Single Idea 23075

[catalogued under 1. Philosophy / H. Continental Philosophy / 3. Hermeneutics]

Full Idea

Why embroider upon what excludes commentary? A text explained is not longer a text.

Gist of Idea

A text explained ceases to be a text

Source

E.M. Cioran (The Trouble with Being Born [1973], 09)

Book Reference

Cioran,E.M.: 'The Trouble with Being Born', ed/tr. Richard Howard [Penguin 2012], p.127


A Reaction

I like that. I'm not a great fan of explicating texts, especially if they are literary, where the whole point is the primary experience, of a novel, poem or play. Philosophy is different, because that is a dialogue between writer and reader.