Swerve Editions NewYork 2000 eees, mR cic td nce ond igs Ct nein nin 2008 seus since mecha porearba fttsng tring ctr (nce staencntospomicun bore aie ues i Contonts (ectois Mstory L000-700 48, ogee Hit 370-2000 4, Speces and Eeyore Biotpeal Wistry. 1700-2000 29 iis Nees ano ons nga istry: 000-700 Ke inguin? 1700-2060 Conceson ae SpecatoneIntroduction Despite its title, this is not a book of history but a book of philosophy. It is, however, a deeply historical philoso- phy, which holds as its cen- tral thesis that all structures that surround us and form our reality (mountains, ani- mals and plants, human lan- guages, social institutions) are the products of specific historical processes. To beconsistent, this type of philosophy must of necessity take real history as its starting point. The problem is, of course, that those who write history, however scholarly, do so from a given philosophical point of view, ‘and this would seem to trap us in a vicious circle. But just as history and philosophy may interact in such a way as to make an objective assessment of reality impossible— when entrenched worldviews and routine procedures for gathering historical evidence constrain each other negatively—they can also interact positively and turn this mutual dependence into a virtuous circle, Moreover, it may be argued that this positive interac. tion has already begun. Many historians have abandoned their Eurocentrism and ow question the very rise of the West Why ot China or Islam? is now a common ques tion), and some have even left behind their anthropocentrism andi include a host of nonhuman histories in their accounts. A num ber of philosophers, for their part, have bene: fited from the nev historical evidence that scholars such as Fernand Braudel and William McNeill have unearthed, and have used it as @ point of departure for a new, revived form of materialism, liberated from the dogrnas of the past. Philosophy is not, however, the only disci pline that has been influenced by a new awareness of the role of historical processes. Science, too, has acquired a historical con: sciousness. It is not an exaggeration to say that in the last two or three decades history has infiltrated physics, chemistry, and biol ogy. Its true that nineteenth-century thermo: dynamics had already introduced time's arrow into physics, and hence the idea of irreversible historical processes. And the theory of evolution had already shown that animals and plants were not embodiments of eternal essences but piecemeal historical constructions, slow accumulations of adap tive traits cemented together via reproduc tive isolation. However, the classical versions of these two theories incorporated a rather weak notion of history into their conceptual machinery: both classical thermodynamics and Darwinism admitted only one possible historical outcome, the reaching of thermal equilibrium or of the fittest design. In both Gases, once this point was reached, historical Processes ceased to count. In a sense, opli£31230) 0 optima cent of eer oprosened end ts {hrs for these thesis Iho csi. Priore elton trrmecynames ike 1505 y song tha! the neest ete wsre Vl ony or cone ye Sows a ite fw of ereraytn anasto syton ehh ene Dieter eqn the ron ari oe 9 pst ete Seily wen nave mite coating ers o aryrcengrey Isa prod, ere ehote ateacro) Noteowr, wnen som eachos or ow tcl Sato aoier ers aiten part casa ceca) fino cations sy py werd rie dering the eter, es, whan we aud sien psa stom, werees tabetha, one incor wane nooo bnow say to understand ie Ata ws itr of pace tems a the more ue ot Beneea| crea Actors and bitarairs ae eatras ct ay spte neh > ‘rac steno ony ter om aqcrum but soe sontccs tet ‘ie thorn aa eng rl een rts) ote corpo ont ee the ssa ngneston peed of eleuen er ling etre, tl eit encogrcuty spree sable totes ‘ols sarpUerationsLetnen stats at ong thr cach arc ‘Sie fy 0 ewe ciring tenga ony be ‘nd fr ll sloce the etaran st siece” Eel ehagea wth be doen Thus, te nove avay Yom aoigete squirm ad ln casey Ia eect he naturel azencs mth scr! concern, Thebes & ‘r sxlereion othe osstates tat ign oo open to pbmesnel Felon by 3 smite roo nthe sacl sconces tn gerer ana heey ‘artousr. 