120131 Institution at the Crossroads

8/12/2019 120131 Institution at the Crossroads

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235686742.docOntological Extension or Corporeal

Restatement

Josep Maria BechUniversitat de Barcelona

erlea!"#ont$ resisted vie%ing &is o%n t&o!g&t as Grundphilosophie' t&at is' a %a$ o(t&in)ing t&at %o!ld re(er realit$' )no%ledge and meaning to an !ltimate principle' a*le togro!nd ever$t&ing %&ile also gro!nding itsel(. +e %as also rel!ctant to appeal to a mereempirical (o!ndation' inescapa*l$ compromised %it& contingenc$ and (acticit$. +e arg!edt&at all possi*ilities o( meaning in &istor$ are t&e o!tcome o( speci(ic' immanent inter"&!man

practices' and in conse,!ence t&e (!t!re is neit&er a rec!rrence o( t&e present nor an empt$possi*ilit$ t&at a s!*-ective pro-ect mig&t (!l(ill. it& t&e notion o( /instit!tion0 erlea!"#ont$see)s to acco!nt (or t&ese (!ndamental convictions' %&ile avoiding t&e danger o(/conscientialism0' t&at is' t&e vie% t&at not onl$ is conscio!sness t&e !ni,!e p!rve$or o(meaning' capa*le o( !ni($ing in a closed' &omogeneo!s s$stem t&e m!ltiplicit$ o( socialartic!lations' *!t also t&at' as a res!lt' &istor$ emerges (rom t&e reciprocal ac)no%ledgmento( all constit!tive conscio!sness. 1n t&is regard t&e *asic premise is t&at t&e meaning o(events in &istor$ neit&er is imposed /(rom t&e inside0 *$ t&e spontaneit$ o( a pro-ective or/constit!ting0 conscio!sness' nor is granted /(rom t&e o!tside0 *$ an all"encompassingdestin$ t&at %o!ld *e ca!sall$ gro!nded' (or instance' in t&e development o( economic(orces. Besides' t&is notion reveals an !nderl$ing logic t&at em*races t&e entire c!lt!ral

order as %e %ill see *elo%' in an experience or in an arti(act are lodged certain dimensions!nderstood in t&e Cartesian manner as s$stems o( re(erence in relation to %&ic& a %&oles!ccession o( (!t!re experiences %ill possess meaning and t&!s %ill (orm a se,!el or a&istor$.

Events that lay down a meaningas a demand of things to come

&e doctrine o( /instit!tion0 %as developed alongside t&e earl$ evol!tion o( erlea!"

#ont$s t&o!g&t. ome incipient re(erences to iss!es t&at latel$ %ere *ro!g&t toget&er *$ t&isconcept appear alread$ in The Structure of Behavior. mong t&em stand o!t t&e pro*lem o(&istorical time /in p&$sical as %ell as in mental li(e t&ere is no past t&at is a*sol!tel$ past'since 9t&e spirit &olds in its act!al dept& t&e moments t&at it seems to &ave le(t *e&ind10' t&eenigma o( emergent meaning /t&e &ig&er level o( *e&avior em*races all ancillar$ dialecticsin t&e real dept& o( its existence0' or t&e di((ic!lties o( *ot& &olism and transcendentalism/t&e pres!med 9existence conditions cannot *e disting!is&ed (rom t&e %&ole to %&ic& t&e$contri*!te' and conversely the essence of the whole cannot be thought in its concreteness ifwe disregard them and its constitutive history).2&e next step too) place in henomenology

1&e nested ,!ote is (rom +egels !ectures on hilosophy of "istory.&e present essa$ is *ased on a textread at t&e Con(erence organi:ed in Octo*er 2;;6 *$ t&e 1nternational erlea!"#ont$ Circle in as&ington


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t&at' in Go-i +iroses %ords' sprang (rom t&e (ollo%ing circ!mstance /orn *et%een+!sserlian radicalism and t&e di((ic!lties posed *$ t&e p&ilosop&$ o( conscio!sness'erlea!"#ont$ a*stains (rom converting in a gro!nding principle t&e total 9reactiva*ilit$ o(t&e originar$ evidence.08cco!nting (or t&is radical c&ange o( perspective is not an eas$!nderta)ing' as proved *$ man$ a!t&ors %&en attempting to o!tline t&e m!lti(ario!s meaningo( erlea!"#ont$an /instit!tion0. 1n Heonard Ha%lors p&rasing' (or instance' #institutionmeans that there is a past that precedes and generates every sub1ective present

e,perience.&ere is a tradition t&at &as al%a$s alread$ *een *e(ore t&ere is an$ individ!al%or).09

B!t t&e +!sserlian Stiftungis not t&e onl$ precedent (or erlea!"#ont$s doctrine. oappreciate t&e (!ll importance o( &is innovative !nderstanding o( /instit!tion0 %e m!st loo)*ac) into *ot& t&e =renc& spirit!alist legac$ and t&e also primordiall$ =renc& sociological!nderstanding o( t&is term. 1n t&e mainstream =renc& tradition' t&e catal$tic in(l!ence o(Bergsons t&o!g&t on erlea!"#ont$ deserves to *e &ig&lig&ted. o appreciate it (!ll$ %em!st pa$ attention to &is revealing all!sion to C&arles #eg!$s %or) and t&e ill!minatingcontrast t&is a!t&or em*odies. /Bergson did not t&in) &istor$ from the inside&e did not loo)(or t&e simple and indivisible actionst&at' (or ever$ stage or event' set !p t&e isolated (acts.+e seems to disregard t&is deep &istor$ %&en &e a((irms t&at eac& epoc& is ever$t&ing it canever *e -cha2ue p3riode est tout ce 2u4elle peut 5tre) t&at is' a %&ole event and a completeaccomplis&ment.10#eg!$' on t&e contrar$' /so!g&t to descri*e t&e coming o!t o( t&e event't&e -!nct!re in %&ic& some people *egin and some ot&er people respond.0 D... /in t&eirsimplicit$' t&e action' t&e %or)' t&e past are inaccessi*le to t&ose t&at see t&em (rom t&eo!tside0 D... /o( t&is page t&at %as %ritten in an &o!r' even an endless commentar$ cannotgrasp t&e %&ole meaning0 D... /meaning is al%a$s (ic)le and %&en it re"esta*lis&es itsel((aces t&e ris) o( not coming into *eing at all -le sens se refait au ris2ue de se defaire)D... /int&is net%or) o( re,!ests and re-oinders' %&ere t&e *eginning attains *ot& its accomplis&mentand its metamorp&ose' d%ells a pec!liar 9p!*lic timing -dur3e publi2ue)4t&at' according to

#eg!$' %o!ld *e t&e s!*-ect"matter o( a tr!e sociolog$0 D... /t&e 9&istorical inscriptionpossesses its ownval!e -valeur propre011

t t&e same time' t&e erlea!"#ont$an /instit!tion0 stands o!t some%&at against t&emainstream sociological tradition' %&ere t&is term descri*es' in arcel a!ss %ords' /a seto( actions and ideas alread$ in place' %&ic& individ!als enco!nter' and %&ic& more or lessimposes itsel( on t&em0.12&is accredited conception see)s to appre&end t&e normative andreg!lative aspect o( instit!tions' in opposition to t&e more open"ended interpretive context in%&ic& t&e$ are em*edded and %&ic& implies a (ig!rative artic!lation o( meaning. &eerlea!"#ont$an !nderstanding o( /instit!tion0' on t&e contrar$' stresses its &ermene!ticconse,!ences. =or &e clearl$ noticed t&at' in Io&ann rnasons %ords' /t&e (ig!rative

constit!tion o( meaning' (irst and most extensivel$ anal$:ed on t&e level o( perception *!tlater also %it& re(erence to t&e imagination and its prod!cts' is not red!ci*le to an$ ot&erso!rces or operations. &e pattern o( 9&aving a (ig!re on a gro!nd erlea!"#ont$ claimst&at one 9cannot go an$ (!rt&er' and t&at 9t&ere is no ot&er meaning represents t&e mostelementar$ level o( interpretation' and it can *e contrasted %it& t&e ideali:ing models and

8+irose 2;;4 227.

9Ha%lor 2;;3 >57. Ha%lors emp&asis.

10erlea!"#ont$ >?6; 235. erlea!"#ont$s emp&ases.

11erlea!"#ont$ >?6; 235"236. erlea!"#ont$s emp&asis.

12a!ss >?6? >5;.


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criteria t&at are s!perimposed on experience erlea!"#ont$ !ses t&e Jerman expression6ormierungto !nderline t&eir prescriptive (!nction.013

lt&o!g& t&ose precedents aid to el!cidate erlea!"#ont$an /instit!tion0' to assess itsp&ilosop&ical %eig&t demands t&at %e t!rn to erlea!"#ont$ &imsel(. &e (irst c&apter o(+dventures of the /ialectic -!es aventures de la dialecti2ue)p!*lis&ed *$ erlea!"#ont$ in>?55 and titled /&e Crisis o( Understanding0' is at (irst sig&t an extended commentar$ on

ax e*ers contri*!tion to t&e p&ilosop&$ o( t&e social sciences. closer reading'&o%ever' detects in t&is text a s!*tle de(ence o( erlea!"#ont$s o%n doctrine o( /instit!tion0

/&ere is t&!s a religio!s e((icac$ and an economic e((icac$. ax e*er descri*es t&em asinter%oven' exc&anging positions so t&at no% one' no% t&e ot&er' pla$s t&e role o( t!tor. &e e((ectt!rns *ac) on its ca!se' carr$ing and trans(orming it in its t!rn. =!rt&ermore' e*er does not simpl$integrate spirit!al motives and material ca!ses@ &e rene%s t&e concept o( &istorical matter itsel(. neconomic s$stem is' as &e sa$s' a cosmos' a &!man c&oice *ecome a sit!ation@ and t&at is %&atallo%s it to raise (rom %orldl$ asceticism to religio!s motives' as %ell as to descend to%ard itscapitalistic deca$ ever$t&ing is %oven into t&e same (a*ric.0 14

+o%ever' t&e most clear"sig&ted de(ense o( erlea!"#ont$an /instit!tion0 occ!rs in

t%o texts strictl$ contemporar$ to+dventures of the /ialectic.1n t&e (irst o( t&emt&e locusclassicus(or t&e doctrine' set !p as a rs!m (or a co!rse in t&e %oll7ge de =ranceerlea!"#ont$ states t&at /%e !nderstand *$ t&e concept o( 9instit!tion t&ose events inexperience t&at endo% it %it& d!ra*le dimensions' in relation to %&ic& a %&ole series o( ot&erexperiences %ill ac,!ire meaning' %ill (orm an intelligi*le series or a &istor$or again t&oseevents %&ic& la$ do%n in me a meaning' not -!st as s!rvival or resid!es' *!t as t&e invitationto a se,!el -appel 8 une suite) t&e demand o( t&ings to come0.15&e second text *elongs to&is private notes (or t&e same co!rse16and delivers some %elcome precisions /1nstit!tionDmeans t&at in an experience or in an arti(act are esta*lis&ed certain dimensions!nderstood in t&e Cartesian %a$ as s$stems o( re(erence in relation to %&ic& a %&oleseries o( experiences %ill possess meaning and %ill (orm a se,!el' a &istor$. &e meaning isplaced -d3pos3) it is no longer onl$ in me as a conscience' it is not re"created or constit!tedin t&e reprise. B!t it is not placed as %o!ld *e an o*-ect le(t in t&e cloa)room' a simplele(tover or a remainder it is placed as somet&ing to *e contin!ed' to *e completed' and $ett&is se,!el is not determined. &at &as *een instit!ted %ill c&ange and $et t&is ver$ c&angeis demanded *$ its instit!tion.017

Institution uncovers a subjacent logicthat embraces the whole cultural order

s a conse,!ence' erlea!"#ont$s aims in devising t&is innovative' man$"(acettednotion appear no% (airl$ plain. &e$ &ave *een *rilliantl$ s!mmari:ed *$ Io&ann rnason/erlea!"#ont$ !sed t&e concept o( instit!tion to trans(orm t&e traditional pro*lematic o(constit!tion it re(ers' in a ver$ *road sense' to t&e patterns o( determinac$' sta*ilit$ andidealit$ t&at are imposed on experience' and t&e$ can onl$ (!nction in and t&ro!g& a state o(

13rnason >??3 ?6.

