ColinJohnson

CountingNature

Allofacreaturesnaturalcapacitiesaredestinedtodevelopcompletelyandinconformitywiththeirend.
ImmanuelKant(1983:30)

Myargumentisthatwearecolonizedbycertainwaysofthinkingaboutrelationality.
EduardoKohn(2013:21)

In1993,thefirstofthemarrivedonmyfathersproperty.Theyescapednoticedthefirstfew
weeksbecausetheywouldventureoutonlyatnight.Ifoneroseearlyenoughinthemorning,youcould
seethemreturningtotheirhomeswithworms,trash,crawfish,twigs,insectsandeventheoccasional
snakebetweentheirbeaks.Theseblackcrownednightheronsslowlyovertookthesouthernsideofmy
fathersacreage,nestinghighatopeucalyptusandchinesepistachetrees.Inthespringof1995,their
populationswelledwiththeadditionoflargegroupsofbothgreatwhiteegretsandsnowyegrets.Within
afewyears,asignificantrookerynumberinginthehundredswouldarriveeveryMarchandleaveevery
Septemberastheleavesonthepistachechangedtoshadesofamberandcrimson.Theyalllefttogether
in2010,andneverreturnedinsimilarnumberslastyeartheydidntcomeatall.Whilehere,they
remainedbyvirtueofnumerouslegalcodes,amilieuthatwassuitedfortheirsizeandneeds,andthe
inactionofangentlemanwhocouldntbringhimselftodisplacethemdespitetheiroftnotednuisance.
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Thispaperisaboutbirds.Orrather,itconcernsthewaysinwhichotherthanhumanentities
suchasegrets,eucalyptus,andsentientmountainsareparsedacrossworlds.WhileIbeginatthe
borderlandsofthehithertobifurcatedrealmsofpoliticsandnatureaselicitedbyMarisoldelaCadena
(2010)inIndigenousCosmopoliticsintheAndes,Iaimtokeepsightofthebirds.WithCadenaI
1
Theideaforthispaperwasinstigated(amidstrereadingMarisoldelaCadenaspiece)whenIaskedmy
fatherwhenhethinksthebirdswillarrivethisyear.Oursomewhatwistfulconversationaboutthehistoryof
thebirdsonthepropertyandtheirnotedabsence,combinedwithmyreadingofCadenaandthinking
throughlandorbirdasequivocationformedtheimpetusformywriting.
1
arguethatthepossibilityofpoliticalactionisprefacedonaninitialexclusionofworldswhereinnatural
worldsloserecoursetothepoliticalstage.Thisbifurcationistwofold,becauseintheprocessof
delineationtheintermediariesofbigsScienceandcapitalpPoliticsaregrantedexclusiverightsof
representationtothenaturalandhumanworldsrespectively.Forthesnowyegrettooperateinthe
political,itmustbecarriedthroughaseriesofleapsandintermediariesbetweenworlds.Insodoing,
ecologicalzonesandcomplexrelationsmustbecondensedintodiscreteentities(orobjects)withina
containerofspace.Intryingtothinkwiththebirds,andalonglinesofmovementratherthanlocation,I
attempttopracticeCadenasviewoftheworldasmorethanonebutlessthantwo.(2010:351)

Whatgetstocount?
Tospeakofasplitbetweennatureandpoliticsistoalreadyassumefartoomuchagreement.
Whenwespeakofpoliticsarewemerelyreferencingthosethingsthatconcernthepublicoverthe
individual(i.e.political=communalorsocial)?Orsystemically,asgovernanceperformedacross
varioushistoricalformsandstructures(i.e.politics=feudalism,socialism,etc.)?Orperhapsamodeof
actionthatfavorsrhetoricalversusphysicaldebate(i.e.thepolitical=diplomatic)?Isthepolitical,with
Latour,theeverredrawncircleofbothwhatmattersandwhoitmattersto?(2013:338)Herewemight
beclosertosomething,becausewhilewearestilllocatedfirmlyintherealmofcountingandwho
counts,webegintolocatethepoliticalintheprocessofdrawingthecircleanew.Theproblem,
however,isthatwestillhaveoneworld,onecircle,onehomogeneousandhomogenizingspheredrawn
fromincommensuratebodies.Werestillfirmlywithintherealmofconsensus.Dissensus,orpoliticsas
arelationofdisagreementamongworlds,isonefinalconceptionofthepoliticalutilizedbydela
Cadena(2010:346).Thisdefinitionofthepolitical,garneredfromRancireisnotframedintermsofa
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conflictofopinion,butasagapinthesensibleitself.(Rancire,2010:38)Thatis,politicsisthe
renderingpresent/visible/tangiblethosedifferentworldsthatwereobfuscatedbyconsensus.The
problemisthatthisconceptionofpoliticsispreciselywhatislostinthedivisionofpoliticsandnature.