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Fray ata afew ot hese ements ha‘vestoa, storey ard reditrbated (forthe frat tne atowing a vsion ‘tte xtcen pada a esis eh. hamanty aee ‘tial gntot tie and eegastons 9 be itn Ppastone ewer I ire rb, Reonta icant ce son woe ings rough abot ty preetrancins,re hpaewenn Milers 238 que, sre gos phar ay soose, psy ec! ant te ter ene, coxa Pah bo wat ent thr nthe pat. ar Pita ay slaty aterathe nye nr or jor eo) so runagate oa seed ha remade a te tovos thurs, Mange, fot iro inet la dice eal ong Roan for into th reubng srctare was rere he Fes tl re onerous and fre caren! In other wort yan ora ot cow a sree ne seit vera ported Gulaee soites es naan’ Utne fol Orth cory, a [RON fren alerrotve ste sates ware omabie, and once ah I tiny cated oc irate ith oo nator ‘ask ite vrais chapters tas anak seem mae thal rat oral sort Mrcevr svn as metaphase eet sue Atsrstnes ‘or he gener fsuctare ana hare snp pee ‘orator, one whats es forsee "st mvs bel he mee Sven tha hornet fr of tor an ney have the pen er {eflergniator beyond he reatvay sro ge eave Bon ot cyst thers ae, ornare, toon eahere woee {eltoe seh ar nay cee acs of waitin ane rn ‘ea naa nee ey are aie ena ase Ta here se the atoramentone tani stata: Gr tastes), ich ean autor co. heer seco deer ons mae or chao Fiat, at the ne prveus examples sounaaeetorgnixton heres ‘cries which explores the diferent cominatns into wn ante, ane re prove bet as "rs nerve ret ease ob ly incorporated no ou now Wht the concat of storeantation ae appt ry tari rc smige srs ae ten shaped coerce Ue es tras dosins tel noose toleined ete wecon spy tt ts ctor ct han scons Soneteny. no ned sone seu tat ey sapliaton of human coho rus rl erence © Pedanle iforteral erties verh ela ave “oore sito pecaons ‘tuapetvences ant gids human even angi awe roe fel estes auch apis até sonmnes nspre case the Salons matey mesa ran bang ar Hy ence oy ther poston nahin nerarchen nga an at ter eared oar ean stort, ota cs, Down nat matere nat the anne rest of econ moray ba the eto clots annua hranGessnne, Thaiest Aston of asa tn tat meres epntarecuty fom he bteracon of many human ceson motes fo reapeent ‘rors «colori cy asin tom re decent moraine by per attractors men fee art to euro beer andost ‘gees ot arg diate, om theeyeur bushes Oust yen ‘ean rete hme agency, hac new cones deen sho ‘reedelons ants hs menesongea rang ety ove be of Friosonealsgntcanc, Haro what fs hone resents os Sdvad by tna, but somsed th aso computer Mar etna a iho cor euaens Ge type mest peel scnsrnontner ont {2 volo sve ayy, aa soma fu fae ‘renal svlosne cares wth he hop ote mains THE nate fee re ayo mm ann cae Sai, ean combination wi ipeyemarer segs et rp ‘rie ofthe canbe a wre wach remove an ert Esinauatipars Tver oer rams ote Pars easton sees, «won tain be > ‘ie ecey hse prpertes Inciner eercx,aahalngsvese in fausara hen aerpirg te meso etgw be orciMates op Son enc ae sey et crex tvs aarp aan snpoe thers Shs ince Boson indisoensable ait. For exernose,, abil ora “at atd atmo 6 en ehalowr astra plperioe we arn 6 Gh fe eae abt, andthe: sao ot oan. sure, ht every oe esac ntiscrecten fata cag Athongh he mess mayen tt ter Satie etn mr tn ttamet to ean dota te oc oral process tive ch Fortunately, be nt few decodes ave wesc he ith an awh cra symrans of exo sndsseclog es (undr the one (Gr 2st of eons) rete te stem of recta eer es we asthe orsmetstuctalsunetonststsocenests “reser at ‘eiogea! evr opprepnsta ony stor up perspec) be "ets he db hat adels rate celine aly ecard oat Irterosies ranean cassons, at intans cen dsb ce ris oloner subpoed te frert pee of nore end naar ors tat ei ealasia Netnsttonsar race eee ‘egal at” of ccoogy but secesas what wa ay ela “ake legal hola” that tena ta ven cue colectve stone ‘ete ou 9 oe nierastans amg inaweu,ene hy hae fn fhoytaee ants te of for ow (any oy arent ted oes) safest novel acon ety deen ways ‘Maisttnonsin ecerorats hun se ined ecg con cis ino economics by roping the non of exchange of eos wt te move camping cre af rareacion” xen ergs lay etoert ‘eng of colucve sities, aah ce nttons sass carta snd nercerent recedes aden. fcr a are my Be 22 ‘te vu eve ous imperecions nares ef red noma, Inport rmatlon days ana atleast, opposer Pgh a! ‘erat of eotaea ane 29 om Aedingtansecon cons he leeds nyo chrcwindng the conto presence ran bot Ito ctempte syrtiess