On the Uses and Disadvantages of Geology for Life

I attended this lecture yesterday at the University of Oregon. Coincidentally enough, I have just started reading Nietzsche's second Untimely Meditation or Unfashionable Observation from which David Wood got his title: "On the Utility and Liability of History" in the Stanford translation, but also known in English as "On the Uses and Disadvantages of History for Life".

First, I want to say: Wood is steeped in contemporary Continental, particularly French, philosophy, and yet (despite that!) is a perfectly clear and comprehensible speaker. For that reason alone, I'm going to take a look at his books.

The gist of his talk was the promotion of "geological" thinking as a response to current environmental crises. While Wood looked analytically at such geological thinking--for instance, categorizing it into monumental, antiquarian, and critical variants as Nietzsche does for history--it does seem that Wood is more "pro" geology whereas Nietzsche was more "con" history. Wood did touch on the potentially oppressive and debilitating weight of geological consciousness, impeding action on environmental issues and much else. I believe that Wood felt himself to be offering a bit of an answer to such debilitation, but I also feel that I did not come away with one.

I don't know that "geology" was the most felicitous word to talk about a consciousness beyond the anthropometric. Also, a question I might have raised were there more time at the end: how to justify a focus on value at the level of the planetary? In opposition notably to that which is smaller: one's self, the nation, etc.  But also in opposition to that which is much larger: the cosmic. In view of the vastness of the universe, the fate of planet earth and its life seem to fade into true insignificance. This is a core question for Wood to address. Perhaps by making the case that there is (aesthetic?) value at each of these levels? He did mention the work of Delanda; it sounds like Delanda devalues the geologic from a cosmic perspective.

Overall, this lecture of just over an hour appeared to be a taste of a project in an early stage. I like Wood's style, his topics, and how he uses the thinkers he draws upon.