“The Mind Dipping the Pen in the Ink of Thought”: On the Russian Translation of the Term Potenza and Its Meaning in Giorgio Agamben’s Ontology

Abstract

This article aims to explore the significant implications of the term potenza in Giorgio Agamben’s thought. The concept of potency holds a unique place in Agamben’s thinking strategy: it serves as a way of thinking within his own philosophy while coinciding with it. Through the theoretical assimilation of this category, Agamben performatively fulfills the aim of his thought, which is the return of thought to the realm of potency. Drawing upon Aristotle, Albert the Great, and Averroes, Agamben establishes the true essence of potency. It is crucial to consider the range of meanings that the content of this concept disperses into over time in Western thought. The Russian language, in this regard, reflects the situation with its modern counterparts in other European languages, such as “possibility,” “power,” “strength,” and “capacity.” The article begins with an analysis of translation difficulties stemming from the original semantic richness of the concept, which tends to be lost in modern language equivalents. It then delves into the problematic nature of potency, a key focus in Agamben’s philosophy. The article argues that the core of Agamben’s philosophical exploration is partly determined by the performative striving to actualize thinking in the mode of potency.