Agamben and Indifference: A Critical Overview

314 Pages·2013·4.421 MB·English

by  William Watkin

Agambena ndI ndifference
A CritiOcvaelr view
Willaim Watkin
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British CataloguiinnP gu blicatIinofonr matiAovna ilable
A catalorgeuceo forrdt hibso oki sa vailafbrloemt heB ritiLsihb rary
ISBNH:B 978-1-78348-007-4
ISBNP:B 978-718-348-008-1
LibraorfCy o ngreCsast aloging-in-PDuabtlai cation
WatkiWni,l lia1m9,7 0-
Agambeann di ndiffe:r ecanr cietiocvaelr viIeW wi lliWaamt kin.
p.cm.
Includbeisb liographicala nrdie nfdeerxe.n ces
ISBN9 78-1-78348-(0c0l7o:-ta 4hl kp.a pe-r-)I SBN9 78-1-78348-(0p0b8k:a-. l1k p.a pe-r-)I SBN
978-718-348-00(9e-l8e ctronic)
1.A gambeGni,o rg1i9o4, 22-.A pathIy.T. i tle.
B361l.A44W362013
195--dc23
2013024919
@�1
Thep apeurs eidn t hipsu blicamteieotnts h mei nimurme quiremoefAn mtesr ican
NationSatla ndaforrdI nformatSicoine ncPeesr manenocfPe a peforr P rintLeidb rary
MateriAaNlSsI,/N ISOZ 39.48-1992.
Printientd h Uen iteSdt atoefsA merica
Contents
Acknowledgements ix
Introduction xi
Notes xvii
ParIt:T heA rchaeoloogfI yn difference
1 ThSegi nateuo rfAThlilgn s,Pa radigamnsd S ignatures 3
ThMee thaondd IAtism s 4
WhaItas P ardaigm? 7
Analo:T goti hcSei de 9
GrammaasPr e rformEaxtaimlvpoeef I ntelligibil1it1y
NotoenC ommunicability 12
Exmaplaen Edx clusion 15
PariagdmaPtoiiceD,ti aliecc tic 16
PhenomenoHleorgmiectnaie:lTcu hsPea radaitgCimicr cle1 7
TheoorfSyi gnatures 18
FoucasSu tlatt'emaesSn itgsn atures 19
OntoloEgpiticesamlo logy 21
SignaDtiosarpcyle ment 22
InidfferMeanrtk iPnogt,e natniPdar li vation 23
SignaatsCu rriet Pihlcioaslo Dpheryr:iv dears sD ueleuze 24
N� �
2 PhilosophAirccahla eology 29
ArcPhhei:l osoAprhhcaiecooaglly 30
Reprens sio 31
ThMeo meontfA rising 32
BenjamNionwi-aTnai nmDdei aclteiactaSs t dasnt 34
Noteo nN ymphasn Pdl ates 38
State-mePanrtasmdsi-gSignatures 39
Baidoaun d TSheeto ry 43
PhilosoAprhcihcaaelo logy 45
Notes 46
3 Lagnuagea nDde atInhd:i fferDeinftf ereanscS eu chi n
Hegealn dH eidegger 49
The TAhgreeosefI ndfiefrence 50
Second-IOnrddiefrf PeurreDenif cfeer:ea nsSc uec h 52
Heiedgg:He eredtihnDegi ffearsDe infcfee rence 53
v
vi Contents
*SWeh:a ItPs r oper 57
HegelAibasno launttdeh A ep ootpraEicco noomfty h e
Dieacltic 59
Ereiagnntdih Usen sayianHb eleie dgger 61
Notes 62
4 The ComgiC nommunAint Eyss:ao yn I ndifferent
Singularities 65
Whatever 65
Exapmle 68
Benig-aNmed 73
SpaacneTd i me 79
TempoIrnadli ffTehrTeei nmTcehae Rt:me ains 81
PardaigomfsS paEcaes:a enH da los 82
TakiPnlgaO cutes ide 84
Notes 86
5 TowardsD eai ctOinct ologoyrB eing-ThAuss- Such 91
Psuedonym 91
ThIer reparable 93
DecitOincot loTghye: Tahnutdsh A es -Such 95
AsS uch 100
Notes 102
ParHt: D iffereanncdeI ndifference
6
170
Satnazsa nSdi gnification 110
LanguaanDgdee a atnhVd o ice 121
NamiNnagm iansSg u cahn Dde rr'iUsdn daedcabilse 117
KhoorrMa a ttaestr hT ea king-Place 121
DifferaMnackeeA sg ambeIndnifiafne rCeonmcumen icabl1e62
