Tonight: Tausk on the Influencing Machine

3 Feb

This Spring, the Pittsburgh Continental Philosophy Reading Group will tackle the feedback loops, self-reference, and nomadic turns of cybernetics.

Up Next: Feb. 3 – Tausk, Victor. (1919). “On the origin of the ‘influencing machine’ in schizophrenia.”

Pdfs of the readings can be found: HERE

Please bring a copy (digital or paper) copy of the reading with you to the meeting.

Location: Yinz Coffee in Bloomfield (Liberty Ave), most Tuesday evenings 6:30-8:30pm.

SCHEDULE:

  • Feb. 3 – Tausk, Victor. (1919). “On the origin of the ‘influencing machine’ in schizophrenia.”
  • Feb 10 – Wiener, Norbert. (1950). “What is Cybernetics” in The Human Use of Human Beings;  and Rosenblueth, Arturo, Norbert Wiener, and Julian Bigelow. (1943). “Behavior, Purpose and Teleology”
  • Feb. 17 – Shannon, Claude. (1948). “A mathematical theory of communication”; and McCulloch, Warren, and Walter Pitts, “A Logical Calculus of the Ideas Immanent in Nervous Activity.”
  • Feb. 24 – Canguilhem, Georges. (1947). “Machine and organism.”
  • Mar. 3 – Simondon, Gilbert. (1953). “Epistemology of Cybernetics.”
  • Mar. 10 – Tzannes, Nicolaos. (1968). “The concept of ‘meaning’ in information theory.”
  • Mar 17 – Lilly, John C. (1968). Programming and metaprogramming in the human biocomputer (excerpt).
  • Mar. 24 – Maturana & Varela. (1970). The Tree of Knowledge (excerpt).
  • Mar. 31 – Brown, George Spencer. (1969) Laws of Form (excerpt); and Dible, Randy. (2025), “Ontopoiesis, Autopoiesis, and a Calculus Intended for Self-Reference”
  • Apr. 7 – Bateson, Gregory. (1972). “Form, Substance, and Difference” in Steps to an Ecology of Mind.
  • Apr. 14 – Deleuze, Gilles. (1980) A Thousand Plateaus (excerpt); and Pickering, Andrew. (2009). “Cybernetics as a nomad science.”
  • Apr. 21 – Wynter, Sylvia. (1984). “The Ceremony Must Be Found: After Humanism”; and optional Vizcaíno, Rafael. (2022). “Sylvia Wynter’s New Science of the Word and the Autopoetics of the Flesh.” 
  • Apr. 28 – von Foerster, Heinz. (2003). Understanding Understanding (excerpts).
  • May 5 – Carstens, Delphi. (2009). “Introduction to Hypersition: An Interview.”; and CCRU. (2015). “Part 2: The Cthulhu Club” in Writings 1997-2003.
  • May 12 – Lovink, Geert. (2019). “On Recursivity and Contingency: Interview with Yuk Hui.”

Pdfs of the readings can be found: HERE

Next Week: Tausk on the “Influencing Machine”

28 Jan

This Spring, the Pittsburgh Continental Philosophy Reading Group will tackle the feedback loops, self-reference, and nomadic turns of cybernetics.

Up Next: Feb. 3 – Tausk, Victor. (1919). “On the origin of the ‘influencing machine’ in schizophrenia.”

Pdfs of the readings can be found: HERE

Please bring a copy (digital or paper) copy of the reading with you to the meeting.

Location: Yinz Coffee in Bloomfield (Liberty Ave), most Tuesday evenings 6:30-8:30pm.

SCHEDULE:

