Descartes concludes that God may have no interest in deceiving people. Even if people consider the ability to deceive a “kind of argument for the power of the mind”, it does not speak for the claim that the Almighty is a deceiver. A God who deceives would be a weak God and that would contradict the very definition of God.

The philosopher and poet Jabès writes that God needs the human being: “God wastes man in God. Cruelty of Nothingness.” This God is “full of spite”.

Descartes develops his argument by bringing into doubt all that is known to exist. Doubt leads him to the clear and distinct realisation that he thinks, therefore he is. Descartes understands thought as “what happens in me such that I am immediately conscious of it, insofar as I am conscious of it.” Premising his argument on this knowledge, Descartes concludes that God is not a deceiver, and that it is possible to explain the material world, nature. In his writings, Descartes gradually allows principles to develop on the basis of a fundamental understanding; combining these principles with experience, he unfolds a universe that is comprehensible overall.

In his writings Jabès brings into doubt the possibility of writing a book. His books constitute a single book, a fragment of doubt. The sentences and chapters revolve around the relationship between the individual and a God who reveals himself to humans in a book. Writing, the word and the book are what bind the individual and God and what set them apart:

“God is both saved and undone by the book.”

The relationship between God and man is determined by the book, which spans a subversive relationship between God and man.

What style of writing, words and signs would nature use?

Nature presents itself as a something to be read.

(more…)

“The birth of a word”

Ballet Butterfly Parachute singing out of the water
Vulva Sweet-Potato Sponge wondering about pain
Strawberry Sheathe Ball-Gown somewhere beauty seems possible
Penis Spring Onion in summers this hot how hard to think of spring
Hand Heel Leech Slipper Leaf bursting with the memory of blood
Submarine Gas-Mask Slug is survival possible?
Snail Syringe Tea-Bag go slow my heart drink deep
Dragon Ram Bird twist in the calligraphy of fire

More of Sampurna at: Eyewear

and a series of poems for example at: Journal for Art, Sex and Mathematics

In der Verlies als der daran

die parla permittere

Scola betrat Beirut parla Pastorale Gramm

Magistrale Laminat transparente Laterne

die ich las

las transparente Farbe als weder was es wessen

der nieder dieses verschliffne PARTIKULAR

Perispkop

orientiert: Oderfluss schnauft aus dem

Weissbuch Esels Empfangen

MADRIGALE Lager

gelammt am Pigment Palm

nostra Partikular Palm

aber Knochen der dessen kaltete

Palm

Masern erschuppte Pinzette

schrie brach barst

derer Schnur sachte satanische Sachen in rotterer Lunge

korrupte kathederte: Sprechen aber

geschossene

Geometry and arithmetic guide reason to the truth with far greater surety that the “other branches of knowledge”. Geometry and arithmetic focus on simple objects such as triangles and judgements on numbers. Descartes speaks of guidance. A balustrade that claims to be safe to step on, casts shadows. But geometry and arithmetic do not. They formulate the possibilities of thought that go far beyond what our reason can imagine, for instance by combining figures: 123, 122333, 112222333333, …

Deiner Wange beetüberspülte Haut kühlte

das gerückte Erdflächenlicht madrigale

Drohne schmolz pastell ein planetarisches Tier

rottete mir maserte Milchrobe Oktober

deinen dachte verfachten Ozean helles

angespindeltes Brot brennt

meine Zunge kindlich ich erschrak

in dir belichtete erschlaffte

“Der Gedanke erfindet den Körper neu.” (Jabès)*

“Blut ist Lebensfluss und roter Ozean des Todes”. (Jabès)*

Wenn wir Tiere denken, erfinden wir unsere Körper neu; wenn wir Zahlen denken ebenfalls. Wir haben unterschiedliche Formen zur Verfügung, unsere Körper zu finden und zu erfinden.
Wie entscheiden wir uns?
Leiten uns Worte oder Bilder bei diesen Entscheidungen, oder fallen wir in Denkformen hinein, ohne dass wir eine Gelegenheit haben, nachzudenken, wie und was wir denken möchten?

* Jabès, Edmond: Le Livre des Ressemblances [Paris 1976]. Paris: Gallimard, 1991, p. 38.