Pataphysic the' was invented by the writer Alfred Jarry who defines it as “science of the imaginary solutions, which symbolically grants to the features the properties of the objects described by their virtuality. ” Literally ' Pataphysique (contraction of the Greek ἐπὶ τὰ μετὰ τὰ φυσικά - epì tà metà tà phusiká ) means “what is close of what is after the Physique” (“after physics” indicating what one names the Métaphysique ). Moreover, Jarry indicates that the apostrophe preceding the name is used “to avoid easy a Calembour”, it makes go up the origin of this science with Ibicrate the geometrician and Sophrotatos the Armenian.

Alfred Jarry illustrates the' pataphysique one in the Gestes and opinions of Doctor Faustroll , novel which exposes the principles and the ends of' pataphysic, science of the private individual, science of the exception. This work is closed, for example, on a calculation of the Surface of God. Later, Boris Vian, large promoter of' pataphysic, will explain why one of the basic principles of' pataphysic is equivalence. It is perhaps what explains this refusal that we express of what is serious, of what is not to it, since for us, it is exactly the same thing, it is pataphysic .

The' pataphysique one generally appears as speech or scientific institutions , philosophical or esoteric, or contrary, under outside amusing of plays of spirit, a major reflection by describing a parallel Univers proposes “than one can see and than perhaps one must see in the place of the traditional one. ” The pataphysician observes the world in a particular way, for example, instead of stating the law of gravity towards a center, the pataphysician will prefer that of the rise of the vacuum towards a periphery (cf Gestes and Opinions of Doctor Faustroll, Livre II)

Gilles Deleuze (in particular in Critique and clinical and the Deserted Island ) develops the idea that by creating pataphysic Jarry opened the way with the Phénoménologie .

The College of' Pataphysique, founded in 1948, publishes a review, Viridis Candela . Y are appeared, inter alia, the first texts of Ionesco, many news of Vian, Jarry or Julien Torma and the first work of the Oulipo. Some meetings of the College took place at the restaurant Polidor, street Mister the Prince in Paris.

An American author, Pablo Lopez, also created an addition with science called the Pataphore (in particular in Closet' Pataphysics , 1990 and Pataphors , Université of Hollins, 1994).

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