Sonic Intimacy: Voice, Species, Technics

by Dominic Pettman

Arguing that our ears are far too narrowly attuned to our own species, this book explores different types of voices, both natural and artificial, in the name of helping us to decipher the complex cacophony of an increasingly imperiled planet.

Genres: Philosophy, Music, Nonfiction, Theory, Cultural Studies

146 pages, Paperback

Published March 21, 2017

About the author

Dominic Pettman currently lives, works, learns and teaches in New York City. He is particularly interested in the ways in which "technology" influences our self-perceptions and cultural conversations.

Reviews

[nathan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Although this book is short, there are some potent ideas between its covers. Through readings of philosophical texts
in voice studies (Cavarero, Dolar, Nancy, etc.) and some creative case studies, Pettman explores the concept of voice. How do we decide who (or what) has a voice? Is voice a fundamentally human trait or can nonhuman entities have voices? While the text is theory-heavy, Pettman’s writing is stylish, thoughtful, and clear. I think the final chapter on the ecological voice (“vox mundi,” the voice of the world) is the strongest and offers a good foundation to think about voice & ecology in a way that doesn’t devolve into New Age-y mysticism, but allows for a conception of voice that isn’t beholden to liberal constructions of subjectivity.

[Deki Napolju · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very interesting read. While it doesn't always work and I did sometimes find it difficult to get swept up in the flow of this work, there is a lot packed between its covers. For me it has proved quite valuable in illuminating certain quotes from Thoreau, Nietzsche, DeLanda, Yourcenar and others. Pettman's writing style is also refreshingly gentle (at times) and innocently emphatic (at others).

[Cana McGhee · Rating 4 out of 5]

short little book that interprets big sources in voice studies (derrida, barthes, deleuze, dolar primarily), thru some interesting case studies (Her, the myth of orpheus, parrots, and more).