Law aMneds sianism 127
SyncategTohreimnakAtinindcg : 130
Notes 133
7 PotentiaVliirttyu,a laintdIy m potentiaAlgiatmyb,e na nd
Deleuze 137
Potenttyi-aIolmtipentiality 173
Imp otentaisPa alriamtd yio Igfn difference 140
DarknVeisbsesli 124
DeleuzViiarnt uaanlPdio ttye ntiality 143
DiffereDnelteiuaatznieAdn g ga mbtehnr ough Indi1f64f erence
Notes 194
8 TheT wo Bartlebies: Deleuzea,n dAI gmammabneennc e 151
AL iafseI mpersIonnfdafile rence 151
ViatliassIm m potentiality 145
BeatuidtoefS elf-Predication 165
AgambePnh'isl oyso ofLp ihtfoeC ome 185
CreaftriootnmhA eb yss 106
ThFeo rmulIaP :r efer Not To 164
AgamboenDn e ulzeoen B artleby 166
Contingency 196
MessiaDnecirce ation 127
ThTew oB artbleiesP arWta ys 147
Notes 167
ParItI IT:h eI ndifferoefnI cned ifferePnoclei:t iLcasn,g uagLei,f e
9 HomoS acaenrdt heP olitoifcI sn difference 181
HomSoa cReerd ux 181
ThSei gnaotfLu irfee 138
Homo aSndat chePerr obolfet mhF eri sPta ramd ig 187
A NewP oliotfIid ncisff erence 188
Homo aSsPa hcielrop shoicAarlc haeology 109
NotoenS uspnesni oSoufs penns io 139
IndistIinndcitfifoenr-ence 193
Speculoant itFohornem atoifSo ing natures 169
ThLeo giocfE xcepItcniloundE:ex duc silon 189
ExamlpeA:g ambaennBd a diou 201
ThBea nN:o nrelaRteiloantailo nality 204
Notes 206
10 TheK igdnmo and GtlohryeT: h eA rticulaItneodp erativity
ofP ower 290
AuctoarniPdt oattsseaT :sh Ceo mlpeAtret icuolfPa otwieorn 2 09
Formt hPea radtiotg hmSe i gnature 214
OinkoomTihaSe:i gnaPtroaroxyfiA s r ticuCloamtuitnuga l
Cointelligibility 216
ThPer ovidMeancthiianle 221
Glo:Ar ryticuIlnaotpeedr ativity 227
InoperaTthiIevn idtiyf:f eroefIn ntdiiaftfieorne nce2 32
ThreoslThdh:Ae e sthoefIt nifdcfise r(ePnoceet ry as
Signature) 238
Notes 214
11 TheS acraomfLe nagtnu age:La nguagaes
Communicability 245
WittgenPsutlbeiLican n'gsu Tahgeeo ry 246
The SusQtuaeisntoeifWdo h naI tMt e anfsoH ru man
BeintgoHs a vLea nguage 249
Acclamaanttdih oOena th 250
Performativity 253
viii Contents
AnA rchaeooftl hoOega yt h 255
InfaanncHdyi s toTrhyHe:u maCna apciftoLyra nguage2 16
Deixis 263
ThSei gann tdh Set anTzhaBe:a r a ntdh Beox 264
LanugagaesS ignaAt Cuornec:l usion 266
Notes 268
ConclusiTohne:E ndo fL yingt,h eB irtohfL iving 271
ThOep eratoifv Pitethryef orimnat thOieav teh 271
AssretoarniVdce r iidctive 273
AportoapiciTshmEe:n odf L yindgt haBeni rotfLh i ving 275
thresohfso uslpdne sni o 279
Notes 281
Bbiliropaghy 283
Index 287
Acknowledgmeents
Iw oullidkt eo s incetrheaGlnyiok r gAigoa mbfeonhr i cso ntisnuupe­d
porftom ry w orakn edx ceptikoinnaadnl dl yg enweorrodaussrs ea grds
thpiasr tiscutudlyIaw. ro ulda llsiotk ote h aSnakr Caahm pbaenlmdlo re
widelRyo wma&n L ittlIenftieerlndaf topiroro vndiailna gf reasnhid n ­
novataipvpaerc otho a cadepmuibchl iinsagnd, paor per home for the
booFki.n amlygl rya tittoGu edreh Raicrhdt feoprr er misnst iouo s'eB te­
ty't hofenr ocnoetv. r
ExcerfprotTmsh Sea acmreton fL agnugaeA:nA rchaleooogfty h e bOya th
