Date: Sat, 15 Nov 1997 19:16:19 +0000
Subject: Re: Query


hugh bone wrote:
> 
> Beth Wilson wrote:
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> REPLY:
> 
> "Le Differend" is the most completely indexed book on philosophy,
> or language, I've seen.  Most of the author's paragraphs are numbered
> and cross-indexed several ways in an "index of terms".
> 
> However "sovereignty" is not one of the terms indexed. "Authority"
> is indexed, as are "genres of discourse", and phrase "regimens", and
> "politics".
> 
> The purpose of a tribunal is justice, but a plaintiff divested of the
> means to argue becomes a victim.  Genres of discourse and phrase
> regimens
> dominate language:  What we can say, how phrases can be linked, how
> language works, how judgments (including truth/falsity) are made.
> 
> Such are the elements of ideologies/laws,customs etc. by which the
> sovereign state (think 185 nation-states) justify life or death
> decisions concerning their citizens.
> 
> Sovereignty comes from God, or the more or less sacred documents
> resulting from the American Revolution, and a little later, the French
> Revolution. Or perhaps from any ideology which can gain power over
> the "minds" of social groups, reward compliance, execute dissenters etc.
> 
> My interpretation of course, but not rigid.  If anyone is interested
> it would be easy to discuss "Le Differend"  paragraph by paragraph.
> 
> Lyotard gives great deal of emphasis to certain Greek and German
> philosophers, also Wittgenstein and Gertrude Stein, incorporating
> extensive quotes and comments. This material also is well-indexed.
> 
> Hugh
> 
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> 
> > I'm afraid I've drifted a bit myself from much direct reading of Lyotard,
> > which is one of the reasons I'm subscribed to this list -- I'd hoped to
> > try and keep the braincells stimulated a bit in that regard, so it would be
> > nice to see this list become more active again.....
> >
> > With regard to sovereignty, I'm much more familiar with the term in the
> > context of Georges Bataille's thought.  Where does this term arise in
> > Lyotard?  (Does anybody more clued in than I am see a connection between
> > the way the two use the term?)
> >
> > Oh well, my $.02.
> >
> > Beth

He's not much of a philosopher either ...