AusangateisthenameofmountainthatispartoftheAndesinthemoderndaynationstateof
Peru.Itisalsoapowerfulandsentientearthbeingthatonemustliveinrightrelationswithformanyin
theregionofCuzco.InMarisoldelaCadenasarticle,sheusestheequivocalunderstandingsof
Ausangatetoshowthemanyworldsthatconvergearoundaparticularentityinthisparticularregionof
theworld.Utilizingthisexampleandothers,shearguesthatthepracticeofindigenouspoliticsismore
thanameetingofdifferentperspectives,butariftintheverynatureofpoliticsasithascometobe
understood.(2010:35)Ausangateisnotonlyanexampleofpoliticsasdissensus,butafracturinginthe
logicthatsiftednaturefromtherealmofpoliticalpossibility.
Whatisthenatureofthissplitbetweennatureandhumanity,orbetweenscienceandpolitics?
Imnotbeingcheekyhere,thisquestionliesattheheartoftheproblemofrepresentingdifferentworlds
inpolitics.Thefreefloatingsignifiernaturecomplicatesthisdivisionbecauseitreferstonothingand
everythingalternately.Forthesakeofspecificityandbrevity,IwillrelyondelaCadenasanalysisof
thishistoricalmomentofparsingworlds,andthenattempttocomplicateheranalysis.UtilizingLatour,
ShapinandSchafer,delaCadenaarguesthattheseparationofscientificexperimentationfromthe
publicrealminthedebatebetweenHobbesandBoylecreatedmodernity.(2010:342)Thatis,the
publicrealmofthesocialwhereinhumansmoveandhavetheirbeingaspoliticalsubjectswasdivorced
fromthenaturalworldsofthingsorobjects.Howdidithappen?Whatwerethetechnologiesof
separationwhichmadethisinvisibleborderevident?Thekeyisfoundintheapparatusofrepresentation.
Essentialtothisseparationintorealmsofrepresentationisthestagingofthescientific
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experiment,inwhichattentionisfocusedononesetofdramatizedinscriptions.(Latour,1986:17)For
5yearsItaughtphysicalsciencetomiddleschoolstudents.Centraltoconductingasimpleexperiment
onelectrolysis(splittingwatermoleculesintotheiratomicparts)wastheparticularlyarranged
apparatusformedoutofelectricalwire,water,batteries,twoconductingrods(oftenleadpencils),anda
beaker.Mostoftheexperimenttimeonlabdayswouldbespentsettingupthecomponents,learning
howtoread/decipherwhatwasgoingon,andvisualizingtheexperimentpostfactowithsketches,
journals,andequations.Iwouldtypicallyincludeanelectrolyteaccelerant(NaCltablesalt)becauseit
producedanoticeabletraceofChlorinegaswhosesmellcouldbeusedtoindexwhatwashappeningin
theexperiment.WhatBoyledidinhisvacuumairpumpexperimentswasnotmagical,infact,itwasnot
sodifferentfromwhatIdidwithmystudents.Hearrangedhisuniqueapparatusinapreciseway,
performedittoanaudiencewhowereconditionedtoreaditcorrectly(Latour,1986),andmadetheact
ofwitnessingtothestuffoftheworldpassthroughaparticularsetofhabitsorprocedures.Inthecase
ofmyeighthgradescienceexperimentonthephenomenonofelectrolysis,thisistheequivalentof
arrivingattheequation:[2NaCl+2HO=2NaOH+Cl+H]asanobjectivestatementaboutthe
world.
