto hoperhar aestheticexperi€ncrnaygn€ us backar lcasra feelingof our being'in-the'world,in rhe scnseof being prn of the physicalworld of things. But we should immediarelvadd that thh feeling,at leasrin our culrure,will nevcrhavethe status ofa perm:rnentconquesr.1\erefore, ir nay be moreadequateto lormulae, conversely.that aesrheticexperienc can prevenrus ofthe phtsr Iiom cornplerelylosinga feelingor a rernembrance o rc. inrurtrorr .:l dimension in our livcs. U.ing.r Heidegseri"n differencebeseen rhn reagin, we can establisha caregor;czl of bcing the self'referencc cuperateddimensionof self'reference, a pan of rhe world ofthings, and thar orherhuman slf'rcferena rhat hasbeendominantin modernWesterncukure,aboveall. tn modernscience:the laner is the self-imageofa sp".t.ror xandiselfas a piclure'i ing in fronr ofa world rhat presents l-orca's Someof I'edericoGarcia Poemsgive the;t retdersrn thar of beirg impressionof where th.: oppositeself-reference,
Epipheny/Preseni;licdtion/Dcixis
pan ofrhe world ofthings, mav end up raking us.,'In ..Mucne,. fism Poetaen Nma larl, for examplc, Lore makes tun of all rhe hurnans(md cvenofall rhe animals)whom he scestrying so itiouslvto be somerhingdillerent from whar rheyare.Only drc plasrerarch,he wrir6 at the end, is what it is-and somehow ppily so: Bur rhc plasrerarch,/ how vast,how invisibie,how inure, / wirhour even rr)ingl" lhe exisrenr'alistrhoughr rhat rrca'spocm suggcsrs is obvious:only our death,only the mo-
in whichlve becomepuremarrer(andnorhingbur marwill rruly tulfill our inregrarion inro rhe worldof things. otrr deathwill give us rhat perfectquier for rvhichimesin our livesat least we long. Whar rbis answerro the quesrionabout rhe effectofaesthetic iencci5 poin'insro crn aho bc de, riheds an exrrme deof sereniq,, composure, or Gelz:wnhe;t. GeLuunheit figures both pan ofrhe dispositionwnh which we shouldopen ourto aesrheric experience and asrhe qisrential srareto which ic expedence can take us. In order to avoid any possible ion of rhis exisrenrialstate *ith cenain hypercomplex of sclEreflexiviry(of which we intellecmalsare only too , I have come to describe,with a dcliberarelycolloquial rhat specific sereniw as the teeling ol being in srnr uith tb;ngsof the worlzl. I{4,ar I mean by "being in sync with the ofthe world' is nor svnonl'mouswirh a world pictureof (or perhapseven€ternal)harmony." Ratherrhan corre, ro an ideal cosmologv,the *pression "in sync" refers a siruarionrhar is very specificto our conremporaryokure, is, ro the impressionofhaving jusr recuperared a glimpseof "dre things of the world" night be. This may be exacdy from an exisrentialpoinr ofvicw, rhc self,unconcealmenr Beirg ;" all rbour ,elf-un,oncealmenr in generrrrno nor
l l | , t l , t r n r l ' r : . . f r i t l . . , r i , , rl l
rrs
o n \ s c l t : u n c o r t c c r l n t t n t , r s . r e s r h ccrpi ri p h . r n t . l . \ f . r i . t . i n ! r h c s e n s .o f l r l , I i r . r h . r r i s . n , o r e r h r n 1 1 i r , , , i ' , r , , , r r J r b r n Z r l ) / , r z r ) , c x p t r i r n c L n sr h c t h i n g ' o i r h c r , '
d ir rhti,
c c , n . e p m , ,tlh i n . q n c * r v i l l r c r r r i r r r c . r t i r l i r g t o r r h < h o J i l r f o r r h e s p . r t i a.ll i m e n . n , r . f o u r c i i s r c r s . tirring
( , ) D e c p ro \ r t)hiL\,t.1,, c , r ns . r . r h . r rr r r o n . t , r l m c r r o r I ' ] l i n q n r : r r . r
brLk rc v,nr oirh..lesi.rl
calrcsthrtics. "c pcn borh;n tl,c moJrln. of r h c s u b l i r n e ;* t m l
i h e a u r i t u l, r n d r n r l , e i ! o d . , l , r \ ! l
s r v r h r r i r c r n r r r n s p o r r u \ r n t ( i r s r . , r (r l
,\p,,llori.rn el.rrin ,,r ol l)io sirn rip.!rr Ii(l.tJd;f1 , ,i d r e s c( o t h c n r i . c c r u c i a l ) r l i s r i n c r i o n sI. L ) e l i c \ (r h a r \ . . , , ( r l *rvs dclibcrrrclr or urrknos,ngh r.irJnnS ro (f,th,n:.. s h c n . i n o u r s p e c i l i cc u l r u r a l ' i m , , r i o n . s r u s r r h c s o r u l . , : , r h e r i c . "V c a r c r c f i r r i n g . r ' i t h r h i s s o L d , r o e p i p h . r r r i *t l , . l . t i l n o m e n n r r l c . r s rn. , . r l e u s d r c r r , . m . r l , ru . l o n g i . . . r n J n . , 1 , ,: . . p e r h a p sc ' c n r c m r n , b e r . s n h o u r b o d i * . , s r r - l l r . * i r l , , u , minds, horvg,'od ilvoul.l hc to ti'c in \!n. \ i'h rhc thi,tr' r,
3 , r - o s w h i l eh r r m r n i * sJ r r r i n gr h c p . , ' r r $ , , . . . , u . i . ' 1 , . n .: : . : l nxrlr
vrguc
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r v h c n e r r r h . ' q u e s r L o n, n w h i l t h i n s \ o i l , ( r u r \ m r g h l b . : , , , \ l f i r c r m . u p . r h c p r . r c r i c . rul s c l i r l n c " , , i t h c ' t u . l . ! r r h ( f . , . 1 : r : ' ncvcr becnsliouslr doul'red. lhc ren .(,nc.fr oi
hiir,,,\ i'
i n i l c c d i r r s c p r r . r b lrci o m r h c p n r m i r r r h r r . , ) n . . . r u d i ( 1 . r l , . . ' r ' : o r b e . r t e , t r h c ro l l i l . t / , ; i n , ; t D , < : r , , ; r ' ; r r t . i r i . . . , . . r " sho*', h,scv.r. hou rh. pric. rru.hcd r,' dri' crpfrtlri!,, h.r' b r c n g a n r i , r ! . s o d r . u : r . , r i . . r l l ro r c r r h t p . , s r l ( s . ( n r u , . ' I \{/rsrernculnrrc rh.,r.ulrr. .\t .. ,,,,,n I
rhcrr i. norhins ,nori liti ,'r hL' \,,n.r. . ,.,, ,l ., .
Ep4,hr.\ l'..,(ntLil.rI(n i)ri\i\
\gc'. ocn ,rctionrnLl (\.r\ ci.,,r r;o,n rhc pasrrcrc i,Ciddle ro hc potortirl,rierr.,rior.rbrrh. ih.,pingor rhcprc 6onsidcrcd rl,ehum.rn*ond ras rrorvrr be senrund rhc ruru,c beL.rrrsc i. I h.r.r;r.. d.,1 na, fiercdo tre tc.n.,n.nr rr)n\torm.,rLon thc p.,* about th.rr pcople brlicvrJ ro be truc couldbc nrire culturc, in conrrrsr. orned irrro .,n er.rmplc. Rcnanr.rncc -hali s,ouldonl. nl. irn'.rtto,,nr.\(r\ \rhcmJri.!lhspc.rkire. of;a pr.t 6r rhr,'ricnnrionoithc prcscnt lhc hurrantrrsof rhee3rh nctldn ..,tluri.s \.r. hol,ingro fin(l e'.rmplt. oi t,r rlrcirrxrn lircs in Crirk and Ron,rn.rnriquin releranc. mcdiev.rl bu( nor irr rh( imncdirrclr prccedirre ivorld (rvhich rhevrerc rhc rirsrr,' dr,.rib..rs d.rrkL Fron,rhc t.,r.\.\.n r l r r' . : l reenrh , . :l,r ., '1. emergcd rh.rrsc h.N. 'in(c c.nrc io .rll hisroricalrime, and rnaresnblish
Prescntillcation/Dekis
cation/Dcixir Epiphany/Prcsenrifi
the good old debareabout rvhetherour Prcsenris Gtill) "modso much inrelern" or (atready)"postmodern,"rvhich generared onlv ten vear ago.Todav we begin to undcrlectualexciremenr rverea symptomof the chronotopa srandrhar thosediscussions of "hisroricelrime" coming to an end rnd that' regardlcs66 ' whetherwe want to call our present"modern or "postmodern," this processof exiting hisroricl time now secmsto lic behind us." "Historical rime" (and our conccprof "historv"' *hich re fersto a speci0chistoricrlculturervhosehistoriciwwe haveonlr wd bascdon rhe assumprtonor an reccndycometo re€ognize) asymmetr berweenrhe pasras a "spaceof experience"rnd rhe tuture asan open "horizon ofexpeaarions" Historial time implied the assumptionthar thingswould nor resistchangcin Iime but thar, while rhe presenrand the furure could not help bcing differentfrom rne past and while we rvcrether€for€constanll! rherewasa *av to "learn riom leavingthe pastbchind oLrrselves, rhe pdt," p.eciselvby trying to idenrifr "lass" of historical changeand by developing,basedon such larvs" possiblescenariosfor the furure. Betweenthat past.rndthis tuture,thc pres ent appearedro be merelya shon mornentoftransition in rvhicb humans shapcd their subjectivirv:rnd used their agencr b1 imaginingDd choos;ngamongpossibletururesand bl tninq to conrriburero d,e realizationof *le spccificturure rhal $c! hrd chosen.\ghar we seemto have lost, only recenrll"is rhc sclt: artribudonofthat activcmovementrhrough time ("lea\ing the pasrbehind" and "enteringthe fuure") th,rt had permeaicdnl' rcricaltime. Repl,rcingprognosdcalionrhrough risk calcularion' the tururear i'rac'e' for example,meansthat we nou experience rrc sible at leasrfor all pracriel purposesAt the samedme, $e moreeagerrhan ever(andbenerprepared,on the levelofkno"'ledgeand even technolog') co fill the presenrwith aftifac$ lionr
basedon suchanifacts.Proofsrre th. pastand reproductions "nosralgia cultures," the unprecedent€d uenr rvavesof iw and the ne* exiibiting swlesof our museums'and debaresrbout the inabilin of societiesto exisrwithout hismemorv that are so panicularlyintensein Europe these furure and rhe new past Berweenrhe "ns" inaccessible we no longet (rvant to) leave behind ourselves'we have beo feel thar the present is becoming broader and that rhe
ofnme is slosrngdown. Bur what hasthis doelopment (providedthar mine is a Plauaccountofour contemporaryhistoricalculture)' what has of this ro do rvirh the conceptof presence"and ns possible on our waysofteaching historyand doing historicalreOne possibleansweris bised on the imPressjonrhat orr prsent rvith rnifacrs ro fill up rhe ever-broadening rhe pxr has lirde, if mvrhing ro do with the mditional proiectof iect ofhiston as an aedenic dncipline' with the our knowledgeabout rhe ing (thrr is, reconceprualizing) or wirh the goal of "learningfrom history." On the con, the wav in *hich sone museumsorganizetheir exhibits .o mind rhcton et lumiirc showsthar somehistoricalsitesin beganto offer in the larc Iqsos,rs well as *re appealof ical novels tike The Nane of the Roseand Elms ltke Radio Anadeut, or l itanic. Nl ol this poins to a desire for prefication-rnd I havecenainlyno objections.Shon ofalwavs ableto touch,hear,rnd smellthe past,we cenainlvcherish illusion ofsuch percepdonsThis desirefor presentification be arsociatcd with the srrucrureofa broad presentwherewe 't
feel like
'leaving
behind the past anymore and whete the
is blocked.Sucha broad Presentvould end uP accumudifferenrprsnvorlds and lheir aftifacs in a sPhereof si-
carion/Dei\i! Epiphan)'/l'r€sendfi
mulnneity. Another, supplemenriry(rather than ahernadlel posibiliry to explain our changingrelationshipwirh thc pan would suggat rhar a new hisroricalculture
anllPrescnri6caiion/Dcixis
re will be, more specifically,rhe wish to crossthe borderof birth-toward rhe past.As an underlyingforcethis very dewill morivareall hisroricallyspecifichistoricalcuhures.The of rhis desirelving under all historicallvspecifichisrorical reswoddbe rheprescntifcaaarofthe past,thar is, rhe pos, of "speaking"to the dead or 'touching" the objectsof To say,as I havedone, rhar such "deep" life world layersof culcure m* be.omcvisrbie rn hi('ori"J momenr"fiJ, li( historicallv specific oeryday culrures-for exmple, rhe demiseof "hisroricaldmc" and the emergence ofa ic:l culturethar would corespondro our broadpresenrno meansimpl;esthar rhe rechniquesthat we developin satrhosebaic desires-oneofdem beingthe desirefor preification must be rudimentary.Therc is no reasonwhy ic:l novelsor h;sroricalfilms rhar provideelfecaofpresenion shouldbe lesscomplexrhm novelsand films thar rry to te that we c:l learn from hisrory.Bur in which genwaysarerhe rechniquesthat rveusein presend$ingthe pasr sa1,from the rechnique oflearning from thc pasr?To ftom contemporaryfascinationsand practices,the techofpresenrifringrhe past quite obviouslyreno to empnathe dimensionof space-for n is only in rheir sparialdisplay we are ablero haverhe illusion ofrouching objectsthar we iatewirh the pasr.This mry *plain the growingpopulariry .hc insrirurionofrhe museumand, also,a renrued interesrin reorienadon of the historicalsubdisciplineof archeology." tfle samedme, the crendrowardsparializarion nakesus more ofrhe limirationsofhisroriographyasa rextualmedium in businessof making the past presenr.' Tcts and concepa inly are rhe most appropriarenedium for an ;nterprerative
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()x Critti,,r ,tTnttl l,crc. ,,, I ri,.r t,,t ;, .rt tujt t"tll b e n e r i ro r t l i c c . r p . , c i nn , l c t o u r J r s . q u i r r L r u r a l l r 'l., t r r t L r c r c r t
r o e . r t c rt o r h e d c i i r c t , r r r . i k c t h c p , r s tp r c . t n t . e , L l { ( h . h i , , ! . . o b l i g i u s t o r t v i s i t s o n , cb . r s i c, r l u i r e n , t r r r sa r d p L o u p p o s i r, , r .
br rh( f.rtr ur,lrr rhi<.,'ndirion. m.rr lit ir rhe r h r t , l , r t r o s l r g , h . l , n $ o r l d r 1 , r , . s h o kr 1, r o u r D r r r r , w . , r r .
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r u r n i n g . r r l r l , , D ,r h . . . r r h r ! . , r ( n i n g . , ncJr c r p < r c r r i u L u r t o f o L r ro r n J c . r r 1 , .B. u f r ( , r o u . n . $ i , t . r r n r , h i f r o r h . p . t r r .i r i ,
l h e k c v s c n s i r n n r . r p e c r t J i r , , m a h i ' r , , r i . L ni s r h , l o u b r . . , p r i r v o 1 . l i r r l v . d i s c r * c r i n go l , i c c r \i n h i . ( ^ r n i \ ( , \ d . r \ \ , , i 1 , 1 . n o o b r i o u r p r r r r i c . r lr . . i n r l , i . . o r r c r r 1 , h r ' ! . . : , . i
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l i r r h e mo L r i o m s i r l r t l . . \ \ i n g , r i t s r r l . n I i o n l . . n i n s i h . f i i . ''prcscnt r o h , r r d ) . ( ) n l r r l , l r L l o u b l c( , P d r r i o n , ) t d i s ( o \ . , 1 , !
