Developing a personal philosophy of life is a meaningful pursuit for many individuals, yet certain philosophical ideas can be challenging to fully grasp. One such concept is the idea of “becoming,” which holds a central place in the philosophy of Gilles Deleuze. Understanding this idea is crucial, as it can profoundly influence how we shape and refine our own philosophy of life. This article examines the philosophy of Gilles Deleuze, the concept of becoming, and how these ideas can be applied to personal growth and understanding.
Key features of Gilles Deleuze’s philosophy
Gilles Deleuze was a French philosopher known for his complex, innovative ideas that challenge traditional ways of thinking. One of the central features of his philosophy is the concept of “becoming” rather than “being.” Deleuze focused on the idea that life and identity are not fixed but are constantly evolving and transforming. He rejected rigid structures and categories, encouraging a more fluid and dynamic way of understanding the world.
Deleuze also emphasized connections and relationships through his concept of the “rhizome.” A rhizome is a network where any point can connect to another, unlike hierarchical systems with clear beginnings and ends. This idea encourages thinking in non-linear and creative ways, suitable for interpreting how ideas, cultures, and societies operate.
His collaboration with Félix Guattari resulted in influential works like A Thousand Plateaus. Here, they explored ideas such as “deterritorialization,” where existing norms and boundaries are disrupted to allow for new possibilities. Deleuze was also deeply interested in art, cinema, and literature, using them as tools to explore his philosophy. He viewed creativity and experimentation as essential to understanding and engaging with the world.
Overall, Deleuze’s philosophy inspires people to move beyond fixed ideas and cultivate a sense of openness, change, and interconnectedness in all aspects of life.
What is becoming?
Gilles Deleuze’s concept of “becoming” is central to his philosophy and focuses on the idea of constant change and transformation. For Deleuze, becoming is not about reaching a fixed identity or endpoint; instead, it is about the process of moving, evolving, and continuously transforming. He views life and existence as dynamic, where nothing is permanently stable or static. Becoming emphasizes movement and flows rather than fixed states of being.
Deleuze separates becoming from traditional ideas of being, which often suggest stability or permanence. Instead, he focuses on how things are always in motion and how they affect and transform one another. Becoming is about transitions, connections, and interactions that produce new possibilities and configurations. It is not tied to a specific goal or outcome but is endless and open-ended.
For Deleuze, becoming exists in-between states and identities. It does not conform to fixed categories. It is a creative process that exists outside traditional boundaries or definitions. Through this lens, he sees existence as something fluid where everything is constantly shifting, adapting, and generating new forms. This idea challenges the notion of fixed identities and promotes a more flexible and flowing understanding of life and relationships.
This example helps to demonstrate this philosophical perspective. Imagine a caterpillar transforming into a butterfly—not as a simple transition from one fixed state to another, but as an ongoing process of change and creation. Deleuze emphasizes this continual transformation, illustrating how the caterpillar doesn’t merely cease to exist as it becomes a butterfly. Instead, it embodies multiple stages of becoming throughout its life cycle. From its time spent crawling on leaves to the cocoon where it undergoes metamorphosis, each phase is an active state of becoming, not a static moment. It’s not solely about the end result—the butterfly—but about the dynamic transitions between these stages. This view challenges the idea of fixed identities, urging us to see life as a series of fluid and interdependent events rather than rigid categories. Each stage contains traces of past transformations while opening possibilities for what comes next.
Challenges to Gilles Deleuze’s view about becoming
Some philosophers object to or reject Gilles Deleuze’s view about becoming due to concerns about its abstract nature and perceived lack of groundedness in concrete reality. One common criticism is that his ideas can appear overly theoretical and distant from practical applications or clear, empirical evidence. For some thinkers, philosophical concepts must directly connect to the tangible world or provide clear frameworks for understanding it. Deleuze’s exploration of becoming, which often ventures into metaphysical and highly abstract domains, may appear disconnected from these expectations, leading critics to view it as impractical or excessively speculative.
Another reason for rejection comes from the perceived difficulty in interpreting Deleuze’s work. His writing style and the complexity of his ideas challenge readers and thinkers, discouraging those who value clarity and precise argumentation. Some critics argue that philosophy should strive for accessibility and straightforward communication, as this ensures that knowledge can be widely understood and debated. Deleuze’s intricate language and concepts, by contrast, can feel exclusionary or unclear, leading philosophers to question whether his discussions on becoming truly advance understanding in a meaningful way.
Additionally, some critics take issue with the way Deleuze’s ideas about becoming challenge traditional notions of identity, stability, and structure. Philosophical traditions that prioritize fixed categories and stable systems often see his rejection of these ideas as problematic. For these thinkers, frameworks that rely on continuity and clearly defined concepts are essential for coherent thought and progress. Deleuze’s focus on fluidity, transformation, and constant change introduces uncertainty, which some philosophers argue undermines the ability to build reliable knowledge frameworks.
Finally, certain critics reject Deleuze’s view due to its perceived neglect of human agency and subjectivity. While becoming places emphasis on processes and change, it may come across as minimizing the role of individual decision-making or personal identity. Philosophers who value the centrality of the human subject and its capacity for conscious thought might find Deleuze’s ideas lacking in their ability to engage with issues of autonomy and personal responsibility. These objections highlight a core tension between traditional philosophical values and Deleuze’s ambitious, unconventional approach.
Why becoming is important to Gilles Deleuze’s philosophy
These are some of the main reasons why grasping the concept of becoming is essential to comprehending Gilles Deleuze’s philosophy.