ThestagingofBoylesexperiment,likeColumbuss(pre)colonialvoyagestodiscover(already
discovered)newworlds,wasequalpartexplorationandcreation.Whoorwhatwascreatedoneither
sideofthiscolonialequation?Onthatside,aworldthatcontainsobjectivetruthsifthewitness
proceedsthuslyonthissideapersonwhohasrestrictedaccesstoapeculiarworldtheynolonger
recognizeastheirown.Onecouldbeconnectedtotheworld,ifonecanmobilizethephysical
apparatusesofrepresentationtoolslikethemap,thewatch,thesextant,theairpump,etc.totrace
presence.Latourcalledthesealliesimmutablemobiles,or,invent[ed]objectswhichhavethe
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propertiesofbeingmobilebutalsoimmutable,presentable,readableandcombinablewithone
another.(1986:6,emphasisinoriginal)Thosetechnologies,simpleorcomplex,mustbeabletotravel
andreturnagainwhiletheirinscriptionsremainthesame.
Witnesses,however,donotremainthesame.Thosewhowishedtotravelalongexperimental
lineshadtobedisciplinedalongthelinesoftheirapparatuses.DonnaHarawayastutelyobservesthat
thiscordoningoffofscientificknowledgerequiredanewunderstandingoftheobserverwhosebody
doesnotgetinthewayoftheobjectiveinstrumentation.(1997:25)Thisnewman,ormodestwitness
neededtobeinvisible,sothathisabilitytoattesttoscientificphenomenaremainedpure.Alternately,
womenwhowerenotlistedaswitnessestoBoylesairpumporallowedtoparticipateintheRoyal
Societywerefirmlyplacedonthesideofobjectofvision,ratherthantheselfinvisiblesourceof
vision.(Haraway,1997:32)Withonefellswoopthosewholackaccesstotheequipmentof
objectificationalsoloseaccesstotheclaimofsubjectivity.
JosephWrights1768painting:AnExperimentonaBirdintheAirPumpcapturessomeofthis
genderingattheheartofscientificwitnessing.Inthecenterofatablestandsanairpumpapparatus,at
thetopofwhichisabulbousglasswhereinawhitecockatoosbodyrestsatthebottom.Theconductor
oftheexperimentstandspoised,readytoletairbackintothechamber,andyetglancingpastthefourth
wallintotheeyesoftheviewer.Arewecomplicitinthebirdsfate?Arewetojointhiscloudof
witnesses?Aconcernedchildgraspsheroldersisterorfriend,whohasrefusedtoviewtheevent,their
reactionsportrayingaconstitutionmuchtoofragileforthisimportantworkofvisualizing.Theirfather
beckonsattheglassglobewithonehand,whilecomfortingthegirlswhorefusetoacknowledgethe
birdsfate.Theonlyotherwomanpresentintheframeislookingawayfromthespectacle,intotheeyes
ofaloverorsuitorwhoseeyesseemtomeetboththatofhiscompanionandthebodyofthesuffocating
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bird.Atthecornersofthetable,thebodiesseemtocurvetowardtheviewer,andherewefindmenfit
forthetask.Ontheright,apensiveoldermanstaresintoavasecontainingeitheraskullorlungshoused
inanunknownliquid,behindwhichthecentrallightingofthepieceemanates.Ontheleftsitsayouth,
clearlyfascinatedbytheapparatus,andnexttohimwhatIcanonlyseeasHarawaysmodestwitness.
Hereisonewhositserectanddetermined,onehandplantedfirmlyuponhisthigh,theotheronthetable
holdingthatgreatapparatusoforderandobjectivity:thewatch.Eyesaffixedtotheexperiment,facein
anemotionlessprofile:heresitsthemodestwitnesstothenewworldofthings.
Idontwanttolosesightofthebirds.Inthiscase,itisthebirdthatssuffocatedforthesakeof
anewworld.Icanthelpbutseethereligiousimageryatplayhere:reminiscentoftheilluminatingglow
inaRembrandtpainting,butsubstitutingthecockatoofortheProdigalSon.Thecockatooisnotnative
toWrightsEngland,butAustralia,anditsrelativelyeasytoplacethebirdintheLatouriannarrativeof
immutablemobile.Isittoofarastretchtoseethebirdasfuelforthecycleofcolonialexpansion?In
otherwords,liketheprocessofrespiration,thecolonialadvancecanonlybecontinuedbybringing
backnewcollectablestobeplacedbackintotheengineofcapitalism.MimiShellertellsasimilarstory
aboutthecollectionsofSirHansSloane,adoctor,scientistandcollectorwhogreatlyexpandedthe
collectionoffloraandfaunaattheChelseaPhysicGardeninthelate17thandearly18thcenturies.
