3/28/2016

VersoBooks.com

VERSO

About

Authors

Recentcontributors
RobertBrenner
BarrySchwabsky
NancyFraser
SarahShin
FlorenceStencelWade

Recentlymentionedauthors
NancyFraser
BarrySchwabsky
RobertBrenner
WangHui
HsiaoHungPai

Books

Blog

Events

Subjects

40yearsofradicalpublishing
Cart(0)/LogIn/Register

Badiou:DownwithDeath!
ByMiriDavidson/18August2015

Whatisthemeaningofdeathtoday?ForAlainBadiou,itisareminder
thatwearedefinedbyfinitude:'weareonlymortals'istheorderofthe
day,underlyingbothcapitalistandreligiousnihilisms.Inaseminar
givenon18May2015,Badiouofferedanewconceptionofdeathas
radicalexteriority.'Deathissomethingthathappenstoyouitisnotthe
immanentunfoldingofsomelinearprogramme.'TranslatedbyDavid
Broder.

Allauthors

Polemics
byAlainBadiou
Overturningthedominant
narrativeofevents,from
theParisCommunetothe
Iraqwars.
27posts

Recentlymentionedbooks
ScatteredSand
TheStruggleforTibet
OneChina,ManyPaths
TheEndoftheRevolution
ChinasTwentiethCentury
Seemorebooks

TheMeaningofSarkozy
byAlainBadiou
Thereactionarytradition
behindSarkozy,andthe
communisthypothesisfor
thetwentyfirstcentury.
30posts

FollowVerso
Facebook
Twitter
RSSFeed

ByAlainBadiou
Links
#TransontheVersoblog
#FeminismontheVersoblog
#BlackLiberationontheVersoblog
#MentalHealthontheVersoblog
#GreeceontheVersoblog
#ClimateChangeontheVersoblog
#ItalianCommunismontheVersoblog
#EconomicsontheVersoblog
LondonReviewofBooks
Bookforum
DemocracyNow!
Guernica
Harper's
Counterpunch
Mondoweiss
N+1
Nation
TheNewInquiry
NewLeftReview
Dissent
RadicalPhilosophy
ElectronicIntifada
OpenDemocracy
ReadySteadyBook
libcom.org
TariqAliTV
Jacobin
DavidHarvey

Archives
2016
March
February
January
2015
December
November
October
September
August
July

Letsstartfromthenotionofnihilism.Whatdoesitmean?Nihilismisa
figuration,adiagnosticonthestateoftheworldandofthought,which
establisheditselfinthenineteenthcentury(wecouldarguethatina
certainsensethefirstnihilistphilosophywasSchopenhauers)onthe
ruinsoftheoldreligiousandclassconvictionsasifnihilismhadcome
alongtonamethevoidinwhichthecollectivesymbolisationfounditself.

PocketPantheon
byAlainBadiou

Sowecouldsaythatnihilismisthenegativesubjectivationoffinitudeit
isfundamentallytheorganisedoranarchic(eitherispossible)
consciousnessthatbecausewedie,nothingisimportant.Themost
classicfigureofnihilismisthestatementthateverythingisdevalued,de
symbolisedanduntenableinthefaceofdeath.Itisanequalisationofthe
totalityofeverythingthatcouldbevalued,facedwiththeradical
ontologicalfinitudethatdeathrepresents.Thisquestionoftherelation
betweennihilismandvaluesis,asyouknow,acentralquestionin
Nietzschesphilosophy,whichtakesupthisthemeofnihilisminorderto
makeaveryimportantdiagnosticandcriticaluseofit.

