Of the Sublime: Presence in Question

263 Pages·1993·5.128 MB·English

by  Jean-Francois Courtine, Jeffrey S. Librett

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OF THE ·SUBLIME:
PRESENCE IN QUESTION
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SUNY SeriIenst,e rsecPthiiolnoss:o apnhdCy r itiTchaelo ry
Rodolphe GaansdcM haer kC .T ayloerd,i tors
OF THES UBLIME:
PRESENCIEN QUESTION
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Essabyys
JeaFnr-anc;:oCiosu rtine
MicheDle guy
EliaEnsec oubas
Philippe Lacoue-Labarthe
Jeanr-aFnc;:Loyiost ard
LouiMsa rin
Jean-NLauncc y
JacoRbo gozinski
translaantdwe idt ahn A fterwobryd
JeffreLyiSb.r ett
BogazUinciiv eLrisbirtayr y
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STATUEN IVERSOIFTN YE w YoRKP RESS
originpaulbllyi sinh Ferde nacshD uS ublime
PaJre an-FraCno�uoritsiM niceh,De elg uEyl,i aEnsec oubPahsi,l iLpapceo ue-Labarthe,
Jean-FraLny�ootiaLsro du,Mi asr iJne,a n-NLauncc Jya,c oRbo gozinski
©EditiBoenlsiP na,r 1i9s8 8
Publisbhye d
StaUtnei verosfi tNye w PYroersk
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Nion paanryt moafn ntehri sw hbaootor;pwos· (rerkoert!P.pmi e;rcftimvo�stdsaeiue;oyrcnhe !d·�·wb;�.ip�.ei�·�.u�9.· t·�\�·n·uh·'�·' .so''?'(($..•eu.':. ." dt .. ..· ·
exceipntt h cea soefb riqeufo tateimobnosd iiend
critairctailac nlder se views.
Fori nformaatdidorneS,st saU tnei verosfNi etwyY ork
PresSst,aU tnei verPsliatzAyal ,b anNyY,1 2246
ProducbtiyCo hnr isLtynicnhe
MarketbiynD ga nEa. Y anulavich
LibroafrC yo ngrCeastsa loging-in-DPautbal ication
Dus ubliEmneg.l ish.
Oft hSeu bliPmree:s einncQ eu estieosns:aI y bsyJ ean
-Fran�Cooiusr ti.n.[e.e at!.:]t ranslaantdwe idta hn a fterword
byJ effrSe.Ly i brett.
p. em-. (SUNsYe riIenst,e ractions)
TranslaotfDi:uo s nu blime.
Inclubdiebsl iogrraepfheirceanlc es.
ISBN0 -7914-13(7a9l-pk9a. p e-r).I SBN0 -7914-13(8p0b-k:2.
ailep.a per)
1.S ubliTmhee,. I .C otirtJienaen,- FranI'TITo.ii tsl.e .
II·Is.e rIinetse:r ac(tAilobnasNn .yY,. )
BH30l.S7D1891933
111.'8 5-dc20
91-9447
CIP
109 8 76 5 4 3 21
CONTE NT S
Notoen t hTer anslation vii
Preftaoct eh Fer enEcdhi tion 1
Jean-Luc Nancy
1.TheD iscouorfEs xea lta(tJ\1io.n>.re yryoapeLv):
Contributtoai R oenr eadoifnPgs eudo-Longinus 5
-··
MichDeelg uy
2.TheS ubliOmffee ring 25
JeanN-aLnucyc
3.Kanotr t hSei mpliocfti htSeyu blime 55
EliEasnceo ubas
4.SubliTmreu th 71
PhilLiapcpoeu e-Labarthe
5. TheI nteroefts htSe u blime 109
Jean-FLryaont�aorids
6.TheG ifto ft hWeo rld 133
JacRoobg ozinski
7. TrageadnydS ublimTihteSy p:e culaItnitveer preotfa tion
OediRpeuoxsn t hTeh reshoofGl edr maInd ealism 157
!ean-FCroaunrftoiinse
8.O na T oweorfB abeilna P aintbiynP go ussin 177
LouMiasr in
Afterword
PosittihnSegu bliRmeea:d iHnegi degRgeeard ing Kant
JeffreyLSi.b rett 193
Contributors 221
Notes 223
Index 2$t51

NOTE ON THE TRANSLATOIN
I
havaet tempitnet dh et ranslabteiloontwso fi nds omem iddlger ound
betweaenne xcespsriovxei mtiott hyeF renacnhd a ne xcespsriovxei mtiot y
idiomaAtmiecr icEanng liIsfIhh .a veer readsi, sm y owni mpressiinto hne,
directoifpo rne sertvoie nxgc etshses y ntaclteitctoaefltr h eo riginIac lasn,
onlhyo pteh atth eeff ecotfe strangetmheenrteg beyn eraitsie nsd o men on­
trivwiaayrl e lattoet dh kei nodfd isoriencthaatriaocnt eorfti hssetu ibcl ime.
