Thaumàzein – 8, 2020

Morphology, Plasticity, and Transformation

between Philosophy and Biology

Edited by
Guido Cusinato, Rosa Maria Lupo,
Alessandro Minelli, Salvatore Tedesco

© 2020 Thaumàzein
10.13136/thau.vi8i Creative Commons 4.0
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Editors’ Introduction: Morphology, Organism, Evolution 7

PART I
THE NEXUS BETWEEN MORPHOLOGY AND EVOLUTION

$අൾඌඌൺඇൽඋඈ0ංඇൾඅඅං
Living Forms in Becoming Between Old Constraints and
Unexpected Opportunities of Change 22

9ൺඅൾඋංൺ0ൺ඀඀ංඈඋൾ
Fantastic Morphologies:
Animal form between Mythology and Evo-Devo 39

*උൾ඀ඈඋංඈ7ൾඇඍං
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Morphological Issues in Ruyer, Simondon and Deleuze 59

0ൺඍඁංඅൽൾ7ൺඁൺඋ
The “History” of Biodiversity.
A Bergsonian Look at the Theory of Evolution 89

PART II
MORPHOLOGY, PLASTICITY, CONTINGENCY, AND FREEDOM

3ංൾඋ$අൻൾඋඍඈ3ඈඋർൾൽൽඎ&ංඅංඈඇൾ
Beyond the arché. Aristotle, Goethe, Heidegger, Schürmann 107

0ൺඋ඄ඎඌ2ඉඁඟඅൽൾඋඌ
Geniale Übersetzungen. Goethe – Benjamin – Spengler 127
5ඈඌൺ0ൺඋංൺ/ඎඉඈ
Beyond the Eidetics of Living Beings:
Contingency, Plasticity, Individuality 145

6ൺඅඏൺඍඈඋൾ7ൾൽൾඌർඈ
Meta-Identität / Unstable identities:
Towards a Plastic Morphology 172

$ඇൽඋൾൺ=ඁඈ඄
Identity, Freedom, Emergence.
$5HÀHFWLRQRQWKH0HDQLQJRI$FWLRQ 188

0ංඋ඄ඈ'ං%ൾඋඇൺඋൽඈ
Form, Function and Value in the Emerging and
Self-Organizing Processes of the Natural Evolution 204

PART III
UEXKÜLL’S CONCEPTS OF ORGANISM AND UMWELT

*ඎංൽඈ&ඎඌංඇൺඍඈ
%RG\(QDFWLYLVPDQG3ULPRUGLDO$ৼHFWLYLW\
Max Scheler and Jacob von Uexküll’s Aporia 226

&ൺඋඅඈ%උൾඇඍൺඋං
Kantian Monads in a Platonic World. Some Remarks on the
Philosophical Background of Jakob von Uexküll’s Umweltlehre 246

6ඉඒඋංൽඈඇ$.ඈඎඍඋඈඎൿංඇංඌ
Organism, Self, Umwelt: A New Approach to
Organismic Individuality 260
THAUMÀZEIN 8, 2020

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7ൺൻඅൾඈൿ&ඈඇඍൾඇඍඌ 1. Fortunes of the morphological idea; 2. Ecstatic

DQGPHORGLFWHPSRUDOLW\7RSRORJ\RIWKHDৼHFWV1DWXUHRIWKHautós.

1. Fortunes of the morphological idea

f we can discuss a subterranean morphological tradition in France, it
I LVRQO\E\DSSUR[LPDWLRQ)ROORZLQJVXFKDWUDGLWLRQPHDQVXQGHU-
standing a philosophical impulse, a grounding idea or intuition, that
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edge and stems from the necessity of understanding the living form
EHIRUHDQGEHVLGHLWVELRORJLFDOGH¿QLWLRQ7KLVLGHDLQVSLUHGDSHFXOLDU
WXUQRIWKHSRVW.DQWLDQXQGHUWDNLQJLQVRIDUDVWKHNQRZOHGJHRIWKH
OLYLQJIRUPHYRNHVWKHUHXQLRQRIWKHFRQGLWLRQVRIH[SHULHQFHZLWKWKH
causes of reality. Indeed, understanding a form means connecting to its
VSHFL¿FEHFRPLQJWRLWVvivum; and this cannot be accomplished other
than by corroborating the continuous act of genesis, therefore by consti-
WXWLQJRQHVHOIDVDFRFDXVHRIXQFRGL¿DEOHUHVXOWV7KHPRUSKRORJLFDO
sight is about participation in an act of inner vision, in incorporeal up-
KHDYDOV±DVWKH³OLYLQJ´FRUUHVSRQGVWRDQLGHDOGLPHQVLRQWKDWEHORQJV
WRWKHFRUSRUHDODVERWKLWVUK\WKPLFLW\DQGLWVH൵HFWXDOLW\WKH©OLIHRI
WKHHVVHQFHªDVWKHHVVHQFHLWVHOI>9DQ(\QGH@0RUHRUOHVV
H[SOLFLWO\DOOWKHVHVROXWLRQVWHQGWRDPHWDSK\VLFDOYLHZLQZKLFKWKH
%HLQJ LV WKH FRQFUHVFHQFH RI UHDOLW\ DQG NQRZOHGJH WDNHV IRUP DV ±
LQ6FKHOOLQJ¶VZRUGV±©WKHHPSLULFLVPH[WHQGHGWRXQFRQGLWLRQDOLW\ª
>0RLVR  @ +HUH WKH XWRSLD RI D ©SXUHO\ KHWHURORJLFDO NQRZO-
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archetypal power. Of such magnitude is the legacy of Goethezeit [see
IRUH[DPSOH3RJJL%UHLGEDFK 9HUFHOORQH@

59
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It is interesting to notice how this philosophical enterprise reap-

pears in original terms in the middle of the 20th century in France, as
Merleau-Ponty, in The Visible and the InvisibleUHÀHFWVXSRQD©%HLQJª
that is «what requires creationIRUXVWRH[SHULHQFHLWª>0HUOHDX3RQW\
@*LOEHUW6LPRQGRQVHHNVWKHUHXQLRQRIWKH©condition
of possibility of knowledge» with the «causes of existence» [Simondon
2005, 257, my translation], and Deleuze, very similarly, tries to solve
WKH©ZUHQFKLQJGXDOLW\ªEHWZHHQWKH©FRQGLWLRQVRIH[SHULHQFHLQJHQ-
HUDOªDQGWKH©FRQGLWLRQVRIUHDOH[SHULHQFHª>'HOHX]H@
through a «superior empiricism» in which «the concept is identical to
WKHWKLQJª>'HOHX]HE@7KHVSLULWRIWKRVH\HDUVLVUHÀHFW-
ed in an atmosphere of renewed metaphysical assertiveness.1 The rise
of a post-critical paradigm reintroduces the idea of a living transcen-
GHQWDOEHLW)OHVKRU1DWXUHDV©ZLOG%HLQJDQG/RJRVª>0HUOHDX3RQ-
W\  @ D SULQFLSOH RI LQGLYLGXDWLRQ DV WKH WUDQVREMHFWLYH
JHQHVLVRIWKH%HLQJ 6LPRQGRQ RUDSURFHVVRIEHFRPLQJFDXJKWLQLWV
GL൵HUHQWLDWLRQ 'HOHX]H 6XFKSHUVSHFWLYHVDLPDWWKDW©OLIHRIWKHHV-
sence» which is the form intended as its power of appearance, constitut-
LQJWKHUDGLFDOLW\DQGWKHXQFRQGLWLRQDOLW\RIH[SHULHQFHJHQHUDWLYLW\
DVWKHRQO\SRVVLEOHJHQHUDOLW\>VHH%DUEDUDV 0LODQ@7KLVJUHDW
DWWHPSWKDVEHHQUHFRJQL]HGDVWKHH൵RUWWRPDNHWKHPRUSKRJHQHWLF
RUGHURIQDWXUHWUDQVFHQGHQWDO>0DODERX@,WUHPDLQVLQH[SOL-
cable, especially in its surprising relations to the philosophical achieve-
ments of GoethezeitLIQRWWUDFHGEDFNWRWZRFRUHVRIWKRXJKW+HQUL
%HUJVRQ¶VPHWDSK\VLFVRIOLIHDQG*HRUJHV&DQJXLOKHP¶VSKLORVRSK\RI
the living, as two major historico-philosophical attractors.
%HUJVRQ¶VWKRXJKWZLOOEHGHFLVLYHIRUPRUHWKDQRQHRIWKHIROORZ-
LQJJHQHUDWLRQVHYHQLIDVDKHULWDJHWRUHSXGLDWH>%LDQFR@,WVLQ-

1
5X\HU6LPRQGRQDQG'HOHX]HFDQDOOEHFRQVLGHUHG³SRVWFULWLFDOPHWDSK\VLFLVWV´
The «dogmatisme hypothétiqueªSURFODLPHGE\5X\HULQKLVGRFWRUDOWKHVLV>@
ZLOOHYROYHLQWRDIXOOÀHGJHGP\WKRORJLFDOGRJPDWLVP'XULQJDPHPRUDEOHGLVFXV-
VLRQZLWK3DXO5LFRHXU6LPRQGRQ>@GH¿QHVKLVSKLORVRSKLFDOSHUVSHFWLYH
D ©WUDQVREMHFWLYLVPª WKH ¿UVW SDUW RI KLV ZRUN RQ LQGLYLGXDWLRQ LV LQGHHG EOXQWO\
metaphysical. Deleuze revealed that in his youth he considered himself as the «most
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as a 20th-century metaphysicist.

