Deleuzian Concepts: Philosophy, Colonization, Politics by Paul Patton
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
From the translator of Difference and Repetition, Paul Patton takes on Deleuze as a thinker, and sums up much of his work, comparing him to Derrida and (surprise) American analytic philosophers like Rawls and Rorty. Patton also brings to light the scattered understandings of Deleuze about the event, a specific principle not often spoken of when examining Deleuze’s work. I thought much of Patton’s examination aggressive, intense and very interesting — certainly an above par review of Deleuzian concepts, although not complete in the sense that most books on Deleuze concentrate on one or two of his ideas, eschewing an examination of the complete picture.
The application of American philosophers then, is a way in which Patton “applies” Deleuze, allowing us to step back from the hypnotic twists of Deleuzian language and see where this particular kind of conceptual arrangement can get us. This is far from a complete exposition however, and it may be likely that Patton decided to concentrate on lesser examined concepts of Deleuze in order to streamline the book and present a stronger punch. Still, I like his exposition of Deleuzian ideas and intend to return to them when I want inspiration on a particular thought.
In particular I like Patton’s exposition on “events” and how he ties these to sense and history. His application of Deleuze’s use of colonization as a expressive metaphor is also interesting — and in some sense serves as a defense against critics of Deleuze who would accuse Deleuze of being Euro-centric in his expression. Patton’s inclusion of “What is Philosophy?” was also refreshing as this book is sometimes overlooked in favor of the rich conceptual precision of Deleuze’s previous collaborations with Guattari. Patton’s choice of examining Democracy was also illustrative of Deleuze’s anti-transcendetal approach, although this can be critiqued further.
All in all, a good book to read on Deleuze, although it feels pretty selective. Overall I think Patton does a good job at grasping Deleuze’s utopian aesthetic.
