Books by Jorge R . G . Sagastume
The Pasticheur: Literature, Art, & Ideas, 2023
Plaza de la Constitución, 2 29005 (Málaga), Málaga España ISBN: Prohibida la reproducción total o... more Plaza de la Constitución, 2 29005 (Málaga), Málaga España ISBN: Prohibida la reproducción total o parcial por cualquier medio sin la autorización escrita del titular de los derechos patrimoniales. SUMARIO Jorge R. G. Sagastume Prólogo Sobre los artistas gráficos, el editor y traductor pag. 174
Dado que Miguel de Cervantes en el título y el Prólogo a sus Ejemplares le otorga al término nove... more Dado que Miguel de Cervantes en el título y el Prólogo a sus Ejemplares le otorga al término novela un valor fundacional tanto en su narrativa como en la historia de la prosa española, aquí atiendo, en principio, el significado que fue definiendo a lo largo de su producción literaria no sólo del vocablo heredado de la lengua toscana -novella-, sino del género mismo. Subrayo también las diferencias explícitas en su propia ficción, a partir de 1605, año de publicación de la Primera parte del Quijote, entre el género novela y otros tipos de narrativa ya existentes en la península ibérica. Contrasto después los criterios sostenidos por personajes y narradores en la obra cervantina con lo que el autor declara en el Prólogo al conjunto de novelas y, finalmente, pondero la autonomía que el nuevo relato corto adquirió con la práctica y la reflexión cervantinas. 1 Miguel de Cervantes. La Galatea. Ed., intr. y notas de Florencio Sevilla Arroyo y Antonio Rey Hazas. Madrid, Alianza Editorial, 1997. 12 13 CERVANTES NOVELADOR: HACIA LAS NOVELAS EJEMPLARES JORGE R. G. SAGASTUME
El viejo habla con el alma= Der alte Mann spricht mit seiner Seele / Kunen Gíinter; edición liter... more El viejo habla con el alma= Der alte Mann spricht mit seiner Seele / Kunen Gíinter; edición literaria a cargo de Jorge Sagastume.-la ed.-La Plata: Al Margen, 2010. 224 p.; 2lx!S cm .-(fiempos de Babel)
Pearse Hutchinson: Distorsiones
A book of translations with an introductory article (please, ema... more Pearse Hutchinson: Distorsiones
A book of translations with an introductory article (please, email me if you wish a copy)
A book of translations with an introductory article (please, email me if you wish a copy)
A book of translations with an introductory article (please, email me if you wish a copy)
A book of translations with an introductory article (please, email me if you wish a copy)
Articles in peer-reviewed venues by Jorge R . G . Sagastume
Latin American Literary Review (LALR), 2025
ABSTRACT
This article explores Jorge Luis Borges' evolving approach to linguistic representation,... more ABSTRACT
This article explores Jorge Luis Borges' evolving approach to linguistic representation, focusing on his transition from metaphorical complexity to a more precise, economical use of language. Through a close reading of Borges' texts, particularly his engagement with kenning, this study argues that Borges sought to create a "modest and secret complexity" in his writing, where linguistic monads could encapsulate profound philosophical ideas. Drawing on the works of Leibniz and Wittgenstein, the article traces how Borges' metaphysical concerns—especially those related to time, identity, and infinity—are intricately linked to his exploration of language's limitations and capacities. Ultimately, Borges' use of kenning serves as a bridge between metaphor and logic, revealing his deeper philosophical commitment to the problem of representation. This investigation underscores Borges' enduring struggle to depict reality through language, while also acknowledging its inherent constraints.