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ÀXHQFHLVRIXWPRVWLPSRUWDQFHIRUZKDWFRQFHUQVRXUVXEMHFW%HUJVRQ
was in fact the most important French philosopher of his time to take
an interest in the problems of theoretical biology beyond Darwinism
PRVWO\ UHFHLYHG WKURXJK 6SHQFHU  DQG WR FRPH LQWR FRQWDFW ZLWK WKH
*HUPDQWUDGLWLRQLQWKH¿HOGRILebensphilosophie. Creative Evolution
 DSSURDFKHVWKHJUHDWÀRXULVKLQJRIthFHQWXU\*HUPDQELRORJ\
WKURXJK WKHRULHV VXFK DV $XJXVW :HLVPDQQ¶V +DQV 'ULHVFK¶V 7KHR-
GRU (LPHU¶V -RKDQQHV 5HLQNH¶V %HUJVRQ UHWULHYHV WKH )UHQFK YLWDOLVW
DQGOLIHVFLHQFHVWUDGLWLRQIURPWKH0RQWSHOOLHU6FKRROWR&ODXGH%HU-
nard and inserts this large number of authors in a consistent – and later
dominant – philosophical framework worthy of contemporary sciences.
%HUJVRQ¶VSKLORVRSK\FRPHVWR+DHFNHOLQ-HQDWR6LPPHOLQ%HUOLQWR
'ULHVFKLQ+HLGHOEHUJDQGWR6FKHOHULQ*|WWLQJHQZLWKQXPHURXVUH-
FLSURFDOLQÀXHQFHV>=DQ¿@,WFDQEHVWDWHGWKHQWKDW%HUJVRQUH-
ceives, elaborates and dialogues with a tradition that had never severed
ties with the biocentrism of the Goethezeit and with the vitalist tradition
LWVHOI7KDQNVWRWKHLPSRUWDQFHRIKLVUHÀHFWLRQ%HUJVRQZLOOGHFLVLYH-
ly contribute to revitalizing ancient problems under the aegis of the sta-
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ZLOORIWHQSRLQWRXWKLVSKLORVRSKLFDOIDLOXUHVDQGKLGHWKHVLJQL¿FDQFH
RIKLVLQÀXHQFH,WZRXOGEHQRKLVWRULFDOLQDFFXUDF\WRD൶UPWKDWWKH
20th-century French philosophy of life takes as its springboard «the fail-
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his research to the problems of the living and to vitalism «as a perma-
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WR%HUJVRQLVPFDQEHGLYLGHGLQWKUHHGL൵HUHQWSKDVHVDVVXPPDUL]HG
ZHOOE\%LDQFR>@$IWHUD¿UVWUHMHFWLRQQRWIDUIURP0HUOHDX3RQ-

2
)URPDWKHRUHWLFDOYLHZSRLQWWKLVIDLOXUHLVOLQNHGZLWKWKH³SXUHQHVV´RI%HUJVRQL-
an vital principle, i.e. with the background spiritualism that leads him to subordinate
the inorganic along with all the mechanical processes, and to emphasize an abstract
LGHDRI/LIHRULJLQDOO\GHGXFWHGIURPFRQVFLRXVQHVV6LPRQGRQVKDUHV&DQJXLOKHP¶V
DYHUVLRQWR%HUJVRQDVDSKLORVRSKHURIWKH©SXUHSURFHVVªRIWKHFRQWLQXRXVÀX[
EXWKHVKRZVKDYLQJUHDGKLPFDUHIXOO\5X\HURIWHQWDNHVGLYHUJHQWSRVLWLRQVIURP
%HUJVRQHVSHFLDOO\RQWKHWKHPHRISHUFHSWLRQ2QO\'HOHX]HZLOOUHVWRUH%HUJVRQL-
an philosophy almost completely, though with considerable elaborations.

61
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SKLORVRSK\GXULQJWKHVDQGKH¿QDOO\GH¿QHVKLVUHDGLQJLQWZR
lectures of the 1960s, later gathered in La vie et le concept. In general,
&DQJXLOKHP¶VDWWHQWLRQWRWKHOLYLQJGRHVQRWGHULYHGLUHFWO\IURP%HUJ-
VRQ EXW DOORZV KLP WR UHVWRUH %HUJVRQLVP LQ OLJKW RI VRPH FRPPRQ
grounds.3+LVPHGLDWLRQKROGVWKHPHULWRIVKLIWLQJWKHIRFXVIURPWKH
%HUJVRQLDQ PHWDSK\VLFV RI OLIH WR WKH OLYLQJ VLQJXODULW\ LQ LWVHOI %\
focusing on the problem of the organism4DQGLWVVSHFL¿Flogos, Can-
guilhem gives French historical epistemology a breakthrough towards
«biological philosophy» as a philosophy of the living form, drawing
directly – just like Merleau-Ponty5 – from the morphological tradition
YRQ:HL]VlFNHU%X\WHQGLMN*ROGVWHLQYRQ8H[NOO DQGIDFLQJVSH-
FL¿FLVVXHVVXFKDVWKHFRQFHSWXDOVWDWXVRIWKHSDWKRORJLFDOWKHSK\VLR-
ORJLFDOQRWLRQRIUHÀH[RUWKHFRQFHSWRImilieu,Q&DQJXLOKHP¶VYLHZ
PRUSKRJHQHVLV LV UHFRJQL]HG DV WKH OLYLQJ¶V RQO\ QRUP WR ZKLFK WKH
IRUPDWLRQRIFRQFHSWVLWVHOIPXVWEHWUDFHGEDFN%LRORJLFDONQRZOHGJH
is such that «it is the pathos which conditions the logos» [Canguilhem
 @ LQ JHQHUDO DV )RXFDXOW SXWV LW ©IRUPLQJ FRQFHSWV LV
RQHZD\RIOLYLQJQRWRINLOOLQJOLIHª>&DQJXLOKHP@VLQFH
OLIHLVGH¿QHGE\LWVFUHDWLYHDXWRQRUPDWLYLW\
2QFHKDYLQJOLQNHG%HUJVRQ¶VDQG&DQJXLOKHP¶VWKHRULHVWRVRPH
RIWKHLUVFLHQWL¿FUHIHUHQFHVLWLVHDVLHUWRXQGHUVWDQGKRZWKHVSHFX-

3
2QH SRVVLEOH OLQN EHWZHHQ &DQJXLOKHP¶V UHVHDUFK DQG WKH %HUJVRQLDQ OHJDF\ ±
FRQVLGHUHGDVUHODWLYHO\LQGHSHQGHQWIURP%HUJVRQ¶VSKLORVRSK\±FRXOGEHUHFRJ-
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(XJqQH0LQNRZVNL&RQVWDQWLQYRQ0RQDNRZDQG5DRXO0RUJXH>VHH%DELQL@
4
%HWZHHQWKHVDQGWKHVRUJDQLFLVPHVWDEOLVKHGLWVHOIDVWKHOHDGLQJSDUD-
digm in biology, overcoming the feud between vitalists and physicalists [Mayr 1997,
@2QHRIWKHPRVWUHOHYDQWRUJDQLFLVWVFKRODUVRIWKH¿UVWKDOIRIWKHFHQWXU\
WKHQHXURORJLVW.XUW*ROGVWHLQZDVDPDMRUVRXUFHRIERWK&DQJXLOKHPDQG0HU-
leau-Ponty.
5
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SKRORJLFDO DQG VSHFL¿FDOO\ naturphilosophisch  FRPSUHKHQVLRQ GUDZLQJ GLUHFWO\
IURPDXWKRUVOLNHYRQ:HL]VlFNHU%X\WHQGLMNDQG.XUW*ROGVWHLQDQGGHDOVZLWK
%HUJVRQLVPDVZHOO+LVLQWHUHVWIRUWKHOLYLQJKRZHYHUUHPDLQVLQVHSDUDEOHIURP
the phenomenological tradition and subordinated to it.

62
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lative migration took place: authors like Driesch, von Weizsäcker, von
8H[NOO%X\WHQGLMNDQG*ROGVWHLQ WRQDPHRQO\WKHPRVWLPSRUWDQW 
DUHGHQVHZLWKHFKRHVRIDWUDGLWLRQWKDWJRHVEDFNWRWKHDJHRI*RHWKH
WKURXJKRXWWKHKLVWRU\RIOLIHVFLHQFHV+DQV'ULHVFKDERYHDOOKDGDO-
ready carried out a profound work of reconstruction of such a tradition,
VWDUWLQJIURP6WDKO DQGWKHUHIRUHIURP/HLEQL] XSWRWKH©QHRYLWDO-
LVWLFªFRQFHSWLRQRIKLVWLPHSDVVLQJWKURXJK:RO൵DQG%OXPHQEDFK
.DQWDQGWKHQDWXUHSKLORVRSKHUVWKHFRQVROLGDWLRQRISK\VLRORJ\DQG
the physicalist tradition [Driesch 1905]. The morphological idea, in
this sense, corresponds to the survival of certain issues: the problem of
living individuality, perfectly sketched by Driesch himself during his
*L൵RUG/HFWXUHV>@DQGWKHHQVXLQJOHVVRQVDW/RQGRQ8QLYHUVLW\
>@WKHSUREOHPRIZKDW³OLYLQJ´LVZKHWKHUDSURSHUW\DIRUFHRU
a structure, and the consequent problem of the duality between life in
JHQHUDODQGOLYLQJVLQJXODULW\ VHHQDVDQRUJDQLVPRUQRW ODVWO\WKH
relation between life and human knowledge, or the possibility of an
in actu understanding that does not reduce its object to a collection of
data, hence to the laws of identity and causality.6 The actual subject of a
SKLORVRSK\RIWKHOLYLQJLVDSDUDGR[LFDODQGLPSRVVLEOHRQHDVVXFKDV
it is not objectual: it is the impersonal act in which the living consists,
the act of generation or genesis, the morphogenetical a priori.7
7KHVHZHUHWKHSUREOHPVRI*RHWKHDQGRI.DQWLQWKHKritik der
Urteilskraft and in the Metaphysische Anfangsgründe der Naturwissen-
schaft; then of an entire generation of scientists and philosophers. These
SUREOHPVIRUPHGWKHFRUHRIJHVWDWLQJ*HUPDQELRORJ\>=DPPLWR@
and survived through both materialist and vitalist trends in theoretical
biology, up to their elaboration in 19th-century philosophy. The condi-

6
These three issues are easily recognizable as aspects of the same phenomenon.
©$¿QLWHOLYLQJEHLQJSDUWDNHVRILQ¿QLW\RUUDWKHULWKDVVRPHWKLQJLQ¿QLWHZLWKLQ
LWVHOIªZKLFKHQVXUHVWKDWLWHOXGHVWKHPHUHRORJLFDOLQTXLU\>*RHWKH@7KH
epistemological consequence is that «a living thing cannot be measured by some-
WKLQJH[WHUQDOWRLWVHOIª>ibid.]; the ontological consequence, instead, is that «no liv-
LQJWKLQJLVXQLWDU\LQQDWXUHHYHU\VXFKWKLQJLVDSOXUDOLW\ª>*RHWKH@QRW
a plurality of parts, but rather a plural whole, a manifold totality.
7
Whence the most important statement of philosophical morphology: the substi-
tution of the morphogenetical process of formation for the individual form, of Ge-
staltung for Gestalt>*RHWKH@