(2003:1522)WhileSloanerelieduponlocalknowledgestolocatevaluableplants,theywereremoved
fromtheirlocalmilieuanddisplacedtobecomeamajorresourceforthedevelopmentofEuropean
botany,medicine,andpharmacology.(2003:19)ThemovementofSloanesplantsisnotapolitical
acttoSloanewhooperatesintheworldofnatureandthenaturalist,butitcertainlyhaslonglasting
politicalreverberationsfortheindigenouspopulationsofhumans,flora,andfauna.
Imnotsurethatthecockatoocountsasascientificresourcesomuchasacommoditythat
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incidentallyacquiredsymbolic/aestheticvaluebyWrightspainting,butitsthewaytheseentitiesare
movedaroundthatinterestme.Shellersargumentthat,withthemobilityofsome,comesthe
productionoftheimmobilityofothers,(2003:30)isrelevantherebecausethemovementofthese
naturalizedbodiesofbirdsandplantsmustnowflowalongestablished(andestablishing)networksof
exploration,piracy,Christianmission,slavery,andcolonialexpansion.Sotheworldofnatureandthe
worldofthepoliticalareinsomesensedifferentwhilealsothesame.Movingbackintotheofficially
politicalismuchmoredifficultforthesenaturalizedbodies.Todothat,theymusttravelthroughthe
tenuouspassesoflegaldocuments.Therookeryofheronsandegretsonmyfathersfarmisan
interestingexample.Whentheegretsbegantojointheirheronbrethrenintheeucalyptusgrovesin
2005,itwasbecauseneighborstotheeastandwestwereusingairhorns,shotgunsfilledwithblanks,
andotherhomemadenoisemakerstodrivethemfromtheirtrees.AccordingtotheMigratoryBird
TreatyActof1918,anyattempttokillormoveamigratorybird,nestoreggisprohibited.Inorderto
circumventthelaw,multipleneighborspunctuatedtheirdayswithsonicattackstokeepthebirdsatbay,
andpreventthemfromestablishingnests.Nottolamentthelawsprotectionofthebirds,butitserves
tosiphonbirdpresenceinthepoliticalspherethusly.Theheronsandegretsonlybecomelegiblewithin
logicsofhunting,trading,development,andpopulationmaintenance.Inshort,thenaturalworldcanonly
participateinthepoliticalaccordingtonarrativesofresourcemanagementandalongtheroutesoflegal
enunciations.
WhogetstocountintheconfinesofBoylesscientificworld?Women?No,theylackthe
selfinvisibleconstitutionandinstitutionalaccessnecessarytocountorwitness.Infact,itwouldbe
almost300yearsbeforetheywereevenallowedentranceintothenewmonasteriesliketheRoyal
Society.(Haraway,1997:32)Whatabouttheindigenouspopulationswhocommuneddirectlywiththe
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beingsoftheearth?No,fortheirrepresentationsoftheworldwereneitherimmutablenormobile:they
lackedthespecializedinstrumentstorepresentandinscribetheworldanew. AsdelaCadenareminds
2
us,theIndianshadtodieinorderfortheMantobesaved(2010:347)thatis,thoseconsidered
primitiveaccordingthestandardofmodernprogresshadtopasscircuitouslythroughtechnologiesof
literacyandstatehoodinordertohaveaccesstoanypoliticalvoice.Oncethere,theycouldonly
conversewiththeearththroughthegatewayofscientificobjectivityandfromarepresentational
dislocation.AsentientmountainlikeAusangatelosesallrecoursetothepolitical,foritdoesntspeakto
theinstrumentsofscientificrepresentation.Therookeryofegretsandheronsmightbecounted,butonly
iftheycanbecarriedaspopulationornestingdataalongthetechnologiesofthelaw.Theycertainly
dontcountasentitiesorselvesinthecaseswheretheycountasindividuals(e.g.lawsprotecting
threatenedorendangeredspecies)theyreprotectedaccordingtoastandardofextinction. Whatis
3
madeintheseexclusionsofthesemanyearthbeings,isasingularworld,inhabitedbymanypeoples
(nowwecallthemcultures)moreorlessdistancedfromasingleNature.(delaCadena,2010:345)

TheNatureofNature