  • Feb. 3 – Tausk, Victor. (1919). “On the origin of the ‘influencing machine’ in schizophrenia.”
  • Feb 10 – Wiener, Norbert. (1950). “What is Cybernetics” in The Human Use of Human Beings;  and Rosenblueth, Arturo, Norbert Wiener, and Julian Bigelow. (1943). “Behavior, Purpose and Teleology”
  • Feb. 17 – Shannon, Claude. (1948). “A mathematical theory of communication”; and McCulloch, Warren, and Walter Pitts, “A Logical Calculus of the Ideas Immanent in Nervous Activity.”
  • Feb. 24 – Canguilhem, Georges. (1947). “Machine and organism.”
  • Mar. 3 – Simondon, Gilbert. (1953). “Epistemology of Cybernetics.”
  • Mar. 10 – Tzannes, Nicolaos. (1968). “The concept of ‘meaning’ in information theory.”
  • Mar 17 – Lilly, John C. (1968). Programming and metaprogramming in the human biocomputer (excerpt).
  • Mar. 24 – Maturana & Varela. (1970). The Tree of Knowledge (excerpt).
  • Mar. 31 – Brown, George Spencer. (1969) Laws of Form (excerpt); and Dible, Randy. (2025), “Ontopoiesis, Autopoiesis, and a Calculus Intended for Self-Reference”
  • Apr. 7 – Bateson, Gregory. (1972). “Form, Substance, and Difference” in Steps to an Ecology of Mind.
  • Apr. 14 – Deleuze, Gilles. (1980) A Thousand Plateaus (excerpt); and Pickering, Andrew. (2009). “Cybernetics as a nomad science.”
  • Apr. 21 – Wynter, Sylvia. (1984). “The Ceremony Must Be Found: After Humanism”; and optional Vizcaíno, Rafael. (2022). “Sylvia Wynter’s New Science of the Word and the Autopoetics of the Flesh.” 
  • Apr. 28 – von Foerster, Heinz. (2003). Understanding Understanding (excerpts).
  • May 5 – Carstens, Delphi. (2009). “Introduction to Hypersition: An Interview.”; and CCRU. (2015). “Part 2: The Cthulhu Club” in Writings 1997-2003.
  • May 12 – Lovink, Geert. (2019). “On Recursivity and Contingency: Interview with Yuk Hui.”

Pdfs of the readings can be found: HERE

Next Week: Foucault on Self-Control

5 Dec

According to the American philosopher Alfred North Whitehead, all philosophy is but “footnotes to Plato.” This Summer and Fall, the Pittsburgh Continental Philosophy Reading Group will pour through these footnotes, examining the reception of Plato within Continental Philosophy.

Up Next: 12/09 – Foucault, Michel. The Use of Pleasure: The History of Sexuality Volume 2, “Enkrateia” and “Freedom of Truth”

Pdfs of the readings can be found: HERE

Please bring a copy (digital or paper) copy of the reading with you to the meeting.

Location: Yinz Coffee in Bloomfield (Liberty Ave), most Tuesday evenings 6:30-8:30pm.

SCHEDULE:

  • 08/12 – Plato. Phaedo.
  • 08/19 – Adorno, Theodor. Metaphysics: Concepts and Problems, “Lecture 4.”
  • 08/26 – Plato. Phaedrus.
  • 09/02 – Derrida, Jacques. Plato’s Pharmacy, “Pharmacia” and “The Father of Logos.”
  • 09/09 – Plato. Republic, Book VI.
  • 09/16 – Levinas, Emmanuel. Totality and Infinity, “Metaphysics and Transcendence” and “Separation and Discourse.”
  • 09/23 – Plato. Republic, Book VII.
  • 09/30 – Heidegger, Martin. “Plato’s Doctrine of Truth”
  • 10/07 – Irigaray, Luce. “Plato’s Hystera”
  • 10/14 – Plato. Symposium.
  • 10/21 – Cavarero, Adriana. In Spite of Plato, “Diotima”
  • 10/28 – Plato. Parmenides.
  • 11/04 – Badiou, Alain. Being and Event, Meditations 1-3. 
  • 11/11 – Plato. The Sophist.
  • 11/18 – Gadamer, Hans Georg. Truth and Method, “Analysis of historically effected consciousness.”
  • 11/25 – No Meeting
  • 12/02 – Plato. Laws, Book I.
  • 12/09 – Foucault, Michel. The Use of Pleasure: The History of Sexuality Volume 2, “Enkrateia” and “Freedom of Truth”

Pdfs of the readings can be found: HERE

Tonight: Plato’s Laws

2 Dec

According to the American philosopher Alfred North Whitehead, all philosophy is but “footnotes to Plato.” This Summer and Fall, the Pittsburgh Continental Philosophy Reading Group will pour through these footnotes, examining the reception of Plato within Continental Philosophy.

Up Next: 12/02 – Plato. Laws, Book I.

Pdfs of the readings can be found: HERE

Please bring a copy (digital or paper) copy of the reading with you to the meeting.

Location: Yinz Coffee in Bloomfield (Liberty Ave), most Tuesday evenings 6:30-8:30pm.

