Michel Foucault in his last essay credits Nietzsche as the thinker which
most influenced him:
"I can only respond by saying that I am simply a Nietzschean, and I try to
see, on a number of points, and to the extent that it is possible, with the
aid of Nietzsche's text -- but also with anti-Nietzschean theses (which
are the nevertheless Nietzschean!) -- what can be done in this or that
domain. I'm not looking for anything else but I'm really searching for that
(p. 251, _Politics, Philosophy, Culture)."
The different discussions on genealogy and deconstruction have traced us
back to Foucault's obvious link to Nietzsche. Although Foucault adopts many
of the central themes of Nietzsche, genealogy, power, and life as a work of
art, none of these themes in Foucault coincide with Nietzsche's use.
More intriguing is the fact that Nietzsche in the same interview notes that
Nietzsche was not a major influence until he read Heidegger:
"I had to read Nietzsche in the fifties but Nietzsche alone did not appeal
to me -- whereas Nietzsche and Heidegger: that was a philosophical shock
(p. 250)."
What is Nietzschean about Foucault? What is not? What is it about
Heidegger's philosophy or his reading of Nietzsche that animates Foucault's
re-reading of Nietzsche?
I would appreciate your thoughts...
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most influenced him:
"I can only respond by saying that I am simply a Nietzschean, and I try to
see, on a number of points, and to the extent that it is possible, with the
aid of Nietzsche's text -- but also with anti-Nietzschean theses (which
are the nevertheless Nietzschean!) -- what can be done in this or that
domain. I'm not looking for anything else but I'm really searching for that
(p. 251, _Politics, Philosophy, Culture)."
The different discussions on genealogy and deconstruction have traced us
back to Foucault's obvious link to Nietzsche. Although Foucault adopts many
of the central themes of Nietzsche, genealogy, power, and life as a work of
art, none of these themes in Foucault coincide with Nietzsche's use.
More intriguing is the fact that Nietzsche in the same interview notes that
Nietzsche was not a major influence until he read Heidegger:
"I had to read Nietzsche in the fifties but Nietzsche alone did not appeal
to me -- whereas Nietzsche and Heidegger: that was a philosophical shock
(p. 250)."
What is Nietzschean about Foucault? What is not? What is it about
Heidegger's philosophy or his reading of Nietzsche that animates Foucault's
re-reading of Nietzsche?
I would appreciate your thoughts...
------------------