etwen tse re ees ond made sh cores and be ceresponing concep inthe elanae oa in Chapter One apcoac ns syns eu an worst a ‘ne near or ursanecororce vst lac ge ake se my ot of dparture even shwred by several mele Haaren ition ‘tau! and Not ne soci namis af rope oars ware ane Impetantroscon by China ary eile ther sary seencme ed ‘evel ec, wee tent subjasea wo Westen carter. Sher tate portent arm of nebo eto sprasch Mkry na fan {alebpea wey te eventual eangust othe mtu by te Wea. . i HS PPE rerecserssrantt eons easel si ripe: se anna throat turing rene lng te tate pleco ue ot Eweg, bl nthe roust cf cotarontnte {such orn spurs price ced ns) at ‘ava surat of aledge sn cologsn on afer ‘titra raw sndcrgonectare Sa eereh eof ruta Strona ete rac seh acter) al os Sen aching tar sl naan ones od tclergindretaractCucpan ten ance ruhcmer {nite mand ot ees tncion en sede oF Tedpeeaslnbventenslages ctor evo Ue Snes moved muagcaomrnacene tap eset ebe ‘Sismaae name ntsstaring reo the Seance ‘eset bin cones tsa exten ayaa ttn ener tom rennin tal we hve nonce nh too amour sn ter elnag hier seeks hope Tow estes ater pete rent then Gore ptt ane sma annoy ae dese teen doe Senet opting cen Tha cheat ese of an ‘rate eres Yo toca he fone agenesis he inemed urn tise Made gs. auc aces he for fond nha nat ee onan shonghgertans tote mac fon ot famenanrer se thse btn test pla woes tw Po ranted ‘suo a8 woods end mlcrooigerisms, Celanal enterprises apoaar in Ts eet foto Smee areas ta on thereon but ato. he ners yuo tn pre ot won ntrrmen ses tere aed ond congue la arson Tra Chepe ee ak th cer pet pate at ote te nena mare togunc eros Ue mrt itoninte ene oo an ines fe sence ar omc ‘Snare ten up rege cordless? ‘eaten nade) tra bo tateres ty an arnt Some of thee ngs nate owed wen cat fr meee zaresotgsandunctngng aie say acute 92 Se Srodae tut eher orn abaigge Nut spams aoe nes Amie artes pit gegen to nev abucare, seh oS EA, Spt anand Pts Tas chaporvseas heey ar thee omargnce, met f to tan enone. ab oe ‘renal etn ough a eto) oe Sener {ever mai (ne ring rae mss re compute eter hee ator the edn, acm cri bmgrs Kscatraiein the ee 000 no, and conte qnscr user toe yor 2000, oa sad ave dee thet ‘Giectorerentaen ene hes nerves oo ot sonst ea tug of her sues bat rather a uted phesopicl wediion sone et haoncal resets that Rove sees eea ree Des {inate overatieeeete are tng The vor fs tha seh Shaper coneunatr ona sla rater” ening Puan HBO 23 {Tater tpi of vt trl mater) it ate hese vate orl recogni Neier. ron of the rcraecvon to eurcnere nav beet made 2 Nenana ene rena spree soo see works etal Ho toga, ae ngastwilrebe vor ant pegreesve mare soph {ted cget anon ht cannaes in Raman % ng ‘incconcre ies thas sna utente gelogen stra cr for. hgercgen cuyeen wd ine ther eleert)rmad tha substrate ‘eit neuron th rel proved the subaru or ar free. Bu orton ante msegset zest perfect, he {aie cteiteront tre ot mele, acumasntens wich esc se ‘ree ljr cen nt frm new ort csed non te bl on te SSrvar outa ncounsonn ne noracton fren tis. B= ‘Sn soch acre ayer sank om lab al errs Evrrater 9 ide ae coon a ee. Ira ory real eens ray rasa rier erre udersing obs rater tis nds nh each noe Wye ef eeu" mpirenichng the recevor caries mania ad nna com theeyrore meters, or met wre ey a reroset te Teer wae each thi ingle etorsneay spores a Tus a Tew: robe ocvonee tat” ae sorelechieeretsTeeH Cre erence oan men : Bice cr vmantatccae se anne nesirsnl angen es rine ta poeecln eis ie Oath es ceeGeological History 1000-1700 a.p. We live in a world populated by structures—a complex mixture of geological, biologi- cal, social, and linguistic con structions that are nothing but accumulations of materials shaped and hardened by his- tory. Immersed as we are in this mixture, we cannot help but interact in a variety of ways with the other historical constructions that surroundus, and in these interactions we generate novel combinations, some of which possess emergent properties. In turn, these syner gistic combinations, whether of human origin or not, become the raw material for further mixtures. This is how the population of struc: tures inhabiting our planet has acquired its rich variety, as the entry of novel materials into the mix triggers wild proliferations of new forms, In the organic world, for