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i n J s h o u l L l 1 , r v cr n i r r r ; , . r , \ r c r h i n k . r L t L , r , { r r . . r . I i r s r n J g r , . L b o u rr u l t i l l i n g 0 L r rp c J . r g o g r c . r l ( o m m i , r , ( i ( s .I l ( r * r c n r h . . r 6 i o t l . , n , ( " o . k ' I e . r ns c . . , d o u b t cr o r . c , s . n c t r h . r r l),(,,ris.\., h.$c., .f,*in
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126
Epipharv/Presenrifi carion/Dclris
borh the happeningofepiphaniesmd rhe acr of hisroricizarion impose'upol Ac'derr. cxperienre *€m 'o impl) and ro require. us borh a situationalanda temporalinsul.rriry,whereashistorici z-ationpraupposesa opaciry ro discoverand a wiuintnessro ac knowledgerhe dvstuncrionalsrarusthar ccrtain objectsof our att€nr;onhave in rheir environmenrs.The secondconvergcnci rhrr I w.rnrro menrio,rhercis a doublehc';trtionvn-rri' orr habit ofinterpreting, thar n, of attriburing meanrngro, rhc ob jectsofour attention.In $e long run, it may be imposs;bleior epiphanr us to reftainfrom attriburing merning to an aesdredc or to a hisroricalobjecr.Bur in borh cases(and for ditrercntea, son$, I have argueddrar our daire for praence will bc bcr servedif we rry ro pausefor a moment beforewe begin to make sense and if we then let oumelvesbe caughtby an oscilladon wherepresence effecrspermearethe meaningcffects. As borh the distancefrom rhe eyerlday'world and the mo ment in which we suspendmeaningarrribution are conduions that we rradirionallyssociatewith aesthetic rather rhan ridr historicalculrure,my insistenceon them may producerhe it!'acsrhericizaprersionrhar I wanr ro go in the dnecrion ofan tion" ofhistory and perhapswen of our teachingptrctice. Birr lv.ong wirh acswhile I insist rhat rhereis nothing neccssarily the hand, no vested inrcrestin it th€ricization.I have,on other (ar lest not in rhe conrexrofrhn argumend."wlat I find much moreinrerestingis rhe poss;b;liryofassocirtingthe disrancefrom everyda)'i'urrion\ rh.rris impled in horh our (on\cp'ion'o a€stheticand hisrorywith thc clssic-and mosdyself-criticli' self-rcfercnce ro rhe rcrdemic world * an norl r"*"'.- I "' aestheticexperienceand historiciation irnposethe disranceot rh:t the ivory rowerupon us, thcy alsoobligc us to acknorvledge this very disranceopensup the possibiliwof riskful thinking.'
/Prcsenrifi cirion/Deilis
is, the possibilivof rhinling what onor bc thoughtin our worlds.What cannotbe rhought in rhe evcrydayworld and opdons whoseappearance 6rsrly,conrents,hypotheses, the everydavworlds would imply the rnk of producingunconsequences. For exrmple,rhe quesrionmusr be alin an aodemic discussionofwhether "Manin Heidegger have becomesuch an imponant philosopherwithour g been so ciose to National Socialistideology"" but I itelv thinl rhar one should not launch rhis drscusronon a high schoollevel and probablynor even in the culrural ns of the dailypre*. Thc orherrypeoi problem.rhrr can nor be deah wirh in our everydavworlds are those discusion promise nenher soludons nor any practical To concentrate on them is oftenconsidered to be roo rime' ;ng (andrhereforeroo cosrly). If adequatelv understood, the ivory cowerstarus of the aca-
ic worldenablcrus ro dwcllpreci.ely on .u.h ropio. prob. possiblefeedback and quesrions, without cuaing off any , socicry.For, ro sraywirh the metaphorlor a moment, this is remore&om societ-rand very differenrfrom it, but it inly has rvindowsand doon. lhat we can analr.zerisktul ics rhank ro the roweis distancefrom socierv,and thar we work them through under conditionsof low ome pressure, rhat, ratherrhan beingobligedro reducetheir complexiw we ;nvariablvhave to do in everydaysituationsbeouse we to comeup wirh quick solutions),we may exposeourselves their comolexin and evenincreaseit. This is where"lived exience," the second of rhe nvo conversencesberween our con-
ion of aesrherics and ou. con€€ptionofhistory comesin. If, , confronrarionwith complexiryis th:t which makes teachingspecific,tfren insreadof obsesivelyantib-
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u r i r g n e a n i n g a n d d r e r c b r p r o r r d i n gs r l u r i o n s r v c + o u l d , : t L t o p r a c r i c co u r r e r c h i n l r .a s n u c h a s p o s s i h l ci,n t h e I n o d a l i n o f lived crperiencc (L,teLeat. For good acadenic reachin3 Lsa stagiig of complexin: it is d.a!ring our srLrdcnts uard conpler phenomenr rnd prennenx. rarher than prestribLng h o w r h o h r c r c , u n d c n t a n d c c n a i n p r o b l c n i sa n d h o \ . u h i marclv.rhel must dral *irh rhcn. In orher "ords. good rca demic tcaching should bc rlrir'rir, rathtr than intcrP.etao\i ind s o l u r i o n - o r i e n t c dt s. u r h o w s i l l r c h 3 d c i c r i c( c . c h i n - qs n l . n o ' e n d i n s i l e n c ca n d . i r o r s c p e r h e p s .i n a q u a s i m i s r i c a l c o n r . n plarionrnd adnir.rlion ofso much complerin? For an anrlogl r h a t h e l p sr o c l a r i l i t h i s p o i n r . s e c a n r u r n t o r h e - m P h r ( 1 . neir concept of rcading' that probebl' comcs fronr rhc gctiiic experiencc thar reader have had rvith cenain npcs ot rro.Lcnr lircrature. Such "readirrg. both re.rding books rnd reading rhc rvorld. is nor simplr meaning rnriburbn lt is rhe ncrcr cnding movencnt, the L'orh joilul and peintul morcn.nt b€rs..r ro! i n g a n d r e g a i n i n gi n t e l l e c r u acl o n r r o l r n d o r i c n t a r i o n t h : r r u r o c c u r i n t h c c o n f r o n t r t i o n L v i r h( a l m c , s r :a) n r c u l t u r a l o b i L ' t t : r s l o n g a s i r o c c u r su n d c r c o n d i t i o n so f l o r t i m c p r e s l r e . r h : r I s ' 'solution" o r " a n s r e r ' i n r m c d i a r e l re \ p . . r . d T h L s L ! rvith no a r c L e f c r r i r gr o . r h c n c s a r r h : t r cxrcrll rhem,'emcnt that " "e " b r o r d c n e d "o u r n i n d s c l a s so r a s e n i n a r A l m o s t i n r d v c n e n d r ' ( L r u rb r n o m c r n s r a n d c , m l r l . ; n t l r ' discussionof the conscquenccsrhrr r prcsenccoriente.l .on'ifr i o n o f e c s r h e t i c sa n r l o f h i s r o n m i Y i m P h f o . o u r r c a c h i n g '* c h a v c a n i r c d i n d r e i n r c l l e c m . rrl i c i n i n o l s o m c o i r h e . h \ i L ' r r a u t h o r so n r h e s u b j e c ro l a c a d e n i c t e a c h i n ga n d r h . a c r d i m L ' i n . . u r r o r r .\ i \ . ' .
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of profcsson rnd srudcnts con.eninting on unrcsolvcd prc'b stvles, and onlv secondarilv lerns. in rlleir dittcrenr LntellectLral dedicetcd ro rhc task of conreving staL'leand unquesdonable ' Iooslcdgc. Thrs l:st distinction h.rs bccc'mc cmcirl for thc ftrmre of the univebin in rn rec in rLhich.on thc onc hand' the cost of h i g h c r c d u c a t r o ni n i t s r r r d i t i o n r l l o n n i s g r o * i n g a l n o s t e x p o nenriallr *hile, on dre orhcr hand oo" rechnoLogicalpossibili ties of rens ilring knosled.ec throLl.eh cle.tronic mcdia hx\e b e c o m e . e n w , p h i s r i c r t e dr n d r r p i s i n g l v c h e a p W i t h r h e o b v i o L l s , t r dn e . € s s r nq u c s t r c no f s h e t l c r . u n d e r s u c hc o n d i t i o n s ' at lcasrsomc of the naditional frce ro lice simarions of teachittg a n d l c a m i n gs i l l ( ' n d s h o u l c Ls)u r r n e a t a l l , t h c c o n c c p to t p r e s ence ends up r.qui.i.g an ilnnlcdir(c nnPorrn{:' for the discrtv
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t h c' t u d ' r r r ' ' rl,$ i.," ,11h ch.urcli,': ".:"': "'1"'"''"e r h i . r , r , Ln. r ' r h r r g o c ; t i L r t h i r r l r ' rn u r i n ( l i ri d l r ' L l" r ' 4d rJrh . " u l ' 1h l c p o ' r l b I g . r r ' \ r r h : ' : n r e t i n r r ' ;". -.,rlpt-;,' th' r'r'h'r n'u'r l" r'' Lccprhe'c 'lcl'rtt.r'L theorhcrkc. "r I -r | ' " clo..r. Inrr , , r l i r r r , rb o u n d l c s i n J r L n t ' r r r L l l n r r c sr lp c c u h t i o r r ' t e rr h a . t . , l - " r r r r . r r b c r o d c s t r r b ' r h i s p r o c c s sv L i r ho r r r c fio.se'cr diilirulr hrs t'.r rtrertJ'rl r good univcrsiti p r e c i s i o n r. ! i l t J , \ l \ " h o Iirdof pedrgogr'rl * i t t r . - " " r , . , , I , n r r ' t l k i n g: b o u r ' r ' r J ' r I L r il'rt gilr' rt''"c rll 'rt s i f t I r m r l l u J L r r :r , ' I r i r r h r "nuini'! r h t r ' r f ')l rrllinginro , " a " U - f . , , . 1 , , , 1 c rrr, ' r h c o r h c r ' r i r h ' ) u r rnd I' L' b e c o n l i n s . L L ^ , , r 1 \tJr r r h t i r i n r u i r i " r r ' r ' ' l f s i r i o n s i o c u s e do n t h o s c' c r i r h e g i l i o l i n r c l L . r r r r ' t l i p o dr r s t t r h r r s r ' r r ' Srrch r o p i c sr h r r . 1 . , r , , r . r l l o r i i r q u i . l r n ' l i ' * ' v r l u L i o n s o f i n L'lcrrrlisL opemos rnJ 'rLJr ri,tur Jclint rhc tcrlrer 's L . r , , J I r ' s o r i r r t t l t . r i r n ' r o r ' " i t h e c r r ' t L ' s r" i t l t leourl c..rr r h ec o n d i r i I r , , r f h \ . i . r l f r . s . n . . l r i ' n r t ' o n p l e l r u n t h t n k ('fin 'odcd'on\c^' a b l eo. f c o u r . . r h , t ' u ' h r n o t n t d n r t n Iion, etr.rSi,,! r,,".irJ.:n unkn,rvn gr'rl, miehr be orgrnizttl in an elcctonit ,,,
d;scusrcr,,,rJl
dcrtrn'ircJ Ptron.Lll, .,,,J r,,r Ih. tim. h.Lns.I rnr tnrirlr Io ofiir nrmr .!. .r',n-. in rhr quirt ri'rrrr intti'tr to rh' irji"r "t o f t e p l i r { i n rc, , \ I ' i r , ' i L t r l - p r c . . r . .l f r d ( t L o n r h ' n i s l ' r i $ i t l r
trr
cr(ion/Dei\rs [.piphanv/Preseotifi
thar'l' 'ompurcr*recn' orher rhrn hvgienic rhosedcplorublv ir romehot'fe'l' \trJngcrthrl '..^" r'.*, '*'"'O* 'rlthough bv vl rngrharrr wr\ PerhJP'n(' i .i*'0. o"n"d.,n'' 'nrprer (omPli"rteddc\elopm(1' ..*.v,. g.,f'-'gf' 'uch a rclrti'elv rhJr nu' osn or Pre\cn'(ern order ro rerlizc ,;..;*P' "f andin norvcrcomPr(r'l! *o specificallv
o Be Quiet for a Moment: ut Redemption
.i,ii,"- *.i.*.",
But beenaboutrcalprescnce *"^, 'r* aiwavs J.r*1,,fl-'*f' '1heturureof pres *"r thiswill continuc ,i."'t' * *-**" commirment' our present enceneeds
by the concepr-bur what do can seehow you are fascinated rcallyget out of'presence'?"a ftiend askedm' when I was the final strerchofthe previouschapler''Smrggiingwith the reaching,I rold him, about the possiblefutureof acadernic the guardedfriendlinessofa corporateansweringmachine, what he was bringing up wasexactlyone ofmv big points' it wasfor would showhow hopeless a reflecrionon presence humanitiesro try and iustily their existencebv Poining to ' nocial tunaion" or "political yield. This was not, howwhat my friend had wanredto know' as I undestoodfrom reacrion,which alsoshowedme rhat he had not intendedhis rhetoricalquestion Could it be to be a mildly aggressive about me' and,so to speak,existenriallv aboutme, specifically jusr about mv book ard the world? It was' I assume(and abour me-about me as my friend's obnoxiouslvverbal ior colleague who cannotrelrainfrom readinganv rert he sees uding, for example.do-iayourselfinsrructionsfor gadgers I haveno interestin), and itwas about me asthe unbearable psychologist who cannothelp interpretingeverytinv moveon the frcesofrhe peoplehe is olking to lt was abour a r-old prolessorof literarurewho would be lonesome
To Be Quiet to. a l4olnenr
ard probablywirhoutan incomein this world wereit nor for dE strange (and retatively recent) developmenr in Wesrern culture for the readingofliteratureinroI rhat haspromotedenrhusiasm possible professional career. But what in€rest----or whar problern-=ould ir then have been that got me, of all people(q4, to professthat thar cul one might evenadd, of all academics), large, ilcluding literature, w:rs not only about meaning, tur€ ar that even in the reaching of lierature and culture we shorid qnnor use pause,from dme to time, and be silent (for presence Surprisingly, ar least for a member of the famously self, r€n€xiveGnd loquacious)guild of *re hummisrs, my Fiendt personalquation caught me by surpriseand, being :r g.picJ humanist, I immediacelyfollowed the irnpulse and sraned rhinking about what I really get out of presence'-for I did nor want to missthjs welcomeopponunity to find out (even)nore rning'rbourmy'ell.At 6nr. I rcrrioedonl; memories potcn' cially depressingrnemories from dose yem when we all beHadnl thal lieved in the heating powen of psychoanab.sn. arnazingwisdom once been reveled to my self, while the bodily containerofthat selfwassirting (not llng!) on a couch,tharatl those humans who, Jike rnyself,had a repuadon of being workaholia were working so much md trying so hard out or a" intense(albeitvague)fear simply of being lazy in rneir ultimate essence and realiry?And is it not true that I havea teraciouslv and plesandy recurent daydream about my exisence 3fter retirement as a stateof ju-st"being there,"'that is, ai a lile forn *rat would simplyoccupyspacewichoucdoing much else?I also felt that I suddenly understoodwhy that one panicuhr sranzab/ Federico Garcia I-orca' had always imprased me so much' 'n which the poer rnakestun ofall $ose hurnarx (and evenof those
B€Q et fora Momenr
who constardy srrive ro excel themselveswhereas,as wries in dle lasrline, "that plaster*ch is so greatbecause quiedyis what it is." Suggarions(with aI Linds ofincenthat I surpas, transform, and even "rejuvenate" mlself why would I wanr to be young?) come inc€ssandyftom my ional world md {iom my social environmenr, and I ad, that I m a bit dred ofthem, perhapsbecausethey resonare the half-conscious,lons-accumulatedconvictioo thar I have been(nor oer will be) "goodenough" But in the processof gro#ng older (or, from a Californian ive, "more mature"), I have learnt to appreciac rhe reitivenas of$ose weryday riruals wirh no crescendothat-if only wants to-are easyto prorect againsr any interference, the ftrnily dinno on workdays; and as I grow wen more I am also beginning m discoverhow I often wish, in retthat some conversation had b€€n "a perfect conversa, " or that some day had been "a perfect &y." Now I know I shall nwer allow myselfto call a day "a perGcr day' withhaving dre <=nainty thar what was good about it for me had my body-up to the point indeed of giving me rhe thar I was,somehow, the embodiment of dlat perfectdav. is sentencelook strangearrd dmgerously rautological, I car , as ar alternarive dacriprion, my impression that ir is, pri, , tnis very feeling of being the embodimenr of something I am refening to when I speak,olien with too rnuch ernpha, enonon, z6ott presnce. A per6a day, I think, nay well perfect, at leasrin retrospecr,becauseit was filled, the way ;s progressivelyfilled by the movemenr of a wave, by that and in iself short, momenr ofinrense ioy that hit me, lzag ny body, ar some point-but rhe perfecr day can, of alsobe madeofdnt one momentofintensesa&e.ss, of a
lle Quri tor i \l,,r,rj)r
\6
b h c k s r d n c s st h e r s i n k s i r t o m r o r e a n s .F o r D e n i s D i r 1 . 1 1 , , , c o n t r a s r r. p e r r i c r d ; i s r s . r d a r s h e n h e a n d h i s l ; i . n d \ j , j j , , n l i f l c t t i n g r h i n g sb c . s h c n r n i p l e a s u r . r n J1 . i n r h e f r e e d o no r e n p o r a n o c c u p i r i o n ( r r n g i n g i i o m p o l ; r i c a ld i \ . u ! i . n , r , , ] l rcndingto ont s nlrk.upr $cr. posiblc. jollul. and prt..61 b e c a u s en o n c o i r h o c o c c u p r r i o n sh a d a p u r p o s e I \ L s p . . ( r ! r . 1 , what liesbchind mv llxrrion on thc torn and rhe subsr:n..,,r t h c p c r f c c td a r " i s r [ , n e i n c
d i s u p p o i r r m e n ro f s t i . h
i, 1],1
m r t e \ , n e e d l e srso s , q , t o r r h c b c m c r l o r r h o s em o m o ( \ , , r i n 'c,,in,"l...rhi.l, .r..r, , 'l',, ^cr". S h o n o f c v o l c n i r g n v s c l t l , e c o n v i n c e dt h a r . r d a r r r s . Lh , , m o g e n e o u d vp e n e c rd r v i n d c c d , I h a r e c o m e t o a c c c p rr l r r r . r o a h e r n e r i o nb c n r e e ni n r . r s i r r r n d p c r f c c rq u i c r n c s sK o u l d p , . l , r . b l v b e g o o d c r o u g h . P c r h . r p r h 1 5i s i u s r l i k e d a r r i m e . r n t ln r r l , r rine. One can ccnrinlr rriggcrrnd e'en bu. inrcn,in. li,. p r o b l e n ( t h t a s r m n r t n ) i s r h r r s h i l c I k n o s r h a r; u c h i n r r . i n
To Be Qu€t
for a \lomcnt
\7
nisning (at least .rn ortnlosc (,1 rhcnr) mighl dininish fcc$ of o f p r e s e n c c - b L r rI k r o * , r t r h c s a m c r i n r e .t h : r o'y momenrs becomc perlicr if nrerning \{3s '\cludcd elesencecould never 'ro, producpcrhaps ncrer doc. crrrcrgc ..,"1"g "idrour "hit" r1'o tnn' rh.rr I coul'l nor be drere in ing eflecc oidisrance. it is i i n r c . r n i n gs c r c c o m p l c r e l ro u t o f 6 e t u l l s e n s eo i m . e t i * e n c e . '' ,::r''rr ' ipr.'c " Lven J,e P..od,' rl. "r, ofjuxtaposing r o l u r e r n c i n t o r h i s s l i e h r l vc m b , r r r l s i n g s r r c c r t o mc chargc the conceprsihar do nor easiil go togcrhcr' so lct thrusr of ml question and rsl'. I-lo'v could one get therc? "Hoq can rarher thar "\\'har is prescnce? Anil rs soon as I ask' ro rhe intense quicrncs of P.csence-the \ord I ger rhe.e? tedemption cones ro mind. Dut rcclcnrption "ould not onlv b e ,a s i n s o n c r o m a n t i ce n d t h c o l , , g i c . 'rel n 1 o I x o f t L e c o n c e p t a return to a primordirl strrc *hosc innocence hes been lost bv
forever. At thc cnd of n,ost oi n* dar:. I an alrcadr cr!:.' r'
r e a s o no f s o m e o . i g i n a l s i n . t h c r c d e m p t i o n t h a t I i m a g i n e -r'J ,r.r, r'n"rirt r.Jrmpr'o ' I 'tat' to *oulJ o'" r<"r rlur is, bl pushing be reached rhrough rhc p:ndor ,,fc-trs'.
