Knowledge of Life

223 Pages·2008·2.12 MB·English

by  Georges Canguilhem

PhotogorfGa epohr Cgaensg uil1h9e9,mc3 ,o urotfFe rsayn Dc;eoliasp orte.
KnowledogfeL ife
GeorgCeasn guilhem
EditbeydP aolMaa rraatnidT odMde yers
TranslbaytS etde faGneorso ulaannodDs a nieGlian sburg
FORDHAM UNIVERSITY PRESS
NEW YORK 2008
111���ifIrIllrllili�lilrlll�[�nl
�
39001105527512
Copyri©g h2t00 8F ordhaUmn iverPsrietsys
Alrli ghrtess erNvoe pda.r otft hipsu blicamtiaoybn e r eproduced,
storiend r ae trieval osrytr satnesmm,i titnae ndyf ormo rb ya ny
means-electmreocnhiacn,ip chaolt,o corpeyc,o rdoirna gny,
other-exfcoerbp rti qeufo tatiionnp sr intreedv iews, without the
pripoerr misosfit ohnpe ublisher.
FordhUanmi verPsrietshysa n so r esponsyif boitrhl pei etrsistence
ora ccuroafcU yR Lsf oerx ternoartl h ird-pIanrtteyrnw eetb sites
refertroie ndt hipsu blicaatinoddn o enso tg uaranttheaaetn y
conteonnst u cwhe bs itiesos,r w ilrle maianc,c uroarat pep ropriate.
KnoweldogfLe ife w asfi rsptu blisihnFe rde nachsL ac onnadies sance
lav i©e L ibraPihriileo soupeJh.Vir qi1n 956;© 19922,003f otr he
paperbeadcikti on.
Ceto uvrapgueb,l diaen lsec adrde' upnr ogramdm'ea iadl ea
publicabtieonne,fi dcuis eo utiednuM inistdeerAfsef a ires
etrangeertde usS erviCcuel tudreel l' AmbasdseaF drea nacuex
Etats-Unis.
Thiwso rkp,u blisahspe adro tfa p rogroafm aidp ufbolri cation,
receisvuepdp ofrrotm t hFer ench MionfiF sotrrye iAfgfani rasn d
theC ultuSrearlv iocfte hseF renEchm basisnyt hUen itSedt ates.
LibraorfCy o ngreCsast aloging-in-DPautbialsa i vcaaitiloanb le
fromt hpeu blisher.
Printientd h eU nitSedt atoefAs m erica
100 90 8 5 4 3 2 I
Firesdti tion
CONTENTS
ForewLoiftr,adsS :u ch vii
byP aoMlaar raantTdio d dM eyers
Transla'Nt otoer s
byS taenfoGse roulaannDdoa sn iGeilnas burg xiii
IntroduTchtiooung:ah nttd h Lei ving XV11
PARTO NE
Method
I. ExperimentianAti noinm aBli ology 3
PARTT wo
History
2. CelTlh eory 25
PARTT HREE
Philosophy
3· AspecotfsV italism 59
4· Machinaen dO rganism 75
5· TheL ivianngd I tMsi lieu 98
6. TheN ormaaln dt heP athological 121
7· Monstrosiatnydt heM onstrous 134
\I�II���v ��
o;�����!s�
KUTUPHANESI0 920556
vi Contents
APPENDIXES
I. Noteo nt heTr ansitfrioomnF ibriTlhleaorr tyo C ell
Theoyr 149
2 Noteo nt heR elationsBheitpw eeCne lTlh eorayn d
•
LeibniPzh'isl osophy 151
3. Extrafrcotms t he" DiscosuurrIs ' anatodmuci eer veau"
("Discoounrt sheeA natomoyft heB raind"e)l,i vebrye d
NicolSatse nionP ariisn1 66t5 ot he" Messieduer s
IA's sembleceh edMzeo nsieTuhre venoitnP" a ris 152
Notes
Bibliography
FOREWORD
Lifaes,S uch
PaoMlarraa tainT dod dM eeyrs
Trainienpd h iolpohasyn mde dicGienoer,Cg aensg ui(l91h0e4m- c9o5n)­
tinuteose xetrretm endionuflsu eonntc hee hainspdth oirlyo sospchiy­ of
ence-iannfl uetnhccaeath na rdloyv ebreds .Cta antgeuiwlahasem ma jor
poionfct o ntbaecttw peheinl osionFp rahnecrtesh rougthhtoewu etn tieth
