Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • noun The French absurdist concept of a philosophy or science dedicated to studying what lies beyond the realm of metaphysics, intended as a parody of the methods and theories of modern science and often expressed in nonsensical language.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • noun An absurdist philosophy or pseudoscience studying things "beyond" metaphysics

Etymologies

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition

[French pataphysique, alteration of Greek ta epi ta metaphusika, the (works) after the metaphysics (pseudo-title of a work by Aristotle modeled on ta meta ta phusika, the (works) after the Physics, Aristotle's Metaphysics) : epi, after; see epi– + metaphusika, metaphysics; see metaphysics.]

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

French pataphysique, from Ancient Greek τά ἐπί τά μεταφυσικά, humorous alteration of the title of the work "Metaphysics" by Aristotle

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Examples

  • * Jarry called it 'pataphysics, but I'm dropping his apostrophe here cause pataphysics is poncy enough in its own right without making it more so.

    Notes on Strange Fiction: The Pataphysical Quirk Hal Duncan 2008

  • * Jarry called it 'pataphysics, but I'm dropping his apostrophe here cause pataphysics is poncy enough in its own right without making it more so.

    Archive 2008-08-01 Hal Duncan 2008

  • But, going one step further with TOKYO! there is pataphysics, which is the science of imaginary solutions — something none of us can deny participating in.

    Buzzine » TOKYO! 2009

  • On the back cover of this Davenport collection I came across the term "pataphysics" * for the first time, in a blurb describing Davenport as one of the world's foremost pataphysicians.

    Archive 2008-08-01 Hal Duncan 2008

  • On the back cover of this Davenport collection I came across the term "pataphysics" * for the first time, in a blurb describing Davenport as one of the world's foremost pataphysicians.

    Notes on Strange Fiction: The Pataphysical Quirk Hal Duncan 2008

  • Just wondering, though - you gave a bunch of texts using 'pataphysics' in some way, and then anticipated what I was thinking with the comment on pataphysics vs. postmodernism - what would you consider an explicitly postmodern text using pataphysics, as opposed to a modernist like Davenport?

    Notes on Strange Fiction: The Pataphysical Quirk Hal Duncan 2008

  • French german guest guestreader horror indian irish italian jewish joyce krampf latin american new york new zealander pataphysics peruvian playwright poet polish russian satire scandinavian scifi south american southern soviet spanish spooky student swedish women wonderful youth

    The Burning City | Miette's Bedtime Story Podcast 2009

  • French german guest guestreader horror indian irish italian jewish joyce krampf latin american new york new zealander pataphysics peruvian playwright poet polish russian satire scandinavian scifi south american southern soviet spanish spooky student swedish women wonderful youth

    The Boat | Miette's Bedtime Story Podcast 2009

  • French german guest guestreader horror indian irish italian jewish joyce krampf latin american new york new zealander pataphysics peruvian playwright poet polish russian satire scandinavian scifi south american southern soviet spanish spooky student swedish women wonderful youth

    The Orchard | Miette's Bedtime Story Podcast 2009

  • French german guest guestreader horror indian irish italian jewish joyce krampf latin american new york new zealander pataphysics peruvian playwright poet polish russian satire scandinavian scifi south american southern soviet spanish spooky student swedish women wonderful youth

    The Silver Hilt | Miette's Bedtime Story Podcast 2009

Comments

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  • The science of imaginary solutions; the philosophy of the absurd.

    May 11, 2008

  • What Joan studied in her home before an unfortunate encounter with Maxwell Edison.

    May 11, 2008

  • Asativum, I thought she was studying paraphysics. Is that the same thing? Or is my imagination playing absurd tricks with me. Or maybe I'm just being a bit thick and missing some innuendo.

    May 11, 2008

  • I'm pretty sure Joan studied pataphysical science in the home, oh, oh, oh.

    May 11, 2008

  • Hey, Asativum, you're right. I've done some pataphysical research. My lyrics book has paraphysical and I found another online. I also found a couple of metaphysical online. So went to the sheet music which says pataphysical and played the track which sings pataphysical. . . science in the home, late night all alone with a test-tube oh oh, oh oh.

    May 12, 2008

  • Excellent! Glad to hear it, and another fine case of Wordiesleuthing. (Oh, oh, oh, oh...)

    May 12, 2008

  • See 'pataphysics.

    December 14, 2008

  • Also see comment on pataphysical.

    September 17, 2018