‘Pataphysics

This morning while conducting my daily search for a publisher of my novel The Truth About Oatmeal, I came across a publisher, Exact Change, which publishes books of experimental literature with an emphasis on Surrealism, Dada, and ‘Pataphysics. ‘Pataphysics, I was unfamiliar with the word.  Being a curious sort, I turned to Wikipedia for a little edification and learned that I may have found a home.  Here are a few of the menagerie of furnishings I discovered in my Paraphysical Home Sweet & Sour Home.

'Pataphysics (French: 'pataphysique) is a "philosophy" of science invented by French writer Alfred Jarry (1873–1907) intended to be a parody of science.  Difficult to be simply defined or pinned down, it has been described as the "science of imaginary solutions."  That said, in point of fact or fiction (if you are a pataphysicist), there are over one hundred definitions of 'pataphysics. One such definition describes the attributes thusly “‘Pataphysics passes easily from one state of apparent definition to another. Thus, it can present itself under the aspect of a gas, a liquid or a solid.”

Regarding the apostrophe at the beginning of ‘pataphysics.  Jarry mandated the inclusion of the apostrophe in the orthography, 'pataphysique and 'pataphysics, "... to avoid a simple pun". Only when consciously referring to Jarry's science itself should the word 'pataphysics carry the apostrophe. The words pataphysician or pataphysicist and the adjective pataphysical should not include the apostrophe.

I also discovered that I actually had run across the word before but had thought it made up and nonsensical (something very paraphysical).  In the song "Maxwell's Silver Hammer" on the Beatles album Abbey Road, "pataphysical science" is mentioned as a course of study for Joan, the first victim of Maxwell Edison.

The illustration is by Alfred Jarry himself.  The Grand Gidouille on Ubu's belly is a symbol of 'pataphysics.