centiunrcyl,u fidgiunrsgeu sca hsM ichel FoucAalutlhtuF,sra snLe-oru,i s
90Jiasc Joabc,q LuaecsaP ni,e Brrouer diaenuJd,a cqDueersr tiodn aa,m e
onlafy we .O vehril so ncga reer, Cwaanaspg ruoiflehisenSsm tro aorsu brg
anadtt h Seo rbownhneehr,eet oookv er GfraosmtB oanc healsda irrde ctor
oft hIen stidtH'uits tdoeiSsrc ei eentcTe ecsh niqoufte hsUe n iveorfs ity
ParHiesa .ls seor avsien ds pegcetnoeorrfp a hli olpohasyn lda taesamr e m­
beorft hFer enagregacthi onc ommitapt oesei,tti hoant hgiacmvo en sider­
abploew oevre r exaamnitrdna aitinoiinnpns hg i lhoysI.onh p imso switd eyl
knowwno rEks,iss auqru elpqruoebslc eomnecnsetl rnne ao rmealtlpe a thologique
(9143l)a,tre erp ublishtehtidet lLueen dneore rmltape la tohguoiel(q9 166;
inE nglaisTs hehN ormala nd Ptahtleho og,iC caanl)guialdhdermeh soswe d
thceo ncoefptt h"sen ormaanltd"h " ep atholaorgiaisnceda lt"a ikne hold
medicIinLn afoe rm.a tidoucn o pntdce re ejleaxuex XVIXVIIII e sti e(c1l9)e5,s 5
het urnheiadst tenttioto hfnero matoifo nct ohnec oefp t" raenflhdeo xw"
itsh apedi nti hdheei assto ofbr iyo laongpdyh ysioOltohgweyor.r ks by
Canguitlhhhaeatmv b ee en trainnstElona gtleiidns chlI udodeleoa gynR da ­
tioniantl hHieity s tofot ryhL eife S cie(n91c8)ea8 snA d V itaRla tilioSsnetal:e cted
WritionfGgesgo erCsa ngeumi( 9l1h94).
vu
In tohpee nsitnagt emoefhn itissn trodutcotiKn oonwe ldgoefL ife,
Georges Casntrgouniaglffilhryem wmsh acta bne c onsitdhegeru eidd ing
thrneoaodtn loyft heei gehstys sca olleicnt vetodhl eu bmueot fa lolfh is
philosohpihsitcoaarnlied,cp ails,t emwoolro.kgAlsic ccoarltd oCi anngg uil­
hemc,o ntrtoaw rhya tl oana gn idn fluetrnatdiiathlio olntd hse,ir se no
conflbiecttw keneonew dlgaen ldei ,nf ofu ndamednitviabdlee t wteheen
suppdolpsyue raen ddi sintperroecsetodefrud er aesa onsndc ieonntc hee,
onhea nadn,td h seu pposoebdsclauynr ider ratipoonwaeolrfl iofnet, h e
othCearn.g uiclohnesmit dheetrswseco o mpelnetmaarsys umpttiobo en s
deepmliys leatdhieanyrpg er: e jubdoitcthio a tlta hosekft hhei stoorfi an
scieanncdet htaeor gueavbelmnyo riem porttaaosnfkut n dersttahned ing
speciofiftc hihetu ym afnro mo fe l.i f
Knolwedlgieak,ne oy t hheurm aanc tivciatnyna,ov tot ihdqe u esotfi on
its metahnowishneogb ;ev leit ehkanto ewdlgeex ifsrot soi wtnss akaesa, n
autonoqmuoeutsshtw a otu sledat p atrhtow sheop ursiufrteo m " liafned"
itnse edinsC ,a nguilvhieesmwi',ms u ltaandemotiuhtsne le yc esosfai ty
meanoifnk gno wlaendfdgia etl oa ssoingeTn.h efya tiosl e e tthhiantk ing
ankdn owidnong o ste pahruamtaefrn osm l ife. tRhaestyeh pearhr,ua ­te
manfrso mt hweo ralndtd h emiirl itehuec;yr etahtdeei stnaencceest soa ry
douabnted v altuoal toeo,k ftooro vwearycosob mset arceldeusc,e insecuri­
tieKsn.o wlefdogre ,C angiusai" lgheenmme,er tahlo fdos"ro lvdiin­g,
recotril nyd irtehctete lnys,ti hoaanrtsi bseet wheuemna annstd h mei lieu.