Withr espetcotq uotatifroonms G ermatne xtisng enerIa hla,v e
checktehdeF rencthr anslaatgiaoinntssh teG ermaonr igiannadle sx isting
Englitsrha nslationst,o t rheeEf negrlrieisdnhig t iionnt sh en otebsu,tfr e­
quentplryo vidmiyno gw nt ranslaotfti hoenpssae s saignte hsae t temtpofit n d
somree asonable cobmeptrwoermeeinas dea bifildietltyio,tt yhG ee rmaann,d
fideltiott yh Fer enecdhi tiqounost beydt haeu thoorfts h ese essays.
Int hcea soefK antw,h eraep plicaanbdul nel eostsh erwiinsdei cattheed ,
referegnicveepsna r entheitnit chtaeel xlptyr ovitdhseee ctniuomnb e(r) ,f§o l­
lowebdyt hpea gneu mbeorft hFer enecdhi tiaonndt, h ebny t hpea gneu mber
oft heE ngliesdhi tiTohneG. e rmaend iticoonn sulwtaestd h eW erkausgabe,
edW.i lheWlemi schedel (aFmrM aaniknfuS:ru th rkaVmepr la1g9,7 5T)he.
Frencehd iticointseu dn,l eostsh erwiinsdei caatreedC:,r itdieql uare a ison
purter,an As.. TremesaayngdBu .Pe asc au(dP arPirse:s usneisv ersidtea ires
Franc1e9,8 6C)r;i tdieqI uare a ipsroant tirqaunJe,s,G . i bel(iPna rVirsi:n ,
1983C)r;i tdieIq afu aec duejl utgete rra,nAs .P. h ilone(nPkaorV irsi:n1 ,9 86);
andP remiere ian ItaCr roidtduiecIq atfu iaeoc ndu elj tuegte rra,nGs u.i llernit
(ParVirsi:n1 ,9 75T)h.eE ngliesdhi ticointsae rde C:r itoifPq uureRe e ason
(abbreviatetdr aCnNPsoR.r) m,aK ne mpS mit(hN eYwo rkS:tM .a rtiPnr'ess s,
1965C)r;i toiPfqr uaec Rteiacsa(oClPn r Rt)r,a nLse.w iWsh itBee c(kC hicago:
UniverosfiC thyi caPgroe s1s9,4 9a)nd;C ritoiJfqu udeg m(eCJnt)tr, a nJs,H. .
Berna(rNde Yw orkC:o llMiaecrm ilPluabnl is1he9r5s1I,n)t .h cea soefr efer­
encetsot hfier svte rsiooftn h ien trodutcott ihoeCn r itoiJfqu udeg mtehne t,
Engliesdhi trieofne rtroie std h ter anslbaytW ieornn eSr.P luh(aIrn dianapo­
liHsa:c kePtutb lisChoi.n1,g9 8a7n)di sa bbreviCa]tITe.hd e saeb breviations
aroem ittwehde nii tcs l efarro tmh ceo ntewxhti cwho riksb eincgi ted.
Int hec asoef H eideggerian vIo hcaavbgeue lnaerryat,lr layn slated
'"l'e(tGreer"m a"nd:aS se ina"s") B einagn"d' Teta(nGte"r ma"nd:aS se iende")
as" thbee ing."
vii
viii NOTOEN T RANSLATION
Thef ewt ranslantootreIh's as vaed deadr ien e accha sfeo rmulaitne d
sucahw ayt hatth eayr oeb vioumsylo yw nI.h avteh erefore dwiistphe nsed
anyfu rthienrd icatthiatothn e ayr neo tt hoer igianuatlh onrost'e s.
