Being a body. Sebastiano Timpanaro ontological monist materialism

This article examines Sebastiano Timpanaro’s materialistic approach. Particular at- tention is paid to the author’s effort to establish a strictly monistic materialism. Starting from his linguistic studies, Timpanaro formulates an original conception of materialism in direct opposition to the dominant tendencies of his time. Notably, he challenges the ideas of Marxist and structuralist circles. At the heart of his elabora- tion lies the concept of «passivity». This concept is employed to highlight the limits and constraints on human action and its autopoietic hypotheses. The first paragraph will provide a reconstruction of the context in which the main ideas of Timpanaro’s materialism are developed. The second paragraph will present the concept of «pas- sivity» in its essential traits. In particular, it will be analyzed how this concept is grounded in a radical rejection of any metaphysical conception of freedom. Finally, the article will connect the concepts of «passivity» and limitation with those of the bodies of human beings, aiming for a naturalistic conception of human mind, with particular attention to the linguistic implications of the whole process.