Date: Sat, 15 Nov 1997 18:03:08 -0800
Subject: Re: Query


Arturo Cherbowski wrote:
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Well, Arturo and Beth, and Jon and whoever tunes in:

"Who We Are" was not written as poetry, was offered as thoughts,
which were, in part, stimulated by reading "Le Differend". 

It was an attempt to condense and suit words and their sounds to the
subject matter.  Others have liked it and called it poetry.

With respect to "Capital" as discussed by Arturo:  There is some 
discussion of capital and labor in "Le Differend", and to the extent
the book is about rights and wrongs, tribunals, the role of language in
determining "truth", "facts" "sovereignty" etc. (see my previous post)
there is some relevance.  

With respect to the "call" of obligation, there is a chapter on
Obligation and lots of other material and cross-references.

Have any of you seen, read, scanned or studied the "Le Differend"?

I read, hastily, the "Post-Modern Condition", but having read other
stuff about post-modernism and deconstruction, didn't find it that
different.  Maybe I overlooked something.

Have also read quite bit of Foucault, some Bataille, DeLeuze, Lacan,
Kristeva etc.  Couldn't get interested in Derrida.  Foucault gave me 
new ways of thinking about social matters, especially sovereignty.

I look for writers who can open doors, give new insights etc. for 
my particular interests, which are currently in the area of
consciousness
and language.

The cult of the "great author", what was said, what was meant, which has
produced millions of volumes on Shakespeare, is not for me; but it is
essential for the specialization of scholars, and they sometimes produce
profound works that are both readable and enjoyable.

Arturo, can you tell us more about Lyotard, the person?

Thanks,
Hugh