GR translation: their own pitiable contingency here, in its midst

[Mark Kohut]

One possible reading, obvious or not, but 'contingency' also has those
ultimate metaphysical notes of pure existential chance as a reading as
outlined by Mike and others above...vs. any kind of plan--a GR
theme--pattern vs no patterns; causes and effect vs. none. I have a
tendency to read it as ultimate, as the very fact of being vs. not being.
The concept was around a lot in the existentialism ethos of P's GR time.
See sartre for example.

This major book from 1970-71 has been mentioned here before:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chance_and_Necessity

>From Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy: 4. Necessity and Contingency4.1
Historical context

The Condemnations of 1277 and John Duns Scotus impelled the view that the
world could be other than it is. The idea that God’s omnipotent power
provides him with an infinity of choices out of which he chooses to create
only one set of possibilities became a governing idea among subsequent
English schoolmen. Scotus also argued forcefully for the idea that each
moment was open to contingent possibility, such that for any time t, the
events at t were possible not to be the events at t.

https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/contingency

This 'contingency [plan]' reading has to incorporate the word 'outside' in
that clause 'against what outside none of them can bear' since it is THERE
that "the pitiable contingency" exists --The reading works, one can argue,
and Morris has and will, but one wonders why the word "here' and why P did
not write 'contingency plan" maybe?

On Sun, May 7, 2017 at 1:30 AM, David Morris <fqmorris at gmail.com> wrote:

> As usual, this seemed very obvious, and will likely be met with the usual
> humbugs.
>
> David Morris
>
> On Sat, May 6, 2017 at 9:23 PM David Morris <fqmorris at gmail.com> wrote:
>
>> "Their own pitiable contingency [plan]"
>>
>> Refers to their "preserving routine" enacted (pitiably) as protection
>> against the real War of chance going on outside.
>>
>>
>>    - a provision for an unforeseen event or circumstance.
>>    "a contingency reserve"
>>
>>
>> David Morris
>>
>> Sat, May 6, 2017 at 7:22 AM Mike Jing <gravitys.rainbow.cn at gmail.com>
>> wrote:
>>
>>> V96.5-16, P97.40-98.10   How seriously is she playing? In a conquered
>>> country, one’s own occupied country, it’s better, she believes, to
>>> enter into some formal, rationalized version of what, outside,
>>> proceeds without form or decent limit day and night, the summary
>>> executions, the roustings, beatings, subterfuge, paranoia, shame . . .
>>> though it is never discussed among them openly, it would seem Katje,
>>> Gottfried, and Captain Blicero have agreed that this Northern and
>>> ancient form, one they all know and are comfortable with—the strayed
>>> children, the wood-wife in the edible house, the captivity, the
>>> fattening, the Oven—shall be their preserving routine, their shelter,
>>> against what outside none of them can bear—the War, the absolute rule
>>> of chance, their own pitiable contingency here, in its midst. . . .
>>>
>>> What does "contingency" mean here?
>>> -
>>> Pynchon-l / http://www.waste.org/mail/?listpynchon-l
>>>
>>
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