stankovic, sasa thesis.pdf - Atrium - University of Guelph

Chapter 7: The ethics of becoming
The will to power
In Nietzsche and Philosophy Deleuze gives an interpretation of Nietzsche’s concept of force.
“Nietzsche emphasizes the fact that force has another force as its object. But it is important to see
that forces enter into relations with other forces” (NP 8). Deleuze does not think that forces exist
on their own. Instead, he argues that forces exist only in relation to bodies. Specifically, Deleuze
argues that the body is actually nothing other than the relationship of forces. “What is the body?
We do not define it by saying that it is a field of forces, a nutrient medium fought over by a
plurality of forces. For in fact there is ‘medium,’ no field of forces or battle. There is no quantity
of reality, all reality is already quantity of force. There are nothing but quantities of force in
mutual ‘relations of tension’” (NP 39-40). In this sense, just as there are no forces on their own,
there are also no bodies on their own. Instead, all bodies are always already relationships of
forces. In other words, the relationships of forces just are how bodies exist. “Up to now we have
presented things as if different forces struggled over and took possession of an almost inert
object. But the object itself is force, expression of a force. This is why more or less affinity
between the object and the force which takes possession of it. There is no object (phenomenon)
which is not already possessed since in itself it is not an appearance but the apparition of force”
(NP 6). However, it is not enough to say that the body is the relationship of forces. Deleuze
argues that the body is the relationship of forces that have determinate natures. Specifically,
Deleuze claims that the body is the relationship of forces where some forces are dominant and
other forces are dominated. “Every force is related to others and it either obeys or commands.
What defines a body is this relation between dominant and dominated forces. Every relationship
of forces constitutes a body – whether it is chemical, biological, social or political” (NP 40). In a
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