The philosopher’s voice: Index n.23

Index number 23 is now on Soundcloud!

Follow 58 (+1) indices on the body on soundcloud and share your thoughts with the world adding your comment on each track.

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soundcloud jean_luc nancy INDEX 23

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23

Click on the picture and listen to Jean-Luc Nancy's voice
  1. Du corps la tête se détache, sans qu’il soit nécessaire de le décapiter. La tête est d’elle-même détachée, retranchée. Le corps est un ensemble, il s’articule et se compose, il s’organise. La tête n’est faite que de trous dont le centre vide représente fort bien l’esprit, le point, l’infinie concentration en soi. Pupilles, narines, bouche, oreilles, ce sont des trous, des évasions creusées hors du corps. Mis à part les autres trous, ceux d’en bas, cette concentration d’orifices tient au corps par un mince canal fragile, le cou traversé par la moelle et quelques vaisseaux prêts à se gonfler ou à se rompre. Une mince attaché qui relie en pliant le corps complexe à la tête simple. Pas de muscles en elle, rien que tendons et os avec substance molle et grise, circuits, synapses.

From 58 Indices sur le corps et extension de l’âme. Éditions Nota bene, Québec, 2004.

  1. The head is detached from the body, without its having to be decapitated. The head is detached by itself, apart. The body is an ensemble, it is articulated and composed, organized. The head consists only of holes, its empty center representing the spirit, the point, an infinite concentration in itself. Pupils, nostrils, mouth, ears are all holes, carved flights out of the body. Disregarding those other holes further down, these concentrated orifices connect with the body by means of a thin, fragile channel: the neck traversed by marrow and several vessels ready to swell or break. A thin attachment that connects, by folding, the complex body to the simple head. No muscles there, just tendons and bone with a soft, gray substance, circuits, synapses.

From Fifty-eight Indices on the Body (Corpus), Jean-Luc Nancy. New York, Fordham University Press, 2008.

  1. Dal corpo la testa si stacca, anche senza doverlo decapitare. La testa è di per sé staccata, troncata. Il corpo è un insieme, è articolato, composto, organizzato. La testa è fatta unicamente di buchi e il suo centro vuoto rappresenta assai bene lo spirito, il punto, l’infinita concentrazione in sé. Pupille, narici, bocca, orecchie sono buchi, evasioni scavate fuori dal corpo. A parte gli altri buchi, quelli di sotto, questa concentrazione di orifizi si tiene al corpo mediante un canale esile e fragile, il collo at­traversato dal midollo e da qualche vaso pronto a gonfiarsi o a rompersi. Un’esile attaccatura che piegandosi collega il corpo complesso alla testa semplice. Nessun muscolo in essa, solo tendini ed ossa insieme a una sostanza molle e grigia, circuiti, sinapsi.

From Jean-Luc Nancy, Indizi sul corpo. Ananke Edizioni, Torino, 2009

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