Gilles Deleuze and the Atheist Machine: The Achievement of Philosophy

F. LeRon Shults

book: Gilles Deleuze and the Atheist Machine

Open Access Published by Edinburgh University Press 2024

Gilles Deleuze and the Atheist Machine

The Achievement of Philosophy

F. LeRon Shults

https://doi.org/10.1515/9781399529617

Overview
Contents

About this book

Addresses societal challenges associated with the Anthropocene

Explains and illustrates the function of "the atheist machine" in Deleuze’s philosophy
Brings Deleuzian philosophy into dialogue with developments in computational modeling and social simulation that complement and support his arguments for a metaphysics of immanence
Shows the relevance of empirical findings in the bio-cultural sciences of religion for Deleuze’s understanding and use of the concept of atheism

In What is Philosophy? Deleuze argued that atheism is not a drama but “the philosopher’s serenity and philosophy’s achievement.” One of Shults’ main goals in this book is to illustrate the uses and effects of an “atheist machine” throughout Deleuze’s work, demonstrating its central role in his philosophical achievements in metaphysics, epistemology, and ethics.

Shults also brings Deleuze’s philosophy into dialogue with recent advances in computational social simulation, especially multi-agent artificial intelligence modelling. The successful development and deployment of such methodologies lend plausibility to Deleuze’s radical philosophy of immanence, which in turn provides the former with more adequate metaphysical moorings. All of this is framed in the context of empirical findings and theoretical developments in the scientific study of religion, which point toward the potentially creative role of atheist assemblages in addressing societal challenges associated with the Anthropocene.

Topics

Frontmatter Publicly Available Download PDF	i
Contents Publicly Available Download PDF	vii
Preface Publicly Available Download PDF	ix
Abbreviations Publicly Available Download PDF	x
1 Atheism as Philosophy’s Achievement Open Access Download PDF	1
2 Assembling the Atheist Machine Open Access Download PDF	26
3 The Reversal of Platonism and the Rise of Simulation Open Access Download PDF	52
4 Assemblage Theory and Multi-agent Artificial Intelligence Modelling Open Access Download PDF	73
5 Simulating (Non-)Religion Open Access Download PDF	98
6 Strategies for Promoting Safe Sects Open Access Download PDF	126
7 A Germ of Tranquil Atheism Open Access Download PDF	152
8 How Do You Make Yourself an Atheist Body without Organs? Open Access Download PDF	174
References Open Access Download PDF	199
Index Open Access Download PDF	223

(Deutsch)

Language: English
Publisher: Edinburgh University Press
Audience: College/higher education;
Pages
- Main content: 240
Illustrations
- Other: 3 black and white illustrations
Keywords: Philosophy

eBook

Published: March 5, 2024
ISBN: 9781399529617