ipl-logo

Foucault The Order Of Things Summary

846 Words4 Pages

1
Book review
Foucault, Michel.(1970) The Order of Things: An Archaeology of the Human Sciences,
Pantheon Books.
Michael Foucault (1926-1984) was a French philosopher. He was professor at desk
College de France, which he named as History of the system of the thought. His works had huge influence on human and social science in the second half of the 20th century. His work is related to the disciplines: philosophy of history, cultural study, sociology, education, theory of the literature, etc. He is famous as a critic of social institutions, mostly psychiatry, medicine and prison system, as well for his ideas about history of sexuality.
His general theories concerns relations between power, as well as between knowledge and power, and also ideas …show more content…

He did not accepted even to be classified as postmodernist, saying that he would rather discuss about definition of modernism. In this book Foucault does not apply structural methods, developing problematically and speculative his thought round basic problems of structuralism. Between him and Claude
Levi- Strauss are differences in understanding. For example, Levi Strauss affirms human nature, universality of human spirit, universal man. On contrary, for Foucault the notion of the man is fake – there is no firm elements of human spirit. He investigates functioning of the western spirit from Renaissance till today, trying to understand epochs of our culture in the
2
way that will show some kind of wild thought of the epoch, unconscious systems which are erasing every meaning of the one cultural epoch.
That space of order, a priori history of one period, Foucault named using Greek word episteme. Investigating the episteme, he is exploring the lows which are ruling through the statements and rhetoric of the one age, without recalling any kind of subject of the …show more content…

That episteme is based on the symbolic-spiritual understanding of the things.
Language is a system of the signs. In the duration of one episteme, all speeches are in its network, without exceptions. We can say that what Foucault is naming episteme, is that what
Maurice Halbwachs is naming the context, or definite social milieux (1980), and Nora milieux de memoire (1989). The episteme is unconscious, it is holding us hard because we do not recognize it. Episteme is ahistorical, even if it is presenting the phase in the history of speech of the one culture, on it’s field, it does not forming itself in time continuity. It is becoming enigmatically. Time does not exist like dynamic factor. Speech is existing on its own, considering the place on the epistemological field.
In the end of the Renaissance, harmony between words and things is disappearing.
Instead of similarity, we have identities and differences. The truth is now manifested in the obvious and clear impressions. The language is not any more in the first plan, it is transparent

Show More
Related

The Allegory Of The Cave And Descartes Meditation

504 Words | 3 Pages

Epistemology is an area in philosophy in which it is the theory of knowledge. In Descartes’ Meditations, his epistemology is known as foundationalism. It is the foundation of modern skepticism. In Meditations I, the Meditator feels the

Read More

Henry David And Chris Mccandless Comparison Essay

460 Words | 2 Pages

There are similarities between Chris McCandless and Henry David Thoreau, but there is also many differences. Chris and David’s thoughts on the following ideas are just some of the many similarities they have: transcendentalism, materialism, individualism, and nature. One difference between McCandless and Thoreau is that Thoreau studied and enjoyed technology, while McCandless did not. The two characters may have extensive similarities, but their differences characterize their personalities.

Read More

Lucretius On The Order Of Things Analysis

1440 Words | 6 Pages

Analysis of Lucretius: On the Order of Things Introduction: Lucretius, the author of, “On the Order of Things” argues for the concept and ideology of an inevitable death, in that individuals should accept their fate instead of providing resistance. Lucretius commences by claiming that Atomism is the core reason of the existence of the universe, thereby reasoning that everything that currently exists in the world today is a product of the collision of atoms. Since human beings are comprised of these, there is no possibility that any part of them can survive after death, and thus humans should not fear death. He also delves into the Epicurean belief that individuals crave a life devoid of pain, and abundant with pleasure.

Read More

How Did Burk Interpreting The French Revolution

1148 Words | 5 Pages

However, two French historians after reviewing their Marxist counterparts had come up with their own interpretation and standpoint on the uprisings. Francois Furet was a 20th-century historian who most famously wrote Interpreting the French Revolution in 1981. Most of his research consisted of accounts gathered from both Anglo-Saxon and French writings and drew on 19th-century historian Alexis de Tocqueville works to help develop a view about the progressiveness of the revolution.

