Introduction: Rhizome | Deleuze and Guattari's "A Thousand Plateaus"

In this lecture, we'll be diving into Deleuze and Guattari's arguably greatest work, A Thousand Plateaus, specifically going through the introductory chapter on the rhizome. I'll discuss and explain D&G's ontology through the notion of the rhizome and assemblage, as well as show their emphasis on action, experimentation, becoming, and difference. I'll explain terms such as deterritorialization, reterritorialization, assemblage, rhizome, line of flight, plane of consistency, and more.

The key guide to the lecture is D&G's 6 principles of the rhizome, which are as follows,
1) Connection - any point can be connected to any other; transmutability.
2) Heterogeneity - not reducible, either to the One or multiplicity.
3) Multiplicity - only lines of magnitude and variability.
4) Asignifying rupture - lines of segmentarity tend to rupture along lines of flight (principle of deterritorialization).
5) Cartography - a productive map/landscape/plane of desire.
6) Decalcomania - non-hierarchical, non-significatory system without an axis of rotation.

All quotes are from:
Gilles Deleuze and Felix Guattari. "A Thousand Plateaus", trans. Brian Massumi, University of Minnesota Press, 1987.

Music is Frozen Cathedral by John Mackey performed by the University of North Texas Wind Ensemble.    • The Frozen Cathedral