RESUMEN
Este artículo explora la evolución de Jorge Luis Borges en cuanto al tema de la representación lingüística, y se centra en su transición que va de la complejidad metafórica a un uso más preciso y económico del lenguaje. A través de una lectura detallada de los textos de Borges, particularmente aquellos relacionados al uso de las kenningar, este estudio sostiene que Borges buscaba crear una "modesta y secreta complejidad" en su escritura, donde las mónadas lingüísticas pudieran encapsular profundas ideas filosóficas. Basado en las obras de Leibniz y Wittgenstein, el artículo rastrea cómo las preocupaciones metafísicas de Borges—especialmente las relacionadas con el tiempo, la identidad y el infinito—están intrínsecamente vinculadas a su exploración de las limitaciones y capacidades del lenguaje. Finalmente, el uso que hace Borges de las kenningar sirve como un puente entre la metáfora y la lógica, revelando su profundo compromiso filosófico con el problema de la representación. Esta investigación subraya la lucha constante de Borges por representar la realidad a través del lenguaje, reconociendo al mismo tiempo sus limitaciones inherentes.
Principal Author: Jorge R. G. Sagastume
Research Assistant: Yixin Yang
Bulletin of Contemporary Hispanic Studies (2021), 3, (2), 129–146., 2021
El propósito de este trabajo es analizar ‘El espejo y la máscara’ y ‘Undr’, de Jorge Luis Borges,... more El propósito de este trabajo es analizar ‘El espejo y la máscara’ y ‘Undr’, de Jorge Luis Borges, y sugerir que son una extensión del tema de la filosofía del lenguaje que se inicia con ‘La biblioteca de Babel’, y continúa con ‘El Aleph’, ‘El inmortal’, ‘La escritura del Dios’, y ‘El libro de arena’. Mientras que estos exploran la posibilidad de un lenguaje absoluto que pueda explicar el universo en su totalidad, los que aquí se estudian proponen que el lenguaje está ligado al entendimiento de solo ciertos aspectos del universo, no de modo absoluto, a partir de la lógica (Wittgenstein), ‘formas simbólicas’ (Cassirer) y de sus respectivas traducciones, como lo propone Walter Benjamin.
The goal of this essay is to analyse Borges’s ‘El espejo y la máscara’ and ‘Undr’ and suggest they are an extension of the topic on the philosophy of language that begins with ‘La biblioteca de Babel’, followed by ‘El Aleph’, ‘El inmortal’, ‘La escritura del Dios’, and ‘El libro de arena’. While these explored the possibility of an absolute language capable of explaining the universe in its entirety, the two studied here propose that language is linked to the understanding of only certain aspects of the universe, not in absolute terms, departing from logic (Wittgenstein), ‘symbolic forms’ (Cassirer), and their translations, as introduced by Walter Benjamin.
Symposium: A Quarterly Journal in Modern Literatures, 2021
Antonio Di Benedetto wrote a novel titled El silenciero, and its topic, he says, is abandonment; ... more Antonio Di Benedetto wrote a novel titled El silenciero, and its topic, he says, is abandonment; the narrator, without a name, suffers from abandonment and wants to write a novel, the topic of which is abandonment, he says, and title it El techo, but he never begins writing. In El silenciero, thus, we are faced with two novels: one written and the other one not; one says and the other one does not. El silenciero, consequently, may be read and understood as a commentary on the limits of language and the role of silence when it comes to communicating ideas. Under this framework, this article proposes that the novel suggests when one attempts to explain and understand the world, even when departing from logic and tautologic relationships, little can be said without becoming nonsensical and, as Wittgenstein suggests, when it is not possible to say something meaningful, silence is what fills the gap.
