Foucault's Rantings.

transperson

Recently became interested in the controversal frenchman, and he is interesting, if nothing else! but let me propose a small discussion for anyone who has an opinion, however ill informed [not unlike myself :rolleyes: ]

Foucault succeeded in describing the world in a way that exposed the actual dymanics that shape society and ourselves as individuals.

if anyone has any thoughts on this or anything relating to Foucault, be it the cryptic manner is which he wrote or his use of concepts such as power or geneology, then let us know what you think!

DadaKopf

Foucault rocks! But... people usually attribute his theories of power etc. to his earlier work. Here, he presented power as some metaphysical monolithic force - all we can expect is greater and greater levels of oppression. Ironic for a post-modern philosopher who rejected universal metanarratives.

His later work was more nuanced and mature and extends his earlier theories of power (biopower etc.), filling in gaps and fixing problems that were in his earlier works. Power is more diffuse and as much a force for liberation as for oppression. His theory of governmentality and police I find extremely good at explaining contemporary power complexes as an outgrowth of human power relations. His view comes very close to Neo-Marxist and Neo-Pluralist writings of the day (1970s and 1980s).

His greatest contribution is to discourse analysis, which can be applied to anything. His idea is that the language we use actively makes the world, because language and knowledge are instruments we use to exert power over people in the form of truths. In the area I'm involved in at work, it's really important - it came up at a conference just a few hours ago!

In terms of my own political morality, his writings are important to me. Still, he's not the alpha and omega of philosophy, but Foucault is pretty damn rockin'!

What do you think?

DadaKopf

Bueller? Bueller? BUELLER???

bus77

Meh. I've been to hell and back with such things. Concepts and Revelations that would get be locked up in a mental home or alternativly get me shot, or maybe both.

DadaKopf

Guh?

simu

I haven't read that much Foucault... I read some of his History of Sexuality for one of my French courses and it was quite interesting and illuminating. It didn't seem all that cryptic, though!

DadaKopf

Theres' a good introduction to him: An Introduction to Foucault by Lois McNay (Polity).

transperson

"language and knowledge are instruments we use to exert power over people in the form of truths"

IMO definately the view that Foucault brought to the fore that is most important,

we can see it in everyday classrooms, lecture halls, work places, hospitals, prisons etcetc

a person with more knowledge than you has power over your, he uses this to make you do what he or the system he represents wants, eg stay in the hospital bed, not talk in class, do certain tasks, internalise certain ideas about the world whatever.

this person also forms a part of the greater systems that run our lives, the education systems, health systems, financial systems etc all the Governmental and Organisational Powers that characterise modern society.

all these use knowledge and language to shape our lives, shape how we act in everyday things, how we spend our money, what we think is true, right or wrong, what we think about the world and about ourselves.[ if you are educated by society in a certain way you will think that way, eg the world is flat, God exists, homosexuality is wrong ]


he did a good job of showing the contingency of the self, how we really are just a chance result of the processes that act upon shaping what we are, we are created persons, created subjects.

he seems to tear apart the misconceptions of everyday life and challenge us to resist the power imposed upon us by the institutions of society and the knowledge discourses that make us think as we do.
but resist in the name of what?
this is my problem what really is the alternative to science and the alternative to capitalist democracy, there seems to be no other option for us to turn to!

simu

transperson wrote:

he seems to tear apart the misconceptions of everyday life and challenge us to resist the power imposed upon us by the institutions of society and the knowledge discourses that make us think as we do.
but resist in the name of what?
this is my problem what really is the alternative to science and the alternative to capitalist democracy, there seems to be no other option for us to turn to!

Well, I got the impression from him that it was impossible to do away with power structures altogether (I mean, even if it's just two people stuck forever in a room together, knowing nothing about each other initially, some sort of power dynamic will emerge) but that's it's important for everyone to be aware of them and how they operate and be able to manipulate them.

Then again, it's a while since I read anything by him!

transperson

Well, I got the impression from him that it was impossible to do away with power structures altogether (I mean, even if it's just two people stuck forever in a room together, knowing nothing about each other initially, some sort of power dynamic will emerge) but that's it's important for everyone to be aware of them and how they operate and be able to manipulate them

.

i agree with what you say, for foucault we can never escape the grasp of these power relations but when the power structures within society are revealed as they are in foucaults work, you are left thinking that it is intolerable to have a society that functions in this way.
it has to change.
but the fact that we may be consious of our being controlled and manipulated does not change anything in fact it probably just makes it worse because now you know what is happening, before you were ignorant and could get on with it.
what you need is alternatives, and i cannot see many offered even by foucault.
he seems to disavow all norms and structures in society but does not seeks to replace them.