GiorAggiaom beCno,p yr©i g2h01t1b y thaer odBf To rustoefte hse
LelaSntda nfJorUr.nd i verEsnigtlTyir sahn sl(act2)i0 o0Gn8i; ul sa terza
anFdi golrii gTihnKaeil n;g adnotdmh G el obryGy io rgAigoma benC,o py­
rgih©t 2011b yt hBeoa rodfT rustoefte hLsee l anSdt anfJorr.d Univer­
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ix

Inrtodutcino
Thew ayisnw hicwhed o not thkinnoagwrjs eu assti mpor(taanndt
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preciwshealty detfhriean neoskf wwheaa tr aeb lteok noawn dt hat
thaer ticulaaz toinooefnn oonkfn owliesdt hgceeo nidoi-nta-nda tt he
samtei mteht eo uchs-tofoa nloelu krn owle.d..ag ret iicnuaglz aotne
ofn onknowldeodengsoe mt e asni mpnloykt n owiinitgs n; o otn lay
questiono rdo eff elIcamttce .ka nosn,t hceo ntrmaariyn,t aoinnei­ng
selifnt her igrhetl ahtiipow nistihg nora(nAcgea.m bNeund,i ties
1
11-314)
Acrotshsmea joroifGt iryog iAog ambsew no'r akp atteemerrng .Ae ts
the oefna d de tapihlieldg oilcsoatlu odfyt he vaprairoaudsio gfam s
partipchuelnaorm esnpoann nuisnuga,,el xltyenpdeerdi oofd st ime, the
essoarby o kor evetahlatsth m eu liltpiyc iotfv atrhiepo aursa dicganm s
beo rganbiesneedaa s tihgn loev erarccohnicnegps tturuaurlc:ep tower,
langupaogtee,n tpioeatlrilyti,Tyf ,he i.cs o ncepsttcurtauulir se dominat­
edh,e e xplabiyan nse ,c omnyom aedu po fa ne lenmtwe hicshe etmos
fountdhp eh enomeannodans reioefss ubseqeuleenmtew nhtisca hp ­
pear atcoat luitshei s foeulnedmioenrnsg ti mply wahilwclehodt oa re
occbueruc saoef a h eld-in-commonT hfefo ouunnddoairtn igoo rni.g i­
natienlge miewsnh ta Atg ambceanlt lhcseo mmownh,i tlheee l ements
foundheetd e rtmhspe r orpa,el thotuhmgeoh s tf almiirn aamfeo trh ese
in whoirsik ps a ramdsiT.gh eirnseo thiinntge ntdobe end e wh ere. The
common-pdraiolpeecirtss ii cmy pa lnotwhaeyor f c igtt ihn"eg ainogtm­a
chpieatr eios ui satsh,'e ab ttolfge i anctosn cernintgh adbtee fiinnge,s'
Westemrent aph,ys2nia cmse'tl'hyt,eh ree-millsekninrimai-slho nbge ­
twetehnoe n aen tdh mea n.y
Agambtehnei nn sitshattthsc e o ntseinsacsys udm eftohrei cso nomi­
casly staec mo,m mofno undaftoairs o teon f p araidgmtsh oapt eraasat e
namesded tu et ot hesihra rtihncigso mmofno undaitsai cotnu,ia nl­ly
consiAsgtaeninonti .n novahteirloein;hks ie ns u mersfo ourbAegaarms­
behna nso t imfeos rt rucotfcu ornessseti nutn iotrwy h aDte rrciadlal s
prseencDeel,e eut zerritor.Ai tta hlsiitssa ahgtoeiw,oe nvAegra,m ben ha­
bitupalclaeltsyh ree adienwr h ahtec alazl osn oert hresohfio nlddi stinc­
tioinn,o peraitnidviistcyey,r,s n usipnbesiilooirint n diff3eH reue snecse .
varioust ont aemrtemh zseo naen vda riootuhste err tmods e sigintast e
sepciqfuiacl biuttty h,se t rucitsau lrwea tyhsse a m.Ie nt hizso noef
xi
xii Introduction
inidffertehncecl eed,ai rf febreetnwceee fno utnhdeci onmgm oann adc ­
tuianls taonftc hecisos m mofno unda(ttiphoorenp e rb)ec omceosun sfed.