SCHEDULE:

  • 08/12 – Plato. Phaedo.
  • 08/19 – Adorno, Theodor. Metaphysics: Concepts and Problems, “Lecture 4.”
  • 08/26 – Plato. Phaedrus.
  • 09/02 – Derrida, Jacques. Plato’s Pharmacy, “Pharmacia” and “The Father of Logos.”
  • 09/09 – Plato. Republic, Book VI.
  • 09/16 – Levinas, Emmanuel. Totality and Infinity, “Metaphysics and Transcendence” and “Separation and Discourse.”
  • 09/23 – Plato. Republic, Book VII.
  • 09/30 – Heidegger, Martin. “Plato’s Doctrine of Truth”
  • 10/07 – Irigaray, Luce. “Plato’s Hystera”
  • 10/14 – Plato. Symposium.
  • 10/21 – Cavarero, Adriana. In Spite of Plato, “Diotima”
  • 10/28 – Plato. Parmenides.
  • 11/04 – Badiou, Alain. Being and Event, Meditations 1-3. 
  • 11/11 – Plato. The Sophist.
  • 11/18 – Gadamer, Hans Georg. Truth and Method, “Analysis of historically effected consciousness.”
  • 11/25 – No Meeting
  • 12/02 – Plato. Laws, Book I.
  • 12/09 – Foucault, Michel. The Use of Pleasure: The History of Sexuality Volume 2, “Enkrateia” and “Freedom of Truth”

Pdfs of the readings can be found: HERE

Next Week: Plato on Politics

28 Nov

According to the American philosopher Alfred North Whitehead, all philosophy is but “footnotes to Plato.” This Summer and Fall, the Pittsburgh Continental Philosophy Reading Group will pour through these footnotes, examining the reception of Plato within Continental Philosophy.

Up Next: 12/02 – Plato. Laws, Book I.

Pdfs of the readings can be found: HERE

Please bring a copy (digital or paper) copy of the reading with you to the meeting.

Location: Yinz Coffee in Bloomfield (Liberty Ave), most Tuesday evenings 6:30-8:30pm.

SCHEDULE:

  • 08/12 – Plato. Phaedo.
  • 08/19 – Adorno, Theodor. Metaphysics: Concepts and Problems, “Lecture 4.”
  • 08/26 – Plato. Phaedrus.
  • 09/02 – Derrida, Jacques. Plato’s Pharmacy, “Pharmacia” and “The Father of Logos.”
  • 09/09 – Plato. Republic, Book VI.
  • 09/16 – Levinas, Emmanuel. Totality and Infinity, “Metaphysics and Transcendence” and “Separation and Discourse.”
  • 09/23 – Plato. Republic, Book VII.
  • 09/30 – Heidegger, Martin. “Plato’s Doctrine of Truth”
  • 10/07 – Irigaray, Luce. “Plato’s Hystera”
  • 10/14 – Plato. Symposium.
  • 10/21 – Cavarero, Adriana. In Spite of Plato, “Diotima”
  • 10/28 – Plato. Parmenides.
  • 11/04 – Badiou, Alain. Being and Event, Meditations 1-3. 
  • 11/11 – Plato. The Sophist.
  • 11/18 – Gadamer, Hans Georg. Truth and Method, “Analysis of historically effected consciousness.”
  • 11/25 – No Meeting
  • 12/02 – Plato. Laws, Book I.
  • 12/09 – Foucault, Michel. The Use of Pleasure: The History of Sexuality Volume 2, “Enkrateia” and “Freedom of Truth”

Pdfs of the readings can be found: HERE

Tonight: Gadamer on History

18 Nov

According to the American philosopher Alfred North Whitehead, all philosophy is but “footnotes to Plato.” This Summer and Fall, the Pittsburgh Continental Philosophy Reading Group will pour through these footnotes, examining the reception of Plato within Continental Philosophy.

Up Next: 11/18 – Gadamer, Hans Georg. Truth and Method, “Analysis of historically effected consciousness.”

Pdfs of the readings can be found: HERE

Please bring a copy (digital or paper) copy of the reading with you to the meeting.

Location: Yinz Coffee in Bloomfield (Liberty Ave), most Tuesday evenings 6:30-8:30pm.

SCHEDULE:

  • 08/12 – Plato. Phaedo.
  • 08/19 – Adorno, Theodor. Metaphysics: Concepts and Problems, “Lecture 4.”
  • 08/26 – Plato. Phaedrus.
  • 09/02 – Derrida, Jacques. Plato’s Pharmacy, “Pharmacia” and “The Father of Logos.”
  • 09/09 – Plato. Republic, Book VI.
  • 09/16 – Levinas, Emmanuel. Totality and Infinity, “Metaphysics and Transcendence” and “Separation and Discourse.”
  • 09/23 – Plato. Republic, Book VII.
  • 09/30 – Heidegger, Martin. “Plato’s Doctrine of Truth”
  • 10/07 – Irigaray, Luce. “Plato’s Hystera”
  • 10/14 – Plato. Symposium.
  • 10/21 – Cavarero, Adriana. In Spite of Plato, “Diotima”
  • 10/28 – Plato. Parmenides.
  • 11/04 – Badiou, Alain. Being and Event, Meditations 1-3. 
  • 11/11 – Plato. The Sophist.
  • 11/18 – Gadamer, Hans Georg. Truth and Method, “Analysis of historically effected consciousness.”
  • 11/25 – No Meeting
  • 12/02 – Plato. Laws, Book I.
  • 12/09 – Foucault, Michel. The Use of Pleasure: The History of Sexuality Volume 2, “Enkrateia” and “Freedom of Truth”

