Gilles Deleuze's Transcendental Empiricism: From Tradition to Difference

Deleuze's philosophy of transcendental empiricism is a systematic alternative to modern continental philosophy, taking up and radicalizing the empiricist school of thought. It responds to philosophical critiques of classical and modern empiricism by consolidating the philosophy of immanence.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 328 pages
Publication date: 28 February 2018
Publisher: Edinburgh University Press

Deleuze's philosophy is often seen as a unique blend of transcendental empiricism, which reconciles two previously contradictory philosophical perspectives. His interpretations of Hume, Spinoza, Bergson, and Nietzsche address philosophical critiques of classical and modern empiricism, offering innovative responses to these critiques. However, Deleuze's arguments against these critiques, particularly those of Kant, Hegel, Husserl, and Heidegger, consolidate his philosophy of immanence, which can be termed transcendental empiricism.

Marc Rolli provides a comprehensive exploration of Gilles Deleuze's philosophy of transcendental empiricism. He demonstrates that Deleuze takes up and radicalises the empiricist school of thought, developing a systematic alternative to the mainstreams of modern continental philosophy.

In his interpretation of Hume, Deleuze challenges the traditional understanding of empiricism as a purely sensory-based approach to knowledge. He argues that Hume's empiricism is not limited to the senses but encompasses a broader range of phenomena, including memory, imagination, and reason. Deleuze sees Hume's empiricism as a means of understanding the underlying structures of experience and the processes of perception and cognition.

Similarly, in his readings of Spinoza, Bergson, and Nietzsche, Deleuze explores the relationship between empiricism and the concept of immanence. He argues that these thinkers rejected the traditional Cartesian dualism between mind and body and instead emphasised the interconnectedness of all things. Deleuze sees empiricism as a means of understanding the dynamic nature of reality and the processes of change and transformation.

Through his arguments against the critiques of Kant, Hegel, Husserl, and Heidegger, Deleuze consolidates his philosophy of immanence and develops a unique approach to knowledge and reality. He emphasises the importance of understanding the underlying structures of experience and the processes of perception and cognition, and he rejects the traditional dualism between mind and body.

In conclusion, Deleuze's philosophy of transcendental empiricism is a profound and innovative exploration of the relationship between empiricism and the concept of immanence. Through his readings of Hume, Spinoza, Bergson, and Nietzsche, Deleuze challenges traditional philosophical perspectives and develops a systematic alternative to the mainstreams of modern continental philosophy. Marc Rolli's examination of Deleuze's philosophy provides a valuable insight into this complex and influential thinker's work.

Weight: 510g
Dimension: 156 x 231 x 18 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781474432252