Nature,whichwehaveuntilnowneglected,isstillanunknowntermwhoseuseweneedto
criticallyinterrogate.Whatisthisnaturethatissofrequentlycited?Isitsynonymouswiththewild,or
wilderness,betrayingaclosenesstolandordisorderalternately?Thismightbeapossibleantithesisto
2
Thisisnotmeanttobecondescendingorarguethatindigenouspopulationshadnorealrelationshipwith
earthbeingslikeAusangate.Instead,Iamtryingtopointoutthattheirpracticeswereexcludedapriorifrom
theworldofthecolonizers.Theirtechniquesandrepresentationsbelongedtoadifferentworld,andforthat
reason,lackedlegibilityandportabilityinmodernlands.Inastrangerhetoricalmove,thisblindnessofthe
colonizerstootherworldsbecomesamarkoftheirsupremestandardsofvision.Herewefindtheviewof
manydifferentculturesasacontinuum:sincenatureisnowone,nonscientificinteractionswiththeearth
canbeplacedalongacultural(orcultured?)scalefrombelieftoreality.(2010:346)
3
ThiscanbeseenintheabilityofTheFishandWildlifeServicetocircumventspeciesprotectionlawsinthe
caseofclass:insectabyrenamingcertaininsectspestsinordertoeradicatethosedeemed,an
overwhelmingandoverridingrisktoman.(ESA,1973:2)
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thehuman,ifonecouldtracealineageoforderorcivilizationthroughhumanity.Isitthecharacteristic
ofathingthatisinherenttoitsconstitution,somethinglikeessenceorform?Orshouldweproceed
metaphysicallyandattempttolocatenatureviaanenscommunethatconnectsbodiesacrossspaceand
time?Onceagain,thisisatbestamaybe,andwewouldhavetodevelopeagenealogy,orbetter,a
taxonomytolocatevariousnaturesacrossandwithincapitalNnature.Wewouldhavetoproceed
throughrhetoricandanalogy,mostlikelyarrivingatacapitalBbeingthatIamalltoohappytoneglect.
4
Doesnatureimplyabody,thatis,isnaturetheinevitabilitiesoflivinginmeatformthatmustanswer
whennaturecalls?HerewemighthavesomethingakintoanunconsciousFreudiandriveorinstinct.
UsingStengers,delaCadenaarguesthatinarticulatingthemanydifferentworldsthatoccupynature,
whatisattheheartofnatureisthepreciselytheunknown:Increatingthisarticulation,indigenous
movementsmaymeetthose...alsocommittedtoadifferentpoliticsofnature,onethatincludes
disagreementonthedefinitionofnatureitself.(2010,346)
Torecovertheequivocation(delaCadena,2010:350)thatisattheheartofnaturewillmake
therecuperationofthetermdifficult.Ifsheisright,andpluralnatures,orworlds,havebeenmadeintoa
newsingularity:Nature,couldweaskwhatitspropertiesare?Now,delaCadenasargumentlosesme
abithere,becausenatureisallowedtomigratetorefertoavarietyofrealitieswhetherthatbeas
Pachamama,theworld,thewild,orasoneendofacontinuumoppositecivilizationinmodernity
(2010:335,342,344,344).InacertainsensesheexemplifiestheimpossibilityofasingleNature
withthesemanyuses,yetthedriftingqualityofthesignifierendsupconfusingwhathappenedtosplit
subjectandobject,orselfandmilieu.BystartingwithKant,Iwanttoarguethatitwasthemoderns
4
Asanaside,isntitinterestinghowecologiestendtoleadtoontologies?IfonebeginsintheDominican
scholasticismofThomasAquinas,isntitinevitablethatwearriveatanontologyofhylomorphism?Ormore
recentlywithobjectorientedontologythatseemstoemergefromtechnoscientificandcybernetic
ecologies?
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proximitytoanatureredefinedthatactuallyworkedtomakethepoliticalasingularentity.Sheneglects
Kant,Ithink,becauseaKantiannatureexcludessomethinglikeanindigenouscosmopoliticsapriori.I
amnotdivertingfromdelaCadenasreadofthesplitbetweenpoliticalandnatural,butnoticinghow
herroutethroughStengersleaveshermoreconcernedwiththerefuse(ratherthanthefalsehope)ofa
universalpolitics.
