ALIEN THEORY The Decline Materialism in Name the of of Matter Ray Brassier Thesis in fulfilment the for the degree submitted partial of requirement Doctor Philosophy in Philosophy of of Warwick, Department Philosophy University of of April ? 001 2 CONTENTS SYNOPSIS S ............................................................................................................ INTRODUCTION- MATERIALISM, 6 SCIENCE, PHENOMENOLOGY ............................. PHILOSOPHY NON-PHILOSOPHY AND 6 ......................................................................................... WHY MATERIALISM? 15 .............................................................................................................. 1. The empirical contingency of materialism's 16 philosophical necessity .................................... 2. The transcendental 37 necessity of materialism's non philosophical transformation ................ MAN NON-MATERIALIST AS IDENTITY OF PHILOSOPHY AND SCIENCE 46 .................................... DECLI PART I: THE :T OF MATE IALISM AS SUCH 49 ..................... 50 CHAPTER 1- MATTER: COMME TELLE OR TELLE QUELLE? ................................... MATERIALISM MATERIOLOGY AND 59 ......................................................................................... 63 CHAPTER 2- MICHEL HENRY: MATERIAL PHENOMENOLOGY .............................. EN-STASIS/EK-STASIS 63 .............................................................................................................. HENRY AND HUSSERL 66 .............................................................................................................. THE UR-IMPRESSION COINCIDENCE PHENOMENON PHENOMENALITY 71 AS OF AND ................... `THE HISTORIALITY ABSOLUTE': ETERNAL SUBJECTIVE LIFE 73 OF THE ..................................... IMMANENCE/TRANSCENDENCE: Two VERSIONS UNOBJECTIFIABLE 78 OF THE ........................... THE PHENOMENOLOGICAL IDEALISATION IMMANENCE 80 OF ...................................................... THE RELATIVE ABSOLUTE 85 ....................................................................................................... THINKABLE/UNTHINKABLE 87 ..................................................................................................... IMMANENCE `ITSELF' IMMANENCE `AS 90 OR SUCH'? .................................................................. 100 CHAPTER 3- DELEUZE & GUATTARI: ABSOLUTE HYLETICS ............................... MATERIALIZING TRANSCENDENTAL 100 THE ............................................................................... THE DELEUZEAN CRITIQUE OF REPRESENTATION 102 ................................................................. MACHINIC CONSTRUCTIVISM 108 ................................................................................................ THE HYLETIC CONTINUUM 113 .................................................................................................... 116 THE PLANE OF IMMANENCE .................................................................................................. 124 ASYMMETRY PARALLELISM AND .......................................................................................... 3 NOMADIC DISTRIBUTION 142 ....................................................................................................... HYLETIC IDEALISM 154 ................................................................................................................ TRANSCENDENTAL MATERIALISM VERSUS EMPIRICAL REALISM 161 ......................................... CHAPTER 4- FROM MATERIALISM `AS SUCH' TO MATTER `ITSELF' 183 ................... `MATERIALISM'/ `IDEALISM' 184 ................................................................................................. THE MATERIOLOGICAL AMPHIBOLY OF UTTERANCE AND STATEMENT 194 ................................ THE DECLINE MATERIALISM OF 199 ............................................................................................ PHILOSOPHICAL SUMMARY AND TRANSITION TO NON-PHILOSOPHY 206 .................................... PART II: THE NAME OF MATTER ITSELF 211 ....................................... 212 CHAPTER 5- LARUELLE'S RAZOR ..................................................................... `NON-' 213 ................................................................................................................................... THE STRUCTURE PHILOSOPHICAL DECISION 218 OF THE .............................................................. DECISION TRANSCENDENTAL METHOD 230 AS ............................................................................ THE NON-DECISIONAL CLONING DECISION 245 OF ...................................................................... SUSPENDING PARMENIDEAN AXIOM 259 THE ............................................................................... 264 CHAPTER 6- THE RADICAL HYLE AS FIRST NAME OF MATTER .......................... THE RADICAL HYLE NON-CONCEPTUAL SYMBOL IDENTITY UTTERANCE.... 267 AS FOR THE OF . THE ALIEN-SUBJECT 277 ............................................................................................................ . THE NON-MATERIALIST AXIOMATIC 289 .................................................................................... . NON-INTUITIVE PHENOMENALITY 296 ........................................................................................ . 296 1. Theory and experience ...................................................................................................... . 2. The Decision 301 six-dimensions of ......................................................................................... . 305 3. The transcendental prosthetic ........................................................................................... . 308 4. The non-thetic universe . ..................................................................................................... 312 5. Non-materialism and gnosis ............................................................................................... 