Gilles Deleuze and the Fabulation of Philosophy, Volume 1: Powers of the False

Although much has been written about Deleuze’s engagement with the arts, this book concerns the art of his philosophy. Gregory Flaxman suggests that Deleuze’s notorious rejection of representation gives rise to a singular task—to create new concepts and invent new means of philosophical expression. Flaxman argues that Deleuze’s ambition to think and write “otherwise” constitutes the fabulation of philosophy itself. Although much has been written about Deleuze's engagement with the arts, Gilles Deleuze and the Fabulation of Philosophy concerns the art of his philosophy. Gregory Flaxman suggests that Deleuze's notorious rejection of representation gives rise to a singular task—to create new concepts and invent new means of philosophical expression. Tracing this task throughout Deleuze's vast oeuvre, Flaxman argues that Deleuze's ambition to think and write “otherwise” constitutes the fabulation of philosophy itself. For Flaxman, Deleuze's philosophy is organized around the notion of the friend (philos). This book dramatizes the practice of friendship in Deleuze's intimate affairs with philosophers—including Plato, Aristotle, Spinoza, Kant, and Foucault—and close encounters with a range of writers, including Homer, More, Kafka, Woolf, and Borges. Flaxman traces Deleuze's relationship with Nietzsche, the friend from whom he learned to write “in his own name,” to explain how apprenticeship becomes the initial condition of Deleuze's philosophical method. Detailing the transformation of Nietzsche's genealogy into “geophilosophy,” Flaxman goes on to show how Deleuze's philosophy of the earth precipitates his return to ancient Greece and induces his resolution to overturn Platonism. In this spirit, the book demonstrates Deleuze's evocation of the “powers of the false” by examining how, in his battle against representation, he makes fiction the basis for a minor philosophy. This first volume draws to a close with a timely elaboration of Deleuze's avowed, if enigmatic, “style as politics” in an age when capitalism and communication challenge the claims of philosophy as never before. A stunning and original contribution, Flaxman's book restores the question of aesthetics to Deleuze's thinking and writing. Gilles Deleuze and the Fabulation of Philosophy not only revitalizes our sense of the philosopher but revises the sense of his philosophy, provoking critical problems and novel possibilities with which readers will wrestle for years to come. Although much has been written about Deleuzes engagement with the arts, Gilles Deleuze and the Fabulation of Philosoph y concerns the art of his philosophy. Gregory Flaxman suggests that Deleuzes notorious rejection of representation gives rise to a singular taskto create new concepts and invent new means of philosophical expression. Tracing this task throughout Deleuzes vast oeuvre, Flaxman argues that Deleuzes ambition to think and write otherwise constitutes the fabulation of philosophy itself. For Flaxman, Deleuzes philosophy is organized around the notion of the friend (philos) . This book dramatizes the practice of friendship in Deleuzes intimate affairs with philosophersincluding Plato, Aristotle, Spinoza, Kant, and Foucaultand close encounters with a range of writers, including Homer, More, Kafka, Woolf, and Borges. Flaxman traces Deleuzes relationship with Nietzsche, the friend from whom he learned to write in his own name, to explain how apprenticeship becomes the initial condition of Deleuzes philosophical method. Detailing the transformation of Nietzsches genealogy into geophilosophy, Flaxman goes on to show how Deleuzes philosophy of the earth precipitates his return to ancient Greece and induces his resolution to overturn Platonism. In this spirit, the book demonstrates Deleuzes evocation of the powers of the false by examining how, in his battle against representation, he makes fiction the basis for a minor philosophy. This first volume draws to a close with a timely elaboration of Deleuzes avowed, if enigmatic, style as politics in an age when capitalism and communication challenge the claims of philosophy as never before. A stunning and original contribution, Flaxmans book restores the question of aesthetics to Deleuzes thinking and writing. Gilles Deleuze and the Fabulation of Philosophy not only revitalizes our sense of the philosopher but revises the sense of his philosophy, provoking critical problems and novel possibilities with which readers will wrestle for years to come. A Stunning And Original Contribution, Flaxman's Book Restores The Question Of Aesthetics To Deleuze's Thinking And Writing. Gilles Deleuze And The Fabulation Of Philosophy Not Only Revitalizes Our Sense Of The Philosopher But Revises The Sense Of His Philosophy, Provoking Critical Problems And Novel Possibilities With Which Readers Will Wrestle For Years To Come.--pub. Desc. Introduction: The Elements Of Style -- Friendship And Philosophy, Nietzsche And Deleuze -- From Genealogy To Geophilosophy -- Deleuze Among The Sophists -- The Philosophy Of Fiction And The Fiction Of Philosophy -- Philosophy In An Inhospitable Age -- Coda: Sci-phi. Gregory Flaxman. Includes Bibliographical References And Index. Flaxman (English and comparative literature, UNC Chapel Hill) argues that, in the spirit of Nietzsche's own stylistic project, Gilles Deleuze sought, and with some success generated, new means of philosophical expression. Deleuze does this by turning to literature and cinema as practices of "fabulation" that play with and go beyond ordinary perception. Topics include friendship and philosophy, genealogy to geophilosophy, fiction and philosophy, and philosophy in an inhospitable age. Annotation ©2012 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com) Preface: The False to the Power of Two Introduction: The Elements of Style 1 Friendship and Philosophy, Nietzsche and Deleuze 2 From Genealogy to Geophilosophy 3 Deleuze among the Sophists 4 The Philosophy of Fiction and the Fiction of Philosophy 5 Philosophy in an Inhospitable Age Coda: Sci-Phi Acknowledgments Notes