Onto-Ethologies

Brett Buchanan

Description

German biologist Jakob von Uexküll focused on how an animal, through its behavioral relations, both impacts and is impacted by its own unique environment. Onto-Ethologies traces the influence of Uexküll's ideas on the thought of Martin Heidegger, Maurice Merleau-Ponty, and Gilles Deleuze, as they explore how animal behavior might be said to approximate, but also differ from, human behavior. It is the relation between animal and environment that interests Heidegger, Merleau-Ponty, and Deleuze, and yet it is the differences in their approach to Uexküll (and to concepts such as world, body, and affect) that prove so fascinating. This book explores the ramifications of these encounters, including how animal life both broadens and deepens the ontological significance of their respective philosophies.

Acknowledgments
List of Abbreviations
Introduction

1. Jakob von Uexküll’s Theories of Life
Biography and Historical Background
Nature’s Conformity with Plan
Umweltforschung
Biosemiotics
Concluding Remarks

2. Marking a Path into the Environments of Animals
The Essential Approach to the Animal
Heidegger and the Biologists
Three Paths to the World

3. Disruptive Behavior: Heidegger and the Captivated Animal
The Worldless Stone
The Poor Animal
Three Bees and a Lark
Animal Morphology
A Shocking Wealth
A Fine Line in the Rupture of Time
An Affected Body

4. The Theme of the Animal Melody: Merleau-Ponty and the Umwelt
The Structure of Behavior
A Pure Wake, A Quiet Force
A Leaf of Being
Interanimality

5. The-Animal-Stalks-at-Five-O’clock: Deleuze’s Affection for Uexküll
Problematic Organisms
Uexküll’s Ethology of Affects
The Body without Organs, the Embryonic Egg, and Prebiotic Soup
Nature’s Refrain Sung across Milieus and Territories
The Animal Stalks

Conclusion: Uexküll and Us
Notes
Bibliography
Index

Sujets

• Philosophie
• Éthique et morale
• Philosophy
• Applied ecology
• Ethique et morale

Informations

• Publié par: State University of New York Press
• Date de parution: 22 octobre 2008
• Nombre de lectures: 0
• EAN13: 9780791477465
• Langue: English
• Poids de l'ouvrage: 1 Mo

Extrait

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Onto-Ethoogîes

SUNY serîes în Envîronmenta Phîosophy and Ethîcs

J. Baîrd Caîcott and John van Buren, edîtors

Onto-Ethoogîes

The Anîma Envîronments of Uexkü, Heîdegger, Mereau-Ponty, and Deeuze

Brett Buchanan

Pubîshed by State Unîversîty of New York Press, Abany

© 2008 State Unîversîty of New York

A rîghts reserved

Prînted în the Unîted States of Amerîca

No part of thîs book may be used or reproduced în any manner whatsoever wîthout wrîtten permîssîon. No part of thîs book may be stored în a retrîeva system or transmîtted în any form or by any means încudîng eectronîc, eectrostatîc, magnetîc tape, mechanîca, photocopyîng, recordîng, or otherwîse wîthout the prîor permîssîon în wrîtîng of the pubîsher.

For înformatîon, contact State Unîversîty of New York Press, Abany, NY www.sunypress.edu

Productîon by Ryan Morrîs Marketîng by Mîchae Campochîaro

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Buchanan, Brett, 1975–  Onto-ethoogîes : the anîma envîronments of Uexkü, Heîdegger, Mereau- Ponty, and Deeuze / Brett Buchanan.  p. cm. — (SUNY serîes în envîronmenta phîosophy and ethîcs)  Incudes bîbîographîca references and îndex.  ISBN 978-0-7914-7611-6 (hardcover : ak. paper)  1. Phîosophy of nature. 2. Naturaness (Envîronmenta scîences). 3. Anîmas (Phîosophy). I. Tîte.

BD581.B77 2008 113'.8—dc22

10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

2008000121

Contents

Acknowedgments Lîst of Abbrevîatîons Introductîon: Between Ontoogy and Ethoogy

1. Jakob von Uexkü’s Theorîes of Lîfe  Bîography and Hîstorîca Background  Nature’s Conformîty wîth Pan Umwetforschung  Bîosemîotîcs  Concudîng Remarks

2. Markîng a Path înto the Envîronments of Anîmas  The Essentîa Approach to the Anîma  Heîdegger and the Bîoogîsts  Three Paths to the Word

3. Dîsruptîve Behavîor: Heîdegger and the Captîvated Anîma  The Wordess Stone  The Poor Anîma  Three Bees and a Lark  Anîma Morphoogy  A Shockîng Weath  A Fîne Lîne în the Rupture of Tîme  An Affected Body

4. The Theme of the Anîma Meody: Mereau-Ponty and  theUmwet  The Structure of Behavîor  A Pure Wake, A Quîet Force  A Leaf of Beîng  Interanîmaîty

vîî îx 1

7 9 12 21 28 36

39 44 46 55

65 69 71 78 88 97 101 112

115 116 130 138 146

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Contents

5. The-Anîma-Staks-at-Fîve-O’Cock: Deeuze’s Affectîon  for Uexkü  Probematîc Organîsms  Uexkü’s Ethoogy of Affects  The Body wîthout Organs, the Embryonîc Egg, and  Prebîotîc Soup  Nature’s Refraîn Sung across Mîîeus and Terrîtorîes  The Anîma Staks

Concusîon: Uexkü and Us Notes Bîbîography Index

151 151 154

162 173 182

187 191 207 217

Acknowedgments

As thîs îs a book on envîronments, I woud be remîss îf I dîd not say that ît îs very much a product of my own envîronment. Many peope have read or îstened to eary drafts, and a have înluenced ît în one way or another. I wîsh to thank Wî McNeî, Peter Steeves, and Tîna Chanter, for theîr kîndness and support, as we as Keîth Bresnahan, Kathy Kîoh, Gerard Ku- perus, Nat Leach, Leo Mos, Marjoeîn Oee, Tîottama Rajan, Nathan Ross, Dorîan Stuber, Sokthan Yeng, and a whoe host of frîends and mentors at DePau Unîversîty, for theîr questîons, encouragement, and frîendshîp. Laurentîan Unîversîty, and my coeagues especîay, have been sup- portîve în the competîon of thîs project. Its competîon has been aîded, în part, through the Laurentîan Unîversîty Research Fund. Thîs book has been strengthened by the însîghtfu comments of two anonymous revîew- ers, and the hepfu guîdance of Ryan Morrîs, from the State Unîversîty of New York Press. I woud aso îke to thank John van Buren for hîs kînd encourgement and advîce from very eary on, and Kenneth Paquette for hîs assîstance on the manuscrîpt. My famîy has been supportîve of my path înto phîosophy from the begînnîng and I owe them a înexpressîbe gratîtude. Above a, a very specîa thanks to Key, the best part of my envîronment, and to whom thîs book îs dedîcated.

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