Thec onfliisnc otbt e twkeneonw laendldgei eb f ubte twheuemna annsd
the mkinloiewedlug:ae sa,h umapnr acitisacw ea,yo ft raonrsmfitnhge
worlodffi, n diann ge wb alancteh mewi iltiohefc u r,e aatin negwf ro mo f
leiIn.f thsiesn ksneo,ew dlgieasf romo fl ibfeel, otnolg isbf uet,th elni fe,
humaann ndo nhumcaann,nb oect o nsiad" ebrleiadnn sddt upfirodc."e2
Tor ecogtnhikaznteo e wdlgiens e vfeorir to sw ns akbeub te lotnoagf sro m
ofl itfheia ctto nsthaenltplrsye nteog oatnmidoa tdeic fya llosn lfnyoo rt
ad ifferceonntc epotifko nnoe wdlgbeu atl sfooar n a ltogdeitffheerre nt
understoafln eid.fi ng
Grounkdnionewgdl gienl i dfoeen so fto,Cr a nguialmhoeumtn,oqt u es­
tionitnhgae m bitioofn sr eaansrdoa nti ontaolu intdyey,ri pnslgca ieansc e
au tilitdaerviaiamcnoe n g otahiemrossnt,: h c eoh netr atrohy i,g hltihgeh t
fcatt haletia fss ucphr odukcneoeswd lgteh,at th eirsneo theisnsge lnyti al
iTratiaobnoaiultpt so wearsi,a s s submyte hdo wsheoo ppolsitefot e h ought.
Humansn odntoe etdos epatrhaetmes eolufrvtoe mst hree aolflm i ving
F01'de woixr
beinigno sr dteor thifonrkgt,eh tat thtoe a yra en imcaelrst;a hiunmlayn,s
exertchiosuetg oah h ti ghdeerg raenead,n imcaalnsns ootlm voes tt hoef
probltehmasts ewutepf otrh eBmu.tt h iiss beCcanaguusiel,nh oetme s,
theasroeeu prr oblneomttsh ,eK inrosw.l eadstgh ceea, p yat cosi otlpvreo b­
lemmsa,ya nidn dedeode s ivnda irffye raennitmb aulitst ,p riosd ubcye d
liHfeen.ct ehd eo ubmleea noifntg ht eli te":k nowloefld igfieess "i multa­
neouasnlidyn sepatrhkaenb olewydl gweeh avoef ewl hiefwne t akieat s
ono bjeacnttdh, ke n oewdlgteh laitif tes perlofd uces.
Thea wareonfte hsrese cipbreonlcgoailon fgl iafnekd n oewdlgneo t
onluyn dotehsde e eply driovobitedetedw aenea nb stract ocfo nception
knowlaendadgm eu rkpye rceopftile oii:nfat l dseom ands froterhs ep ect
spieficcoiftt hye laisav noi bnjgoe fsc cti eInn Ccrete.ia Evveo olnuH,tei nri
Besrognin siosntt hsie n timate ibnettewrelpeeila nfan ydk noewdlge:
emergfrionmg e al sio fnoefi tpsr odukcntoeswd,lg ient urmno dilfieie.fs
Humacno gnitpirvaec tiecmeesra gsaep articluypl oawrerifunls toafan ce
tendetnhcaiytes x prebsyas lelldi vbienign tghcsea: p atcosi otlypv reo b­
lemisnn ewa ncdr eawtaiy.vTs eh ed iffertehnaccoten stiltiuvtdieonseg s
not cionan nsi insetx plfirocctaehb walitefl role veelrus dcei ebnuictnte h is
intearnnadac lti rveel attoik noonlw ed.gC3ea nugielmh'psr eoccupations
arcee rtadiinffleyrfr eonmtt h oosfBe e rgsbouontn, t hcirsi tipcoaihlne t
accepts otfCh rete ilaEvevego alcuaytn ido,n g meonreero afvl iltya,l ism.
Cangluhiemc'osn tinuraelalffiyri mnetde irnte hsdeti ffertreandti tions
ofv itailsi sanmp o utr ely hoinsbetu otrr,ai tchmaeelrt ,h odoalnodg ical
philosoVipthailciaasshlm eu., n dersittiafi,snr dassnt fd ro emoads etm and:
icta nnboeit d entifieds pweicmtiehfid cia ocnrbay il o ilcodagolc triinte ;
doensoc to nsiints hte affiromfaa ntipyoa nr tisceuotlfp a rro petrhtiaets
woudledfi "nleei ."Whf"a tv itaalffiirsmimss ntehetedo k eetphq eu estion
oft hsee nosfte h ree labtieotnw leeiea fnn sdc ieonpcesenu :c hq ueas tion
ini tgse nefrroamli s i mporfrtoamna tp hilosoopreh piicsatle mological
perspebcuititbtv e ec,o pmaersti cluypl raersfsoitrnh lgeei s fciewnhciecsh,
cannot iiwtgi ntohcrooeum tp romtihseoiiwnrnig n qeusiT.rhi es peciityfi c
ofb ioloormg eyd icfioCnrae n,g uiilnsho etm ,d aus et aottfkoe n oewdlge
thiast insluayffi dcveann(tcgaea tdph at driescceonvsteo rmmieae yas r,g ue,
wouhladv fiel lbeudit)s iirbr.Tle hedeus cpeciitoyfifb c iolaongmdye diince
depeonnd stf cahtte h laitv bienignh gasvane o rmativet olr ieBflyea .ti on
"norimv,aeC"ta nguimlehaenms thbaeti nalgrinesvo itan,ngc d a nnboet ,
indeirffetnott h ceo ndiotfti hoenlisir bf oet,th ot hien tecronnadli otifo ns
x Foreword
thoer ganlieustsmc ,a ll "thheeamal nth"d"d isseea,an"td o t heex ternal
condiptrioovnibsdy te hdne a tuarnasdlo cmiiallii new uh itchhe iyn teract.
