The Ontological Priority of Events in Gilles Deleuzes 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: First name: Bowden Sean Other name/s: Terrence PhD Arts

Abbreviation for degree as given in the University calendar: School: History and Philosophy Faculty:

Title: The Ontological Priority of Events in Gilles Deleuzes 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 ones 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.

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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.

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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.

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The Ontological Priority of Events in Gilles Deleuzes 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

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Acknowledgements
I would like to express my gratitude to my supervisors, Paul Patton, Stphane 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 Bourrs many kindnesses contributed to the realization of this thesis in innumerable ways, and Herv 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 Stociens: une logique de lvnement, Le Bulletin de la socit amricaine de philosophie de langue franaise 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.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments

Introduction The Ontological Priority of Events in Gilles Deleuzes The Logic of Sense

Chapter One Deleuze and the Stoics 1.1 The Problem of the Pure Event and the Stoic Ontological Distinction between Bodies and Incorporeal Sayables (Reference and Sense) 1.1.1 Stoic Ontology 1.2 The Fourth dimension of the Proposition: the Sense-Event and the Stoic Comprehensive Representation 1.2.1 Stoic Physics 1.2.2 Stoic Logic 1.2.3 Stoic Epistemology 1.2.4 Stoic Ethics

14 17 20 28 33 36 41 44

Chapter Two Deleuze and Leibniz 2.1 Leibnizs System in Outline 2.2 Deleuze and Leibniz: The Static Genesis of Individuals, Persons and General Concepts and the Ideal Play of Events

51 54 61

Chapter Three Deleuze, Lautman and Simondon 3.1 Problematic Ideas and Singularities in Difference and Repetition: From Kant to the Calculus 3.2 Albert Lautman and the Dialectic of Problematic Ideas 3.3 Gilbert Simondon and the Theory of Individuation 3.4 Deleuze, Simondon and Lautman: Singularity and Problem

87 97 106 116 126

Chapter Four Deleuze and Structuralism 4.1 Structuralism in The Logic of Sense and How do We Recognize Structuralism? 4.2 Structure and the Proposition

143 143 166

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Chapter Five Deleuze and Psychoanalysis 5.1 First Step of the Dynamic Genesis: From Noise to the Voice (Klein and the Pre-Oedipal) 5.2 Second Step: Formation and Coordination of Surfaces (Freud and Infantile Sexuality) 5.3 Third Step: From the Physical to the Metaphysical Surface (Lacan, Oedipus and Castration) 5.4 Fourth Step: From Speech to Language (Phantasm and Metaphysical Surface)

174 180 197 212 224

Conclusion

244

Bibliography

261

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