Philosophy and thinking of Graham Harman

Graham Harman is an influential contemporary philosopher best known for his contributions to object-oriented ontology (OOO), a branch of speculative realism. His work engages with various philosophical traditions, including phenomenology, Heideggerian thought, and the speculative turn in philosophy. Here are some key themes and concepts that characterize Harman's thinking:

**Object-Oriented Ontology (OOO)**: Harman is one of the founding figures of OOO, which posits that objects—whether physical, social, or conceptual—exist independently of human perception. OOO seeks to shift focus from human-centered approaches to consider the agency and interactions of non-human entities. 

**The Withdrawal of Objects**: One of Harman's central claims is that objects "withdraw" from our direct apprehension; they retain aspects of themselves that are inaccessible to us. This idea is an attempt to navigate the limitations of human understanding and to acknowledge the reality of objects beyond their relations to humans.

**Relations Between Objects**: While Harman emphasizes the independence of objects, he also explores how they interact. He argues that objects relate to one another in ways that go beyond mere human interpretation, thus complicating traditional notions of causality and action.

**Phenomenology and Aesthetics**: Harman draws from phenomenology to emphasize the importance of experience and perception while arguing that this also applies to non-human objects. In his view, aesthetics plays a significant role in understanding how objects relate to each other and how they can affect one another in ways that are not solely defined by human experience.

**Heidegger and the Fourfold**: Harman engages with Martin Heidegger's notion of the "fourfold" (earth, sky, divinities, and mortals) to elucidate the interconnectedness of various entities. He sees this as a framework for discussing how objects exist in relation to one another.

**Critique of Correlationism**: Harman argues against correlationism—the philosophical stance that we can only know the relationship between thought and being, rather than being itself. By rejecting this view, Harman aims to reestablish the autonomy of objects and their independent realities.

**Influence of Other Thinkers**: Harman engages with a range of thinkers, including Alfred North Whitehead, Leopold von Sacher-Masoch, and various post-structuralists, reshaping their ideas within his OOO framework. 

**Cultural and Political Implications**: Harman’s philosophy has implications for understanding technology, ecology, and ethics, as it challenges anthropocentric views and encourages a re-examination of human relationships with the non-human world.

In summary, Graham Harman's philosophy invites a reevaluation of the role of objects in the world and promotes an understanding of reality that transcends human perception, thus fostering a richer dialogue about existence, agency, and the interconnectedness of all entities.