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In semiotics, Khôra (also chora; Ancient Greek: χώρα) is the space that gives a place for being. The term has been used in philosophy by Plato to designate a receptacle (as a "third kind" [triton genos]; Timaeus 48e4), a space, a material substratum, or an interval. In Plato's account, khôra is described as a formless interval, alike to a non-being, in between which the "Forms" were received from the intelligible realm (where they were originally held) and were "copied", shaping into the transitory forms of the sensible realm; it "gives space" and has maternal overtones (a womb, matrix):
“Moreover, a third kind is that of the Khôra (χώρας), everlasting, not admitting destruction, granting an abode to all things having generation, itself to be apprehended with nonsensation, by a sort of bastard reckoning, hardly trustworthy; and looking toward which we dream and affirm that it is necessary that all that is be somewhere in some place and occupy some khôra; and that that which is neither on earth nor anywhere in the heaven is nothing."
— Plato, Timaeus, 52a-b
"So likewise it is right that the substance which is to be fitted to receive frequently over its whole extent the copies of all things intelligible and eternal should itself, of its own nature, be void of all the forms. Wherefore, let us not speak of her that is the Mother and Receptacle of this generated world, which is perceptible by sight and all the senses, by the name of earth or air or fire or water, or any aggregates or constituents thereof: rather, if we describe her as a Kind invisible and unshaped, all-receptive, and in some most perplexing and most baffling partaking of the intelligible, we shall describe her truly."
— Plato, Timaeus, 51a
Etymology
In Ancient Greek: χώρα, romanized: khṓrā is the space where something is, or any generic place.
History
Aristotle merged his teacher's concept with his definitions of prima materia (hylé), place (topos) and substratum (hypokeimenon), in the book 4 of Physics: "This is why Plato says in the Timaeus that matter and the khôra are the same; for the receptive and the khôra are one and the same. Although the manner in which he speaks about the receptive in the Timaeus differs from that in the so-called unwritten teachings, nevertheless he declares that place and the khôra are the same".
Key authors addressing khôra include Martin Heidegger, who refers to a "clearing" in which being happens or takes place. Kitaro Nishida stated that he based his concept of basho, Place, on the abyssal nothing mu inspired by his reading of the Plato's notion of khôra.
Jacques Derrida has written a short text with the title Khôra. Jacques Derrida uses khôra to name a radical otherness that "gives place" for being, characterizing khôra as a formless interval, alike to a non-being, in between which the "Forms" were received from the intelligible realm (where they were originally held) and were "copied", shaping into the transitory forms of the sensible realm; it "gives space" and has maternal overtones (a womb, matrix):. For Derrida, khôra defies attempts at naming or either/or logic, which he "deconstructs". The project proposed the construction of a garden in the Parc de la Villette in Paris, which included a sieve, or harp-like structure that Derrida envisaged as a physical metaphor for the receptacle-like properties of the khôra. Derrida argues that the subjectile is the space between the sensible and the intelligible, through which everything passes but in which nothing remains. For example, an image needs to be held by something, just as a mirror will hold a reflection.
Following Derrida, John Caputo describes khôra as:
neither present nor absent, active or passive, the good nor evil, living nor nonliving - but rather atheological and nonhuman - khôra is not even a receptacle. Khôra has no meaning or essence, no identity to fall back upon. She/it receives all without becoming anything, which is why she/it can become the subject of neither a philosopheme nor mytheme. In short, the khôra is tout autre [fully other], very.
If, as one contributor concludes, "khôra" means "space", it is an interesting space that "at times appears to be neither this nor that, at times both this and that," wavering "between the logic of exclusion and that of participation." (Derrida, The Name, 89).
Julia Kristeva deploys the "khora" as part of her analysis of the difference between the semiotic and symbolic realms, as the emancipatory employment of semiotic activity as a way of evading the allegedly phallocentric character of symbolic activity (signification through language), which, following Jacques Lacan, is regarded as an inherently limiting and oppressive form of praxis. Kristeva articulates the khôra in terms of a presignifying state: "Although the khôra can be designated and regulated, it can never be definitively posited: as a result, one can situate the khôra and, if necessary, lend it a topology, but one can never give it axiomatic form."