63
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RIWKHFHQWXU\WRSURGXFHVXFKDIUXLWIXOUHVXPSWLRQ6X൶FHLWWRORRN
at the number of sources, both biological and philosophical, used by
another thinker of the generation of Merleau-Ponty and Canguilhem – a
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UHVHDUFKWRZDUGVWKHSUREOHPVRIWKHOLYLQJGXULQJWKHV5D\PRQG
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>D@FRXQWZRUNVE\%HUWDODQ൵\'ULHVFK:DGGLQJWRQ*ROGVWHLQ
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wide-ranging theoretical works by French scholars.8
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times receiving the attention that he deserves. Nonetheless, he played an
active part in the philosophical elaboration of an epistemology of quan-
WXPSK\VLFV DQGLQWKHSHFXOLDUYLWDOLVPWKDWPDQ\TXDQWXPSK\VLFLVWV
OLNH1LHOV%RKUZHUHGHYHORSLQJDWWKHWLPH KHZDVDOVRRQHRIWKH¿UVW
SKLORVRSKHUVWRUHÀHFWXSRQWKHVLJQL¿FDQFHRIF\EHUQHWLFV$IWHUVRPH
¿UVWZRUNVRIPHFKDQLVWRULHQWDWLRQ5X\HUEXLOWDPHWDSK\VLFVRIOLIH-
IRUPVEHFRPLQJLQÀXHQFHGE\:KLWHKHDGDQG6DPXHO$OH[DQGHUHVSH-
cially in 1pR¿QDOLVPH[1952a] and La genèse des formes vivantes [1958,
1967]; through an understanding of the life of matter and systems, he
theorized in favor of a «true form» by facing one of deepest problems of
PRUSKRORJ\WKDWRIDXWRQRUPDWLYLW\+LVLQLWLDOWKHVHVEHQH¿WHGRIDQ
in-depth elaboration of the processes described by embryology, a real
science guide until his last book, L’embryogenèse du monde et le Dieu
silencieux SXEOLVKHGLQ 'HOHX]HZDVDFDUHIXOUHDGHURI
5X\HUIURP'LৼHUHQFHDQG5HSHWLWLRQ to the last pages of What is phi-
losophy? >'HOHX]H *XDWWDUL@ZKHUH5X\HULVGHFODUHG
the last representative of a vitalistic metaphysics of becoming and the
only philosopher who understood the concept of form.
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morphologist malgré soi. It has been established that Deleuze is in
JUHDWGHEWWRERWK%HUJVRQ¶VSKLORVRSK\RIOLIHDQGWRPDQ\FRHYDOUH-
ÀHFWLRQVRQOLIHVFLHQFHV>VHH3HDUVRQ@KHUHIXVHVWKHWUDGLWLRQ-

8
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:RO൵>@ 5X\HU¶VFRPSDQLRQLQFDSWLYLW\GXULQJWKHZDU 

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philosophical issues linked to the living, using many authors ascribable
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RI'DOFT¶VHPEU\RORJ\DQGRI$XJXVW:HLVPDQQ¶V1HR'DUZLQLVPLQ
'LৼHUHQFH DQG UHSHWLWLRQ WKH LQWHUSUHWDWLRQ RI YRQ 8H[NOO¶V HWKROR-
J\DQGRI6DLQW+LODLUH¶VWUDQVIRUPLVPLQA Thousand Plateaus, or the
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he builds a greatly relevant theory of the living based on the concepts
RIJHQHVLVDQGD൵HFW97KHIRUPDVKDVDOUHDG\EHHQQRWHG>%X\GHQV
@ HQGV XS FRQVWLWXWLQJ D VSHFWUDO SUHVHQFH LQ 'HOHX]H¶V SKLORVR-
phy, whereas its actual enemy is organicist structuralism. A perspective
centered on form as the ever-individuating, in any case, has never been
contrary to the morphological assumption: in fact, the action and the
VWDWXVRIWKH³IRUFH´DVZHOODVWKHLQH[WULFDELOLW\RIIRUPDQGIRUFHKDYH
DOZD\V EHHQ SDUW RI WKH SUREOHPDWLF ¿HOG UHYROYLQJ DURXQG WKH OLYLQJ
[see Moiso 1999]. As regards the stress on speculative creativity and
its power to trace back the conditions of reality by taking active part in
WKHP'HOHX]H¶V©WUDQVFHQGHQWDOHPSLULFLVPªFDQEHVHHQDVDUHDOKHLU
RI*RHWKHDQHPSLULFLVP WKRXJKXQGHUWKHDXVSLFHVRI%HUJVRQLVP 
$QRWKHUHVVHQWLDOVRXUFHRI'HOHX]H¶VSKLORVRSKLFDOIRUWXQHDUHWKH
ZRUNVRI*LOEHUW6LPRQGRQ  ZKRVHLQÀXHQFHKDVEHHQDF-
knowledged since 'LৼHUHQFHDQG5HSHWLWLRQ.10 Only quite recently re-
appraised as an autonomous thinker, Simondon is author of a complete
DQGRULJLQDOSKLORVRSK\RIWKHOLYLQJLQJHQLRXVO\H[WHQGHGWRWHFKQLFDO
REMHFWVDQGEHFRPLQJV1RWXQOLNH5X\HUKHVHHVLQTXDQWXPSK\VLFV
DQG LQ F\EHUQHWLFV WKH FKDQFHV IRU D QHZ SHUVSHFWLYH RQ UHDOLW\ EXW
XQOLNH5X\HUZLWKZKRPKHHQWHUVGLVFXVVLRQVKHJUDQWVJUHDWHULP-

9
,WLVGL൶FXOWWRVHSDUDWHIURPDFHUWDLQSRLQWRQZDUGV'HOHX]H¶VSKLORVRSK\IURP
)pOL[ *XDWWDUL¶V FRQWULEXWLRQ +RZHYHU WKHUH DUH QXPHURXV VKLIWV RI IRFXV LQ WKH
ZRUNVZULWWHQE\*XDWWDULDORQHLQWKHVDPHSHULRGLQChaosmosis>@IRUH[-
ample, genetic becoming is considered more from the perspective of production of
VXEMHFWLYLW\ DQG RI WKH FKDQFHV RI SROLWLFDO UHVLVWDQFH WR FRGL¿FDWLRQ ZLWK JUHDWHU
interest in a redrafted systems theory.
10
Simondon and Deleuze are practically the same age and they were both disciples of
*HRUJHV&DQJXLOKHPEXW6LPRQGRQFDPHWRZULWHKLVPRVWLPSRUWDQWZRUNLQ
ZKHUHDV'HOHX]HZURWHKLV¿UVWPDVWHUSLHFH ZKLFKLV'LৼHUHQFHDQG5HSHWLWLRQ WHQ
years later, in 1968.

65
 *උൾ඀ඈඋංඈ7ൾඇඍං

SRUWDQFHWRWKHODWWHU>VHH%DUGLQ@ +LVGRFWRUDOWKH-
VLVRQLQGLYLGXDWLRQ HQWLUHO\SXEOLVKHGRQO\LQ SUHVHQWVD
massive criticism of history of metaphysics, whose biggest unthought
is the priority of relations upon structures: whence the sheer morpho-
logical project of substituting the notion of form with a concept of the
OLYLQJDFWRIPRUSKRJHQHVLV)URP6LPRQGRQ¶VUHODWLRQDOPHWDSK\VLFV
of individuation emerges the project of a new criticism – mindful of
%HUJVRQ¶VQRWLRQRILQWXLWLRQ±WKDWZLOOÀRXULVKLQ'HOHX]H¶VSKLORVRSK\
[see Sauvagnargues 2012; Alloa & Michalet 2017]. In the Simondonian
masterpiece of 1958, L’individuation à la lumière des notions de forme
et information, form is the concept to designate the constant prise-de-
forme RIWKH%HLQJDVFUHDWLYHDQGPDWHULDOVHPLRVLVZLWKRXWRULJLQ
)UHQFK©ELRSKLORVRSK\ª>*D\RQ@RU©philosophie biologique»
>/HFRXUW@11VWDQGVRXWIURPDPRUHJHQHUDO³SKLORVRSK\RIELRORJ\´
due to its assertiveness, which could be mistaken for a naïve, pre-criti-
cal metaphysical gesture [see Wolfe & Wong 2015]. In fact, this school
RI WKRXJKW SDUWLFLSDWHG LQ D ODUJHU H൵RUW WRZDUGV ZKDW ZH KDYH PHQ-
tioned as «post-criticism». Nowadays an analogous trend is deepening
WKHOLQNEHWZHHQWKHQHYHUHQGLQJRYHUFRPLQJRI.DQWLDQWUDQVFHQGHQ-
talism and the categories of the living, in authors such as Catherine
0DODERX 5HQDXG %DUEDUDV 3LHUUH 0RQWHEHOOR ,DLQ +DPLOWRQ *UDQW
so that we can observe the 1950s-1960s «moment du vivant» [Worms
2009] from the viewpoint of a similar one [Worms 2013; Arnaud &
:RUPV@5X\HU¶V6LPRQGRQ¶VDQG'HOHX]H¶VVSHFXODWLRQVRQWKH
OLYLQJ DVVXPH HYHU JUHDWHU VLJQL¿FDQFH WKHQ QRW OHDVW LQ UHODWLRQ WR
FXUUHQWOLIHVFLHQFHV>'H/DQGD0DUNV3URWHYL
.RXWURX¿QLV@:HKDYHWULHGWRHPSKDVL]HWKHWKUHDGOLQNLQJ
WKLVSDUWLFXODUPRPHQWZKLFKZHDUHJRLQJWRH[SORUHWKHRUHWLFDOO\WR
DPRUHGLVSHUVHG\HWVSHFL¿FWUDGLWLRQWKDWZHKDYHSODFHGXQGHUWKH
QDPHRI³PRUSKRORJLFDOLGHD´$QDUURZLQJRIWKHIRFXVLVPRWLYDWHGE\
the fact that even more than the idea of life, the one of form still raises
a certain amount of interest, both in current philosophy and theoretical

11
7KLVFDWHJRU\ZDVXVHGE\&DQJXLOKHP>@LQDUHYLHZRI5X\HU¶VERRNÉlé-
ments de psychobiologie, titled Note sur la situation faite en France à la philosophie
biologique, but it has already appeared in the work of a most interesting philosopher
RI%HUJVRQ¶VWLPHÉléments de philosophie biologique E\)pOL[/H'DQWHF>@

66
 7ඁൾ/ංඏංඇ඀'ංൿൿൾඋൾඇർൾ

ELRORJ\>VHH9HUFHOORQH 7HGHVFR@,WZRXOGEHXWWHUO\LQDFFXUDWH
to understand 20th-century French biophilosophy as merely derivative
of the 19thFHQWXU\*HUPDQWUDGLWLRQZLWKRXWFRQVLGHULQJWKHDXWRQR-
my of French theory of life – let us just think of the Montpellier School
%LFKDW&DEDQLV%RUGHX%DUWKH] RI)UHQFKPDWHULDOLVP 0DXSHUWXLV
%X൵RQ'LGHURWDQG/D0HWWULH DQGRIVXFKLPSRUWDQW¿JXUHVDV/RXLV
3DVWHXUDQG&ODXGH%HUQDUG±DQGWKHORQJVWDQGLQJDQGFRPSOH[RV-
mosis between the two traditions. Nonetheless, all the hopes of a newly
found non-«biochauvinist» [Wolfe 2015] or «critic» [Worms 2018, 188]
vitalism lie – this is our opinion – in the fortunes of an enriched, re-
formed morphology.
0DQ\ FKDQJHV LQ WRGD\¶V OLIH VFLHQFHV OHDG RQH WR UHFRQVLGHU WKH
EDQRQYLWDOLVPEXWDVDEDFNXSSDUDGLJPIRUWKHH[SODQDWLRQRI³WKH
OLYLQJ´DQGLWVPRUSKRJHQHWLFSURFHVVHVEH\RQGDQ\WHPSWDWLRQRIELR
FHQWULVPK\SRVWDWL]DWLRQRUVSLULWXDOL]DWLRQ7KHFXUUHQW³YLWDOWXUQ´
encourages one to comprehend and privilege the strategies of the living
as models of creative consistence; this very sense of the current trends
can be traced back to French biophilosophy as a sort of renewed mor-
phology. Morphology, in its widest sense, corresponds to the problem
of the consistency of becoming, hence to the problem of genesis – even
DVUHJDUGVWKRVH³VWUXFWXUDO´VROXWLRQVWKDWVKRXOGKDYHVROYHGWKHDJH
old problem of living individuality, like cellular theory and organicism
>0RLVR @ %H\RQG WKH VLPSOH VWXG\ RI FRQ¿JXUDWLRQV DV RSSRVHG
to the anatomical study of internal structures and to the physiological
VWXG\RIOLYLQJIXQFWLRQLQJSKLORVRSKLFDOPRUSKRORJ\¶VWUDGLWLRQDOGR-
PDLQ H[WHQGV E\ YRFDWLRQ WR D SKLORVRSK\ RI JHQHVLV 7KH WKHRUHWLFDO
path of this article will focus on outlining this aspect through the bio-
SKLORVRSKLFDO WKHVLV RI 5X\HU 6LPRQGRQ DQG 'HOHX]H 7KHVH DXWKRUV
hold the fundamental merits of correcting the hierarchical centrality
of organism in light of the priority of processes over structures, and of
liberating vitalism from spiritualist reductionism through a broadened
materialism. The issues of temporality, spatiality, and individuality will
be taken as frames of reasoning.