Read More

Kant Vs Foucault Analysis

1116 Words | 5 Pages

Athena Kennedy Philosophy Professor Berendzen Kant vs. Foucault December 1, 2015 Kant vs. Foucault Humans question their surroundings every day, weather it is “is how I am acting the way I want to portray myself,” “am I doing the right thing in this situation?” All questions can and should be debated, In philosophy we find new ways to questions everything, weather it is another’s opinion or our own, we form new ways of thinking critically and new ways to obtain answers that will satisfy our thirst for knowledge. Philosophers believe that you need to be able to question everything because there is always new knowledge out there for us to absorb and to question. In critical thinking you evaluate an issue you believe is present in order

Read More

Michel Foucault Discipline And Punish Analysis

1356 Words | 6 Pages

Thus it reflects that his notion was more than purely theoretical with various experiences and provided us a lot social facts to evaluate. Introduction

Read More

Michel Foucault's Discourse On Sexuality

785 Words | 4 Pages

MICHEL FOUCAULT ON SEXUALITY Michel Foucault was a French philosopher, philologist and social theorist. He made discourses on the relationship between power and knowledge and about how they are utilized as a form of social control through social establishments. This essay talks about Michel Foucault’s discourse on sexuality. He put forward his theory of the history of sexuality.

Read More

Compare And Contrast Descartes And Hume

1404 Words | 6 Pages

Descartes Epistemology: Descartes attempts to discover a foundation of knowledge as seen in his book ‘Meditations on First Philosophy’. He is essentially looking for total certainty. In order to do so, Descartes doubted everything, coming to the realization that he can only prove his

Read More

Foucault's Theory Of Discourse Analysis

1274 Words | 6 Pages

Based on Stuart Hall’s (2006) discussion of Foucault’s theory of discourse, a discourse is generally consisting of a group of statements that together offer a way of talking about a par-ticular knowledge on a certain topic. Many individuals can produce it together, in different institutional settings. The discourse thereby enables the construction of a topic in a specific way which at the same time limits other constructions of the same topic. A discourse is made up not only from one but a multiplicity of statements that all share the same style to talk about the same topic. However, it is not a closed off system, it draws statements from and into other discourses.

Read More

Foucault And Identity Analysis

2352 Words | 10 Pages

Paul- Michel Foucault was a French philosopher also known as a historian of systems of thoughts whose influence extended across a broad array of disciplines especially in the humanities and social sciences and a social critic. He created his own title when he was promoted to professorship at one of the most prestigious colleges in France “College de France” in 1970. He is perhaps best known for his ruminations on power, self identity, epistemology, and the evolution of systems of thought and meaning. He is often described as post-structuralist or post modernist, however Foucault himself rejected such titles, preferring to analyse their significance rather than identifying with them.

Read More

Edward Said's Theory Of Representation Of Orientation

1507 Words | 7 Pages

Employing the Foucaultian discursive approach, Edward Said’s

Read More

Jean Piaget's Theory Of Cognitive Development

1191 Words | 5 Pages

Cognition is the study of the mind works. When we study cognitive development, we are acknowledging the fact that changes occur in how we think and learn as we grow. There is a very big difference in the way that children and adults think about and understand their environment. Jean Piaget (1896-1980), a biology student did extensive research work in the area of child development and is attributed with the development of the theory of cognitive development which has played a major role in this field (child development).

Read More

Foucault's Theory Of Disciplinary Power

997 Words | 4 Pages

Foremost, an advantage of Foucault’s concept is that Foucault believes that power possesses a more discursive aspect and can therefore act as productive as well as positive force on society (Hook, 2004). Foucault views power as productive and positive whereas most authors prior to Foucault have viewed power as negative and repressive. An additional advantage of Foucault’s concept is that a genealogical account is offered (Gaventa, 2003). This means that Foucault offers a fundamental historical critique which looks at the forgotten origins of human sciences (Hook, 2004). The purpose of genealogy is to critique the present and those aspects that are taken for granted.

Read More

Michel Foucault: The Construction Of Discourse

1045 Words | 5 Pages

There is such a variety of definitions regarding discourse that make it difficult to stick to one definition, therefore the context to which discourse is used is helpful to narrowing down a less diverse definition. Michel Foucault (philosopher, social theorist and literary critic) used various definitions of discourse at separate instances. The rough definition that Foucault suggests for Discourse is ‘the general domain of all statements’. He also defines discourse as an adapted cluster of statements, which could relate to the distinct structures in discourse. Discourse has to do with distinguishing groups of statements which are controlled in a way that they match and reach a mutual effect.

Read More

Descriptive Essay On Leonardo Da Vinci

1034 Words | 5 Pages

Leonardo da Vinci was a talented scientist, inventor, painter of the Renaissance europe. Modern scholars referred to him as "the most perfect representative of the Renaissance", is unique in the history of mankind all rounder, his greatest achievement is his masterpiece of painting, "Monalisa", "the last supper", "virgin of the rocks" and other works, reflects his superb artistic attainments. He believes that the most beautiful object of nature is the human body, the human body is a wonderful work of nature, painters should be the core of the object of painting. He is a deep thinking, knowledgeable, versatile painter, astronomer, inventor, engineer.

Read More

More about Foucault The Order Of Things Summary

Related Topics

Open Document