Empiricism and Apprenticeship: Structure and Method in the Works of Deleuze
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Empiricism and Apprenticeship: Structure and method in the works of Deleuze Scott McBride A thesis in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy School of History and Philosophy Faculty of the Arts and Social Sciences June 2017 iv EMPIRICISM AND APPRENTICESHIP: Structure and Method in the works of Deleuze i THE UNIVERSITY OF NEW SOUTH WALES Thesis/Di ssertation Sheet Surname or Family name: McBride First name: Scott , Other name/s: Wilkie Abbreviation for degree as given in the University calendar: PhD School: Humanities and Languages Faculty: Arts and Social Sciences Title: Empiricism and apprenticeship: Structure and method in the works of Deleuze Abstract: This thesis analyses the philosophy of Gilles Deleuze. It examines his oeuwe to draw out the series ofvaf,iations and movements that constitute its deep structure. It argues that both ontological and methodological aspects exist within all ofDeleuze's work and that a rigorous articulation ofhis philosophy must express both the specifics ofhis arguments and distinctions as well as fidelity to his method ofphilosophizing. Any such account must also consider the habits ofthought that he condemns. Deleuze's works are grouped into several successive periods in his phikrsophical development in order to sirow both the divergences and continuities between his eaxlier and later works. While the presentation is chronological, the analysis uses the metlods and strategies fiom all ofhis works. Deleuze's work is situated as both a response to a specific conceptual locale and set ofproblems, as well sets ofmore widely useful axguments and concepts. The thesis argues that Diference and Repetition,rather,than being an original statement of a novel philosophical pcsition, instead collages and systematises the concepts that were aniculated in Deleuze's earlier historical studies. lt argues that rather than being his magnum opus it is instead a work of mixed value, containing both successful and flawed elements. The thesis also presents and critiques existing accounts ofDeleuzian ethics and argues that Deleuze's ontology cannot directly support an ethics. [t develops a rival account ofthe ethical in Deleuze as an evaluatiye approach to other ethical systems, arguing that it should not be considered as a self-existent system in its own right. The final sections ofthe thesis examine the analysis ofeconomic history in the two volumes ofCapitalism and Schizophrenia, focusing on the various functions that capitalism serves in those works in relation to social organisations and to Deleuze and Guattari's proposal for a universal history. Declaration relating to disposition of proj€ct thesis/dissertation I h€reby grant to the UniveNity ofNew South Wales or its agents the right to archive and to make available my thesis or dissertation in whol€ or in part in the University libnries in all foms ofmedia, now or here after kno*n, subject to the prcvisions ofthe Coplright Act 1968. I retain all property rights, such as patent rights. I also retain th€ right to us€ in future wo*s (such as articles or books) all or part ofthis thesis or dissertation. I also authoris€ Univ€tsity Microfilms to use the 350 word abshact ofmy th€sis in Dissertation Abstracts Intemational (this is applioable to dootoral th€ses only). a?k7(2F't7 Date The UniveNity recognises that fterc may be exoeptional oircumstances r€quiring restrictions on copying or conditions on use. Requests for rest'iction for a period ofup to 2 years must be made in fiiting. Requests for.a longbr period of restriotion may be considered in exc€ptional circumstances and requia€ the val of the Dean of Graduate Research. l 'ou I ORIGINALITY STATEMENT 'l hereby declare that this submission is my own work and to the best of my knowledge it contains no materials previously published or written by another person, or substantial proportions of material which have been accepted for the award of any other degree or diploma at UNSW or any other educational institution, except where due acknowledgement is made in the thesis. Any contribution made to the research by others, with whom I have worked at UNSW or elsewhere, is explicitly acknowledged in the thesis. I also declare that the intellectual content of this thesis is the product of my own work, except to the extent that assistance from pthers in the project's design and conception or in style, presentation and linguistic expression is acknowledged.' Signed COPYRIGHT STATEMENT 'l hereby grant the University of New South Wales or its agents the right to archive and to make available my thesis or Cissertation in whole or part in the University libraries in all forms of media, now or here after known, subject to the provisions of the Copyright Act 1968. I retain all proprietary rights, such as patent rights. I also retain the right to use in future works (such as articles or books) all or part of this thesis or dissertation. I also authorise University Microfilms to use the 350 word abstract of my thesis in Dissertation Abstract lnterhational (this is applicable to doctoral theses only). I have either used no substantial por.tions of copyright material in my thesis or I have obtained permission to use copyright material; where permission has not been granted I have applied/will apply for a partial restriction of the digital copy of my thesis or dissertation.' &&'/'- Date ygkt/?orr AUTHENTICITY STATEMENT 'l certify that the Library deposit digital copy is a direct equivalent of the final officially approved version of my thesis. No emendation of content has occurred and if there are any minor variations in formatting, they are the result of the conversion to digital format.' Signed Date pL:(: v(wtV Acknowledgements This thesis would not have been completed without the support and advice of a large number of people. In particular I wish to thank my supervisors Simon Lumsden and Paul Patton. Both were very encouraging, even of my decision to change my thesis topic from a comparative study of Hegel and Deleuze to one focusing solely on Deleuze at a late stage in the development of the thesis. In a traditional Sanskrit allegory about learning students are compared to four kinds of horses: the first kind runs before it sees the shadow of the whip, the second runs just before the whip reaches his skin, the third runs when it feels pain on his body, and the unfortunate fourth kind will only run after the pain of the whip penetrates into the marrow of his bone. Sadly for my supervisors the combination of my constant dissatisfaction with my writing, desire to read everything, and slowness in composition unhappily made me very much the fourth kind of horse. Simon especially deserves far more thanks than I can offer him for his long enduring patience. I am thankful for the company of my fellow Hegelians Dave and Carlos. Though I am now a lapsed Hegelian I am still glad to have them as comrades. I am also grateful for my fellow travellers during the PhD (particularly those who shared wine and song), and for those who were part of a surprisingly long lived reading group: thank you Ash, Will, Rose, Eve, John, Anisha, Emilie, Lorraine, Jacq, Ozzie, Grace, and Naama. Rosie: Much love, always and forever. In addition to her long standing care for me, her heroic work preparing the bibliography, and dealing with the final review of the footnotes and formatting can only be interpreted as an act of great love. Thank you also to Alan, Peggy and Brendan for being a second family to me. Thanks are also due for the long distance support provided by a small kiwi contingent: Michael, Seth, and Claire, as well as my family: Carol, David, Julia and Logan. I wish to thank Vivienne Bull also for her material support at a crucial stage. My colleagues (past and present) at the Arts Student Centre: Andy, Katie, Ashleigh, Liz, Milly, Juliana, Sam, Jan, Joel, Candy, Stephen and my manager Agnes were always tolerant of my PhD student eccentricities, including several conference related absences, and were always a refreshing break from the thesis headspace, particularly in the end stages. Dylan Horrocks kindly gave his permission to use images from Hicksville for the cover. At the end of the process of composition and revision I feel as I imagine many authors do: that the defects remaining in the work are all too visible. Nonetheless I will be pleased if any readers that this thesis may have in the end do not regret the time they spent in reading it. v Table of Contents EMPIRICISM AND APPRENTICESHIP:................................................................................. i Thesis/Dissertation Sheet ........................................................................................................... ii Abstract: ..................................................................................................................................... ii Acknowledgements .................................................................................................................... v Chapter 1 .................................................................................................................................... 1 What we talk about when we talk about Deleuze .................................................................. 1 Chapter 2 .................................................................................................................................. 10 Assembling the components: Studies in the history of philosophy ..................................... 10 Gueroult ..........................................................................................................................