Date: Sat, 22 Nov 1997 20:02:51 -0800
Subject: Re: Query - Sovereignty


William McClure wrote:
> 
> Concerning Lyotard on the issue of sovereignty: there are a number
> references to this in 'the Differend' - in particular in relation his
> discussion of "Genre and Norm".  In brief sovereignty is simply
> understood as the addrerssor instance of the normative phrase.  This
> type of phrase institutes the sovereign as its addressor.  Now in terms
> of the relation of this to Bataille's veiw on sovereignty one could say
> quite a lot.  In my veiw Bataille's notion of sovereignty is grounded in
> a concept of the subject that does not differ all that much from the
> notion of the subject as pure spontaneity. I would say that in contrast
> to Lyotard, Bataille's version of sovereignty is grounded in a
> humanism.  There is some intersting contrasts made in the Differend para
> 202. I would be intersted to hear what anyone makes of this paragraph.
> Regards, William
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William,

Although I can't offer much on par. 202 at this time, perhaps more
later.  

I notice quite a bit in immediately preceding paragraphs about
politics, forms of government, and the "civil war of 'language'.

And I don't understand how in par.202, humanity relates to sovereignty,
nor the reference to pagan humor.

Anyhow will re-check some more references and maybe find something 
that will help us understand what this is all about.  

Or, hopefully, someone else has ideas.

Cheers,
Hugh

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> P.S. I am interested in looking at the relation of Levinas' Logic and
> the chapter on "obligation" in the Differend.