320 CHAPTER 7- BEHOLD THE NON-RABBIT ............................................................ 324 KANT ..................................................................................................................................... 334 QUfNE .................................................................................................................................... 349 LARUELLE ............................................................................................................................. 4 CHAPTER 8- PHENOMENOLOGICAL 374 PLASTICITY AND EPISTEMIC CHAOS .......... ELIMINATIVISM FOLK PSYCHOLOGY AND 376 .............................................................................. NEUROCOMPUTATIONAL PLASTICITY 383 .................................................................................... VECTOR CODING: FROM SUPEREMPIRICAL VIRTUE TO TRANSCENDENTAL A PRIORI 390 .......... EPISTEMIC ENGINES TRANSCENDENTAL AND THE FUNCTION 405 ................................................ 1. The natural science of epistemic engines 40; ........................................................................... 2. From epistemic algorithms to the transcendental function 415 ................................................ CONCLUSION- PHILOSOPHY, CAPITALISM, NON-MATERIALISM 422 ........................ PHILOSOPHY WORLD IS THE 422 .................................................................................................. THE WORLD CAPI'I'ALISM IS 427 .................................................................................................. GNOSTIC SCEPTICISM VERSUS EPISTEMIC REALISM 430 .............................................................. CAPITALISM, INFORMATION AND UNIVERSAL NOISE 435 ............................................................ 441 BIBLIOGRAPHY ............................................................................................... WORKS LARUELLE BY 441 ........................................................................................................... Philosophie 1: 441 ......................................................................................................................... Philosophie II: 441 ........................................................................................................................ Philosophie III: 442 ...................................................................................................................... ARTICLES ESSAYS LARUELLE 443 AND BY ................................................................................... SECONDARY LITTERATURE LARUELLE 451 ON ............................................................................ 451 a) articles: .............................................................................................................................. SECONDARY LITTERATURE LARUELLE 461 ON ............................................................................ b) 461 works :................................................................................................................................. WORKS OTHER AUTHORS 462 BY ................................................................................................ 5 SYNOPSIS The thesis tries to define the `non- and explain rudiments of a `non-decisional' philosophical' or theory basis the of materialism on of a theoretical framework by `non-philosophy' provided the Francois of Laruelle. Neither in anti-philosophical nor anti-materialist character, non- tries to materialism construct a rigorously transcendental theory by of matter instances its using certain of philosophical materialism as source material. The decision identify materialist to the is to real with matter seen retain a isomorphy the decision identify structural with phenomenological to the real the Both decisions basis with phenomenon. to the are shown operate on of a idealism; its methodological materialism on account of confusion of matter by its and concept; phenomenology virtue of confusion of phenomenon and logos. By dissolving `materiological' the respectively and `phenomenological' failure the the to amlphihol_ies which are result of effect a between transcendental the rigorously separation matter and concept on one hand; between logos the and phenomenon and on other, non-materialist theory to the proposes mobilise non-hybrid or non-decisional concepts of a `matter-without-concept' `phenomenon-without-logos' in to and of a order but theory effect a unified non-unitary of phenomenology and materialism. The is thinking that to result a materialisation of operates according matter's foreclosure decision. That is to to transcendental theory the say, a of licenses limitless that phenomenon phenomenological plasticity, by intuition horizon the unconstrained apparatus of eidetic or any of disclosure; is transcendental apophantic yet one which simultaneously a by bounds theory the of matter, uncontaminated of empirical perception and free of all phenomenological circumscription. 6 INTRODUCTION MATERIALISM, SCIENCE, PHENOMENOLOGY Philosophy Non-Philosophy and This thesis to will attempt articulate something that we shall `non-Decisional' `non-philosophical' in characterise as a or materialism the theoretical framework by Francois Laruelle's accordance with provided 'non-philosophy'. However, to by `non- explain what we mean a it in philosophical' materialism, and why no way constitutes an anti- is `non-philosophy' to the philosophical materialism, explain why expression by Laruelle is in indicative as used no way of an anti-philosophical stance. Thus, from the to the very outset, our attempt communicate powerfully import Laruelle's through the original of work elucidation of a non- first by immediately the philosophical materialism must proceed setting aside by 'non-philosophy'. triggered the possible misinterpretations expression Laruelle's is joining in the non-philosophy not yet another voice death the clamorous post-modern chorus celebrating supposed of philosophy. in