The Ontological Priority of Events in Gilles Deleuze's the Logic of Sense
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The Ontological Priority of Events in Gilles Deleuze’s The Logic of Sense Sean Bowden This thesis is submitted to the School of History and Philosophy at the University of New South Wales in fulfilment of the requirements of a PhD in Philosophy August 2009 PLEASE TYPE THE UNIVERSITY OF NEW SOUTH WALES Thesis/Dissertation Sheet Surname: Bowden First name: Sean Other name/s: Terrence Abbreviation for degree as given in the University calendar: PhD School: History and Philosophy Faculty: Arts Title: The Ontological Priority of Events in Gilles Deleuze’s The Logic of Sense Abstract 350 words maximum: (PLEASE TYPE) This thesis examines the way in which Gilles Deleuze asserts the ontological priority of events over substances in his 1969 publication, The Logic of Sense, with reference to several philosophers and intellectual movements, namely, the Stoics, Leibniz, Albert Lautman, Gilbert Simondon, structuralism and psychoanalysis. Chapter 1 analyzes the problem which The Logic of Sense sets out to resolve, that is, to determine the ‘evental’ conditions of the event if everything is to be understood as ontologically dependent on events. It then examines how Deleuze compares events to Stoic lekta, which are both causal effects and the material of Stoic dialectic. The event is seen to be the juncture of an ongoing ‘sense-event,’ simultaneously involving: causal analyses of bodies; the construction of concepts characterizing these bodies; and the development of one’s knowledge of these bodies. Chapter 2 examines how Deleuze extends a number of Leibnizian notions in order to re-describe this sense-event in terms of ‘static ontological and logical geneses,’ or ‘disjunctive syntheses,’ bearing on divergent ‘points of view’ with regard to the events characterizing worldly things. These syntheses bring about a three-fold determination of: a world of individuals common to divergent points of view; the beliefs of persons holding these points of view; and families of concepts which these individuals and persons ‘exemplify’ insofar as they belong to a common world. Chapters 3 and 4 explore the way in which, with reference to Lautman, Simondon and structuralism, Deleuze argues that static geneses should be thought of in terms of an underlying structure, wherein the events characterizing things are themselves determined only by other events. Within this structure, events of all orders and types determine each other reciprocally, completely and progressively, and without reference to any substance transcending this system. Chapter 5 shows how, in relation to psychoanalysis, Deleuze understands the structure of events to be produced as an event by speaking persons, even as this structure also produces these persons, and their speech, as events. We are thus able to conclude that the structure of events is both the evental-determination of events characterizing things in general, and itself an event. Declaration relating to disposition of project thesis/dissertation I hereby grant to the University of New South Wales or its agents the right to archive and to make available my thesis or dissertation in whole or in 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 property 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 Abstracts International (this is applicable to doctoral theses only). 18 March, 2010 ……….………… ……………………………………………… ……………………………………..……………… Date Signature Witness The University recognises that there may be exceptional circumstances requiring restrictions on copying or conditions on use. Requests for restriction for a period of up to 2 years must be made in writing. Requests for a longer period of restriction may be considered in exceptional circumstances and require the approval of the Dean of Graduate Research. FOR OFFICE USE ONLY Date of completion of requirements for Award: ii ORIGINALITY STATEMENT ‘I 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 others in the project's design and conception or in style, presentation and linguistic expression is acknowledged.’ Signed Date 18 March, 2010. COPYRIGHT STATEMENT ‘I hereby grant the University of New South Wales or its agents the right to archive and to make available my thesis or dissertation 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 International (this is applicable to doctoral theses only). I have either used no substantial portions 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.’ Signed Date 18 March, 2010. AUTHENTICITY STATEMENT ‘I 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 18 March 2010. iii The Ontological Priority of Events in Gilles Deleuze’s The Logic of Sense Sean Bowden This thesis is submitted to the School of History and Philosophy at the University of New South Wales in fulfilment of the requirements of a PhD in Philosophy August 2009 iv Acknowledgements I would like to express my gratitude to my supervisors, Paul Patton, Stéphane Douailler and Alain Badiou for their invaluable support throughout the duration of this project. Paul Patton, in particular, was a most generous and judicious sounding board for many of the ideas developed herein. Messieurs Badiou and Douailler unhesitatingly committed themselves to the cotutelle arrangement, and the many letters written and forms signed by all of my supervisors allowed me to bring this work to fruition in the best possible circumstances. I am also deeply indebted to the following friends and colleagues: Simon Duffy, for his generous feedback and enthusiasm for this project; Joanne Faulkner, for setting my mind to rest on my understanding of psychoanalysis; Dan Smith, for his warm encouragement; Rosalyn Diprose, for all the wonderful advice given at the beginning of my PhD; and Marc Jones, for undertaking the unenviable task of proof-reading this entire manuscript. Alexandra Bourré’s many kindnesses contributed to the realization of this thesis in innumerable ways, and Hervé Bruneau and Florentin Roche have provided me with much linguistic advice. I especially owe my parents, Terry and Denise, heartfelt thanks for all their support. I was fortunate to receive an Australian Postgraduate Award in order to undertake this present work, as well as a one year scholarship and travel grant from the French Embassy in Australia. I am also grateful for an external study grant awarded to me by the University of New South Wales. Finally, and above all, I would like to thank Miriam Bankovsky for her generosity, encouragement, counsel and loving support over many years. Substantial portions of Chapter 1 were published as “Deleuze et les Stoïciens: une logique de l’événement,” Le Bulletin de la société américaine de philosophie de langue française 15, no. 1 (2005): 72-97. A section of Chapter 2 appears in the article “Deleuze, Leibniz and the Jurisprudence of Being,” Pli 17 (2006): 98-120. A section of Chapter 3 has also been published in the article “Alain Badiou: Problematics and the Different Senses of Being in Being and Event,” Parrhesia 5 (2008): 32-47. v Table of Contents Acknowledgments v Introduction The Ontological Priority of Events in Gilles Deleuze’s The Logic of Sense 1 Chapter One Deleuze and the Stoics 14 1.1 The Problem of the ‘Pure Event’ and the Stoic Ontological Distinction between Bodies and Incorporeal Sayables (Reference and Sense) 17 1.1.1 Stoic Ontology 20 1.2 The Fourth dimension of the Proposition: the Sense-Event and the Stoic ‘Comprehensive Representation’ 28 1.2.1 Stoic Physics 33 1.2.2 Stoic Logic 36 1.2.3 Stoic Epistemology 41 1.2.4 Stoic Ethics 44 Chapter Two Deleuze and Leibniz 51 2.1 Leibniz’s System in Outline 54 2.2 Deleuze and Leibniz: The ‘Static Genesis’ of Individuals, Persons and General Concepts and the Ideal Play of Events 61 Chapter Three Deleuze, Lautman and Simondon 87 3.1 Problematic Ideas and Singularities in Difference and Repetition: From Kant to the Calculus 97 3.2 Albert Lautman and the Dialectic of Problematic Ideas 106 3.3