14erlea!"#ont$ >?55 25. Engl. tr. >6.

15erlea!"#ont$ >?68 6>.

16rc&ived as .1+## and p!*lis&ed in erlea!"#ont$ 2;;3.

17erlea!"#ont$ 2;;3 38.


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constant tension %it& t&e !nderl$ing indeterminac$ o( t&e %orld.0181n erlea!"#ont$s /line o(,!estioning0' contends rnason' /t&e traditional pro*lematic o( constit!tion is s!*ordinated tot&at o( %orld"disclos!re' %orld"appropriation and %orld"interpretation. #&enomenologicalre(lection does not c!lminate in a (!ll sel("conscio!sness o( t&e constit!ting s!*-ect.019&is isa cr!cial vie% t&at appears s!mmari:ed in erlea!"#ont$s o%n %ords /1( t&e s!*-ect ista)en not as a constit!ting s!*-ect *!t as an instit!ting s!*-ect' it mig&t *e !nderstood t&att&e s!*-ect does not exist instantaneo!sl$ and t&at t&e ot&er person does not exist simpl$ as

a negative o( me.020&is means' in s&ort' t%o momento!s t&ings t&at /1 am also tradition0and t&at /1 am also ot&ers0.

?68 6;.

21erlea!"#ont$ >?68 6>.

22erlea!"#ont$ >?55 26"27.

23erlea!"#ont$ >?68 6;.

24N!oted *$ 1saia& Berlin in Berlin 2;;3. +er:ens emp&asis.

25Crossle$ 2;;4 ??.


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order' (or it (orms a progression t&at starts at t&e personal and a((ective &istor$ and' across*ot& t&e aest&etic imp!lse and t&e gro%t& o( )no%ledge' c!lminates in t&e 9p!*lic sp&ere0.26

e &ave pointed o!t t&at' in erlea!"#ont$s vie%' t&e d$namics o( t&e /instit!tion0ta)es place *ot& in t&e personal or interpersonal &istor$ as a sentiment' an art%or)' or apartic!lar )no%ledge and in &istor$ at large as %ell. till' no ot&er (ield exempli(ies/instit!tion0 %it& more clarit$ t&an t&e &istorical development o( t&o!g&t. (ter all' t&e idea o(

9instit!tion seems tailor"made (or a net%or) o( meaning %&ere logic coexists %it&contingenc$. &e s!ccessive events t&at (orm t&e &istor$ o( p&ilosop&$' moreover' &aveesta*lis&ed t&eir meaning /as a claim to a (ollo%ing' as t&e demand o( t&ings to come027%it&a (orce not matc&ed *$ an$ ot&er &!man endeavor. Mevert&eless' also societ$ at largedelivers exempla t&at instr!ct a*o!t t&e %or)ings o( /instit!tion0. =or social instit!tions notonl$ are interconnected' and t&!s /remind o!rselves o( some o( t&e &olistic (eat!res o( t&esocial0' according to artin G!sc&' *!t also t&e$ #do not run on trac;s that are laid out inadvance* t&eir mem*ers and ot&er interested parties m!st constantl$ decide &o% to *e&aveproperl$ %it&in t&em and &o% to appl$ t&em0.28

ll in all' per&aps t&e most a((orda*le approac& to erlea!"#ont$an /instit!tion0 isem*edded in &is commentaries to ax e*ers &istorical and sociological ideas. s stateda*ove' t&e$ ma)e o!t t&e c&apter titled #The %risis of


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*$ ax e*er as t&e setting !p o( rationalit$ amidst t&e !niversal contingenc$ /a closedsegment -endlicher +usschnitt)is a*stracted (rom t&e meaningless in(init$ o( events0 and*ecomes /endo%ed %it& meaning and signi(icance0.31n alternative %a$ o( rendering t&isimportant passage %o!ld emp&asi:e t&e /c!tting o!t0%&ic& is %&at+usschnittconnoteso( ever$ c!lt!ral item (rom /t&e in(inite events o( t&e %orld0 to %&ic&' t&erea(ter' /t&e &!manpoint o( vie% *e,!eat&s t&e meaning t&at t&e$ nat!rall$ do not possess0.

till' ax e*er discarded t&e idea o( an o*-ective meaning o( &istor$ as %ell /Eveni( o!r &istorical scr!tin$ is (la%less' its res!lts %ont tell t&e meaning o( &istor$s *ecoming'and t&!s %e m!st *e capa*le o( creating it o!rselves.032&e inspirational in(l!ence o( axe*er on erlea!"#ont$s t&o!g&t' t&ere(ore' does not need an$ (!rt&er commentar$.ince t&e lin)s o( /instit!tion0 %it& ax e*ers ideas &elp !s to el!cidate some aspects o(erlea!"#ont$s doctrine' no% it %ont *e inappropriate to point o!t t&at' some attempts torelate t&ese concepts not%it&standing' erlea!"#ont$an /instit!tion0 and Miet:sc&ean"=o!ca!ldian /genealog$0 are !ncom(orta*le *ed(ello%s. Jenealog$ arg!es t&at %&en /oldr!les are applied to ne% conditions0 occ!r /!n"perceived trans(ormations o( meaning0 t&atgive rise to /!n"apparent innovations0.33ore precisel$' as =o!ca!lt claims' /a s$stem o(r!les in itself devoid of essential meaningis trans(ormed /*$ violence or *$ deception0 inline %it& a re"interpretation t&at places it /in a totall$ di((erent game0 and s!*s!mes it !nder/second"order r!les0.34erlea!"#ont$ s!*mits li)e%ise t&e instit!tional imp!lse to ever$mod!lation imposed *$ t&e ens!ing generations' *!t' in contrast to genealog$' &e stressest&e centralit$ o( initiation and origin.

The deciphering of meaning that nowhere pre-existed,the understanding of tradition, the elucidation of historical time

&at &as *een stated so (ar s!ggests t&at t&e notion o( /instit!tion0 descri*es at%o(old leaning in all &!man practices to%ard innovation and creation on t&e one &and' and&eaded (or &a*it!ation on t&e ot&er. propensit$ to%ardand a*ilit$ (orincorporation and&a*it!ation' in a %ord' coexist %it& t&e capacit$ (or innovative and creative practices t&atres!lt in %a$s o( acting %&ic& *ecome preserved t&ro!g& &a*it. 1n t&eir t!rn' innovation andcreativit$ strive to modi($ or trans(orm existing &a*its' or at an$ rate to *!ild !pon t&em. &isiss!e &as *een speci(ied *$ $riam Reva!lt /&e instit!tion is al%a$s !ndermined *$ a(!ndamental am*ivalence. On t&e one &and it is t&e capacit$' t&e instit!ting (orce' t&epossi*ilit$ o( a *eginning@ on t&e ot&er it is t&e condition t&at res!lts (rom t&is d$namics' t&esit!ation it prod!ces. erlea!"#ont$ is rel!ctant to dissociate t&ese t%o aspects' and &econtends t&at t&e prod!ct involves t&e perpet!ation o( t&e prod!ctive action and' conversel$'

t&at t&e gro!nd incl!des an opening to t&e (!t!re. &e apparent 9encr!sting o( t&esedimented res!lt cannot *e separated (rom t&e apert!re o( a *o!ndless &ori:on o(possi*ilities' %&ic& can *e re"activated at an$ time.035e ma$ concl!de' t&ere(ore' t&at inerlea!"#ont$an /instit!tion0 t%o separate aspects overlap ?)t&e *lend o( necessit$ %it&contingenc$ t&at explains t&e genesis o( meaning and %&ic& s!pports t&e doctrine o(/a!toc&t&ono!s organi:ation0 or /endogeno!s arc&itect!re0@&)t&is com*ination' t&o!g&'cannot (orsa)e t&e prestige o( all origins or t&e sa(et$ s!ggested *$ ever$ invariance. Unit$

31e*er >?5> >8;.

32e*er D>?22 >?76 >54.

33Colliot"&lne 2;;> >5.

34=o!ca!lt >??4 >36">37.

35Reva!lt dllonnes 2;;6 246.


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and contin!it$'36in conse,!ence' are deep"seated (eat!res o( all /instit!tions0. 1ncidentall$'t&e &!* o( t&e %ell")no%n Bo!rdie!an concept o( /&a*it!s0 amo!nts to a sort o( em*odied/instit!tion0' as %e %ill contend in d!e time.

n even closer scr!tin$ o( erlea!"#ont$s /instit!tion0' &o%ever' locates in t&is notiont&ree strands (irml$ related to eac& ot&er. 1ndeed it can *e s!ccinctl$ stated t&at ever$/instit!tion0 manages a)to conceive a meaning t&at pre"existed no%&ere@ b)to !nderstand

tradition as sedimentation o( meaning@ c)to t&in) temporalit$ and &istoricit$ in t&e a*sence o(an$ privileged gro!nd.

a) Meaning.1t is a (act t&at /instit!tion0 and meaning are indivisi*le. &e !nit$ o( sortst&at /instit!tion0 reali:es does not res!lt (rom a c!m!lative process nor stems (rom a givendeterminism' *!t ma$ *e attained t&ro!g& t&e permanent reprise o( meaning t&at ens!res itssta*ilit$. =or erlea!"#ont$ /instit!tion0 designates t&e advent o( an /operant meaning0 t&atnot onl$ renovates or reass!mes (ormer meanings *!t also s!rmo!nts or overcomes t&emand %&ic& at t&e same time re,!ests s!*se,!ent rene%als or res!mptions t&at %ill createne% meanings. &!s it does acco!nt (or /rationalit$ in contingenc$' a species o( sel("constit!tion0.371t is pla!si*le' t&ere(ore' to ass!me t&at /instit!tion0 delivers t&e de(initive and!niversal sol!tion to t&e pro*lem o( meaning. 1n a sit!ation t&at m!st *e termed /&istorical0*eca!se it cannot *e read (rom t&e point o( vie% o( s!*-ectPo*-ect dic&otom$' comes a*o!tlig&t"&andedl$ t&e s!dden *elonging"toget&er or closing"!p t&at all meaning contrives. 1t &asto *e *orne in mind' t&o!g&' t&at t&is /&istorical0 meaning is neit&er t&e end o( a ca!sal c&ainnor t&e *eginning o( a teleological progression. Besides' one o( t&e gro!nd*rea)ingparadoxes o( erlea!"#ont$an /instit!tion0 is t&at t&e c&ie( p!rve$or o( meaning' as *e(its ananti"d!alist ontolog$' is di((erence strangel$' contingentl$' *!t persistentl$ !ni(ied and notidentit$.

