Equalizing Theatre and Philosophy: Laruelle, Badiou, and gestures of authority in the philosophy of theatre
In this article I engage François Laruelle’s notion of ‘non-standard’ aesthetics to provide a critical perspective on Alain Badiou’s various pronouncements on the philosophy of theatre. Whilst in works such as In Praise of Theatre (2015), Badiou initially appears magnanimous in relation to theatre’s...
| Main Author: | |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Performance Philosophy
2017-12-01
|
| Series: | Performance Philosophy |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.performancephilosophy.org/journal/article/view/162 |
| _version_ | 1817993512179728384 |
|---|---|
| author | Laura Cull Ó Maoilearca |
| author_facet | Laura Cull Ó Maoilearca |
| author_sort | Laura Cull Ó Maoilearca |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | In this article I engage François Laruelle’s notion of ‘non-standard’ aesthetics to provide a critical perspective on Alain Badiou’s various pronouncements on the philosophy of theatre. Whilst in works such as In Praise of Theatre (2015), Badiou initially appears magnanimous in relation to theatre’s own thinking, and indeed to demote the function of philosophy in relation to an ontological privilege now accorded (by him) to set theory, I will argue that this very benevolence, from a Laruellian perspective, constitutes another form of philosophical authoritarianism. That is, whilst Badiou famously describes theatre as ‘an event of thought’ that ‘directly produces ideas’ (Badiou 2005a, 72), this article draws from Laruelle to suggest that he ultimately positions himself as the authority on what ‘counts as theatre properly speaking’ (Badiou 2013, 109); performatively positioning his own thought as normative exception and as the gatekeeper to that exception. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-14T01:40:50Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-f109260f005041e196541eea52093d9d |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2057-7176 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-14T01:40:50Z |
| publishDate | 2017-12-01 |
| publisher | Performance Philosophy |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Performance Philosophy |
| spelling | doaj.art-f109260f005041e196541eea52093d9d2022-12-22T02:19:47ZengPerformance PhilosophyPerformance Philosophy2057-71762017-12-013373075010.21476/PP.2017.3316291Equalizing Theatre and Philosophy: Laruelle, Badiou, and gestures of authority in the philosophy of theatreLaura Cull Ó Maoilearca0University of SurreyIn this article I engage François Laruelle’s notion of ‘non-standard’ aesthetics to provide a critical perspective on Alain Badiou’s various pronouncements on the philosophy of theatre. Whilst in works such as In Praise of Theatre (2015), Badiou initially appears magnanimous in relation to theatre’s own thinking, and indeed to demote the function of philosophy in relation to an ontological privilege now accorded (by him) to set theory, I will argue that this very benevolence, from a Laruellian perspective, constitutes another form of philosophical authoritarianism. That is, whilst Badiou famously describes theatre as ‘an event of thought’ that ‘directly produces ideas’ (Badiou 2005a, 72), this article draws from Laruelle to suggest that he ultimately positions himself as the authority on what ‘counts as theatre properly speaking’ (Badiou 2013, 109); performatively positioning his own thought as normative exception and as the gatekeeper to that exception.https://www.performancephilosophy.org/journal/article/view/162Laruellenon-philosophynon-standard philosophyBadiouperformance studiestheatre studiesphilosophy of theatreimmanenceequality |
| spellingShingle | Laura Cull Ó Maoilearca Equalizing Theatre and Philosophy: Laruelle, Badiou, and gestures of authority in the philosophy of theatre Performance Philosophy Laruelle non-philosophy non-standard philosophy Badiou performance studies theatre studies philosophy of theatre immanence equality |
| title | Equalizing Theatre and Philosophy: Laruelle, Badiou, and gestures of authority in the philosophy of theatre |
| title_full | Equalizing Theatre and Philosophy: Laruelle, Badiou, and gestures of authority in the philosophy of theatre |
| title_fullStr | Equalizing Theatre and Philosophy: Laruelle, Badiou, and gestures of authority in the philosophy of theatre |
| title_full_unstemmed | Equalizing Theatre and Philosophy: Laruelle, Badiou, and gestures of authority in the philosophy of theatre |
| title_short | Equalizing Theatre and Philosophy: Laruelle, Badiou, and gestures of authority in the philosophy of theatre |
| title_sort | equalizing theatre and philosophy laruelle badiou and gestures of authority in the philosophy of theatre |
| topic | Laruelle non-philosophy non-standard philosophy Badiou performance studies theatre studies philosophy of theatre immanence equality |
| url | https://www.performancephilosophy.org/journal/article/view/162 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT lauracullomaoilearca equalizingtheatreandphilosophylaruellebadiouandgesturesofauthorityinthephilosophyoftheatre |