Literatura: teoría, historia, crítica, 2019
El presente artículo analiza aportaciones de Isaías Lerner a la crítica cervantina, a partir de t... more El presente artículo analiza aportaciones de Isaías Lerner a la crítica cervantina, a partir de trabajos seleccionados sobre el Quijote y Las novelas ejemplares. La formación de Lerner se ha visto influida por un acercamiento crítico posmoderno y ha profesado interés en el lector hispanoamericano de Cervantes, al denunciar abiertamente lo que él vio como arrogancia en la crítica peninsular española y estadounidense. Por otro lado, en muchas ocasiones, sigue una línea que se ajusta precisamente al tipo de metodología que quiere criticar. Este trabajo muestra cómo el crítico argentino, en un deseo de establecer un acercamiento teórico y estilo propio, se ve dividido entre el estudio lexicológico de la obra cervantina, típico de la crítica peninsular, y el estudio semántico, con ramificaciones filosóficas y sociológicas. Cabe señalar que el presente artículo no considera una metodología en particular como superior ni lo opuesto, sino que aboga por una visión amplia a la hora de leer a Cervantes.
Palabras clave: Isaías Lerner; Cervantes e Hispanoamérica; recepción de Cervantes en
Hispanoamérica; Lerner y el Quijote; Lerner y Las novelas ejemplares.
---
The article analyzes Isaías Lerner’s contributions to criticism on Cervantes, on the basis of selected works of his on Don Quixote and the Exemplary Novels. Lerner, whose position was influenced by postmodern critical approaches, shows an interest in the Spanish American reader of Cervantes, when he explicitly attacks what he considers the arrogance of the criticism produced in Spain and the United States. However, on many occasions, Lerner follows precisely the type of methodology he seeks to criticize. This study shows how, in an attempt to establish his own theoretical approach and style, the Argentinean critic is torn between the lexicological study of Cervantes’ work, typical of Iberian criticism, and a semantic study with philosophical and psychological ramifications. It is worth highlighting that the article does not consider any one methodology to be superior; rather, it argues for a broad approach when reading Cervantes.
Keywords: Isaías Lerner; Cervantes and Spanish America; reception of Cervantes in Spanish America; Lerner and Don Quixote; Lerner and the Exemplary Novels.
Bulletin of Hispanic Studies, 2018
Resumen La víspera del hombre (1959) de René Marqués, ha sido estudiada por lo general como una n... more Resumen La víspera del hombre (1959) de René Marqués, ha sido estudiada por lo general como una novela de iniciación. Algunos artículos tratan sobre ciertos aspectos del género; otros identiican ideas relacionadas con eventos históricos o políticos vinculados a la relación Puerto Rico / EE.UU. Hasta el momento, sin embargo, todo trabajo que estudia La víspera del hombre se circunscribe dentro de la idea de la Bildungsroman. Marqués había leído la obra de Albert Camus, quien había recibido gran inluencia de John Stuart Mill. En La víspera del hombre el lector puede identiicar muchas de las ideas de Mill, sobre todo los conceptos de libertad y autonomía. Este artículo no pretende descubrir el origen de estas ideas sino analizar la novela a partir de ellas. Especíicamente, pretende demostrar que Marqués crea un personaje que sirve de arquetipo del individuo que, en su afán de hallar libertad y autonomía, se enfrenta a incontables contingencias que forman y desarrollan su identidad. A pesar de que el ser humano siempre se halla en la víspera de convertirse en hombre o mujer, lo que importa es escoger un 'plan de vida' que asegure autonomía y libertad de lo que Mill llamó el despotismo y la tiranía de la sociedad.