rvekcup carlvcnoughti,r !n)r inrellecrual ag'rarion bur I .rl'' qish that I could,lircr,rllr.slccpforerer.This mar scll h, .,
: n i n i t i a l r e l a r i o n s h i pr, g t r . n \ i r u . r t i o no f d i s t r n c e .t o a n c x teme dcgree of ccccnrricin rnd cvcn of licnzv, ir rhe hopc of
deerhrvish but I rhink ir is .bovc all thc opposirc. For lrl,l (drrrallar Heideggcis not nean being simuhareousl' .trid rvide'ru.ake? and l']crh.rps rhcrc k not all that much of u upr,," sitionhcmcerbcinglillr,rgirred :rndlirllr quler.Thc (h,n!r. "s'ishro be r rrer" pcrhrps(andcren rhe sish to bc r pl.t.tr
achie"ing a union or, evcn L'trru i Pr(se..c-in-ihc wo'ld (har ar f'L6r s€cmed to bc rs nu.h out of rcach as anv othel dream. Hos could we gct thert? l)crhrps bv singling out, pref'
arch)ar. nor onlr J.rrh risles 1:orisGelt,erhei mr tl-, rt. p.rl.r .,Jr."l1'rcon. ll'. inr n.in "t san -:.h bcingrhcrc.unpcnrcrrcdbr crlccrsofdistance.Suchmon,ct:r
o u r m i n d s : b r l c r r i n g t h e n p u s h r h c d i s t r n c c b e $ v e e nu s ( r h c s u b j e c l )a n d r h e { o n d ( t h c o b i c c t r u P t o I p o i n r w h e r e t h e d s
s i 1 1a r s o m cp o i n r b . c o n , c c r h . r u s r i n g1 o . e \ e n b o . i n q r . r h . , t L i L silhout nrc $ishing ir to l*t longcr.,t r,':
couldbe rht originol rhc tcnsionbcn.ccnprcscncc rnd nloin. 1,, $ b.d, .r ldo,,, ur 1,,,n', b""1. t -,n.LrnL' r.-r r r
e r a b l ro n t h a t p e r f e c rd a v , s r r o n gi n d i v i d u a lf e e l i n g so f j o v o r o f s a d n e s s a n d b v c o n c e n n r t i n e o n r h c n . r v i t h o u r b o d i e sa n d
tance nu. suddenlv rum inro .rn unmcdirted statc oi being-in
To B. (lri(( ro,i \1,,,,!nr
I]N
2 I l u t i f l c r c l u t i cr e c o u r s cr o r l o g i c , ' 1i n d n i d u r l s i n a n d u l c n , p t i o n , R c d c n , p r i o nf r o n , r h a t : b c r , , n , c s( h . \ . . ( , n d r n , t , , , . r : , , i $n,ugh rhich rhe inirirl quc*ion ( \\ hat d,, I Sctour or p'.i rhr socirl clincnsior. It could l,r r. e n c c ? " )r e c o n n c c t s "irh dcmprion i,n rhc pon,rnent ,'l'ligation r,, mov..,,,J r,l c h r n g e , b o t h i n t h e ' c n s c o t r l , c n c v c re n J i n e
hisr,,rirr.
c h , u r g e isn p o s c i l u p o n u s . o n a l l d i l l c r c n t l e v c l ' i ) l o u f c \ i ' r . r . . rnrl in thrr ot the scliinposcd ol'ligrtion rl,.rrmrkci u..,.:rr c o n s r a n r l vt , , s u r p a s r n d t n n ' t i , r J ) o u r \ ( 1 \ ! \ . F . . l i r s , h : i s L r c hp e r m a n e r rm o v c n . n r o L i g i n . r c so u t s c . u r s c h e s ,r e h . r r a r l c a s rs i n c cr h c e r r l | n r c r r i c
ctrrun. r.ndd to arrribrtf ir,
socien. l.rn-l:rlln{ois I lorrtul on.. .rll(l rri f c c l i n go f h r v i n g r o f o l L \ \ r h e r h l h n r s o f ( h . \ c n u r l r i n r r . r n . i
drnamic ro
nobiltrtriot t,:rtttt tirc and olien .ehcme r)ur\o'k,,\1.,. LL< . n.ur(r.crrrrr. \, , r : .f i". c r r r i o n h a d ,r n d r e r n o n c o f u s e ' c r h r s e n o u g hr i t , . . N o ( l t , r L . i . i r i s o u r b c i n g c r u g b r i n ' L r c hg c n e r . ,nl o b i l ; u r t r o n r h a r m . L r . ' r ! lorg ror-rn.t
a p p r e c i , r r c\ o m u t h
c o n c c n r r a r i o ro n r h c r h i n g so ] r h r
lhos. 'h,,n nonr..t. "orld
r:
rnLl rheinrcn'rqu-
e r n c * d r a r c o m c sw i r h i r . T h c p r o l , l c mn a r t h e u b t . a s ( i c o g e s B r n i l l r p u r i r . u r i t : r : LJ,' ,,rt "c c n r c n a i n r v i r h o u r b o d i c s .t h a t o u t < l i s r r n c ci o n , s u c h c o , , . t t t r b o u t r h e { c L r k u r . r l l,rl't r c m i n c r l ) r c l r t i o n s } r i pr h r t r r . r r i o na n d q u i e r n c s m . r r h a r e s n * n
io .r pi,int *hcr. s! :.'f
r l , c r i s k o f n o l o n g e re r e n m r s s i n g* h . r r s r h r t
turI \l'n'rn!
b.inS inlPoscd [.rck upor us: For '.nrt']Porir\ d e s ; r .i s c . . n h . n t d o u b r l c s s l cv o m e ' l o * t o t r l .onlnuni.arion r(!hrologics ol onnriprcscnce rvhich i' the dttrnr ol niekhg 6[ing rhc drcam oi the loc'rrirns rhrr our bodies o' lrrd c\pcrien.. in.l(tcndenr iristr (:ncsian rlrean) i)ul €llpr ir spr.. lrndinrh6\cnsc on inorhcf ontinenr is evescil see. in rerrl rime horv r rivcr ir r e n r h o u r a r d n r i l < sl v l selLing ro a ilmJ. hos rn .rrhlerc. p a n i n g t l s r c r t h . r n. r n i o r h c r h u m a n b c i n g b e i o r c h i m r ' r n ' r n ' l *'itliout env w e i n i l u l g c h $ i ( h i n g " w r t r l h r e3 r P r i m c i i m e , d i n n t r t a b l er v i t h d r n g c r t ( , o u r b o J i d s o m c r i m e s .s c s i r r t : ar honr(' our liiends;nd r.rlkro our.hildren who hr\e \rrlcd and bcing'avrihbLe isbcing gcncrrl\/e .cnrrin rliitrblc tirr husincs calls rvhilc rv. rre on I dare Bur il' ly mol'ilized d ' . " r ' r r r 'n r r $ r ' I n n r r n earh,nr .. s,, can dclhiteli
rtprcss eren rhc rhoughlrf
rvhat
those rvho rrc phrsicrllr cLoscro it. il rht tlorting inr'rgts on thc screen'th.Lrarc o,rr "orld mtf become.r br('er lhrr scPrratcstr\ forevertrom rhc rhings oirhovorld' rhosc s.rniesctcns rnav rls'r rea$ak(n r feur oi rnd a dcsir< lbr thc substantirl rcrrlirvrve hrrc t o s r . ( l l e . r r h . o L r rr c r c r i o n sc . r ng o c i r h a " a v T h ' s t r l n g ' l o g i ' that t .im inrcrcskLl in and rh.tt I rm rrrin.s ro poinr ro. holcvcr' s e e m sr o g o i i k c t h n : r h c m o r c t c r p p u c h r h e i i r l l l l l n r c n to f o u r ol omnipro.n.e rnd thc morc dciinirc drc ubscquort r r ,. ' i . r r ' . r l ' . t r r ' r J i r r c r r: o n los,t ,,.r 1,".:. , J "t s e e m sr o b c . t h c g r c r t e rr h c p , ' s s i b i l i wb c c o m c so l r c i g n i r i n gr h c desirt thrt ;nr.rcs us to rht thirgs ol rhc rvorld rnd wrePs us
dr.a'
lo;t. Bur
",,u1: to ailnrir? thar rxl.ry $e ,rf. .\f.r'e n c i n ga s g c b c r o n d r h . r tp o i r r o i s e c m i n g h r b s o l u t . l o " . I st.rse prt.rdoricrl[. the r]c'ircri,r*h:r hrd rb.'l,Lt, ' "c "herc. l o s r i s c o n ; ) g b a c k ?A s n g e r h c , c , s r r u n g t l ! ( n o u g h , t h i ' L . . r w c n o r a l s oh u e t o s r v
T o B cQ u r . .
This, bi'rhe *rv. is thc tryrisingll complcx (rnd mo'tlv o v e r l o ( , k c d.lo n t . n t o l r h e c , n c c p t s p t c i r l e l T e c r s(' r n d " l t e i r l efiecrs rre iusr.r p.rn oi*hrt I call cnicts oiprc'cnce in rh' p r e c c d i o sc h . r t t . A ) . A r t h c r r v c n h t s r - o r , n r o r c p r c c i s e l r ' t t
I o lJ. (lrN fo,r \1,,,."r. l ' h c k s r , l n * s t h a r s i n k s i n r o m t 0 r g . r r s .f , r r l l e r i s D i . l L r , , : i n contnsr,r p.rlict rlay *rs r dav shcn he.u,rl his f;i.nd' r,,1.d r n r p l c : s u r c . , : : J, r i n t h e i r c c d o m o 1 l c r r i r g r h i n g sb c . "hcn r c r n p o r a n o c c u p r r i o n ( r r n g i n g t r o m p o l L r i . . ,dl i s . u i ' i o n ' , , , , r c n d i n g r c o r r e s n a k c L r p rr v e r cp t * s l b l c . j o v t n l . r n d p r u o , l b c c r u s en o n c o f r h e ' c o c c u p a t n ' n sh r d a p u 4 r , ^ c I s u , t ( r r : , , r nhrr licsbchind m! tl\.,(jon on rh. tnrn uJ rhc subr.,:,..,,; 'perilcr rhc dar. is a Lrnging diir|poiirn,cir oi \hi.h i. u,ri r , , r r c h ' .n e - l l e s sr o s r v . l i r d r e b e r t r f o r t h o ' c r r u r o r r r , ' r L r r ( n s n \ r o 1 . r ' rs. h i c h , ( , r r o u r s c .r h c r r e r c r u i l l Shori ol cycr lefting mrselfL'c con'inced rh.,r r dar $.6 .: hinogcncou.[
pcrfcct drv indeed. I hrvc com. ro accepr rl,.,r a1
T o B eQ u i e r i o . r I 1 , ' t r , d , 6 s . 6 o f n r c a n i n eL . r rl e a s r: n , x c r d o s co i r h r m ) n i g h r d i n i r i s h m y n r o n r e . r so l p r c s c n c e b u ( I k n o i v , . r r r h c { n r ( r L r n e ,r h r L p'eserce .ould ntrcr becon,c pcrfect ii ncaning *rs escludcd. F o r l v h i l e m e a n i r s p e r h a p sn o e r d o e sc r r r c r g es i r h o ' , r p r o d u c i n g e i i c c t so f d i s r . r n c er,r i s r l v r t r u e r h r r I c o u l d n o r l ) e r h c r . i n r h e t u l l s e . 5 eo i n , ! G i s r e n c . .i l n r e a n j n q$ e r e c o n p l c r c l r o u r o l Evcr! r(remprri, describ. $.hir I gcr i,ut ofprcsence secn,' r o l u r c n r c i n t o r h i \ s l i g h t l l c I r t b e r a s i n e s r r c c a r oo f i u x r a p o s i n e c o n c c p r st h a r d o n o r e a s i l r g o r o e c r h c r .5 o I e r m . c h r n g c r h . thrusr oi mr quc\rion rnd .sk.
