Alessandro Sarti (EHESS) — Séminaire International de Sémiotique à Paris (14/12/2022)

Value of the Information & Strength of the Argument

The value of the information lies in its originality and theoretical depth. Sarti effectively bridges mathematical concepts (differential calculus, dynamical systems) with philosophical concepts (Deleuze’s virtual, Ruyer’s epigenesis) to propose a non-substantialist account of form. The argumentation is coherent and well-structured, building a case for why morphogenesis should be seen as an ongoing actualization of differential potentials rather than a production of stable shapes. However, the argument is dense and at times relies on an assumed familiarity with Deleuzian vocabulary, which may limit accessibility. The speaker demonstrates a strong command of both formal and philosophical sources, and he supports his claims with references to Turing, Thom, and Deleuze, lending credibility to the presentation.

Scientific Rigor, Source Quality, Title Accuracy

The presentation is scientifically rigorous in its intellectual references and conceptual analysis. Sarti explicitly cites Turing, Thom, and Deleuze, and his arguments are grounded in established theories. However, no sources are given in the video description, and the transcription quality is low, making it difficult to verify every claim. The title accurately reflects the event, but the specific subtitle ‘La morphogenèse des mille plateaux’ effectively indicates the core theme. Overall, the video meets the standards of an academic seminar, though the lack of accessible references and the technical jargon may pose challenges for non-specialists.

The title accurately reflects the content: a semiotic seminar given by Alessandro Sarti, though the talk focuses more on the philosophical-mathematical concept of morphogenesis.

7/10

The speaker is a researcher at EHESS and the presentation is dense and informed by mathematical and philosophical literature. However, the automatic transcription is poor, which limits precise verification, and no peer-reviewed sources are directly provided.

Markers derived by PSI from the transcript: the creator did not define chapters.

• 00:00Introduction to the seminar and initial presentation by Maria Giulia Dondero.
• 05:00Sarti begins explaining morphogenesis and differential calculus.
• 10:00Discussion of Turing's chemical basis of morphogenesis and its philosophical implications.
• 25:00Exploration of the role of virtuality and intensive quantities in the emergence of forms.
• 1:00:00Sarti engages with questions about heterogenesis and semiotic applications.

• The Chemical Basis of Morphogenesis (Turing, 1952) — Sarti references Turing's work to illustrate the mathematical modeling of pattern formation.
• A Thousand Plateaus (Deleuze & Guattari, 1980) — The title of the talk directly draws from this book, and Sarti discusses its concept of multiplicity.
• Catastrophe Theory (René Thom) — Sarti mentions Thom's theory to discuss structural stability and morphogenesis.

• The Chemical Basis of Morphogenesis — Supports the mathematical modeling of pattern formation mentioned by Sarti.