unthought

is an element of darkness, an apparently inert density in which man is embedded, an unthought which man contains entirely, yet in which man is also caught.

As a matter of fact, the unconscious, and the forms of the unthought in general, have not been the reward granted to a positive knowledge of man. Man and the unthought are, at the archaeological level, contemporaries. Man has not been able to describe himself as a configuration in the episteme without thought at the same time discovering, both in itself and outside itself, at its borders yet also in its very warp and woof, an element of darkness, an apparently inert density in which it is embedded, an unthought which it contains entirely, yet in which it is also caught. (Foucault 'order of things' 326)

is kept safe by and preserved by the unformalized language of a tradition which keeps at bay more thematic kinds of thinking.

It is the unformalized language of the tradition, not its technical terms, that preserves, withholds and so keeps safe the 'unthought' from which more thematic kinds of thinking stand forth (Clark 2000 :78)

is neither a deeper objectivity (economic forces) or subjectivity (the will or libido). Rather it is background practices and the unarticulated conditions of understanding.

Away from Freudian and Marxian attempts to explain surface events by deepercausal forces, Heidegger maintains that the modem era has misconceived theunthought, and it has done so by trying to conceive it as a discrete form either ofobjectivity (e.g., economic forces) or, more typically in philosophy, of subjectivity(e.g., Hegel's spirit, Schopenhauer's will, Nietzsche's will-to-power, Freud's libido,Hussert's intentionality).

is not a lack inherent in the thought of a thinker. What is un-thought is there in each case only as the un-thought. The more original the thinking, the richer will be what is unthought in it'.

What is unthought in a thinkers thought is not a lack inherent in his thought. What is un-thought is there in each case only as the un-thought. The more original the thinking, the richer will be what is unthought in it (Heiddeger WT: in Clark 200l : 76)

is not hidden from us in the depths and darkness of the forest. It is instead the openness that allows discrete objects to be seen.

The unthought is not hidden from us in the depths and darkness of the forest, but is instead the openness that allows discrete objects to be seen, although the openness itself is not seen (at least, not in the same sense that a discrete object within the clearing is seen).

is not non-thematic apprehension or non-deliberate thinking about things. It is that which is perceived circumspectively.

Unthought' means that it is not thematically apprehended for deliberate thinking about things... instead, in circumspection, we find our bearings in regard to them. . . . When we enter here through the door,we do not apprehend the seats,and the same holds for the doorknob. Nevertheless, they are there in this peculiar way: we go by them circumspectly,avoid them circumspectly,. . . and the like. (BP,163) (dreyfus 'being in the world' :66)

is something which is not thematically apprehended for deliberate thinking about things. When we pass through the door, we do not consider the doorknob, we just use it.

Unthought' means that it is not thematically apprehended for deliberate thinking about things... instead, in circumspection, we find our bearings in regard to them. . . . When we enter here through the door,we do not apprehend the seats, and the same holds for the doorknob. Nevertheless, they are there in this peculiar way: we go by them circumspectly, avoid them circumspectly, and the like. (BP,163) (dreyfus 'being in the world' :66)

is that about which it might be said that for that which goes unnoticed, the word 'everywhere' applies just as well as 'nowhere'.

To that which goes unnoticed, the word everywhere applies just as well as nowhere. (Lacan 'television' : 9)

unthought, n.All

unthought