Auniversalhistoryisalmostthethesistoindigenouscosmopoliticsantithesis,exceptthat
StengersanddelaCadenaareinterestedinfracturingthedialecticlogic(2010:346).Iwilllimitmyself
toIdeaforaUniversalHistorywithaCosmopolitanIntent,somytreatmentofnatureinKantwillbe
largelycircumscribed. Kantsargumentproceedsalongaprogressivistaccountofhistory,wherein
5
mankindisseenastheapotheosisinthemachinationsofnature.(1983:2930)Liketheallseeingeye
thatcompletes,yetisseparatedfrom,thepyramidonthebackofthedollarbill,humanreasonisboth
removedfrom,andtheascendanceof,thelawsofnature.TheinherentproblemforKantishowone
canachieveauniversalcivilsocietyadministeredinaccordwiththeright[ofindividual
freedom].(1983:33,emphasesinoriginal)Thesolutiontotheantagonismofhumanslivingtogetheris
tracedbythephilosopherwhoexerciseshisreasonpublically.Inattemptingtoreadthethreadof
history,tolocatethoseimprovementsacrosstheages,weseenaturessupremeobjectivea
universalcosmopolitanstate,thewombinwhichallthehumanspeciesoriginalcapacitieswillbe
developed(1983:38,emphasisinoriginal)
Kantstextevidencestheproblemwehaveinheritedwithregardstonatureasitstandsinfora
varietyofrelatedconcepts:mechanisticlaw,instinct,inherentproperty/capacityofsomeoneor
something,andultimatelytrajectoryandprovidence.(1938:29,30,32,36,39)Theseterms,
5
Thatsaid,hedoesreferencenatureorsomederivative58timesinhisninethesesontheguidingthreadof
history,sowecanacquireasomewhatconsistentrenderingofthetermwithrespecttothiswork.
10
however,areinterrelatedtheyrelyonanunderstandingofawholethathasalreadyforeclosedthe
many. InthesixththesisthisisseenmostclearlywhereinKantarguesthathumansneedamasterin
6
ordertoguaranteethefreedomofthemany.Thelogicissomewhatcircular,butbymakingthe
representationofthecitizensingularinthecosmopolitanstate,(inmuchthesamewayasentitiesinthe
worldbecomeimmutablemobiles),thefreedomoftheindividualisguaranteed.Butalsolikethe
renderingofentitiesbythescientificworld,passingthroughthegatekeeperofcitizenshipinthenew
representationalpoliticsrendersallthesame.Kantdoeshintatthepossibilityofothernaturesorworlds
inaninconspicuousfootnote,butitsonlylocatableonacompletelyalienbody:
Howitmaybewiththeinhabitantsofotherplanetsandtheirnature,wedo
notknowItmayperhapsbethatamongthemeveryindividual
completelyfulfillshisdestinyduringhislifetime.Butitisotherwisewith
usonlythespeciescanhopeforthisfulfillment.(1983:34)
Kantisaproductofhistimeinthatmultipleworldscanonlybeconceivedofintheplanetary
sense.Whiletheabovefootnoteseemstoimplythatitspossibleforotherworldstoindeedexistout
there,itsdifficulttoimaginethatauniversalwouldnthavebeenextendedintotheuniverse.Infact,in
theintroductiontohistheses,heplaceshisworkinthelineofKeplerandNewton,whorespectively
subjectedtheeccentricpathsoftheplanetstodefinitelaws,andexplainedtheselawsbymeansofa
universalnaturalcause.(1983:30)Multiplehumanrelationstoamultitudeofworldshasindeedbeen
fracturedacrossBoyleandKant,foreclosingthemultipleworldsthatindigenouspracticeseventually
explodeindelaCadenaspiece.Butnature,atleastnatureinKant,isnottheantithesisofthehuman
buttheconnectivetissueunitingboththescientificwitnesstohisworldandthepoliticalsubjecttoher
6
IwastemptedheretodrawoutsomeofthereligiousthemesthatarecertainlypartofKantsmilieu,seeing
thesimilarityacrossthegatekeepersofrepresentationinpolitical,scientific,andreligiousmediations,but
itsjustnotinthispiece.Instead,Kantsrepeateduseofnatureslaws,capacities,orplans(theresonlyone
referenceeachtocreatororprovidence)aremuchmoreconcernedwithwhatwehaveversushowitgothere
andbywhosewillitcontinuestoexist.
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fellowcitizenry.Somethinglikesignificationitself,ortheaffinitybetweenrealityandthe
representationsofthatreality.
