UPEI Philosophy Reading Group underway for 2026–2027 academic year
“Every man should be useful to his fellow man; but he becomes his enemy if nothing in him is above utility” — Bataille
The first meeting of the UPEI Philosophy Reading Group for the 2026–2027 academic year will take place on Wednesday, September 23, at 7 pm in the Lady Slipper Room, Charlottetown Library Learning Centre, 97 Queen Street, Charlottetown. The group meets monthly at various downtown locations and is open to faculty, staff, students, and members of the general public.
Philosophy is the most fundamental of all academic disciplines, concerned with the deepest questions about life, ourselves, and the world. This group is an invitation to think with some of today’s most intriguing thinkers—and with one another. No prior experience in philosophy is required--just an open mind and a willingness to experiment with ideas.
This year, the group will focus on Félix Guattari’s The Three Ecologies and Georges Bataille’s The Accursed Share, Volume I. Brief descriptions of the books appear below.
If you would like to be added to the mailing list for future meetings, please contact Dr. Max Schaefer at mschaefer@upei.ca.
The Three Ecologies:
Extending the definition of ecology to encompass social relations and human subjectivity as well as environmental concerns, The Three Ecologies argues that the ecological crises that threaten our planet are the direct result of the expansion of a new form of capitalism and that a new ecosophical approach must be found which respects the differences between all living systems. A powerful critique of capitalism and a manifesto for a new way of thinking, the book is also an ideal introduction to the work of one of Europe’s most radical thinkers.
The Accursed Share:
In this important work, Georges Bataille uses his novel economic theory as the basis for an incisive inquiry into the very nature of civilization. He introduces here his concept of the accursed share, the surplus energy that any system, natural or cultural, must expend; it is this expenditure, according to Bataille, that most clearly defines a society. His examples include sacrifice among the Aztecs, potlatch among the Northwest Coast Indians, military conquest in Islam, and Buddhist monasticism in Tibet.
In this way, Bataille proposes a theory of a “general economy” based on excess and exuberance that radically revises conventional economic models of scarcity and utility. A brilliant blend of economics and aesthetics, ethics and anthropology, The Accursed Share provides an excellent introduction to Bataille’s philosophic work. It will be of particular interest not only to readers of his fiction and essays but also to cultural theorists, anthropologists, and economists of all schools.