is it deconstruction, Yet the neither a variant of petitioning undecidable 7 order to effect a destabilization dislocation decision. Non- or of metaphysical is philosophy doctrine but for not an anti-philosophical theory a philosophy, a theory that, to once applied a philosophical material, radically reconfigures the structures of philosophical thought the basis that Far from on of material. seeking to terminate or to interrupt Decision', the Laruellean philosophical for practise of non-philosophy theory constitutes a non-Decisional Decision; broaden philosophical a theoretical praxis which seeks to the horizons Decision the to of and widen conceptual possibilities available by thought the Decision philosophical suspending sufficiency of as practised in its Neither autonomously philosophical mode. an autonomous to philosophical position, nor an anti-philosophical alternative philosophising is for the transformation per se, non-philosophy rather an organon and immediately form, Laruelle explanation of problems whose philosophical both their theoretical their suggests, simultaneously compromises rigour and ontological, ethical, aesthetic, or political pertinence. in be Accordingly, this thesis to to one of our central objectives will Decisions demonstrate how, although producing no substantive philosophical in be in itself these ontological, ethical, aesthetic, or political and of -whether 1The `philosophical Decision' designates an important technical concept in Laruelle's expression thought. We will be setting out a preliminary philosophical delineation of this notion in the course of in detailed its function in theory 4, before Chapters 2,3, providing a account of non-philosophical and Chapter 5. 8 character-, non-philosophical `working practise the provides philosopher' but with a rigorous non-Decisional theory for Decision. In operating upon Laruelle what `empirico-transcendental will characterise the as composites' of philosophical ontology, philosophical ethics, philosophical aesthetics, or philosophical politics, non-philosophy to seeks emancipate the rigorously transcendental, but Identity2 non-ontological the of ontology, non-ethical Identity We how, for of ethics.. etc. shall see every such composite structure . by `the-philosophical-theory-of-X', constituted the wherein elemental essence `theory' `X' of and of remains compromised through the bi-lateral their correspondence of philosophical envelopment, non-philosophical thinking both to the Identity will endeavour separate the relationless and duality `theory' `X', Identity duality irreducible unilateral of and of an and to bilateral their More in philosophical correspondence. specifically, our aim this thesis is to try to how, basis `philosophy-of- the show operating on of a help discover matter', non-philosophy can materialism's non-materialist by developing Identity duality `theory' the essence unilateral and of and of `matter'. Conscious fact formulations the that of such must appear chronically introductory introduce Laruelle's this try to obscure at stage, we will novel 2 Again, the Laruellean `Identity' be characterisation of as a non-philosophical concept will explained 9 difficult and undeniably conceptual through incremental apparatus a series of building steps, each one the before in on one a succession of chapters presenting the increasing degree reader with a gradually technicality. We of hope thereby to the become allow reader to slowly acclimatized to an idiosyncratic but rigorously exacting theoretical vocabulary. In facilitate order to the difficult conceptual transition from the philosophical to the non-philosophical register, the thesis is divided into two parts. Part I, `The Decline Materialism As Such', Chapters 1 of comprises 4 identify through and will try to the conditions of the philosophical problem intend to treat in Part II, `The Name Matter which we non-philosophically of Itself, Chapters 5 9. That is through the which consists of problem logos, hyle, materiological3 amphiboly of matter and or of phenomenon and both in `material Michel Henry in the as exemplified phenomenology' of and `absolute hyletics' Deleuze & Guattari. This the of amphiboly, we shall argue, leads fundamental indiscernibility between to the theoretical an postures of idealism, indiscernibility in materialism and an virtue of which philosophical incapable distinguishing itself from idealism. materialism remains of Consequently, `the decline in the describes of materialism name of matter' any the that movement whereby philosophical materialism which accepts in Chapter 5. 10 premise of a transcendental distinction between `thought' `matter' and must forsake the to in attempt encompass the matter concept and abandon the in initiate materiological register order to theoretical a posture whereby not does longer only materialism no presume to by circumscribe matter way of a it is determines concept, now matter which through its materialism very foreclosure to In Part I every concept. other words, argues that transcendental its materialism achieves most rigorous theoretical consummation at the point it its discursive where necessitates own elimination as a system of statements `about' matter. Part II, `The itself constitutes the name of matter non-philosophical half It implements in the thesis. the theoretical of radical shift posture in final Chapter Part I describes the the recommended of and consequences devolving from The that change of posture. materiological amphiboly of is by `first-name' `non-conceptual matter and concept replaced a or symbol'4 foreclosure It is that transcendental to thought thought. enacts matter's within `itself as `non-conceptual `as than now matter symbol', rather matter such' or defined, determines its foreclosure through as conceptually which materialism implicitly Where that to conceptual thought. materialism presupposes matter lifts thought, the remains commensurate with non-materialism premise of 3 For definition `materiology' infra Chapter 1, 59-62. of cf. pp. a preliminary ,