Likethebirdcaughtintheairpump,thehumanismobilizedintoapoliticalunitytowhichshe
defersherparticularrelationswiththemultitudetoarepresentationalmediumthatissingular.The
processisreflexive,becausetobeacitizen,onemustbeanindividual,locatableentitythatis,onemust
becomeapointofaddressforthestate.HerewehavethebeginningsofFoucaultsdisciplinedsociety,
asthepracticeofbothstatehoodandsubjecthoodisslowlyfilteredintothediscretelydelineatedand
managedbodiesofthecitizenry.Althoughevenbodyheremightbeamisnomer,becauseforFoucault
thedisciplinarysocietyworksnotuponthebodybutthesoul.(1995:29)Inthecontextofthepenal
reformintheseventeenthandeighteenthcenturiesFoucaulttracesthischangeintheaddressofpower
fromthebody,withtheritualplayofexcessivepains,spectacularbrandingsintheritualofpublic
execution,tothesoul,ormind,aplayofrepresentationsandsignscirculatingdiscreetlybutnecessarily
andevidentlyinthemindsofall.(1995:101)Herewehavethebeginningsofthesubject,whodoesnt
owetheirexistencetothesovereignwhocaneitherkillorletlive(Foucault,2003:241),buttothe
systemsofdisciplinethatrenderherlegibletothestateand,throughthestate,othersubjects.Shouldwe
readKantasonewhofavorstheuniversalovertheparticular,ormoregenerously,asonewhothinks
thesurvival(andsuccess)oftheparticularmeantitneededtobelocatedwithinauniversal/universalizing
script?(1983:33)IgnorantofaFoucauldian(ortechnological)formationofthedisciplinedand
discipliningcivilsociety,canheshouldertheblamefortheimplosionofworlds?Ordoeshisfaultlie
moreinconstructingnatureasaplaythatwearetheclimaxof(1983:39),aplaywhoseresolutionis
theactoflocatingcitizenryspatially?
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7
Idontwanttolosesightofthebirds,butthiscouldbeafunconversationwithLefebvre.Inaspatial
determinationofwherethecitizenis,webegintodeterminewhoheis.Thatis,weconnectaddressto
propertyovermovement,orthesingularbodyversusitsmultitudeofrelations,webegintorelyonthe
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Theheronsandegretsinmydadseucalyptustreeshaveasimilarlycomplicatedsystemof
addressthatmakesthemlocatableandlegibletothelawsofsociety.Onesuchexamplewasfound
whenIwasscrollingthroughtheDepartmentoftheInteriorsFederalRegisteronmigratorybirds:At
theFamilylevel,theArkeidae(heronsandegrets)andtheThreskiornithidae(ibisandspoonbills)were
movedfromtheCiconiiformestothePelecaniformesOrder(2013:65845)Inanefforttokeep
currentwithregardstotaxonomicandmigratorychanges,hugelists(thisdocumentis22pages)of
nameswerecompiledbytheFishandWildlifeServicetolocatebirdssuchasthosewhopopulatethis
paper.(2013:65844)Migrationandmovementmightbeessentialthenatureoftheegretsandherons,
buttheyonlygainpoliticalstatusthroughbeinglocatedasmigratorybirdsbythisdocument.Other
methodsoflocating,however,betrayasimilarreductionoftherelationaldowntothespatial.Ifour
neighborsweretolocatethebirds,theymightgivemyfathersaddress,orsaytheyreon________s
propertyalternately,ifmyfatherweretolocatethemhewouldnamethetree(e.g.chinesepistache,
eucalyptus,beefwood)andwhichgroupofbirds(e.g.greatwhite,snowy,blackcrowned)isnesting
there.Inordertorepresentwithinscience,ortoberepresentedbypolitics,weneedaname,an
address,apointofapplication.
Ifmyfatherweretotrytofollowthemovementofanegretintheskywithhisbinoculars,he
wouldhaveadifficulttimeknowingatangivenmomentpreciselywherethebirdwas.Theegretmight
passoverandthroughmultiplehumanproperties,perhapsevenstoppingorhuntingtherein,butthose
markersmeanverylittletohis/herworld.Theegretsmotionstestifytoadifferenceinkindbetweenthe
staticqualityoftheaddressandthedynamismoftheaddressee.TimIngoldbeginstointerrogatethis
subtlebutweightydifferencebetweenthelinesoftravelandthepointsoflocationthatwemightobserve
external,stabilizingcategoriesofspecies,raceandgendertohelpuslocatewhocounts/iscounted.The
constructionofpopulationinSocietyMustBeDefendedwouldbeonewaytoapproachthislineofflight.
