Deleuze and Guattari - How Do You Make Yourself a Body Without Organs?

Unfolding the Deleuze Seminars, 1970-1987: Summaries and Commentary offers insights into Gilles Deleuze’s seminars from the period 1970-1987. In doing so, Stivale provides summaries and commentaries on all the seminars, spanning from Spinoza to Cinema, to Foucault and Leibniz. This organization then enables Stivale to carefully and creatively explore different ways that the seminars are intrinsically linked with the three projects that Deleuze undertook towards the end of his career: his postscript on Control Societies, the Abécédaire, and What is Philosophy?

Spinoza: Practical Philosophy, authored by Gilles Deleuze, provides an insightful exploration of Spinoza's ethical and political thought. Deleuze analyzes Spinoza's concept of conatus, the striving for self-preservation, and its implications for human action. The book examines Spinoza's ideas on freedom, desire, and the relationship between the individual and society. Deleuze highlights Spinoza's critique of traditional morality and his advocacy for a rational and affirmative approach to life. Spinoza: Practical Philosophy offers a compelling interpretation of Spinoza's philosophical project, emphasizing its relevance for contemporary ethical and political concerns.

Gilles Deleuze's book on Francis Bacon explores the painter's unique approach to figuration and sensation. Deleuze analyzes Bacon's use of distortion, abstraction, and the diagram to create powerful and unsettling images. The book examines Bacon's representation of the body as a site of intense forces and affects, challenging traditional notions of portraiture. Deleuze argues that Bacon's paintings capture the essence of sensation, conveying a visceral and immediate experience to the viewer. Francis Bacon: The Logic of Sensation is a seminal work in art theory, influencing discussions on abstraction, representation, and the relationship between art and philosophy.

The Anti-Oedipus Papers collects together for the first time the long-unavailable preliminary notes, drafts and preparatory material that Félix Guattari presented to Gilles Deleuze prior to the writing of their co-authored Capitalism and Schizophrenia, Volume 1: Anti-Oedipus. This extensive volume of previously untranslated material sheds new light on Guattari’s unique and highly original theoretical perspective. The Anti-Oedipus Papers is a critical resource for all students and scholars interested in the work of Guattari and Deleuze, radical philosophy and political theory.

On the Mode of Existence of Technical Objects, written by Gilbert Simondon, explores the role and significance of technical objects in society. Simondon critiques the alienation of technology from human life, arguing for a more integrated and harmonious relationship. The book examines the process of individuation in both natural and artificial systems, highlighting the dynamic interplay between humans and technology. Simondon proposes a new understanding of technical objects as mediators between humans and the world, emphasizing their potential for enhancing human creativity and knowledge.

In "Spinoza: Filosoof van de vrijheid" onderzoekt Ian Buruma het leven en werk van de beroemde filosoof Baruch Spinoza. Het boek duikt diep in Spinoza's filosofische ideeën, zijn conflicten met de Joodse gemeenschap en zijn invloed op de Verlichting. Buruma schetst een levendig portret van Spinoza als een vrijdenker die zijn eigen weg ging, ondanks de risico's. De lezer krijgt inzicht in Spinoza's radicale ideeën over God, de natuur en de menselijke vrijheid. Het boek is een waardevolle bijdrage aan het begrip van Spinoza's filosofie en zijn blijvende relevantie.

In 'Anti-Oedipus,' Deleuze and Guattari critique the Freudian/Lacanian psychoanalytic model of the ego, particularly the Oedipus complex. They argue that human desire is not rooted in familial relationships but in broader socio-political contexts. The book introduces the concept of 'schizoanalysis,' a method aimed at freeing desire from capitalist and familial repression. It delves into the relationship between capitalism and schizophrenia, suggesting that capitalism exploits and commodifies desires rather than repressing them. The authors propose a radical analysis that synthesizes political economy and psychology, introducing concepts such as desiring-machines, deterritorialization, and the body-without-organs.

Written between 1661 and 1675 and published posthumously in 1677, *Ethics* is a comprehensive philosophical work divided into five parts. It addresses the nature of God, concluding that God is intrinsic to the universe rather than outside it. The treatise dissects the human mind and body, explores the notion of free will and good and evil, and analyzes the origin and strength of emotions. Spinoza argues that reason is the sole means to achieve virtue and freedom from emotional bondage. The work is characterized by its use of Euclid's step-by-step logical method to prove various propositions.

A Thousand Plateaus is a key text in the 'Capitalism and Schizophrenia' series by Gilles Deleuze and Félix Guattari. It advances a unique philosophical approach that draws from but critiques both Freudian and Marxist theories. The book is structured as a series of 'plateaus' that can be read in any order, each exploring different concepts such as rhizomes, stratification, and the distinction between smooth and striated space. It is essential reading for those interested in critical theory, feminism, literary theory, and contemporary Western culture.

In *Nietzsche and Philosophy*, Deleuze presents a comprehensive and innovative interpretation of Nietzsche's thought. The book challenges conventional philosophical ideas, particularly Hegelian dialectics, and introduces key concepts such as multiplicity, becoming, and affirmation. Deleuze argues that Nietzsche's philosophy breaks with traditional dialectical methods and opens a new avenue in post-war thought. The work is acclaimed for its scholarly rigor and imaginative interpretation, influencing figures like Michel Foucault and shaping the landscape of French philosophy.