When Jimi was a small boy, he heard one day on the
The important thing is not, or not only, to legitimate
playground that the world would end in fire. God
denotative utterances pertaining to the truth, such
had already, it was understood, destroyed the earth
as “The earth revolves around the sun,” but rather
by water. But thanks to His promise as symbolized
to legitimate prescriptive utterances pertaining to
by the rainbow, God would never destroy the earth
justice, such as “Carthage must be destroyed” or
again by water. Next time, it would be with fire. And
“The minimum wage must be set at x dollars.” In
somewhere already in the Middle East, that fire had
this context, the only role positive knowledge can
already started. Jimi was not a religious boy; although
play is to inform the practical subject about the
his family attended mass regularly, he marked most
reality within which the execution of the prescription
things concerning religion as something that happened
is to be inscribed. It allows the subject to
a long time ago. And very far away. But he had
circumscribe the executable, or what it is possible
recently heard a news report about the Middle East.
to do. But the executory, what should be done, is
Surely the Middle East had to be nearby for it
not within the purview of positive knowledge. It
to make the local news in El Paso. Perhaps it was
is one thing for an undertaking to be possible and
just across the border. Or maybe it was on the other
another for it to be just. Knowledge is no longer
side of New Mexico. The Middle East now seemed
the subject, but in the service of the subject: its
as close as the wrath of God. Jimi went home that
only legitimacy (though it is formidable) is the fact
evening and prayed to be spared when the fire came.
that it allows morality to become reality. – Lytoard