http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alfred_Jarry
Shoplifted from LibFoam:PataX
LibFoam:pataphysics
excerpt from “collage de ‘pataphysic.” Hypercard
Definition: Patamnemonics is the solution of illusory resolutions which antithetically gives the way of gadgets disclosed by their implication, to their occurance.
--John Cage, 1900, France.
Postscript: Patadise is the behavior of visonary dissolutions which ironically ascribes the temper of devices found by their possibility, to their manifestation.
--Eric Satie, 1921, France.
Summary: Patanoia is the study of illusory solutions which parabolically puts the principle of devices determined by their suggestivity, to their presence.
--Marcel Duchamp, 1930, France.
Summary: Patagraphics was the solution of legendary answers which ambiguously ascribes the habits of doodads uncovered by their provocation, to their lineaments.
--Arthur Rimbaud, 1932, France.
Conclusion: Patalogic was the experiment of unscientific reasons which metaphorically attaches the essence of matter distinguished by their potentiality, to their display.
--Mina Loy, 1946, France.
Pataphor: http://www.paulavion.com/ptest.html
from Michael about the definitions in LibFoam:PataX
I’m not sure why exactly, but I’m having a lot of trouble accepting the English translation of Jarry’s text. Somehow, the subtlety and poetry of the original is lost in the translation. In English, ‘pataphysics sounds likes something totally absurd and ironic and not much more than a mockery of real science. But in French, it’s a much more delicate thing.
“La (...) ‘pataphysique (...) est la science de ce qui se surajoute à la métaphysique, soit en elle-même, soit hors d’elle-même, s’étendant aussi loin au-delà de celle-ci que celle-ci au-delà de la physique. (...) la pataphysique sera surtout la science du particulier, quoiqu’on dise qu’il n’y a de science que du général. Elle étudiera les lois qui régissent les exceptions et expliquera l’univers supplémentaire à celui-ci ; ou moins ambitieusement décrira un univers que l’on peut voir et que peut-être l’on doit voir à la place du traditionnel (...)
DÉFINITION. - La pataphysique est la science des solutions imaginaires, qui accorde symboliquement aux linéaments les propriétés des objets décrits par leur virtualité.”
http://anaximandrake.hautetfort.com/archive/2005/03/16/elements_de_pataphysique.html
I actually prefer Babelfish’s translation:
“The (...) ‘pataphysic (...) is the science of what is added again to metaphysics, either in itself, or out of itself, extending as far beyond this one as this one beyond physics. (...) the pataphysique one will be especially the science of the private individual, though it is said that there is science only of the General. It will study the laws which govern the exceptions and will explain the additional universe with this one; or less ambitiously a universe will describe than one can see and than perhaps one must see in the place of traditional (...)
DEFINITION. - the pataphysique one is the science of the imaginary solutions, which symbolically grants to the features the properties objects described by their virtuality.”
Somehow the spirit of Jarry’s work is preserved better when a machine does the translation than when a human tries to make sense of it. There needs to be a certain element of incomprehensibilty in it that surpasses to absurd (and thus becomes poetic, enigmatic, subliminal?). The English translation in your libarynth wiki doesn’t do this for me. Perhaps English has been poisoned by its excessive use in banal situations.