We have realized recently that in spite of our best efforts, we have not done a good job of demonstrating the significance of pataphysics to the world of fictional science and the links that it has with, and the bridges that it builds between, literature and mathematics. Furthermore, we have discovered that apophenia and conspiracy theorist syndrome can be perfectly explained by pataphysics.
To start, let’s cover the basic premises of pataphysics, which have become axioms since they were first introduced by Alfred Jarry in his work, Exploits and opinions of Dr. Faustroll, pataphysicist:
Pataphysics is the science of imaginary solutions. Namely, it is a branch of philosophy or science that examines imaginary phenomena that exist in a world beyond metaphysics.
It is the science of the particular, in the sense that it does not study the rules governing the general recurrence of a periodic incident (The expected case) so much as study the games governing the special occurrence of a sporadic accident (The excepted case)
These two statements lead to the following two axioms－albeit through a convoluted, but fictional science-based reasoning－which have become the logical pitch for pataphysics:
1) The virtual or imaginary nature of a phenomenon, if detailed through the heightened vision of poetry or science or love, can be lived as real;
2) Humanity has always looked at its existence as a struggle. Furthermore, when humans are desperate to believe in something, and that ‘thing’ is so important to them, they cling on to it. The line between what is real or not becomes blurred and in fact the realness of the ‘thing’ becomes irrelevant.
We observe that coming up with imaginary solutions after examining imaginary phenomena is very much an integral part of fictional science, for, the word ‘fictional’ means ‘invented by the imagination’.
Our postulate about the links between pataphysics and literature and mathematics emanates from the observation that while literature is a prose and poetry with words and symbols, mathematics is a sort of prose and poetry with numbers and symbols, although the symbols in the two cases are different. Consequently, we believe that mathematics can also make an imaginary phenomena be lived as real. Simulation and holograms are manifestations of this possibility (among others).
As for apophenia, first a definition supplied by Merriam-Webster: the tendency to perceive a connection or meaningful pattern between unrelated or random things (such as objects or ideas). As the second pataphysics logical pitch above implies, eventually the nonexistent but assumed relations that apophenia causes people to believe in become so wished for in the society, that the lines become blurred and the realness or not of the assumed relation becomes irrelevant.
Looking at apophenia as a societal psychological issue, it is evident that in many cases the condition, if left unchecked, could lead to two acute situations: mass hysteria and/or a proliferation of conspiracy theories. Consequently, pataphysics describes how apophenia could start in a society by making claims and propagating them through heightened vision of poetry (and prose such as well written fake articles and claims) and imaginary or redacted mathematics (such as doctored statistics), to appeal to the populations as real (pataphysics pitch no. 1, above). Furthermore, as this imaginary perception takes hold in a society, and some of its citizens truly want to believe in the existence of the relationship, the nonexistent is propagated to the gates of belief and faith.
We have thus completed our review of pataphysics and its contribution to understanding certain societal phenomena emanating from mass apophenia.
June 14, 2024, Cambridge,
Berta Seintan, PhD & Charlene Wardin, PhD