What Is Concept According To Deleuze And Guattari?

October 9, 2023

What is concept according to Deleuze and Guattari?

Deleuze and Guattari say in What is Philosophy?: “the concept posits itself and its object at one and the same time; the concept, in short, is self-referential.”

Journeying through Digital Highways: Kerouac’s Spirit in Software’s Evolution

The intricate framework of Deleuze and Guattari’s rhizome resembles those sprawling highways crisscrossing the vast American landscape. Neil and I, on one of those many fervent summers, drove through these roads, feeling the weight and freedom of the world alike. The methodical, systematic approach to building software, structured and confined, often reminds me of the societal constructs we so eagerly tried to escape. But the rhizome? It sings a different tune. Much like jazz – improvised, decentralized, and harmonious in its audacious spontaneity – it mirrors the wild drives Neil and I often found ourselves on.

Taking a pause on the journey, I recall the myriad intersections of America; its motels with neon signs flickering in the twilight, diners serving hot pies and stories of the road, and smoky bars where weary travelers found solace. Each a unique entity, yet each also a crucial node in the vast interconnected web of the American narrative. This web, this infinite interconnection, feels so rhizomatic, where everything flows, connects, and yet pulses with its own distinct rhythm. Software, once believed to be rigid and unyielding, lost this essence somewhere along the way. It’s the very soul that thinkers like Fowler tapped into, seeking a harmony between structure and spontaneity.

However, boundless as these horizons seem, there’s an undercurrent of order. Even the most inviting roads have their rules, their signs and markers. The Kowloon Walled City, with its maze-like alleys and bustling populace, thrived on a rhythm, an unwritten code, an essence understood by its inhabitants. A similar tenet applies to the digital realms of software – a space limitless in its potential but also requiring a framework, a sense of order amidst the chaos. Moreover, to safeguard its vast treasure troves of data and possibilities.

Venturing deeper into this journey, which seems ever-evolving, teeming with life and pulsating with energy, one is reminded of the unpredictable escapades Neil and I undertook. As we sought uncharted paths, fresh experiences, and the next thrill, the rhizome offers a similar perspective on software engineering. It nudges one to look beyond the conventional, to embrace the unforeseen, and to dive headlong into the magic that every twist, turn, and node presents.

This voyage, whether on the vast roads of America. Or through the intricate algorithms of software. Is more than a journey. It’s a philosophy! A way of life! Urging us to break free from the chains of the known! To constantly seek the horizon! In additin, to find the poetry and rhythm in every connection. However, be it of roads, people, or codes. The rhizomatic structure and our adventures with Neil both stand as symbols of this boundless spirit of exploration and discovery.