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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.