Gilles Deleuze and the Atheist Machine: The Achievement of Philosophy

Description

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.