&is state o( a((airs &as *een concl!sivel$ descri*ed *$ lexander +!*en$ /&at

interests erlea!"#ont$ is t&e immanence o( meaning. Ever$ p&ilosop&$ attempting to!nderstand &istor$ as a totalit$ (aces t&e ris) o( conceiving meaning as transcendence' t&!sseeing in &istor$ onl$ %&at &as *een set in it. D... &is explains %&$ t&e notion o( Gestaltisso important D(or erlea!"#ont$ it permits to s!rmise t&e presence o( (!t!re times in t&epresent moment t&e (ec!ndit$ o( &istor$.0381n t&is respect %e s&o!ld also mention t&epossi*ilit$ o( a cognitive' anti"ontological interpretation o( t&e present doctrine. 1t is gro!ndedon t&e spontaneo!s a((init$ %it& eac& ot&er o( &istorical (oc!ses o( meaning t&at %ereprevio!sl$ !nrelated and on t&e speci(ic demands o( intelligi*ilit$ posed *$ t&is !nexpectedassociation. erlea!"#ont$ s!ggests in realit$ an &istoriograp&ical approac& centered ont&ese /n!clei o( intelligi*ilit$0' spr!ng /o!t o( t&e nat!ral or &istorical given' in %&ic& eac&element con(irms t&e ot&ers in s!c& a %a$ t&at t&e$ organi:e t&emselves into a s$stem0' and

%&ic& /leave t&eir mar) in t&e co!rse o( t&ings and t&en disappear %it&o!t &aving *een

361n (act' /instit!tion0 s!ggestivel$ amalgamates contin!it$ and discontin!it$. 1n regard to contin!it$' erlea!"#ont$ reminds !s t&at /instit!tions0 start an order since t&e$ ens!re /t&e (ec!ndit$ o( c!lt!ral agenc$ t&e$ opena tradition' t&e$ contin!e to *e relevant past t&eir &istorical appearance' and t&e$ demand *e$ond t&emselves*ot& t&e same and ot&er (orms o( agenc$0. erlea!"#ont$ >?6? ?6 &e element o( discontin!it$' in its t!rn'ma$ *e glossed at t%o levels ?)as remar)ed *$ erlea!"#ont$' t&e opacit$ o( t&e pict!re (or its painter' o( t&e*oo) (or its %riter' o( t&e t&o!g&t (or its &istorical time are (airl$ s!ggestive instances@&)e s&o!ld )eep inmind t&at /tradition is t&e (orgetting o( t&e origins' %&ic& signals t&e d!t$ to *egin ane% ot&er%ise-recommencer autrement)' DQ to give t&e past t&e e((icac$ o( a reprise0. -$bid.)e s&o!ld pa$ attention to t&e(act t&at one o( t&e concept!al ancestors o( /instit!tion0' t&e t&eor$ o( t&e Jestalt' involved also an ingredient o(

discontin!it$' interr!ption and r!pt!re' expressed *$ its )aleidoscope"li)e %a$ o( s&i(ting and *ecoming acomplete /ot&er0' *$ its anomalo!sness and *$ t&e contingent scope o( its normativit$.

37erlea!"#ont$ >?53 56.

38+!*en$ 2;;> >63 and >7>.


9/34

#$nstitution at the %rossroads page A of '(

destro$ed' eit&er (rontall$ or internall$0.39ll &istorical (ormations' in s&ort' ens!re t&espontaneit$ o( practices and t&ere(ore g!arantee t&eir instit!ting capacit$. =or t&at motive t&epast is al%a$s more t&an a sort o( /past"%are&o!se0 and t&!s it can never *e red!ced to atradition. B!t t&is %ealt& o( signi(icance' in its t!rn' implies an !ncertain (!t!re *eca!se no(eat o( instit!ted meaning is ass!red (or ever.

s a res!lt' t&e erlea!"#ont$an concept o( instit!tion not onl$ /is integral to

!nderstanding &istor$ at t&e personal and p!*lic levels0' in Mic) Crossle$s %ords' *!t canalso acco!nt (or it /at t&e point o( t&eir interc&ange040. &e /n!clei o( intelligi*ilit$0 %it& %&ic&&istor$ is interspersed and aro!nd %&ic&' so erlea!"#ont$ contends' /settles t&e in(initedetail o( t&e (acts0'41are also t&e /s$m*olic matrixes0 t&at &e descri*es as /t$pical %a$s o(dealing %it& nat!ral realit$' o( responding to ot&ers and to deat&042and %&ic& noticea*l$(ores&ado% t&e concept o( /instit!tion0 /1n t&e point %&ere people and nat!ral or &istoricaldata meet' appear a sort o( s$m*olic matrixes t&at pre"existed no%&ere and %&ic& are incondition to leave t&eir mar)' temporaril$ or (or a long time' in t&e co!rse o( events. &e$disappear a(ter%ards' not destro$ed *$ an external agent *!t merel$ as a res!lt o( internaldisintegration' or *eca!se some internal development *ecomes predominant and managesto denat!re t&em.043!c& /s$m*olic matrixes0 are prod!ced *$ t&e spontaneo!s enco!ntero( elements endo%ed %it& an a((init$ (or eac& ot&er t&at assem*les t&em in a s$stem. &iscom*ination is neit&er an ar*itrar$ collection nor t&e teleological reprod!ction o( a pre"existing model. &!s &istor$ emerges as an am*ig!o!s %eave /torn *$ ever$ contingenc$0and at t&e same time /invol!ntar$ mended *$ t&e people trapped inside it0.441n t&is %eaveeac& event is' as it %ere' loaded %it& all t&e ot&ers' and com*ined %it& t&em (orms a/n!cle!s o( intelligi*ilit$0 provided %it& man$ centers and accessi*le in di((erent %a$s.

b) Tradition and sedimentation.s %e &ave explained' ever$ Stiftungpres!pposes adimension o( meaning a tradition t&at *ot& precedes and -!sti(ies it' *!t %&ic& in its t!rn isres&aped or de(ormed *$ t&e Stiftung. ccording to erlea!"#ont$' /traditionalit$

-traditionalit3)is not explicitation0. 1nstead &e regards t&is notion as /t&e appearance-apparition)o( ideas t&at impose a step a&ead -font faire un pas)and %&ic& t&e past did notcontain0. &is important insig&t is t&en made explicit in t&e (ollo%ing %a$ /&ere is at t&esame time ta)ing"over o( meaning and a*andonment o( meaning' reali:ation t&at is alsodestr!ction. ll instit!tions involve t&is t%o(old aspect' end and *eginning' 0ndstiftungand att&e same time ?55 5>.

42erlea!"#ont$ >?55 25.

43erlea!"#ont$ >?55 25.

44erlea!"#ont$ >?55 88.

45erlea!"#ont$ 2;;3 ??.


10/34

#$nstitution at the %rossroads page ? of '(

&istorical *ecoming' t&o!g&' is never e((ectivel$ reali:ed and at ever$ moment ma$ relapseinto contingenc$.

o ill!strate t&is point o( vie% %e ma$ rec!r eit&er to . . Eliots legendar$ acco!nt o(artistic tradition or to erlea!"#ont$s o%n exempli(ication' inspired *$ t&e E!clidean(o!ndation o( geometr$. /&at &appens %&en a ne% %or) o( art is created0' sa$s Eliot' /issomet&ing t&at &appens sim!ltaneo!sl$ to all t&e %or)s o( art %&ic& preceded it. &e existing

mon!ments (orm an ideal order among t&emselves' %&ic& is modi(ied *$ t&e introd!ction o(t&e ne% t&e reall$ ne% %or) o( art among t&em.046s (or erlea!"#ont$s geometricalinstantiation' &e contends t&at /t&e individ!al instit!tion o( %&at is tr!e -du vrai)is lin)ed to aninstit!tion %&ic& is more t&an individ!al it reass!mes a (ormer intention t&e originar$Stiftungo( geometr$ and it creates one t&at %ill s!rvive it' t&at %ill go (art&er t&e act!alStiftungo( a ne% meaning' and t&an)s to %&ic& t&ere is t&e o*livion o( t&e origins.0 &islast re(erence' o( co!rse' all!des to t&e circ!mstance t&at alread$ in +!sserls t&o!g&t t&e/o*livion o( t&e origins0 %as t&e prere,!isite (or ever$ a!t&entic tradition. erlea!"#ont$'t&ere(ore' ass!mes t&e existence o( a /t%o"(aced traditionalit$0' t&o!g& &e speci(ies t&at /t&etraditionalit$ %&ic& prod!ces sedimentation and s!pplies t&e pres!med 9tr!t& in itsel( isprecisel$ t&e tr!e center o( &istoricit$.047

&e doctrine o( instit!tion' in s&ort' sees t&e so!rce o( &istorical meaning in t&elatenc$ or in(inite prod!ctivit$ o( all events o( &istor$ inso(ar as t&e$ appear to *ene(it (rom an/!nlimited (ec!ndit$0. &e$ are s!rro!nded' in ot&er %ords' *$ a &alo o( /o*-ective0 possi*ilit$%&ic&' on t&e one &and' is less t&an a positive s!*stantialit$' *!t on t&e ot&er is more t&an asimple' !nattac&ed virt!alit$. !ess than a positive substantialityindeed since t&e am*ig!it$o( &istorical occ!rrences cannot *e overcome' t&e meaning o( all events' (ar (rom *eing /t&ep!re development o( an idea0' comes a*o!t contingentl$ /%&en t&e &!man initiativereassem*les scattered data and in so doing gro!nds a living s$stem0.48&is -!sti(ieserlea!"#ont$s de(inition o( p&ilosop&$ as /conscio!sness o( rationalit$ in contingenc$0.491t

s&o!ld *e noted' &o%ever' t&at erlea!"#ont$s approac& is as anti"(o!ndationalist as it isanti"(ormalist. 1n Io&ann rnassons %ords' /t&e rationalit$ in ,!estion is al%a$s relative int&at it is gro!nded in a partic!lar sit!ation and a locali:ed comm!nit$ o( disco!rse and itsaspiration to !niversalit$ is *ased on a s&ared &ori:on rat&er t&an on proced!ral r!les0.50B!talso more than a simple unattached virtuality*t&e /o*-ective0 possi*ilit$ %e &ave mentioneda*ove s&o!ld no *e mista)en (or a s!ccessor o(' sa$' Gants a priorior &omas G!&nsparadigm. 1n G!&ns vie%' precisel$' *ot& /are constit!tive o( t&e in(inite range o( possi*leexperiences t&at mig&t conceiva*le occ!r in t&e act!al %orld to %&ic& t&e$ give access.&ic& o( t&ese conceiva*le experiences occ!rs in t&at act!al %orld is somet&ing t&at m!st*e learned. &e$ are *ot& stern teac&ers' (irml$ resisting t&e prom!lgation o( *elie(s !ns!itedto t&e (orm o( li(e t&e lexicon permits.051

c) "istory and temporality. lread$ in henomenology of erceptionerlea!"#ont$s)etc&ed an /existential t&eor$ o( &istor$0 t&at assigned to &!man /*eing"in"t&e"%orld0 t&ecapacit$ to escape (rom nat!ralness *$ means o( reass!ming t&e act!al sit!ation and givingit !nprecedented s$m*olic meaning. 1n &is s!*se,!ent %ritings' t&e t&r!st to overcome t&ed!alit$ o( s!*-ect and o*-ectt&e antagonism o( conscio!sness and t&ingsrein(orced &is

46Eliot D>?32 >?72 >5.

47erlea!"#ont$ 2;;3 ?;.

48erlea!"#ont$ >?55 25.

49erlea!"#ont$ >?6; ?3. Engl. tr. >>>.

50rnason >??3 87.

51G!&n >??3 33>.