Ia m gratetfuotl h ea uthoorfts h ees satyrsa nslhaetrefedo t rh et ime
thetyo otkod isctuhsesei srs awyistm he i nt hseu mmeorf1 98I9a .mg rateful
alstoo L oyolUan iverCshiitcya fgooar SummeRre searAcwha ridn 1 989
whichhe lpfienda ncteh iwso rkI.a mi ndebfutretdh teorD aviWdi llifaomrs
hiass sistiantn hcpeer eparaotfti horene feretnocG eese,rV ta nC leemput for
hiass sistwainttchhe qe u otatfrioomnt sh Ger eeakn,dt ot hpea tieonfCc aer ­
olSaa utotfeS rU NY Preasnsd t heed itoofrt sh isse riTehset. r anslaatrieo ns
dedicattoPe adu lLai braentdtt o t hmee moroyfI rviLnigb rett.
PREFACET O THE FRENCH EDITION
JaenL-uNcan cy
A Beinbge yonadlb le au.t.ty.h s eu blime.
-Bejnamin
O
nem ayb et emptteodi magitnheao tu re pocihsr ediscovtehresi unbg ­
limie,tns a mec,o nceoprtq ,u estiBountcs l.e atrhliyis,sb yn om eantsh cea se,
foorn en everre turntsoa nyp rimoorm enitn h istoThrey s.u bliimsne o ts o
much whwaet' rgeo inbga ctko a sw herwee 'rceo minfrgo m. Esveirn ce
Boileatur'asn sloaftai nodcn o mmentuaproyn L onginauess,t heotrit chse,
thougohfta rt-baults toh ougihnts ofaasir ti sp rovokbeyda rt-hnaost
ceasteodp ursueei,t heexrp licoirit mlpyl ictihtqelu ye,s toifot nh seu blime.
Onec ouldde monsttrhaiwtsie t hoduitffi cutlhtryo ughtohueetn timroed ern
andc ontempohriasrtyoo rfay r ta,e stheatnidcp sh,i losoTphheys .u blime
propecrolnys tiotuurtt ersa d(iitanie sotnh eattti hcvese rlye absuttt, h etnh is
restriacltrieoaendn yt angluesis ns omoe ft hqeu estiwohnisca hr teo datyi ed
tot hes ublimTeh)et. r aditpiaosnso ens[ Ltar adtirtainosnmWe hta]t.i t
passoenst ous int hnea meo ft hseu bliimsne o ta na estheIttii sac bso.v ael l
nota na estheotfit chse grandiose, theo rt mhoeen cusmteanwttiiatclh,,
whicthh seu bliimse oftceonn fused-admintottwe idtlhyo cuetr thaiisnt ori­
carle asownhsi,c h mbuehs atn dlweidt dhi screetvieoannst , h iasl l-too-heavy
words ublmiumsptee rhagprsa duableel ffya ceTdh.et radiptaisosnoe nst he
aesthaestq iuce stiWohni.cm he annso thiontgh etrh asne:n sipbrlees entation
asq uestion.
Sensipbrlees entiasatq iuoens t(iaonnid tr equitrheipssh ra"ssee,n sible
presentatthiueon np,e"r ceived otfwa huitcoahll orgeyca odnyt aiinna ss e,n se,
thweh olper obletmot) h eex tetnhtat th ougihsot r ganiazreodu ntdh meo tif
ofr epresewnhitciahsbt y id eofinn,i tnioonns ens(iabltle eaa sslt o nagsi itss till
necesstaosr pye aiknt hetseer msR)e.p resentcaotnisotnit thuietn esst aonfc e
th"eo bjefcottr"h at thwohuigchihtsfu ndamenttahltelh yo ugohftt h "es ub­
ject"-tihsfa,ot pr h ilosocpohnyc eiavste hdde o minasnttr ucatnudrm ea trix
throuwghhi cthh e Weassst u,c uhn,d erstands itself.
1
2 ]EAN-NLAuNcC Y
Represenitasar ttiiocnui lnta etreomdfsc onforamnisdti yg nification.