Ajourneythrough
twentiethcentury
philosophywiththetitan
ofFrenchthought.
18posts

Inreality,thestatementbecausewedie,nothingisimportantcan
remainatheologicalone.Indeed,wecouldsayNothingisimportant,
exceptGod,excepteternalsalvation,excepttheotherlifeandwe
wouldthenbeembarkingonsomethingthatisnotnihilism,butthe
vocationformartyrdomorevenplacinghopeindeathitself,giventhat
deathistheonlydoortotheinfinite,andthustheonlydoortothevalue
thatmatters,thesupremevalue.Soweoughttosaythatfull,complete
nihilismisthenihilismthatnotonlyconsidersdeathproofofthe
inevitabledevaluationofdifferences,butwhichcompletesthis
judgementwiththedeathofGodhimself.Sowecanspeakofcomplete
nihilismonlywhenthedeathofmanispairedwiththedeathofGod.It
wasevidentlyinthissensethatDostoyevskymadeoneofhischaracters

TheCommunist
Hypothesis
byAlainBadiou

http://www.versobooks.com/blogs/2176-badiou-down-with-death

Anewprogramforthe
Leftafterthedeathof
neoliberalism.
38posts

1/8

3/28/2016
June
May
April
March
February
January
2014
December
November
October
September
August
July
June
May
April
March
February
January
2013
December
November
October
September
August
July
June
May
April
March
February
January
2012
December
November
October
September
August
July
June
May
April
March
February
January
2011
December
November
October
September
August
July
June
May
April
March
February
January
2010
December
November
October
September
August
July
June
May
April
March
February
January
2009
September
May
January

VersoBooks.com

saythatifGodisdead,theneverythingispermitted.Thisisanihilist
statementinthesensethatifGodisdead,thennothingallowsusto
claimaninequalityamongdifferentvalues.Judgementisitselfofno
interest,nowthatdeathisconstituteddoubly,bothbytheempirical
deathofmenandthehistoricaldeathofthegods.

FiveLessonsonWagner
byAlainBadiou
Aleadingradical
intellectualtacklesthe
many
controversialinterpretations
ofWagnerswork.
15posts

Inreality,thisnihilismprobablyorganisesacomplicatedhistorical
dispositiononethatisstillunfinishedeventodaywhichnecessarily
constructswhatIwillcallafalsecontradiction,acontradictionthat
representsthetwopossiblesubjectivevariantsofestablishednihilism.
Thefirstpositionisasceptical,atheistnihilism,whichisinfactthemost
widespreadideologybearingitinthecontemporaryworld.Yes,itsgood
todoubtandthisisanabsolutelyfallaciousinterpretationof
Descartes,whenweknowthatwhatinterestedhimwastoprovethe
existenceofGodandtoremainindoubtfortheleastlengthoftime
possible.Ithasbecomeasortofinheritance,withalonghistory
includinginFranceandonethatresultsintheviewthat,
fundamentally,thelightlyscepticalreignofreasonableopinions
combinedwithasmilingatheismisanacceptablesubjectivestate,even
ifitdoesnotseemveryvigorousorexciting.Itisanihilistconfiguration,
butitiswhatwemightcallanontragicnihilismtheestablished,
peaceablenihilism.Theotherposition,onthecontrary,isthefrenzied
desirefortheresurrectionofGodafterall,thegodsmakequiteahabit
ofrevivingtheyhavealwaysshownthattheirgreatnessistomounta
challengetodeathitself.
Thisisabsolutelywhatwehavebeforeustoday,includingatthelevelof
averageopinion:ontheonehand,thewilltopreservesomethingof
scepticalnihilism,ofsmilingatheismandthewayoflifethat
correspondstoit,andthen,ontheotherhand,anattemptatthe
impossibleresurrectionofthedeadGod.Thiscontradictionis,Ithink,a
falsecontradiction,acontradictionthatorganisesnihilismitselfasa
primordialrenunciationofjudgementandinparticularasa
renouncementofthecategoryoftruth.Thiscontradictionasisalways
thecasewiththegreatcontradictionstodayhasatragicandacomic
form(thoughitissometimesasinistercomedy).Thetragicformisthe
extraordinaryviolentclashwhichisalwaysoveroilfields(itisanoil
nihilism)betweensophisticatedbarbarismandwhatwemightcall
archaicbarbarism,killingeitherwiththeelectronicdroneorthe
butcherscleaver.Inthislattercaseyouareforcedtoinvestsomethingof
yourownperson,whereaswiththedroneyoucanstayinyourarmchair
andcommandthemurder3,000kilometresaway,beforetellingthe
Presidentwhosignedthemurderorderhowitwent.Itisthetragicform
becauseitis,allthesame,hauntedbydeath,murder,andoccupation
anditisallthemoretragicbecauseitisnotpossibletoseeanywayout
ofit,toseehowitwouldbepossibletogivemeaningtoanykindofway
outofthisclash,preciselybecauseitisaclashbetweentwopositions
thatareeachinacertainsenseuntenable.
Asforitscomicform,weseethisinthefactthatnewspaperscandevote
frontpageheadlinestothelengthofschoolgirlsskirts,asifthiswerethe
newsoftheday.ThiswillgodowninhistoryastheskirtwarsItisnot
whollythesameastheothernihilism,butinrealityitexpressesthesame
contradiction,becausescepticalandnihilistatheismisalsoawhole
universeofrepresentationsoffemininity,oftherelationtofemininity,
etcandtheimpossibilityofresurrectingthedeadGodalsobearson
thispoint.Sothisquarrelisthecomicformofwar.
Wecouldaskwhatthetwosidesofthiscontradictionhaveincommon.
Whattheyhaveincommonis,ultimately,finitude.Thisisclearinthe
scepticalandatheistformofnihilism,forwhichitisntjudgementthat
matters,butthefreeplayofopinions.Asforthefigureoftheimpossible

