Definitions HQ

The Infinite (n.) cannot ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠be drawn by any finite thing from itself, yet the finite thinks it.

The Infinite (n.) "is ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠unto itself its own idea" — Malebranche's saying, not yet meditated on enough.

The Infinite (n.) can ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠never be an object, since it is speech — the origin of meaning and of the world.

The Infinite (n.) is ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠given only to the moral view: it is not known, but is in society with us.

The Infinite (n.) has ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠an in that signifies both the non and the within — the negation of the finite is the Infinite in me.

The Infinite (n.) was ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠never treated by Descartes except to submit to it — the beyond-measure placed in the measured, which the Same undergoes but can never encircle.

Infinite (n.) approached ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠by an atheist does not burn the eyes lifted toward him: he speaks; he is not numinous.

The Infinite (n.) is ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠not God's absolute, which nothing can determine, but the act of thinking the Absolute, which never reaches it — and has its own way of missing it.

The Infinite (n.) affects ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠thought by devastating it and at the same time calling on it — putting it back in its place, it puts thought in place.

The Infinite (n.) is ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠perceived before the finite: there is more reality in infinite substance, so my perception of God is somehow prior to my perception of myself.

The Infinite (n.) is ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠within us as obedience to a Law that remains heteronomy — and that is how it transcends the finite and accomplishes its infinity.

The Infinite (n.) is ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠a withdrawal like a farewell — signified not by flooding the gaze with light but by being extinguished in the incognito of the face that faces.

The Infinite (n.) put ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠in me devastates its site like a devouring fire — a dazzling where the eye takes in more than it can hold, a burning of the skin that touches what cannot be grasped.

The Infinite (n.) cannot ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠be tracked down like game by a hunter; it wipes out its traces, not to trick the one who obeys, but because it transcends the present in which it commands.

The Infinite (n.) affects ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠thought by devastating it, and so calls to it: it puts thought back in its place and thereby puts it in place — the infinite wakes thought up.

The Infinite (n.) is ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠approached in the responsibility of a mortal being for a mortal being — Abraham interceding for Sodom: "I am, myself, ashes and dust."

The Infinite (n.) always ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠remains a third person — 'He' — in spite of the 'You' whose face concerns me; it affects the I anarchically, as a trace in a passivity prior to all freedom.

The Infinite (n.) in ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠Hegel excludes every "other" that might relate to it and limit it: like Aristotle's god it refers only to itself, now at the end of a history — and for a particular to join it is to enter a State's sovereignty.

The Infinite (n.) would ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠be belied in representation, as if it were an infinite object that subjectivity tries to approach but misses; it is no extrapolation of the finite, no invisible behind the visible.