13
inthebodiesofegretsinhisbookLines:ABriefHistory(2007).Thelineistracedthroughthe
movementofthebodyasthesleekgreybodyfliesinswoopsandcurvesthroughbluesky,forminga
differentpatternwitheachexcursionittakesalongtheairscurrents.Nowimagineasatellite
photographingthebirdevery3secondsasitmovesacrossthefieldofvision.Ifonelayeredtheimages,
anddrewlinesconnectingthefrozenbirdstogetheryoumightapproachabitofthedifferenceIngoldis
tryingtoexposebetweenlinesofwayfaringandpointsoftransport.Reducingtheintimateflowof
movementthatamigratorybirdhaswithitsworldintoapointoflocationallowss/hetobelinkedinto
networksoftransport.Transport,then,isdistinguishednotbytheemploymentofmechanicalmeans
butbythedissolutionoftheintimatebondthat,inwayfaring,coupleslocomotionandperception.
(2007:78)
Itisworthreiteratingthatneitherthesepoints,northelinesdrawnbetweenthemexistedbefore
ourmarkinganddelineatingthem.Theegretisonlylocatableupontheairstreamswhenfrozenand
transportedalongourlinesofrepresentation.Eventhebirdsnest,whichwemightlocateasapointin
themigratorybirdstravels,isclosertoIngoldsknotweavedoutoflinesofmovementthan
anythinglikeacontainerorpropertyborder.(2007:100)Thisisnottoinsinuatethattheegretslacka
senseofterritoryorground,butitisconnectedtotheirworld,notours.JakobvonUexkllmakesthe
observationthataneutralzoneisoftenimperceptibly(tous)drawnbetweenthenestingandhunting
spacesofraptors,sothatbetweenthosespacesyoungarefreetomovewithoutbeingperceivedas
food.(2010:105)Tobringthebirdintoourpoliticswehavetoreducethemtopointsthatcanbe
transportedthroughourworld.Oncelegibleourworld,thebirdscanbecategorizedandreadalong
Linnaeanlines,managedlikeotherresourcestomaintainhealthyrelationsofpopulationtoconsumption
levels,andmobilizedintooroutofourpoliticsasadiscretedataset.
14
Goingbeyondmobilization,weendupcollapsingthebirdsworldintoours,anderasingthe
complexrelationsthatalllifeexistthrough.Itshouldntcomeasasurprisethatseeingthebirdsworld
asaninferiorversionofoursisoftenaccompaniedbyamechanisticconceptionoflifeandtheliving.But
wetooconnectourworldsasyndetically,stringingtogetherdisparaterelationsinourlifetimes,and
assumingthatwesomehowpossessthecompletepicture.Howmightstartingwiththebirdscauseusto
lookdifferently?Ifnothingelse,itmightmaketheworldabitmoreequivocal.Inotherwords,by
acknowledgingthatothersarentjustimaginingadifferentworld(we,ofcourse,knowbetter)butare,in
fact,livingthatworld(delaCadena,2010:350),theotherbecomesaselfontheirownterms,
somethingthatcouldnthappenwhentheyhadtopassthroughourrepresentationsoftheworld.
Additionally,whatthispaperdidntexplore,ishowthinkingthroughtheirworldsmightprovidesolutions
forsomeoftheproblemsourscreated.Thisisanunfairpromiseattheendofapaperthatwasntquite
abletothinklikeabird.Duetotheambulationsinmywriting,andanattempttosynthesizeKantwitha
textthatneverinvokedhim(delaCadena),Iarrivedattwoincommensuratesides..Likenature,I
allowedbirdstofloatacrossthepaperabittoopromiscuously.Thatsaid,thepaperaroseoutoutofa
strangeconvergencebetweenmyreadingsofMarisoldelaCadenasIndigenousCosmopoliticsand
theconspicuousdisappearanceoftherookeryofbirdsfromthelandmyfathersharedwiththem.By
followingthoselines,itbrokewithsomeofmytypicalsubjectsandpatternsofthinking.ForthatIm
grateful.

15

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17