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#$nstitution at the %rossroads page ?? of '(

attempts to re"sit!ate t&e &istorical events in a &ori:on o( openness and indetermination. Ont&e one &and' t&e pl!ralit$ o( &istorical dimensions is not&ierarc&icall$ str!ct!red aro!nd a(o!nding center' (or t&ere is not an$ privileged gro!nd (or &istorical *ecoming' nor an$ tr!t&lies &idden *e&ind t&e appearances o( empirical &istor$. /&e meaning o( &istor$ arises incontact %it& contingenc$' at t&e moment %&en &!man initiative (o!nds a s$stem o( li(e ta)ing!p ane% scattered givens. n &istorical !nderstanding %&ic& reveals an interior to &istor$ stillleaves !s in t&e presence o( empirical &istor$' %it& its densit$ and &ap&a:ardness' and does

not s!*ordinate it to an$ &idden reason.052On t&e ot&er &and' t&e political' economical'religio!s' and c!lt!ral %orlds appear lin)ed among t&em and contrive an enigmaticsim!ltaneit$. 1n erlea!"#ont$s vie%' ever$ social dimension is correlated to all t&e ot&ers./+istor$ renders interc&angea*le all orders o( activit$' and none o( t&em can *e singled o!tas an excl!sive ca!se. 1t matters to )no% %&et&er t&is co&esion &eralds t&e -oint sol!tion o(all pro*lems' or %&et&er t&is concordance is onl$ a (eat!re o( o!r ,!estioning.053

erlea!"#ont$ arg!es' in s&ort' t&at ?)t&e perplexities %&ic& arise %&en %e (ace&istor$' a)in to t&ose *ro!g&t a*o!t *$ conscio!sness and mind' gro!nd t&e concept o(/instit!tion0@ as Go-i +irose p!ts it' /t&e p&ilosop&$ o( t&e instit!tion attempts to s&ed lig&t ont&e emergence o( &istorical time0@54&)in its t!rn' /instit!tion0 contrives t&e emergence o(&istor$ as a p&ilosop&icall$ deceptive and concept!all$ erratic realit$' precisel$ t&e %eirdentit$ t&at ma$ *e descri*ed as /a Cmilieu louche4.55 an$ erlea!"#ont$an sc&olars &avetried to (orm!late t&is evasive condition' and a small sample o( t&ese attempts co!ld *egin%it& t&is instance /&e notion o( instit!tion de"centers t&e s!*-ect' explaining t&e process *$%&ic& experience is a((orded meaning and 9o*-ects in terms o( r!les and reso!rces %&ic&are trans"individ!al and &istorical. 1t t&ere*$ connects t&e s!*-ect to ot&ers and to &istor$and societ$ at a level %&ic& is *ot& deeper t&an and prior to t&eir individ!al conscio!sness.056

=rom t&e vie%point o( anot&er o*server' /&istor$ provides t&e ver$ s!*stance o( o!r concreteexistence' %&ere t&e inertia o( o*-ective conditions and a %orld"ma)ing a!tonom$ meet' and%&ic& (or t&is reason m!st *ecome t&e centre o( all p&ilosop&ical concerns0.57oreover' and

according to anot&er sc&olar /&e notion o( Stiftungimplies a*ove all a p&ilosop&$ o(&istor$. ll Stiftungis &istorical' %&et&er o( perception' o( artistic signi(icance' o( idealit$' or o(&istor$ proper.058

+istor$ as instit!tion' t&ere(ore' *lends process!alit$ %it& permanence' d$namicism

%it& sedimentation' trans(ormation and conservatism' since it descri*es &o% a more or lesssta*ili:ed (orm comes !p in t&e middle o( &istorical *ecoming. &e s!ccession o( *ro)ene,!ili*ri!ms and t&e ens!ing re"organi:ations are governed *$ an inner logic %&ic& is neit&erconstit!ted *$ conscio!sness nor res!lts (rom an extraneo!s' overarc&ing (orce. &is centralcontention &as *een %orded *$ Mic) Crossle$ in t&e (ollo%ing manner /+istor$ does notstart a(res& %it& ever$ da$' generation or even epoc&. &ere is al%a$s c&ange *!t t&ere is

e,!all$ al%a$s contin!it$ *eca!se &istor$ is em*odied' 9instit!ted in t&e 9corporeal sc&emaso( t&e agents %&o ma)e it and' in ot&er respects' c&ange it.059ll t&ose statements' *$ t&e

52erlea!"#ont$ >?55 25.

53erlea!"#ont$ >?68 44.

54+irose 2;;4 257.

55J!c&et 2;;> >;5.

56Crossle$ 2;;4 ??.

57J!c&et 2;;> >;5.

58Ro*ert 2;;; 356.

59Crossle$ 2;;4 >;;.


12/34

#$nstitution at the %rossroads page ?& of '(

%a$' give %eig&t to t&e impression t&at /instit!tion0 and /sedimentation0 go &and in &and.Ever$ instit!tion opens !p a process o( *ecoming' *!t it also persists in a tradition as t&econcealed sedimentation t&at amo!nts to a gro!nded possi*ilit$. Conse,!entl$'sedimentation &ides or covers !p &istorical meaning' %&ile preserving and maintaining it att&e same time. edimented &istorical meaning %&ic& incl!des *ot& its partial loss and itsparadoxical preservation' in a %ord' pres!pposes its event!al' i( de(ormed' reactivation.&!s sedimentation *ecomes t&e concept!al *ac)*one o( t&e approac& to &istor$ t&at

erlea!"#ont$ names /operant0 or /vertical0.

erlea!"#ont$an stresses t&is /vertical0' /operant0 or /intentional0 approac& to pasttimes (ollo%ing a conviction associated to &is idea o( /instit!tion0. 1n a (e% %ords' &e *elievest&at &istor$ is more sim!ltaneo!s t&an s!ccessive' or according to &is o%n (orm!lation' t&at/&istor$ is made o( StiftungenDinstit!tions' o*livion converted in tradition' reprises' interiorit$%it&in exteriorit$' $neinanderDintert%ining o( present and past0' rat&er t&an o( /process'c&ains o( visi*le events0.60=ormall$ expressed' t&e erlea!"#ont$an doctrine o( /&istor$ asinstit!tion0 a((irms principall$ t&at /gro!nding0 and /gro!nded0 are reversi*le notions. &isdisc!ssion o( reversi*ilit$ in relation to &istor$61(ores&ado%s t&e descriptions' (oc!sing onreciprocal action' perpet!al genesis' and intert%ining o( /inside0 and /o!tside0' t&at proli(eratein erlea!"#ont$s late t&o!g&t. #ast and (!t!re' (or instance' /ec&o eac& ot&er0'62andli)e%ise %&at &as *een /given0' in a sense' cannot *e discerned (rom %&at &as *een/created0. 1n (act t&ere is onl$ /giveness0 t&an)s to t&e rene%al o( a tradition t&at amo!nts to/o*livion o( t&e origin0' and conversel$ %&at is /created0 %ill *ecome /t&e originar$ past0 o( alls!*se,!ent rene%als. &e doctrine o( t&e /instit!tion0' in a n!ts&ell' re-ects t&e o*-ectivisticconception o( time. n /instit!tion0 is al%a$s an ?55 2?7"2?8.

62erlea!"#ont$ >?68 62.

63erlea!"#ont$ >?64a >?8.

64erlea!"#ont$ >?64a >?8.


13/34

#$nstitution at the %rossroads page ?' of '(

not scarce. lexis de oc,!eville' (or instance' o*served t&at /in ever$ cent!r$ t&ere is asing!lar (act to %&ic& all ot&ers are related0. +e also pointed o!t' moreover' t&at t&is&istorical (oc!s /!s!all$ gives *irt& to a (!ndamental t&o!g&t %&ic& in its t!rn exerts a p!ll inall sentiments and all ideas t&at drags t&em along its o%n %a$0.65

e are rel!ctant to end t&is overvie% %it&o!t mentioning a c!rrent appraisal o( t&econcept o( /instit!tion0 a!t&ored *$ &eodore c&at:)i. 1n &is vie% ever$ /instit!tion0 opens

!p %&at &e calls a /(ield o( possi*ilit$0' essentiall$ related to agenc$ and closel$ associatedto erlea!"#ont$an /dimension0. Besides' &e contends t&at /instit!tion0 s!ggests t&eprevalence o( model"*ased or case"*ased t&in)ing' sensing and (eeling over strictl$ logicalproced!res. een in t&is %a$' /instit!tions0 can *e normative *eca!se t&e$ open !p a spaceor (ield o( possi*ilities %&ere excl!sion and constrain are constr!ed in s!c& a %a$ t&at' asc&at:)i sa$s' /to excl!de %a$s o( proceeding is not to render t&em a*sol!tel$ impossi*le0'(or it onl$ means t&at t&e$ /cannot *e p!rs!ed at t&is moment in t&is partic!lar con(ig!rationo( p&enomena0.66c&at:)is speci(ication is inval!a*le /t&e int!ition *e&ind t&e notion o(9(ield o( possi*ilit$ 2uaaspect o( pre"(ig!ration is t&at %&at people can do is limited0. &isstatement re(ers to t&e evidence t&at /somet&ing can contingentl$' in con-!nction %it& ot&erp&enomena' and (or as long as it exists' occl!de certain %a$s o( proceeding0.67O( co!rse t&e/dimensions0 implied *$ s!c& constrain possess /po%er to excl!de0' t&o!g& it is not /imm!neto t&e progress o( events0.68On t&e contrar$' it compels !s /to constr!e constrain lessindomita*l$0' (or it /also entails re"interpreting t&e meaning o( 9excl!sion0. s aconse,!ence' /to occl!de certain %a$s o( proceeding0 means t&at /even somet&ing t&atmig&t' at an$ moment' c&ange or disappear can determine t&!sand pre(ig!re moregenerall$so long as it &as not c&anged or vanis&ed.069

The debate over the inade!uacies of institutionIts alleged unrealism and cognitive opacity

On t&e one &and it can *e arg!ed t&at t&e doctrine o( t&e /instit!tion0 is anadvancement over henomenology of erception and t&e t&eor$ o( t&e /p&enomenal *od$0.*ove all it &istorici:es or /traditionali:es0 t&e notion o( incarnate intentionalit$ (ollo%ing t&e/dis"em*od$ing0 impact o( t&e Gestalttheorieand speciall$ o( a!ss!res ideas. t t&e sametime it el!cidates t&is distinctive intentionalit$ and t&e correlative process o( em*odiment(rom a socio"&istorical perspective. On t&e ot&er &and' &o%ever' not onl$ erlea!"#ont$searlier t&eories displa$ evident s&ortcomings i( seen (rom t&e vie%point o( t&e /instit!tion0'*!t even &is late ontolog$ ma$ *e deemed' !nder t&is point o( vie%' a leap in t&e dar). Bet&at as it ma$' it is o*vio!s t&at erlea!"#ont$s doctrine occ!pies an !ncom(orta*le position

in midpoint o( &is p&ilosop&ical evol!tion.

&e reproac&es o( !nrealism directed to t&e concept o( /instit!tion0 &ave come (rom allsides. =or instance' it &as *een contended t&at /t&e strengt&s o( erlea!"#ont$s approac&remain ver$ m!c& p&ilosop&ical and a*stract' D(or &e did not see) to explore &is ideas at amore concrete and empirical level'070since /erlea!"#ont$ deals onl$ %it& t&e general

65oc,!eville D>835 >?85 >2;.

66c&at:)i 2;;2 2>5.

67c&at:)i 2;;2 2>> and 2>5.

68c&at:)i 2;;2 2>4.

69c&at:)i 2;;2 2>5.

70Crossle$ 2;;4 >>7.