Ho* could onc ger rherc?'
n r h e r r h r n \ i ' h r r i s p r e s . n c c aA n d r s ! ! ) n a s I . s k , " l l o w c a n
,rlrcrnariob n c n r e e ni n r c | s i r r r n d p c r r l c r q u i . r r c \ \ $ o u l d f , , , b r l ' l v b e e o o . lc n o u e h . l ) . r h r p sd r a i \ j u s t l i k e ( l l t i m c a n J , , L c F . r
I ger rhcrc?
t i n , c . O n e o n c e r r a i n l v r r i g g e r. , n d c v e n t r u ! i n i c n \ i , \
b e , a s i n s o m c r o n , r n r i c a n d r h c o l o g i c . rvlc r i o n s o i t h c c o n c e p r ,
lh.
p r o t l e D l r h c a s \ r , . r . r n ) i s r h a rs h i l c I k n o u r h . r rs u c h i n r , ' , : r . * i l l r t s o n , r p o i n r b e c o r n ce r h r u s r i n g i o r e \ ( , ) b o r i n g . I l , . u L , i withour mc wishingn to l.rt longtr. it nlr fi,rtver.;\r rhe end ofn,osr ofnr
ilrrs. I rn) rlreadr L.,si: i.
s a k e u p c r r J i e n o u s h t o r s o m ei n r c l l c c t u i lr g , I . , r i o n h , , , I : l , r wish that I could. litmllr, slccplircver. ll,is mar r.Ll b.: d c a d rw i s h
b u r I r b i r h i r r s a h o r c . r l l r b c o p p o s i t c .t " r t , , u L J Hcideggeis (r1a,rarl,r,r not nre.rn bcing sin,uhancou'h q.,,::
, r , r dr v i d cr * r k e ? P c r h . r l ) sr h c . . i s r ( , ' : 1 1r h r t m u c h o i r , , , p 1 r s i t i o n b e r w c c nb e i n g l i r l l r a g i r a r c dr n d f i r l l r ! u i c r . f h c 1 t . , r , o ! ' ''s'ish ro b.,r rrcc'polnps (and ocn rhr $i\h ro b. ., l'1.,.':i ..r,h ..,," fl.J.,'1.",h..l"rr', ..,,..."r'l' p c r f c c ts t r r c o f p r c s e n c e :T h c i n r c n s i w o f i v . u , r i n g r o b ( . , D J . r I t i n g t h c r c .u n p e r m e . , r c d b r e l l t . r s o f d i s a t n c c .S u c h n , , ' n , : r t r c o u l d b c r h c o r i g i n o i r h < r e n s i o nI ' c r . ' e r n p r - o r c c a n d n , . . , t , 1 : ' : I l . i . n , " r i rr ' n ' r ' I ' k . | .
fu thc inrenst rtuicrn.s\ ot p.csen.r-rlrc
" r e d c m p r i o n c o r r r c sr o m i n r l . U u r r e d c n r p r i o n* o u
\rord
nor onh
a r e l u m r o a p . i m t r d i a l s r . r r cx h o s e i n n o c c n c eh r s b c c n l o s r b v t6on
ot som. original sin. Thc r.drnrprion thrr I inaginr *ourdtc.,. I n." * r,.1.mp..n.... r"r.r" b e r c a c h c dt h r o u s h r h e p l r : r d o r o f e c s r l ! .
rhar is, br pushing a n i n i r i . , l r e l r r i o n , h i p .a e i r c n s i r u a r i o no t d i s r . n . ( . r o m c \ treme desrec ot r..cnrfi.i.r'rr(l cyen dl f;cnzr. in tbc hopc oi a.hievine ! union or. ercn ttner. r prcscncc in rhc,worldthatrttlntsecnrcdtobclnluchouIo|rcao d r e r m . I I o N c o u l ( l s . g . r r h u c : t , e r h . r p .t r v s i n g l i n e o u r , p r c r e r a b l vo n t h a r p c r r i . c d t a v , s r n n e i n d n i d u r l l e e l l n e so i j o v o r o l s a d n e s - r n d b r t o n c c n t r a r i n go n r h c n , , s i t h o u r b o d i c s r n . l o u r m i n d s : b ! l c n i n g t h e m p u s h t h e t l i s r . r n c cb . 6 ! . c n u s ( r h . ',,s;".0 o b j c c r )u p r o . r p o i n r r h c r c t h e d i s "nd.h.'.,,'1d(thc r a n c el n r y s u d d . n l \ r u t r r i r ) r o r n u r n c J i . r r c d s r a r . o r b e i n . e - i n
To Be QuEt Fo.a Moment
Lt8
2 But ifl exduderecourseto a logicofindividual sin and redernp quesion the secondary rion, "Redemptionftom what?"becornes rhrough which the initial question("What do I g€t out of presencei") reconnecawith the social dimension.It could be redemption ftom the permanent obligation to move ard ro change, borh in the senseof the never-ending"historical" changesimposed upon us, on all ditrerent levels of our existence, and in that of the self-imposed obligation rhat makes us want 'iurpass' and uaosform oursel".s Feeling that consrandyto such permanent movement originates outside ourselves,we have, at least since the early wentieth century, teoded to anribute ic dynamic to "society."Jean-FrargoisLyotard once called the feeling of having to follow rne rhythms of those mosdy intransi' tive-md often vehement motemen:c a mobilisatio,tgd; b.' Our rork rodrl lea'e'us morelrcerimethanm) Previou'gen' erationhad, andyet none of us everhasenoughdme No doubt' it is our being caught in such generalmobilization that makesus long for and appreciateso much-those shon moments of concentrationon "the dings ofthe world" and *re intensequiernessthat comeswith it. The problemmay then be, as GeorgesBataillepur it, witing about the (culturallydeterrnined)relationshipchatwe (do not) entertainwith our bodies,that our distanceftom such concentration and quietnessmay have grown m a potnt where we run dre risk ofno longerevenmissingwhat we havelost.' But would we nor alro have ro ':) -ro rdmir: rnar rod.ly wc oe erpeti encinga sage beyondthat point of-seemingly-absolute loss,a stagewhere, paradoxicatly,the desirefor what we had absolureL-t lost is coming ba&? A stagewhere,strangelyenough,rhis losr
o Be Quiet tor a Moment
r39
i r e v c n b e r n gi m p o . e d " b a c k u p o n u ' ? F o , c o n r r m P o , d N
,om. do'c ro tulic:rronrc.hnotogiohavedo"brlessll the dream ofomnipresence, which is the dram ofoaking ed experience independent of che locations that our bodies oc-
in space(and in this sense,it is a "CaJtesian"dream).Our can see, in real rime, how a river on mother contin€nt is ins ro a flood, how an adrlere, ten thousand miles awav' is ing fasterthan any other human beingbeforehirn nn' and indulge in "watching" warfare ar prime dme' without anv to our bodies.Somedmes,we sit at a dinner tablewitb ru ftien& and slk to our children who have staved at home. remain"available"-and being "available"is being"genenl mobilized"-for businesscalls while we are on a &te. But if ing a war that h an ocean and a condnent awav ftom us
definitely reprss even the thought of what a war meansto thosewho are physically closeto it, if the floaring imageson the thar are our world may becomea barrier that separatesus ftom rhe things ofthe world, thosesarnescreensmav ztso n a fear of md a desirefor rhe substantialrealiry we have lost.'" Clearly, our reaaions cm go eidrer way The strangelogic I am interestedin and that I am trying to Point to' howfler,
to go like this:the morewe approach*re tulfill-ent ofour of omnipresenceand the more definite the subsequent of our bodies ard of the spatial dimension in our exxtence to be, the greaterthe possibilirybecomesofreigniting the ire that anracs us to the things of the world and wnPs us their space." This, by the way, n the surprisinglycomplex (and mosdv contentofthe concept"specialeffects"(ard'tpecial " are just a pan of what I call "effeasofpresence'in the preceding chapters). At rheir very best-or, more Predselv' at
r4o
To BeQuierfor d \lqnqr
their mos(e$icienr(which mems with a little luck, becausc ou, as I sa;d before,can ahra$ go in the opposi(edir
B€ Quiet for a \foment
acadcmiccpistenolo 6ur evervdavepistemologiaand our to rhar ofspeci'rlefdo not affectus wirhin a logic similar hasled us' Given *'herettre rnjectory of\fcsrern thought Ih€ Pist rcw also the devastaringpolnical impact' durrng on ontological ia, of phllosophia and ideolosiesbased haveno indeed isesand on claimsto absolutetruth, we mav rhe range of alternativc-for most practiol PrrPoses-to igs t}tat se subsumeunder nrmes like consrructivism' ;Oor.",'.-.^ Bu, inhrbitrngworldsrand the pluul i' of convrucred bv , *,.""* r'."r '-t'"' ue *anr ro bc 'haptd rnd and nxrrarivesobvioudv ing setsof concepts,discoLrrscs, and narracesa desnefor what theseconccps,discourses' or Pragmaocperleasrwhen seenftom a construcrivist perhapsthat deive-no longerevenpretendto touch And rne more perlectlvconqtructrvirtwc t. -., s*"-* "'..*er thetr For mary young (and not so voung) PeoPIe'Piercing athemselves es is a wzv of feeling"grounded,' ofgiving is not of ond:<enain$ of being"ativc " Mv poinr ..sub(o that se shouldthereforesimplv rcturn e more I do b€lievethat st rtialist"way ofrhinking and living, ahhough 'we humarisrs,"ofall people'shouldhavethe rime io take this wouLdbe rlesireseriouslyand to do somethingwith it Much bequiet gined, I believe'ifsuch 'eacdonsat leasiallolYedus ro from time to rime amid lhe technologicaland i, -.-.", " cPtcmological noise of our generalmobiLizationProcrasri'ution will oor be a threat,for we find ouselvesin an €nvironment dlat will not let us pause for nore rhan nonenu ofpre*nu'
3 bv no I hopeir hasbecomeclearbv nol *rar rhis shon book was meannea'rs int.nded ro be . "pamphletagainsi' conceprsand
To Be Quie! rore Momrnr
and interprerarion. Neither ing at large,or againstunderstanding is ir wrinen againsrthe Caresian legacyof our contemPoran culture(s).Simply finding the words to describesuch porenrial immediatelymat€s ir clear hot' absurdmisunderstandings how grotesqueand evenhow "fasckt"-ir would be ro renounce concepa,rneaning,understanding,or inrerPrention.My marginal (bur I hope not complctelyrrivial) contributionis, rather. to saythat this Cartesiandimensiondoesnot cov€t (andshould althoughwe are nevercover)the tull complexiryofour existence, led to believe that it does with probably more overwhelrning than err'er before. Pressur€ But somehowI must have producedrhc misundersrmding and rhar I was dreamingof rhe &rk world of purc subsrance,'' rhis impressionhas provokedsomeof the mosr powerfulcrit; cisms ofmy work ovcr the past few years.In general, I wmt to say rhat I would agreewith each of these criticisms if my pro posalwere indeedto simPly rePlacewhat I crll "orr Canesian legacy."All I am saying, however,is drar we should ral€ the rime that rhe arrlato think abourand to reacrto som€consequenc€s rlza doninance of rhe Canesian worldview has produced-and it is a widesprad contusionto assumethat thinking abour somc' thing impliesan imperadveto changeor evento replaceit ln this spirir, rhen, I concedethar what I haveto s:y in rhis book jn doesnor cornplywith the teneral sPectarion that our work the humannieswillbe "critiel" in a polidcalor (lessspecificalll) in a "social"sense.''I am-at lea$ mildly-€ritical, t b€lin'e rs in contemponryculmre Er asthe lossofthe presence-dimension is conccrned.But ir is true and I wanr to stressthis-rhar rhere is something"afiirmative"in my argumenr.Beingcriticalalrva':s implie. one agendrof rransformadono, another (and th.rc i' nothing wrong witn drat!), whereasa concentrationon the
To Bc Quid fo, a Momenr
14J
.quiet for 6ings of rhe world rather comeswith the desire to be (which I don't find reprehensible either). If sone a doment" (panicularly of my own g€neracolleagues, and rcaden :&iends, don) want to interpret thh wish to be quiet ar a move toward (or ev€nas a "benapl" of somegenerational bcing consewarive kgacy)-l cannor help ir. I might evcn feel a senseof solidariry with the ecologicalpoliricians who have been accused(both ab'neoconservative." Above surdlyand wittr good reason)of being jl ho,aever,I would like to sk in rerum: V4ry should one feel 2n obligationtow"rd the blind spor ofone s own generation? In rhe previous chapter, I have reactedto th€ int€rpreradon dat readsrhe desireto "be in syncwith the thingsofthe wodd" with the ai a d6ire for hamony-which, of course,converges dlcgadonthar my positionis nor "crirical"enoughor even(God 6rbidl) "afirmative." In principle,I canseetwo motivationsbelind chis judgment. fts backgroundon be either a general gcjudicc againsr whatever may be harmonious or the fear that givingin ro a wish for harmonynay divert our attenrionfrom a "naliq;' that is norhing lessthan harmonious.I admit that I cannot sympathize with the first objection (although it is, of course,eesyto imaqinethe aesthedaofa world thar would exdude harnony). But accepringche fl and awe-inspningres?onsibiliry of repres€mingthe worldview of ar aging man, I inist thar-as an aging man indeed-l have come to tr€asurethe momens ofharmony rhat happento me. So much so thar I icve we should never let our polirical commitmenrs(if we any) completelyobscurethis lonsing. For what, alier all' would be rhc poinr of politics and potcnrial Eansformadons life? a dsionof: moreenjoyable More aggressiveis rhe quesrion whether there is nor a Parholog-the padology of "fedshism"-behind the desireto b€ rn
To Be Quiet for a Morncnr
syncwitll th€ thingsof rne world.'' I certainlvcannotseean affinic7berweenwhar I am arguingfor and rhe meaningthat Kad Mar,i has given to this word. Under fetishism'he criticizesan 'physical" aspecrsof commoditie, a fixarion atrechmenr to the rhat makesus unableto understandrhesecommoditiesas rhe symprom and expressionof social relations, more sPecificalll ar rhe symprom and *pression of the specificallvcapitalistic "conditionsof economicproducdon."'' If I must reacl specifielly to tllis meaningof rhe word "fetishism"'then l shallharero insist,onc€again,that I am reallynot inerestedin a ndical re' prcssionof the dimension of meaning-to which an undt' standingof the conditionsof Productionwould belong On a more generallevel, I should probablyadd rhat the desirefor presenceand thingnas tnat I want to Promote is nor at all sYn' or only to "hold on" to these onymouswith a desireto "Possess" things.Rather,I want to insiston what might be recuPentedbv simply (and evo so lighdy) recomecting with rhe rlings of the world-and being sensitiveto dre wal's in which mv bodv relates co a landscape(while I am hiking' for aample) or ro the pres' ence of other bodies (while I am dancing) is cenainlv not equivalent to the desireof possessiryrerl esete or to daydreams oi sexuatdo-inana. ln the Freudiancndition' the conceprof fetishismhighiightsan individuals fixation on certain(qes ol) objecrs, a fixation and an addiction that cannor be explained by any consciousinrerestthat individualshavein dese objecrs.The one critical questionthat derivesfrom the Freudianuseof rhe clncept is, then, whether the desire of being in s,vncwid rhe impliesthe risk of producingrn things of the world necessarily addiction, that is, wherher it can oblircrarc our caPaciryof ever re' srandingat a distancefrom dre things of rhe world. One of sponsehasto be, again,that beint moresersrtiveto t}rethings
b Be Quier fora Moment
14t
world in generaln not slnonymouswith being fixatedon rhings. Above aI, however, I would like ro ask back r rhe concernwith fetishismdoesnot imply a-probleon;nrcUecruJtandevenon spatial)"disrance'
4 all ofthe self-ironvand intellecrualdistanccthar I haveuied hrd ro apply ro r-heinrellecrual agenda ol my generanon. so-called"generationof 1968,"wir}r irs by now grotesque irmenr ro eternalvouth and its sometimesmasochistic ion on an exclusively"crirical" worldvier for all my eagerro avoid a fetishisdcartachmentto the valuesofthar neverrherehasbeenone "gcneradonins inrelleaualadolescence, reactionro my thoughtsabour "presence"that reallycautht by surprne-so much so, indeed, that it finally rriggered concerns.'"Lm talking of the very generation-specific icion (or was it rather meant to sound like Praise?)thal I turned into a "relieiousthinker."" V/hateverthe intention ind rhat interorerarionmav have been,ir hrt me armosras as an insulr-which I found quite strangefrom the beginMy firct line ofargurnentwa5ther€forePuret defensive-and now krow thar this was too simple-minded.But how could ary attack ofguilt about who, far from experiencing doesnot evenfeelgood ebout not going ro church, I replied, cnuld such an averagerenegadeand hn book be labeled as to a god or to a ious" ifthey didr't makea singlereference ml spherethat such a god might inhabit?\ras mv ro .econnectwi$ rhe things of the world nor as s$icdy isr as one could possiblyimagine?lndeed, mv lriends
146
To BeQder torr\toln(l)r
96 Quier tbr a Moment
t47
said, this desirefor the thingsof the world is so srricrlltmr.nentisrthat ir appas to hrvea mFdcal touch (or mon rtran just a rouch thereof).Afterrli, I waslongingfor a grererao5.ns ro the rhingsofrhc worldand for a greaterinrensinin rlis
," nor exacdywhar I was longingfor?\fould such a connot help us ro build a worlo wree we ion on appearance be morerhan"invisiblesubiecs"? (Un)fonunarely,however (unfortunarelyfor my sym;arhy
conracrrhan our everyday *nrlds would allowfor rnd in thn literalsense,my desirewascenainlv'irmscendenral." i\'tore rhan slighdyembarrassed by rhelackofa powerturcounrerergunenr,
ofconceptualclarity),I found nyself fonunatelyfor reasons as"the more subrlyidoitie sidethat Pickstockcharacterizes 'beyond being'" h her hposrasiserionof the unkno'n paragraph,a pangraph*rat I shallquotein its entirey being the plate thar I assumeis asigned to postions
I askedmysel[ very seriousll' for rhe nrsr rine, whetherir las possiblerhar I had urned inro a "religiousthinkei sirhour knowingand wirhout wantingir. So I redkcovered a irciuion with rheologyrhat goa backromy firsryearsar de unirersinand riar I now rhink nevercomplctelv vannhed.And hadtnose ;ntellectualswho-in the nemeof the Enlightenment mdi tion-tried to excludetheologr&om rhe aadcmicrvondnoralwayslookedvery narow-mindedand oen pathericro mei\\nrc they not the sevendrvar6ofEnlightenment, whoseor,erindusrti' ous disposirionwas rurninga grand inrellecruall€ac1 ioro! sweatymiddle,class;deolog.v? ether I feh more encoungedor more defearedwhrn I sLtb' sequendydiscovered a strongafiinicywirh rhe rvork of a con' remporarygroup of 1'oungBridsh theologians rvhoscposinon hrs been describedas "radicalonhodos',' I cannor remernbct But "to rescueontologyfromrhe soledominana of epistemof ogy" was cenainly a proj€ct rc my rasrc, a projecr rhar I could idenrily wirh. Evenmoresowith a self-descriprion ofradic,lorrhodoxy provided by CatherinePicLsrock,accordingro .rhiclt "pol;ticatctJrics[should]ceast ro be reactiveand tshouldlaccord prirnacyto the projectsofrhehurnanimaginationthatcombind appearingbodiesand do norjusr turilelv acknorvledge io'iriblc 'io subjecrs.""\7as rh;s, rhe s ggesrion combineappeari"g
my own-ir containsan ifluminadnganser ro rhe qu.srion wherethe borderbetweenreligious$inkins and nonieliious inling mav run. Picksrockcalls"rhmlogy" whar I am refirring 'religious wiG ler rt. rhinking.' md thequotrrion
r48
To Be Quier for a Momen,
I am cerrainly not claiming that Carherine Pickstock is wrong in any aspectof her complex artument, or thar this argument an4 her entire position should not be taken serioudy (either at ri3 universiry or in any other intcllectual context). All I want to s1v with her deis thar, for the dme being,I simply do not resonare -searching receiveasa myrro as scriprionof Iirurgicalpracrice" tery liom an unlnown source that grace which binds human beingstogetherin harrnony."My reasonsmust be personaland existential-for I cannot associarethem with any potential flaws in rhe intellecmalpositionof "radicalonhodoxy" For the time being, then, Pickstock's description simulaneously s€Paratesme fiom "religious thinking" and shows *'try thc impression of an to religiousthinking is cenainlyappropriintellectualcloseness Not without polcmicalinrention, I suppose,Pickstockwritcs "b" in rhe sen' "being" (in the senseof Setz)wirh a lowercase 'Being"-wirren rcncewhere she indirecdy refersto Hcidegger. *B"-must look, ftom her perspective' like m at' with a capital tempr to be simultaneously theological and nontheological. Thn bringsup the questionofwhether it k poxible and legicimateto rhink of somerhing "beyond" those beings (lowercase"b") ot bcconntg entities thar makc up our aeryday worlds-uithort theotogicanPicks$.k's ^nswer to this quesdon must be "no " It is my conviction, in crnuast, that "Being," understood as ihe things of the world devoid of any conceptual grid," is e concept that neither implies nor requies (nor excludes!)a referenceto the "liturgical practice" that in Picktock's lalguage marlcsthe bor' 'rheologicalrhoughr" and "subrle idolatrl. The der beveen border,of course,remainsopen-and I am not $fng thir beouse I feel like gerring ready to cross that line (I am indeeo mildlv shockedbv how indifferentI feelabout ir). But it is lru€
fo Be Quiet for r Monent
r49
differenr from the concept of "Being" in and by itsell the Hcideggeis penpecriveson a "history of Being," and on the of Being oc. ility or imposs;bilityofan unconcealmenr ing. dearly lic on rhe rneologicalside. For hc spcak of rhe ion beaveensituarions where the unconcralment of Beis possibleand othen where it becomesunlikely, as a movecompledy out of thc reachof human thinking and knowland therefore, at least potentially, as "a myst€ry from an sourcc."" In the end, everything may depend on one feels disposcd (or cvcn pressed)to ask questions 'unknown source," whcther one perhapseven has the this to be in contacl or comunication with iL There are no icit texrs, ro my knowledge, thar oblig€ us to assumethat had this desirc-for all the implicit theological motifs his philosophy. So I 6nd myself, oncc again, much doser to rhan I would like to be (ifl had a choice).