Pdfs of the readings can be found: HERE

Next Week: Gadamer on History

14 Nov

According to the American philosopher Alfred North Whitehead, all philosophy is but “footnotes to Plato.” This Summer and Fall, the Pittsburgh Continental Philosophy Reading Group will pour through these footnotes, examining the reception of Plato within Continental Philosophy.

Up Next: 11/18 – Gadamer, Hans Georg. Truth and Method, “Analysis of historically effected consciousness.”

Pdfs of the readings can be found: HERE

Please bring a copy (digital or paper) copy of the reading with you to the meeting.

Location: Yinz Coffee in Bloomfield (Liberty Ave), most Tuesday evenings 6:30-8:30pm.

SCHEDULE:

  • 08/12 – Plato. Phaedo.
  • 08/19 – Adorno, Theodor. Metaphysics: Concepts and Problems, “Lecture 4.”
  • 08/26 – Plato. Phaedrus.
  • 09/02 – Derrida, Jacques. Plato’s Pharmacy, “Pharmacia” and “The Father of Logos.”
  • 09/09 – Plato. Republic, Book VI.
  • 09/16 – Levinas, Emmanuel. Totality and Infinity, “Metaphysics and Transcendence” and “Separation and Discourse.”
  • 09/23 – Plato. Republic, Book VII.
  • 09/30 – Heidegger, Martin. “Plato’s Doctrine of Truth”
  • 10/07 – Irigaray, Luce. “Plato’s Hystera”
  • 10/14 – Plato. Symposium.
  • 10/21 – Cavarero, Adriana. In Spite of Plato, “Diotima”
  • 10/28 – Plato. Parmenides.
  • 11/04 – Badiou, Alain. Being and Event, Meditations 1-3. 
  • 11/11 – Plato. The Sophist.
  • 11/18 – Gadamer, Hans Georg. Truth and Method, “Analysis of historically effected consciousness.”
  • 11/25 – No Meeting
  • 12/02 – Plato. Laws, Book I.
  • 12/09 – Foucault, Michel. The Use of Pleasure: The History of Sexuality Volume 2, “Enkrateia” and “Freedom of Truth”

Pdfs of the readings can be found: HERE

Tonight: Plato on Being and Nonbeing

11 Nov

According to the American philosopher Alfred North Whitehead, all philosophy is but “footnotes to Plato.” This Summer and Fall, the Pittsburgh Continental Philosophy Reading Group will pour through these footnotes, examining the reception of Plato within Continental Philosophy.

Up Next: 11/11 – Plato. The Sophist.

Pdfs of the readings can be found: HERE

Please bring a copy (digital or paper) copy of the reading with you to the meeting.

Location: Yinz Coffee in Bloomfield (Liberty Ave), most Tuesday evenings 6:30-8:30pm.

SCHEDULE:

  • 08/12 – Plato. Phaedo.
  • 08/19 – Adorno, Theodor. Metaphysics: Concepts and Problems, “Lecture 4.”
  • 08/26 – Plato. Phaedrus.
  • 09/02 – Derrida, Jacques. Plato’s Pharmacy, “Pharmacia” and “The Father of Logos.”
  • 09/09 – Plato. Republic, Book VI.
  • 09/16 – Levinas, Emmanuel. Totality and Infinity, “Metaphysics and Transcendence” and “Separation and Discourse.”
  • 09/23 – Plato. Republic, Book VII.
  • 09/30 – Heidegger, Martin. “Plato’s Doctrine of Truth”
  • 10/07 – Irigaray, Luce. “Plato’s Hystera”
  • 10/14 – Plato. Symposium.
  • 10/21 – Cavarero, Adriana. In Spite of Plato, “Diotima”
  • 10/28 – Plato. Parmenides.
  • 11/04 – Badiou, Alain. Being and Event, Meditations 1-3. 
  • 11/11 – Plato. The Sophist.
  • 11/18 – Gadamer, Hans Georg. Truth and Method, “Analysis of historically effected consciousness.”
  • 11/25 – No Meeting
  • 12/02 – Plato. Laws, Book I.
  • 12/09 – Foucault, Michel. The Use of Pleasure: The History of Sexuality Volume 2, “Enkrateia” and “Freedom of Truth”

Pdfs of the readings can be found: HERE

Next Week: Plato on Being and Nonbeing

7 Nov

According to the American philosopher Alfred North Whitehead, all philosophy is but “footnotes to Plato.” This Summer and Fall, the Pittsburgh Continental Philosophy Reading Group will pour through these footnotes, examining the reception of Plato within Continental Philosophy.

