New Books in Philosophy Catherine Malabou, "Stop Thief!: Anarchism and Philosophy" (Polity Books, 2023)
Aug 20, 2025
Catherine Malabou, a Professor of Philosophy at UC Irvine known for her work in continental philosophy and political thought, dives deep into anarchism. She explores why philosophers shy away from identifying as anarchists despite acknowledging its insights. Malabou connects plasticity and anarchist literature, critiques Aristotle's governance ideas, and promotes self-governance. The discussion also delves into individuality within communities and the transformative potential of anarchism in contemporary society, challenging fears associated with chaos.
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Plasticity Links Philosophy To Anarchism
- Malabou connects her concept of plasticity from Hegel and neuroscience to politics, leading her to anarchism as self-organized totalities.
- She frames anarchism as inventing one’s own life with others without overarching authority.
Aristotle Creates The Governmental Fix
- Malabou reads Aristotle's Politics as internally contradictory about democracy and government.
- She argues Aristotle breaks democratic circularity by privileging a governing few, erasing anarchism from political thought.
Philosophers Value Anarchy But Reject Anarchism
- Six modern thinkers develop concepts of anarchy but stop short of anarchism as political program.
- They retain the need for some form of government, sustaining philosophy's counter-revolution against anarchism.