67
 *උൾ඀ඈඋංඈ7ൾඇඍං

2. Ecstatic and melodic temporality

%LRORJLFDOWLPHKDVXVXDOO\EHHQLJQRUHGE\SKLORVRSK\RIVFLHQFHLQ
IDYRURILWVSK\VLFDOQRWLRQ>%RXWRQ +XQHPDQ@,QDPRUSKRORJ\
understood as ontology of becoming, the temporal dimension of form
LVWKH¿UVWSUREOHPWRDGGUHVV7KHR[\PRURQRIPRUSKRORJLFDOGHYHO-
opment is that of a non-sequential situation in which the result does
not linearly follow the starting conditions, in which a genesis therefore
WDNHVSODFHE\YLUWXHRIDGL൵HUHQFHDVLWXDWLRQWKDWQRQHWKHOHVVFRP-
poses a recognizable rhythm, a nonpunctual path, a regime of stylistic
orientations. There is a question of temporal punctum ZULWHV 9LNWRU
von Weizsäcker in Gestalt und Zeit, and a question of temporal rhythm.
This is the very problem displayed by embryogenesis: life is capable
of rebuilding itself and of increasing in information through nonline-
ar paths, regulating a creative composition according to a not-entirely
SURJUDPPHGQRUPDQGDVHHPLQJO\RULHQWHGSURFHVVRIH[SUHVVLRQLQ
ZKLFKWKHSURJUDPLVRQHZLWKLWVRZQLQÀHFWLRQ,WLVGL൶FXOWWRGH-
¿QHWKXVwhen a genesis takes place. Just like the rise of epigenetics
SDYHG WKH ZD\ IRU 5RPDQWLF YLWDOLVP WKH SKLORVRSKLFDO LPSOLFDWLRQV
RI PRGHUQ HPEU\RORJ\ ± RSSRVHG WR WKH HPHUJLQJ ¿HOG RI PROHFXODU
ELRORJ\±SURYLGHGDVWDUWLQJSRLQWIRURXUVHWRIDXWKRUV¶VSHFXODWLRQV12
5X\HUKDVVSHFL¿FDOO\UHÀHFWHGXSRQWKHLPSRVVLELOLW\RIUHGXFLQJDQ
HPEU\R¶V GHYHORSPHQW WR PHFKDQLVW FDXVDOLW\ 7KH NLQG RI FDXVDOLW\
that he calls «de proche en procheª E\ FRQWLJXLW\ DQG MX[WDSRVLWLRQ
DQGWKHUHIRUHHVVHQWLDOO\VSDWLDO UHGXFHVDQ\EHFRPLQJWRLGHQWL¿DEOH
parts in order to connect them by means of linear causality, like objects
PRYHGE\1HZWRQLDQODZVRIPRWLRQ7KLVNLQGRIPHFKDQLVWH[SODQD-
WLRQKDVQHYHUEHHQVX൶FLHQWIRUH[SODLQLQJJHQHWLFDOSURFHVVHVZKLFK
are based on a conatus recognizable only post festum.
Especially in 1pR¿QDOLVPH [1952a] and La genèse des formes vi-
vantes>@5X\HUGHVFULEHVWKHOLIHRIPDWWHUDVLQWULQVLFDOO\SURFHV-
VXDOHYHU\H[LVWHQFHLVDFWLYLW\DQGHYHU\UHDOHQWLW\LQVRIDUDVLWLVD
«form», is «forme-activitéª>5X\HUD@7KHPRYHPHQWLVQRW

12
.DUOYRQ%DHUIDWKHURIPRGHUQHPEU\RORJ\ZDVLQGHHGDGLVFLSOHRI.DUO)ULHG
ULFK%XUGDFKWKHRQHZKRWULHGWRUHDOL]HWKH*RHWKHDQSURMHFWRIPRUSKRORJ\DV
DQDFWXDOVFLHQFH9RQ%DHUPDLQWDLQHGLQPDQ\ZD\VWKHPRUSKRORJLFDODSSURDFK

68
 7ඁൾ/ංඏංඇ඀'ංൿൿൾඋൾඇർൾ

the property of a structure, it is instead constitutive of a structure. First

comes the «sense», which is the spontaneous activity of forming, inher-
ent to bodily structures as their non-psychological memory.13 One must
imagine «une sorte de mélodie mnémique, immédiatement inhérent au
tissu vivant, combinant son action avec celle des régulateurs secon-
daires, et présidant au jeu des relais chimiquesª >5X\HU D @
The genetical passage from one developmental stage to another is con-
ceivable, then, through the concept of an immanent rhythm of matter,
irreducible to a physical energy or to a single instant: like a melody, it
corresponds to a whole domain, «un certain rythme prolongé d’activ-
itésª>5X\HUD@WKDWEHORQJVWRDQRQDFWXDOGLPHQVLRQRI
reality and keeps acting in every atom as a power of liaison. The mne-
mic potentials must interact, on a material level, with physico-chemical
D൵HFWVZKLFKRSHUDWHDVWULJJHULQJVLJQDOVRIWKHWKHPHDQGUHJXODWHLWV
XQIROGLQJZLWKLQWKHVSDFHWLPH IRULQVWDQFHWKURXJKJHQHV 14%XWWKH
actual path has always to be improvised: the whole precedes the parts as
their relational and directional regime without causing them in a proper
VHQVHVLQFHLWLVQRWH[WHUQDOWRWKHP,QIDFWWKHWKHPHGRHVQHLWKHU
resemble nor precede its realizations, which means that the process of
DFWXDOL]DWLRQ KDV DQ D[LRORJLFDO VWDWXV LW LV QHYHU RQO\ D IXQFWLRQLQJ
RSHUDWLRQ EXW UDWKHU DQ LQYHQWLRQ VLQFH WKH SUHYLRXV VWDJH GRHV QRW
QHFHVVDULO\LPSO\WKHIROORZLQJ 15
The accent is put on the activity in itself as a presence of the form

13
In 'LৼHUHQFH DQG 5HSHWLWLRQ 'HOHX]H GHFRPSRVHV 5X\HULDQ PHPRU\ LQ WKUHH
SDVVLYHV\QWKHVHV ELRORJLFDOSUHVHQWUHPLQLVFHQFHDQGFUHDWLRQ PDNLQJ5X\HU¶V
WKHRU\OHVVYDJXHDQGPRUHFRPSOH[$OUHDG\VLQFHBergsonism, Deleuze designates
ZLWKWKH5X\HULDQWHUPRI©UHPLQLVFHQFHªWKHDFWLYHDQGYLUWXDOQDWXUHRIWKHSDVW
14
5X\HUDUJXHVDJDLQVWPROHFXODUJHQHWLFVDVDFRPSXWDWLRQDOSDUDGLJPLQFDSDEOH
RIH[SODLQLQJWKHGHYHORSPHQWDOSURFHVVHVDQGDQHZNLQGRISUHIRUPLVP+HLQVWHDG
considers the genes not as direct causes in the morphogenesis, rather as occasional
vehicles, signals useful to guide the process, simple means, as much as embryologi-
cal inductors. Similarly, Simondon [2005, 180-182] underlines the equal value or the
FRH[WHQVLYLW\RIsoma and germen in the construction of the living and links morpho-
JHQHVLVWRQRQFRGL¿DEOHLQIRUPDWLYHG\QDPLFV
15
«Le passage des potentiels dans un monde d’individus actualisateurs est une
RSpUDWLRQHQULFKLVVDQWHXQHQRXYHDXWpLQFHVVDQWHWRXMRXUVXQHৼRUWHWSDUIRLVXQ
drame. Ce n’est pas une vaine rediteª>5X\HUE@

69
 *උൾ඀ඈඋංඈ7ൾඇඍං

inherent to the structure, i.e. on its semantic status, its constitutive

life. The temporal essence of things emanates from their non-temporal
dimension. What is left unthought is the genetic event, that is when
DQGZKHUHH[DFWO\OLIHPHOGVZLWKPDWWHU$OEHLWDVZHKDYHVHHQLWLV
ZURQJWRVWDUWZLWKVXFKDGXDOLW\ VLQFHPDWWHULVLQWULQVLFDOO\DOLYHDQG
OLIHLVPDWHULDO RQHFDQFRQFHLYHDVSHFL¿FSRLQWZKHUHWKHOLQHEHQGV
WKHPRPHQWRIWKHIRUFHWKHD൵HFWWKHFRQVLVWHQF\RIDSSOLFDWLRQRIWKH
ÀX[6XFKDJHQHWLFDOPRPHQWPXVWEHH[WHUQDOWRWKHVHULHVRISRLQWV
DVWKHXQTXDQWL¿DEOHVRXUFHRITXDQWL¿FDWLRQQHLWKHUGLVFUHWHQRUFRQ-
WLQXRXVEXWUDWKHU³HFVWDWLF´7KHD൵HFWFRUUHVSRQGVWRWKHHFVWDV\RI
matter made ideal.
This dualism of vertical instant and horizontal rhythm can be de-
scribed well with the categories of Deleuzian philosophy. Deleuze re-
WULHYHVWKHQRWLRQRIPHORG\IURP5X\HU16 generally associating it with
the concept of rhythm. Deleuze distinguishes between a rhythm which
is «a regular division of time, an isochronic recurrence of identical ele-
ments», and a rhythm where «tonic and intensive values […] create dis-
tinctive points, privileged instants which always indicate a poly-rhythm»
>'HOHX]H@7KHGLVWLQFWLRQLVGUDZQEHWZHHQUHSHWLWLRQDV
D PHDVXUH RI WKH LGHQWLFDO DQG UHSHWLWLRQ DV ©GL൵HUHQFH ZLWKRXW FRQ-
cept», that forms a landscape of heterogeneous singularities, accents,
SRLQWVRIYDOHQFH]RQHVRIH[SUHVVLRQ$VLQ5X\HUUK\WKPLVERWKD
force and an idea that produces synchronic environments of variations.
Deleuzian singularities are indeed the germinal instantaneities
that fabricate chronic time. In The Logic of Sense, Deleuze describes
the platonic ἐξαίφνης DV DQ H[WUDWHPSRUDO WKUHVKROG RU JUDGLHQW D
non-subsistent interval: singularity constitutes the evenemential limit
RIWKHSXUHDQGLQFRUSRUHDOD൵HFWVHSDUDWHGIURPERG\,WVFRQVLVWHQF\

