Abstract

This chapter is the first episode of a three-part essay that explores the concept of the animal as an ontological question. This essay delves deeply into the multifaceted animality concept, extending beyond biological and animalistic perspectives. It explores the category of animality from an ontological standpoint considering how it affects the idea of the human condition. The chapter offers a nuanced exploration of the role of space, particularly in urban settings, in shaping the existence of animals as a condition of possibility for the animal. The essay challenges the traditional view of animality as a mere boundary for human domination. Instead, it approaches it as a complex historical, epistemic, and discursive circumstance rather than a static biological entity. The essay enquires into an in-depth analysis of the impact of the ongoing debates on animality, shedding light on how it is currently perceived. In essence, the essay argues that the animal category can only be understood by considering the circumstances of its coming into being. This essay comprehensively examines animality and considers its intricate intersection with ontology, territory, ethology, anthropology, and subjectivity.