the final pagesofthis book, I shall ry to describcthe marzelquieting cffect that some productions of No and IGbuki, dassicalsoging forms ofJapanesethearcr, havehad on m€of my intellecmal concerns rhat I was aware oC is why I shall resist,as best I can, th€ temPtation to e\plain, again," my ideas abour a possible relationship between staging forms md Zen Buddhism, and betwccn Zen Budand Heidegger'sconcept of Being. For I really believe that is nothing more inrellecnrally kisch rhan the enthusiasm Zn Buddhhm amongVestern intellcctualswho (like mydo not know a single Asian language and have, at best' a kric knowle&e of one or ochcr Asian culmre. I would sim"nothingness"as a dimcnnote here that Zen undersrands
rto
To Be Quier fora Moment
Be Quiet fo. a Moment
I'I
sion where things de nor shaPedby forrns and conc€pts,and rhereforeas a spherethat is withdrawn ftom the gffP ofhuman (and this is the opinion of recognized exPens).r&n experience mastersreachtheir disciplesto raist the temptationofthinking
grow on vou' then, ng of form and unformed presence three or four hours, No can make you realizehow vour rap to the dings of dle world has changed Perhapsvou oen co feel the cornposurethat allols you to let things comq
rhe trarsition of the unshapedfiom nothingnessinto what 1 cerrain Western tradition would oll the "weryday world," thar is, into a world structuredby concepsand forms For if the unshapedevercrossedrhis border, it would have rc adopt forms. Vithout any daim to expenise,r}ren,I would like to suggesr
perhaps you ceaseto ask what these rhings nean-because seemjust prsent and meaningfin. Perhapsvor sen observe while you everso slowly begin to let things emerge,vou be-
thar we can associatea cenain sage dwice that is cenrral ro No and Kabuki with the one thought that Zen does not allow irs disciplesto thinJ<."In No and Kabuki, all the actorscometo the stage and leave the stage across a bridge that lead.sfrom a "house" (a wooden container large enough for the bodies ofseveral actors) through the audienc to the stage (the sats that ue Nov, dose to the middle ofthis bridgeare the rnostexpensive). dln emerging and vadshing of the dreatrical personae often nkes up more time than *re acmal scenesand interactions in which the actors participate on the snge. Synchronized, in No rheater,with the (for \Testernears)monomnousbeat of two qpes ofarchaicdrums, the actor'bodies seemcogain form and presence asth€y comefonh from behind a cunain and approach the stagein an almost endlesslyprotracted sequenceof forward en they withdra*' Fom the srage, and backward novemenrs. rhe actors once apin perforrn a similar choreograPhy,now producing the impressior rhat fiey are undoing their forms and rheir presence.No pieces, in panicular, and their music are breathtalingly slow and repetitive. But ifyou over,ome the first impulsethat is likely to corneup in a WesternsPedaror,ifyou resistthe wish to leavethe theat€rafterthe first halfhour or so, ;f you have enough parience to let the slownas of emerging and
-or, to sav rhe But is this not, frnatly, a religious experience Undermv (I haveto the surogateof a religiousexperience? isi precariou) imPresion rhat No drama and Kabuki drama like the Zen motif of an impossibleransirio" liom nothinto the world of forms and conc€pts,it is ac$allv Possito find an answerrc this question, ar answer,however' that as ambiguous as the demons are, those souls of the deceased comebackro the world and haunt the living Denons seem take even rnore dme than the orher chaEcters to reach the
in Kabuli and No. Once they arrive at *re stage' thev can all kinds and forms of human bodiesand human rores when they are supposedrc be "just demons,' *re acrors do they el to blur any impression of formednes Then ir hair looks wild, the rhlthms of then bodv movementsseem grow more irregulrr, and in the Kabuki pieces(where the acdo not wearmasks),their eyesare neitherclosednor open' rheir mnguesue sticking out. For dre demonsare of rhis on rh€ stageendr uP Pronor of ir Then presence ine momenrsofsilent inrcnsiry,that is, momentsof exueme and of exreme excitemen!The demons'tonguesare bur, beingpan ofthesestange chaacters'ontic ambiguitv' are alsowords and language. ofJapanesetheanewere As the rhfrms and the appearances
To Be Quiet for a Monbr
imaginadon' I rememberedth' conque.ing my bodv and mv rhe Christiantradition l alsorememp"","-r*l ."e"* f-' blured forms ard the; bered rhose faceswith $eir suddenlv special and very rare mohalf'open eyes*nt we all seeat somc hces indeed' mentr of our lives: sweet faces aod drreatening I do not want to miss Thrertening and sweet, religious and not' fac.s. I" this book, I have done rnv intellectual best "nv "fthose uv to srav as closeto to conjure them up' and in ftture I shall drem a5t Possiblyc,n.
ReferenceMatter
Notes
Marerialiries/Nonhermeneutic/Presence r. Es'a)s originatingin thesecolloquiawuc publkhed in rhe folvoluma: Bernad Cerquiglioi and Hans Ulrich Gumb.echr' Da Dnkan tur Litctanr nd Sprathhxtone: Viisi'chaltg?
aL Intouanorswryah(Fnnkfun a./M, rgSl); Hans Ulrich nd Epo bre€ht od U6ule Link-Her, eds., Eprha$welb c in Dithu$ d!/ Litaat,/- and Spnchhbn lFranklwn Hans Ulrich Gumbrecht and K Ludwig PfeiFer,ed.s.' Die nd Funktioza .iN' l? tutuitstu.hafihb.n
(Fra*tun tM, re86);Hds Ulrich dumbrechtand K. ig Pfeiffer, eds., Materialnat del Komnurikation (Fnnktur Ig88);Hans Ulrich GumbrcchrDd K. Ludw;BPfeiffer'eds.'?aZLtatun.nb/ii.h.: Sit at;o\/" of;ne/ E?Btetuo' Disosdw\ (Fmnktun a/M, ,qq,). A selectionof essaysFom the final so is av.ilablein Englth t.dsl.rion as Hads Ulri.h Cudbrecbt
K Ludwig Pfeitrer,.ds., Materidlitie' oJ Can iarnvhobrey (s@ford,tls+). ,- See Fnedrich Ktlcr, Dinuw N.tuo,kt isoo/qao (Sr.nfoi' tsoa/ , rhe original Gernan verion of \9hi.E, A"f.hrcibelrrzn' to the introdrcrion appca.edin rest (David Wellber)'sbrillianr
rt6
Noto
Englnh Fanslationby Michael Mcneer and Chris Cullens dh\\ a complex picrure of rhe intellectualenvnonncor of Kitdels b6I, which w* ako rhe environmentof the Dubrovnik colloquia):Palt Zrmrhor, lntroducrioa ) b poisie onb (Paris, rg8:), iL: La Lern * t, ,ok: Dc la "littlrdt re n idibah (P^tis, i987). Let Inhdtria'x
I uic the word herc, I decidednor m make the change,becauschow, 6vcr rivial the rrrditional "crnique of meuphls;a' may be (another fiicnd reently ugsarcd thar ir mighr be onc of the foryoten enr.ics bFlalheft s DL"tio"Mn d.' tLr uf,rt, wha.I iry ro dqelop here is
Epnwa dzoinre. Ouvas. psbl n I o..a'ioh d. ln na fettatio" La Innateriau (C*ntrc o*ional d'an et de culturc GeorgesPompidou) (Paris,rsst; JacquesDeoida, Iz Voix ct b phinni,. \Ptis. 1e5-) (on rhe exrerioriryofrhe sigiifiei ;n Derida's work seeDavid wcll, bery, "The Exrerioriry of wtitibg," s'a"/i lrgerl: n-4); Niklas Lulmenn, S,.tl Strtu
L;etu'uE R.ri., (Stmford. r99t.
t.\
I. See Hans Ulrich Gumbrechr and K Ludwis Pfeiffe.. eds. Schnf (Mtni.h, '9ol), partly translaredinro Enslish ;r' StdnfanlLtt .tur"t. R.,i.a 9.r. d9-2 (1992). 4. Since I wlote the fint d.afr of this chapt.. I have bcen re minded ro my grcat enbar*smcnt thar it is m), (forme. $udenr) friend a'd no- emin.nt colleagucJoao Cdar de Cstro Rocha who descnes$c oedir for tnis breakrhroushinruition. I refrain,howser. ftom otreringthe obvious (Freudian)i!(erprerationof my mcmors inirial relusal ro render Joao s nane. ;. This is how the aurhor not withour mixed feelinsHxplai!\ ro himselfrhe beginningofhis fascinarionwith Heid€sser'sphilosG phy, especiallyhis antimctaphpicalarguments.See Msnin He;degae\ S.ih u Z.n Gsrz), rirh ed. (Tiibingen, I98a). SSrs 4. tur Heidcggels cririquc of Desqnes and rhe elinination of rhe sperirl dimcnsionin his philosophy. 'Rhlthd 6. see Hms Uldch Gumb.ech(, and M€ning, ttialitics of Annrnicatio,,
inML
pp. I7o-82.
Metaphysics:A BriefPrehistory ofWhat ls Now Changing r. Jchua taady p.oposedrhar I should sav "h)"ophsi6" Bdrcr than "meraphls;cs,"given rhe lacer term s songly religiousconnotatioo. Bur althoughir is nue thar rhis connotariondiffer fro- rhe..rr
iacvirablypan ofthis very tradnion in Vestern philosophy. z. For the history of "inre.prcriry things" and $e ph;losophicd problemsimplied, seeMigrclTaneu Fr;eadtof lauryretabh objerts (Cambridge,,Vss.,root. 3. See Hms Ulrich Gunbrecht, Ausdrlck," in Kdlheinz Barck, Manin Fontiu, Dierer Schlenstedt,and Burk*r Stcinwachs,eds., 2ooo),r:416 1. For more general A"h.tn.be Gtudbeif.lstltrgan, in Every' rcftrcnce,'ee ,lo Hd Ulrich Gumbrcchr,"Sign-Concepts day Culture liom the Renaisanceto the Eany Ninet.enth Century, in R Posn.., K. Robering, md T. A. Sebeo!, e&., Srtoti.t: A H.fldbook ot thz Sign-Theoretn Fotndat;onr of Nanre atd &lnrc (New Yo.k, 1998),pp. IaoT-27. I epologia for chieflI citing my own pubietions in tbe noresto this chaprer.But a I wut ro keepi$ histo.i' 'theoretical" cal argunent succincr and cleady geared roward the ii'ues er sake. n is impossibleto presenta detailed,wclliocunented narative and a rhoroush analysh ofall rhe historiol periods and phenomenain question.Ar the sme timc, however,I feh obligedto give ar ler someoide"ce of beingfmiliar with thesematerials. a. I am not clcar about how much ofa convendonit was.during thc Middlc Ages,to call rhe pdnciplesof medievalBibl€ int€rpretarion 5. Hcre I discusswhat ended rp being the resuh ofa long and omplioted conceprual rran5irion, in which nuhiple posirions nor as"cleatlyCarhemergedrhat werc nenher o "clearlyProtesranC' olic" s my prernration seemsIo suggen,as a contmt berweennvo d i F e r e nrrh e o l o s r a rl n r e r p , e ' a , , oonfrr h e L u . h r i ' t 5. SeeHms Ukich Gunbrccht, "Fiir eine Erfiodung des mittelalterlichenTheater aus der Perpektiveder fruhen Neuzeir,' in lohdnne Jaora er al., eds., Fanirlnt' {Tnbingen,r99r), r 8,7-48.
