Processing Difference & Repetition
A Collective Processing of Gilles Deleuze’s Masterpiece
| WHAT? | Learning Circle |
| WHEN? | January 15 – July 15, 2024 Meets monthly on the third Monday 2:30 – 4:00 PM Pacific / 5:30 – 7:00 PM Eastern |
| WHERE? | Online Via Zoom |
This group will be dedicated to exploring process philosopher Gilles Deleuze’s seminal work, Difference and Repetition (1968). Our goal is to collectively process the rich themes within the book, occasionally identify resonances with the larger process tradition, and foster insightful discussions along the way. Participants need no previous experience with Deleuze or the text. A PDF of the main text, as well as a number of supplemental secondary materials will be provided.
We have to reflect for a long time to understand what it means to make an affirmation of becoming. In the first place it is doubtless to say that there is only becoming . . . . But we must also affirm the being of becoming, we say that becoming affirms being or that being is affirmed in becoming.
–Gilles Deleuze
Gilles Deleuze’s Difference and Repetition (1968) is one of the most important philosophical texts published during the latter half of the twentieth century. Originally presented as Deleuze’s doctoral dissertation, Difference and Repetition builds upon Deleuze’s previous work (such as Proust and Signs, and Nietzsche and Philosophy) to put forward his first attempt at doing philosophy in his own name. By processing the text together, the hope is that we will be better able to tease out the themes and concepts developed in the text, and to identify potential points of contact with other process thinkers, like Alfred North Whitehead. Participants need no previous experience with Deleuze; only a willingness to wrestle with a challenging text.
Given the text’s organization, the reading group will have seven monthly sessions. These will take place once month on the third Monday of each month, beginning January 15th. Meetings are at 2:30 – 4:00 PM Pacific / 5:30 – 7:00 PM Eastern over Zoom.
Each session will include a reading from Difference and Repetition. For some weeks, supplementary readings are provided. These are only for your own research/exploration needs. The only readings required are from Difference and Repetition. We will use the Bloomsbury edition, and cannot speak to other paginations. If you need assistance obtaining a copy of the text, email Matt Baker at mcbaker77@gmail.com.
Schedule & Logistics
We will meet on the third Monday of each month, beginning in January from 5:30 PM to 7:00 PM ET. Each session will be conducted via Zoom and recorded. The recording will only be available to group members, unless decided otherwise by consensus. The reading group will span seven sessions, coinciding with the book’s structure.
- Jan 15: Introductions – Preface & Introduction
- Feb 19: Difference in Itself – Chapter 1
- Mar 18: Repetition for Itself – Chapter 2
- Apr 15: The Image of Thought – Chapter 3
- May 20: Ideas and Syntheses of Difference – Chapter 4
- Jun 17: Asymmetrical Synthesis of the Sensible – Chapter 5
- Jul 15: Conclusions – Conclusion
The group is presented by War Machine, a podcast for theological nomads. It is organized by Kazi Adi Shakti, Justin Leavitt Pearl, Matt Valler, and Matt Baker, and co-sponsored by the Cobb Institute and the Center for Process Studies. For inquiries, please reach out to Matt Baker at mcbaker77@gmail.com.
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About the Facilitators
Kazi Adi Shakti is an artist and independent researcher studying and theorizing on the intersections of Process Philosophy, Madhyamaka Buddhism, Western Marxism and Ecofeminism, with a special focus on the unique role each might play in a holistic soteriology that includes them all. Kazi blogs regularly on her site, holo-poiesis.com.
Justin Leavitt Pearl is a philosopher and theologian specializing in phenomenology and radical theology. His research focuses on the intersection of queer theory with philosophy and theology. He currently serves as an assistant director of leadership development at Carnegie Mellon University.
Matt Valler s a specialist in stories and how they shape the way we live. With a wide range of expertise and experience, Matt has worked with organizations all over the world on strategy, communications, and product design. He holds an MA (distinction) in Biblical Interpretation and is currently studying for a PhD in Translation Studies at Queen’s University, Belfast.
Matt Baker is a Change Management and Learning & Development professional with over a decade of experience in designing user-centered graphics, audio, and instructional materials, as well as managing projects. Matt has produced three podcasts: War Machine, The Catacombic Machine, and Interrupted, the official podcast of the Westar Institute.
