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Prince of Networks

February 7, 2011 by Steve Mentz Leave a Comment

I read Graham Harman’s study of Latour, Prince of Networks, while traveling last month & have been meaning to say a couple quick things about it.  It’s a lively survey of Latour’s work, plus an engaged defense of object-oriented metaphysics that at times gets pretty deep into philosophical weeds.  I very much like Harman’s attempt to break down the old human/nonhuman barrier, & his sense that Latour’s ANT-work has been blazing this path for a little while.

But what I like most about Harman’s book is it’s style & energy, & its defense of good writing as “the best tool we have for exposing the unstated assumptions that lie behind any surface proposition” (169).  Or, more elegantly,

Against the program for philosophy written in “good plain English,” I hold that it should be written in good vivid English.  Plain speech contains clear statements that are forgotten as soon as their spokesman closes his mouth, since they have already said all that they are capable of saying.  But vivid speech forges new concepts that take on a life of their own, like good fictional characters.

I do wonder if that gesture toward fictional characters could be unpacked a bit, but I like the overall move.

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Steve Mentz
Professor of English
St. John’s University
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Shakespearean. Ecocritic. Swimmer. New book Ocean #objectsobjects Professor at St. John's in NYC. #bluehumanities #pluralizetheanthropocene

Steve Mentz
stevermentzSteve Mentz@stevermentz·
4 May

Today's the day! I'm doing something a bit different in this lecture, shaping my thoughts around the work and intellectual legacy of John Gillis. It'll be recorded, for people who can't be in the room or on the Zoom today in Bern!

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stevermentzSteve Mentz@stevermentz·
2 May

Very excited to be in Bern, and I’m looking forward to the lecture and workshop!

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