vaho Haug nd B Ehan watbiagtt
rt8
Note
7. S€. RainerW,rning, ,F,flktion ""/ Stuktut Anbi,aLiza .t8 (Mtnnh, r97d, pp. ztt-t7 . sei$kha Spic!' 8. Thcre is a tndirion in culoral history ud rhc history of philosophy, ho*ever, of using D6en6 s name witn dis ncgtive con-
BaluacsEdihlung'la Bouse.- in Hans Ulrich cumbrechr, Kdtheinz Sderle,and RainerVarning. eds.,Hono# .tz Bdkac (Munich. reso),
th3l in B.i"g and Tin,, itj norarion. Ir is qdr€ relling, for xnple, hk first coherentartempt at reformularingthe subi.ct/object pan languageto c.iticize Des disn, Hcideggerusesarypicallyaggressive cmes (not just Canesianisml)for the exclus;onof the din nsion of spacefrom his philosophvkhe verv dimcnsion dar coo3titur6 i6elf round rhe human body). Seeesp.5 ur. 9. For a panoramicview, baed on contributionsby cminent specialisrsin rhk 6eld, seeHans Unch Gumbrechr,Rolf tuichrrd! and Thomar Schlei.h, eds., S,zalgerhi.hr. dq Aul*btu,8 i" F,a,kEi.h, z vols.(Munich, rq8+). ro. Scc Roben Daroror, The Buinc'r of Enlighe"nmr: A P"b lnhixg Hi*ory of the "Enqclqtdie, 1775r8oo (Canbridge, Mu', 1979). u. Michel Fououlr, La Mo$ er Lt tho$: Uat Anhtologi. et 'cim.c' h,na;na (Patis, '965), pp. zzt-r4. TraBlated x Thc Otdo of Thixgs:An Archaobs ofthe Hu/"a, Scicrc.s (Ns votk, t97o). rr. See Hans Ul.ich Gumb.echr, Ein. G. nhk drl Eantchen Limanr (Ftaoktun a.lM. 1991),pp. ,84t. 11. For (he m€dings oft}tis word dur;ng the eight.cnth md erly ninereenrhcenfuies, se. Hds Ulrich Gunbrecht and Rolf Reichardr, "Vho were the Pbilonphet" in Gumbrectu, Making Sene jt Life d d Lbnan n @ns. Clen Burns (Minneapolh,1992),pp. \r 77 work on the ob14. Foucnk, La Mor ct lcsrlas. On Luhnmt seruerconceptad irs hisroriel conrext,seeNikl* Luhhon, Humbeno Marurena.Mikio Namiki, Volker Redder,md FranciscoVarela, Beobacbut : Kaxr ergaz & r El k e h i' t h. or i. at (Mmich, rgoo). "n rt. SceHs Ul.ich Gumbrehr and JnrgenE. Miill.., "Sinnbildung als Sichenng der Lebenseh-Ein Beispiel zur tunkoonsge' schichdichenSitderung der realistischenLitedtur am B.ispiel von
W. JJ9-89. t6. See Hans Ulrich Gunhrcctu, Zda in hi'tori!.hn Ko"td: Fnr (Mvich, '978). ci* ac* Lcktitrz tu Rougo,,Mkqtuft-ztkl6 17. SeeHans tlrich Gunbfthr, "Srrugsling Bergson:Ar EightSt€p Arrempr ar a Fnme N*tuti\e fot the Fih da !;hh," in Andreas Y.ablilz e. n., edr., Da' Inaginnl. d.' Fin d. 'iz.b (Frci5urg, zooz), pp. 6j-81. 18. For d'e fo owins, see Bernhud Siegen, "Dai tf,ben z:ihlt nichc Narur und Gcisteswissenschafren bei Dihhcy aus nedieng€schichdicher Sicht," in Cl^ns Plzr, ed., M.dien. D,.izhn vonage ao Mcdicnkulw 0veinaf' ry99), pp. r6rjr. re. I am, ofcoure, efering ro PcrerBergerud Thomc Luckmnn. The Socinl Con'tncno, of Reali'r (N* yotk, ry66). 20. See.e.g.. L A. Richards, Scie"cednd Po.trr O.(ndon, re26). 2r. In liteDry $ud;cs, dobodyhi! e(iculared and (ifone nay say so) arguedthis complainrmoreemcicorlyrhan Pauld. Md. 22. SeeHss Ulrich Gumb.€chr,'About Anronin turaud and the Miscrics of Tdsgressins," in Gerhard NeumMn and Ra;nervaF ning, .ds., Trd$gt s;ohcn: Litoa*r aL Ethnographic(Frciburg. zoo), PP.3tr-t2. rt. See Ferdinand Fellmn, Phanondol4gie nd Exptationinut (Freiburs,re82),pp. j7-5r. A derail.d hi'uic.l dalysis of rhe maio philosophicalmotifsofthe conservarive .evoltrrioncan be found;n rhe 6nal chapter of ny book 1z re26: Liri"g at th. Edge of l'ine (Cenbridgc, Mast.,1997),pp. ar7-78. ,4. Not by coidcidence, rhe Cerman word Daaiz, which Heidegger us€sfor "human exisrence,"contains rhe sprtio-deicricsyllablc z;. See,asa emblemaricbok for the Gernan verion of "immaDenrc Inre.prehrion," wolfsans Ka)sd, D6 'ptu.hli.h. Ka"'tuek, (Betn, :aa9). Eitu Einfthtung ir di. L;taatttui'wchdf
r6r 26, As a re.minusposrquem fo. rh; firsr waveof episrcmologicJ "hardening,"we en point to rhe publi@tiooofClaude r.fstrauss s Aathnpotogie ntutntuh (Puis, 1958). 'Ddconsrrucrion Decon"rucrcd: 27. SeeHans Ulrich Cumb.cchr,
rhc rgqz Nobel laurearcsin Physi6, is f from giving uP lacticny inlerPrctativedinension' dains, beingwell awareof scienc€'s ,. Yeflrno, Bqo"d Int4?ft,anon,P tt 6. Umberro Eco, The Linr' of litoPnarioa (Bloominsron'Ind.'
TransFornarionenfmnzi;sischerlogozenuismuskridk in de. rmeri (ryae: kanischen Lire.aruNisserochak," PhibsPhirhc Rundrhau,
i99o), PP 6t
r tji H. Arm Veeset,ed., Thc Ncu Hint tra (New York, 1989), md Hayden Vhire, Maztnbry. The Hinbncdl Inaginat;on ia Nine teenth-Century E!/oPe(B riDoie, r97l). 28.TheimponanceofFriedrich Kaleis work lis in d. po$ibihr ofreading ir o a move of conp€nsationin .his conrex(.Bsides hn Ditcol$e Netuotht r8ooh9,4 see also l}le highly progmmmatic coliecdvc volrne edircd by Kiftle\ AB eibu"g d.' Gei'k' aw d.n Gei stcsuismcbafa: Pngranrc dzt Pottstm*nralknu (Paderborn, re8o). Beyond Meaning: Positionsand Concep$ in Motion ,. Jacqrcs Derida, Of Grannatobs, rmos. Galatri Chakovom Spivak,rev.ed. (Balrimore,t997),p. ta. u. For an essaywrnten undet rhe spellof simila sofr (..ror;sm, see Hans Ulrich Gunbrecht: "vho k Afrrid of Deconstrucrion? ;, IiHa.ro Mnler dd Jnrgen Fohrmdn, eds., Di'ka6theon." u (Fnnkfln alM, rgsz), pp. gs-n+. taanrunarrhaf V^tximo, Gi6 i Belod Int rpdatios: Th. Mdhihg oJ Hent' J. reutic' fa/ PhibvthJ $a^fold, ry97). +. lbid., p. zz. This, ofcou6c, is &e placc.o menrion the notori 'Sokals Hoax," *hich aurioned manv humanists ous episodecalled againsra he.neneu(ic overconfidencqsee my conmentary, "Blinde Uberzeugungen: Wie Solais Jux er$ mo.alisien und dann zeneder nrdc. Uber dll VefialEis von poli*chem Bekemrnisund wisser(hafrhchfl Fol(hui8. D,t Z?it. Febna\' t8, ree-. l-or a more 'eri ous (and ulrinately no lessemc;cnt)posirion thm Sokals, seesrele Chu, "The Epistemologl'ofPhysics,"in Heid.un KriegerOlinro ard Kad Erik Scholfhammer, eds., No,s .?bt.noLgid: Dcnfu poa t uai!.^idad! dofituro lPJode Janciro,reee), pp. rr ll
Chu, one oi
Brian Holnes ct 7. Jean-Luc Nancy, The Binh tu P/et.nc?, rrans .1. (Stsford,Ieet P.6. 8. lbid., pp. af. 9. Kt'l Heinz Bohrer, /i!t .tilche Ncgat;u;tdt lM$\.h,2ao')'
P 7
t o . I b i d . ,p . l I o L Cnoryesrcine\ R.al Pr.'dccJ G986; Pbk. €d. Chicago, 1989)' rz. Ibid., p- 4. r 3 . l v e y h i n g w o u l dd e p e n d; n s u c ha d i \ a ' i o n o n J n r r i o w c l "religion." This at leartws nv or wider definirion of'deologl'md impBsion aftera d;cu$ion with David vellberv ar a colloquiun in Rio de Jme;ro in Iee8,when he ins;ted on rhe (for him unavoidrb$ rheologic.lbasisofoy Ghenrelati"eiyvaguc)thoughtson "producrion 4. Srcine., R.al P,6de6, P. 227. r 5 . I b i d . ,p . z I 5 . 15. ln a discussionthar we had in Mav ,oo2 Nico P€thes renuked tnat rhis apacity of subsmce/marerialiryro be energizedis differentFom (ifnor oppositeto) tie tuncr;onofsubsonce/marerialiry in sening asa "suppon" for the storageofinformarion and knowlcdge' rnd I agree. r7. Judirh Budec Aal;o That Matter Oh the Dit'"Ri'e Linir oJ '5a" (New York, Iee), p. Butler rmk this stanceafrerhavins cne as con*ruciivisr jn het earbr.ccd positions(hat can be characterized 18. Ibid., p. ro. 19. Michael Taussis, Mtz si' and Alkiry: de Srrg (Nry York rsq), P. wi. 20. Ibid., pp. niiif Lt. Ntsin Seel.htb.'ih
d.' E6rh'in'N
A Patiotht
\M$icn'
looo) '
Hrtory oJ'
t61
'162
Gadane\ Hcme"tutik' /Lth't;k, Pldhti'che Phi 22. Hueceors b'ophiz. ed. Crs:cn Dnt,ld ed. (He;delbers'2ooo),P 6r. 21. SeeMartin Heidegger,"The Origin ofde Vork ofArt"' in ;d., Poerry, Laaguage, 7'hought, ed- anl dms Alberr Hof$adrer (New Yo*, r97r).pp. r5 88,esp.PP.4rf. 24. Heidegge\ Sei, uad Z"it,Itth ed (Tiibingen' 19841p ti (my
dsunprion' aboveall' on the 37. In ibid., I baserhn addiiion'al felt with Aiid thought' esPecialllwirh 5gongafiiniry that Heidegger
Buddhisn. ro rh$ asPect' 13. CarherinePickrocL dr$ mv ettention Gelassenheit"'p l1' tq. SeeHeidegger,"Zur Erofterungder disrinc' rhis of ao. On the philoophical and historiczldimensions 'Die Zeit desweltbildes'" in id ' Holzoese pp don, seeHeidegger,
15. For $e details of this quick historical colrcxtualiarion, see Crm&echt, In ry26, pp. +T l8 Zerr' $$ roand l' pp. ez tot fi . Heidep+t\ Sein ""d 27. Se€esP.5 ,1, PP ro4-ro to do so. I would like to dediote rh' 2s. lfit n not inaPproPriate
o.4i''
following Heideggercomnentary-in fond intellecrualoppositionto my.olleagueThonu Sheehan. 2e. see, e.g., Heidegger,"Origin of dre Work of An'" P t6: "Truth happensin the temple\ stmding where it is"; "Thus i! rhe work it is uuth, not only sonethingtrue, rlat is atwork."
d;nenson' wirh the phenomenological WorkofAd" 4?. Heidegger,"Origin offte
des Gelassenheit'"P t7 (see2rso ar. Heidegger,"Zu Eranerung the conceptofthe "work ofart" with f. H"ta.*g- *'". -plaes obligat, 'ubstitution rat has becomealmost ".e.A.ric *p".i.'.a' 'aesthericelPerience"is semandcaxv tory today), no doubr because and thereforeearyro asso'iare a-" o i. di-.'.i"".r"onsciousnes
a4_ lbid., p- 4L at. Ibid., p. a8. 46. Ibid., p. a2. 47. lbid., p. 42.
i o . I b i d . ,p p . 1 r t 'Der Ursprung des Kunsrwerkes" in 1]alz lL Martin Heidegger, uege, 7A ed. (Fmnktun e-lM, 1994' PP. | 74' here p- 2t: Die Kurswerke zeigen d"rchgiingig.we!" auch 'n gdz ve6chredener \reise, daxDinshafte" Geealsopp. nt.). tm Gregolr r2. Mdtin Heidegser, 1ut/adution to Mcta?b'ic' zooo)' FriedandRichardPolt (New Haven,Conn., P. a2' 11. Ibid., p. r,{2. 14- Ibid., pP. r94l Aus lt. Metin Heidegger, "Zur Eritrterung der Gelssenheir e'J rctn " in Getavnheit' Denken einen Feldweggespriichiiber dx (Ptullingen,r99z).pp. z7 7ri quoraiionFom pp. 4of. I m tdsladng which is ceniral .ris-"ri" .."cePrual invention 6cpr' H.ide;*t to rhis rexr-with "clearingof Being" "Martin 16. In rrying io answerrhis quation, I refer to nv essav Heideggerand His JapaneselnrcrlocutoE:About a Limir of wesrern ' Metaphysics,Dtdti.r lo.a (\{^nter2ooo):8l rol.
P TL
pp 1-11' op" f"r rhis second h 48. Sel. Athaik d"' Etchaiae*'
49. P- 49. to_ P.41. u. S- C|*
1V. Mosr, "Heidegges Gie'hen " Me*'r
6J4
'
of the sme gpologv' "Ten Brief Reiz. S-, f.. ,. *.ii.. 'es;on in Gert Melville' ed ' -d Re/PreseDtarion'" S.oi.", ." Ir,.i.*i.^ Ve/"eng'"gen huhttelbt Otd' nd Synbolisintg Igtituio&tifit (Cologne' rcot' PP 69tus'mute/ in verynngenhet u"d Gegentualt 7t.
in H Brackertod E' i3. See ny anicle "Fikrioi-/Nichdkrion'" alM' 1977)' Pp t:innen, eds.,rnhholbg Literanr' vol r Grnkfa* r88 2o9.
t4. S€e Mikhail B*hin, Mass.,r968).