Nómina Cervantina. Siglo XX Eds. José Ángel Ascunce; Alberto Rodríguez
I{ nhnt J .11111nc s < 111.ll o Mornn Arroyo 'lvh.1 s11 .t11 N cu ml'Í~ll'r \l.111 K C P,ul'r'>on... more I{ nhnt J .11111nc s < 111.ll o Mornn Arroyo 'lvh.1 s11 .t11 N cu ml'Í~ll'r \l.111 K C P,ul'r'>on < ,l I l1:1nl Poppl'nh<:rg /\g11, 1 i,1 Rn lo 11d n 1\11, n ln R l op L'/ V.vqul'I /\ 11 111 1<, 11 dv 'l'orn f\ 1.11 1 V11 '>l' j. 11 k \Vrnw 1
Cervantes Novelador: Las novelas ejemplares cuatrocientos años después, Ed. Jorge R. G. Sagastume, pp. 141-51. Fundación Málaga, Mar 2014
This article may be found in Cervantes novelador: Las novelas ejemplares cuatrocientos años despu... more This article may be found in Cervantes novelador: Las novelas ejemplares cuatrocientos años después (downloadable above)
Bulletin of Hispanic Studies (BHS), Liverpool University Press, Apr 2013
Resumen La novela El secreto de los lamencos, de Federico andahazi, teje una compleja narrativa p... more Resumen La novela El secreto de los lamencos, de Federico andahazi, teje una compleja narrativa partiendo de otros textos para volver a tocar el tema borgesiano del aleph. tal como su precursor, andahazi también usa la hipótesis cantoriana del continuo (llamada Aleph-0), para teorizar sobre la diicultad de hallar un conjunto que contenga todos los ininitos conjuntos del universo y que a la vez se contenga a sí mismo. Asumiendo que tal Aleph existiera, como Borges, Andahazi nos remite a la diicultad de representar, o de explicar, ese Aleph a partir de los sistemas que contamos en nuestra realidad: la lengua, las matemáticas (otra lengua), y/o la pintura (otra lengua más). Pero andahazi, en lugar de 'redescribir' este aleph desde el punto de vista literario escoge hacerlo a través de las teorías del arte de la pintura; irónicamente, El secreto de los lamencos es una obra literaria. El in de este ensayo no es el de descubrir secretos ocultos en la novela andahaziana, sino el de tratar de dilucidar las ideas contenidas en ella partiendo de los textos que han regido su composición. Entre éstos, el más obvio es 'El Aleph' de Borges, pero otros se iltran constantemente en su narrativa, por ejemplo Platón, Aristóteles, Russell, Jan y Hubert van Eyck, como también varios textos históricos que retratan la batalla entre las escuelas lorentina y lamenca de la pintura.
Signos Literarios. Universidad Autónoma Metropolitana, Iztapalapa, Mexico, Dept. of Philosophy. 13: 1, 2011, 31-56.
Reprinted in Revista de Filosofía as “EL INMORTAL" DE JORGE LUIS BORGES: EL YO, ALEPH ABSOLUTOS Y... more Reprinted in Revista de Filosofía as “EL INMORTAL" DE JORGE LUIS BORGES: EL YO, ALEPH ABSOLUTOS Y VOCABULARIOS FINALES, as well as in other venues.
Palimpsestos hispanoamericanos. Ed. María Stoopen Galán, FFL UNAM, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México. 2013, 119-150.
This paper is a reworking of the already published paper titled "«Eli nmortal» de Jorge Luis Borg... more This paper is a reworking of the already published paper titled "«Eli nmortal» de Jorge Luis Borges: el yo, infinitos, y vobabularios finales", but with an expansion including Cervantes's influence on Borges (email me if you wish to have a copy)
AISTHESIS N ° 49 (2011) : 175-191 • ISSN0 568-3939, 2011
Jorge Luis Borges often consulted Mathematics and Imagination by E.
Kasner and J. Newman, where t... more Jorge Luis Borges often consulted Mathematics and Imagination by E.