16
«What is primary is the consistency of a refrain, a little tune, either in the form of
a mnemic melody that has no need to be inscribed locally in a center, or in the form
RIDYDJXHPRWLIZLWKQRQHHGWREHSXOVDWHGRUVWLPXODWHGª>'HOHX]H *XDWWDUL
@7KLVLVRQHRIWKHSDVVDJHVZKHUH'HOHX]HUHIHUVH[SOLFLWO\WR5X\HU
Analogous meanings of the concept can be found not only in Merleau-Ponty, who
VSHDNV RI QDWXUH DV D ©PHORG\ WKDW VLQJV LWVHOIª >5X\HU D @ EXW DOVR DQG
IRUHPRVWLQ-DNREYRQ8H[NOOZKR¿UVWVSRNHRIRUJDQLFGHYHORSPHQWDVDPHORGLF
EHFRPLQJGLVFRYHULQJ©1DWXUHDVPXVLFª>'HOHX]H *XDWWDUL@

70
 7ඁൾ/ංඏංඇ඀'ංൿൿൾඋൾඇർൾ

LVRILQWHQVLYHQDWXUHLWLVDQH൵HFWLYLW\UDWKHUWKDQDSK\VLFDOUHDOLW\
7KHSUREOHPRIWKHD൵HFW±DVLQ6SLQR]DDQG1LHW]VFKH±LVWKHSUREOHP
RIWKHH[LVWHQFHRISXUHSRWHQF\$FRKHUHQWYLWDOLVPPXVWFRQFHLYHWKH
D൵HFWQRWIURPWKHYLHZSRLQWRIDQH[WHUQDOREVHUYHUDVDFWLRQZLWKRXW
EHLQJEXWUDWKHUIURPWKHSHUVSHFWLYHRIWKHD൵HFWLWVHOIDVEHLQJWKDWLV
IRULWVHOIDQGWKDWGRHVQRW³WDNHDFWLRQ´>'HOHX]H *XDWWDUL
@)ROORZLQJWKLVUDGLFDOSURJUDPERWK'HOHX]HDQG5X\HUDUULYHDW
an absolutization of the sensation. A formation, thus, is not only when it
D൵HFWVDERG\RQWKHPRGHORISHUFHSWLRQWKHJHQHWLFDOD൵HFWLVUDWKHU
DOZD\VIRULWVHOILWLVDXWRD൵HFWLRQHWHUQDOVHOIHQMR\PHQW+RZHYHU
WKHRSSRVLWHLVDOVRWUXHDXWRD൵HFWLRQLVDOZD\VDVHPDQWLFSXOVDWLRQ
an event, as an «a priori form of time, which in each case fabricates
GL൵HUHQWWLPHVª>'HOHX]H *XDWWDUL@7KHLGHDRIWKH
movement is in every germinal point of the line, which is not individual,
EXWVLQJXODUKHQFHXELTXLWRXVDQGGL൵XVHGDQGRIWKHVDPHQDWXUHDV
the whole; the point and the line cannot be abstracted, as they share a
common ideal essence. Pulsation and rhythm represent two faces of the
same a priori of time.
+RZGRZH³ZDWFK´DIRUFHDVNV'HOHX]HRUKRZGRZH³OLVWHQ´
WR D IRUFH >D @" :H GR QRW VLPSO\ SHUFHLYH LWV H൵HFWV RQ
dead matter: we enter the rhythm of its spontaneous organization, and
we place ourselves at the level of the ideal material where it lives as
pure sensation, shifting from vision to a sort of speculative tactility.
The body, in fact, is of the same nature as the force. The question about
the force, hence, is a question about generation of ideal materials. Every
HQWLW\LVWRGL൵HUHQWGHJUHHVDSULVPRIVSHHGDQGLQWHUDFWLRQVLWPRG-
XODWHVDPSOL¿HVDQGFRQYH\VVHPDQWLFLQIRUPDWLRQ7KHWKHRU\RIHQWL-
ties as semantic machines, as well as the theory of the speed of matter,
UHIHUVWR6LPRQGRQ¶VPDVWHUSLHFHL’individuation à la lumière des no-
tions de forme et d’information>@ZKRVHLQÀXHQFHLVYLVLEOHVLQFH
'LৼHUHQFHDQG5HSHWLWLRQ>VHH+XL 0RUHOOH@EXWLW¿QGVVXUSULV-
LQJDQDORJLHVLQPXFKHDUOLHUPRQLVWLFUHÀHFWLRQVRQQDWXUHOLNHWKDWRI
/RUHQ]2NHQ  >3RJJL@$FFRUGLQJWRWKH6SL-
nozist doctrine of A Thousand PlateausQDWXUHLV©D¿[HGSODQHXSRQ
which things are distinguished from one another only by speed and
VORZQHVVªDQGHQWHUVLQHYHUGL൵HUHQWDVVHPEODJHV>'HOHX]H *XDW-

71
 *උൾ඀ඈඋංඈ7ൾඇඍං

WDUL  @ 0DWWHU LWVHOI LV LQWULQVLFDOO\ LGHDO DQG WUDYHUVHG
E\ LQ¿QLWH JUDGHV RI VSHHG ZKLFK UHSUHVHQW LWV KHWHURJHQHLW\ 7KHUH
DUH VSHFL¿F UHJLPHV RI LQGLYLGXDWLRQ RU VWUDWD WKDW PD\ FRUUHVSRQG
IRU H[DPSOH WR VORZGRZQV QHHGHG IRU IXUWKHU DFFHOHUDWLRQV LQ RUGHU
WRUHDFKQHZVSHHGVRQGL൵HUHQWGLUHFWLRQV7KLVLVWKHFDVH±DPRQJ
many others17 – of the passage from the physical to the vital regime
of individuation as described by Simondon. According to his theory,
a biological becoming takes place when the physical ceases to repeat
its periodical traits, following a sort of curving dynamic. The physical
EHFRPLQJ VORZV GRZQ RQ LWV LQFKRDWLYH VWDJHV QHRWHQL]DWLRQ  ZKLFK
will be kept alive in the recursive dynamics of a non-periodical equilib-
rium [Simondon 2005, 152-53]. These variations in speed determine a
IXOOÀHGJHG©FRQYHUVLRQªRIVSDFHWLPHDUDGLFDOYDULDWLRQLQUK\WKP
The a priori of rhythmic and singular pulsation, thus, is also a matter of
morphogenetical speed.

7RSRORJ\RIWKHDৼHFWV
'HOHX]H6LPRQGRQDQG5X\HUDUHDOOWKLQNHUVRIVSDFHWLPHIRUZKRP
what applies to time applies also to space. The concept of «speed» sums
up this chrono-topological complementarity. The lesson of embryogen-
esis itself can be drawn from both a temporal and a spatial dimension.
It is a lesson on the manifestation of the novelty of life: the real novelty
is what synthetically emerges from previous stages of the matter by no
means of deduction or linear causality. From this perspective, synthesis,
or the production of sense, takes place entirely within nature.18 This ge-
QHWLFDOSDVVDJHLVUHDOL]HGWKURXJKDGL൵HUHQWLDOUHODWLRQE\DEUHDNRI
WKHVLPLODULW\FKDLQRUD©V\PPHWU\EUHDNLQJª$IWHU+HUPDQQ:H\O¶V
WKHRULHVV\PPHWU\LVGH¿QHGDVDQHTXDOLW\LQWKHDSSOLFDWLRQRIFHUWDLQ
FRQVWUXFWLYHUXOHV LQYDULDQWV WR¿JXUHVKHQFHDV\PPHWU\EUHDNLQJ

17
0RUSKRJHQHWLFSURFHVVHVRIKHWHURFKURQ\ HJSDHGRPRUSKLVPSHUDPRUSKLVP« 
and neoteny started to be conceptualized from the late nineteenth century.
18
$QDORJRXVFRQFOXVLRQVFDQEHIRXQGLQ6DPXHO$OH[DQGHU¶VSpace, Time and De-
ity  DQGLQ$OIUHG1RUWK:KLWHKHDG¶VProcess and Reality  ERWKLPSRU-
WDQWUHIHUHQFHVIRU5X\HUDQG'HOHX]H

72
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UHSUHVHQWVWKHFUHDWLRQRIDQHZIRUPXVXDOO\RQDQLQ¿QLWHVLPDOOHYHO
Forms, in this manner, are considered from the viewpoint of their event,
QRW RI VRPH LQWULQVLF SURSHUWLHV WKDW FRQVWLWXWH DQ HVVHQFH >'H/DQGD
2002, 18]. Whenever a morphogenesis occurs, a symmetry-breaking
PD\EHEURXJKWXS6LPRQGRQIRULQVWDQFHH[WHQGVWKHSK\VLFDOFRQFHSW
of «phase transition» to every event of individuation; Deleuze talks of
ontological bifurcations since Bergsonism  DQGODWHUPDNHVLWD
characteristic of the «rhizomatic» becoming of nature in A Thousand
Plateaus5X\HUDUJXHV WKDWELRORJLFDOFDXVDWLRQLV QRWDWWULEXWDEOHWR
SURSHU³FDXVDOLW\´VLQFHLWLVQRQPHWULFQRQTXDQWLWDWLYHQRQORFDOL]D-
EOH ZKDWLQGXFHVWRGD\¶VUHVHDUFKWRVSHDNRIDFDVHRI©HQWDQJOHPHQWª
>VHH9HFFKLet al@ 
©6WULFWO\VSHDNLQJV\PPHWU\H[LVWVRQO\EHWZHHQGL൵HUHQWSROHVRU
IRFDOSRLQWVRILQWHULRULW\ªWRZKLFKDIRUFHLVDOZD\VH[WHULRU>'HOHX]H
 *XDWWDUL  @ 6\PPHWU\ LV D TXDOLW\ RI WKH RUJDQLVP
which represents, in Deleuzian philosophy, the hierarchical structure of
WKH%HLQJZKHUHDVWKHanorganicLVWKHFRQFHSWRI%HFRPLQJLQLWVHOI
The two volumes of Capitalism and Schizophrenia are a great hymn to
WKHDQRUJDQLFIRUFHDQGWRLWVH൵HFWVRQERGLHVEXWDERYHDOOWRWKHIRUFH
DVDQH൵HFWofERGLHVDVWKHLULPPDWHULDOUHVRQDQFH>'HOHX]H
@LQRWKHUZRUGVWRWKHSDUDGR[LFDOFRLQFLGHQFHRIsoma and germen
LQ WKH LQWHQVLYH FRQVLVWHQF\ RI VHQVH 7KH DUJXPHQW H[SRVHG LQ The
Logic of the Sense represents the solution to a matter which Deleuze
DGGUHVVHV IURP WKH ¿UVW ZRUNV RQ 1LHW]VFKH XQWLO WKH ODVW FRXUVHV RQ
)RXFDXOWWKHSUREOHPRIIRUFHV ZKLFKLVDJDLQLQDZD\WKHSUREOHP
RIWKHOLYLQJLWVHOILQLWVVHPLQDOIRUP ,VWKHIRUFHWKDWSHUWDLQVWRWKH
living separated from physical matter, or does it consist only of its ef-
IHFWVXSRQWKHRWKHUZLVHGHDGPDWWHU DV%OXPHQEDFKDQG.DQWWKRXJKW
of the nisus formativus ",VWKHIRUFHDOOLQWKHD൵HFW"$QGLIQRWwhere
is it?
In the already mentioned last pages of What is Philosophy?, Deleuze
JLYHV WKH IROORZLQJ SDUWLDO  DQVZHU ©9LWDOLVP KDV DOZD\V KDG WZR
possible interpretations: that of an Idea that acts, but is not – that acts
WKHUHIRUHRQO\IURPWKHSRLQWRIYLHZRIDQH[WHUQDOFHUHEUDONQRZOHGJH
IURP.DQWWR&ODXGH%HUQDUG RUWKDWRIDIRUFHWKDWLVEXWGRHVQRWDFW
±WKDWLVWKHUHIRUHDSXUHLQWHUQDO$ZDUHQHVV IURP/HLEQL]WR5X\HU 

