Here’s a refined summary of the main points from Guattari Beyond Deleuze: Ontology and Modal Philosophy in Guattari’s Major Writings by Carlos A. Segovia (2024):
Key Contributions of the Book
1. Establishing Guattari as a Philosopher in His Own Right
Segovia argues that Félix Guattari deserves recognition independently of Deleuze, based on his original contributions to ontology and modal philosophy—from early texts like Psychoanalysis and Transversality to his unpublished notes for What Is Philosophy? .
2. Recasting Guattari’s Philosophy as Constructivist
Instead of seeing Guattari as merely a post-structuralist, Segovia proposes that his philosophical trajectory is better understood as constructivist. This stems from how Guattari evolves from emphasizing deterritorialization to also embracing determinability, enriching his modal ontology with layered complexity .
3. Introducing ‘Compossibility’ as a Core Concept
Segovia highlights that, rather than deterritorialization, the concept of compossibility is central to Guattari’s thought. This focus opens up a novel modal framework—emphasizing what can co-exist—situating Guattari’s philosophy within contemporary debates on contingency, worlding, and openness/closure .
4. Divergences Between Guattari and Deleuze
Through meticulous close readings, Segovia outlines important philosophical differences:
- Guattari’s ontology is dyadic and constructivist, in contrast to Deleuze’s abyssal, univocal ontology.
- Their views on being, time, subjectivity, and openness and closure diverge significantly—Guattari aligns with a modal world of multiple possibilities, whereas Deleuze leans toward sacrificial unity and difference-in-itself .
- Guattari draws on thinkers like Leibniz (monadism), Heidegger (the fourfold), and the ancients in ways that diverge sharply from Deleuze’s lineage .
5. Reconstructing Guattari’s “Chaosmic Ontology”
Segovia explores Guattari’s chaosmic ontology, tracing how his notion of determinability increasingly supplements deterritorialization in works like Schizoanalytic Cartographies and his unpublished philosophical notes .
6. Contemporary Relevance & Extensions
The book also engages Guattari with current philosophical debates, such as:
- Accelerationism
- Indeterminacy
- Worlding
- Antipsychiatry and enactive psychiatry
- Animism
These domains illustrate how Guattari’s modal ontology addresses pressing questions around radical openness and multiplicity today .
Summary Overview
|
Theme |
Segovia’s Contribution |
|
Philosophical Identity |
Elevates Guattari as an original philosopher, distinct from Deleuze. |
|
Modal Ontology |
Highlights Guattari’s move from deterritorialization to determinability, rooted in constructivist ontology. |
|
Core Concepts |
Centers on compossibility and the co-existing of potentialities. |
|
Differentiation from Deleuze |
Contrasts dyadic, figural, constructivist ontology vs. Deleuze’s abyssal, sacrificial, univocal one. |
|
Philosophical Influences |
Illuminates Guattari’s nuanced use of Leibniz, Heidegger, and classical thought. |
|
Contemporary Impact |
Applies Guattari’s modal philosophy to modern issues in ontology and politics. |
Let me know if you’d like to dive deeper into any particular chapter or concept—I’d be happy to unpack further!