14/34

#$nstitution at the %rossroads page ?( of '(

str!ct!re o( perception and action.071part (rom !nrealism' t&is doctrine &as also *eenacc!sed o( epistemic opacit$. (ter all' no /instit!tion0 a!tomaticall$ provides !nderstandinga*o!t itsel(. ince all its (eat!res possess a pre"ling!istic' em*odied c&aracter' t&e so!g&t"a(ter )no%ledge can onl$ *e s!pplied *$ t&e c!lt!re on %&ic& it is em*edded. 1n t&is respect'


15/34

#$nstitution at the %rossroads page ?9 of '(

integral to !nderstanding &istor$ at t&e personal and p!*lic levels' and at t&e point o( t&eirinterc&ange.076

On t&e ot&er &and' t&e so!ndness o( t&e doctrine &as *een de(ended on acco!nt o(t&e /important praxiological considerations t&at erlea!"#ont$ see)s to in-ect into t&econcept o( instit!tion0.771n s!pport o( t&is optimistic appraisal it &as *een arg!ed t&at t&eresistances to t&is notion' alert to t&e circ!mstances %&ic& oppose it and t&at give %eig&t to

t&e acc!sations o( !nrealism' act!all$ are all an o!tcome o( t&e instit!tion itsel( and can *emade mani(est to t&e !npre-!diced o*server *$ means o( an opport!ne /gestalt s&i(t0.mong ot&er sc&olars' Mic) Crossle$ &as *een a prominent advocate o( t&is vie%point/erlea!"#ont$s exploration o( &!man *eing"in"t&e"%orld' %&ilst it ill!minates t&e mani(old%a$s in %&ic& t&e %orld exists (or t&e s!*-ect' e,!all$ s&i(ts t&e gestalt so as to (acilitate anexploration o( t&e o*-ectivit$ o( t&e %orld and t&e interpla$ o( o*-ective and s!*-ectiveelements.078+e even adds' o*serving t&is pro*lem (rom a %ider scope /p&enomenolog$s%itc&es its gestalt (rom a (oc!s !pon t&e sit!ated and instit!ting s!*-ect to a (oc!s !pon t&e&istorical sit!ations and instit!tions lived *$ a m!ltiplicit$ o( interacting and inter%ovens!*-ects. Bac)gro!nd *ecomes (oregro!nd@ (oregro!nd *ecomes *ac)gro!nd.079&!serlea!"#ont$ o*tains /a progressive re(lexive de"centering o( t&e s!*-ect' an 9o*-ecti(icationo( s!*-ectivit$' to !se Bo!rdie!s p&rase'80and a move to%ards an anal$sis o( societ$ as ad$namic %&ole.081

#!tting t&is iss!e in a n!ts&ell' t&en' it can *e said t&at /erlea!"#ont$ is not t&elimited 9s!*-ectivist t&at some o( &is critics ta)e &im to *e and it is important (or !s torecogni:e t&is. D... s &is notion o( instit!tion s!ggests' &e is concerned *ot& %it& agent andstr!ct!re' pla$er and game' and more partic!larl$ %it& t&eir interpenetration. D... +isapproac& is concerned to explore t&e relations&ips *et%een s!*-ectivit$ and t&e *roadersocial %orld' and to trace t&e !n(olding o( &istor$ as a sui generisprocess.082&is optimisticvie% &as *een s&ared' !p to a point' *$ Corneli!s Castoriadis. 1n &is opinion t&e creativit$

t&at is insepara*le (rom social"&istorical instit!tions ampl$ compensates (or its !n"gro!ndedness' an insig&t t&at ma$ *e applied to erlea!"#ont$an /instit!tion0 as %ell /&esocial"&istorical instit!tion as s!c&' and eac& instit!tion o( a societ$' al%a$s %ill *eP%illappear arbitraryand unmotivatedin its essential elements. 1t is creation' %&ic& co!ld never(ind necessar$ and s!((icient conditions o!tside it.083

The insufficiencies of institution lead to a dilemma"ontology of the flesh v.pre-reflexive embodiment

1n (act' a n!m*er o( clear"sig&ted criticisms &ave contri*!ted to speci($ t&e limitationso( erlea!"#ont$an /instit!tion0. erlea!"#ont$s con(idence in gro!nding all traditions !pon

76Crossle$ 2;;4 ?8"??.

77Crossle$ 2;;4 ?>.

78Crossle$ 2;;4 ?;"?>.

79Crossle$ 2;;4 >;?.

80D1n Bo!rdie! >?8;a.

81Crossle$ 2;;4 >>6">>7.

82Crossle$ 2;;4 ?; and >>6.

83Castoriadis >??3 22. Original =renc& >78.


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#$nstitution at the %rossroads page ?: of '(

instit!ted meaning &as enco!ntered t&e s)epticism so %ell expressed *$ 2;.

85Ha&ire >??8 65. Ha&ires emp&asis.

86Ha&ire >??8 6?.

87rnason >??3 88"8?.

88rnason >??3 ?2.


17/34

#$nstitution at the %rossroads page ?> of '(

&e erlea!"#ont$an doctrine o( t&e /instit!tion0' as %e &ave seen' &as *een acc!sedo( *eing !nrealistic' exceedingl$ a*stract' opa,!e to cognition' and in need o( a &ermene!ticapproac&. 1t is apparent' t&ere(ore' t&at to ma)e &is t&eor$ more concrete and cognitivel$(irmer to fleshit o!t' in a %ord' erlea!"#ont$ &ad either to proceed along t&e pat& leadingto non"Cartesian ontolog$ t&is %as t&e option hedid ta)e orto regress to%ards t&e/intentional arc089and li)e%ise to t&e /p&enomenological *od$0 %&ic& is t&e co!rse ta)en *$

#ierre Bo!rdie! in &is doctrine o( t&e habitusas %ill *e explained at t&e end o( t&is essa$.

Institution extends to #erleau-$onty%s later ontological issues"flesh, invisible, active essences, and dimensionality

dmittedl$' t&e idea o( /instit!tion0 solves man$ ,!andaries. 1t explains t&e coming o!t

o( meaning' t&e po%er o( traditions' and t&e la*$rint& o( time and &istoricit$ in a %a$ t&atdeserves !nconditional praise. nd a*ove all it descri*es t&e internal correlation *et%eenpast and (!t!re t&at is t&e *ac)*one o( &istoricit$. B!t /instit!tion0 neit&er speci(ies t&egro!nding reasons o( t&is *lend o( !nit$ and di((erence *et%een past and (!t!re' nor does itacco!nt (or its mani(old varieties. Let t&ese missing /gro!nding reasons0 %ere re,!ested *$erlea!"#ont$ &imsel( in an eval!ative *ac)%ard glance /#&enomenological descriptionsare al%a$s some%&at disappointing D... and to attain t&eir (!ll p&ilosop&ical range t&e$ m!stdisclose t&e gro!nding reasons -raisons de principe)t&at govern t&e apparent relations&ip*et%een t&e negative and t&e positive.090Go-i +irose &as p!t t&e !nderl$ing iss!e plainl$/&$ erlea!"#ont$ does not declare &imsel( satis(ied %it& t&e notion o( 9instit!tion' and%&$ &e t&en proposes t&e notion o( 9(les& in &is last' !n(inis&ed text091

&is line o( distr!st enco!rages a series o( !nsettling ,!estions. &at role did t&e

concept o( /instit!tion0 pla$ in erlea!"#ont$s decision to a*andon t&e notion t&at asovereign' constit!ting conscio!sness' since a p&ilosop&$ concerned %it& &istor$' accordingto &is later vie%s' cannot *e a p&ilosop&$ o( conscio!sness +o% does t&is notion cope %it&t&e am*ig!ities o( &istor$ at large and a*ove all %it& t&e di((ic!lties posed *$ t&e&istoriograp&$ o( t&o!g&t 1s *eca!se it cannot reall$ solve t&em t&at t&e concept o(/instit!tion0 opens a direct pat&%a$ to t&e anti"Cartesian ontolog$ let !n(inis&ed *$ erlea!"#ont$ +o% does it (ace t&e &istor$ o( c!lt!re' %&ere idealit$ and c&ange' norm andcontingenc$' conscience and %orld intermingle 1n an$ case' it seems to *e *e$ond do!*tt&at to em*race /instit!tion0 o*liges to a*andon Cartesianism' as Corneli!s Castoriadis &ascontended /cross diverse sim!ltaneo!s and s!ccessive instit!tions is deplo$ed andactivel$ expressed a pol$morp&ism t&at co!ld not' save *$ a (allacio!s ta!tolog$' *e made

into t&e materiali:ation o( possi*ilities (!ll$ pre"constit!ted 9else%&ere and (rom a timeless9al%a$st&en it m!st *e !nderstood t&at it is t&e entire o!tloo) o( t&e in&erited ontolog$ t&atis *eing a*andoned' along %it& t&e implicit *!t al%a$s sovereign signi(ication o( Being.092not&er remar) (rom Castoriadis /1( some nontrivial components o( perceiving are instit!ted'D... t&at alread$ leads to a radical condemnation o( t&e entire egological (rame o( re(erence%it&in %&ic&' and %it&in %&ic& alone' perception &as al%a$s *een considered.093

89ee ??3 38.

90erlea!"#ont$ >?55 73 and 2;;3 27;.

91+irose >??? >7.

92Castoriadis >??3 22. Original =renc& >7?.

93Castoriadis >??3 24. Original =renc& >8>">82.


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#$nstitution at the %rossroads page ?@ of '(

1t &as *een arg!ed' as %ell' t&at t&e doctrine o( t&e /instit!tion0 %as not *ro!g&t(or%ard properl$. One o( its dra%*ac)s' allegedl$' is t&at it %as not ade,!atel$ *lended %it&t&e ontological iss!es %&ic& appeared t&erea(ter and %&ose ela*oration %as interr!pted *$erlea!"#ont$s earl$ deat&. 1n t&is respect rnasson contends t&at /%e can onl$ spec!latea*o!t t&e res!lts o( a more s$stematic integration o( t&e perspective on 9instit!tion0 %&ic&erlea!"#ont$ /onl$ s)etc&ed in *road o!tlines alt&o!g& it is noticea*l$ lin)ed to &isvariation on e*erian iss!es0 %it& /t&e t&emes o( t&e Disible0.941n contrast' %e maintain

t&at t&e later ontological iss!es' centered on t&e notions o( /(les&0' /active essences0'/invisi*le0' and /intert%ining0' in a large meas!re prolong and complete t&e doctrine o( t&e/instit!tion0 and even s!persede it' (or t&e$ e((ect %&at a +egelian %o!ld call aufheben). 1tse((icienc$ %&en attempting to explain &istoricit$ %as *o!nd to *e s!rpassed *$ an ontologicalsetting t&at' among ot&er reasons' mig&t &ave *een en(orced *$ erlea!"#ont$ in vie% o(t&e pro*lems posed *$ &is earlier doctrine. 1n %&at (ollo%s %e %ill relate t&e concept o(/instit!tion0 to t&ese ontological notions.

a) $nstitution and the #flesh./1nstit!tion0' according to Rena!d Bar*aras' /(la%lessl$designates t&e originar$ implication o( t&e derived in t&e originar$ -cette implication originairedu d3riv3 dans l4originaire)t&at ma)es o!t t&e speci(icit$ o( 9(les&. 1ndeed t&e 9(les& isneit&er (act nor ,!idditas. 1t is t&e Event' t&e originar$ 1nstit!tion t&at opens !p a dimensiono( reprise' demands an !pcoming time' and onl$ manages to *e tr!l$ itsel( in virt!e o( t&isreactivation and t&is development.0951n ot&er %ords' t&e /(les&0 is %&at ma)es possi*le t&e/instit!tion0 as t&e insertion o( a di((erence. &is di((erence does not conve$ an ontologicalvac!!m *eca!se /it is t&e place %&ere a vision appears -le lieu d43mergence d4une vision)and &ence it is (illed !p *$ t&e (les&0.96e s&o!ld )eep in mind t&at t&e (les& is principall$/not"presenta*le as s!c&0' %&ic& means t&at it onl$ presents itsel( in an originar$ %a$t&ro!g& t&e *o!nded di((erence implied *$ ever$ instit!tion. s pointed o!t *$ Go-i +irose'/t&e p&enomenolog$ o( t&e di((erence -3cart) *ent on discerning t&e sing!lar event' and t&eontolog$ o( t&e (les&' aspiring to gro!nd t&e same t$pe o( event' not onl$ are complementar$

*!t also artic!late eac& ot&er.097

On t&e one &and' t&e %orld is not merel$ restricted to itsact!al positivit$' (or its ver$ /(les&0' according to erlea!"#ont$' is /pregnanc$ o(possi*ilities0.98On t&e ot&er &and' all possi*le %orlds are potential variations o( t&is %orld.&is means t&at t&e$ are not /ot&er %orlds0 in t&e sense o( *eing a*sol!tel$ (oreign to m$o%n %orld all t&eir possi*le meanings m!st *e related to it' one %a$ or anot&er. &e$ co!ldrat&er *e li)ened to t&e /invisi*le0 o( t&is %orld' on t&e contrar$' inso(ar as t&e$ anno!nce itsimminent visi*ilit$. 1n more int!itive terms' it s&o!ld *e pointed o!t t&at &istor$ exempli(iest&is prominent connection *et%een /instit!tion0 and /(les&0. s Tavier J!c&et &as p!t it' /tot&in) &istor$ t&oro!g&l$ does not consist in an endless oscillation *et%een ra% events andideal meanings. 1t rat&er means to occ!p$ t&e interval *et%een t&e latent operations t&atma)e !p t&e 9(les& o( &istor$' %&ere 9meanings are constantl$ )notted' t&en !n")notted' and

t&erea(ter )notted again *!t di((erentl$' %it&in a (res& net%or) o( )no%ledge andexperience.099

o (ind o!t t&e act!al connection *et%een /instit!tion0 and /(les&0' &o%ever' anexplication o( t&is latter notion is in order. B$ means o( /(les&0 erlea!"#ont$ see)s a (inalde(eat o( modern s!*-ectivism and solipsism and t&e de(initive demise o( t&e transcendental

94rnason >??3 ?6.