73
 *උൾ඀ඈඋංඈ7ൾඇඍං

If the second interpretation seems to us to be imperative, it is because

the contraction that preserves is always in a state of detachment in rela-
tion to action or even to movement and appears as pure contemplation
ZLWKRXW NQRZOHGJHª >'HOHX]H *XDWWDUL @ ,I VXFK DQ
³REMHFWLYH´YLWDOLVPLVQHFHVVDU\LWLVEHFDXVH%HFRPLQJLVQRWDPHUH
property attributable to a logically precedent structure. As we have
seen, an immanentistic view of the force does not necessarily lead to
VWDVLVRULQH൵HFWLYHQHVVLQ5X\HUIRUH[DPSOHWKHLGHDOSHUIRUPVDQG
actualizes itself constitutively, being it a genetical force; likewise does
WKH 'HOHX]LDQ ©YLUWXDOª WKRXJK ZLWK WKH GXH GL൵HUHQFHV >VHH %RJXH
@  :H PXVW WKHUHIRUH SXW WKH VWUHVV RQ ©WKH DFW RI RQWRJHQHVLVª
itself, instead of on the simple structures or on the pure operations. The
act of ontogenesis is neither the action of a structure nor that of an im-
PDWHULDOVXEMHFWWKHPLVWDNHRIROGYLWDOLVPVWDWHV5X\HU>D@
LVLQGHHGFRQFHLYLQJWKHIRUFHDVDPDFURVFRSLFLQÀXHQFHWKDWPRYHV
DQGDQLPDWHVPDWWHU7KH³OLIH´RIWKHOLYLQJLVWREHIRXQGHOVHZKHUH
Every morphogenesis takes place by a break of interiority, which
PHDQVWKDWLWFRPHVIURP³RXWVLGH´WKHFRQVWLWXWHGVWUXFWXUHLWLVDO-
ZD\V ©KHWHURJHQHVLVª >'HOHX]H  *XDWWDUL @ ,W D൵HFWV WKH
ERG\LWVFRQVLVWHQF\LVRQHRIDSSOLFDWLRQDQGRID൵HFWLRQ%XWDVZH
KDYHDOUHDG\VHHQD൵HFWLRQKDVWREHWDNHQLQLWVHOIDVSUHFHGLQJDQG
FRPSRVLQJWKHERGLHVLQVRIDUDVLWLVJHQHWLFDO7KH%HFRPLQJRZQVD
VSHFL¿FRQWRORJLFDOVWDWXVWKH³IRUFH´LVEXWQRWLQWKHVDPHRUGHURI
WKH%HLQJ,W©LQVLVWVª>'HOHX]H@RQWKHPDWWHUDVLWVVHPDQWLF
GLPHQVLRQDVLWVH൵HFWXDOLW\LWVYDULDWLRQDQGLWVVLQJXODULW\,QThe
Logic of Sense it is described as a wind among the series, a «vapor» of
the structures that corresponds to their pure relations: «it belongs to no
KHLJKWRUGHSWKEXWUDWKHUWRDVXUIDFHH൵HFWEHLQJLQVHSDUDEOHIURP
WKHVXUIDFHZKLFKLVLWVSURSHUGLPHQVLRQª>'HOHX]H@,W
LVDOVR©QHXWUDOªDQG©LPSDVVLEOHªEH\RQGGHWHUPLQDWLRQ RITXDQWLW\
TXDOLW\ PRGH HWF  /LIH RU ©VHQVHª  LV JHQHWLF EXW DOVR VWHULOH QRW
IHFXQGQRWGLUHFWO\SURGXFWLYH LWKDV©HWHUQDOWUXWKªEXWFDQQRW©EH
GLVWLQJXLVKHG IURP LWV WHPSRUDO DFWXDOL]DWLRQVª >'HOHX]H 
100].19 It does not belong to bodies as their property, it rather is their

19
The ground principle, already fully formulated in 'LৼHUHQFH DQG 5HSHWLWLRQ, is
WKDW©WKHZRUOG>«@SUHH[LVWVLWVH[SUHVVLRQV,WLVQHYHUWKHOHVVWUXHWKDWLWGRHVQRW

74
 7ඁൾ/ංඏංඇ඀'ංൿൿൾඋൾඇർൾ

H൵HFWRIJHQHWLFDOFRQVLVWHQF\ZKLFKQRQHWKHOHVVFRPHVEHIRUHWKHP
7KHDQVZHUWRWKHTXHVWLRQRQ³ZKHUHLVWKHIRUFH´FDQQRWEHJLYHQ
IURPWKHYLHZSRLQWRIWKHVWUXFWXUHWKDWGH¿QHVDQLQVLGHDQGDQRXWVLGH
7KHIRUFHLVDWWKHVDPHWLPHLQWHULRUDQGH[WHULRUWRPDFURVFRSLFVWUXF-
tures, being fundamentally «preindividual». The notion of preindividu-
ality, coined by Simondon and repeatedly used by Deleuze, refers to the
VHPDQWLFDQGYLUWXDOWKLFNQHVVRIWKHLQGLYLGXDOZKLFK¿QGVSODFHLQLWV
folds, constituting its «associated milieu». As argued by Simondon, this
NLQGRIH[WHULRULW\ 'HOHX]H¶V©dehorsª LVQRWORFDWHGRXWVLGHDQGDOO
around a structural interiority like an Umwelt: it is instead ubiquitous
DQGPHGLDOPXFKPRUHVLPLODUWRDÀXLG20DVLQDQFLHQWYLWDOLVP EXW
DJDLQQRWFRPSDUDEOHWRDPDFURVFRSLFIRUFH %RWK5X\HUDQG6LPRQ-
don, in fact, place the genetical force in the ontological regime of the
sub-atomic level, showing great philosophical faith in the conquests of
TXDQWXP SK\VLFV >/HEORLV @ 4XDQWLVWLF G\QDPLFV UHYHDO WKDW WKH
FRQGLWLRQRIWKH%HLQJLVRQHRIFRQVWDQWDFWLYLW\DQGVSHFL¿FDOO\DUHOD-
tional activity without synthesis [Simondon 2005, 111], that avoids both
WKHSK\VLFDOLVWDQGWKHYLWDOLVWDSSURDFK WKHHVVHQWLDOLVPRIWKHVWUXF-
WXUH DQG WKDW RI WKH SXUH ÀX[ GLVFRQWLQXLVP DQG FRQWLQXLVP  ,Q WKH
quantum realm lies the «potential», the power of heterogeneity which
FRUUHVSRQGVWRWKH¿UVWDQGSXUHVWJHQHWLFDOHYHQWV2QDTXDQWLFOHYHO
everything is – again – a matter of speed [Simondon 2005, 129], «since
HDFK LQWHQVLYH TXDQWXP LQ LWVHOI LV GL൵HUHQFHª >'HOHX]H E
87]. Nowadays, the hypothesis of the role of sub-atomic matter in the
ELRORJLFDOSURFHVVHVLVIDUIURPEHLQJDIDQFLIXOFRQMHFWXUH>VHH/RQJR
& Montévil 2014]: quantum mechanics show acausal physical process-
HVWKDWFDQEHDSSOLHG±MXVWDV5X\HUGRHV±WRH[SODLQFRQVFLRXVQHVV
>3HQURVH@DQGWRFRPSUHKHQGWKHDFWLRQRIPLQGRYHUERG\>.DX൵
man 2010, 224-25].
We argue that this perspective on the quantic status of the virtual
RUSRWHQWLDO SUHLQGLYLGXDOLW\VKRXOGEHWKRXJKWRILQFRQWLQXLW\ZLWK

existDSDUWIURPWKDWZKLFKH[SUHVVHVLW>«@EXWWKHVHH[SUHVVLRQVUHIHUWRWKHH[-
pressed as though to the requisiteRIWKHLUFRQVWLWXWLRQª>'HOHX]H@
20
&DQJXLOKHP > @ WUDFHV EDFN WKH RULJLQ RI WKH QRWLRQ RI milieu
WRWKHPRGHUQSK\VLFVRIÀXLGVDOVRXVHGWRGHVFULEHWKHPHGLXPpar excellence,
luminiferous ether.

75
 *උൾ඀ඈඋංඈ7ൾඇඍං

'HOHX]H¶VWRSRORJLFDODSSURDFKWRWKHLQ¿QLWHO\VPDOO©PDWWHUIROGªDV
«matter-time» in the pages of The Fold > @ 'HOHX]H KDG
DOUHDG\QRWLFHGWKHUHOHYDQFHRIRUJDQLF³IROGLQJ´LQA Thousand Pla-
teausZKHUHKHHYRNHVDSXSSHWWKHDWHUFRPSRVHGE\&XYLHU*HR൵UR\
6DLQW+LODLUHYRQ%DHUDQG9LDOOHWWRQ>'HOHX]H *XDWWDUL
@7KURXJK/HLEQL]¶VSKLORVRSK\RIQDWXUHDQGODWHULQWhat is Phi-
losophy? and in the courses dedicated to Foucault, Deleuze develops
a speculative topology of the living centered on the idea of complete-
O\ YLUWXDO VHWV RI UHODWLRQDO PRGHV WKDW GULYH ÀX[HV DQG LQÀXHQFH WKH
structures. While current topology looks for universal principles to be
DSSOLHGDOVRLQWKH¿HOGRIWKHOLYLQJIURPWKHYLHZSRLQWRIWUDQVFHQ-
GHQWDOVFKHPDWLFV>%RL@WKHWRSRORJLFDOODZVHWRXWE\'HOHX]HLV
RQHRIWUDQVYHUVDOFKDQJHDQGGL൵HUHQWLDWLRQWKDWRI©IROGLQJªDQGXQ-
folding, involution and evolution. Development does not simply go from
XQGL൵HUHQWLDWHGWRPRUHGL൵HUHQWLDWHGLWGRHVQRWQHFHVVDULO\UHSUHVHQW
DJURZWKLQFRPSOH[LW\WKHXELTXLW\RIJHUPLQDO¿HOGVLVWKHFRQWHP-
SRUDQHLW\RIWKHSULPRUGLDO(JJ>'HOHX]H *XDWWDUL@
ZKLFKLVIDUIURPFRQVWLWXWLQJDQRULJLQDODQGSULPDOVWDJH%HWZHHQ
WKHPDFURVFRSLFIROGVDQGEHORZSHUFHSWLRQWKHUHDUHRWKHUIROGV QRW
SDUWLFOHV RIZKLFKPDWHULDOERGLHVDUH©]RQHVRIH[SUHVVLRQª>'HOHX]H
@21 Singularities consist in this very activity of matter, this
constant bending of constraints:22 life is matter that folds.23 This inces-
sant bending is what Simondon describes as topological information,
insofar as «les vraies formes implicites ne sont pas géométriques, mais
topologiques» [Simondon 2005, 53].