http://www.versobooks.com/blogs/2176-badiou-down-with-death

TheAdventureofFrench
Philosophy
byAlainBadiou
OverfortyyearsofFrench
philosophythroughthe
eyesofitsgreatestliving
exponent.
17posts

Metapolitics
byAlainBadiou
Metapoliticsarguesthat
oneofthemaintasksof
contemporarythoughtis
toabolishtheideathat
politicsismerelyanobject
forphilosophical
reflection.
16posts

ReflectionsonAnti
Semitism
byAlainBadiou,Eric
Hazan,etal.
Dissectinghowfacile
accusationsof"anti
Semitism"areusedto
stifledissent.
32posts

TheRebirthofHistory
byAlainBadiou
Testingthewindsof
historyblowingfromthe
Arabrevolts.
25posts

2/8

3/28/2016

VersoBooks.com

resurrectionofthedeadGod,weknowwellenoughthatyoucanonlyget
toGodbymanifestingandmartyrisingyourfinitudesothisisalwaysa
matterofthehumiliationoffinitudeinfrontofthegreatnessofthe
infinite,whichtranscendsandisexternaltoit.
Soinbothcasesitisthepoweroffinitudethatisconvokedastheground
orterritoryoftheoppositionanditisconvokedinitsquadruple
operatingform:thatis,ofidentity,repetition,necessityandGodhimself.
Thesefourtermsare,indeed,presentattheheartofthecontradiction
thatIamtalkingabout.
Identity,becauseitisevidentlyanidentitarianwar.Awarof
civilisations,awarofreligions,awarbetweentheWestandwhatisnot
theWest,awarbetweendemocracyandtyranny:ithascountlessnames,
butitdoesindeedmanifestitselfasanidentitarianwar.Repetition,
becauseinacertainsenseitisascenethathasalreadybeenrehearsed,
particularlyintherepresentationofaconflictbetweentheWestandthe
Orient.Herewecanmobilisethecrusades,or,intheinversesense,the
expansionoftheMuslimreligionundertheOttomanEmpire,oragainin
theothersense,colonialismandtheChristiansimposingtheirauthority
overMuslimpeoplesineithercase,itisahistoricallyconstitutedscene
beingrepeated.Necessity,becausethereisthenecessitytodeploy
modernityconceivedastheirreducibleenemyoftradition.Thisisthe
questionofsymbolisation,ofvalue,whichisposedastheneedfor
modernitytobeabletodevelopwithoutthehindrances,thereticence
andtheobjectionsoftradition.SoultimatelywecanclearlyseethatGod
isthedividinglinebetween,ontheonehand,scepticismwhich
includesthenecessityorauthorisationofblasphemyand,ontheother
hand,theattempttoresuscitatethedeadGod,whichinsteadspeaksto
respectforthecontentsofthefaith.
Thecommonterminthisconflictistheexacerbationofthepowerof
finitude.WhatIwanttonotehereisthatidentity,repetition,necessity
