HOWDYSHELL, STANFORD, M.A. 2018 PHILOSOPHY ON ESSENCES: PHENOMENOLOGICAL INSIGHTS INTO OBJECT ORIENTED ONTOLOGY Thesis Advisor: Gina Zavota Object Oriented Ontology (OOO), as developed by Graham Harman, draws on many of the insights developed in the research programs of phenomenology, systems theory, active network theory, and Deleuzian ontology. From the phenomenological tradition, Husserl's theory of intentional objects and Heidegger's tool analysis have been central to the development of OOO. Discussion on essences has been, for the most part, neglected by the philosophers of OOO. While maintaining that OOO is a metaphysical system which includes essences, they have been content to either leave the question of essence to the phenomenologists or to neglect them altogether. This is a problem because OOO allows for objects to change while retaining their identity, but lacks a firm theory of identity conditions. In this thesis I will investigate this shortcoming of OOO and apply the positive insights from Edmund Husserl’s and Martin Heidegger’s philosophies of essence to OOO. This investigation will result in a theory of essence that integrates the phenomenologist’s philosophies of essence into OOO. ON ESSENCES: PHENOMENOLOGICAL INSIGHTS INTO OBJECT ORIENTED ONTOLOGY A thesis submitted To Kent State University in partial Fulfilment of the requirements for the Degree of Master of Arts By Stanford Howdyshell May, 2018 Copyright All rights reserved Except for previously published materials Thesis Written By Stanford Howdyshell B.S., the University of Akron, 2016 M.A., Kent State University, 2018 Approved by Gina Zavota___________________________, Advisor Deborah Barnbaum____________________, Chair, Department of Philosophy James L. Blank_________________________, Dean, College of Arts and Sciences Table of Contents Table of Contents ........................................................................................................................................ iv Acknowledgements ..................................................................................................................................... vi Introduction .................................................................................................................................................. 1 Chapter 1: Object Oriented Ontology .......................................................................................................... 5 What is an Object? ................................................................................................................................... 5 Causation .................................................................................................................................................. 9 The Structure of Objects ........................................................................................................................ 14 An Object’s Environment and World ..................................................................................................... 18 Role of the Environment ........................................................................................................................ 20 The Epistemic/Ontological Division ....................................................................................................... 21 Identity and Change: A Question of Essences ....................................................................................... 24 Graham Harman’s Account of Essence .................................................................................................. 25 Chapter 2: Edmund Husserl’s Phenomenology ......................................................................................... 31 Introduction to Husserl’s Phenomenology ............................................................................................ 31 A Science of Essence ............................................................................................................................... 37 The Essence of an Object ....................................................................................................................... 44 Insights from Husserl .............................................................................................................................. 45 Compatibility Problems for Husserl and OOO ....................................................................................... 47 Chapter 3: Martin Heidegger and the Essence of Being ........................................................................... 50 Why are there Beings instead of Nothing? ........................................................................................... 50 The Essence of Being .............................................................................................................................. 53 Phusis ...................................................................................................................................................... 56 Alētheia ................................................................................................................................................... 60 Violence .................................................................................................................................................. 62 Compatibility Problems for Heidegger and OOO .................................................................................. 63 Insights from Heidegger ......................................................................................................................... 64 Chapter 4: A New Theory of Essence ......................................................................................................... 66 No Ontological Priority ........................................................................................................................... 66 iv The Essences of Objects ......................................................................................................................... 69 Discerning Essences ................................................................................................................................ 77 Conclusion .................................................................................................................................................. 85 References .................................................................................................................................................. 88 v Acknowledgements I would first like to thank Dr. Gina Zavota of the Philosophy Department at Kent State University. Her comments on the content of this thesis and her advice on the process of writing it were invaluable. She regularly made time to meet with me, which not only improved my writing and philosophical understanding, but also helped me work through my own ideas and provided a structure to the project, which was indispensable. I would also like to thank my thesis committee: Dr. Michael Byron and Dr. Andreea Smaranda Aldea of the Philosophy Department at Kent State University and Dr. Kevin Floyd of the Department of English at Kent State University for their comments and advice. vi Introduction Object Oriented Ontology (OOO), which has been developed primarily by Graham Harman and Levi Bryant, is a flat ontology, meaning that all objects have the same ontological status. No one object or type of objects serves as a ground for the other objects or as a fundamental level of being from which all other objects are derived. Objects also exist over time, maintaining their identity through shifting causal relationships with other objects and while undergoing changes themselves. The combination of the flat ontology and the continuing identities of objects implies essences that are both internal and particular to individual objects. Outside of acknowledging the necessity of essences to OOO, little has been said on the subject. Graham Harman addresses them briefly, but fails to provide a concrete account of essences. The failure to account for a theory of essences within Object Oriented Ontology leaves a recurring theme within the ontology unexplored. OOO assumes and often relies on an object maintaining its identity as an object through time and while undergoing change, but without a robust theory of essences, it is not able to account for the nature of this identity. Accounting for essences provides an explanation for the continual existence of objects and the terms of their coming into existence and ceasing to exist, as well as providing further insight into the structures of objects and how they exist in and interact with other objects. Some philosophers of OOO, such as Graham Harman (2005, p. 253-256) and Ian Bogost (2012, p. 30), express the desire to move beyond abstract theory and begin to use OOO to investigate objects themselves. They wish to apply their ontology in order to have a better understanding of objects in the 1 world and of how the objects interact with one another. The scope of the exploration of objects is limited without a theory of essences. Without a theory of essences, a philosopher would not be able to distinguish which aspects of the object are fundamental to its being and which are accidental, would have trouble distinguishing the point at which the object comes to be or ceases to exist, and would have trouble figuring out what changes an object could or could not endure. The development of a theory of essences within OOO thus would allow