21
'HOHX]HFRPHVWRWKHVDPHFRQFOXVLRQVDV5X\HUDQG6LPRQGRQWKHSURFHVVHVRI
forming «do not apply to living organisms, but to physical and chemical particles, to
PROHFXOHVDWRPVDQGSKRWRQVª>'HOHX]H@
22
)URPDWRSRORJLFDOSHUVSHFWLYHHOHPHQWVDUHGH¿QHGE\WKHLUVHQVHLQDSUHH[WHQ-
VLYHVSDFHRIH൵HFWVFRPSDUDEOHWRDYHFWRU¿HOGLQZKLFKLQYDULDQWVDUHWRSRORJLFDO
DFFLGHQWV>'H/DQGD@
23
Matter, in other words, is made plastic by the forces that inhabit it. The conti-
QXLW\ EHWZHHQ YDULDWLRQ RI FRQVWUDLQWV DQG DSSDULWLRQ RI QRYHOW\ LV H[SODLQDEOH E\
XQGHUOLQLQJWKHUROHRIWKHH[SUHVVLYHSURFHVVHVWKHPRPHQWRIPDWHULDOSDVVDJHRI
LQIRUPDWLRQ7KHFRQFHSWRIH[SUHVVLRQLVLQIDFWZKDWDOORZV'HOHX]HWRWDNHXS
6SLQR]D¶VPRQLVP2QWKHUROHRIPDWHULDOH[SUHVVLRQLQFXUUHQWOLIHVFLHQFHVDQGLWV
SKLORVRSKLFDOUHOHYDQFHVHHIRUH[DPSOH7HGHVFR>@0DQGULROL 3RUWHUD>@

76
 7ඁൾ/ංඏංඇ඀'ංൿൿൾඋൾඇർൾ

4. Nature of the autós

$ODUJHSDUWRI5X\HU¶VWKRXJKWLVGHYRWHGWRJUDVSLQJWKHFRQFHSWRI
«true form». Deleuze, as we have seen, follows the same program, albe-
LWZLWKGL൵HUHQWDGYHUVDULHV'HOHX]HDUJXHVDJDLQVWWKHFHQWUDOLQWHULRU
and organic form, which is rooted in the transcendence of the Idea and
ZKLFKKHDVVRFLDWHVZLWKKLVWRULFDOPRUSKRORJ\*RHWKH©SDVVHVIRUD
6SLQR]LVWª ZKHQ DOOLHG WR *HR൵UR\ 6DLQW+LODLUH EXW KH ©UHWDLQV WKH
twofold idea of development of form and a formation-education of the
6XEMHFWª>'HOHX]H *XDWWDULQRWH@7KH*RHWKHDQ
IRUPLQ'HOHX]H¶VYLHZLVVWLOOWRRVXEMHFWLYH$VLPLODUFULWLFLVPWR-
ZDUGVRUJDQLFLVPEHORQJVDOVRWR5X\HU>DE@WKRXJK5X\HU
has opposed himself more to the mechanistic tendencies in contempo-
rary sciences than to the organicist ones. As for Simondon, he admits
WKDW*RHWKHDQPHWDPRUSKRVLVRISODQWVLVWKHPRGHORIKLVRZQFRQFHSW
RIPRUSKRJHQHVLV>QRWH@EXWKHDOVRD൶UPVWKDW*RHWKH
WDNHVLQWHUHVWLQ6DLQW+LODLUH¶VWUDQVIRUPLVPMXVWWRPDNHLWDV\VWHPRI
FODVVL¿FDWLRQ>QRWH@DQGWKDWKHGRHVQRWFOHDUO\GH¿QHWKH
relation between individual and nature [2005, 503, note 35].
:HFDQVWDWHWKDWGHVSLWHDJHQHUDOSKDVHRIFROGQHVVWRZDUGV*RH
WKHDQSKLORVRSK\WKHSUREOHPVRI*RHWKHZHUHWRDVLJQL¿FDQWH[WHQW
WKH VDPH SUREOHPV RI )UHQFK ELRSKLORVRSKHUV )URP D YHU\ GL൵HUHQW
VWDUWLQJSRLQWPRVWRI6LPRQGRQ¶VH൵RUWVIRUH[DPSOHDUHGLUHFWHGWR
demonstrating the priority of formation on form and of individuation on
WKHLQGLYLGXDODOUHDG\D൶UPHGE\*RHWKH©Qu’est-ce qu’un individu?»,
asks Simondon: «À cette question, nous répondrons qu’on ne peut pas,
en toute rigoeur, parler d’individu, mais d’individuation» [Simondon
2005, 190]. «L’individu n’est à proprement parler en relation ni avec
lui-même ni avec d’autres réalités; il est l’être de la relation, et non
pas être en relation, car la relation est opération intense, centre ac-
tif» [Simondon 2005, 63]. The mistake of Aristotelianism is to place
a proto-structure as substrate of every operation, hence to understand
UHODWLRQVRQWKHEDVLVRIWKHLUWHUPV DQGGHYHORSPHQWIRUH[DPSOHRQ
WKH EDVLV RI WKH IRUPHG DGXOW  7KH SULRULW\ RI DFW RYHU SRWHQF\ LV DW
the origin of subjectivism and of the obsessive search for identity that

77
 *උൾ඀ඈඋංඈ7ൾඇඍං

FKDUDFWHUL]HVWKHVFLHQWL¿FHQWHUSULVHRIPRGHUQLW\247KH¿[HGDQGVWD-
ble structure is no less than a moment abstracted from a much more
FRPSOH[FRQGLWLRQLQZKLFKFHUWDLQUHJLPHVRIIRUPDWLRQLQÀXHQFHWKH
acts that take place in them. A chaotic state, as Simondon often notes,
LV PXFK PRUH ³VWDEOH´ WKDQ DQ RUGHUHG RQH RUGHU GRHV QRW JR DORQJ
with stability, but with dynamic tension, with living equilibrium of pro-
cesses. Moreover, the concept of order is – as demonstrated by physics
– relative to scale and size. Perceptive constancies are abstractions that
cannot provide morphological norms for the natural becoming.
What is analogous throughout the whole of nature is instead a prin-
ciple of information, morphogenesis, and active relation. The principi-
um individuationis does not lie in a proto-structure, nor in an abstract
ÀX[RUVXEVWDQWLDOEHFRPLQJ DVLQDQFLHQWYLWDOLVP EXWUDWKHULQWKH
concrete act of manifestation, which is a «complete system» of syner-
JLHVZLWKVWUXFWXUDODQGHQHUJHWLFFRQGLWLRQV7KHLQGLYLGXDOH[LVWVLQ-
VRIDUDVKHWUDQVPLWVDPSOL¿HVDUWLFXODWHVVHQVHE\HYHU\DFWRISURS-
agation of sense, it individuates itself. «L’individualité est un aspect de
la génération» [Simondon 2005, 190]. Individual equilibrium is a case
of ever-acting tendencies, at the intersection between many rhythms or
«phases» of individuation.
The fact that there is no such thing as the isolated individual does
not deny the singularity of particular individuations. Simondon points
out that every process has «un terme non probabilitaire» [Simondon
@VRPHWKLQJEH\RQGTXDQWLW\ IRUH[DPSOHWKHQXPEHURIVLJ-
QDOV DQGTXDOLW\ WKHVHPDQWLFVWUXFWXUHV WKDWMXVWL¿HVWKHDSSDULWLRQRI
novelty; but he still binds this character of «intensity» to the presence of
DSHUFHSWLYHVXEMHFWZLWKRXWVXEVWDQWLDOO\RYHUFRPLQJWKH%HUJVRQLDQ
view of Les données immediates [Simondon 2005, 238]. Deleuze will
be the one to decidedly turn the notion of intensity into an ontological
FRQFHSW,IPRUSKRJHQHVLVLVDQDFWRIFRQFUHWHH[SUHVVLRQRIQRYHOW\
rather than a simple communication of signals, if it stems from a «real
potential» rather than from logical possibility or representation, then
LW PXVW FRUUHVSRQG WR D ¿HOG RI D൵HFWLRQV HYHQ ZLWKRXW LQYROYLQJ DQ

24
$V5X\HUSXWVLWWKHGHVFULSWLRQRIVWUXFWXUHVLVWKH³HDV\SDUW´RIPRUSKRORJ\
DQGRIFODVVLFVFLHQFHLQJHQHUDOZKLOHWKHVWXG\RIJHQHVLVLVWKHPRVWFRPSOH[DQG
P\VWHULRXV>5X\HU@

