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Work #396 · Early

Bodies That Matter

Judith Butler
1993 · English
Feminist-poststructuralist philosophy · Anglo-American poststructuralist feminism

Butler's 1993 elaboration of the performativity thesis — bodies and materiality

Attribute Fingerprint

Rows where works disagree are highlighted in gold. The full ontology grid is shown.

Attribute Bodies That Matter (Early)
Time · Extent Infinite
Time · Ontological Status Substantival
Time · Grain Continuous
Time · Freedom Non-Deterministic
Time · Traversability Linear
Time · Dimensionality One
Time · Direction Uni-directional
Space · Extent Infinite
Space · Ontological Status Substantival
Space · Curvature Flat
Space · Dimensionality Three
Space · Locality Local
Matter · Extent Infinite
Matter · Ontological Status Substantival
Matter · Conservation Conserved
Matter · Dimensionality Three
Matter · Locality Local
Observer · Time Instance Single
Observer · Space Instance Single
Observer · Knowledge Extent Partial
Observer · Knowledge Retainment Total
Observer · Physicality Embodied
Observer · Agency Both
Observer · Number Plural
Observer · Metaphysical Agency None
Observer · Moral Authority Constructed
Observer · Theological Method
Energy · Extent Infinite
Energy · Ontological Status Substantival
Energy · Conservation Conserved
Energy · Dispersibility Irreversible
Information · Ontological Status Substantival
Information · Cosmic Conservation Conserved
Information · Personal Conservation Conserved
Information · Granularity Continuous

Dimension-by-Dimension Evidence

What each work's passages reveal about its stance on each of the six dimensions.

Time

Bodies That Matter

The performative time of materialization.

Space

Bodies That Matter

The discursive-bodily space.

Matter

Bodies That Matter

Central — how matter comes to matter through normative practice.

Observer

Bodies That Matter

The materializing performative subject.

Energy

Bodies That Matter

Energies of normative citation and abjection.

Information

Bodies That Matter

Refined performativity-and-materiality framework.

Internal Tensions

Where each work's argument pulls against itself.

Bodies That Matter

Butler's refined performativity in continuing dialogue with new materialism and analytic philosophy of body.