Kasner and J. Newman, where they address the set theory (branch of mathematics that studies the relationship between sets) proposed by Georg Cantor (1845-1918), and in which transfinite arithmetic (beyond finite arithmetic) is established, and an epistemic system created to represent different levels of the infinite. Thus, Cantor labels the different levels of the infinite by assigning to each the first letter ter of che Hebrew alphabet, the Aleph, followed by a number, depending on the level of infinite he is referring to {Aleph-zero, Aleph-one, etc.). Following these ideas, Borges weaves severa! narratives, discussing the infinite and the absolute. An example of such narratives is the collection of stories compiled under the title The Aleph, which opens with «The Immortal» and clases with che story that gives the collection its title. The objective of this paper is to study «The Immortal» under the Cantorian lens, so as to discuss one particular absolute, the self, and to suggest that it is impossible to establish a final vocabulary, or a definite definition, about this copie. This impossibility, Borges propases, is in part dueto the apparent finitude of language, on the one hand, and on che other, the fallible attributes of human memory are also crucial when it comes to defining anything. However, being che ironist Borges is, he is capable of providing through «The Immortal» a re-description of these issues by means of a transfinite language that resolves sorne paradoxes while at che same time reveals others. Due to chis way of writing, I propase Borges fosters a continuation of che dialogue among different disciplines. Though I will center my analysis on «The Immortal», to develop these ideas I will also revisit other stories in The Aleph departing from a theoretical approach rooted in the philosopby of language.
Keywords: Borges, Immortal, Aleph, Cantor, Identity.
El Maquinista 3 : (17) 2009, 187-91
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Books by Jorge R . G . Sagastume
A book of translations with an introductory article (please, email me if you wish a copy)
Articles in peer-reviewed venues by Jorge R . G . Sagastume
This article explores Jorge Luis Borges' evolving approach to linguistic representation, focusing on his transition from metaphorical complexity to a more precise, economical use of language. Through a close reading of Borges' texts, particularly his engagement with kenning, this study argues that Borges sought to create a "modest and secret complexity" in his writing, where linguistic monads could encapsulate profound philosophical ideas. Drawing on the works of Leibniz and Wittgenstein, the article traces how Borges' metaphysical concerns—especially those related to time, identity, and infinity—are intricately linked to his exploration of language's limitations and capacities. Ultimately, Borges' use of kenning serves as a bridge between metaphor and logic, revealing his deeper philosophical commitment to the problem of representation. This investigation underscores Borges' enduring struggle to depict reality through language, while also acknowledging its inherent constraints.
RESUMEN
Este artículo explora la evolución de Jorge Luis Borges en cuanto al tema de la representación lingüística, y se centra en su transición que va de la complejidad metafórica a un uso más preciso y económico del lenguaje. A través de una lectura detallada de los textos de Borges, particularmente aquellos relacionados al uso de las kenningar, este estudio sostiene que Borges buscaba crear una "modesta y secreta complejidad" en su escritura, donde las mónadas lingüísticas pudieran encapsular profundas ideas filosóficas. Basado en las obras de Leibniz y Wittgenstein, el artículo rastrea cómo las preocupaciones metafísicas de Borges—especialmente las relacionadas con el tiempo, la identidad y el infinito—están intrínsecamente vinculadas a su exploración de las limitaciones y capacidades del lenguaje. Finalmente, el uso que hace Borges de las kenningar sirve como un puente entre la metáfora y la lógica, revelando su profundo compromiso filosófico con el problema de la representación. Esta investigación subraya la lucha constante de Borges por representar la realidad a través del lenguaje, reconociendo al mismo tiempo sus limitaciones inherentes.
Principal Author: Jorge R. G. Sagastume
Research Assistant: Yixin Yang
The goal of this essay is to analyse Borges’s ‘El espejo y la máscara’ and ‘Undr’ and suggest they are an extension of the topic on the philosophy of language that begins with ‘La biblioteca de Babel’, followed by ‘El Aleph’, ‘El inmortal’, ‘La escritura del Dios’, and ‘El libro de arena’. While these explored the possibility of an absolute language capable of explaining the universe in its entirety, the two studied here propose that language is linked to the understanding of only certain aspects of the universe, not in absolute terms, departing from logic (Wittgenstein), ‘symbolic forms’ (Cassirer), and their translations, as introduced by Walter Benjamin.
Palabras clave: Isaías Lerner; Cervantes e Hispanoamérica; recepción de Cervantes en
Hispanoamérica; Lerner y el Quijote; Lerner y Las novelas ejemplares.
