Becoming-Dinosaur: Towards a Morphology of Creative Involution
Journal
Altre Modernità
ISSN
2035-7680
Type
journal article
Date Issued
2021
Author(s)
Abstract
Palaeontologist Jack Horner, along with molecular biologists and other experts, has been working on building an animal that he calls "the Chickenosaurus." Horner's purpose is to reverse-evolve a bird into a non-avian theropod by intervening on the genome expression of a chick's embryo in ways that stimulate the formation of ancestral characteristics (activation of atavism). After a discussion of the project in its scientific detail, I offer a theoretical perspective on the topic that relies on concepts developed by Gilles Deleuze. In particular, I argue that the Chickenosaurus can be regarded as an eligible example of Deleuzian "becoming" and that it deserves philosophical attention in that it displays the "creative involution" through which novelty is produced.
Language
English (United States)
Keywords
Body without Organs
Gilles Deleuze
Jack Horner
palaeontology
theoretical biology
activation of atavism
Refereed
Yes
Publisher
Milano University Press
Number
26
Start page
217
End page
231
Subject(s)
Division(s)
File(s)![Thumbnail Image]()
Name
16807-Articolo-50291-1-10-20211128.pdf
Size
3.8 MB
Format
Adobe PDF
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