andGodareinfactconcentratedinthethemeofdeath.Thethoughtof
finitudeisessentiallyadeadlyandmortifying[mortifreetmortifiant]
one.Deathistheimplicitorexplicitrecapitulationofthefourterms.
Firstly,identity.Inthelogicoffinitude,weonlyknowwhosomeoneis
whenheisdead.Deathisthesealthatallowsustosaywhatsomeoneis
otherwiseyoustilldonotknowwhatheiscapableof.Thisisatheme
thatyouwillfindinGreektragedy.Itisdeaththatcomestosealthe
destinyofindividualsidentitiesbutalsoofpeoplesidentities:weknow
oftheeighteenthcenturyfascinationforthefalloftheRomanempire,
whichwasthepointwhereitwaspossibletograspandtoconsiderwhat
theidentityoftheRomanempirehadtrulybeen,initsownbeing.There
isaratherterrifyingphraseofSartresonthispoint,thattobedeadisto
bepreytotheliving.Deathiseffectivelythemomentwhenyoucanno
longerarguebackorpleadyourcauseagainsttheverdictthattheliving
choosetopassonyou.
Repetition.Deathiswhatmakeseveryindividualsubstitutableforany
other.Deathisthegreatequaliserathemethatwefindextending
everywhereacrossallreligions.Atthemomentofdeathyoustopbeinga
kingoratoileryouwilldie,andfacedwiththisterrifyingthreatofdeath
andthelastJudgement,anyonewillbesubstitutableforanyother.
Deathisthemeansbywhichhumanityindefinitelyrepeatsits
constitutivefinitude.Thatsthemeaningofthemeditationpursuedin
Ecclesiastes:Nothingnewunderthesun.Thatis,thateverythingis
headingtowarddeath,withoutdeathitselfchanginganything.[Which
thenbringsusto]themagnificentmetaphorAllthestreamsflowinto
thesea,andtheseaisneverfull.Thiscommunityindeathisalsoan
annihilationoftime,absolutelycancellingouttimescreativecapacity:
Whatareahundredorathousandyears,whentheycanbewipedoutin
http://www.versobooks.com/blogs/2176-badiou-down-with-death

Ethics
byAlainBadiou
Oneofthemostpowerful
voicesincontemporary
Frenchphilosophy
explodesthefacile
assumptionsbehindthe
recentethicalturn.
22posts

PhilosophyforMilitants
byAlainBadiou
Aphilosophicalguidebook
forthestrugglestocome
19posts

Wittgenstein's
Antiphilosophy
byAlainBadiou
AlainBadioutakesonthe
standardbearerofthe
linguisticturnin
modernphilosophyand
anatomizesthe
antiphilosophyof
LudwigWittgenstein....
14posts

RhapsodyfortheTheatre
byAlainBadiou
AfigurelikePlatoor
Hegelwalkshereamong
us!Slavojiek
15posts

TheAgeofthePoets
byAlainBadiou
Newandilluminatingset
ofanalysesofliterature
fromoneofFrancesmost
importantliving

3/8

3/28/2016

VersoBooks.com

aninstant?(Bossuet).