---
The article analyzes Isaías Lerner’s contributions to criticism on Cervantes, on the basis of selected works of his on Don Quixote and the Exemplary Novels. Lerner, whose position was influenced by postmodern critical approaches, shows an interest in the Spanish American reader of Cervantes, when he explicitly attacks what he considers the arrogance of the criticism produced in Spain and the United States. However, on many occasions, Lerner follows precisely the type of methodology he seeks to criticize. This study shows how, in an attempt to establish his own theoretical approach and style, the Argentinean critic is torn between the lexicological study of Cervantes’ work, typical of Iberian criticism, and a semantic study with philosophical and psychological ramifications. It is worth highlighting that the article does not consider any one methodology to be superior; rather, it argues for a broad approach when reading Cervantes.
Keywords: Isaías Lerner; Cervantes and Spanish America; reception of Cervantes in Spanish America; Lerner and Don Quixote; Lerner and the Exemplary Novels.
Kasner and J. Newman, where they address the set theory (branch of mathematics that studies the relationship between sets) proposed by Georg Cantor (1845-1918), and in which transfinite arithmetic (beyond finite arithmetic) is established, and an epistemic system created to represent different levels of the infinite. Thus, Cantor labels the different levels of the infinite by assigning to each the first letter ter of che Hebrew alphabet, the Aleph, followed by a number, depending on the level of infinite he is referring to {Aleph-zero, Aleph-one, etc.). Following these ideas, Borges weaves severa! narratives, discussing the infinite and the absolute. An example of such narratives is the collection of stories compiled under the title The Aleph, which opens with «The Immortal» and clases with che story that gives the collection its title. The objective of this paper is to study «The Immortal» under the Cantorian lens, so as to discuss one particular absolute, the self, and to suggest that it is impossible to establish a final vocabulary, or a definite definition, about this copie. This impossibility, Borges propases, is in part dueto the apparent finitude of language, on the one hand, and on che other, the fallible attributes of human memory are also crucial when it comes to defining anything. However, being che ironist Borges is, he is capable of providing through «The Immortal» a re-description of these issues by means of a transfinite language that resolves sorne paradoxes while at che same time reveals others. Due to chis way of writing, I propase Borges fosters a continuation of che dialogue among different disciplines. Though I will center my analysis on «The Immortal», to develop these ideas I will also revisit other stories in The Aleph departing from a theoretical approach rooted in the philosopby of language.
Keywords: Borges, Immortal, Aleph, Cantor, Identity.
A book of translations with an introductory article (please, email me if you wish a copy)
This article explores Jorge Luis Borges' evolving approach to linguistic representation, focusing on his transition from metaphorical complexity to a more precise, economical use of language. Through a close reading of Borges' texts, particularly his engagement with kenning, this study argues that Borges sought to create a "modest and secret complexity" in his writing, where linguistic monads could encapsulate profound philosophical ideas. Drawing on the works of Leibniz and Wittgenstein, the article traces how Borges' metaphysical concerns—especially those related to time, identity, and infinity—are intricately linked to his exploration of language's limitations and capacities. Ultimately, Borges' use of kenning serves as a bridge between metaphor and logic, revealing his deeper philosophical commitment to the problem of representation. This investigation underscores Borges' enduring struggle to depict reality through language, while also acknowledging its inherent constraints.
RESUMEN
Este artículo explora la evolución de Jorge Luis Borges en cuanto al tema de la representación lingüística, y se centra en su transición que va de la complejidad metafórica a un uso más preciso y económico del lenguaje. A través de una lectura detallada de los textos de Borges, particularmente aquellos relacionados al uso de las kenningar, este estudio sostiene que Borges buscaba crear una "modesta y secreta complejidad" en su escritura, donde las mónadas lingüísticas pudieran encapsular profundas ideas filosóficas. Basado en las obras de Leibniz y Wittgenstein, el artículo rastrea cómo las preocupaciones metafísicas de Borges—especialmente las relacionadas con el tiempo, la identidad y el infinito—están intrínsecamente vinculadas a su exploración de las limitaciones y capacidades del lenguaje. Finalmente, el uso que hace Borges de las kenningar sirve como un puente entre la metáfora y la lógica, revelando su profundo compromiso filosófico con el problema de la representación. Esta investigación subraya la lucha constante de Borges por representar la realidad a través del lenguaje, reconociendo al mismo tiempo sus limitaciones inherentes.