Rab.hi' ad
Hn wou
lceni.hidse,
rr. This exacdyis rhe po;nr iier I failcd b nake, many F&s ago and on behalf of the rheror;cJ dope of rhe h)"erbolc in med;evat rexts, is my docroraldissenarion,Funkrionswmdelund Rezepdon: Studicnzur Hlperbolik in lirerrischen Tenen des romanischenMir telaftcs (Mun;ch, I97r). 56. \i/har follows in rhe fim1 pagesofth; chap(erhd prqiouslr becn formulatedin Fou. ways o Scc (or Bite) a Body in a Text,' InrernerDnku$ionsforum desRomanischenSeminarsder CAU Kiel, ed. J. Diinne, A. Arndr, md U. tuthmmn, Inpulsrcxt Winter scmesterr998199 (bnp://ikrus.pclab'phil.uni-kiel.de/romanist/IDF, FRAM. hn). 17. sce my \(/ie sinnlich kann Geschmack(in der Lir.rarut sein? Ubcr den hato.ischenO,r ron Marccl Pro$ts ,4"rrarlr," in Volker I<App, ed., Mat.! Prcrst: Gschnarh und Neigng (fijbingcn, re8e), pp. 97-rro, dd "Ear You Fragmenr!'in Glenn Most, ed., CoUzcting Fragnents/ Ftugn."k 'amn ln (Cdtti^geo, t997), pp. ttt-27. 18. For hisrorical€xanplesofsuch behavior,seeMigucl Tden s chapter on icoooclasm in id., Fi."dt oftht qfttnbb Objeas, pp. z849. t9. Seenr "Ausdruck,"in K{lheinz Barck,Manin Fonrius,Diercr Schlennedr.Burkhaft steinwachs,and Friedrich \(/olEcnel, eds., Atthetirhe Gruadbcgr;fl, wl. r (Srurrsart, rcoo), pp. al6-lr. Epiphany/Presentification/Deixis: Futures for rhe Humaniries andAJts L An.n.a" H.;tag. Dnnoaary of thc EngLsh lansungc, arh ed (Boston,z<m), s.v."rutures." :. See ny "Thc Consequences of an Aestheria of Recepriol: A Defered Overrure,' an esay finr publnhed in German in I97y and leprinted in inndat;on in {}rnbrechr, Making Sewein Lif. rd
Lit'
l. SeeKtul Heinz Bohrer,"Die Negariv;ratdesPoerisch.nund das
posiriveder lnsiituiionen" (stanfordPresidentialLtct!te, 'ee8), M.r' ln t98 (r999)l tta wirh Ursula Link-Heer' who 4 I am reacdnghererc a discussion in what I an refer;ng {gues thet Heidegseasepisremologielinterest 'apotheosis of ro an 6oasrsth*ic expaiene musr lead,of necesiry' rhat (a) Heideggernevo fr€rature and an. My double responsen ePistemologicil oglicitlv claimed, rc my knowledse,a"Y *clus;'e hc bad done so n (b), if eren status f"r rhe *uk of an ard that wirhour folowins him shouldbe posible to usesone ofhis concepa in this. referto mv 1' r9'd Ar regards r. \(/iih resPecrIo historicizat;on,I "Live Your ExPcriencemd Be Unridev vhat rdssoF/, sc. ny :Classicalphitotos a a profession'Could (Have) Become,"in Gleno al' Benl v. MosL ed., Dxciplning Clasics / Attttt'a'uits'Nchaf (Gottingen,2oo2),ltr4e, a revnedveaion ofwhich appearedas thc of Tex'tudlSthot' Ern chzprerof ny The Poun of Phihbg: Dvanh arl4 (Champaigr'lll, zol). (Mic€) during 5. The title ofthe co"se thar we edd€duP reachins was zorlzm: rhe hll quaner of the aedemic veac zooolzoor and 'Things of Bcauw," ad the paradigmsfor aestheticexPerience that reel archiard the Doa Gioutti, slass *. a.J, *i,r' **. lr-".'s ofpoems zoura collect;on s torca Carcia Palace, tectureofthe Crystal from the fooege (cxenpl;fied through a Nuua York, artrletic kaurv rer6 Ol}'rnpia), dd Painringsbv JacksonPollock and Edw*d Hop' pe.. KoPPet book Spnthe nd 7. This wx the central lhesisofFan; BedntJii:. Zt qrachphiltsophnchcn Gmxdhge det GekeluiJtrNcha|t'n (Sru$ge(, 1977).I disagree,ho{ever, wilh KoPPeskProposarrhar '-"tag .r.i*"rions ofcoltecdveneed" should be consid* "**. (KoPPc eredasrhe main and genuineftrnctiooofae*hetic cxP€ience by rhe wav, sPeaksof v.lS.genaanigung von Bednrfnissiruarionen' I try to bur he doesnot uodertand WgeS.iaaftisu'gin rie scnsethat give to rhe word "prcendfication ) expenencc 8. lrom this poinr o! l shallusethe Phde "aesrhetic
r67
166
Notes
only in the tcnse of ii'th.tirh4 r/rr1, athough-fo. p!ftly stylisric shall mosrlyskip "lived" rhe word rcsons-I in "lived experience. " 9. SeeBoh.er,"Negarivirit desPocrhchenund da Positiveder In
rnnd Ciline und die Frage,ob liteaische Prosagvaksd seio kan^," in RolfGrinninger, ed., (ntut Mkh Gtualt: D.t a'fieti'che ot d.r Agt6ti,itat (Mr ich, zo.n), pp tzt +2. ,2. Gorg6 Baraillews addictedto this *ructure of argumenta rion. see "LApprenti Sorcier,"in Denn Hollier' ed ' Lc Colhgede n-
s.'rurion€n."Bohrerhs nev.r complerelysevered.rhiel noins fron aesrhericexp.ri.nce, howcver: see his'D6 Erhische m./i'rberis.het," M*u/ 620 (,Dao): :ra9 62 ro. I deriv. rh; oncept fron Alfrcd Schuee and Thom Luck m no, Stmkta/.h da L.b?,'ueh (Nerwicd, ry7), pp. r9o a1. n. Th€ allusion to Heidesseis noion of G.la'enheit ("conpasur.,
iereoiry") is d€liberarc. G.lay"h.it is menion d he.e s an a$i tude J'r' dn fa.ilrer€ d'. happenrngot asr})ericcxperiencea , no mcnr ofintensiry; I shall rc.urn to chc conceprwhcn I rry ro d.s€ribe rhe po$ible cffecrsofaesrhciicexperience on our p'ychs. rz. see Hans UHcb Cumb.echr,Ted lf,land, Rick Schavonc,and Jeffrey Schnapp, "Th€ Arhleret Body l-osr aod Found," prehcc rc Tr. ArhhE\ Bodr, Stanfo H"nanitie' R."i.b 6.2 (r998)t lii tt. Niq, Bhb to P,.t.nc., p.6.
]ji.
t4. Cadamet, Hmaetih, rr. Niklas Luhnon, t 9 9 5 )e , spp . p.3ot md ar.
AstLaiA, Pruk*rhc Ph;haphic_ Di. Katut d, Gedl'.haf (F.^tj!ft
,JNI.
16- See ny essay "Dic Srimmen von Argeotiniec l-cichen," M.*ur 499 6990).7rt 28. '7. This is one ofrhe aipecrswhe.r my own renecrionon acsrheric experiene comes rhe very cloresr ro Seel's^th.tih d4 Eshei"ft. 'O.isin 18. Heidegger, of dre work of Arr," p. 7r (enph4is in ori8inal). 19. lbid., p. a, (eDphsis in original). ,o. S€eHans Ul;ch cumbrechi, "On (he BeautyofTem Spon'' N.u Litzrary Hittott Jo (Spring 1999): rrr-72, and id.. "A fo.'n. da violetrcia: Em louvo. da belea adii,ca," in Maisr cdiural supplemenr to Foha d! Sdo Paalo, Me.ch tr, 2oor, rhe bdh for a shon book on athleric baury enrirled l,r lr spar6 (Franktun a/M, fordrconing). zr. Reged'ns rhe violent impac rhar (he rhFhm in a prinred tert cen have on i$ readers,scc Hms Uliich Gumbrcchr, 'tois-Ferdi-
ciologi.(retra7, Q{k, '979), PP.t6-59' esP.pP. 40' te 21. Manin Heidesger,"The Age ofthe world Picture'"io id. The Esqt (New Yolk 'e77), Qr.'tio, Con.nins Trhnobs atd Orhct Pp IIt-t4' :a. See Hans Ulrich Gumbr€chr' "Pr,isenz.Gela$enheit: Ubet 'Poetaen NuevaYork und die Sch{ierigkeir' FcdcricoGarcialore hcute eine Asthetik zu denk ^." Mdht tg+-et 0998)t 8o8 2t' zt. I m .eicring here Io a discusion wnh mv colleag"eHermann traces the rise md the decline of rhis 26. Reinhan Kctleck (he late ssenreenrhcenturyin "Historia magista vitae: promisesince Ube. die AufldsungdesToPosim Horizont neueiilich bewegte!Gez,/ Snaanh sschichtlnhct Z;tex scficite," ia Wryangtu ztk'"f (Frankfun a/M, 1979),PP.l&-57. :7. See Niklu Lrhmam, Obenatiot ot Mod.n;t1 lst^ntotd' '998), pp.44-62. 28. My a€umenrarionh..e srrodglyrelieson rhe work of R'inhm Koselleclc See his book in Enslish lanslaion: Futvt' s ?a$ (C^mbridge, Ma$.. tgei and The Pldftn. of AarytuL! Hi'tory: Tini's Hi'tort, S?uing Corc.PB (Stanford, zoor). For mv own anemPts ro tunher doelop Kosencks thoqht, see Hans Ul.ich Gumbrechr' "Die Gesenwan w;d (immer) t'tenet"' Methal 629-Jo (2oot)' 76e 'PosrSa;"Spac.Re.merCrng:Five Shon Reflcctionson the ConcePts 'Globaliation,'" in Hcrmmn Herlinshas' ed ' Pdtmoderniry'md notunitlatt l Sbbalia'i6" (Pimburgh' :oo); ard' aboveall' rhe chaprer "Afterlerning fron Hisrory," in Gumbrechr,/, rrrt ,9. Fo. a more detailedvesioo of the following aigumen(' see 'Historical Rcpresenrarionand Lif€ wo.ld," Pr' '! of Cumbrechr' Makins Setue;n L;ft an! Litetutute, PP.tt 75
r58
r69
10. SeeMike Pearsonmd MichaelShank, ed5.,Theatturcheotbg (New York, 2oot! the conceprof "dreatel sraodsfo. rhe spadaldi mensionofrelating to rhe psi. lr- ln rh;s spirir, my book 1, ry2twer neanr ro be m experimeor in the idenrificaion ofsuch lini$. r2. SeeHans Ulrich Gumbrecht,"Take a Srep Back dd Turn Awe)' froh Dea$l On rhe Movesof Hisroriciarion," in Gienn Mosr, ed' Hittoticizatiotu/Hi'to/ilin g (ciiftingen, 2oot, pp. l6t 7t. lt. Hds ceorg Cadant, Wahtheit u"d Methodz (rnhlngen, I96t, p. 4,, suggestsrhar rhereis a sysRnatic relarionshipbeveen aesrherics and ihe dinenston ot bbben flived dpe.ieoce)-which dinension, in rhe phenonenolosi@lrradirion,corsponds ro rhe in , e n J b e v e e n , p h r i J , p p , ( e p , i o n , n de r p e r i e n . e s m.r,ng a,rl 34. For rhis concepr, see Hms Ulrich Gumbrechr, "Riskanres Denken. Intellektuelle als Karalrarden von Komplexirar," in Uwe Jusrus Venzel, ed' Do hiti\che Blnk: Ltellthtuellz Tat;gkenea und T,genden (Fnnkturt alM, zooz), pp. rqo-a7. tt. This wa a questiondked by Jeques Derrida ar a seninr at ihe Univesitl' ofsiegeo (G€rmmy)in 1988. 36. For a more extendeddiscussionofthn aspecr,seeHans Ulrich Gumb.echr, "Live You Expsience-and Be Untimeb,!\?har 'Cls sicalPh;lolos)-s a Profesion'Could (Have)Become."in Glenn Moy, ed., DiJripti"i"s
alt Bezl (cdftingcn, 2oo,). pp. ,f-6e. The speciaccon eV of Elbbenthar I ry to promote h e r cl i n t u l l : " n e r e * o ' a r i d e l y , h n e dp r e ; u d r ea g a r n snr i n . o n t e m Cb'ns / Ah.,tutuun'4chaf
r7. See Nikk Luhmann, Die tYlise,thdf b Gevltchdf (Fenk6rt a/M, r99o). 18. Md weber, wisea ali dL Betuf (1e19iMunich, re2t. s€e rny deailed ualvsis of \Veber's re{ in Live You! Expe.ien.e, pp. 251-60. 19- V-rlhelmvon Humbold!, Uter die innereund aiu8ereOryaniArvalten in Bedin, in id., Sa' sationder hoherenrvisscnschaftlichen d;eratgabe, voI. ,, ed. Ku.r Mnlle.Vollner (Franktult a/M, re7t,
w.r)r4r. 4o. This wa alsorhe predictionofthe fomer StanfordPreddenr, (lrerner HeisenGerhdd Casper,in "Eine\relt ohne UDiversitaiten? bergVorlesuns,Munich,ldy 1, 1995),whoseline ofdgunenrarion I follow in the final semionofthis chaprer. aL SeeGmbrecht, "Live Your Erperience. p. 261. 42. I borow rhc conceprof energing toward an unknown goa1" Fom Mmin Scel. 41. See,for the docunenrarionofan early-md htdly encouragi o g q p e n m r n r o l L h n k i n d . t h e e q r o n i , . o n v e F r r i o nJ r o r g Fren.h rnrelleouzllminuie. n tv tanatP,iau^. 'Io
Be Quiet for a Moment: About Redemption r. Thn ftiend wd, again,Joshualrdy, without whosedenddins encouragenentI would indeedhaveabandonedrhe project of this book. Disappointedreadersshould rhereforeturn to hin with rheir
poraryphilosophy)is rurVilhelm Dikhey s.on.epr of Ethbea,io rhe 'ieirandat;on senseofa orobjecriqrionsoflife in.o rhar spi.iru.l liveli ne$ from which rhel' energed."As menrionedearlier,luse Erhbm to referrc rheinteral berweenrhephysiel perceptionofan objectandrhc (detinitive)aftibution ofa meaninsroii; unlike Dihhey,l am nor rec'
obviouslybez- The questionofrvhat I reallyget out of Presence me d,e beginningofthis chapter.Ifone could individuallydedicare chaptesofbooks rht m alreadyothewise dedlcatedin thei. enrirety, I would dedicarethis one to Robeft Ha..ison, who ai somePoint was hones enoughro tell ne rhat he had hopedthat I wouldwrire a "nore
ohmending ihat the readingofa poen, for exnple, should bring !5 back ro rhe poels {l;ved) experienceihar firs nodvared ir.
poetic book'than what thesepagesare now iurning into. I fear rhev will frustrutehis expecarions.For rhesePagesnay only show what a
good iiing n is that I othewis*rery aetully and completelymy Poeiicdrives. .ePress 1. Yes,I m alludingto PeterSellen\ filn under rhn dtle. a. Federi.o Garcia l,rca, Muene," in id., Paua d Nae,a YorI (Mdxico.D.r., reao). 1. I owe this Diderot refere.ceto Henning Rifter. Diderot's pef fect day ws Seprenberr5, 176o,and he describedir in a letter ro hn friend SophieVolland. * rhe slnthesisofoppositesgoes 6. The arremprro rhink presence back to a questionby Werner Hmacher. After a lecru.e ;D whici I rled to describethe presene eFeca ofaestheticepiphanies,he asked me whar the dark sideof the m@n" would be in ny concePiof pree 7. SeeP. Heinrich s.v. "Ekstase,'in loa.h;n Ritier, ed., fl;t 'yh6 Wijrtobach d- Philo'aphie (B6el, r97z), z: $4 16. 8. see Jean Faneois Lyotard, The I unan: Reftcnot' oa nne (Sranford,r99t, esp.pp- 18-77.
r4. This thesisabourthe psvchicbenefit ofpiercing goesbackto a o0 Thoha Schleich. lecer fron (andempnicalobsercr experience ri. Vhich words remind me of Ft;edticn K ]ais D;e Ndcht der Substarz (Bero, rgsg). 16. This is, I rhinlq what Heideggermedr when he highlighted rhat dinking alwarsinpLies m aspe of "in die Achr nehnen- See Mmin Heidegger,wt heill Dahnt Geta), arh ed. (Tnbingen, 1984),version,,lecture 8, p. 14. r7. I am reactinghere to anorherimporrur objedion made by r8. Here I m referringback to a discu$ion wnh ny friend Luiz CosraLima in aseminartha! I taught ar Rio deJane;o in Mayloo2. 19. K:rl Mu, D6 KtP;tdl, pt. r, "\{/are und Geld," in id. and Fr;edrichEngels,vrl,0c (Berlin,r98t,2l; 86f. zo. Vhv "generational"aks Tdna Marmareli-and mal we be on trget with her inplicir criricnn. I, in contrasl rhought rhat rhe questionhad to be rypicalio a genention for vhose largemajorityany
9. See Geo.gesBataille."L'Absencede besoin plus nalheureuse que I absencede satisfaction,"in Denis Hollier, ed., Le Colbgedr o' ciohsk (P^tts. ieTe). pp. ?3f. ro. About rhc screensthar areour world, seevlad Godzich, taguage.Images,and the PostmodernPredicment," in Hans Ulrich
9pe of conmnmenr to rel;g;onn
Gumbrecht and Karl LuduigPfeitre\ tutio,lst^nfo"d, 1994, pp. )t5 70.
the fiat footnoreof chaprerz). 'Posrnodern Scholanicism:A Critique of zz. Caderine Picksrock, (MS, Cdbridse, Invocations of Udivocity" Posnodem Recent
eds' M.tndlinc'
oJ Conmv'P
r. !'or turlhs exanples exenplifting rhis losic," see my essay "nachMODERNE ZEITENraeume," in Roben Wdndn dd Hals ulrich Gumbrecht, eds., Postnortzm+gbbab Dafeztu (Fanknllt a/M, r99r, pp. 14 70. r:. I referhse to the discusionsofthe Sunford PresidentialCol'ipecial eFecs loquium on Engineeringard the Humaniriesabout
z1- Yet anotherquestion(a quesrionntrch debaled,today, in the inrellectualworld of ieligious studies"md one to which Chadoae 'lheolog/" is indeed the Fonroben drs my atienrion) ;s whether
that rook pla.e in lebruary 2ooo.
equivalentof religiousthinking." For ny own purposesin the context of this book, however,I dont think that the d;stincrioDbeween
r1. My main referencehere is the philosophiel work of Richdd Rorry, !owhosepol;tic"l impo.rmce I tullysubsc.ibe.