95Bar*aras >??8 3;2.

96erlea!"#ont$ >?64a 326.

97+irose 2;;4 343.

98erlea!"#ont$ >?64a 284 and 2>2.

99J!c&et 2;;> >;5">;6.


19/34

#$nstitution at the %rossroads page ?A of '(

s%amp' (or /(les&0 is a*ove all /t&e (ormative medi!m o( t&e o*-ect and t&e s!*-ect0100andt&ere(ore t&e a*sol!te so!rce o( *ot&. 1n s&ort' /(les&0 stands (or t&e inscription o( /t&e ot&er0in t&e sel(&ood o( ever$t&ing' /it its ver$ (les&0' as it %ere. erlea!"#ont$ presents t&e /(les&0as /a protot$pe o( Being0 in t&e last c&apter o( The Disible and the $nvisible' *!t &e considersalso t&at t&o!g&t itsel( is a /s!*limation o( (les&0.101&e importance assigned to /reversi*ilit$0in The Disible is an appropriate steeping"stone to erlea!"#ont$s novel terminolog$. (terall' t&e pro*lems t&at gro% o!t o( d!alistic conceptions o( mind and *od$' immanence and

transcendence as) (or /t&e revision o( o!r ontolog$' t&e re"examination o( t&e notions o(9s!*-ect and 9o*-ect0.102&e rec!rrent ,!andaries posed *$ ontological d!alism demand t&at%e see t&e %orld as pre"eminentl$ p&enomenon' as an /a!toc&t&ono!s organi:ation0 in%&ic& t&e inter%ovenness o( ever$t&ing is primordial and irred!ci*le. 1n t&is respect' t&e lastsentence o( The Disible%&ic& states t&at reversi*ilit$' t&o!g& /al%a$s imminent and neverreali:ed in (act0103' constit!tes t&e /!ltimate tr!t&0'104concords %it& erlea!"#ont$s earlierdescription o( t&e /(les&0 as an /!ltimate notion0105in %&ose lig&t ever$t&ing m!st *e!nderstood ane%.106&e /(les&0 is at *ottom t&e !niversal matrix o( all conceiva*lereciprocities. 1t consists' in ot&er %ords' /o( m!ltiple encroac&ments o( imminentreversi*ilities0.107

&!s it can *e said' in a n!ts&ell' t&at t&e erlea!"#ont$an /ontolog$ o( t&e (les&0p!rs!es t&ree main goals ?)to excl!de all ant&ropocentric and s!*-ectivist connotations@&)to deconstr!ct t&e metap&$sical s!*-ect and t&e re(lexive conscio!sness@ ')to set !p anarc&aeolog$ o( o*-ectivit$ and o( idealit$. /=les&0 connotes an all"pervading reciprocit$ andintert%ining' con(ronts t&e danger in&erent to t&e notion o( *eing"in"itsel(' and overcomes t&el!re o( an immanentism t&at de(ines Being as *eing"(or"!s *$ *rac)eting *eing"in"itsel(.Mot&ing m!st *e ta)en (or granted /neit&er t&e naAve idea o( *eing in itsel(' nor t&ecorrelative idea o( a *eing o( representation' o( a *eing (or conscio!sness0.108t *ottom'accordingl$' t&ere is no antinom$ *et%een a p&ilosop&$ o( transcendental constit!tion and ap&ilosop&$ o( material ca!salit$.

/O!r p!rpose is D... to s&o% t&at t&e *eing"o*-ect' and t&e *eing"s!*-ect conceived *$opposition to it and relative to it' do not (orm t&e alternative' t&at t&e perceived %orld is*eneat& or *e$ond t&is antinom$' t&at t&e (ail!re o( 9o*-ective ps$c&olog$ iscon-ointl$ %it&t&e (ail!re o( 9o*-ectivist p&$sicsto *e !nderstood not as a 9victor$ o( t&e 9interior over t&e9exterior and o( t&e 9mental over t&e 9material' *!t as a call (or t&e revision o( o!r ontolog$'(or t&e re"examination o( t&e notions o( 9s!*-ect and 9o*-ect.0109&is ontolog$' according toerlea!"#ont$' /%o!ld *e t&e ela*oration o( t&e notions t&at &ave to replace t&ose o( o*-ect's!*-ect' meaning0.110

100erlea!"#ont$ >?64a >?3. Engl. tr. >47.

101erlea!"#ont$ >?64a >?>.

102erlea!"#ont$ >?64a 4>.

103erlea!"#ont$ >?64a >?4.

104erlea!"#ont$ >?64a 2;4.

105erlea!"#ont$ >?64a >85.

106%f. Bresla! 2;;; 3;;' n. 3.

107G&an 2;;5 247.

108erlea!"#ont$ >?64a 2>. Engl. tr. 6.

109erlea!"#ont$ >?64a 4>. Engl. tr. 22"23.

110erlea!"#ont$ >?64a 22>. Engl. tr. >67.


20/34

#$nstitution at the %rossroads page & of '(

1n (e%er %ords' /(les&0 is t&e /single st!((0 o!t o( %&ic& *od$ and t&ings are made' (or*odil$ s!*-ect and %orld are rigoro!sl$ /sim!ltaneo!s0.1111t s&o!ld *e *orne in mind t&aterlea!"#ont$ is a(ter a /de(inition o( *eing t&at is neit&er *eing"(or"itsel( nor *eing"in"itsel('D... t&at m!st rediscover %&at lies *e(ore t&e cleavage operated *$ re(lection0.112&isgro!nd"*rea)ing /*eing0' t&ere(ore' %ill ma)e possi*le (or p&ilosop&$ /to appre&end t&e(ertile moments %&ere a meaning comes in possession o( itsel(0' since in t&at case %e %ill *e

in position to detect /t&e same ontological str!ct!re !nderneat& all relations&ips0.113

b) $nstitution and the invisible.e s&o!ld )eep in mind t&at /invisi*le0 means t&e*ac)gro!nd p&enomena or context!al (eat!res t&at &old an in&erent normative role. 1ts lin)%it& /instit!tion0 s&o!ld not *e overloo)ed (rom a cl!ster o( ca!sal relations&ips!nexpectedl$ emerges a micro"*!**le o( meaning' %&ic& in no %a$ pre"existed' and %&ic&acts independentl$ o( all claims (or o*-ectivit$ and o( ever$ pres!med la%. s %e %ill see*elo%' t&e notion o( /practice0' prominent in contemporar$ t&o!g&t and cr!cial in t&e %or) o(#ierre Bo!rdie!' connotes t&is anomalo!s *!t ca!sall$ e((icacio!s /invisi*le0. 1n ot&er%ords t&e relation on %&ic& t&e notion o( /instit!tion0 (eeds *et%een t&e sedimentedpresence o( t&e instit!ted element and t&e latenc$ o( possi*ilities o( t&e instit!ting element'nowappears as t&e c&iasmic relation *et%een /visi*le0 and /invisi*le0. ome o( t&es&ortcomings o( /instit!tion0' in conse,!ence' seem no% s!perseded' an accomplis&mentt&at &as *een neatl$ p!t *$ =ran) Ro*ert /&e concept o( instit!tion is !nsatis(actor$*eca!se it remains attac&ed to +!sserlian eidetic and to static p&enomenolog$. &!s a ne%concept!alit$ *ecomes necessar$' in &armon$ %it& t&e criti,!e o( positive essences and o(t&e constit!ting s!*-ect. The Disible and the $nvisible%ill *ring !p t&is ne% concept!alit$' D...s!ita*le to descri*e a relations&ip %&ose non"positive terms' intert%ined %it& eac& ot&er'emerge non"positivel$ in a &istor$. &eir intert%ining does not *elong to an$ o( t&e relatedterms' (or it is t&e non"positive Cinvisible%&ic& s!pports t&e visible4.0114

o eval!ate t&e prominence o( t&e /invisi*le0 in erlea!"#ont$s later t&o!g&t'&o%ever' demands to ac)no%ledge t&at an ontolog$ o( reversi*ilit$ %ill remain an act o(p&ilosop&ical *oldness i( it is not do!*led *$ a doctrine t&at explains /%&$ t&e &inge *et%eenactivit$ and passivit$ remains !navoida*l$ concealed0 and &ence el!cidates /t&e mostdi((ic!lt iss!e' t&at is to sa$' t&e relations&ip *et%een (les& and idea' *et%een t&e visi*le andt&e inner armat!re t&at it mani(ests and also &ides0.1151n s&ort' a non"d!alist ontolog$ &as toclari($ %&$ t&e reversi*ilit$ t&at lin)s t&e sentient %it& t&e sensi*le sta$s incomplete' since it/is al%a$s imminent and never reali:ed in (act0116. &e doctrine o( t&e /invisi*le0' precisel$'tries to explain %&$ in spite o( t&is (la% t&e experience o( t&e sentient $et develops into aclose and co&erent (rame%or). =acing t&ese perplexities' %&ic& a reversi*ilist ontolog$inevita*l$ *rings a*o!t' erlea!"#ont$ arg!es t&at /t&e visi*le0 is diacriticall$ str!ct!red *$

(orms' armat!res' and invariants %&ic& perception in(alli*l$ recogni:es' in t&e same %a$ %erecogni:e a (ace %it&o!t *eing a*le to descri*e it anal$ticall$. /1nso(ar as 1 see somet&ing' 1do not )no% what1 see a (amiliar person is not de(inite0.117

111erlea!"#ont$ >?64a 3;4. Engl. tr. 25;.

112erlea!"#ont$ >?64a >3;. Engl. tr. ?5.

113erlea!"#ont$ >?53 58.

114Ro*ert 2;;; 364"365.

115erlea!"#ont$ >?64a >?5.

116erlea!"#ont$ >?64a >?4.

117erlea!"#ont$ >?64a 3;;. erlea!"#ont$s emp&asis.