philosophers
15posts

Necessity.Deathistheonlythingthatwearecertainof.Everythingelse
isaleatoryandvariableultimately,thepurenecessityofhumanlifeis
crystallisedindeath.MalrauxhasStalinsaying(anditsbeenquestioned
thathedid),doubtlessonadaywhenhewasfeelingmelancholic,that
Ultimately,itsdeaththatwinsevenifyouareaStalin.Thisis
Stalinistnihilism.
AndthenGod,evidently.Godhasalwaysbeenconnectedtodeath.God
isthepromiseofimmortality,indeed,immortalityinitself.Godisthe
nameofnondeath.
Youseethatdeathisthemotifthatrecapitulatestheinstancesof
finitude,alsobecauseitisconvokedastheultimateargumenteverytime
thatwesuppose,orinvoke,thepossibilityofhumanitysimmanent,
effectiveaccesstosometruthofaninfinitepowerwealwayssayinthe
lastanalysis,manisamortalanimal.Fromthispointofview,Ialways
admiredthecanonicalexampleyoulearninschoolofwhatalogical
argumentis:Allmenaremortal,andSocratesisaman,soSocratesis
mortal.Connectedtogetherinthisexampleisatriplerelationbetween
(1)necessitythatis,syllogism,asthelogicalformofnecessity,(2)the
pretentiontowisdomorgreatnessasembodiedinSocrates,and(3)the
knotbetweenthetwo,death.Thispedagogicalsyllogismisatoxicvehicle
offinitude.Thatitiswhyitisgiventoeveryoneasaprincipleoflogical
wisdom.
Nowitwouldbeinterestingtoaskwhattheabsolutemodernformof
thatis.Ithinkthatitsnotatallamatterofinsistingonthevalueof
death,givingitanimportantplace,butratheracaseofcoveringupits
finitude.Thatmeanscalmlysettingthisfinitudeatadistance,relegating
ittolostcorners,ifpossible,withtheideathat,inanycase,wealready
livealongtimeFundamentally,theideaisthatdeathcanultimatelybe
coveredupbyacarpetofcommodities.Consumeristmobility,the
possibilityofhumanityalwayshavinganothergowithinitsreach,the
serialanotherofthecommodity(anotherobject,anotherjourney)is
inrealitywhatcoversupthecategoriesofdeath,atthesametimeas
beingthesameasit.Ifwethinkaboutit,commodityconsumerismis
also,ultimately,therepetition,theidentityofobjectsetc.Soitisdeathin
itsconsumableform.Ialwayshavethisfeelingthatwhenwebuyan
object,nomatterwhatitis,particularlythemostuselessobjectsthat
is,themostamusingonesitislikeintheMiddleAgeswhenpeople
usedtobuyindulgences.Itisbuyingalittleguaranteeagainstthe
vilenessofdeath,alittlesliceofantideathfetish.TheimageIhaveof
thatinmymindisthatafterhavinglittlebylittlebeencoveredupby
thesecommodities,andthenfinallydisappearingbehindthem,weare
dead:andthatiswherethetruereality,thetrulyimmortalreality,
triumphstheimmortalityofthemarket.Thatisthegreatcomfort
lifeiscoveredupbylittleparcelsofindulgences,suchthatthiscovering
endsupdisplacingdeathsimplybecauseitisidenticaltodeath.
Inreality,Ithinkthatthegreatelementofmodernityistohave
generalisedslowdeath,thatis,theavoidanceasmuchaspossibleof
catastrophicdeath.Thatiswhyoursocietiesfinditveryhardtodeal
withcatastrophes.Theremustnotbecatastrophes:thisispathological.
Tragic,unexpecteddeathisunacceptable.Suddenly,deathhasarrived
butwhatisitdoinghere?Whatisthegovernmentdoing?Theplaneto
Thailandismeantforrelaxation,notforsmashingintothegroundand
killingyou.Weareforcedtofeelthisasaterribledrama.Why?
Ultimatelywehavemuchlesschanceofbeingkilledintheplanethan
walkingdownthestepsthisisnotatthelevelofgeneralstatistics,but
becauseitisadeathoutintheopen,adeaththatdoesnotfitintothelaw
ofmoderndeath,whichmeansdyingveryslowly,and,ifpossible,almost
http://www.versobooks.com/blogs/2176-badiou-down-with-death

