John Protevi / email
LSU French Studies
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Strata, stratificaction
Assemblages
Rhizome
Plane of Consistency, Body without Organs
Deterritorialization
Abstract Machines (Diagram and Phylum)

     I.   Strata, stratification
       A. General characteristics
            1.  Thickenings on the Body of the Earth
            2.  Three major strata: physiochemical, organic, anthropomorphic (“alloplastic”)
            3.  Composed of coded milieus and formed substances
       B. Diversity and unity
            1.  Different formal organization and substantial development (parastrata and epistrata)
            2.  Unity of composition: common formal traits and common substantial elements
       C. Mobility and creativity of the strata:
            1.  Interstratic phenomena: rhythmic transcodings and passages between milieus
            2.  Strata are judgments of God: continual, renewed creation of order out of chaos
       D. Double articulation (“Hjelmslev’s net”): content and expression
            1.  Each have form and substance
            2.  Between content and expression there is neither causality nor signification, but
                 a. real distinction
                 b. reciprocal presupposition
                 c. isomorphy
            3.  Different forms of relation on each stratum = different relations of molar and molecular
       E. Beyond the strata = PC; need for caution to construct this plane and avoid chaos
            1.  Submolecular unformed Matter (quantum level)
            2.  Nonorganic life
            3.  Nonhuman becomings

     II.  Assemblages
       A. Different from strata, but produced in strata, qua territorial
            1.  In zone of decoded milieu, where a territory is extracted
            2.  Territory is made up of decoded fragments that assume value of “properties”
            3.  Content / expression here = real distinction, reciprocal presupposition, isomorphy
       B. 1st axis: breakaway from strata: new relation of C / E as MAB and CAE
            1.  expression = semiotic system [regime of signs] CAE
            2.  content = pragmatic system [set of actions and passions {affects}] MAB
            3.  new relation between of C / E =  incorporeal transformation:
                 a. only on alloplastic stratum (includes territorialized animals)
                 b. regimes of signs permeate and overspill all the strata
       C. 2nd axis: relation to territory
            1.  Lines of deterritorialization:
                 a. openings to other assemblages, to land, to cosmic & AM
                 b. qua AM, assemblage no longer C / E, but unformed matters and nonformal functions
            2.  Territorialization: establishment of fit between MAB and CAE: predictable behavior

     III. Rhizome: assemblages are not only strata, but they are also complexes of lines
       A. Two types of lines
            1.  Arboreal
            2.  Rhizomatic
       B. Processes of drawing lines: each type erupts from the other
            1.  Arborification: resonance of black holes scattered along a rhizome; striation; stoppage
            2.  Rhizomatizing: smoothing of space; disruption of territories
       C. Three lines, each with its own danger
            1.  Segmented lines: striation of homogeneous space
            2.  Molecular lines: carrying micro-black holes
            3.  Lines of flight: abandon creation and turn to line of death, of pure destruction (fascism)

     IV.  Plane of consistency, Body w/o Organs
       A. Two planes
            1.  Plane of organization and development: form and substance
            2.  Plane of consistency or composition:
                 a. Populated by haecceities
                    (1) Relations of speed and slowness between unformed element (“longitude”)
                    (2) Compositions of corresponding intensive affects (“latitude”)
                 b. Consistency is also name for coherence of heterogenous elements, i.e., rhizomes
       B. PC populated by: haecceities, nomadic essences, continuous variations (of intensities), becomings, smooth spaces
       C. Relation of PC and BwO (is not the point);
            1.  The real question is mode of connection of different parts
            2.  This = ethical / ethological principle of selection, to avoid
                 a. Empty and cancerous BwOs
                 b. Striations of smooth space
                 c. Diversions of line of flight into line of death
            3.  Must retain only that which increases the number of connections

     V.   Deterritorialization: operation of line of flight [search for / invitation to new connections]
       A. Negative D: overlaid by compensatory reterritorialization obstructing line of flight
            1.  State apparatus: Ds primitive system, but Rs onto property, work, money (despot body)
            2.  Signifying regime of signs Ds primitive cruel mark; Rs on signified and signifier
       B. Relative D: segmented line of flight: e.g., regime of subjective signs
       C. Absolute D:
            1.  First need recap of relations between D, territory, reterritorialization, and earth
                 a. Territory is inseparable from vectors of D
                 b. D is in turn inseparable from correlative R
                     (1) D is always internally multiple: convergence of different speeds
                     (2) R not a return to territory, but expresses these differential relations internal to D
                 c. Earth is not opposite of D
                     (1) “natal” earth is only point outside territory aimed at by D
                     (2) THE earth: material through which we tap the cosmic PC, thus D par excellence
            2.  Meaning of “absolute”: nothing transcendent; only a type of movement qualitatively different from relative
                 a. Absolute: relates “a” multiple body to smooth space occupied as  vortex
                 b. Relative: relates a unitary body to striated space which it measures w/ straight lines
            3.  Benefits, complications, and dangers of absolute D
                 a. Benefits: absolute D creates a new earth by connecting lines of flight and draws PC
                 b. Complications:
                    (1) absolute D proceeds by way of relative D, bcs it is not transcendent;
                    (2) relative or negative D makes the absolute an “encompassing” totality that
                        (a) overcodes earth [Utopia of new earth dedicated to God and despot]
                        (b) conjugates lines of flight [stops them, because flight is only flight from God]
                 c. Dangers: this is the point at which the line of flight turns to destruction or death
       D. Thus four types of D: negative, relative, positive absolute, negative or limitative absolute

     VI.  Abstract Machines (Diagram and Phylum)
       A. Immanent to concrete assemblages; defined by cutting edges of D as openings to outside
            1.  Unformed matters (intensities: phylum) and nonformal functions (tensors: diagram)
            2.  AM: effectuated in forms and substances in assemblages, but first draws itself and a PC
            3.  Qua on a PC, the AM also knows nothing of C/E, though in a sense they remain as traits
                 a. Semiotic of PC expressing those traits: indefinite article, proper name, infinitive, date
                 b. Unformed matter is not dead, brute, homogeneous, but bears singularities
                 c. Nonformal functions do not lack syntax, but bears foreign or nonlingusitic w/in lang
       B. THE AM as transcendent model of creativity: quantification of assemblages
            1.  E.g, the war machine vs the State apparatus
            2.  Ethical selection of assemblages: ability to draw a PC w/ increasing connections
       C. Types of AM; all are interwoven in the Mechanosphere
            1.  Consistency: Operating creatively on the PC
            2.  Stratifying, creating a new plane of organization and development
            3.  Axiomatic / overcoding and reterritorializing as compensating for D and decodings