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#$nstitution at the %rossroads page &? of '(

&ese invariants are act!all$ invisi*le to perception. &e$ are concealed in t&e visi*leand melt into its ver$ mani(estation c!lt!re ac&ieves its expression *$ giving t&em a plastic'm!sical or ling!istic (ig!ration. &is means t&at in t&e originar$ presentation *ot& t&e/visi*le0 and t&e /invisi*le0 are presented. Let t&is does not impl$ t&at in t&is presentation t&einvisi*le *ecomes visi*le. erlea!"#ont$ cannot accept a dimension o( invisi*ilit$ severed(rom t&e p&enomenic aspect o( mani(estation. &e invisi*le is act!all$ presented as !n"presenta*le' and in (act its presentation ex&i*its t&e ingredient o( a*sence t&at ever$

presence contains. &is originar$ presentation o( %&at is originar$ !n"presenta*le t&epresence o( a*sence asa*sence' as it %ere s!ggests t&at p&enomena come a*o!t asoriginar$ dimension o( Being and %arrants erlea!"#ont$s vie%s on t&e !niversalit$ o( t&esensi*le. /1t is visi*ilit$ itsel( %&at involves a non"visi*ilit$. D... &e perceived %orld is t&ecollection o( pat&%a$s t&at m$ *od$ opens !p t&e same &appens in painting and not am!ltit!de o( spatial"temporal individ!als0.118o condense erlea!"#ont$s contention' t&earrangement o( relations de(ined as direct' empirical and visiblelin)s *et%een entitiest&o!g&ts and t&ings in reversi*le interaction is s!pplemented *$ a *ac)gro!ndarrangement o( invisiblerelations o( str!ct!ral e,!ivalencePdi((erencet&at span time andspace. ll entities' in s&ort' ac,!ire t&eir constit!tion onl$ t&ro!g& t&eir location in t&istopological setting. 1n a note %ritten in a$' >?6;' erlea!"#ont$ pitted t&e /invisi*le0'*anall$ !nderstood as /%&at is not act!all$ visi*le' *!t co!ld *e &idden or inact!al aspectso( t&e t&ing&idden t&ings' sit!ated 9else%&ere9&ere and 9else%&ere0' against an/invisi*le0 de(ined as /%&at' relative to t&e visi*le' co!ld nevert&eless not *e seen as a t&ingt&e existentials o( t&e visi*le' its dimensions' its non"(ig!rative inner (rame%or)0.119

c) $nstitution and #active essences.it& t&e notion o( /active essence0 erlea!"#ont$ans%ers t&e ,!estion &at is act!all$ instit!ted *$ /instit!tion0 ost importantl$' /activeessences0 are %&at t&e *od$ internali:es and in so (ar t&e$ constit!te t&e habitus' as %e %illprove' since t&e$ acco!nt (or all /*ac)gro!nd !nderstanding0. &e %orld o( /activeessences0' in a %ord' amo!nts to %&at erlea!"#ont$ calls /invisi*le0. s &e p!ts t&is iss!e'

/it matters to )no% &o% t&e 9intellect!al ideas esta*lis& t&emselves Don top o( t&e 9activeessences' &o% t&e 9idealit$ o( &ori:on gives %a$ to 9p!re idealit$' and in virt!e o( %&atmiracle t&e nat!ral generalit$ o( m$ *od$ and o( t&e %orld at large is enlarged *$ a createdgeneralit$' is reass!med and recti(ied *$ a c!lt!re and a )no%ledge.0120O( co!rse' t&e term/active essence0 is onl$ one specimen in t&e m!ltit!de o( names t&at erlea!"#ont$ !ses todesignate t&is inde(ina*le entit$. &e most %idespread o( t&em is o( co!rse /sensi*le idea0't&o!g& /alogic0' /operative0 or /non"intellect!al0 essences are also !s!al names' as attested*$ t&e erlea!"#ont$an contention t&at /t&e lin) %it& t&e past o( t&e perception in its ver$(les& ta)es place *$ means o( str!ct!ral generalit$ or alogic essence.0121

&e el!siveness o( t&ese notions' o*vio!sl$' calls (or a t&oro!g& explanation. s %e

&ave seen' t&e /visi*le0 contains t&e /invisi*le0 as its o%n speci(ic dept&' as a )ind o( inner(rame t&at it sim!ltaneo!sl$ &ides and displa$s. 1n opposition to (!ll$ intelligi*le ideas' t&e/invisi*le0 amo!nts to an expanded /active essence0 *eca!se it /cannot *e detac&ed (romsensi*le appearances and converted into a second positivit$0.122&is resistance is act!all$t&e main strengt& o( s!c& /active essences0' &o%ever' (or t&e$ are not simpl$ concealedtr!t&s' as %o!ld *e /an act!al invisi*le t&at $et some da$ %e s&all *e a*le to *e&old0.123

118erlea!"#ont$ >?64a 3;;.

119erlea!"#ont$ >?64a 3>>.

120erlea!"#ont$ >?64a 2;;.

121erlea!"#ont$ 2;;3 255.

122erlea!"#ont$ >?64a >?6.

123erlea!"#ont$ >?64a >?6.


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1nstead' t&eir tr!t& d%ells in t&eir veiled c&aracter' paradoxicall$ *ro!g&t a*o!t *$ t&ealliance %it& t&e sensi*le element o( %&ic& t&e$ are t&e str!ct!re. 1n s&ort' since t&e$ are t&eoriginar$ (rame%or) o( t&e /visi*le0' t&e$ prod!ce t&e ort&odox' intelligi*le ideas and &encet&e$ are t&e ca!se o( all admitted tr!t&s. s erlea!"#ont$ %rites' /*eneat& ever$intellect!al idea' read$ to *e entered and sei:ed *$ t&e intuitus mentist&ere is one o( t&oseentities %&ic& instead o( *eing positive are di((erences or are even 9di((erentiated0.124&eagenc$ o( an /invisi*le0 t&at some&o% is inscri*ed in t&e /visi*le0' t&ere(ore' explains %&$

meaning comes to presence in t&e sensi*le %orld. ll events are in%ardl$ str!ct!red or(ramed *$ an /active essence0 %&ic& is t&e invisi*le r!le t&at commands *ot& its visi*ilit$ andits generalit$' and as a conse,!ence determines its meaning. e ma$ t&en concl!de t&aterlea!"#ont$ names /invisi*le0 t&e arrangement o( relations disclosed *$ t&e scr!tin$ o( t&eall"em*racing ontological intert%ining' %&ere &omogeneit$ coexists %it& di((erence. &ispec!liar term is t&!s a s&ort&and expression (or t&e *ac)gro!nd p&enomena t&at &old anin&erent normative role. 1t merel$ stresses t&at t&ese (eat!res are context!al and &idden att&e same time.

d) $nstitution and dimensionality. e &ave pointed o!t a*ove t&e role pla$ed *$ t&econcept o( /dimension0 in esta*lis&ing t&e canonical meaning o( /instit!tion0. 1n t&is ne%ontological setting' erlea!"#ont$ names /dimensionalit$0 t&e logic o( classi(ication t&at t&e/invisi*le0 *rings a*o!t. E,!ivalence and di((erentiation' in ot&er %ords' entail t&e notion o( a/!ni,!e0 dimensionalit$ t&at $et encompasses a diversit$ o( /dimensions0. &is means t&at at&ing or an event *ecome /dimension0 i( it radiates' *e$ond its spatio"temporal individ!alit$' a/%a$ o( *eing0 t&at is an /active essence0' as speci(ied a*ove or a /st$le0 t&at is /t&emanner according to %&ic& a given visi*le appears0 t&at' in its t!rn' give to t&e speci(ic t&ingor event t&e !nit$ o( a c&aracteristic experience or o( a single /ra$ o( t&e %orld -rayon dumonde). 1t s&o!ld not come as a s!rprise' t&en' t&at according to erlea!"#ont$ /activeessences0 *ecome /dimensions0 or /s$stems o( e,!ivalences0. 1n t&e voca*!lar$ %e %ill !se*elo%' t&is amo!nts to sa$ing t&at practical reason %or)s via dimensionali:ation to

/dimensionali:e0 and to /de(orm co&erentl$0 are s$non$ms (or erlea!"#ont$' or else t&atBo!rdie!an habitus*ecomes explica*le t&an)s to /active essences0 and/dimensionalisation0. given experience' in ot&er %ords' *ecomes t&e re(erence (or ot&erexperiences occ!rring t&erea(ter' and neit&er r!les' nor norms' nor principles govern t&isprocess.125

(orce(!l %a$ o( el!cidating t&is ontological /dimensionalit$0 s&o!ld *egin *$reminding !s t&at' according to erlea!"#ont$' t&ings are neit&er identical to t&emselves norare t&e$ s!*stantial entities. &e$ are variants or modi(ications o( ot&er t&ings' o( ot&erspatial"temporal positions and o( ot&er ,!alities t&e$ /correspond0 to t&em' as it %ere' (ordi((erentiation also entails mod!lation. 1n conse,!ence' and precisel$ becauset&e$ di((er'

t&ings /a*sol!tel$ strange to eac& ot&er are nevert&eless a*sol!tel$ together-sont pourtantabsolument ensem*le).126&ere is a )ind o( co&esion *et%een t&em t&at t!rns t&em into/extreme di((erences' extreme divergences o( one sing!lar somet&ing -3carts e,tr5mes d4unm5me 2uel2ue chose)0.127&e notion o( /dimension0' t&ere(ore' appears related to t&ecirc!mstance t&at di((erentiated /%a$s o( *eing0 or' as erlea!"#ont$ sa$s' /active

124erlea!"#ont$ >??6 >?4.

125Regarding /dimensionalisation0 it is %ort&%&ile to note t&at in t&eir *oo) on =o!ca!lt'


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essences0 possess /t&e possi*ilit$ o( *ecoming ne!tral0 since t&is (eat!re allo%s !s /to!nderstand t&at t&e sensi*le %orld is t&is perceptive logic' t&is s$stem o( e,!ivalences' andnot a cl!ster o( spatio"temporal individ!als0.1281n t&is respect &e points o!t again t&ate,!ivalences and similarities' on t&e one &and' and di((erences and divergences or 3cartsont&e ot&er' ma)e !p t&e /invisi*le0.

+is most (!ndamental contentions on t&is matter are t&at Being is non"coincidence' or

in s&ort di((erentiation' and t&at presence is originar$ divergence -3cart)%&ic& in a stillCartesian voca*!lar$ means t&at a /strange distance0 separates t&e s!*-ect (rom itsel( andt&e t&ing (rom its o%n identit$. Related to s!c& pec!liar Being and t&!s acco!nting (or t&eontological end!rance o( /instit!tion0' t&e (ollo%ing s!mming"!p (rom Castoriadis isinval!a*le /&at erlea!"#ont$ calls Being can no longer *e t&o!g&t as Being"given'Being"ac&ieved' Being"determined' *!t as contin!ed creation' perpet!al origination' %&ic&concerns not onl$ 9concrete existents' and is not reprod!ction o( ot&er exemplars o( t&esame.0129 ccording to erlea!"#ont$' t&e individ!al is not s!*stance andaccidents' andeven less it is t&e incarnation o( canonical essences. &e individ!al is *asicall$ divergence-3cart)(rom itsel( *eca!se it is constit!ted *$ a /constellation0 o( e,!ivalences anddi((erentiations. t&ing is /not m!c& -peu de chose)i( compared to t&ose participations0'130(or t&e$ c&ange it to a mere /tic) -punctuation)in a (ield o( t&ings t&at' in t&eir t!rn' are nomore t&an variations o( t&e /visi*le0.

t t&is point %e are in a position to admit t&at t&e el!sive notion o( /(les&0 designatesin (act t&e /invisi*le0 contin!o!sl$ *eing *orn in t&e midst o( t&e /visi*le0. Being /!n(olds0 or/radiates0 in t&e di((erentiations %&ic& contri*!te to t&e !nremitting re"constit!tion o( its ver$identit$. Contrar$ to t&e impression t&at t&e all"em*racing reversi*ilit$ enco!rages' t&e/(les&0 is not an !n"di((erentiated %&ole %&ere all dimensions are *l!rred. One o( t&edi((ic!lties raised *$ erlea!"#ont$s ontolog$' precisel$' springs (rom t&is circ!mstance t&enotion o( /(les&0 is set as an arc&et$pical unum$et its !nit$ involves an in&erent diacritical

implosion. &e individ!al /prod!ces0 its o%n sing!lar !niversalit$ *eca!se it /irradiates%orldliness0. longside a str!ct!re o( o*-ective relations' in ot&er %ords' t&ings possess a(rame%or) o( virt!alit$ t&at /do!*les' s!pports' and (eeds t&em' and %&ic& is not in itsel( at&ing *!t possi*ilit$' latenc$' and (les& o( t&ings0.131&!s /ever$ perceived *eing ma$ *ede(ined *$ means o( a str!ct!re or a s$stem o( e,!ivalences aro!nd %&ic& it is set0.1321ngeneral terms' erlea!"#ont$ contends t&at instead o( separate (acts' spatio"temporall$individ!ated *$ t&e respective essences %&ic& are no more t&an ill!sions contrived *$ anoverestimated conscio!sness' and also instead o( a*stracted generali:ations or ideali:edgro!nds' t&ere is onl$ /a %&ole arc&itect!re' a %&ole 9strati(ication o( p&enomena' a %&oleseries o( 9levels o( *eing0133%&ic& di((erentiate t&emselves t&an)s to t&e encroac&ment o(t&e /invisi*le0 !pon a speci(ic /visi*le0.