Up Next: 11/11 – Plato. The Sophist.

Pdfs of the readings can be found: HERE

Please bring a copy (digital or paper) copy of the reading with you to the meeting.

Location: Yinz Coffee in Bloomfield (Liberty Ave), most Tuesday evenings 6:30-8:30pm.

SCHEDULE:

  • 08/12 – Plato. Phaedo.
  • 08/19 – Adorno, Theodor. Metaphysics: Concepts and Problems, “Lecture 4.”
  • 08/26 – Plato. Phaedrus.
  • 09/02 – Derrida, Jacques. Plato’s Pharmacy, “Pharmacia” and “The Father of Logos.”
  • 09/09 – Plato. Republic, Book VI.
  • 09/16 – Levinas, Emmanuel. Totality and Infinity, “Metaphysics and Transcendence” and “Separation and Discourse.”
  • 09/23 – Plato. Republic, Book VII.
  • 09/30 – Heidegger, Martin. “Plato’s Doctrine of Truth”
  • 10/07 – Irigaray, Luce. “Plato’s Hystera”
  • 10/14 – Plato. Symposium.
  • 10/21 – Cavarero, Adriana. In Spite of Plato, “Diotima”
  • 10/28 – Plato. Parmenides.
  • 11/04 – Badiou, Alain. Being and Event, Meditations 1-3. 
  • 11/11 – Plato. The Sophist.
  • 11/18 – Gadamer, Hans Georg. Truth and Method, “Analysis of historically effected consciousness.”
  • 11/25 – No Meeting
  • 12/02 – Plato. Laws, Book I.
  • 12/09 – Foucault, Michel. The Use of Pleasure: The History of Sexuality Volume 2, “Enkrateia” and “Freedom of Truth”

Pdfs of the readings can be found: HERE

Tonight: Badiou on the One and the Many

4 Nov

According to the American philosopher Alfred North Whitehead, all philosophy is but “footnotes to Plato.” This Summer and Fall, the Pittsburgh Continental Philosophy Reading Group will pour through these footnotes, examining the reception of Plato within Continental Philosophy.

Up Next: 11/04 – Badiou, Alain. Being and Event, Meditations 1-3. 

Pdfs of the readings can be found: HERE

Please bring a copy (digital or paper) copy of the reading with you to the meeting.

Location: Yinz Coffee in Bloomfield (Liberty Ave), most Tuesday evenings 6:30-8:30pm.

SCHEDULE:

  • 08/12 – Plato. Phaedo.
  • 08/19 – Adorno, Theodor. Metaphysics: Concepts and Problems, “Lecture 4.”
  • 08/26 – Plato. Phaedrus.
  • 09/02 – Derrida, Jacques. Plato’s Pharmacy, “Pharmacia” and “The Father of Logos.”
  • 09/09 – Plato. Republic, Book VI.
  • 09/16 – Levinas, Emmanuel. Totality and Infinity, “Metaphysics and Transcendence” and “Separation and Discourse.”
  • 09/23 – Plato. Republic, Book VII.
  • 09/30 – Heidegger, Martin. “Plato’s Doctrine of Truth”
  • 10/07 – Irigaray, Luce. “Plato’s Hystera”
  • 10/14 – Plato. Symposium.
  • 10/21 – Cavarero, Adriana. In Spite of Plato, “Diotima”
  • 10/28 – Plato. Parmenides.
  • 11/04 – Badiou, Alain. Being and Event, Meditations 1-3. 
  • 11/11 – Plato. The Sophist.
  • 11/18 – Gadamer, Hans Georg. Truth and Method, “Analysis of historically effected consciousness.”
  • 11/25 – No Meeting
  • 12/02 – Plato. Laws, Book I.
  • 12/09 – Foucault, Michel. The Use of Pleasure: The History of Sexuality Volume 2, “Enkrateia” and “Freedom of Truth”

Pdfs of the readings can be found: HERE

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