Buptr esenptuattisin otpnol atyhe ev eanntdt heex ploosfai noa np pearing
anddi sappwehaircichno,gn sidientr heedm seclavnencsoo,tn fotroom rs ig­
niafyn ythTihniegsx. p loesvieivnwseth atth ter adiptaisosnet sou sio ntn h .e
nameosfb eauatnyd /sourb liFmriottmyh .me o menwth erne presentation
cometsok noiwt steobl esf u cahn cdo metosp resietnsatess lfu c(ht·hi asat,l so
toc ritidciisztead,ne cceo,n sotrrd uecstti,rt osyea ml ofm)e,nw th iccho nsti­
tuttehshe i stoofmry o dearrnat n dt hougihttta ,ku epsa tu nknocwonsa t
questioonnc-teart a diatniudon nhaeloa fr-do f presentation.
Thqeu estoifto hsneu bliipsma es soenad n ddo wtnou sa st hqeu estion
ofp resenItnta htciiosol nl.e tchtreie oandw,ei rel nlc oudnitveersr tsaeot re s
ordeorfps r esent(adtiisocnot uhrsesu em,m oonfsa ppearoafnfceer,i ng,
trultihm,ci otm,m unicfaeteilowinon,rg lt,dh ,u ndere-tbcoI.sl )ht.a,n l olt
attetmo(p rte )estthaeubinlrii Ttshyhe .ay r neo dti vefirgsuero erds e nomina­
tioonfas s inegslsee Intwc ienl.ol d oubbte cocmlee tahrat thq eu estoifo n
presenittsah tqeiu oens toifwo hnai tas t p laaytt hlei moiftt h ees setnhcues:,
att hlei moifwt h aitms o r"ee ssetnota irtathl ai"nte ss seans"c aeri tt"s jeulsft,
ast hseu bliimsmo er "ee ssetnotb ieaalut"th yat nhv ee reys seonfc ebt ehaeu ­
tifuIlti.a s l stoh ereafm oarteto efsr o metthhianotgv erfloiwnas ri tta sretl f,
oro fs ometthhioanvtge rflfroowmos u otfa ratn,pd u tisn tcoo mmunication
orc ontacitn staalonlfpc reess ent(aftoeirxo anm phlies,t coormym,u nity,
senpsoel,i tthiocusg,ahn tde, v erne presenwthaitciihsio tnsa,el lsofon eof
theisnes tances).
Weh avneoi ntenotfgi roand uaaelsltyh etailoclfei xziisntgQe unictee.
thceo ntrIaftrh yee.s sianyt sh ciosl lehcatvoieno ceno mmotnr aiiittts ,h at
thecyo ncneodteh tioan egs theBtiutcthi qesu me.s toifpo rne senitsai,tn i on
facnto,t hoitnhgte hra tnh qeu estoifeo xni st(esnhcoeou nlesd a ys:e nsible
existeanssc uecI?hyf).o lui ktehq:eu estoifbo eni ng-in-the-world.
Isit th qiuse sttihoawntep urstuher ocuognhs ideornat th"ieso unbs­
limeN"ou?tn likAetll eyai.sit wts o rptuht tsiuncagqh u esttioto htnee st-by
attempttoidnsagoy m,te h ougohft sstu hbel ime.
Thicso lleacrtiiosouenots f t hsee r"iAensa loyftt hiSecu blipmueb"­
lishient dh jeo urPnoa&ls,bi eet we1e9n8a 4n d1 896t,ow hicfho uort her
esshaayvsbe e eand ded.
Theo rdaedro phteerdae t temtpoct osr restpoao c nedr ttahienm atic
distriobftu htteie oxnfit rss:Mt i,c hDeelg usyt'usod fyL ongi(nPuose tique,
vol5.8 t)h;e tnh ees stahyast ta kaest heoibrj escutb lpirmees enittasteilofn
(JeanN-aLnuccEy l,i aEnsec ouPbhaisl,iL papceo ue-Labartvhoel-.P o&sie,
30, a3n3d28 ,N) e.x tth,te e xtthssa pte ctihsfyeu bliinam cec ordwaintachne
objoecret n dt:h oosfJe e an-FrLayno'rto(aihrsedd r ief fefrreohnmit as r ticle
inP o&svioe3l,4. a) n Jda cRoobg ozi(naslaksp ior eviuonupsulbyl airsthie­d
clew)h,i ecxhp relsisnulkpyws i tLhy otaJreda'ns-;F rCaonuyrotisistn ued'ys