78
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LQGLYLGXDO LQVRIDU DV LW HQWDLOV D GL൵HUHQFH RU D UHDO WUDQVPLVVLRQ RI
LQIRUPDWLRQ LWPXVWKDYHLQWHQVLYHQDWXUHHYHQZLWKRXWGHSHQGLQJRQ
a psychological subject. Intensity is, for Deleuze, the concept of crea-
WLYH GL൵HUHQFH LQVHSDUDEOH IURP WKH D൵HFW WKH ]RQH ZKHUH WKH IRUFH
FRPSRVHVLWVVWUXFWXUHDQGWKHUHIRUHFRQVLVWV(YHU\JUDGHRID൵HFWLRQ
HVWDEOLVKHV WKUHVKROGV YDOHQFHV DQG RULHQWDWLRQV UHFRQ¿JXUHV D V\V-
tem of meaning by virtue of a pure change, a non-identical condition, a
posture. Objectivity and subjectivity are constituted after the act itself.
6LQJXODULW\LVWKLVRQWRORJLFDO©LQÀHFWLRQªWKLV©D[LRPDWLFª RUJHQHWLF 
QRYHOW\>'HOHX]H *XDWWDUL@7KHVDPHLGHDRIRULHQWD-
WLRQ RU LQÀHFWLRQ FDQ EH IRXQG LQ 6LPRQGRQ¶V ©D[LRQWRORJ\ª25 and in
5X\HU¶VXQGHUVWDQGLQJRI¿QDOLVP
«Consistency necessarily occurs between heterogeneities», and it
LVDPDWWHURIH[SUHVVLRQ>'HOHX]H *XDWWDUL@$PXO-
titude holds together not by repeating a hierarchical order, but through
a genetic nomos regulated through a memory of matter. «The forms
GR QRW SUHH[LVW WKH SRSXODWLRQ WKH\ DUH PRUH OLNH VWDWLVWLFDO UHVXOWVª
writes Deleuze. «The more a population assumes divergent forms, the
PRUHLWVPXOWLSOLFLW\GLYLGHVLQWRPXOWLSOLFLWLHVRIGL൵HUHQWQDWXUHWKH
more its elements form distinct compounds of matters». Moreover, «the
GHJUHHV DUH QRW GHJUHHV RI SUHH[LVWHQW GHYHORSPHQW >«@ 'HJUHHV DUH
QRORQJHUPHDVXUHGLQWHUPVRILQFUHDVLQJSHUIHFWLRQRUDGL൵HUHQWLD-
WLRQDQGLQFUHDVHLQWKHFRPSOH[LW\RIWKHSDUWVEXWLQWHUPVRIGL൵HU-
HQWLDOUHODWLRQVDQGFRH൶FLHQWVª>'HOHX]H *XDWWDUL@
Once having dismissed the structural standpoint, it is easier to see the
ÀDZV RI HYHU\ SHUVSHFWLYH FHQWHUHG RQ WKH FRQVHUYDWLRQ RI WKH OLYLQJ
LQGLYLGXDOUDWKHUWKDQRQLWVIRUPDWLRQ$XWRSRLHVLVIRUH[DPSOHLVD
QRWLRQ RI FOHDU SK\VLRORJLFDO RULJLQ WKDW LPSOLHV WKH H[WHULRULW\ RI WKH
environment and subordinates processes to the constitution of the autòs
E\PHDQVRIUHÀHFWLRQWKDWUHYHDOV¿QDOO\DOOWKHDPELJXRXVSROLWLFDO
implications of system theories [Protevi 2009]. The morphological in-
terrogation of that omnitudo which is also a multitudo, that unitas mul-
tiplex which cannot be thought according to the absolute metaphor of

25
'HOHX]H DFNQRZOHGJHV 6LPRQGRQ¶V LQÀXHQFH RQ WKLV SRLQW EXW ZULWHV WKDW KH
GRHVQ¶WFDUU\WKHQRWLRQRIGL൵HUHQFHDOOWKHZD\WKURXJK>'HOHX]H
note 25].

79
 *උൾ඀ඈඋංඈ7ൾඇඍං

organism, points towards the notion of a «perfect individuality lacking

QRWKLQJHYHQWKRXJKWKLVLQGLYLGXDOLW\LVGL൵HUHQWIURPWKDWRIDWKLQJ
RUDVXEMHFWª>'HOHX]H *XDWWDUL@©VLQJXODUZLWKRXW
EHLQJLQGLYLGXDOª>'HOHX]HE@
7KXV WKH ³VHOI´ RI WKH SURFHVVHV W\SLFDOO\ DWWULEXWHG WR WKH IRUP
VHOIRUJDQL]DWLRQVHOIUHDOL]DWLRQVHOIGHVLJQ« EHFRPHVSUREOHPDWLF
From the viewpoint of genesis itself, we can conceive only «self-en-
MR\PHQWªQRWDIWHUWKHPRGHORIVSLULWXDOUHÀHFWLRQEXWDIWHUWKHRQHRI
natural praxisRILQWHUQDODFWLRQ$V5X\HULQWHQGVLWVHOIHQMR\PHQW
is a primary activity that possesses itself, being in every part of itself:
OLNHWKH*RHWKHDQ8USÀDQ]H, the form «enjoys» its own transformation,
its virtual entirety, perpetually [Moiso 2005, 294]. What is «enjoyed»,
WKHUHIRUHLVDQLQ¿QLWHD൵HFWLRQZKLFKLVDQLQ¿QLWH DQGVLPXOWDQHRXV 
generation. This is the only alternative – also according to Deleuze – to
understanding genesis on the model of a representative process, with
³VRPHRQH´ ZKR JHQHUDWHV RU SHUFHLYHV WKH JHQHUDWLRQ DQG VRPHWKLQJ
ZKLFKLVJHQHUDWHG:KHQWKHD൵HFWLRQRUWKHWUDQVIRUPDWLRQLVXQWLHG
IURPDVXEMHFWDQGDQREMHFWWKHD൵HFWFRLQFLGHVZLWKWKHVSDFHWLPH-
less becoming of the being.
,QVWHDGRIDFHOHVWLDO+\SHUXUDQLRQZHFRXOGWKLQNRIDQLQ¿QLWH
DQGQRQVXEMHFWLYHVSHFXODWLYHGLPHQVLRQOLNHWKH©,Q¿QLWH)XQ6SDFHª
WKDWLQWKH¿FWLRQDOXQLYHUVHRI,DLQ0%DQNVLVWKHXQVXVSHFWHGGUHDP
of the mind-machines when left alone; or again to the quantic domain.
:KDWLVFUXFLDOLVWKDWVXFKDQLQ¿QLWHLGHDOLW\LVQRWSUHYLVLRQDO OLNH
a mathesis universalis EXWLVLPPHGLDWHO\FUHDWLQJ7KLVLVZK\5X\HU
comes to a panpsychist conception, in which every form is active insofar
DVLWH[LVWVDQGIROORZVYLUWXDOSDWKVZLWKRXWSV\FKRORJLFDOGHOLEHUDWLRQ
ZKDWLVWUDGLWLRQDOO\FDOOHG³VSLULW´FRUUHVSRQGVKHUHWRWKHYLUWXDODQG
GL൵HUHQWLDOWKLFNQHVVRIOLYLQJHQWLWLHVWKHHTXLSRWHQWLDOLW\RIWKHHP-
bryo and of the brain, the rhythms of the organs, the patterns in animal
behavior, as well as any becoming in nature. The characteristic of equi-
potentiality shared by the embryo and by the human brain is the most
vivid representation of the ecstatic state of matter: «la norme spirituelle
se transforme en “tâche” psychique; cette tâche à son tour tend à se
transformer en liaisons physiologiques matérielles fonctionnant d’une
manière automatiqueª>5X\HUD@$VSLULWXDOSULQFLSOHLVQRW

80
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distinguishable from nature itself [Simondon 2016, 34] as the «pouvoir

d’hétérogénéitéªRIWKH%HLQJ>6LPRQGRQ@
In the case of the living, the «form» is inseparable from the «for-
PDWLRQª$OLYLQJEHLQJLVQHYHUHQWLUHO\FRQ¿JXUDWHGDQGLWFDQQHYHU
limit itself to functioning: it forms itself incessantly. Since every forma-
tion is inseparable from a norm, we must say that the form is what gives
LWVHOI LWV RZQ QRUP LQ WKH DFW RI H[LVWLQJ >5X\HU D @ )RUPV
XQOLNH ¿JXUHV DQG VWUXFWXUHV ZKLFK DUH PHUH DJJUHJDWHV  UHTXLUH D
VXSSOHPHQWDU\GLPHQVLRQWREHXQGHUVWRRG>'HOHX]H@
WKDW LV ZKDW .DQW UHFRJQL]HG DV WKHLU LGHDO QDWXUH26 since it refers to
nonlocalizable relations instead of horizontal, causal, mechanically un-
GHUVWDQGDEOHOLQNDJHV$VVXFKWKHIRUP¶VLGHDOLW\GRHVQRWUHVHPEOHD
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the UHJUHVVXVLQLQ¿QLWXPthat has been typical of an animist conception
RIOLIHDVPDFURVFRSLFIRUFH ZKDWLVbetweenWKHJOXHDQGWKHJOXHG" 
©:HDUHFRQWHPSODWLRQVªZULWHV'HOHX]H>@LQVRIDUDVZH
live.

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26
©$QLGHDPXVWLWLVWKRXJKWXQGHUOLHWKHSRVVLELOLW\RIWKHQDWXUDOSURGXFW%XW
this idea is an absolute unity of representation, whereas the material is a plurality of
WKLQJVWKDWRILWVHOIFDQD൵RUGQRGH¿QLWHXQLW\RIFRPSRVLWLRQ+HQFHLIWKDWXQLW\RI
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FDXVDOLW\RIVXFKDIRUPRIWKHFRPSRVLWHWKHHQGRIQDWXUHPXVWEHPDGHWRH[WHQG
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<RUN5RZPDQ /LWWOH¿HOG
:RO൵e>@La science des monstres3DULV*DOOLPDUG
:RUPV)>@,OSUREOHPDGHOYLYHQWHHOD¿ORVR¿DGHO;;VHFRORLQ
Francia, in: 'LVFLSOLQH)LORVR¿FKH  
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temporaine, in: Cités  
:RUPV)>@$SDUWLUHGD%HUJVRQ,QWHUYLVWDD)UpGpULF:RUPVD
FXUDGL&DWHULQD=DQ¿LQLo Sguardo  
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=DQ¿ & >@ %HUJVRQ H OD ¿ORVR¿D WHGHVFD , Macerata,
4XRGOLEHW

Keywords
/LYLQJ)RUP%LRSKLORVRSK\0RUSKRORJ\0RUSKRJHQHVLV9LWDOLVP

Abstract
3KLORVRSKLFDOPRUSKRORJ\FDUULHVRQDGL൶FXOWWUDGLWLRQERXQGZLWKGL൵HUHQWFXU-
rents and periods of thought. During the 20th century, an original and profound re-
ÀHFWLRQRQWKHOLYLQJIRUPFDQEHUHFRJQL]HGLQWKHVRFDOOHG)UHQFKELRSKLORVRSK\
Morphology, thus, seems to re-emerge under the guise of a post-critical ontology
RIEHFRPLQJ7KLQNHUVOLNH5D\PRQG5X\HU*LOEHUW6LPRQGRQDQG*LOOHV'HOHX]H

87
 *උൾ඀ඈඋංඈ7ൾඇඍං

showed that they were deeply aware of the manifold issues revolving around the no-
tion of form and of their interconnections, and were able to provide original solutions
to these problems in the framework of their thought systems. More recently, these
UHÀHFWLRQVKDYHDVVHUWHGWKHPVHOYHVLQYLUWXHRIWKHLUFRKHUHQFHDQGWKHLUVSHFXOD-
tive force. This paper aims at a theoretical overview of the morphological spirit of
ELRSKLORVRSK\WKDWUHWUDFHVWKHFRPSOH[H[FKDQJHVRILQÀXHQFHVEHWZHHQWKHVHWKUHH
VLJQL¿FDQWWKLQNHUV5X\HU6LPRQGRQDQG'HOHX]H$ORQJWKHIRFDOQRGHVRIWHP-
porality, spatiality and individuality, a renewed image of philosophical morphology
will result from the vitality of their theoretical proposals.

*UHJRULR7HQWL
8QLYHUVLWjGHJOL6WXGLGL*HQRYD ),12&RQVRUWLXP
E-mail: grgr.tenti@gmail.com

88