Organisms

In episode 107 of Overthink, David and Ellie take up a philosophical perspective on biology’s squirmiest concept: the organism. From Kant’s distinction between organisms and mechanisms, to Deleuze and Guattari’s infamous call for ‘bodies without organs,’ they uncover and question the ontological and metaphorical baggage behind the concept. Their exploration takes them from the bottom of Sea of Naples to the heights of Romantic Idealism, passing through the tensions of contemporary genetics. Plus, in the Patreon bonus, they discuss the unexpected relations between organisms, politics, and reason through the thought of Lukács and Canguilhem.Check out the episode's extended cut here!Works DiscussedGeorges Canguillhem, Knowledge of LifeGilles Deleuze, Difference and RepetitionDeleuze & Guattari, A Thousand PlateausImmanuel Kant, Critique of the Power of JudgmentGeorg Lukács, The Destruction of ReasonJennifer Mensch, Kant’s Organicism: Epigenesis and the Development of Critical PhilosophyFriedrich Schelling, First Outline of a System of the Philosophy of NatureLewis Thomas, The Medusa and the SnailD. M. Walsh, Organisms, Agency, and EvolutionSupport the showSubstack | overthinkpod.substack.com Website | overthinkpodcast.comInstagram & Twitter | @overthink_podEmail | [email protected] | Overthink podcastSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.