Principal Author: Jorge R. G. Sagastume
Research Assistant: Yixin Yang
The goal of this essay is to analyse Borges’s ‘El espejo y la máscara’ and ‘Undr’ and suggest they are an extension of the topic on the philosophy of language that begins with ‘La biblioteca de Babel’, followed by ‘El Aleph’, ‘El inmortal’, ‘La escritura del Dios’, and ‘El libro de arena’. While these explored the possibility of an absolute language capable of explaining the universe in its entirety, the two studied here propose that language is linked to the understanding of only certain aspects of the universe, not in absolute terms, departing from logic (Wittgenstein), ‘symbolic forms’ (Cassirer), and their translations, as introduced by Walter Benjamin.
Palabras clave: Isaías Lerner; Cervantes e Hispanoamérica; recepción de Cervantes en
Hispanoamérica; Lerner y el Quijote; Lerner y Las novelas ejemplares.
---
The article analyzes Isaías Lerner’s contributions to criticism on Cervantes, on the basis of selected works of his on Don Quixote and the Exemplary Novels. Lerner, whose position was influenced by postmodern critical approaches, shows an interest in the Spanish American reader of Cervantes, when he explicitly attacks what he considers the arrogance of the criticism produced in Spain and the United States. However, on many occasions, Lerner follows precisely the type of methodology he seeks to criticize. This study shows how, in an attempt to establish his own theoretical approach and style, the Argentinean critic is torn between the lexicological study of Cervantes’ work, typical of Iberian criticism, and a semantic study with philosophical and psychological ramifications. It is worth highlighting that the article does not consider any one methodology to be superior; rather, it argues for a broad approach when reading Cervantes.
Keywords: Isaías Lerner; Cervantes and Spanish America; reception of Cervantes in Spanish America; Lerner and Don Quixote; Lerner and the Exemplary Novels.
Kasner and J. Newman, where they address the set theory (branch of mathematics that studies the relationship between sets) proposed by Georg Cantor (1845-1918), and in which transfinite arithmetic (beyond finite arithmetic) is established, and an epistemic system created to represent different levels of the infinite. Thus, Cantor labels the different levels of the infinite by assigning to each the first letter ter of che Hebrew alphabet, the Aleph, followed by a number, depending on the level of infinite he is referring to {Aleph-zero, Aleph-one, etc.). Following these ideas, Borges weaves severa! narratives, discussing the infinite and the absolute. An example of such narratives is the collection of stories compiled under the title The Aleph, which opens with «The Immortal» and clases with che story that gives the collection its title. The objective of this paper is to study «The Immortal» under the Cantorian lens, so as to discuss one particular absolute, the self, and to suggest that it is impossible to establish a final vocabulary, or a definite definition, about this copie. This impossibility, Borges propases, is in part dueto the apparent finitude of language, on the one hand, and on che other, the fallible attributes of human memory are also crucial when it comes to defining anything. However, being che ironist Borges is, he is capable of providing through «The Immortal» a re-description of these issues by means of a transfinite language that resolves sorne paradoxes while at che same time reveals others. Due to chis way of writing, I propase Borges fosters a continuation of che dialogue among different disciplines. Though I will center my analysis on «The Immortal», to develop these ideas I will also revisit other stories in The Aleph departing from a theoretical approach rooted in the philosopby of language.
Keywords: Borges, Immortal, Aleph, Cantor, Identity.