instance, soft tis sue (gels and aerosols, muscle and nerve) reigned supreme until 500 million years ago. At that point, some of the congiomerations of fleshy matter-energy that made up life under- went-a sudden mineralization, and a new mate- rial for constructing living creatures emerged: bone. It is almost as if the mineral world that had served as a substratum for the emergence of biological creatures was reasserting itself, confirming that geology, far from having been left behind as a primitive stage of the earth’s evolution, fully coexisted with the soft, gelati nous newcomers. Primitive bone, a stiff, cal: ified central rod that would later become the vertebral column, mace new forms of move- ment control possible emong animals, freeing them from many constraints and literally set. ting them into motion to conquer every avail able niche in the air, in water, and on land. ‘And yet, while bone allowed the complexifi cation of the animal phylum to which we, as vertebrates, belong, it never forgot its mineral origins: it is the living material that mast eas- lly petrifies, that most readily crosses the threshold back into the world of rocks. For that reason, much of the geological record is written with fossil bone, The human endoskeleton was one of the many products of that ancient mineralization. Yet that is not the only geological infiltration that the human species has undergone. About eight thousand years ago, human pop- Ulations began mineralizing again when they developed an urban exoskeleton: bricks of sundried clay became the building materials for their homes, which in turn surrounded and were surrounded by stone monuments and defensive walls. This exoskeleton served {a purpose similar to its internal counterpart: to control the movement of human flesh in and out of a town’s walls, The urban exoskele- ton also regulated the motion of many other things: luxuiry objects, news, and food, forEe terete rt ‘scot pare th okt mata hat Hae acyl teally concent ting peorie anc goods trom near ann faraway razons hitters etrctre ny be sae ere ota dg nines the mo eleg ne forts areateral sp orc arealy nresng Ue vrety of einl end eater Jovi We IMertbe saat ner aun theme atgen,fouever Inport IRes cit ear of conparng ist erga aepecaly nen Ihe eagor rea to lla asin the pas tht Doth et sd ving roatres must be Sern ca dtferent dynamical ayetoms operat avery equi, at averted fy mere or tr ea Indeed rt maphegerests as depeaded, roan ancert be Tonuran ereay The rts Reerd ews cers, abo ‘real exkiton sas anterfrm hatteeearantnton st Inetahivetot orcas? sine nls. fa phoesyaess sie at "vs erasy in signe, elation neraee th amount 9 xabe rg at eyed hana sates, Won eo produstan nes Tarver menses, aman cosse he orrcaton tat Ee 580 {eben etuctiros Thaker theses ces tun made Sitar esters pssle™by develoong ae gation asters, ‘civartot erp, howsyes tat rel eaten vas any a8 ‘Saoratrossbe ways of enstng erry Sw. A sealant” neg tre poles ou the emrgana of esne may neve les $b the rat trent lw of wetter energy hough ele we cratng no set costs to iter ina or nbs bad cuete cnelai ee alee dela if Srorted an tha um eure teyen a. OW" Nslr| seperti Ghartan dynos nun therfore ude on ana ofthe nett fate that animate Pham. Although tase nstiutens are the product of ‘losis human cecison mang onze in lao thy ase eset Beck 29 teary teat thom ncn or acre tar tan {Hones ei foncinater esis) eaublety erat grr tons tater A Lymn We to ‘Seco antenna, a ses of novi occurred whe conse Tnnwraton ie haar pl naw ways emsasin he noses us Taree tis een ser, se ei i olstor) ware ei bly ertarong ae ol se teraupondon, stot ony wns ty tly Inesned were lento fg efoto. The age neeme in Ue ow tener erste ths nebo eenaoges seed fe ama Tate spustere a sled towre an oritins easter appeares ints ‘pent cea fe Sol org the Meira oun cos, and ine For are me coaslands ira between te Wace wats 9 :ne erty Ses and to Bae, cote phasomencr- ures fond erat amt yong er ‘Sst aleertcn The wor of eile ey baling tht oecarad Many of to grat tonne te north sic azGrnels nd ter snere bare ths peso, and he ar ber ces 9 lan the ne ‘nt hows would ot be matched for ansher ve hoard yor fs epltaton of esl fe procllod enter great sur of ‘ih andart int 18003. lrenty ror then the potferation