Week 2: Bodies and Knowledge Production in Borges’ Library

Posted on by
1

New York Times writer Noam Cohen names Jorge Luis Borges the “Man Who Discovered the Internet” (“Borges and the Foreseeable Future” 2008). Borges (1899-1996) envisioned prescient models of hypertext and the Internet not only as technologies, but as cultural institutions which shape human relationships to reading and space. The Library of Babel, Borges’ famous 1941 short story, is framed as the late dispatch of a philosopher in the limitless, arcane Library of Babel. Borges suggests that the custom of reading is a perpetually iterated project in which we interpret our environments, and through which we construct and deconstruct knowledges.

The narrator of The Library of Babel catalogs the esoteric architecture of the Library, defining its physical properties much like an archivist recording the material data of a book object. The datific language of this archival reads the Library itself as a book object. (The fabled “book that is the cipher and perfect compendium of all other books” would thus seem to be the Library itself, and all librarians within it thus together compose the demi-godly “Book-Man” [116].) The narrator’s descriptions increasingly focus in scale, suggesting the labor and time taken to read the Library space: while it might take quickly enough to mark that “[e]ach wall of each hexagon is furnished with five bookshelves”, for how long have the librarians studied to find that “each line” of every book contains “approximately eighty black letters” (113)? The labor of cataloging the Library’s material properties, as visible in the narrator’s report as it is in the metadata of SDSU’s library catalog, is bound up in bodily time. Borges situates archival, reading, and knowledge production as material, time-bound labors that interface with violence and mortality. Before the Internet exists, Borges reminds us that this network is a material construction through which human labor produces means of interpreting information. This seemingly prophetic image indicates Borges’ understanding of books, reading, and knowledge production as material objects and actions.

More under the cut.

Continue reading →

Do Books Carry the World?

Posted on by
Reply

Reading Borges’ short story, “The Library of Babel,” was truly mindblowing. There are so many aspects of this story to dive into yet, only so many that I can truly comment on with a generally scholarly perspective. I always think to myself “it’s pretty scary that I will never be able to digest every bit of information in one single library.” And after reading Borges’ story, it really solidified that thought. However, at the same time, it made me more reassured knowing that there are so many intricacies to language, thought, ideas, and the world that it becomes an infinite amount of information. I don’t know about you but I certainly cannot consume an infinite amount of information. Borges describes the library as “the handiwork of a god” (113), which supports the daunting fact that a mortal (like me) cannot fathom the sheer amount of information in every text. 

Luckily for me, I do not read just to say I know everything in the world. I read because of the comfort a physical book gives me. I read books because of what’s inside the pages and how someone else’s thoughts from hundreds of years ago are now in my head. I also write. I annotate books to leave my thoughts and I write stories of my own on a digital screen. My digital thoughts.

Marino also brought up an excellent thought on the digitization of such information. While the library of Babel is fictional, the internet is very real. It’s abstract and untouchable, yet I use it every day as a source of information. By searching the internet, we are perusing the hexagonal rooms of the library of Babel. Every second, new information is added, and what was fictional to Borges is now at our fingertips.

What is strange, though, is that I have never once considered how scary it was that I would never know every bit of information on the internet. Maybe because there is something vastly different from the library and the internet. That, I believe, is true. While digital copies can become more accessible, physical books can never be replaced by something untouchable.

