6.0163 Query: Borges Story (1/18)

Elaine Brennan & Allen Renear (EDITORS@BROWNVM.BITNET)
Tue, 28 Jul 1992 16:14:34 EDT

Humanist Discussion Group, Vol. 6, No. 0163. Tuesday, 28 Jul 1992.

Date: Tue, 28 Jul 1992 14:58 EDT
From: PARKINSN@SSCvax.CIS.McMaster.CA
Subject: Borges Story (query)

On page one of _Simulations_ Jean Baudrillard writes:
"If we were able to take as the finest allegory of simulation the
Borges tale where the cartographers of the Empire draw up a map so
detailed that it ends up exactly covering the territory (but where
the decline of the Empire sees this map become frayed and finally
ruined, a few shreds still discernible in the deserts......"

I am hoping someone has a reference for the Borges tale to which
Baudrillard refers, if in fact it exists. If it is in English,
it would be even better (or French), but any reference is better
than none.

Thanks in advance for any help.

Ted Parkinson
McMaster University
Hamilton, Ontario
parkinsn@sscvax.cis.mcmaster.ca