4/8

3/28/2016

VersoBooks.com

withoutnoticing.
Thethesisunderlyingallthis,itmustbesaid,isthatdeathisthe
constitutiveprincipleofhumanityassuch.Thederelictionofmanasthe
beingforwhichthereisdeaththeproblembeingtodealwiththe
extremeanguishthatthisconvictionprovokes.Thecontemporary
philosopherwhothoughtthisthroughmostdeeplywasHeidegger.
Indeed,hesaidthatfromthepointofviewofmansimmanentend,heis
ultimatelyabeingtowarddeath,andhemountedafundamentally
importantmeditationonfinitudeonthisbasis.Illreadyouanextract
fromBeingandTime[allquotesusedherearefromJoanStambaughs
Englishtranslation]:
Endingdoesnotnecessarilymeanfulfillingoneself.Itthusbecomesmoreurgentto
askinwhatsense,ifany,deathmustbegraspedastheendingofDasein[]
Initiallyendingmeansstopping,anditmeansthisinsensesthatareontologically
different.Therainstops.Itisnolongerobjectivelypresent.Theroadstops.This
endingdoesnotcausetheroadtodisappear,butthisstoppingratherdetermines
theroadasthisobjectivelypresentone.

HereHeideggerisdistinguishingandhereIllreturntothetermsI
usedbefore,betweenthefiniteaspassivestoppingandthefiniteasan
operation.Therainstops:ithasdisappeared,ithasstoppedpassively.
Whereasiftheroadstops,itisbecauseitisitsownend,ithasledus
somewherewhichisitsend,anendthatconstitutestheroadasa
direction,atrack,leadingfromonepointtoanother.Inthiscase,the
endclosesoffthepossibilityofoperation.
Henceendingasstoppingcanmeaneithertochangeintotheabsenceofobjective
presenceor,however,tobeobjectivelypresentonlywhentheendcomes.Thelatter
kindofendingcanagainbedeterminativeforanunfinishedthingobjectively
present,asaroadunderconstructionbreaksoff,oritmayratherconstitutethe
finishednessofsomethingobjectivelypresentthepaintingisfinishedwiththe
laststrokeofthebrush.

Sohereweimmediatelyhavethemetaphorofwork,inthefactthatthe
laststrokeofthebrushisthethingthatbringsustoitsfinishedglory,
whereasiftheroadstopsbecauseithasntbeenbuiltyet,thenthatisa
transitoryandpassivestopping.
Evenendinginthesenseofdisappearingcanstillbemodifiedaccordingtothekind
ofbeingofthebeing.Therainisatanend,thatis,disappeared.Thebreadisatan
end,thatis,usedup,nolongeravailableassomethingathand.

Toputitanotherway,thebreadisusedup,butithasfulfilledtheroleit
wasmadefor.
Noneofthesemodesofendingareabletocharacterizedeathappropriatelyasthe
endofDasein.Ifdyingwereunderstoodasbeingatanendinthesenseofan
endingofthekinddiscussed,Daseinwouldbepositedassomethingobjectively
presentorathand.Indeath,Daseinisneitherfulfillednordoesitsimply
disappearithasnotbecomefinishedorcompletelyavailableassomethingathand.

Toputitanotherway:indeath,Daseinisnotliketheroad,therain,the
tableorthebreadweate.
Rather,justasDaseinconstantlyalreadyisitsnotyetaslongasitis,italso
alreadyisitsend.Theendingthatwehaveinviewwhenwespeakofdeathdoesnot
signifyabeingatanendofDasein,butratherabeingtowardtheendofthis
being.DeathisawaytobethatDaseintakesoverassoonasitis.Assoonasa
humanbeingisborn,heisoldenoughtodierightaway.

