Mortality Reimagined: Going through Deleuze’s Encounter with Death
Open Theology February 2, 2025 Sariyar Murat
Deleuze's philosophy, known for affirming life, also offers a nuanced view of death as an integral process within life rather than a terminus. The ego is characterized as a metastable entity, inherently fragile and prone to disintegration, always already embedded in processes that dissolve fixed identities. This perspective is distinguished from spiritual traditions that emphasize ego dissolution, as Deleuze's framework is grounded in secular, intellectual engagement. However, Deleuze's focus on creating the new overlooks what he terms the 'first death'—mortality as an absolute end—and neglects possibilities like cosmic heat death. Engaging with his ideas encourages reexamining boundaries between life and death from an immanent standpoint, enriching traditional perspectives.