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Conceptual Figure

The notion of conceptual character was created by Gilles Deleuze. It refers to fictional characters, or semi-fictional, created by one or more authors to convey or ideas. Although originally a historical individual has possibly existed, it has been subsequently exploited by authors who have returned to their account. Michel Onfray , in his "Against the history of philosophy," routinely uses this concept.

Nevertheless, the conceptual character as Deleuze presents it corresponds to the mode of writing and essay writer. A conceptual figure is not always consciously constructed by the writer, is the tone it takes to write the way he leads his thesis. They allow, by their features (pathic, relational, dynamic, legal or existential). set the limits of the problem.

"" The characters, however, operate conceptual movements that describe the plane of immanence of the author, and are involved in the very creation of his concepts. Also, even when they are "distasteful", it is fully owned the plane that the philosopher considered trace and the concepts it creates: they score then the dangers inherent in this plan, misperceptions, bad feelings, or even negative movements that emerge and will themselves inspire original concepts whose character remains a priority repellent constituent of this philosophy. ""

- What is philosophy?

Thus, the notion of conceptual character is inseparable from that of the plane of immanence and the concept :

"" The concepts are not deduced from the plan, it must create conceptual figure for the plane. ""

- What is philosophy?

Deleuze even extends the concept to the image: The character concept is the image that we take when we talk "as".

"" The characters are the conceptual 'heteronymous' of the philosopher and the philosopher's name, the simple nickname of his characters. I'm not myself, but the ability of thought to see and develop through a plan that goes through me in several places. The conceptual figure has nothing to do with an abstract personification, symbol or allegory, as he lives, he insists. The philosopher is the conceptual idiosyncrasies of his characters. It is the destiny of the philosopher to become his or her conceptual characters, along with the characters themselves become something other than what they are historical, mythological or commonly (Plato's Socrates, the Dionysus of Nietzsche, the Idiot of Cusa). The conceptual figure is the future or about a philosophy that applies to the philosopher, so that Descartes' Cuse should sign or even "The Idiot", not least that Nietzsche "The Antichrist" and "Dionysus crucified." speech acts in life is reflected in a third person behind I mobilization orders as president, I speak as a father ... ""

- What is philosophy?

We can summarize this idea by Deleuze's formula: "Who is I? Is always a third person. "(What is Philosophy?).