Heideggersdescriptionofdeathessentiallyconsistsofsayingthat,in
manscase,finitudeisradicallyimmanent.Deathisnotsomething
external,indicatingapassivefinitudeorafinitudeachievedbyhuman
life:rather,humanlifeiscommandedororientedtowarddeath,from
withinDaseinistowarddeathfromthebeginning.Toputthatanother
way,thethingpropertomanisthatthequestionofdeath,offinitude,is
http://www.versobooks.com/blogs/2176-badiou-down-with-death

5/8

3/28/2016

VersoBooks.com

internaltohisexistenceandtohisdefinition,andnottheresultof
fulfilmentorstopping,whicharebutempiricalappearances.Forhuman
life,theendisatthebeginning.Itisanineluctablecomponentofthe
prospectoflifeinitself.
Ithinkthatherewehavegottothedensestandmostcompleteformof
anorganicrelationbetweenhumanexistenceandfinitude.Inmyview
thisisthemostradicalthesisconcerningtheassumptionoffinitude,
becauseitisathesisthatmakesfinitudeimmanentinanabsoluteway.
Ultimatelyitmakesdeathplaythesamerolethattheabsoluteplaysin
Hegelsthinking(asheultimatelyconcludedthatifwemanagetoattain
theabsolute,thatisbecausetheabsoluteiswithusfromthebeginning).
IfwetakeHeideggerstextsseriously,theytellusthatdeathisalsothe
absoluteofhumanlife,thatis,atthesametimeitsbeginning,itsorigin
anditsfate.
Iwanttodefendanotherthesisconcerningdeath,athesisthat,
conversely,upholdstheabsoluteexteriorityofdeathathesisthat
makesdeathradicallynonimmanent.Ifyouwantthecompletedetails,
seeLogiquesdesmondes,BookIII,Section4,achapterentitled
L'existenceetlamort,whereyouwillfindthewholecontextthatIcan
onlygiveabriefsketchofhere.
TheideaIwanttodefendanditsasimpleone,truthbetoldisthat
deathissomethingthathappenstoyouitisnottheimmanent
unfoldingofsomelinearprogramme.Evenifwesaythathumanlife
cannotgobeyondahundredandtwentyyears,forbiological,geneticetc.
reasons,deathasdeathisalwayssomethingthathappenstoyou.One
greatthinkerondeathisLaPalice.AtruthwegetfromLaPaliceisthat
aquarteranhourbeforehisdeath,hewasstillalive.Thatisntatall
absurdornave.Itmeansthataquarteranhourbeforedeathhewasnt
whatHeideggerseesasaquarterhourbeforedeathhewasnta
beingtowarddeatheversincehisbirth.Aquarterofanhourbeforehis
deathhewasalive,anddeathhappenstohim.AndIwouldmaintain
thatdeathalwayscomesfromtheoutside.Spinozasaidsomething
excellentonthatscore:Nothingcanbedestroyedexceptbyanexternal
cause.Yes,Illtakethat.Spinozagivesalongproofofthat,butIwont
giveittoo.Thismeansthatdeathisinapositionofradicalexteriority:
wewouldnotevensaythatahumanreality,aDasein,ismortal.Because
mortalmeanstosaythatitcontainsthevirtualityofdeathinan
immanentfashion.Intruth,allthatisisgenericallyimmortal,andthen
deathintervenes.
Iwoulddefinedeathasamutationofexistentialstatusinagivenworld,
whichIwilltrytogiveyouageneralschemaof.Weareallinaworld,
Heideggerisrightonthat,wearesomewhere,wearelocalisedandour
verybeingcontainsandretainsthislocalisation.Themetaphysical
approachIproposeisthefollowing:theregisterofbeing[ltre]onthe
onehand,andtheregisterofexistenceontheother,havetobe
distinguished.Beingbelongstopuremultiplicity,underoneformor
another,whereasexistenceisalwaysexistenceinaplace.Soitis
necessarytodistinguish,asHeideggermasterfullydid,betweenbeing
andbeingthere[Dasein].Thoughtonbeingisonething(asyouknow,I
maintainthatitfuseswiththeanalysisofmultiplicities,or
mathematics),andthoughtonexistenceisanother.
LetssupposethatXandYexistintheworld.Theyhaveabeingoftheir
own,independentofthefactthattheyareinthisworld.Butwhatdoes
existinginaworldmeanforthem?Itmeans:beinginastateofbeing
differentiatedfromalltheotherswhoareinthesameworld.The
singularityofexistenceisthepossiblesystemicdifferentiationbetween
anelementoftheworldandanelementofthesameworld.So
somewheretherehastobethepossibilityofevaluatingthedifference
http://www.versobooks.com/blogs/2176-badiou-down-with-death