- Encourages a Focus on Change and Transformation
The idea of becoming emphasizes the importance of change and transformation in philosophical thinking. It breaks away from fixed or static ways of understanding the world, instead highlighting the fluid, ongoing processes that make up reality. This approach allows us to see life and existence in terms of movement and evolution, rather than as something that can be fully defined or pinned down. By focusing on transformation, this perspective opens up new ways of thinking about personal growth, creativity, and societal change. It suggests that nothing is fixed permanently, but instead everything is continually in the process of becoming something else. This view can help broaden our understanding of how ideas, identities, and systems evolve over time.
- Challenges Traditional Dualisms
Becoming invites us to think beyond traditional oppositions or dualisms, such as being vs. non-being or subject vs. object. Rather than prioritizing one side of these binaries, the concept of becoming suggests a dynamic flow between them, where each influences and reshapes the other. This approach helps to dismantle rigid categories that often limit the way we interpret the world and our experiences. It encourages a more flexible and interconnected perspective, which can be especially useful for understanding complex phenomena that do not fit neatly into predefined categories. This perspective fosters a greater openness to new ways of thinking and being, which has implications for philosophy, art, and everyday life.
- Highlights the Role of Relationships
The idea of becoming draws attention to the interconnectedness of things and the relationships that define them. Rather than seeing individuals or objects as isolated entities, this perspective emphasizes how everything exists in relation to something else. This interconnected view encourages us to examine the networks of influence and interaction that shape our world. Recognizing these relationships can deepen our understanding of how various forces—whether social, natural, or personal—interact to create change. This focus on interplay and interdependence can lead to richer insights into both the human experience and the broader processes at work in the world around us.
Contrasting Gilles Deleuze’s philosophy with Parmenides’s philosophy
Gilles Deleuze’s concept of becoming stands in direct contrast to Parmenides’s philosophy of being. Parmenides believed that reality is unchanging and that change is merely an illusion. To him, being was a fixed, eternal state, and all that exists has always existed in the same form. This view emphasizes stability and permanence, rejecting the notion of transformation or flux.
Deleuze, on the other hand, embraced the idea of continuous change and evolution through his concept of becoming. Instead of looking at existence as something static, Deleuze argued that everything is always in a dynamic state of transformation, constantly moving and shifting. While Parmenides saw change as deceptive, Deleuze celebrated it as a fundamental truth of life. Becoming, for Deleuze, reflects the fluid and open-ended nature of reality, where no state or entity is final, and everything flows into something new.
The key difference lies in their perspectives on change and permanence. Parmenides focused on a rigid worldview where being is unalterable, essentially denying the legitimacy of transformation. Deleuze, in contrast, highlighted the creative and constantly evolving nature of existence, emphasizing that reality is a process rather than a static outcome. This divergence reveals Deleuze’s more dynamic and flexible approach to understanding existence compared to the fixed certainty of Parmenides’s philosophy.
Becoming, Gilles Deleuze’s philosophy and the philosophy of life
Reflecting on Gilles Deleuze’s philosophy, particularly his concept of “becoming,” is a valuable exercise when developing your own philosophy of life. Regardless of whether you agree with his views, engaging with his ideas can spark deeper thought and challenge your assumptions. Philosophical reflection is not about blind agreement or rejection but about using ideas to examine your own beliefs, values, and ways of living. Deleuze emphasized dynamism and change, and his work prompts us to think about how we adapt and grow over time. Whether we interpret life as a process of constant transformation or hold a more rigid view of our identity, exploring such perspectives can illuminate how we see ourselves within an evolving world.
By working through these reflections, you are forced to question your own relationship with change and growth. Are we shaped by our circumstances, or do we actively shape them? Considering such ideas can lead you to examine your own actions, motivations, and goals in life. This self-awareness is crucial, as it helps clarify what you value most and where you want to direct your energy. Deleuze’s emphasis on moving beyond fixed definitions can inspire you to challenge societal norms or personal habits that no longer serve you, encouraging greater creativity and flexibility as you carve your path forward.
Furthermore, understanding opposing or unfamiliar perspectives is a skill that extends beyond philosophy—it has practical value in fostering empathy, adaptability, and critical thinking. Even if you disagree with Deleuze’s ideas, reflecting on them equips you with the tools to better engage with others whose views differ, helping you to refine your own beliefs with nuance and depth. Building a philosophy of life involves more than just accepting familiar notions; it is about critically refining what you believe based on a broad spectrum of ideas. Through this, you cultivate not only a stronger personal philosophy but also the ability to approach life’s challenges with a more open and informed mindset.
Further reading
Bogue, R. (1989). Deleuze and Guattari. Routledge.
Boundas, C. V. (1993). The Deleuze Reader. Columbia University Press.
Colebrook, C. (2002). Understanding Deleuze. Allen & Unwin.
Deleuze, G. (1994). Difference and Repetition (P. Patton, Trans.). Columbia University Press. (Original work published 1968)
Deleuze, G., & Guattari, F. (1987). A Thousand Plateaus: Capitalism and Schizophrenia (B. Massumi, Trans.). University of Minnesota Press. (Original work published 1980)
Holland, E. W. (2013). Deleuze and Guattari’s A Thousand Plateaus. Bloomsbury.
Massumi, B. (2002). Parables for the Virtual: Movement, Affect, Sensation. Duke University Press.
May, T. (2005). Gilles Deleuze: An Introduction. Cambridge University Press.
Patton, P. (1996). Deleuze’s Political Philosophy. Routledge.