Deconstruction of Language– Josue Martin

Posted on by
1

In the account of Genesis we are able to first observe the story of the Tower of Babel. In this story, the king wanted to keep all people together so he instructed them to build a city with a big tower in it– of course, God was displeased with such actions so he stopped the construction of the building. How? He made everyone speak different languages– hence the root meaning of Babylon/ Ba’bel meaning confusion. Similarly, Borges’ The Library of Babel is concerned with the conventions of language and communication and echoes the Biblical account. Borges mentions, “ books belonged to past or remote languages. It is true that most ancient men, the first librarians, made use of a language quite different from the one we speak today” (Borges 82), this quote refracts from Biblical  conventions but  further simultaneously satirizes religion/ spirituality; “The universe was justified, the universe suddenly expanded to the limitless dimensions of hope. At the time there was much talk of the Vindications: book of apology, and prophecy, which vindicated for all the time the actions of every man in the world”. Babel fractured human speech– language was used to confuse people whereas in Borges account the indecipherable language divides people– language is not perfect but masks clarity creating confusion and divine prophecy is undercut. The destabilization of meaning resonates with philologist Ferdinand de Saussure who is responsible for a massive shift concerning philology– the study of language. He rejects mimetic theory– a theory that demonstrates that language mirrors the world; he asserts that language is primarily determined by its own rules and structures– created by different signs. Babel and Borges demonstrate that language is not transparent– nor words can be interpreted as a solemn truth as they are evolving in meaning; though, they do not mirror the world, they adapt to current sociological trends– demonstrating that language is arbitrary and obfuscates the signified. Saussaure states that the meaning between words come from different signs rather than material objects– echoing Borges endless letter combinations and deconstructing the tower of Babel. Multiple languages expose the fragility of communication– the truth requires nuance as words and meaning are arbitrary. 

If Everything Has Already Been Written

Posted on by
3

After reading Jorge Luis Borges’ “The Library of Babel” from 1941, one aspect in particular stuck with me: the concept that, because of the infinite amount of literature in the Library, there already exists a book about everything. From the autobiographical past of a person, to the exact history of a person’s future, all the way to his own death. In the text it says: “The certitude that everything has been written negates us or turns us into phantoms.” which really made me think.

On the one hand, I ask myself how much originality and individuality can still be present if everything is already written and exists in some literary form. Because of this, every thought immediately loses its individual independence. Every idea of an author becomes at once a double creation or a repetition of an already existing work. As magical as the concept may sound at first, it also means the end of any creative originality. Furthermore, the question arises of how much a person can still truly be considered their own self if somewhere there already exists a potential book that documents his entire life up to the very end. If everything, down to every spoken or written sentence, already exists, then speaking or writing is no longer an act of creation, but only repetition.

With this concept, Borges touches on a very modern and current topic. On the internet, for example, content is produced and reproduced so quickly that it sometimes feels as if there is less and less originality. More and more contributions on the internet feel like an echo of another contribution. One of today’s challenges is no longer to invent something completely new, but to find orientation. In this flood of repetitions, how do we discover what is actually important? What I find exciting is that Borges does not only see something threatening in this. He also shows that the value shifts. Where once invention and creation stood in the foreground, now discovery and recognition take their place. Therefore our task is not to control infinity, but to find our orientation within it.

In the end, this means that the concept that everything has already been written does not simply destroy originality, but also opens up a completely new view of creativity. Borges reminds us that in a world full of content, our search for meaning remains the most important thing.

Books as Media- Borges and Marino

Posted on by
Reply

In continuation of our discussion on what defines a book, Jorge Luis Borges illustrates the impossibility of a definitive answer in his exploratory short story, The Library of Babel. An author and librarian, Borges provides the perspective of both creator and keeper as he analogues the book to God and the Library to the universe as it is composed of God’s many creations.

In looking to better understand the theological comparisons proposed by Borges, I researched Babel to discover its origin in the Book of Genesis where humans try to build a tower to heaven (Babel) only for God to not understand their various languages. Thus, when comparing The Library of Babel to its biblical roots, Borges positions humans as the God who have created books and books as creating a universe that supersedes the parts of its whole to construct a state of excess information too powerful to be understood. As Borges describes, the Library is “unending” and “ab aeterno;” a state which is hopeful in possibilities and depressing in limitations.