Notes
- Sallis 2020, p. 107.
- Sallis 2020, p. 118.
- "Plato, Timaeus, section 52b". www.perseus.tufts.edu. Retrieved 2023-02-12.
- "Plato, Timaeus, section 52a". www.perseus.tufts.edu. Retrieved 2023-02-12.
- "Henry George Liddell, Robert Scott, A Greek-English Lexicon, χώρα".
- Sallis 2020, p. 152.
- El-Bizri, Nader (2004). "On Kai XΩpa: Situating Heidegger Between the Sophist and the Timaeus". Studia Phaenomenologica. IV (1/2): 73–98. doi:10.7761/sp.1-2.73. ISSN 1582-5647.
- Krummel, John W.M. (2016). "Chōra in Heidegger and Nishida". Studia Phaenomenologica. XVI: 489–518. doi:10.5840/studphaen20161618. ISSN 1582-5647.
- Derrida, J. (1993). Khôra. Paris: Galilée.
- See also Derrida's collaborative project with architect Peter Eisenmann, Jacques Derrida; Peter Eisenman (1997). Jeffrey Kipnis; Thomas Leeser (eds.). Chora L Works. New York: Monacelli Press. ISBN 9781885254405. OCLC 850749864.
- Caputo 1997, pp. 35–36
- Kristeva, J. (1984). Revolution in Poetic Language. New York: Columbia University Press. p. 26.
References
- Derrida, Jacques (1995). "Khôra". On the Name. Stanford University Press. Translation of Derrida, Jacques 1993: Khôra. Paris: Galilée.
- Caputo, John D., ed. (1997). Deconstruction in a Nutshell: A Conversation with Jacques Derrida. New York: Fordham University Press. Transcript of the Roundtable Discussion with Jacques Derrida at Villanova University, October 3, 1994. With commentary by Caputo. Which is also available at "Roundtable Discussion with Jacques Derrida". Villanova University. October 3, 1994. Archived from the original on 2006-09-01.
- Caputo, John D. (2004). "Love among the Deconstructibles: A Response to Gregg Lambert" (PDF). Journal for Cultural and Religious Theory. 5 (2): 37ff.
- Sallis, John (June 9, 2020). Chorology: On Beginning in Plato's Timaeus. Indiana University Press. ISBN 978-0-253-04668-0. p. 107, 118, 152
This article relies excessively on references to primary sources Please improve this article by adding secondary or tertiary sources Find sources Khora news newspapers books scholar JSTOR January 2023 Learn how and when to remove this message In semiotics Khora also chora Ancient Greek xwra is the space that gives a place for being The term has been used in philosophy by Plato to designate a receptacle as a third kind triton genos Timaeus 48e4 a space a material substratum or an interval In Plato s account khora is described as a formless interval alike to a non being in between which the Forms were received from the intelligible realm where they were originally held and were copied shaping into the transitory forms of the sensible realm it gives space and has maternal overtones a womb matrix Moreover a third kind is that of the Khora xwras everlasting not admitting destruction granting an abode to all things having generation itself to be apprehended with nonsensation by a sort of bastard reckoning hardly trustworthy and looking toward which we dream and affirm that it is necessary that all that is be somewhere in some place and occupy some khora and that that which is neither on earth nor anywhere in the heaven is nothing Plato Timaeus 52a b So likewise it is right that the substance which is to be fitted to receive frequently over its whole extent the copies of all things intelligible and eternal should itself of its own nature be void of all the forms Wherefore let us not speak of her that is the Mother and Receptacle of this generated world which is perceptible by sight and all the senses by the name of earth or air or fire or water or any aggregates or constituents thereof rather if we describe her as a Kind invisible and unshaped all receptive and in some most perplexing and most baffling partaking of the intelligible we shall describe her truly Plato Timaeus 51aEtymologyIn Ancient Greek xwra romanized khṓra is the space where something is or any generic place HistoryAristotle merged his teacher s concept with his definitions of prima materia hyle place topos and substratum hypokeimenon in the book 4 of Physics This is why Plato says in the Timaeus that matter and the khora are the same for the receptive and the khora are one and the same Although the manner in which he speaks about the receptive in the Timaeus differs from that in the so called unwritten teachings nevertheless he