There Is No Brain: Rethinking Neuroscience through a Nomadic Ontology. (June 2019)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Gruber, David R
• Is Part Of: Body & society. Volume 25:Number 2(2019)
• Page Start: 56
• Page End: 87
• Publication Date: 2019-06
• Subjects: Deleuze -- mind reading -- neuroscience -- nomadism -- ontology; Human body -- Social aspects -- Periodicals; 306.4613
• DOI: 10.1177/1357034X19838320
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1357-034X

Abstract

Building from recent attempts in the humanities and social sciences to conceive of creative, entangled ways of doing interdisciplinary work, I turn to Braidotti's 'nomadic ontology' to (re)vision the human body without a brain. Her exploration of the body as a 'threshold of transformations' is put into conversation with Deleuze's comments on neurobiology to consider what a brainless body might do, or undo, in neuroscientific practice. I ground discussion in a case study, detailing the practices of brain decoding or 'mind reading, ' re-interpreting Rose's account. Therein, I argue that the technical-social configurations of brain decoding are unlikely to usher in a radically new ontology, as Rose suggests. To better match Rose's vision and align with new ontologies in cultural theory, I argue that neuroscience must become nomadic and embrace a body without a brain. I then conclude with six recommendations towards a nomadic neuroscience.