6/8

3/28/2016

VersoBooks.com

betweenthetwo.Sowewouldsaythatexistinginaworldistobetaken
inapracticallyinfinitewebofmoreorlessstrongdifferenceswith
everythingthatisintheworldinquestion:thatswhatconstitutesthe
singularityofourbelongingtotheworld.
WewillusethetermD(x,y)todenotethedifferencebetweenXandY,a
relationwhosevaluemeasurestheextenttowhichXandYare
different.ThedifferenceD(x,y)hasavaluethatwillsituateitself
betweenaminimum()andamaximum(M).IfitequalsM,itisbecause
XandYareverydifferent,theyareasdifferentascouldbeifitequals,
itisbecausetheyarealmostthesame,assimilarastheycouldbe.A
world,initsbasicmachinery,isagameofdifferentiationspropertothis
determinateworld,oscillatingbetweenaminimumandamaximum.
Soonthatbasiswecansaythatforsomeperson,existingintheworld
isthemeasureofdifferencebetweenherselfandherself.Thiswouldbe
writtenE(x)=D(x,x).Thatisaverysimpleandordinaryidea.Existence
isalwayssomethingqualitative,itisanintensity:therearemoments
whenyoufeelalienated,thatis,verydifferentiatedfromyourselfso
D(x,x)hasamaximalvalue.Andthereareothermomentswhereyoufeel
yourselffullyexist,whereyourexistenceisintense,youfeelclosetoyour
trueidentitysoD(x,x)hasaminimalvalue.Betweenthetwoit
fluctuatesviaintermediatevalues,andXandYarenotabsolutely
differentnorabsolutelyidentical,butaveragelydifferent.
Wecanalsoexpressitbysayingthattheexistenceofamultiple
something,relativetoaworld,isthedegreetowhichinthisworldthe
multipleappearsidenticaltoitself(Logiquesdesmondesp.285).This
time,thisisexpressedinthevalueofthefunctionidentitytooneself
(annotatedId(x.x)):ifId(x,x)hasthemaximumvalue(M),thatis
becausethismultipleexistsabsolutelyintheworldunderconsideration
andifId(x,x)hastheminimalvalue()thatisbecauseitsexistencein
thisworldhasanextremelyweakintensity.
Asfordeath,itis,formally,thesudden,contingentpassageimposed
fromtheoutsidefromthesituationId(x,x)=p[pbeingsomenon
minimalvalue]tothesituationId(x,x)=.Thatswhywecanalwayssay
thatiswhatdeathis,whenweseedeathandweabsolutelyknowthatis
whatitis.Weknowthatitsdeathbecausexisstillthere,butthe
intensityofhisexistenceisalmostentirelyeliminated.Thefableofthe
immortalsouldoesnotrelyonthedistinctionbetweenmindandbody,
butitisrootedwithinit,thatis,inthedistinctionbetweenbeingand
existence.Theideaofimmortalityisthatinthisworldtheworldthat
prescribedtheintensityofanexistencepropertothisworldxisdead,
butthatdoesnotmeanthatheisdeadineveryworld.
AhmedchosethismomenttosignaltoMr.Badiouthathehadtoleave
thestageinstantly.Themeditationhehadbeenelaborating,aloneon
thestage,concludedwiththeslogan:Downwithdeath!
SeemorefromBadiouhere.
Share

499

Tweet

0 Comments

Sort by Oldest

Add a comment...

Facebook Comments Plugin

http://www.versobooks.com/blogs/2176-badiou-down-with-death

7/8

3/28/2016

VersoBooks.com

VERSO

About

Authors

Books

Blog

Events

http://www.versobooks.com/blogs/2176-badiou-down-with-death

Subjects

40yearsofradicalpublishing
Cart(0)/LogIn/Register

8/8