"religiousrhinking" md "theolosr" would makeaditrerence ' 'Postmodern Scholsticism, P. 18. ,4. Pickrrock,
25. Not by coincidence,Heidegger's6mous senrence"only a God can help us, liom the posthumousSltrg.l inremew, occursjn a contexr wherehe talla about historyofBeing26. SeeHansUlrich cumbrecht, "Menin Heidegger'sjapalsern-
Index
terlocrrors: Abou. a Limir of Wesrern Meraphysia," Diadttics :Ja.4 (winter 2ooo):81-ror. 27. see. e.9., Keji Nishirdi, Relig;andnd Nothirsh.s (Betketer, r98,). 28. IGrl Ludwig PfeiFer's very impresive desc.ipdons ofjapmese theare.were a $rong in;rial reasonio exposen),self ro rhe experience of No and Kabuki: see Pfettret's The Ptutob.tury. Ste?sTouard a, Aath/a?alrs ofcrhaft (srnfo.d, zoa2), pp. ryr 14, r4t-66. a6ihed. aperience,9,+,I6ln42, ads, s aadeni. dnciPline:N,91 r6tn4, I5tn7, I66nr7i d oscil ,, 9t-96,9A, n\ o5 S4 dba larion beMe. Pre*nc€ effeds n; 2, Ioa dd desins cfl€ds, ^th.tjk de' Elthein.8 (.Seet),6:', md epiphan),, 9a, u-4i and eth i6, 9,+,Io2, I66nri md Prsence A nJ].h r. i b?y n ene t 8ooh I oo lKitttet )' 9t; md t@ching,96 97, r6tn6! sP€c_ exrendedfield o[ 97,I6tn6i iA une pasani€" (Baudehne) rol ificit) of, grlol; insuldq of rot I, 126;and comPosur€,Ior-'1, Bakhdn, Mikhail, 8t, ro2 x6 18,I66nn; md violence n+ r6t .bn' \6 s aLth.t .b6 E Ba6ille, Georgs, a6, Ir8, ,67n22 66n8. 5c. /, asthetiG Baudebne,Chrl6, A une Pav asthcriG, n8! md Peence zoi ol eight€en.h-cnturyemelgEnce Being,Heidegger'snorion of 9r and r7; se€li rcamentof,6r; mdcon rg, 66 67,77, 78 8ri presence, philosoPhY, W*tdn rr; tenponry sd truth,47,67 7l; history ot, reladonshiP b historY ,nd Pe
174
lndex
G.gna, t6rnJt. Scr aLo beinl-in' rhe wond; Heid€gg{, M{iin f.iry rrd 7 itu \Heide5Set), r. S.ih beint-in thc-* ond, 46, 66, 7r, n6. .t 26, Being!H€ideg8d. Min,n Benjamin,w.lrer,8, 6! B.rgson, Hcnri,4r 4r B.fotu{Int e/?turiaft (v^ imo), tat6 Bith ta Pt.yne, Th. (Nancy), t7Badi.' Th
Mani
\Bnrlct), 6e62,
body, huDan, and aesheiicdpcr icnce,98, 9t, to8 9, D4,rt, u6, n8i dd pr6cnc€,iiii-xiv, 17,61, 8o, 81 81,Dj, rr7, r4r, r44; and cohmunionon, 9, rr, l8; and Foudult,4; asobjecr,4 ,7, 6e 6 r r o f c h r i s t ,i n E u c h . n $ , 2 8 l o , 8J, 86; otacloB ard sp€aroc, in dcdi*alih6c',lr rrr md D$cartes,]], r8n8! world,apprcpriation rhiouSh,17,87 J8i disance from, in \ver.rn ohuR, a6, rJ8 r9i and 'adicd orhodory, 146-47;ofado6 md ipeaaros, ir .lfsiql lapange rli.:rci, rJc
77-78,I58n8;and "lo$ ofwo'ld,' a9i enduling doninanceol 'r, n6, r42;aM manir& 106. "o. a*, c'nn of S.. epcscrdrion ! hcmen€uric 6cldi m€i,phrriBi 5ubjd/objd paradism CAfcr, C€ft,rd, r69nao Clasro Rochl Joao Cear d€, a6nr ChrCri€nd. Troy6,27 codnunicaion: !.chnolori6 ol n, 9, 'r9 aor m"r..iahics oe 6-8. 9, r', rl, rt-r8,48-4t,92!ad bodl, 9 , I r , l r ; a n dm . r i n g , ' ' ; € x l i l i 6 d,88i 6 modeofwodd appopriadon, 89i in Luln.nn 5 ad comPosure,6t 7', rol ,1,r7-r8, t)6, r4o, t4J 44, t'r, t66nr consemrivc revollrion, 46, 6r,
Caaesianwo dview,a.d body, r7j inadequacyol xiv, r4r culminarion i! Enlieh(nmcni.la ]ri rinceenrh-cenrut, criris ol l8; and Heid€gg.r,4c47, 66 i7,
dz\ jdt.' fttr6 \El^n dpc'ienc., .e$heric,s. aorhei.
ld;hrrl, n Enay.loDi.tiontun (Dideror and d Alemb.() r'l& Did{or, D.nn, 116,rTont; t ry.lopadi., tGrT: k Rar. d. Dikhd, V'ilhelm. rerr, a:r,4J, ft8n)6. 9. dl'o G.i\(ri'akt.hzfd; ,m.n.dut lu.d apn-
C,n2 Lim., Lui2, r7hr8 "Coup de d{s, Un (Malla!mi), ar ..nis of r€prcsenr.ion,J, 17,18,4o
d Ai.mber!, J€.
L. Rond, r7j f,9-
Ebbinglaus,Hcrmann, +r embodinenr, lo, 62, nl, 4t (Did.rcr nd d AlchEn.t.bptli.
epist€nolo8'. nodem \v€$.o, domin.i€d by m€Bph),sid,,, 2r2r, t7,7'. r4r4ri turure ol, wirh' in ihe hummirics, j, r6, 9r, 919j,94, no: dd g€nd.r,24ihisror,vof W6.ern, 1j, 26, t6-tt, .17-49,r6on16imdinre.prch rion,26idd rime, },; ud onrol ogy, 46. 5r. dl', cnsisofrePc
Heidcgg.. s norion ol 68.
de Md, P,ul, 12,!j9nt decon$rucrion,n, rr, 14,48, t-t4 .lei\is,2o, 2t,9!, t2a, t!9^4 D$rida, Jacqu6,9 ro, ra, rr ra, r:, 9t, t68[tr OfGnnnatohg, tl Dscarts, Rcnd,lr, t8,66, r6nj, rr8n8- S.. zl, Censian wo'ld
dPcri.nc€, d€fined s worldippropriation ti'ough Lucept|, t9,4e4t,4j, r@, r68nrj expd.nc, lived, r. lived .ryerience cx(.m. temporalitl,20, j8, 77. &.
Fernando of Ang6n, 27, 8t Dx.ora. N.tuotkt (Kdet), J.. AUJ: rht ib.!$d. r8uL9u disembodim€nr,9, r,1, 17, r9 Do" Cio,rnni (Mom), 165n6 Ddtsh. Hcrmann, r67n2t
€piphml, 20, 94, 9t, n'-rt. rr,r, x8,
,6.i,, Caldcnin de la Bara, Pcd'o, r'1
Dnio,,z;.
17t
con$rldrvism, 6, 42,.rr, 47, 6G6r,
culruril sr!di6, x!, rr,.r, Bdhrer,Karl Hcilrz, ,8, ro,-2, r66D9 Buddhism,Zcr, r4F r, r6rnl7 Bntle.'lvlir\, Bodie' Tha' Mait.r,
Index
tirlorder obsePcr,l8 19 FLDbed,Gusa"e, 40! D,.i,,,zt' d.t idt.! Ec"et, t'7nr focusedinEnsiry, r. coml'osule Fon.ob"r, Chrloiic, r7rn2l form: in HiclmslevqMdnngte, 14'r in pctry, !8r in A'isto€lia. corcept ofsign, 28 29, t9, 8', !o, Ir-r], tl6;and 8ein8,7t 76;dd epiphany,nI-9; and clasical Japanesefta($, raF r J.. z&, Fouodt, Michel, ro, q-rr; Za u,,' lreud, Sigmund,41 42! Ira'lddtu.g, at- St al'. pty.hology.
Gadamd, Haneceorg, 64 6t ,o7 Gqza Heidcggeis concept oi, G.rk'un'.tuchafa,
E,l.b.n, t. l;"e,] dpeti.nce e.hi6,9.1.16, ro1-t, x5, 146,r66n9 rycwday$orldr, a4; dd rheologjr, 75. tl8i lnd isth.iic caPeri...e, 9Fro1, ro4; and P.€fnce, !ot, [o, !6, r,4, 146rdd lif€wo'ld, rr1 rJ; dis@c€ f.om, in ad.mic world, 14 27t rcsnnnc oi, in
to, aJ. 5.. dl'a
G.L$ah.n. 'e. conpos!rc Goya, Fntcisa de, Caprrho:, 17 Hamacher,Werocr, von6, I7nx7 Hadison, Robe(, Fi, I69nz Heidegg.r,Ma(in, ni; rod z.n a6 Nie6.hq4\ S.i "nt/ 6t 66, tt8.8; ctiriquc dd r'visio'
.Origin ofrhc Vork otArt' The" (Heidegg.r), 6a-6n 72-7t, ,06,
p.rcepdon, dcfin€ds worid{pprc' priation rhough senscs:md 4Pc' ti.rc., t9-4a, 4t, 47, t@. r68n16. eduded from metaghpic, a9r Scel: useol,6l; simulationol in pgetrri6edon, t2t. S?.zr, expc-
t79
Index
r78
r6m,t; and po€q/, 18;dd srb, sancc. r8; sd tururcofhumaoi ri6. 10,67, 78. 94. r2r; ofCh!isr. thrcugh Euch{isi, 18-29, 4, ol ado^ and spdato6, in mcdi.ral the{.r, lr-r2; in @mm€di, delladc,l2;fld Nory, j7-j8, ro6i and Bohrer,18;0d Sr€incr. ; d t h i n g so l t 8 t r ; u d S e e l , 6 lm the world, 66. 87, 88, 90, rogt ind Beidg, 7l 71 7r in a6th.ti. ex pericdc.,9t, ro7 J, r, n.s and taching,n8 t2! md comPosure, rrr-16; and n@in& rlcjTi iid Fdcmption, rl7-i8i in dasical Japh.sc rharer, ,tct prgencc culture,rt, 79-86 prgencc cFd, 79. I7on6: rension vnh maing.f.ds, 2, r8, ,9. 106,'o7 9, trr, [6, 126;suppr6sion oi, in cldsic2lFrenchthcatcr, ,x-r; & spftial.ff.ds, rJ9 prentifietion, ro,94 rt, rrr, t1r
Ro'gon'Ma.q@d k' tzolal al Rocsau. Jen-Jrcque! R.,?d & tuban , t7 |tunadn
S.usure, F.rdinmd d€,8' SclJeich,Thom6, 17n!4 .robserye( l,,8 40 s@rda iel, Mani\, '$thtuh d.' Es.h.ind.
Pfciffer, Ka Lud*i8, !72n28 phenome.olog: dd dlory, r; of bod/[email protected] 6mmuniato., 9; subjed'c.nicRd, Io; critic.l of Cartesianwotldview,t7; ofAJis' rcdq r8,6ti.llq'6t€m, history oi, t9,1t-ta, J9 40, 4' 44,56, t56 rTnr; feminist, 24t atd intospcc rion,42, 60, 6t 66; r.cePdonol {4 at;3nd lirE _vsuda6,4ti philosoph),: ,n lltc, 46r phnologics,oatiot,l, aa-aJ; of Heid€gget, 46-47. 65 aa, t49, )t6n5t and Ee, r6i of H6erl, t7t of Nanc.v, r7i8i of Bohr€r,t8! ofButl€r, 6c6r; prc-Socdt'c,78;and lived qpericnc., I@, I68!t! 1nd life mrld, I2r. Sazt cpi$emolos/;
produciion,xiv; erymolo€C' oi, xiii: ofprcscne, xiii.16-rz r8, ,8, r6rn9i of knovlcdg€,1. 22. ,6 2 7 , l $ o f m € n i n 8 , 8 , 1 6 , 2 r ,l r .
sign dcrcguladon, 40, a' "Solsl s Hod," r6ona
psj/clDloE/, Freudian, r44
ep.ctuletr€cc,xv, rl9-4l, r7om2 SEin€r,Gorgs 58 t9
Pickock, C,ih€rine, 146-48,I6lnl8
qratlb dct arizat a da nolana.
Pod' d N"da Yo* (Lta:),98, n7,
ndidl
poerry,I8, 4r, 64, rol, to7 Pollel, Jacken, 16tn6 Phgmalsm, r4I, rTonrl prescnced.fineda sPdi2l,xiii, t9; dd octaphlciG, xiv, ta2; ddne fo\ *, t7-t8, 106, rt, t14, r2t, 16, r44! p@dudior ol rcr7, r4,
onhodory, 145-48
r€prent.tion,
.risir oC Jz. cr;sis of
Ra,. d. dAlnbd, 17 Ridi6
dc pnnatut
L.lDiderci, toltatr.
S.in 0d Z.h lHeidegqc.)' a6' 65 sclf{efere.cc,h(mo, tt-2j, t
a6,
Sheehd, Thoms, r6hr8 s;En,t-i2; Hiclnsld s .oncePtol u-4i Aristotelid .onc.Pt ot 29-lo, 8I-82, noi det.gulaion ol .+c.{'i saNur@ concAr
Son$S, Suan, "Againn lot€rPren'
*
subjed: ead)'modern,1 26-27i c.n_ Io, 8oi @l Io \(6tem PhilosoPhY, *orld oiobjeo from dnmc (Kfld, 16;shaPingot 6L co role in *cna ofself'unconcealnent ofworld, sliand Bdic.l odho' iubjec/obi.< Paadi8m xiY, ,t '1s' 1 6 ,4 2 , 1 6 ,t 6 , 7 r ' I t 8 o 8 sub$dc in Hielmdc* con@Ptor sign, Iat.nd Prdcnc, 18;of
Chrisasbody, ii E{charisr,29rq oihuman exiscnce (Heid.gger),46-a7r in asthe,i. dPeri.ncc, i8, nr, rr4 nt 116 r6hr6t oihumm bodl' (Burl.r)' 6r-62i and Being,66, 68 <9 76 77,8r i' tu;stotelianoncePr of sign, uo; darkwo d ofPurc 'a2. subslntialism,18,t, t, r4r
Tausig, Michael,62, 6l reching, r,20,9l-97i rol I2t l4i thar€. .arl), mod*n, ,o, r2, n!; medidd, lrt clNi.al French't; md cpiphany,nz_Ii; closiol Japtn.sc,nz-9, !4rt2 I72n18 rh€olog},28 ro, t7-tt,7t 8t' rr7 145-49, $7a5, 161111,r7nzJ rheory,in humaniti.s,r,2 4, 17,t9, 18,92 things of the *o d, riii, xjq and humln body, 2t, 8r, 106 I2l ti8,+q ,nd mind, ,, 92i and sc'.nce, 42; and hmd slf{ef€rencc, a6, 49, t6, 87-89j and,anguag. tli md humd eri$en.e (Heidegger), 6 6 i . n d B e i n g , 7 0 r, 4 8 ;a n d me.ning,80, 'o7, 'o9i dd Pr€F 'being in sYnc €nc., Io7, Io9; with (conPosure),n7-l8' '4r Ttrnl.ctu s$t td). a\ dc, '.Chdticn de Chrdri€n Trcyd, Toycs m.h, H.idesseis conceProt,47,
v^rtimo, Ci^nni' fi
ReY"l ltea'
Index
r8o viol.n.c.8j 84, ,17 88, 98, rI.1-rt.
{.rld-rcFere.ce,46-17, t, j6 wond-rePresenranon, 19..1t
v.b.,.
Zen Buddhism.r.. Brddhism.Zen Zola,Enile, La Roryar ,\Iaqut.
NIrx. D: Vi\oirhrli
alt
V.llbrn, I)lrid- r6rnrr, r7rnlr \thtuahdli dtt B.tuJtwebet. tlt $ond-xfpRrfiarion, 16 17, lt-4o,
'Zur
Erdrer!ng da C€lasenheia
Production of Preserrce \ A /H A T
MEANINEi
EANNc|T
Ec'NVEY
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I a a d u t t i a n . t P r . N e l , ( , i : r f , n n | r . h . n s i \ . \ r r . n , r , , 1r l x i l , i r . tlars tlrnL(lu
l r , ( 1 r 1 o. ' r f o f l l r r n o n c { , r ( i i r . , , r l \ , ' i { i i r , L
n . l , o h r s r j i r i , , g i o ( l a ! . l o f t i r . a l ! r n D a l i ? c d{ r u r r r
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