As the library has grown out of man’s control, it is imperfect in its ordering by theory and humans’ imperfect hands. With the galleries of the library being sorted by what Borges coins “the fundamental law of the Library,” humans continue to demonstrate a failure in self-governance as the impossibility of having “correct” answers to questions like “How do we decide what books to keep?’ and “How do we classify a book?” are haunting. Through the magnitude of Babel, Borges positions humans, the creator, in a role that is small compared to the magnitude of knowledge that can be captured by the library but not within the brain. Below is an image I found of the Library of Babel that shows just such as the humans within the drawing are miniscule against the grandeur of the galleries. (I could not find the artist or when this was created.)

Marino’s brilliance with Marginalia in the Library of Babel is captured by his ability to simulate the Library of Babel within the digital. Finding the library and the Internet to be one in their archiving of information, Marino takes the context of Borges’ stories and emulates the same dizzying effect of the library by cataloguing hyperlinks. Through these hyperlinks, readers can go down the same rabbit hole of information as the hyperlinks reflect Borges’ hexagonal library structure. While the digital and physical forms of knowledge are most often viewed as separate practices of thought, Marino makes his case for literary behaviors continuing on the web where we continue to find ourselves as small as those in the Library of Babel amidst the landscape of the web.

Hopefully this book finally explains my existence

Posted on by
4

When reading Borges’ “The Library of Babel“ from 1941, I was particularly preoccupied with the image of the ‘man of the book’. After reading it, I asked myself what if there was a single book that contained the answer to every question, the truth behind every mystery and the justification of every life? Even in today’s world full of information, many long for a single source of truth. I am thinking of sacred scriptures or scientific theories that explain life and our existence. 

The quote “On some shelf in some hexagon there must exist a book which is the formula and perfect compendium of all the rest…”. The quote shows the longing for a book that explains everything. So the book lies in the middle of an astonishing archive, in the midst of chaos and nonsensical writings. Why do people believe in such a book? Aren’t there several writings that explain meaning and our existence? The book of books is therefore a symbol of the desire for truth. Borges describes how many set out in search of it, but fail. Although the search remains unsuccessful and seems hopeless, people would not stop. But this shows the character of human beings, because we want order, even if it cannot exist. Human beings cannot endure chaos. Yet what one person perceives as chaos may not be the same for another because each of us carries a subjective view of disorder. This means that the search for truth is always individual. It does not necessarily have to be found in written texts. Sometimes it takes the form of ideologies, or, in today’s world, even algorithms that claim to impose order on the overwhelming complexity of information.

Applying this idea to our digital age, I think people today are still searching for truth through religions, science, AI and algorithms. But as described in Borges` Library, there is too much information and contradictions at the same time. Maybe that’s why it’s not about finding the perfect book, but about accepting that truth remains fragmentary. Therefore, humans should question the meaning of life.

Introduction Kaan

Posted on by
2

Hi I’m Kaan!

I’m an international student in my 6th semester as an education major in Germany. After my stay abroad, I will (hopefully) have finished my bachelor’s degree and can finally start my master’s. 

I am really, really passionate about videography and photography (as briefly mentioned in class) and enjoy producing short skits, short movies, and more recently, vlogs in my own unique style. My passion actually developed very early, as I loved experimenting with our camcorder as a child, producing short skits which were in no way even close to professional (or even watchable nowadays). One beautiful day, child-me discovered a way to actually edit my videos by selecting multiple clips and creating one big “movie” instead of covering the lens with my hand and quickly changing the scenery. That’s when I saw a whole new world of opportunities unfold in front of my very eyes. All of a sudden, almost everything I could imagine was possible. From there on, my passion stayed and only grew bigger as I increasingly became more knowledgeable about my craft. 