Institution is restated in the wor& of $ierre 'ourdieuas the pre-reflexive insertion of the body in its social environment

128erlea!"#ont$ >?64a 3;>.

129Castoriadis >??3 24. Original =renc& >8>.

130erlea!"#ont$ >?64a >74.

131erlea!"#ont$ >?64a >75.

132erlea!"#ont$ >?64a 26>.

133erlea!"#ont$ >?64a >53.


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&ile erlea!"#ont$s later ontolog$ implicitl$ contained *ot& an extension and are(inement o( t&e doctrine o( t&e /instit!tion0 t&is %as t&e %a$ o( ma)ing it more concretet&at %as act!all$ c&osen *$ &im' it exists a virt!al' alternate ro!te to%ards its completiont&at merges t&e anti"Cartesian ontolog$ adopted *$ t&e later erlea!"#ont$ %it& a ret!rn tot&e *asic aspects o( &is earlier p&ilosop&$' t&at is' t&e t&eories o( perception' em*odimentand inters!*-ectivit$ developed in henomenology of erceptiont&is %as t&e s!*stit!tetrac) notta)en *$ erlea!"#ont$. e contend t&at precisel$ t&e %or) o( #ierre Bo!rdie!

accomplis&es t&is second' s$nt&etic option' as t&e (ollo%ing paragrap&s %ill ma)e evident.

&e &!* o( t&is matter is t&at t&e erlea!"#ont$an doctrine o( t&e /instit!tion0 can also*e interpreted as a t&eor$ o( incarnate dispositions. &e &!man em*odiment' a(ter all't&ro!g& its empo%ering and !npredicta*le c&aracteristics' al%a$s compo!nded *$ t&ecompliance %it& t&e demands o( pre"given instit!tional (ields' is *ot& t&e (orm and t&emedi!m o( &istorical traditions. s erlea!"#ont$ sa$s' /t&ere is %&at mig&t *e called a9nat!ral 1 a*ove t&e 1 t&at is a t&in)ing s!*-ect. &is 9nat!ral 1 does not leave its eart&$sit!ation and endlessl$ expresses a*sol!te valori:ations.0134B!t t&is /eart&$0 or /nat!ral0 1*rings (or%ard /a*sol!te valori:ations0 not *$ means o( spontaneo!s' constit!tive acts *!tt&ro!g& t&e s!ccession o( instit!tions t&at act!all$ s&ape an em*odied &a*it. Mic) Crossle$&as clearl$ seen t&is state o( a((airs /=or erlea!"#ont$ t&e actions o( t&e mat!re socialagent are rooted in &a*it. nd $et some actions mani(est a degree o( creativit$ andinnovation t&at e((ectivel$ de(orms or trans(orms t&e &a*it!al so!rce. &e relation o( &a*it toaction is concept!ali:ed as a t%o"%a$ street &a*its generate actions and actions vario!sl$modi($ and create ne% &a*its.0135+ence it co!ld *e said' in t&e terms o( an o*server' t&at/%e experience corporeall$ a pre"cognitive domain o( *r!te Being0 %&ere /an 9operativerationalit$ is alread$ at %or)' (or perception alread$ introd!ces patterns' dimensions' amod!lation or st$le into t&e %orld' t&ere*$ insin!ating signi(icance at t&e level o(em*odiment0.136&is intimate connection *et%een instit!tion and em*odiment %as s!per*l$descri*ed *$ t&e late artin ?45 5;2.

135Crossle$ 2;;> >>6.

136Coole 2;;> 2;.

137??> xvi.

138Ha&ire >??8 >?>.


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a cl!ster o( dispositions as s!per(iciall$ ass!med *$ certain commentators. erlea!"#ont$s9intentional arc an ela*oration o( t&e concept o( p&enomenal *od$ also parallels t&ehabitus t&e$ are *ot& attempts to grasp &o% t&e relativel$ o*-ective aspects o( onesexistential manner are s!*-ectivel$ experienced as %ell as 9o*-ectivel$ sensed.01391n s&ort'/t&e habitusis eit&er t&e !n"t&o!g&t corporeal str!ct!ring itsel(' or t&e impet!st&e activeem*odied potential(or t&e prod!ctionPperpet!ation o( t&at str!ct!re.0140

=irst o( all %e s&o!ld )eep in mind t&at t&e habitus see)s to transcend t&e opposition*et%een t&eories t&at conceive practice as constitutingp&enomenolog$' o( co!rse' *!t alsoall *rands o( individ!alism' *e t&em met&odological or ontological and t&eories t&at vie%practice as constituteda*ove all' str!ct!ralism and str!ct!ral (!nctionalism. Bo!rdie!considers social li(e as a m!t!all$ constit!ting interaction o( em*odied patterns anddispositions *$ means o( %&ic& social str!ct!res and t&e em*odied /)no%ledge0 o( t&esestr!ct!res prod!ce end!ring orientations to action t&at' in t!rn' are constit!tive o( socialstr!ct!res. t t&is moment t&e classical de(inition o( habitus*$ Bo!rdie! ma$ *e o( some&elp /&e conditionings associated %it& a partic!lar class o( conditions o( existence prod!cet&e habitus' s$stems o( lasting' transposa*le dispositions' str!ct!red str!ct!res predisposedto (!nction as str!ct!ring str!ct!res' t&at is' as principles %&ic& generate and organi:epractices and representations and t&at can *e o*-ectivel$ adapted to t&eir o!tcomes %it&o!tpres!pposing a conscio!s aiming at ends or an express master$ o( t&e operations necessar$in order to attain t&em. O*-ectivel$ 9reg!lated and 9reg!lar %it&o!t *eing in an$ %a$ t&eprod!ct o( o*edience to r!les' t&e$ can *e collectivel$ orc&estrated %it&o!t *eing t&e prod!cto( an organi:ing action o( a cond!ctor.0141Or else can t&e habitus*e !nderstood as a/s$stem o( d!ra*le' transposa*le dispositions %&ic&' integrating past experiences' (!nctionsat ever$ moment as a matrix o( perceptions' appreciations' and actions0.142

1n a (e% %ords' t&e habituscomprises percept!al (eat!res and em*odied dispositionst&at organi:e t&e %a$ individ!als see t&e %orld and act in it. &e cognitive str!ct!res %&ic&

social agents implement in t&eir practical dealing %it& t&e social %orld are in (act internali:ed'em*odied social str!ct!res.


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#$nstitution at the %rossroads page &: of '(

Firt!all$ all commentators conc!r in perceiving t&e doctrine o( t&e /instit!tion0 as t&e(inest introd!ction to Bo!rdie!s t&o!g&t /&ere is m!c& erlea!"#ont$ co!ld learn (romBo!rdie!' &is 9sociological &eir.0145Or else /&e ending point (or erlea!"#ont$ is t&estarting point (or Bo!rdie!.01461n even star)er accents /Reading erlea!"#ont$ is li)ereading a p&ilosop&ical commentar$ on Bo!rdie!.0147ore precisel$ p!t /&e Bo!rdie!ande(inition o( 9practical sense and o( habitusas %ell' ma$ *e read as an acc!rate sociologicalexempli(ication o( erlea!"#ont$an p&enomenolog$ o( perception.0148nd stressing

Bo!rdie!s main point /erlea!"#ont$ deals onl$ %it& t&e general str!ct!re o( perceptionand action. 1t is Bo!rdie!s notion o( habitust&at (inall$ ma)es t&ese ideas concrete. +is !seo( p&enomenological ontolog$ allo%s !s to see in %&at %a$ t&e *odil$ &a*it!s anc&ors t&e&omologies and analogies o( t&e social (ield' to %&at degree t&e a*ilit$ to respondappropriatel$ to events in t&e %orld arises (rom s)ills %it&o!t reco!rse to r!les andrepresentations' and in %&at manner t&e (act o( *eing somet&ing in t&e social %orld isdetermined *$ and reciprocall$ determines practice.0149

1t m!st *e conceded' in an$ case' t&at Bo!rdie!s t&o!g&t lengt&ens t&e doctrine o(t&e /instit!tion0' as &is o%n %ords ma)e plain /+istorical sciences mig&t tr$ to !nderstandD... t&e genesis o( t&e dispositionsEi. e.t&e habitusFt&at &ave invented t&emselves -2ui sesont invent3s)as t&e (ields constit!ted t&emselves -8 mesure 2ue les champs seconstituaient)and %&ic& t&ro!g& t&e learning process slo%l$ engrave t&emselves-s4inscrivent peu 8 peu)on t&e *odies.01501n t&e %a)e o( erlea!"#ont$s p&ilosop&$'indeed' t&e Bo!rdie!an habituscame o!t as a manner o( promoting a (orm o( integration o(experience and !nderstanding t&at con(ronted t&e possi*ilit$ o( /openness to t&ings %it&o!tconcept0 and %&ic& in a sense prevails over t&e simpler post"Cartesian !rge to%ardsintellect!al possession and over(l$ing evidence. &e habitusis indeed an extremel$am*itio!s notion' (or it p!rports to designate t&e s$stem o( d!ra*le and transposa*ledispositions *$ means o( %&ic& %e perceive' -!dge' and act in t&e %orld. &ese !nconscio!ssc&emata are ac,!ired %&en external constraints and possi*ilities *ecome internali:ed

t&ro!g& lasting expos!re to partic!lar social conditions and conditionings.1t is also all!ring to consider t&at' i( (ormerl$ /instit!tion0 acco!nted (or &istor$'

tradition' and time' as intimated a*ove' no% it appears to *e t&e t!rn o( t&e habitustoel!cidate t&ese t&orn$ iss!es. 1n Bo!rdie!s o%n %ords' /t&e habitus' t&e prod!ct o( &istor$'prod!ces individ!al and collective practices' and &ence &istor$' in accordance %it& t&esc&emas engendered *$ &istor$.0151Ot&er%ise stated' /t&e habitusas em*odied ac,!isitionis presence o( t&e pastor presence in t&e past tenseand not remem*rance o( t&e past0152

&is circ!mstance is decisive' since according to Bo!rdie! t&e interpretive apparat!s islodged %it&in t&e habitusand not%it&in t&e agent. (ter all' &e regards t&e habitus"driven

1441t s&o!ld *e pointed o!t t&at t&e &a*it!s is almost never an explicit o*-ect o( intentional a%areness /&e (acto( collective practice ta)es t&e place o( intention and can &ave t&e e((ect o( prod!cing a s!*-ective experienceand a sense o( instit!tion.0 -%fr.Bo!rdie! >?8;a 258

145Crossle$ 2;;4 ?>.

146Crossle$ 2;;4 >>8.

147arco!latos 2;;> >.

148Bim*enet 2;;6 58.

149??3 38.

150Bo!rdie! >??7 >54.

151Bo!rdie! >?72 ??. Engl. tr. 82.

152Bo!rdie! 2;;3 252.


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social practices as em*odied and pre"cognitive /&e sc&emes o( t&e &a*it!s' t&e primar$(orms o( classi(ication' o%e t&eir speci(ic e((icac$ to t&e (act t&at t&e$ (!nction *elo% t&e levelo( conscio!sness and lang!age' *e$ond t&e reac& o( introspective scr!tin$ or control *$ t&e%ill.0153

&e re*!)e (ormerl$ directed to t&e cognitive opacit$ o( /instit!tion0' t&ere(ore' at t&istime res!r(aces in regard to t&e habitus' to %&ic& a signi(icant /po%er o( o*(!scation0 is no%

attri*!ted. 1t s&o!ld not *e (or

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120131 Institution at the Crossroads