Fisrti,it sd i fftioca uslcte rwthaiicenhl emietsnh tce o mmoann wdh ich
thper opSeerc.o inbtde ,c omes tihmeoprsesfiobsrlaeety h tatothc e o m­
monf ounsdt ehp rorpa eso fttehnpe r orps eeemtsoc onsttrhuceco tm ­
mona si tfso undaattali aotnde artr ee trospaencrdte itvreolaycO tri vely.
simpolnyce,a nnboet swuhrieci hs rtehacelo lmym oann wdh icihts h e
propFenira.l tlhyee,n erogfty h deai lecstyisct,ao elnm ea ndm any or
commoann pd roeprd,i psasteiasst hiense rogrey c onodmeypn edosn
opopsitidoinfafle rTheeno cneea.n d thmea nmyu sbte d iffefrreonmt
eacoht hearn,da ,c roosusWr e stemrent aphytsriacdaitlth iemoyun s t
alwabyeis na s taotfce o ntgeiasgtnto,a mchwiiate,ha coht her.
ForA gambaelnWl e stecronn ceopfat nsys ignifdiecraitnvhceee i r
longecvointsyi,s atneodnp ceyr atfirvotimht deyi eaclticcoanlf lict inter­
natlot hebme tweeelne mewnhtisca hrc eo mmoann del emewnhtisc h
arper oerp.T hec ommoinsm eaninaglsae fsosu ndeilnegm einfit t
founndost hitnhgui;snt ,e etdhspe r op.T ehrep orpeirsm errea ndom
multipulnilcetishteesyl emecnaftnis n asd e t-sctoennsscioty h,en ye ead
he-lidcno-mmofno undaftoitroh nel ierg itiamnadic dnyett iyY.e tth e
common must bec anonnaoedt,m itsotbo ei niagtn e lemoefn t the
syst.Te hmeo ne mbueos utst idtehs ey stteogm u arainttcseo en sistent
delimiAtnadtt ihpoern o.rp m eusbtem aniytf h sey stietsmo b ea blteo
takaec cooufan ntdt ,h ubsai,sc aclolnytt rhwoeli ddei verosfci htayn ging
humaenx perioevnelcrae rp gerei oodfts i meen cmopsasihnugg neu m­
bers poeofp lhee lwdi thdiinf fecruelentstuT. rh ereefvoercreoy,n cienp t
thWee sitbs i fudrc.Oan tepe artm usatl wabyeas f oundcionmgm otnh,e
othaenar c tuaptriornpOg.en ee lemiemsne ta ninwgitlheostusht oe t her,
yet eelaecmhme unstrt e taar ianid coaplop istiodniaflf efrreontmch ee
other. Thiosft n emsaiiclnheti enrec ihsAa gnagbmene s'd escriopft ion
metaspihacynsd ohviesra ailtmlh eer acdaitoiofapn h ilosoofdp vihiy­
sinwo ithroeucto tuort shoea ftt ranscuennid.te ynt
Ifso methoicncgu rs twhimeta hcihnia nned, a liwta dyoseb se cause
thmea chiinfsea ulty,m awkhetishcc elh re d aiffebreetnwcteehe tenwo
·elemqeunetsst iobnlaubrlirele,ild co,oag rli ndiinscttth,et nhn ee cessary
differienntteirarblee ltawtecieoonmn m oann d prrb oepceomienso pera­
tivoers imyp ilndiffTehrece lnetda.ir f febreetnwceece onm moann d
prorpi enso w obscuarste h,we h aonlsdesy tedme pnedosn t he distinc­
tiobne tween compmroonrp ,te hasensy dt eimsr n edreeidn operative
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every Awgoarmkb heanws r itstien,nac tel ea1s79t8,I. ti si,no ther
wordtsh,oz soen oefis n distaittn hceetn iodof Ln a nggeua anDde aTtheh ,
CoimnCgo mmunyi,Ht omSoae crT,h e TimRee maT,Thi hanOetsp eSnt,eao ft
Excepatnsdio oo nnt, h paotr vitdhere e eavli ndcefeo Arg ambsel na's ting
origi.nH aidlsies rtciyptoifmo ent aspihicyss oalasds p hiolpohsiyt self.