declares that place and the khora are the same Key authors addressing khora include Martin Heidegger who refers to a clearing in which being happens or takes place Kitaro Nishida stated that he based his concept of basho Place on the abyssal nothing mu inspired by his reading of the Plato s notion of khora Jacques Derrida has written a short text with the title Khora Jacques Derrida uses khora to name a radical otherness that gives place for being characterizing khora as a formless interval alike to a non being in between which the Forms were received from the intelligible realm where they were originally held and were copied shaping into the transitory forms of the sensible realm it gives space and has maternal overtones a womb matrix For Derrida khora defies attempts at naming or either or logic which he deconstructs The project proposed the construction of a garden in the Parc de la Villette in Paris which included a sieve or harp like structure that Derrida envisaged as a physical metaphor for the receptacle like properties of the khora Derrida argues that the subjectile is the space between the sensible and the intelligible through which everything passes but in which nothing remains For example an image needs to be held by something just as a mirror will hold a reflection Following Derrida John Caputo describes khora as neither present nor absent active or passive the good nor evil living nor nonliving but rather atheological and nonhuman khora is not even a receptacle Khora has no meaning or essence no identity to fall back upon She it receives all without becoming anything which is why she it can become the subject of neither a philosopheme nor mytheme In short the khora is tout autre fully other very If as one contributor concludes khora means space it is an interesting space that at times appears to be neither this nor that at times both this and that wavering between the logic of exclusion and that of participation Derrida The Name 89 Julia Kristeva deploys the khora as part of her analysis of the difference between the semiotic and symbolic realms as the emancipatory employment of semiotic activity as a way of evading the allegedly phallocentric character of symbolic activity signification through language which following Jacques Lacan is regarded as an inherently limiting and oppressive form of praxis Kristeva articulates the khora in terms of a presignifying state Although the khora can be designated and regulated it can never be definitively posited as a result one can situate the khora and if necessary lend it a topology but one can never give it axiomatic form NotesSallis 2020 p 107 Sallis 2020 p 118 Plato Timaeus section 52b www perseus tufts edu Retrieved 2023 02 12 Plato Timaeus section 52a www perseus tufts edu Retrieved 2023 02 12 Henry George Liddell Robert Scott A Greek English Lexicon xwra Sallis 2020 p 152 El Bizri Nader 2004 On Kai XWpa Situating Heidegger Between the Sophist and the Timaeus Studia Phaenomenologica IV 1 2 73 98 doi 10 7761 sp 1 2 73 ISSN 1582 5647 Krummel John W M 2016 Chōra in Heidegger and Nishida Studia Phaenomenologica XVI 489 518 doi 10 5840 studphaen20161618 ISSN 1582 5647 Derrida J 1993 Khora Paris Galilee See also Derrida s collaborative project with architect Peter Eisenmann Jacques Derrida Peter Eisenman 1997 Jeffrey Kipnis Thomas Leeser eds Chora L Works New York Monacelli Press ISBN 9781885254405 OCLC 850749864 Caputo 1997 pp 35 36 Kristeva J 1984 Revolution in Poetic Language New York Columbia University Press p 26 ReferencesDerrida Jacques 1995 Khora On the Name Stanford University Press Translation of Derrida Jacques 1993 Khora Paris Galilee Caputo John D ed 1997 Deconstruction in a Nutshell A Conversation with Jacques Derrida New York Fordham University Press Transcript of the Roundtable Discussion with Jacques Derrida at Villanova University October 3 1994 With commentary by Caputo Which is also available at Roundtable Discussion with Jacques Derrida Villanova University October 3 1994 Archived from the original on 2006 09 01 Caputo John D 2004 Love among the Deconstructibles A Response to Gregg Lambert PDF Journal for Cultural and Religious Theory 5 2 37ff Sallis John June 9 2020 Chorology On Beginning in Plato s Timaeus Indiana University Press ISBN 978 0 253 04668 0 p 107 118 152