XaevirB ichaactc,o rtdoCi anngg uilhem,t hesixisp mrpbeluosetfts eedn
neglefccattbe ynd o tictihniagwtt o uldmna'kstee ntsohe a vaeb ranocfh
physciacls"l peadt hobluoptga yt,h"o ilsaon geyc escsaatreygf ootrrh ye
lisfcei eCnacnegsu.i lmhoesfmtma' osuw so rokn,t he coonftc heep tnso r­
maaln tdh pea tholaotgtiecmapultn,sd etros tainasdst t waihkntae ht ve i tal
normtsh alti ving cobnesitnragensnt elgy oatinadmt oed ihfyo,w t hese
normasrd ei effrefrnotm a nsdh ounlobdt e c onfusweidto hrr edutcoe d
socnioarlme sv,ew nh eansi,i tts h cea seh ufmoartn hsei,yn teract.
Thet ruotfvh i talismi nrc eopnesaictsaetldslal itynt ge nttioto hnce o ­
origionfak rnioewtdlyg aen ldi ifne , tryitnoug no fltdh ceo nsequoefn ces
thriesc ipbreolcoanlag niidnn rg e,m indingt hpuers o btolhfesa met n se
anvda liunseo atp hilosophicatlh acctoo unblseddtr i uscptewiniosthne d
butt ean deenxcpsyrs eebdyv itnaolr mTsh.ii ssn otto s atyh ahtu man
fromosf esl hiofubleud n dersatsto heoexd p reosfss oimoseno orft" bio­
logidceatle rsmm:i"a nltilhh ei stoarnipdch aill oswooprhokifC c aanlg uil­
hem, tnomo etn tihoines t hiacnapdlo lictiocmamli tmesnptesaa,gk a inst
sucahni deTah.ii sts o s arya,th etrhh,au tm ahni sthoatrsoby e understood
int hceo ntoeftx hthei stooflr iyft ea,fs okwar h itchhne o tioonf" bioilcoagl
determiinosif s lmhi"et lttposl, ae ty h lee ast.
Thesseeot fps r oblmeamcys o nstitthupeth ei lospoaporhfti cCaaln guil­
hemw'osr bku,tt h ecya nnboest e parfraotmqe ude stioofmn est hod and
histWoirtyh.Ci ann guilwhoertmkh' tesh rseeee gmlisyne patrharteea ds
makceo ntaagcaatin nad g abiinn,d oibnjgea cntcdso nceHpetrmsee. t hod
inso ats eotfp redeterminedt aosppkuestr u asttiieoon n ss oeolxrvi isntg­
inqgu estiwohnest,ih nep rh ilossocpihemyne,cd ei,c oirtn hehe,i stoofr y
their continuaaln ddie nptaerrMtseuethrcoetisdsotr,.tni lscsy p eakiiasn g,
concweirtnh owfka nyoiswn Wgi.t chl ose attott hewenr tiiotionnfR g esn e
DescaArutgeusCs,ot met aen,Cd l auBdeer naCradn,g uimlohveeomsu t­
sitdheue s upaalt thrsa,n sgtrhebeso suinndgao rfci oensv enutinodnearl­
standoifsn cgise nptriofigcr ess. sChaonhwgosuwt i hleahsueetm h sopresa k
toe acoht her ownhweeo nu lleda esxtp eacnthd o iwtt h edyi vearggaei n
accortdoain nogn liunnedaerr stoafhn idsitnogr y. Chainsgtuoirlihceaml' s
episteompoelanow sgi yn doonwt doe batest hwleiei st fchiienan ttc hees
bgeinnoiftn hgge e netic revolutigorno-uuenpxdopw noh siciconhng ­ the
tempournadreyr stoafne dl iitnhfagoksle d .