An Uexküllian Approach to the Genesis of Sense in the work of Merleau-Ponty and Deleuze.

点击翻译按钮获取中文摘要

My research will take an interdisciplinary approach to the genesis of sense or meaning formation. I envision there being four parts to this; (i) how is sense formed, (ii) to whom do we attribute the ability to 'make' sense, (iii) how is sense 'expressed,' and (iv) what ontological conclusions and assumptions do the outcome of these previous questions reveal. In exploring these questions, I intend to enact what Merleau-Ponty calls an "ontological rehabilitation of the sensible," linking meaning, usually considered a solely cognitive procedure, to the sensible world of perception. Within this, I argue, with Harney, that meaning is a 'property of biological rather than mental processes.' My research will contribute to the still underdeveloped field of scholarship exploring the relationship between the thought of Merleau-Ponty and Deleuze. It will also put those two thinkers into conversation with the environmental humanities, most notably the fields of biosemiotics, sensory anthropology, and post-colonial theory.