Today I love spending time filming and especially editing my videos, sometimes putting hours into creating and perfecting my work. But no matter how long it may take, putting the finishing touch on a video or short movie and finally watching and experiencing it in its full glory for the first time is such an amazing feeling. Even better is the reward of seeing people being immersed in, or simply enjoying, my work after having spent hours upon hours finishing it. Whether it is the impact or the message I share through one of my short films, or one of my more lighthearted and entertaining skits to brighten someone’s day. I love making people smile. not only with my videos and skits, but in everyday life as well. With how much is going on in everyone’s lives and how much each and every person has to deal with, be it because of work, university, etc., I think it is important to have a few moments of positivity, even if only for a few seconds.

That’s all I have to say. Thank you for taking the time to read my post. I am really looking forward to this class and this whole semester in general!

Introduction – Alin Kilicoglu

Posted on by
1

My name is Alin and I’m an international student from Germany. Back home I study Education at the University of Siegen, which is in the western part of the country. I’m now in my fourth year, and I hope to become a teacher in the future, because I really enjoy working with people and sharing knowledge.

One of the reasons I chose education is that I believe learning can open doors and change lives, and I’d love to support students in discovering their own strengths. I’m especially curious about how different cultures approach teaching and learning, which is also why studying abroad is so exciting for me.

Outside of class, I enjoy traveling and exploring new places, spending time with friends and reading. I also like cooking and watching movies. Being here gives me the chance not only to improve my English but also to connect with people from different backgrounds, which I really value.

Introduction: Oz joined the room

Posted on by
1

Hey guys,

my name is Oguzhan (hard to pronounce) but you can call me Oz. You cannot imagine how my teachers from middle school called me. As a child, I was ashamed of my name because no one could pronounce it. Today, I am proud of this name because my parents gave it to me. Thanks to them, I thoroughly enjoyed my childhood. They gave up their dreams to support my brother and me. My parents always put my education and career first. From school to university. As the first in my family to attend university, I had to adjust to a completely new world. I carry a certain responsibility and have set myself the goal of making my parents proud.

Enough about my goal in life and more about me. I am an international student from Germany with Turkish roots. I’m originally from Gaziantep, a city in Turkey that is very popular for its food, which is where my love of cooking comes from (I’m not a pro, guys!!!). I love trying new foods and cooking in general. If I didn’t study Education I would probably be a chef. My favorite food is constantly changing, but right now it’s smash burgers. It’s simple. I’m convinced that I can make the best ones in the world. That’s also one reason why I picked the US for my stay abroad. Obviously, because of the burgers. 🙂 

In addition to food and excessive eating, I have been kickboxing since childhood. I am also interested in other sports, such as basketball and soccer. Another hobby of mine is listening to music and reading books (sometimes). I really enjoy listening to RnB and hip hop and reading psychological books or novels that make you philosophize about the meaning of life. Besides, I generally like to have deep conversations, but at the same time I have a unique sense of humor, which I won’t go into detail about here (let’s just leave it at that). I also love to travel. In my opinion, the meaning of life as not only creating a beautiful family and having a good career. A person should travel the world, be open to new cultures, and eat new food.

I’m looking forward to the course, making new contacts, and broadening my perspectives through different opinions.

Introduction: A Cup of Coffee & a New Chapter – Tanja Daraghai☕✨

Posted on by
1

I’m Tanja, 24 years old. I was born and raised in Germany, but my roots are in the autonomous region of Kurdistan in northern Iraq. My parents immigrated in the 90s to Germany. Growing up between two cultures has shaped who I am and made me curious about the world and the different ways people live their lives.

Right now, I’m in my last semester of my bachelor’s degree in teaching education. It feels a bit surreal to be so close to finishing but I’m excited for what’s next. Teaching has always been something that inspires me and I can’t wait to start building my own path as a teacher.

Outside of studying, I love spending time with my girls whether it’s going out, exploring new places, or just laughing until our stomachs hurt. One of my favorite things is discovering new cafés, especially because I’m a huge coffee lover. There’s just something about trying out a cozy spot with a good Flat white that makes me so happy.

I’m also really passionate about experiencing different cultures. Whether through travel, food, music or just meeting new people, I love seeing how diverse the world is and learning from it.